Prints of Peace - January 20

Dear Friends in Christ:  Sunday: This Sunday we get to hear the story of Jesus changing water into wine. This story has many layers of meaning for all of us. Come and hear God’s Word and be fed by Jesus in bread and wine. Adult Education: On break. Today we will have a presentation about Planned Giving. See below. Join us this Sunday at 9:15. Reading for this Sunday: Please read John chapter 2 and the sidebar notes for this chapter in your Lutheran Study Bible (LSB.) This chapter includes Jesus’ first “sign” (or miracle) of turning water into wine. John uses the word “sign” instead of miracle because these miracles, like a sign, point to something else: some truth about Jesus. Notice this chapter includes Jesus’ “cleansing of the Temple,” which the other three Gospels put right before Jesus’ crucifixion. If you don’t yet have a LSB, see Pastor Mark.
 
Worship Schedule: The service of Holy Communion is at 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
                                                                       
Annual Congregation Meeting: On Sunday, January 27 at 9:15 a.m., the congregation will meet to approve a budget for 2019. We need you there! Please attend.
 
Reading for Next Week:  Please read Luke chapter 4 and the sidebar notes for this chapter in your Lutheran Study Bible (LSB.) This chapter includes our Gospel readings for the next three Sundays. It introduces Jesus’ human mission to proclaim the coming kingdom of God, which includes healing - making people whole.  If you don’t yet have a LSB, see Pastor Mark.
 
Adult Education: This Sunday we will have a presentation by Tim Urness on Planned Giving. See below. On January 27 we have our Annual Congregation meeting. On February 10 we will begin a book study on “Everything Happens for a Reason (and Other Lies I Have Loved)” by Kate Bowler. Bowler is a professor at Duke Divinity School. She was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in her 30s. In the book, she considers the “easy answers” that Christians have posed when something bad happens to someone good. Please let Pastor Mark know if you would like a book ordered. The cost of the book is $13. You may attend the sessions even if you do not read the book; there will be plenty to discuss. Pastor Mark will be leading.
 
Planned Giving Presentation: Do you have a plan for your financial assets after you die? If we do not plan, the state of Illinois will provide a plan for us, and it might not be the plan we wanted. Come on Sunday, January 20 at 9:15 in the sanctuary to hear Tim Urness of the ELCA Foundation to help us think about planned giving, including helping fund ministries at Peace Lutheran. Tim will be available after each service to answer questions.
 
Attendance: On January 13, 2019 118 attended service.  On January 16, 2019, 10 attended the  service at Lexington.
 
Pastor’s Day Off: Monday is Pastor Mark’s day off. He is not in the office that day. If you need him urgently, you can call his cell phone, which can be accessed by calling church.
 
Church Administrator: Allison Hearst is our church administrator. She works part time - Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. One of the many things Allison is in charge of is the church calendar. She can be reached by phone at 847-438-4400.
 
Prayer Requests: We pray for those who need healing and wholeness: for Wes Willard,  Kristen Jorgensen, Joyce Smith, Lindsey, Greg, Bob Kayser, Carol Nordquist, Kurt Stefans and Bella Velasco. Our practice is we will pray for an individual for at least 4 Sundays or until the end of the following month. After that time, we ask that you contact the office or Pastor Mark to keep your loved one on the prayer list. If a loved one inadvertently falls off the prayer list, please request to put this person back on the list. Thank you. We need pray-ers! If you would like to be a participant in the Circle of Prayer, please contact Terry Koncel at peaceprays@mail.com.
 
Youth
                                                                                                           
Youth Director’s Days Off & Office Hours: Our Youth Director is Tracy Katschke and her days off are Friday and Saturday. She does not check church voice mail or emails on those days. Tracy is engaged at Peace half-time, and her office hours are Monday - Thursday 2:30-6:30pm. She can be reached on her cell for urgent matters. Her cell phone can be accessed by calling church.
 
Save the Date! Our high school students will be going to West Virginia in July of 2019. Our first mission trip fund raiser, the Holy Spaghetti Dinner & Auction, will be held at Peace Lutheran on Saturday, March 2nd! Please make sure to mark your calendars for a wonderful evening of good food and great fellowship!
 
Joyful Noisemakers: Children in grades K-5 that can read are invited to join our children's choir, Joyful Noisemakers.  We have short rehearsals every Saturday morning at 10:30, where we learn how to sing beautifully to the Lord!
 
Events
 
Brewing Questions: We will have our January Brewing Questions event on Tuesday, January 22nd at 7pm at Chasers! Everyone is welcome to join us for good food, great conversation and, of course, BEER!
 
Social Outreach
 
Feed My Starving Children: Please sign up for Feed My Starving Children.  We have 30 spots reserved for March 16th from 9-11 a.m.  Questions call or text Amy Anderson t 847 338-6262. Sign up sheet in the Narthex.
 
Bernie's Book Bank Book Drive: Looking to do some shelf cleaning in the New Year?  Did you know 2 out of 3 low-income children have no books of their own? Please consider donating to our social outreach Bernie's Book Bank Children's Book Drive. We are collecting new and gently used children's books aged birth through 6th grade (please no workbooks, textbooks or reference books).  Books can be placed in the bin in the narthex.  Our book drive will run 1/13-2/10 and we are hoping to collect 500 books during our book drive.  You can learn more about the organization at www.berniesbookbank.org and contact Gretchen Collins from social outreach at 847-540-6907 with any questions.
 
Hope Partners Africa:  This year at Mission Projects Day we will be collecting supplies for Hope Partners Africa / Juan Amagara Ministries.  This nonprofit brings together psychologists, psychiatrists, doctors and other professionals who special in treating refugees, orphans and people living in rural areas with minimal access to health services. We are asking each family to bring at least one item from their list to Mission Projects Day.  Their areas of service include education (school supplies, Bible story books and games, coloring books), teaching sewing to women to help them learn a skill that can help sustain their families (sewing scissors, thread, pins, needles, etc), and a health clinic (first aid supplies, toiletries, see list for other items).  Thank you!
 
Cutters and sewers needed for Mission Projects Day:   If you can help cut the tabs in fleece or sew a pillow cover for our hospice project, please see the bin and sign-up sheet in the hallway.  All items need to be returned by January 20th.  Please call Sue Koenig, if you have any questions.  Thank you!
 
Mission Projects Day 2019:  Join us Feb. 2, 2019 for our annual Mission Projects Day Event.  This is a service day for people of all ages! We start at 9:00 am and work until our projects are completed, usually around noon.  We will be helping a variety of nonprofit organizations.  Some of the activities include:  Global Health Ministries - rolling bandages for clinics that cannot afford commercial bandages, Lutheran World Relief - assembling baby kits, school kits and health kits for those in need overseas and tying quilts, Project Linus - making blankets for children in need, Cards for hospitalized children, craft projects for nursing home residents and Operation Gratitude - making paracord bracelets for our troops.  No special skills are needed.  Come for as much time as you can and YOU will help us make a big difference to others! Please put your name on the sign up sheet in the hallway if you are planning on attending.
 
Adult Mission Trip: Please consider coming on the adult mission trip this summer in Hattiesburg, MS to help families rebuild from a flood in 2016 and a devastating tornado in 2017.  Many people were affected and we will be working with an agency that has been in the area helping people recover from natural disasters since 2006 following Hurricane Katrina's destruction. The dates are June 23-29th.  We will be staying in a renovated 100 yr old inn with showers and laundry on site and making our own meals.  You do not need to have any special skills and there will be an opportunity for community service as well.  It is a great way to make new friendships and do something awesome this summer! Please sign up in the narthex.  A non-refundable deposit will be collected at a later date to hole your spot. An informational meeting will be held at Living Lord Lutheran Church in Bartlett on Feb. 10 from 12-1:0. Please email or call me (Sue Koenig) if you have any questions! The $25 non-refundable deposit will be due by March 1.
 
The Human Race: Looking for participants for The Human Race.  Are you looking to build your fitness level, have fun and help others? If so, consider doing the Human Race! This 5K event will be held on April 28th starting st 8:00 am at McHenry County College. It is family friendly and can be done as a walk or run(just over 3 miles).  Participants can chose which local nonprofit will receive the proceeds of their race fee ($35 until March 31, then $40 until April 25). Please consider joining my team, Susie’s Solemates (use password let’s go! To join the team online). I am encouraging team members to support Home of the Sparrow, a local nonprofit helping women and children who have experienced domestic violence or homelessness. Please call Sue Koenig with any questions.
 
In Crisis?  Anyone anywhere can be affected by mental health struggles including depression, anxiety, having feelings of being overwhelmed, or having suicidal thoughts.  There has been a significant increase (up nearly 30%) in the annual rate of suicide from 1999-2016. The key to preventing people from reaching the point of suicide is to talk about it and offer help, encouragement and resources to those struggling to keep living.  The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255 and the crisis text line is text CONNECT to 741741 for people who are in distress and feel like they are at risk of hurting themselves, or if you know of a person who is at risk.
 
Ongoing Opportunities
 
Simply Giving: Many of our members and friends give with Simply Giving automated debit. This program is very important for our congregation. It keeps income steady during the summer months when giving drops because people are out of town. Please consider it! Giving forms are on the table in the narthex. If you do participate in Simply Giving, or if you do not have an offering on a particular Sunday you can still participate in the act of giving during the service by obtaining Giving Acknowledgment card from an usher and placing it in the offering plate to acknowledge your support of our ministries at Peace.
 
On-Line Giving: You now have the option to make a gift to Peace from your computer, tablet or phone! To give online go to the Peace web site www.PeaceLutheranLZ.com and click on the "Make a Donation" button. To give from your phone, download the
Give Plus Church app and search for Peace in Lake Zurich to make your gift. Finally, to give from your phone without downloading the Give Plus Church app just text a gift to the Peace text number, 224-458-2996. Just enter an amount and send the text to the Peace number and you will be sent a link to complete the transaction. See Kirk Swanson if you have any questions.
 
Inspirational Messages: Pastor Mark would like to reach out to the congregation with a brief message a couple times per week. If you want to receive these, please fill out the form in the red attendance folders. Messages will be sent via a text, Facebook account, and Twitter. Any questions, contact Beth Papke at (847) 438-5294 or papkeb@wwdb.org
 
Caring Tree: This outreach ministry provides services to those in the congregation with special need, i.e., dinners for new moms, meals for those following a hospitalization, or short term help with lawn cutting or snow removal. Please contact Jean Foltin or Pastor Mark with requests for assistance. Jean may be reached by email (jfoltin5@comcast.net) or by phone/text (847-738-8599).
 
Altar Flowers: If you have a special date you would like to remember, please consider bringing flowers for our Sunday services. The calendar is on the bulletin board in the hallway. Vases are available for use in the kitchen cabinet behind the door. Flowers should be set out before the first service and can be picked up any time after the second service. Enter your first name on the calendar, as we have several families with the same last name. Any questions, please contact Jean Foltin.
 
Choir: Adult choir practices on Thursday evenings at 7:30pm at Peace.  We usually sing on the 2nd and 4th Sundays from September through mid-May then take a break over the summer.  Bring your voice and come join us!
 
Hand Bell Choir: Hand Bell Choir practices on Tuesday evenings 6:45 to 7:45pm at Peace. We play 1 Sunday a month.  No experience needed. Come have some musical fun
 
Wednesday Morning Women’s Bible Study: We meet at Panera Bread in Deer Park at 9:00 a.m.  Anyone is welcome to join us for coffee.
 
AmazonSmile: Shop on AmazonSmile and 0.5% of your purchase can be donated to Peace Lutheran. For information about it, go to http://smile.amazon.com/about.
 
Peace now has Opt-Out Photo Release Forms: they are on the main table in the narthex.  If you do NOT want your/family member picture on the Church's website or Facebook page please sign and put in Cathy Malloy's mailbox in church office.
Peace Lutheran Church Facebook Page: Be sure to visit our Facebook page - Peace Lutheran Church of Lake Zurich. It's the one with recent posts. If you have an event or ministry you want promoted, and haven't seen it on our Facebook page, POST IT!! If you have questions or need help please email your request to one of the page administrators:  Jean Bishop, Karen Zicco, Bridget Heroff, Nicola Prybell or Pastor Mark.   
 
Church Calendar: The 2018 church calendar shows events and activities of the church and is posted on our website. You can find it by clicking "Calendar of Events" on the home page, or you can access it by visiting http://peacelutheranlz.com/calendar/  
If you have an event you want posted on the calendar, please email the church at the church social email:  office@peacelutheranlz.com
 
Online Newsletter: Do you get the Peace Lutheran weekly newsletter Prints of Peace online?  If not, please send your email address to peacelzoffice@yahoo.com and ask to be added to the emailing list.
                                               
                       
                                          This Week at Peace                       
 
     January       20      8:00am                  Worship (Holy Communion)
                                   9:15                       Sunday School
                                  10:30am                Worship (Holy Communion)
     January       21      7:00pm                  Al-Anon
     January       22      6:45pm                  Bell Choir                
     January       23      9:00am                  Women’s Bible Study - Deer Park Panera
                                  10:30                     Lexington worship 
                                7:00pm                 Confirmation at St. Peter’s
     January       24     12:30 - 6:30pm      Voice Lessons
                                  7:30 - 8:30             Adult Choir
     January       26      8:00am       Men’s Bible study at Dunkin Donuts
                                10:30                     Joyful Noisemakers
     January       27      8:00am                 Worship (Holy Communion)
                                  9:15                      Annual Congregation Meeting
                                                           All together Sunday School
                                  10:30am                Worship (Holy Communion)                                 
 
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