Sharon Bearns
We extend our sympathies to the family and friends of Sharon Bearns, on her passing. Visitation will be on April 9 2024 at St Peter from 10am-Noon with service following.
We extend our sympathies to the family and friends of Sharon Bearns, on her passing. Visitation will be on April 9 2024 at St Peter from 10am-Noon with service following.
+ HOLY WEEK 2024: March 24 – 31 +
Below are some ways you can experience Holy Week with our congregation and other Christians in our neighboring communities.
JOURNEY TO THE CROSS
A self-directed, interactive experience at Northwood Church of God, 1838 S. Coy Rd., Northwood. The experience is open on Monday from 10 am – 4:30 pm and Tuesday – Friday from 10 am – 7 pm.
PRAY
Many clergy in our area renew their vows this week: at Rosary Cathedral in Toledo (Roman Catholic) and Good Hope Lutheran Church in Arlington (Lutheran)… both on Tuesday and at St. Paul’s Episcopal, Oregon… on Thursday.
HOLY WEDNESDAY
Tenebrae Service of Shadows and Darkness at Rosary Cathedral, 2535 Collingwood Blvd., Toledo, at 7:30 pm.
MAUNDY THURSDAY
7:00 pm worship at St. Peter, 17877 W. State Route 579, Martin.
GOOD FRIDAY
2:00 pm Good Friday “art walk” at the Toledo Museum of Art, 2445 Monroe St., Toledo (meet in the lobby near the café on W. Grove Place side of the building)… led by Toledo area Lutheran pastors
7:00 pm worship at St. Luke’s, 20 S. Yondota Rd., Curtice.
HOLY SATURDAY
Some congregations offer an Easter Vigil worship service on the evening of Holy Saturday.
EASTER SUNDAY
7:00 am Sunrise worship at South Shore Veterans Pak, 5724 Bayshore Rd. (corner of Bayshore and Stadium), Oregon
7:30 am Easter breakfast at St. Peter
8:45 am Easter worship at St. Peter
10:30 am Easter worship at St. Luke’s
The sabbatical planning team (Pastor Matt, Cindy Bench, Steve Yunker, Jim Vermilyea) invites you to a potluck and information session (with time for questions and answers) on Sunday, February 25 at 12 noon at St. Luke’s. Pastor Matt is planning a sabbatical in 2025. Applications for grant money are due in mid-March of this year. If you are not able to make the potluck, print copies of information will be available. If you have questions, please contact any of the members of the sabbatical planning team.
There will not be Morning Worship on Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023.
Please join us for Christmas Eve Services at 4:00pm and 9:00pm.
On October 15 2023, 50 voting members were in attendance at the special congregational meeting to approve proposed changes to the St. Peter Lutheran Church Constitution and Committee Handbook.
The proposed changes to both documents were approved by the congregation.
Final ratification of both documents will be voted on at the November annual meeting.
There will be a Special Congregational Meeting on Oct. 15, 2023 at 10am in the fellowship hall to review and vote on changes to our constitution.
We have all seen the reports of the train derailment and chemical explosion in East Palestine Ohio. The resulting chemical spill has left the water in the area unsafe to drink. Health experts are warning of “serious environmental damage” in the area surrounding the crash site. Bottled water is a great need. Several congregations of the North Central Conference led the effort in collecting bottled water to be used by the residents of East Palestine. Monetary gifts were received also and were used to purchase bottled water for the residents.
Pastor Bob Noble (Calvary, Northwood, Christ, Dowling) personally delivered the water that was collected and reported back that the situation is much worse than what is being reported. One glass of water may not have many ‘measurable contaminates’, but the people of that community have to deal with the effects of many glasses of water over the course of weeks, months, and years. Restaurants have been forced to close. Pets have been sent away because water is too precious to use for them and the ground water is not safe for them to drink in the long term.
First Church of Christ in East Palestine has been designated the lead church in the area to assist survivors and their families. First Christ is where residents come to get water and receive medical care and advice supplied by the Columbiana County Department of Health. Mallory Aponick is coordinating efforts on behalf of the churches in the area. Mallory hugged Pastor Bob in thanks telling him, “I don’t know what we would do if it was not for churches.”
The whole situation will undoubtedly have very long-term consequences for the environment and the people of the community. Pastor Bob shared that when he was unloading a woman came up and asked for one of the gallon jugs of water because that is how she has been able to bathe her 4-month-old baby.
To further help the people of East Palestine, we are asking the congregations of the North Central Conference (and anyone else who would like to join us) to consider taking a special offering. There are a number of ways to accomplish this. Designating Lenten/Holy Week offerings, encouraging members to give, or whatever method fits your setting, to raise funds for the purpose of buying water for the residents of that community. One hundred percent of the money offered will be used to purchase water for the residents of East Palestine.
A bottle of water may not seem like much when the problems are so big, but as Pastor Bob discovered, our collected acts of care and compassion can be a welcome gift for people who are hurting and fearful of what the future may hold. Donations may be sent to Calvary Lutheran Church (1930 Bradner Rd, Northwood, OH 43619) marked “WATER”. We will be collecting donations through Easter Sunday. Please remember the residents of East Palestine in your prayers and consider donating. Even the smallest act of kindness can be a huge blessing.
Thank you in advance for helping with this project.
God’s Peace,
Shawn O’Brien
On March 5 2023, a special congregational meeting was held. At this meeting, the congregation approved the permanent call of Pastor Matt Musteric. Pastor Matt had been serving in a 2 year temporary call.
We are blessed and happy to have Pastor Matt with the congregations of St. Luke’s and St. Peter.
An installation service will be scheduled in the near future.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
In the part of the world in which we live, we’ve been formed very well to be consumers. The church, instead of offering an alternative, has often enabled this trend.
What I love about the austerity and simplicity of Lent is that it calls this identity into question. Instead of more, Lent invites us to less. Instead of increased consumption, we are invited to practice the virtue of contentment.
Here are some verses on contentment that I invite you to reflect on during this season of Lent:
Hebrews 13:5: Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’
1 Timothy 6:6: Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment.
What do you think?
+ Pastor Matt