by gd3590@roadrunner.com | Feb 28, 2022 | Uncategorized
Lenten Collection
The Season of Lent is traditionally a time of self-sacrifice.
The Outreach Ministry is encouraging all of us to take this Journey together through a weekly Bible Study on Hunger. This Bible Study will be provided for you in your weekly bulletin. It coincides with our weekly collection of Personal Care items for Lutheran World Relief.
There are 5 items to collect and 5 Bible Studies as we journey together towards The Cross.
1 lightweight bath towel
2 bars of bath soap
1 toothbrush
1 comb
1 metal nail clippers
Wrap all items in the towel and tie securely with ribbon
There are boxes for these items in the Narthex next to Pastor’s office.
On Palm Sunday we will have a special monetary collection to help pay for the shipping costs of our Personal Care Kits.
We are ALL so very blessed and each Health Kit will mean so much to those who receive them.
by gd3590@roadrunner.com | Feb 28, 2022 | Uncategorized
Spring Training
Dear Fellow Disciples at St. Peter and St. Luke’s, If I told you that every spring, baseball players around the country go to Florida for spring training and then, during the regular season, these players never play baseball, you would think that is a little weird, right?
Sometimes I think we approach Lent the same way. We might fast from something (certain types of food or “giving something up”) or increase our gifts or time spent with the poor. We might even deepen our prayer or devotional life. But then 40 days pass and we’re back to “business as usual” after Easter Sunday.
What if Lent is more like spring training? What if Lent is a time to intensely train in the disciplines of discipleship that we are invited into all year long, in the spring and in the “regular season”?
As we begin the season of Lent, I invite you to go deeper in your discipleship, not so you can “give it up” in 40 days, but so that you can play even better.
Peace be with you, Pastor Matt
Preaching Focus for Lent
During the Sundays of Lent, we will be exploring the story of the prodigal son in Luke, chapter 15, from several different perspectives. We will have copies of Tim Keller’s book, The Prodigal God, available for purchase for $3.
P.S. I have a new cell phone and email address: 419-349-0181 shepherdmatt@pm.me
by gd3590@roadrunner.com | Feb 6, 2022 | Uncategorized
What are the spiritual disciplines that you have found most transformative in your journey of faith?
I can think of at least seven or eight spiritual practices that lead to growth in faith, but four stand out to me as the ones most meaningful in my own spiritual journey.
1/ Prayer Prayer is listening to God, talking to God, and being in God’s presence, sometimes in silence. Prayer is meeting God with an open heart.
2/ Bible reflection I love my daily time in God’s word. It’s when I am most open to listening for the prompting of the Holy Spirit. I have also found that a short time in God’s word every day (well, most days!) is better than a marathon of Bible reading.
3/ Giving Giving is releasing resources (that are God’s to begin with) for the work of the church, the development of leaders, and care of the poor and suffering. Most faithful people I know are also generous people.
4/ Serving Hands-on service of others reminds us that all people are created in God’s image and that we are our brother’s keeper. I think that serving others face-to-face also puts us in a place to listen to them and hear their stories.
What I like about these four spiritual disciplines is that they connect us to both God and our neighbors.
What do you think?
+ Pastor Matt
P.S. I have a new cell phone and email address: 419-349-0181 shepherdmatt@pm.me
