SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK
Sunday, December 4th
8:00am Worship
9:00am Sunday School
10:00am Worship
11:00am Love Fellowship
Tuesday, December 6th
9:00am Quilting
7:00pm Band Rehearsal
Wednesday, December 7th
10:00am Bible Study
6:30pm Confirmation
Thursday, December 8th
10:00am Fidget Mats
7:15pm Dartball—at Colts
Saturday, December 10th
9:00am WELCA Cookie Pick Up
Sunday, December 11th
8:00am Worship
9:00am Sunday School
9:00am WELCA Cookie Pick Up
10:00am Worship
11:00am Love Fellowship
ADVENT DEVOTIONALS AND CALENDARS
Advent Devotionals and Calendars are available on the table outside of the office doors.
WE NEED YOUR THOUGHTS!!
On Sunday, December 4th, we will be taking part in the Congregational Vitality Survey. The survey is a positive tool for us to use as we joyfully explore how we all experience St. Peter. It is a chance for us to engage in conversation about who we are as a church and what we see for our future. The survey is not about assessing or evaluating what we like or don’t like about our church, it is an opportunity for us to talk about how we see our church and identify what we do well and what we can do even better. Please plan on attending worship on Sunday, December 4th to complete the survey at either the 8:00am or 10:00am service.
FINANCIAL UPDATE
Thank you for your continued financial support. We have made great strides in recent years on our mortgage balance. The current balance is just over $268,000 – that’s $45,000 less than it was just two years ago!
Also, thanks to your generosity, we have been able to give $2,500 to the food pantry, $1,600 to offer assistance to those who need a little extra help, $3,500 to our youth, and almost $500 to the Endowment Fund. This is all in addition to the almost $15,000 we budgeted and sent to the Greater Milwaukee Synod and neighborhood partners like SCIO, Rainbow Kids, Samaritan’s Hand, and Crossways Camps.
We end November with over $5,000 in our checking account. Please help us to finish off the year strong – consider an additional year-end donation of you are able.
SHARE JOY!
Stop by the office door, grab a sticky note, and write down something that gives you joy. It can be anything! Maybe it is certain people, places, things, or activities. You can share things about your family, our church, or certain ministry that give you joy. Then, post it on the glass wall to share joy this holiday season. This will add to the notes we posted about what we are thankful for! It is a great way for us to see what gives different people joy. Fill out as many as you want to!
ST. PETER ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
We thought it was a good time to remind everyone of our organizational structure at St. Peter. A chart is attached to this email, which will be very helpful in understanding how this works! It is a structure that is built around collaboration and healthy communication.
Each Ministry Team is part of a Mission. Each Mission exists for different purposes, but they are all rooted in the gospel and carry out the mission of St. Peter Lutheran Church to “Glorify God by building healthy relationship with God, with one another, and with our community following the example of Jesus Christ.” Ministry Teams meet as needed to carry out specific goals related to specific ministries.
Each Mission is assigned a council liaison. Some Missions may have more than one liaison. The liaison(s) function as a link between Ministry Teams within the Missions and the church council. The liaison(s) are not required to attend meetings and events for teams in their Missions. If you are part of a Ministry Team and don’t know who your council liaison is, please ask Joy, our council president, or reply to this email and Carrie will get you the appropriate information.
Below is a description of the Missions at St. Peter. Remember to use the chart that is attached to this email to give you a whole picture and a list of Ministry Teams in each Mission!
Social Outreach Mission – This mission consists of church, community, synod, and international ministries that focus on efforts to live into Matthew 25:35-40. The Social Outreach Mission supports a wide variety of local, national, and international efforts that include, but are not limited to promoting justice; providing school supplies; donating food; building relationships; and traveling to partner congregations.
Lifelong Learning Mission – Ministries for all ages that are related to the learning, service, and growth of the congregation. The Lifelong Learning Mission connects members of the congregation through worship, prayer, play, and fellowship ministries.
Worship and Witness Mission – This mission oversees the worship life of the congregation. The Worship and Witness Mission ministries offer direction through leadership in worship planning, preparing recommendations, and acting related to all aspects of worship, music, and the use of worship space.
Resource Development Mission – This mission consists of ministries that work to ensure responsible care of the building, grounds, finances, and financial future of St. Peter. The Resource Development Mission offers consideration and attention to financial activities and takes care of the physical property of the church.
Parish Life Mission – These ministries offer activities, learning, service, and growth through fellowship, entertainment, information sharing, and relationship building. Parish Life Mission Ministries operate within their own spirit-driven time frame and may overlap with other Missions in the church.
WORSHIP AND WITNESS MISSION NEWS
St. Peter Live
Our service is livestreamed to our Facebook page (https://m.facebook.com/stpetersheboygan/) each Sunday morning. Following worship, the service will be uploaded to YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkvPIB8agxVhS72C5822etA) and our website (https://stpetersheboygan.com). The weekly bulletin is attached to this email if you would like to follow along with the online service.
Sign up to be a Worship Assistant
It is now easier than ever to help with worship! Visit the Sign-Up Genius site to help with reading, ushering, communion and tech through the end of the year. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508084aaaac2eaaf58-worship
Stay Healthy!
It’s cold and flu season suddenly! These cold temperatures force everyone indoors and the germs are out in full force. This is just a reminder that if you are not feeling well, please stay home and enjoy worship online. If you do come to church, please consider wearing a mask to protect yourself and others! Masks are still available inside the main doors and at the fellowship hall entrance.
LIFELONG LEARNING MISSION
Sunday School
Join us for Sunday School at 9:00am. Kids ages 3 years old through 5th grade are invited to join us for a time of bible stories, music, and activities. Please click the link to register for Sunday School. https://stpeter.breezechms.com/form/3931c5
Confirmation
Confirmation is on Wednesdays from 6:30-7:30pm. Please click the link to register for confirmation. https://stpeter.breezechms.com/form/3931c5
Men’s Bible/Book Study
Join Jim and Steve for a weekly men’s study of The Walk by Adam Hamilton beginning on Wednesday January 11, 2023, from 1:30 – 2:30pm in the Fireside Room. Amazon and Sonlight Books are good places to purchase the book for about $20. If you need help (placing the order or financially) please let us know and we can assist. All men are welcome, you need not be a member of St. Peter to attend. Please reply to this email if you would like to participate.
Bible Study
Join us for Bible Study, led by Myra, on Wednesday mornings from 10:00am to 11:00am in the Fireside Room.
SOCIAL OUTREACH MISSION NEWS
Lutheran World Relief
LWR collections are always ongoing. Currently for the months of Nov/Dec we are collecting: For the Layettes: T-shirts in sizes 6 mos – 24 mos, and socks in toddler sizes. For Health Care kits: white bar soap, wide tooth combs, and nail clippers. Your donations are tax deductible, just ask Carrie for a form. Thank you so much.
Mitten Tree
The Mitten Tree is up in the hallway to the Fellowship Hall and ready for your donations of warm mittens and gloves for our friends at the elementary schools. We did receive a wonderful donation of almost 120 handmade hats – so we would love your donations of mittens and gloves in a range of colors and sizes. We would love to send items to the schools before it gets cold, so they are ready to go! Thank you!
Fidget Mats
Fidget mats and cuffs continue to be popular items. We give thanks to the many hands that create these, each with their own special style and creativity. Every place we take them there is so much appreciation, especially since their budgets are small and because of your generosity in giving doodads and gizmos we can gift them. In October we delivered 5 children’s cuffs (yes, one of our ladies has found a way to downsize the adult size to accommodate little arms) to James Madison School and 15 mats to Harvest Home in Howards Grove. Both were by request. We already have goods ready for November’s deliveries, should be a good month.
Quilting
Join us for quilting for Lutheran World Relief on Tuesdays from 9am– 12pm in the quad room. Please come, we have a lot of work to do. No experience necessary. We will teach you. See you there.
El Salvador News
Wow! Again, I have returned with a renewed strength in my faith and am happy to tell of my trip to our sister parish Apostles of Christ. What a faithful group of families working together through the struggles of their lives sharing and caring for one another.
True confession, I was raised Wisconsin Lutheran, changed to Missouri Synod, went to Church every Sunday but that was it in involvement with the Church. I always wondered what purpose God had for me. In 2013 we moved to the north side of Sheboygan and joined St Peter Lutheran Church. 2015 I was introduced to the El Salvador program and was impressed. I felt this was God telling me this is what he had instore for me, I now have meaning and purpose to my life. So, I ask you to join me in creating a renewed interest in this great program. God’s love and blessings as always, Jim.
Northside Christian Food Pantry
NSCFP continues to serve those in need every Thursday. Faithful volunteers and donations from partners like St. Peter make this happen. December’s most needed items are: Boxed Potatoes, Manwich, Baked Beans, Peanut Butter/Jelly, Cereal/Breakfast Bars, Juice/Iced Tea, Assorted Crackers, and Canned Fruit/Vegetables. Always in need of toilet paper and paper towels. Note that some of the items are repeats from last month. This depends on how many items were received last month. Thank you for your donations and partnership. ~ Pat L
SCIO
Winter market is in full swing at First Congregational UCC Church, located at 310 Bluff Avenue. The winter market will continue every first and third Saturday through April, from 9am-12pm. We will continue to offer EBT and the $15 Double Your Bucks match at every market!
Two families currently call Bridgeway “home”. Another family of three will be moving into Bridgeway before Thanksgiving. SCIO’s mentoring program is going strong! We plan to ring bells for the Salvation Army and go to Evergreen Park to look at Christmas Lights in addition to having a Holiday Party. Please hold the Bridgeway family in your thoughts and prayers as we venture through a season of change with new residents.
End of Year Giving: We have experienced many challenges in 2022 but remain mission-focused! As we enter the season of giving, please keep SCIO in your heart. It is our goal to enter 2023 with robust community support and the financial means to grow our three programs: Bridgeway, Family Pathways, and the farmer’s market. We are grateful for your continued generosity.
Bridgeway needs paper products. Paper towels, Kleenex, and toilet paper would be greatly appreciated. SCIO families need transportation assistance. Daily bus passes and gas cards are welcomed donations as the winter season approaches.
Community Resources
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is now operational. This lifeline provides care and support to people experiencing stressful situations. It is free, confidential, and is available 24/7. People of all ages who need help for themselves or a loved one can access the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by: calling 988, sending a text message to 988, or using the chat feature at 988lifeline.org. People who contact 988 will be connected with a trained counselor who takes note of the person’s needs, understands how the person’s problem is affecting them, provides support, and, if needed, gets the person additional help.
PRAYER REQUESTS
Please keep the following people in your prayers:
Leonart and his family, Jennifer, Kelvin and family, Dan, Kari, Tim, Wina, Mike, Connie, Cirilla, Terry, Liz, Dale, Neenah, Elijah, LeeAnn, Chris, Donald, Colin, David, Jim, Eva, Jazzy, Kathy, Karen, Diane, Denny, Kiel School District, and Apostles of Christ.
BULLETIN AND WEEKLY NEWSLETTER ARTICLE DATES
Announcements for the bulletin and weekly newsletter are due at noon each Wednesday. Please submit information to Carrie, at email address stpeter@stpetersheboygan.com. The staff will review and make final decisions based on clarity, space, content, timing, and needs of the community.