For the month of March you can download—for free—the audiobooks for Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship and John Piper’s Fifty Reasons Jesus Came to Die.
These are both excellent books that everyone from Peace Lutheran should read..or listen to…….
Use the coupon code MAR2010 for Bonhoeffer, and the code MAR2010B for Piper. Go here for more details.
First Sunday-Food Sunday
We delivered 228 items to the Love Inc. food pantry this past week. Again, we had a good assortment of breakfast items including 2 boxes of pancake mix, 1 bottle of pancake syrup, 2 boxes of instant oatmeal, 9 boxes/bags of cold cereal, 5 boxes of cereal bars, and 2 bottles of fruit juice. Other items donated included 31 cans of vegetables, 11 boxes of macaroni & cheese, 20 cans of fruit, 28 cans of soup, 15 boxes of Hamburger/tuna/chicken Helper, 12 cans of pasta (mostly ravioli), 4 jars of peanut butter and 1 jar of jelly, 4 boxes of cake/cookie/muffin mixes, 7 packages of jello mix, 2 boxes of instant mashed potatoes, and 2 packages of gravy mix.
We also took canned meat, tuna, pasta, pasta side dishes, chili sauce, mustard, popcorn, brownie/cookie mixes, crackers, chips, cookies, salad dressing, paper towels, razors, shaving cream, deodorant, bars of soap, dish detergent, plus various other items.
The workers at the food bank said "thanks for your generous donations!"
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Community Blood Drive
The next Burlington Community Blood Drive is scheduled for Tuesday, February 16, 2010, 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Veterans Terrace, 589 Milwaukee Avenue, Burlington. Please contact the Blood Center of Wisconsin at 1-877-232-4376 for appointment and information. Appointments are encouraged. Donate here to keep our local community blood supply at a safe level. Please bring a photo ID at the time of donation.
Remember, O Lord, the soul of Thy departed servant. Give, O Lord, to Thy servant, Gordon eternal rest, and memory eternal!
Our Brother in Christ Gordon Bradshaw entered into his eternal rest on Friday morning January 29, 2010 at Memorial Hospital of Burlington after a brief battle with cancer. Gordon was 76 years old.
Gordon was born Nov. 20, 1933 in Milwaukee to James and Anna (nee Hoffmeier) Bradshaw. He spent his early life in Milwaukee where he graduated from Pulaski High School. He served in the US Navy for 4 years. On Feb. 27, 1960 he was united in marriage to Gwendolyn Janz in Milwaukee. Following marriage they made their home in Milwaukee before moving to Waterford, then Burlington.
Gordon was a plumber at the Wood Wisconsin VA Hospital in Milwaukee for 33 years. He was a member of Peace Lutheran Church in Burlington. He loved to give candy and bubble gum to everyone. He volunteered at the local food pantry in Waterford. He performed many good humanitarian services in Burlington and Waterford. He enjoyed traveling in the fall.
Survivors include his wife, Gwen Bradshaw of Burlington, children, Lynn (Gerry) Luisier of Menomonee Falls, David Bradshaw of California, Beth (Brian) Walters of Appleton, grandchildren, Brian Bradshaw, Jamie Bradshaw, Nicholas Walters, sister, Mildred (Leonard) Loffredo of Milwaukee and brother, Dale (Sharon) Bradshaw of Waukesha. He is further survived by many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, 1 brother and 3 sisters.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2010 at 5:00PM at Schuette-Daniels Funeral Home with Pastor Daniel Vojta officiating. Private burial will take place at Woodlawn Cemetery in Milwaukee. Relatives and friends may meet with the family on Tuesday, Feb. 2nd from 2 – 5PM at the funeral home.
Memorials have been suggested to the American Cancer Society or to Peace Lutheran Church in Burlington.
Psalm 116 [show]Psalm 116
[116:1]I love the LORD, because he has heard
my voice and my pleas for mercy.
[2]Because he inclined his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
[3]The snares of death encompassed me;
the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
I suffered distress and anguish.
[4]Then I called on the name of the LORD:
"O LORD, I pray, deliver my soul!"
[5]Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;
our God is merciful.
[6]The LORD preserves the simple;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
[7]Return, O my soul, to your rest;
for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.
[8]For you have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling;
[9]I will walk before the LORD
in the land of the living.
[10]I believed, even when(1) I spoke,
"I am greatly afflicted";
[11]I said in my alarm,
"All mankind are liars."
[12]What shall I render to the LORD
for all his benefits to me?
[13]I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the LORD,
[14]I will pay my vows to the LORD
in the presence of all his people.
[15]Precious in the sight of the LORD
is the death of his saints.
[16]O LORD, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your maidservant.
You have loosed my bonds.
[17]I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving
and call on the name of the LORD.
[18]I will pay my vows to the LORD
in the presence of all his people,
[19]in the courts of the house of the LORD,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Praise the LORD!
Footnotes
1. [116:10] Or 'believed, indeed'; Septuagint 'believed, therefore'
I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. Then I called on the name of the LORD: “O LORD, I pray, deliver my soul!” Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; our God is merciful. The LORD preserves the simple hearted; when I was brought low, he saved me. Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling; I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living. I believed, even when I spoke, “I am greatly afflicted”; I said in my alarm,”All mankind are liars.” What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD, I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people. Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. O LORD, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant. You have loosed my bonds.
Remember, O Lord, the soul of Thy departed servant. Give, O Lord, to Thy servant, Gordon eternal rest, and memory eternal!
We delivered 233 items to the Love Inc. food pantry this past week. There was a good assortment of breakfast items including 4 packages of pancake mix, 2 bottles of pancake syrup, 3 boxes of hot cocoa, 4 large containers of oatmeal, 2 boxes of instant oatmeal, 8 boxes of cold cereal, Pop Tarts, and fruit juice. Other items donated included 32 cans of vegetables, 20 boxes of macaroni & cheese, 16 cans of fruit, 26 cans of soup, 10 packages of rice side dishes, 7 jars of peanut butter and 3 jars of jelly, 7 boxes of cake/cookie/muffin mixes along with 4 cans of frosting, 9 packages of jello, 6 boxes of instant mashed potatoes, 7jars/packages of baby food.
We also took canned meat, tuna, salmon, tomato sauce and paste, spaghetti sauce, pasta, canned pasta with meat, ketchup, chili sauce, barbeque sauce, Miracle Whip, pudding mix, popcorn, mixed nuts, paper towels, feminine products, toothpaste, plus various other items.
Thanks for your generous donations!
Community Blood Drive
The next Burlington Community Blood Drive is scheduled for Tuesday, January 19, 2010, 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at the Veterans Terrace, 589 Milwaukee Avenue, Burlington. Please contact the Blood Center of Wisconsin at 1-877-232-4376 for appointment and information. Appointments are encouraged. Donate here to keep our local community blood supply at a safe level. Please bring a photo ID at the time of donation. Give blood and check out the new Veterans Terrace if you haven’t been in it yet.
Any questions? Please contact me.
Thanks,
Jeanne Rateike
Join families from the church to watch the movie Enchanted and eat food. We will gather together in the church basement at 6:30 PM. Please bring your friends.
The Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation has posted a portion of Tim Lane’s booklet, Family Feuds: How to Respond. The author summarizes his booklets with these words:
Christmas is coming and that means family get-togethers. But these celebrations are not always a picture postcard of family bliss. For some, these gatherings are dreaded and avoided when possible. Why is that? Why is it so hard to get along with the people you grew up with? Is there any hope that old, hurtful patterns can be changed? In this booklet, Tim Lane writes about these challenges and how through your relationship with Christ you can learn how to love your family and reach out to them in concrete and practical ways.
You can read the entire post by clicking HERE.
Lane challenges the reader to makes an honest assessment of the situation in your family:
If you have a hard time relating to your family, you have plenty of company. Many people have a difficult time dealing with the family they grew up in. Why is it so hard to get along with your family? Deep hurts from your childhood, unrealistic expectations, and old patterns resurfacing are just some of the reasons you might find yourself feuding with your family. Is it possible to love in the midst of these challenges? Yes, with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26 [show]Matthew 19:26 [26]But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (ESV)
He then goes on to talk about several important truths:
Lane then draws our attention to the importance of Christ in the process of change:
Let’s talk more specifically about how Christ’s forgiving and enabling grace will help you love your family. What does loving your family look like when you are in the middle of a feud? How does the grace of Christ change us and what does that change look like?
He then gives some practical strategies for change:
Lane offers a great deal of practical advice that is Christ centered so even if you have great family reunions you can learn some excellent principles that you can share with others …so why are you waiting!… read the entire post by clicking HERE.
It seems that a few year ago Italian anthropologists were able reconstruct the face of St. Nicolas by using his skull.
You can read more about this effort HERE and HERE.
I found these comments quite interesting:
Taking tangents from different parts of the nasal cavity reveals how long the nose was. In Santa’s case, this was particularly tough because his nose was badly broken. "It must have been a very hefty blow because it’s the nasal bones between the eyes that are broken," says Wilkinson
Quite how St Nicholas got his injury is a mystery, but Wilkinson says tales abound of Santa being something of a rebel. "I heard he once punched a bishop," she says. The reconstructed St Nicholas is olive-skinned and white-haired, with a beard shaped in a style popular in the fourth century. "It’s only really the broken nose people are surprised about, but the more I hear about his character, the more it all fits."
A possible source for the broken nose may have been the altercation between him and Arius at the First Council of Nicaea, over what later was deemed the heresy of Arianism.
Paul McCain has posted this quote from St. Augustine in a post entitled Manifestor of His Father, Creator of His Mother
My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord, of that Lord by whom all things were made and who was made [flesh] amid all the works of His hands; who is the Manifestor of His Father, the Creator of His Mother; Son of God born of the Father without a mother, Son of Man born of a mother without a father; the great Day of the angels, small in the day of men; the Word as God existing before all time, the Word as flesh existing only for an allotted time; the Creator of the sun created under the light of the sun; ordering all ages from the bosom of of His Father, from the womb of His Mother consecrating this day; remaining there, yet proceeding hither; Maker of heaven and earth brought forth on this earth overshadowed by the heavens; unspeakably wise, wisely speechless; filling the whole world, lying in a manger; guiding the stars, a nursling at the breast; though insignificant in the form of man, so great in the form of God that His greatness was not lessened by His insignificance nor was His smallness crushed by – His might. When He assumed human form He did not abandon His divine operations, nor did He cease to reach from end to end mightily and to order all things sweetly. When clothed in the weakness of our flesh He was received, not imprisoned, in the Virgin’s womb so that without the Food of Wisdom being withdrawn from the angels we might taste how sweet is the Lord.
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First Sunday-Food Sunday
WOW!! Did you ever make the extra effort to help make Christmas a happy time for people who use the food pantry at Love, Inc. We delivered 375 items to the food pantry!
We took canned meat, tuna, spaghetti sauce, vegetables, fruit, soup, boxes of potatoes, cereal, oatmeal, cake mixes, frosting, muffin mixes, all kinds of baking ingredients, rice, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, Miracle Whip, pickles, jello and pudding mixes, peanut butter, jelly, popcorn, kleenex, toilet paper, feminine products, laundry detergent, soap, razors, shaving cream, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, conditioner, plus various other items.
In our first year of dedicated collecting, Peace Lutheran Church families have donated 1,986 items to the Love, Inc. food pantry.. Thank you all for your generosity throughout the year.
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Matching Funds Donated to Love, Inc.
The First Banking Center will match all funds donated to Love, Inc. by December 24, 2009 dollar for dollar. If you make out a check for $10 and give it to Love, Inc. the First Banking Center will donate $10 to Love, Inc.; a $50 check will be matched with $50 from the bank, etc. The goal is to raise in excess of $100,000.
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Bell Ringers Needed
Love, Inc. in collaboration with the Salvation Army will be ringing bells at kettles in our community this holiday season, with 86% of the donations staying in our area. Bell ringing began the week of Thanksgiving and goes through December 24. Volunteer to be a bell ringer by calling 262-763-6226 (Love, Inc.) Can be done as an individual, a family, or a group.
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Community Blood Drive
The next Burlington Community Blood Drive is scheduled for Tuesday, December 15, 2009, 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Aurora Wellness Center, Classroom C. Please contact the Blood Center of Wisconsin at 1-877-232-4376 for appointment and information. Appointments are encouraged. Donate here to keep our local community blood supply at a safe level. Please bring a photo ID at the time of donation.
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Any questions? Please contact me.
Thanks,
Jeanne Rateike
Saturday December 5th was a busy day at Peace Lutheran as we decorated the church for the Christmas season, had a group of young people and adults go carrolling before a large crowd of seniors at Pine Brooke Pointe, and served meals to 12 women and children at the Transitional Living Center.
From The Barna Research group:
When Baby Boomers were born, the Protestant landscape of America was dominated by the six major mainline denominations. (Those bodies are typically considered to be the American Baptist Churches in the USA; the Episcopal Church; the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; the Presbyterian Church (USA); the United Church of Christ; and the United Methodist Church.)
Since the 1950s, however, mainline churches have fallen on hard times, declining from more than 80,000 churches to about 72,000 today. The growth among evangelical and Pentecostal churches since the 1950s, combined with the shrinking of the mainline sector, has diminished mainline churches to just one-fifth of all Protestant congregations today. In the past fifty years, mainline church membership dropped by more than one-quarter to roughly 20 million people. Adult church attendance indicates that only 15% of all American adults associate with a mainline church these days.
A new report issued by The Barna Group focuses upon changes in the mainline churches during the past decade. The report examines shifts in both the adults who attend those churches and the pastors who lead them.
You can read the entire report HERE.
God loves it when man boasts in God, and God hates it when man boasts in man. “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord” (2 Corinthians 10:17 [show]2 Corinthians 10:17 [17]"Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." (ESV)
There are two reasons (at least) why God hates for man to boast in man. One is that boasting in man deflects man’s attention from the Fountain of his joy and so ruins his life. It tricks man into replacing Magnificence with a mirror. Man was not made to admire man. He was made to admire God. The joy of admiration is prostituted and ruined when man tries to find galaxy-size Glory in the glow of his own reflection. God does not like the human damage done by boasting in man.
John Piper (2004). Life as a vapor: 31 meditations for your faith (52–53). Sisters, Or.: Multnomah Publishers.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive
those who trespass against us.
Being taught by grace, we are to be under the persuasion that every man is a sinner against God, and has also sinners against, or debtors to, himself.
First, we are sinners against God, and we are such in great and damnable sins from which few of us are found to be free. And even if any one be of such moral goodness that he is not as yet polluted with these greater sins, still he is a debtor to God; for he does not fulfill the law of God nor does he show forth the least gratitude or thanks unto God for all the gifts and benefits that he has received above others.And therefore, if God should contend with him, that which Job said would be proved to be true, that "If one wished to dispute with God, He could not answer Him once in a thousand times." (Job 9:3 [show]Job 9:3
[3]If one wished to contend with him,
one could not answer him once in a thousand times.). And clearly, then, it is humility alone that keeps even those who live under grace safe, whose own sins are not imputed unto them, because they judge and condemn themselves and plead for pardon, and mercifully pardon their debtors.
Secondly,there are also those who are debtors to us. For thus does God permit, in His management of things, that some one or another should rise up who may trouble or injure our property, or fame,or anything else of that kind which belongs to us; and thus He gives us an occasion for repenting of our sins and pardoning our debtors. And here, turn your judgment upon yourself and commune with your own heart. See who and what you are, and then you will forget all the evils of your neighbor, because you yourself will find both your hands full of, yes, even running over with,your own evils.
Lord, all our trespasses forgive,
That they our hearts no more may grieve,
As we forgive their trespasses
Who unto us have done amiss;
Thus let us dwell in charity,
And serve each other willingly.
View online at HERE.
In a recent blog post on prayer entitled Should We Really Call It a ‘Quiet’ Time? David Powlison suggests that we should pray out loud:
The standard practice for both public and private prayer is to speak so as to be heard by the person with whom you are talking. Prayer is verbal because it is relational. Prayer per se is not a psychological experience of contemplative immersion in an inner silence beyond words. It is a verbal connection with someone you know, need and love.
I’ve known many people whose relationship with God was significantly transformed as they started to speak up with their Father. Previously, “prayer” fizzled out in the internal buzz of self-talk and distractions, worries and responsibilities. Previously, what they thought of as prayer involved certain religious feelings, or a set of seemingly spiritual thoughts, or a vague sense of comfort, awe and dependency on a higher power. Prayer meandered, and was virtually indistinguishable from thoughts. Sometimes it was indistinguishable from anxieties and obsessions! Sometimes prayer was confused with the act of stopping to ponder quietly and collect yourself. But as a person begins to talk aloud to the God who is there, who is not silent, who listens, and who acts, he or she begins to deal with him person-to-person. Speaking up is no gimmick or technique (and other ingredients also contribute to wise, intelligent, purposeful, fervent prayer). But out loud prayer becomes living evidence of an increasingly honest and significant relationship. As you become vocal, your faith grows up.
You can read the entire post HERE.
In a recent blog series Mark Driscoll presents some information that will help you organize a silence and solitude day.
This series has five parts:
If you want a quick summary of the series you can check out the last part entitled Silence and Solitude Journaling Template, where Driscoll gives a helpful list of things to journal and pray about.
To learn more about RSS feeds please watch the following video or read the following explanation.
iGoogle and Netvibes are both excellent and free RSS readers/start pages.
