St. Peter Evangelical Contemporary Worship

The Newsletter of St. Peter Evangelical Contemporary Worship Lutheran Church Saturday 5:00 p.m.

7834 Eastern Ave. Sunday Worship Baltimore, MD 21224 10:00 a.m.

410-288-0537 Sunday School 410-284-0336 (fax) 8:45 a.m. [email protected] Rev. Vicki L. Hamel, Pastor www.stpeterlutheraneastpoint.org Valerie Adelung, Minister of Music

Vol. 85 January, 2013 No. 01

From St. Peter Staff – Pastor Vicki, Valerie and Eadie Bulletin and Flower Memorials

Congregation members continue to sponsor bulletin and flower memorials in memory of a loved one or in honor of a special person.

Weekly Flowers (either 2 altar vases or 1 large arrangement) - $25. Open Dates are: January 13, January 20, January 27, February 3, February 10, February 17 and February 24.

Weekly Bulletins - $15 – Open Dates are: January 13, January 20, January 27, February 3, February 10, February 17 and February 24.

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Our next Men’s Bible Study will be January 7th at 7:30 p.m. We are studying the Old Testament book of Jeremiah. His words brought to the people the will of God hundreds of years before Christ. All men are invited to join us.

Tom Flink

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Thanks to the Congregation and Board of Directors for such a generous Christmas gift. I also want to thank the individual members for their gifts and cards as well. It is very much appreciated at this time of year. God’s blessings for a happy and healthy New Year….Eadie Mehring

Thanks to all for your cards, calls and prayers during my recent set back. It was very much appreciated…..Patricia Yarrington

Dear Pastor Hamel:

Thank you to St. Peter Lutheran Church for your generous support of our ministries and the people we serve. Your gift is a wonderful expression of love for the countless children, adults and families who depend on Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries for care and services. Thank you for your continued prayers and generosity. Merry Christmas!

Mark T. Pile, President/CEO Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries I give heartfelt thanks to the congregation for the gift of money this Christmas. As I said at the annual congregational meeting, at this the conclusion of my first year at St. Peter, I hope the honeymoon continues! Pastor Vicki

New Procedure for Bulletin and Flower Dedication - Beginning in January, there will be two posters with calendars to sign up to dedicate either flowers or bulletins on the date you designate. These will be displayed on easels at the back of the sanctuary. Please choose an open date, sign your name on that line, and use the envelopes provided to enclose your check and indicate in whose honor or memory the flowers or bulletins are to be dedicated. Weekly flowers, either two altar vases or one large arrangement are $25. Weekly bulletins are $15.

BAD WEATHER POLICY IN THE EVENT OF INCLEMENT WEATHER DURING SERVICE TIMES PLEASE TUNE INTO TV STATIONS WJZ-13 OR WMAR-2 FOR OUR CHURCH CANCELLATION NOTICES OR CHECK THE ST PETER WEBSITE www.stpeterlutheraneastpoint.org, Twitter – http://twitter.com/stpeterlutheran or FaceBook - http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=st. +&init=quick#!/profile.php?ref=profile&id=100000799575284 UNLESS YOU HEAR OTHERWISE, ACTIVITIES AT CHURCH WILL BE CANCELLED ON DAYS WHEN THE BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED. This month we honor our outgoing Directors on the Board--Vivian Bold, Mary Campbell, Tom Flink and Barbara Jenkins. All have served faithfully in their respective areas of responsibility. Vivian has taken the lead in several areas--Stewardship, Evangelism, raising money for World Hunger, and teaching the Adult Bible Study on Sundays. She has also taught children in the past, worked on the Mission Statement, and served on the Board numerous times, including as President and Vice-President. Moreover, Vivian continues as a Lector and Communion Assistant, organizes the Prayer Vigil, and puts together the devotion booklets. She is friendly and welcoming to newcomers, and has organized a team of callers who phone absent members to make sure everything is ok, and inquire if the church can assist them in any way. Eradicating World Hunger has long been a passion; she is a member of the Synod Hunger Task Force, and continually keeps this issue before the congregation. She speaks on and distributes materials for stewardship of time, talents and resources, including pledge cards, and sign-up sheets for volunteer opportunities. In short, at one time or another, Vivian has been a leader in practically all areas of church work. We applaud this talented and energetic woman for all her generous contributions to St. Peter's ministry! Mary Campbell comes from an active Lutheran family, so when she moved to Baltimore she immediately started looking for a Lutheran church. She found St. Peter's website, and came to check us out. She liked the congregation, and began attending regularly. Though she is one of our relatively newer members, she jumped right in with both feet, helping where needed. She has been involved in worship activities for more than three years, serving as assistant worship director before becoming the Director. Mary's warm, kind, encouraging personality make her a natural for recruiting volunteers and training people, including acolytes and crucifers. She prepares the schedule for these, as well as for greeters, lectors, and worship assistants. She herself also participates in the latter two roles, is a cantor, and another regular reading drama parts. Mary organizes decorating the church, helps plan and handles logistics for special services. Mary loves to travel and in January 2011 spent 10 days in Punjab, India, with a team of volunteer doctors and technicians treating the less fortunate needing joint replacements and follow-up rehabilitation. Mary, we're ever grateful for your enthusiastic assistance, as well as the good listening and compassionate faithfulness you model! Tom Flink, a long time member rarely absent from church, has offered his time and talents in various roles, beginning immediately after he joined. Among his numerous stints on the Board, he has been the Director of Finance (most recent position), Director of Education, and Evangelism. He taught confirmation for several decades, led the Men's Group organizing trips and speakers, teaches the Men's Bible Study, and participates in the Adult Bible Study on Sundays. Tom is a Lector, a ready and willing volunteer to read parts for Lenten Dramas, even on very short notice! (He was also a convincing Martin Luther at the Saturday Reformation service.) Tom helps count offerings, records and deposits them, distributes offering envelopes and bi-annual giving statements. He is passionate about Evangelism, has proposed numerous outreach strategies over the years, and seeks out visitors for a friendly chat. Tom often works behind the scenes, steps forward wherever help is needed, from serving on committees to assisting with maintenance tasks. Thank you, Tom, for your many years of dedicated service to the glory of God! Barbara Jenkins took on a tremendous task handling the Manna Locker-- St. Peter's Food Pantry, as Director of Social Ministry. She oversees the budget for that, as well as for the monthly luncheons and dinners for the community. She fields calls, makes appointments for food pick-up, packs the bags, and maintains required statistics and paperwork as required by Social Services, state and federal government for the funds and surplus food provided. So strong is her commitment that she rearranges her various work schedules to be available for this program, and to regularly attend Saturday worship. Barbara also solicits names of needy families from area schools, then raises funds and collects donated goods for Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets for them. The congregation donates money and she sends letters to sponsored children overseas in the Children of Compassion Program, which also falls under her purview. Homebound or hurting members value the cards she sends with heartfelt, encouraging notes. She is another primarily behind the scenes worker. Barbara is a humble, kind, considerate and compassionate woman of deep faith with an incredibly big heart. She'd do anything within her power to help others, and is most generous with her time and resources. Barbara, we salute you in appreciation of your active involvement and commitment to St. Peter! "THEREFORE ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER AND BUILD EACH OTHER UP..."(1 Thess. 5:11)

Thomas Troeger of Yale Divinity School tells this story:

Several years ago I was in a small airport in a far region of the country. I was washing my hands in the men's room. It was the most immaculate public restroom I had every used. Everything shone. The floors looked as clean as hospital floors. Out of the corner of my eye I caught sight of the janitor polishing one of the mirrors. I could see how he eyed his work to make sure it was perfect. When we came face to face, I spontaneously blurted out: "Thank you so much for the way you clean this place. I have never seen such a clean rest room."

With equal impetuosity, the man looked at me with tears springing to his eyes, and said: "Thank you for noticing. No one has every thanked me in all the years I have worked here."

I do not know what had possessed me to speak to the man. It was just one of those promptings that leapt out of me. What I have never forgotten about that brief exchange are the tears in the man's eyes and the mixture of sadness and gratitude in his voice: sadness for all the years of never being acknowledged and gratitude for a brief encounter with another human being who appreciated his work. It gave me a profound glimpse into the human heart. We yearn and hunger to have someone recognize and celebrate the value of what we do and are.

With deep feeling, Paul the Apostle speaks to this yearning and hunger. He asks the Thessalonians, "How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you?" (1 Thess. 3:9) He declares in Philippians 1:3-5: "I thank God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you from the first day until now." WE’RE PRAYING FOR YOU If you have anyone you would like to add to the Prayer List, please fill out a “Remember in Prayer” slip in the pew rack, or call the church office, 410- 288-0537. Please sign your name as the person requesting prayers in case there is a follow-up.

January 2013

Marge Ard Craig Jones Laura Pharr Richard Ard Peter Kantorsky Michael Redman Mike Barnes Mandy Kent Betty Riden Davis Barkley Beatrice Keiser Lou Robl Anna Bowler John King Wayne Sautter Margaux Chrystal Robin Kisselstein Marie Schehlein Bill Clark Betty Knight Garnet Stevens Lynn Clark Dawn Kulczycki Robert Tankersley Chris Copeland Dolores Lynch William Tankersley Jan Albert-Elliott Ed Lynch Shonda Waybright Keith Fewster Marilyn Lynch Denise Heath-Winter John Harris Eadie Mehring Jaxon Yeagy Jaykobb Hill

Also pray for those listed below who are in assisted living or nursing facilities and are no longer able to come and worship with us. They enjoy hearing from members of the congregation, so your phone calls and cards are truly appreciated. Hedi Devine Rosalie Molz Augsburg Lutheran Village Riverview Care Center, Rm 610 6825 Campfield Rd, Apt 10-G 1 Eastern Boulevard Baltimore, MD 21207-4634 Baltimore, MD 21221

John Harris Lois Cole Heavenly Home Riverview Care Center, Rm 613 22 Chandelle Rd 1 Eastern Avenue Baltimore MD 21220 Baltimore, MD 21221

February Issue January 11, 2013 JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

01-05 Angela Carpenter 01-05 Melissa Miller 01-06 Sherri Hart 01-06 Carl Schaefer 01-07 Robert Hart, Sr. 01-22 Tracy Russell 01-22 Nathaniel Grap 01-24 Gail Owens 01-25 Bernadine Robl 01-28 Lillian Tomecek The very Happiest of Birthdays to those 01-30 Beatrice Thomas “active” adults members of our church family listed here. This listing is provided so “Greetings”, “Best Wishes”, and other expressions of love may be shared.

If you find an “active” adult member’s name missing, it simply means that our church records are incomplete. We will be happy to add that information as you give it to the Church Office, 410-288-0537

Our birthday list also includes the children of our Sunday School. JANUARY 2013

WORSHIP ASSISTANTS & CANTORS: GREETERS: Doug Tomecek 410-686-9270 Lorraine Ward 410-288-1013 6 -- (WA) Mary Flohr 6 -- Linda Heath (C) Susan Neumeister 13 -- Doris Huber 13 -- (WA) Brian Bichell 20 -- Cindy Titus (C) Patricia Hipchen 27 -- Marie Michaud 20 -- (WA) Lillian Tomecek (C) Valerie Adelung 27 -- (WA) Jan Jones (C) Susan Neumeister

NURSERY ASSISTANTS: Doug Tomecek 410-686-9270 ACOLYTES 6 -- Donna Barnhart Doug Tomecek 410-686-9270 13 -- Tracy Michaud 6 -- (A) Ophelia Bartuah 20 -- Deborah Miller, Melissa Miller (C) Moses Johnson 27 -- Tracy Russell 13 -- (A) Adrianna Kinsella (C) Courtney Russell 20 -- (A) Lindsey Rivera (C) Gavin Mooney 27 -- (A) Sabrina Michaud (C) Tracy Michaud ALTAR GUILD: Marie Gellert 410-288-4278 6 -- Marie Gellert 13 -- Mildred Albanese, Margaret Krug LECTORS: 20 -- Beverly Flohr, June Grap Doug Tomecek 410-686-9270 27 -- Bunny Robl 6 -- Cindy Titus 13 -- Gabrielle Weiser 20 -- Vivian Bold 27 -- Marie Gellert HOST/HOSTESS: Linda Heath 410-282-1731 6 -- Lillian Jones, Phil Rutledge, Sue Neumeister COMMUNION ASSISTANTS: 13 -- Elaine Funk, Jan Jones, Linda Heath Doug Tomecek 410-686-9270 20 -- Mary Clark, Doris Huber 6 -- Marie Michaud 27 -- Sue & Rob Weber, Donna Barnhart 13 -- Bunny Robl 20 -- Marie Gellert 27 -- Joseph Myers

If you would like to serve your Lord Note: Anyone interested in becoming a Host through any of these ministries, please call or Hostess, we need you! See Linda Heath the person listed next to the ministry title.