Livestream and In person in the Sanctuary

Have you ever found yourself travelling to a destination only to discover that you had missed your exit, or taken the wrong road? How long did it take for you to stop, turn around, and change direction once you had realized your error? In Hebrew, the word for “repent” means to turn around. In this season of Lent, we are called to examine our lives and consider the direction we are heading. Are there places in our life where we might need a course correction? Are there things we are doing (or not doing) that are leading us away from, instead of towards God?   

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine on Feb. 24, nearly 3 million people have fled the country and are seeking refuge in neighboring countries. There are major humanitarian concerns for both internally displaced people and refugees. Many of these Ukrainians fleeing their homes need shelter and such basic necessities as food, water and toiletries. Care for people also includes pastoral and psychological support to address the trauma they’ve endured.

Lutheran Disaster Response is accompanying our companions in Ukraine, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, as well as such ecumenical partners as Lutheran World Federation and Church World Service, in their humanitarian responses to the crisis. These partners provide refugees with immediate support and supplies such as food, blankets, water and hygiene kits.

Giving to Lutheran Disaster Response guarantees your gift will fund ELCA-supported work through faith partners in the region. Your gifts will support people impacted by this crisis. Gifts designated to "Eastern Europe Crisis" will be used in full (100%) for direct response to assist those affected.

Click HERE for information on how to donate or go to:  https://www.elca.org/Our-Work/Relief-and-Development/Lutheran-Disaster-Response/Our-Impact/Eastern-Europe-Crisis-Response

Click HERE to read more from Rev. Daniel Rift, Director of ELCA World Hunger and Lutheran Disaster Respone Fund

When a baptized Christian affirms the faith (often called confirmation) the presiding minister addresses those making public affirmation of baptism and asks the question:  Do you intend to continue in the covenant God made with you in holy baptism:

to live among God’s faithful people,
to hear the word of God and share in the Lord’s supper,
to proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed,
to serve all people, following the example of Jesus,
and to strive for justice and peace in all the earth? 

RESPONSE: We do, and ask God to help and guide us. (Evangelical Lutheran Worship, p. 236)

And so begins a daily claiming and re-discovering of the God-given gifts of discipleship. These gifts overlap and are intertwined as one gift flows into another and into faithful living.       

Join us on Wednesdays in Lent from 5:45pm-6:30pm for a meal followed by worship at 6:30pm.  You may join in-person or on our livestream.

03/02  Ash Wednesday - Imposition of Ashes (no meal)
03/09     To hear the Word of God and share in the Lord’s Supper.
03/16     To live among God’s faithful people.
03/23     To proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed.
03/30     To strive for justice and peace in all the earth.
4/06       To serve all people, following the example of Jesus.            

Beginning on March 9, join us on Wednesdays in Lent for Lenten Supper prior to Lenten Worship.  Supper begins @ 5:45pm, followed by Worship at 6:30pm.

 MENU

3/09  CHILI AND CORNBREAD 
3/16  BAKED POTATO AND SALAD
3/23  ASSORTED SOUPS/ROLLS
3/30  HAMBURGERS
4/06  TACOS, BEANS AND RICE 

Meet at Peace Lutheran on Thursday, March 17th at 10:45 am or come straight to the restaurant by 11:15 am. 

We will carpool over to Clear Springs Catfish for some good food, fellowship and great conversation. 

If interested, need more information or need a ride, call Ceretta Daum at 830-625-8937 (home) 830-302-8975 (cell).

Clear Springs Restaurant
1692 TX-46
New Braunfels, TX 78130 
clearspringsrestaurant.com  

On Friday, March 18th, from 12 PM – 1 PM at the Main Plaza in New Braunfels, churches from across our community will gather to pray for the current situation in Ukraine.   We’re standing arm-in-arm with our brothers and sisters around New Braunfels to believe for God’s peace and protection over the people of Ukraine.  

The quilters and other service groups have been busy since the beginning of November.  The quilters have already finished over 200 quilts;  many of them will be displayed on Palm Sunday.  Others have been making mats for the homeless, pillows for troubled girls, and afghans for those in crisis.  A new service is making home altar cloths to assist those that are worshiping from home.

This Sunday (March 20th) the following items will be blessed, and then distributed to those in need:

*  28 pillows (for the New Life Treatment Center in Canyon Lake) 
*  4 afghans for the Crisis Center in New Braunfels
* 12 home altar cloths for Peace shut-ins to use during at-home worship           
* 15 mats for the homeless in New Braunfels 

Throughout the year our church leadership is creating space to touch base with the whole church.

Our council is hosting church “town halls” after worship both to share some of our work as leaders in the church and also to listen to you.

Join us after worship on March 27th in the Fellowship Hall as we share insights and direction from our February leadership retreat.

A light lunch (salad) will be provided. You’re welcome to bring a dessert to share.

You may also join online https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89472903587    

We are having a Yard Sale on the front lawn of the church to raise funds for our Live Nativity that is held every December.  We are now taking donations (no clothing please)! 

Donated items can be dropped off at the church. We will pick up large items, if needed.  For more information, please contact Becky Voges at 830-625-1666.   

Peace Lutheran is on the rotation to host families in late April. Family Promise’s mission is to help families with children facing homelessness achieve and sustain independence. Families move to a new congregation each week in which they are hosted as guests. Congregations provide shelter, meals, and community for the families in the evenings. 

*  Volunteer Sign-Up sheets will be out in the Narthex starting Sunday, March 20th.
*  Temple Talk/Mission Spotlight will provide more information on Sunday, March 27th.
*  Training for Volunteers will be held after worship on Sunday, April 3rd.
*  Host Week of April 24th: we will need daily volunteers for the following:
      >   Serve as overnight hosts
      >   Help with the afternoon/evening set up, clean up, and engagement with families
      >   Support meal preparation, cooking, and serving 

Not able to volunteer? We will also need donations of snacks and breakfast items as well as donations of 15-20 Bath Towels.

Please reach out to Brandi Raschke for more information at brandileighr@outlook.com. Thank you! 

Seekers and Sponges:  Sunday, March 20 - 8:30am in-person and ZOOM
Seekers and Sponges will continue with our series, Luther: Gospel, Law, and Reformation.  Our discussion each Sunday will be preceded by a video lecture given by Phillip Cary, Professor at Eastern University.   Cary points out that while Martin Luther was only one man—a humble monk and Bible professor—yet he sparked a religious rebellion that changed the course of history.  Who was he?  What made his theology so explosive in 16th-century Europe?  How did this late-medieval man launch the Protestant Reformation and help create the modern world as we know it?  And how should we think of him: hero or heretic, rebel or tormented soul?  Please join us for a discussion following the DVD lecture.  We will be meeting in person at Peace and also by Zoom.  

Click HERE to join by Zoom. 

Sweet Hour of Prayer Group - meeting via Zoom, no in-person meeting 
Our weekly Prayer Group Zooms every Monday at 9:00 am.  We will be meeting via Zoom only.   We have a devotion, share prayer requests and pray over each request. The group is led by Becky Voges. Please join us as we take some time out of our busy lives to pray.  If you would like to be a part of the group, please email Becky (beckyvoges@yahoo.com).  All prayer requests will be kept confidential.

Prayer Chain Requests - email Becky (beckyvoges@yahoo.com).

Pastor's Virtual Conversation  
Every Monday from 3 pm - 4 pm; Come join Pastor Jake on Zoom to ask questions, check-in, and lift up prayers. Join HERE - Meeting ID: 991 3660 5065; Password: 015347

Stephen Ministers
Are here to listen and help: If you need help or support, click HERE to learn more about Stephen's Ministry at Peace Lutheran Church.

Tech Support
Need some technical support? Trying to stay connected in a virtual world can be frustrating when things don't work or the technological learning curve seems steep. If you need some help, contact: Patti Kassel @ kasselpatti@gmail.com or Deacon Darcy Mittelstaedt @ darcy.mittelstaedt@gmail.com

Thank you so much for all your donations and help with Peace's Mat Ministry.   

Donations have been abundant, so the mat team will be going on hiatus for a while. The last day to bring plastic bags to the church is Tuesday, April 5.   

We are in need of 2 (two) singers to lead the congregation in singing during the Sunday morning worship service.  

We would also like to see people sign up to provide special music.  This would entail preparing a special musical offering to share.  This offering can be instrumental, bells, solo, duet, etc.  Please provide the name of the music and all copyright information when signing up.  The deadline to sign up is one week before the date of your performance.  

To sign up, you can visit our website and click on the Sunday Morning Music Button located at the bottom of the home page or click on the button below.

We now have full use of our new media booth which utilizes a sound technician, a livestream operator, and a powerpoint operator. 

To sign up to be one of the media booth technicians/operator, please click the button below to be redirected to our SignUpGenius.  You can also sign up by clicking the link at the bottom of Peace's homepage @  www.peacenb.org

If you would like to learn how to be a media booth technician/operator or you have any questions, please contact the Peace office at 830-620-0618.

We are part of one church body organized in three expressions — congregations, synods, and the churchwide organization. Each expression has its particular functions but all three together share a common mission of doing God’s work in the world and proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ. Together, they ensure a solid foundation of leadership, active involvement in communities, opportunities for dialogue and diverse perspectives, creative partnerships, and support for members and ministries of the ELCA.