Advent is a sacred time to prepare for the coming of Christ into our world. It is a time of reflection and stilling our hearts and minds to allow space for God to fully enter into the chaos.

You are invited to this special worshipful season, that God might speak to you anew.

The Advent series will follow Biblical characters and imagine their hopeful hearts as they awaited God to act in their time.

Each Sunday and Wednesday we’ll hear a different perspective opening our eyes to envision our own hopeful expectations
of God’s presence.

Come and join us for a meal on Wednesday night from 5:15pm-6:15pm, followed by worship from 6:30-7:15pm.
Wednesdays in Advent: 12/6, 12/13, and 12/20.      

In anticipation of the Christmas and the gift of Jesus entering our world, the season of Advent allows us to prepare to make room for Christ’s presence and to start anew.

Each week we will hear from a character of the Bible and listen to their Advent perspective beckoning us to join in this holy time of preparation.

This week, we hear from The Wise Men who traveled a world away in order to come and worship the true king. The Wise Men remind us that Jesus was not simply coming to a small pocket of the world in Judea, rather the world itself was being saved. Join us on Sunday as God pulls you from whatever distance there may be to behold the goodness of a world made whole through love in Christ.

We will meet Sunday, December 17
to finalize topic of study for the new year!

We will not meet:
Sunday Dec 24
Sunday Dec 31

Email your ideas to micheleabauman@gmail.com or be ready to discuss your ideas on Sunday.

Get ready to support our youth on their journey to the ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans this Summer! We have two fantastic fundraisers coming your way:

Cocoa Cones:
Join us on December 10th and 17th in the Narthex as our youth group sells Cocoa Cones for just $5 each. These delightful packages come with all the ingredients needed to whip up 2 cups of delicious hot cocoa, complete with chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and a mint. These festive treats make for perfect stocking stuffers, thoughtful gifts for friends, family, colleagues, or teachers!

M&M Containers: 
It's time to wrap it up! Please return your M&M containers full of change/cash/checks! 

You took the survey, we listened! Below are the proposed Peaceful Yoga classes that will be offered in January 2024!

Yoga (ALL levels) - Tuesdays @ 6pm, Peace Lutheran
Chair & Gentle Mat Yoga - Thursdays @ 11am, Peace Lutheran

Many of you expressed interest in yoga classes! That being said, we did our best to accomodate all of your schedules. If these dates and times do not work for you, please email Madison at office@peacenb.org and we will re-evaluate the schedule. If you can make one of these times but it is not the class that you prefer - show up anyway and Madison will offer modifications/challenges to fit your needs. We will send out an RSVP link before the new year. You will need to RSVP for each individual class at least 30 minutes before the class. Classes will be donation based ($10 recommended). OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY!

Email List:
If you took the survey or talked to Madison directly, she has your email and you will be added to the Peaceful Yoga email list. Ask to be added to the list if you would like to stay in the loop! Madison will send out an introductory email to the email list within the next week.

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What is Yoga? Yoga is a practice for healthy living.
Yoga is a mind and body practice that can build strength, flexibility, balance, resilience, and community. Using breathwork and asana (Sanskrit word for “poses”) an entire yoga practice allows the individual to develop a mind-body awareness that can help manage pain, reduce stress, increases mobility, prevent and
recover from injuries.

These classes will be beginner friendly - for ALL ages and abilities.

If you're eager to lend a hand with the live nativity, explore the various areas where your assistance will make a difference by clicking on the link below.

If you want to hear more, call Becky Voges at 830-587-4003 or email beckyvoges@yahoo.com for more information.

Once again, we will be decorating the altar with an array of Christmas Poinsettias. You can adopt a plant or two in honor of or in memory of a loved one. The sign-up sheet will be in the narthex or you can call Kathi Anderson at 210-643-8855 and she will add you to the list. There will be envelopes there for cash or checks or you can pay online under flowers. The cost is $14 per plant, and you may take yours home after either Christmas Eve Service. 

Stewardship Snippet of the Week:
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit.” –1 Thessalonians 5:16-19

Ever notice how some people are always complaining, even when their lives seem (to us, anyway) to be pretty blessed? They aren’t living right and being good stewards of their gifts. By contrast, these short verses from 1 Thessalonians give sage advice – Rejoice! Pray! Give thanks! That IS the will of God for you!

Mission: “The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.”

Area of Focus: The Salvation Army exists to “meet human need wherever, whenever and however we can.” 

Come ring the bell with us in support of the Salvation Army at Granzin's Meat Market on Saturday, 
December 16th. We will be signing up for 2-hour shifts from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm.
Granzin's Meat Market
1644 McQueeney Rd.
New Braunfels, TX 78130

Register Below:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0944ACAC23AAFBC34-46238617-salvation
Not able to ring with us? They can always use more bell ringers. RegisterToRing.com to sign up with your family and 
friends!

If you would like to support this cause financially, please make checks out to Peace Lutheran Church. Giving online is 
available as well by clicking the link or scanning the code below. Regardless of your method of support, please be sure 
to include "Mission Spotlight" in the memo. Click here to give online - https://bit.ly/3MP8sPF 

Join us for our first bible study of the new year! We will resume on Tuesday, January 9 at 6:30pm via Zoom. Stay tuned for more information!

Get yours at the welcome table in the Narthex.

Mission (Why do we exist?)
To love like Jesus so that each person experiences God’s Way.
 
Vision (What kind of community is God calling us to be?)
A world made whole through love.

Core Values (What guides our daily actions and decisions?)
Shalom – Actively pursuing reconciliation and wholeness. [John 14:27]
Compassion – Recognizing and entering into our shared humanity. [Luke 10:25-37]
Service – Responding to the needs of others. [Matthew 25:31-40]
Grace – Sharing the love that God first gives us. [I John 4:7-10]

Perspectives (Which parts of our church will we focus on?)
Stewardship (Time, Talents, Treasure) (e.g., Healthy Fund Balance)
Loving Our Neighbors (e.g., Family Promise Program)
Ministry/Processes (e.g., Dynamic Worship)
Discipleship (Learning and Growth) (e.g., Life of Faith Initiative)
 
Objectives (goals) (What do we want to accomplish?)
Measures (metrics) – How will we measure progress?
Targets – What are our targets for the next year? Two years? Five years?
Initiatives – What can we do so that we reach our targets?

SEEKERS AND SPONGES:   meets on Sunday mornings @  8:30AM in-person and ZOOM   

Seekers and Sponges has started a "Study Curriculum on Civic Life and Faith."  The ELCA Task Force on Studies for Civic Life and Faith has released a study curriculum for use throughout our church as we engage the question, what does it mean to be a Christian in civic life.

The study invites participants to delve into the nature of politics, the meaning of the Scriptures, the purpose of government, the responsibility of congregations and church-related organizations, First Amendment issues, the relationship of faith-based living and civic life, connections between worship life and serving neighbor in society, the nature of citizenship, and other relevant topics.

Printed materials will be available in the classroom or you may access the material at www.elca.org/civics and faithstudy

In our class, everyone in our group becomes a teacher for one another, sharing experiences and perspectives that facilitates a respectful, enlightening approach to adult learning.      

Please join us in the multimedia classroom at the end of the hallway.  You will find the discussion engaging, insightful, and challenging, and it will expand how you look at your faith! 

Click HERE to join by Zoom. 

PEACE PRAYER MINISTRY:

Did you make any resolutions for the New Year? Many of us have a desire to have a more intimate prayer life, so might I suggest carving out more time for prayer and reflection? Peace Lutheran Church has an active Prayer Ministry. We have an Email Prayer Chain, we have a Zoom “Sweet Hour of Prayer” Group that meets every Monday morning at 9:00 a.m. and we have a Prayer loom that is included in our Sunday morning prayers. I would like to welcome new members to join our email Prayer Chain and our Monday morning Prayer Group. We have experienced some amazing, answered prayers this year and we have given comfort to many of our members in their times of distress. Please consider being a part of our Prayer Ministry in this new year. You can email me at beckyvoges@yahoo.com for more information.

Our weekly Prayer Group Zooms every Monday at 9:00 am  via Zoom only.   Click HERE to join by Zoom.  We have a devotion, share prayer requests and pray over each request. The group is led by Becky Voges.  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 - 3:30 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

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 

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.