Isn’t it odd that our children know exactly what buttons to push to get a reaction from us?  Isn’t it odd that they know exactly how much they can do (or say) before the parental wrath explodes?  They usually stop just one tick away from sure punishment.  Not following the family’s rules can bring consequences, often consequences you’d rather not have enforced.   

God, too, set rules for God’s people which God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai.  God knew they would need some guidelines to help them live together as a faith community in their new land.  But like children since the beginning of time, God’s children continually get themselves into trouble…preferring to test God’s patience with their rule breaking.  And Moses got an earful!  “Why did God bring us out here in this wilderness?  There’s no water.  There’s no food.  And just what is this ‘manna’?  It tastes awful and spoils after one day!”  God’s people seem to do nothing but whine.     

God made covenants, or agreements, with the people.  Sometimes the covenants are unconditional.  Sometimes they are conditional.  God’s people cannot seem to abide by the covenants and suffer the consequences.  But God has an answer for their rule-breaking.  What?  There is a ‘fix’ for when we mess up?  

Click HERE for Wednesday worship 3/10.  This worship can be shared in your own time or we will be premiering the worship at 7 pm on Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/PeaceLute or our website: https://www.peacenb.org.  

The season of Lent is a deep time of spiritual renewal for forty days remembering that we are journeying with Jesus to the cross.  

Join us for our fourth week in our Lenten series, "Voices in the Wilderness", as we raise our laments before the Lord, but also witness the hope of the cross of Jesus. This week we are joined by Kellie Stallings sharing her testimony of lament and hope for God's healing.

Online Lenten resources can be found by clicking the button below or at https://www.peacenb.org/pages/worship

Our worship series focuses on the lament Psalms and finding ways to express the challenges we continue to face and to seek God’s healing.

Click HERE for a video message.

Has it really been full year of COVID?  One year ago we were racked with the painful reality that we would live differently for a time.  In the midst of learning how to navigate life living in this new world, we tried our best to stay connected as God’s people both to the Lord and the provision of God’s grace discovering just how vulnerable we are, and connected as God’s people caring for one another in times of isolation and fear. 

I hope God has carried you through this period of our life together.  The church continues to pray for you and to walk together in faith with Jesus as our guide. 

Sunday March 14

8am Parking Lot Worship @ Peace
10am Livestream Worship (St. Andrew's site for March 14)
1pm Parking Lot Worship @ St. Andrew in Canyon Lake

Wednesdays during Lent

Precorded Worship sent in the Wednesday e-blast(see Voices in the Wilderness above) and set to stream on Facebook live and peacenb.org at 7pm

We continue in Phase 1 of our Regathering Guidelines. Hospitalization percentage in our area moved below 10% for the second week in a row. In normal circumstances we might be entertaining in-person worship again, but with the damage to our facility due to the winter weather, we cannot recommence at this time.  Stay tuned to future announcements on the timeline for repairs.      

We are tracking members that we are aware of that have tested positive as well as vaccinations to date:

·       1 death
·       2 active cases
·       Vaccination for members - 70 responses to survey
        o   Yes – 37
        o   No – 24
        o   Planning for future - 7
        o   Not getting - 4

If you have tested positive or know of anyone within our congregation that has tested positive, please notify the church promptly.  We will be doing contract tracing and let others know of who might be at risk.  Additionally, we would like to support our church family with care.

In this map you will see the highlighted area, Area P.  This is an exceptionally large area which includes San Antonio.  The current statistics as of March 9, 2021:

Hospitalizations: 11.67%.  We had a decrease an additional 5.85% in two week's time.  Numbers are steadily declining.

The Peace Regathering Team will be monitoring the daily COVID statistics and will continue to advise the church council on changes that impact our in-person worship services and church community. Our Peace Regathering Guidelines are modeled after the State of Texas opening guidelines.  Instead of using active cases, which have proven to be difficult to gauge, we are monitoring the percentage of hospitalizations.  

The First Footing Homeless Shelter is in need of Queen and King size sheets and bath towels (new or gently used). 

If  you would like to purchase through Amazon, Serve Spot has provided the following Custom Wish List:   https://www.amazon.com/registries/custom/1XRCS3K71D1XW/guest-view 

Please stay tuned for a collection site/drop off spot.  Please contact Kellie Stallings for more information. 

Seekers and Sponges
Join Seekers & Sponges on Sunday at 8:45 AM via Zoom as we continue a discussion of a series of video presentations, "Great Figures of the New Testament" by Amy-Jill Levine, who is University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt Divinity School. Each week is a stand-alone lecture, so feel free to join in any week you would like. This Sunday our topic will be The Herodians.

Sweet Hour of Prayer Group
Our weekly Prayer Group Zooms every Monday at 9:00 am. 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) and she will send the Zoom link. All prayer requests will be kept confidential.

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

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.