“Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”
(Isaiah 55:6-7 ESV)
Dear Friends,
Greetings in the name of Jesus!
Wow! The words above hardly need any explanation! It is what we as a church are all about. We urge one and all to turn from their self-absorbed ways and look at God – the One who had compassion on us by sending His Son to be our Redeemer. Everyone is urged to do it now “while He is near” and there’s still time.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Sunday (September 23) here at Prince of Peace…
9:00 Early Service: Matins
9:00 Sunday School & Adult Bible Class
10:30 am Matins with alternative accompaniment
Sermon: “It’s Not Fair – That’s a Good Thing” based on Matthew 20:1–16
11:30 Coffee Hour
Prince of Peace News …
Youth Study: This Sunday after church we’ll enjoy the coffee hour (with sandwiches and desserts) and then watch and critique a video, Optimistic Nihilism (Caution: It’s rather depressing, but we’ll deal with that.) We’ll also start getting ready for a course entitled “Go and Be Reconciled: What Does This Mean?,” a study on being reconciled in our relationships. (No one has trouble with that kind of thing, right? lol). We’ll meet in the blue room across from the regular Sunday School rooms. Who can attend? Anyone from confirmation through university age.
A Man Named Martin-Part 2: The Moment – The Adult Bible Class continues this video-study/discussion Sunday at 9:00am in the church basement. In this 500th anniversary year of the Reformation, come and learn more about the faith and church of which we are a part. Coffee will be on.
Pre-Convention Circuit Forum & Feature Movie: Martin Luther, The Idea That Changed the World. All members of the congregations of the Hamilton Circuit, which includes Prince of Peace, are invited to this event on Saturday, September 30, at Faith Lutheran Church, 1308 Hwy 3, Dunnville.
Circuit Forum: Pastors Mark Koehler & Michael Meleg, pastoral delegates to the LCC Convention will lead us through the workbook and convention resolutions. They are anxious to get your input. The forum will begin at 1:30pm (Coffee will be on by 1:15).
Movie: Martin Luther: The Idea That Changed the World. The rousing adventure story of Martin Luther’s life, following his bold quest for truth—a journey that would reshape the church, and the world. The movie will start at 3:00pm. Refreshments during and following the movie. View the movie trailer here.
Women of the Reformation Retreat (LWMLC) . . . You are invited to join the LWMLC, Ontario District in Christian Growth Retreat at the Sunbridge Inn, Cambridge, as they study the contribution women made to the Reformation 500 years ago and similar roles they still play today. Starts Fri., Oct 20 @ 7:30 pm to Sat. Oct 21 @ 4:00 pm. Bible Study Leaders: Rev. R. Orlowski & Rev. M. Koehler. Registration Cost: $75 (Sat. only: $55).
Hamilton Circuit Reformation Service: All members of the congregations of the Hamilton Circuit, which includes us, are invited to this event on Saturday, October 28 at 2:00pm at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 200 Erie Street, Port Colborne. The service will include Hamilton Circuit congregational choirs. Refreshments will follow the service. By the way, it is hoped that having the event after Harvest Day at the Seminary in St. Catharines will make a full day for those interested but not create a conflict.
Halton Alive Baby Food Drive: Please join us and Halton Alive (our local right to life group) in support of a Baby Food & Formula Drive. Items can be dropped off in the lobby until October 8th.
Seminary Guild: Twice a year we like to support our Seminary Students by filling their Food Pantry. All food donations will be appreciated by October 22, 2017. We will be taking the items to Harvest Day at the Seminary October 28th.
Convention is less than a month away. Next month, October 13-16, fellow Lutherans from across Canada will gather at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Kitchener for Lutheran Church–Canada’s 11th triennial convention…and you can be part of it! Everyone is invited to attend the opening Divine Service at Historic St. Paul’s in downtown Kitchener, Friday, October 13 at 7:30 p.m. Saturday evening the convention joins the Reformation Intersections Concert at Grace Lutheran Church at 7:30 p.m. On Sunday, October 15 at 8:30 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 2nd floor, the convention will hold a public Meet and Greet for President Bugbee in appreciation for his service to the national church over the past 12 years. Any member of an LCC congregation is welcome to sit in and observe any of the convention business sessions. The schedule is available at www.lcc2017.ca.
Joyful Seniors invites everyone to join with them in attending the movie “Mully”. The movie is about a man in Kenya going from rags to riches and rescues 10,000 children from despair, transforming their lives. The movie will be shown at Silver City Theatre on Brant Street, across from our church October 12, 2017. We will meet in the lobby by 6:45 with the movie starting at 7:00. See the trailer by clicking here.
Do you know a student at a post-secondary institution? Send his/her name, email, and school name to campusministry@lcceast.ca and we will send an email encouraging him/her to attend a nearby church. You can also see our list of “East District Churches Ready to Welcome Students” at http://lcceast.ca/directories/campus-ministry. (Also, please share with me their email address so Pastor might offer to include them in his own PoP University student email mailing.)
LLL Canada: Anniversary Lunch: At 12:00 noon on Tuesday, October 17, prior to the Annual Meeting there will be a light lunch/reception at the office of Lutheran Laymen’s League of Canada, 270 Lawrence Ave. in Kitchener (which is directly across the street from the Lutheran Church–Canada, East District office). All are welcome to attend this lunch which is being provided by LLL Canada in celebration of its 50th Anniversary. There is no charge but we request that you advise us no later than October 10 if you plan to attend the lunch so that we can prepare enough food.
Online News …
Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) is accepting donations in response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean. Millions of people are in need of basic necessities including food, water and shelter. Psychosocial, health and employment support will also be needed in the coming weeks and months. See more by clicking here.
LCC Releases New Book to Celebrate Reformation Anniversary: Lutheran Church–Canada is celebrating the five-hundredth anniversary of the Reformation with a new book entitled Saints of the Reformation. Congregations are encouraged to use the new book as they celebrate the Reformation locally, for both in-house education and as an outreach tool. READ MORE
The book is also available as a free e-book for use on e-readers, mobile devices, and computers.
Reformation News …
A “Reformation Minute” is being presented by the CLS faculty every weekday throughout the fall semester. It began September 18. They will focus on some of the people and ideas that renewed the heart of Christ’s church, starting in earnest in the fall of 1517—five hundred years ago. These talks will be viewed on campus at the end of each day’s chapel service, shared online through CLS’s website www.concordiasem.ab.ca, the CLS YouTube Channel (Click here and look for Reformation Moment)
The second “Reformation Intersections” Concert will be at Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church, 47 Sheldon Ave, Kitchener, Saturday the 23rd of September at 7:30pm featuring the vocal quartet, ‘Capella Intima.’ This local group specializes in early music and will be performing a selection of music of the liturgy from the Lutheran Reformation period. “Reformation Intersections” – Where music and theology meet in three nights of artistic beauty!
In your prayers, please remember:
- Those dealing with medical issues
- Those awaiting surgery
- Those suffering injuries
- Those undergoing chemo treatment
- Those suffering from chronic conditions
- Members of Prince of Peace who are far away
- Lord God Almighty, Your Son, Jesus the Christ, has declared that He will build His Church on the unshakeable foundation of His Word; as the delegates prepare to gather in Kitchener to conduct the business of our Synod, we pray that He would be powerfully at work to fulfill what He has promised. By Your Spirit keep their eyes fixed on Him and their hearts grounded in His truth, that all that they decide may be for the good of your people and bring glory to You. As they gather in Your Name, be their mighty fortress to thwart the gates of hell that would seek to disrupt these proceedings in any way. Let Your holy angels be with them, that the evil foe may have no power over them; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
The Lord be with you.
Yours in Christ Jesus,
Pastor Kevin Walrath
