daily updates about Activities and Events
at St. Peter’s

St Peter’s: Together in Faith

On December 1st we celebrated our 190th anniversary. What an amazing milestone! Over these years our congregation has weathered many changes and challenges, and yet by the grace of God we are still here, witnessing to the love of Christ in our community.

As we reflect upon how far we’ve come, we are so thankful for your generosity. Your ongoing support and special gifts allow us to remain a vital presence in our community. Our community garden provides fresh, nutritious food to help address food insecurity in our neighbourhood. In the winter months, hats, mittens, and scarves are offered for the taking for those who need them. Our building provides needed community space to groups like TOPS, Scouts, as well as three other neighbourhood churches. And through our Sunday worship and Adult Study opportunities, we continue to nurture faithful and mature followers of Christ.

As we approach the end of the year, we hope you will consider making an extra-mile gift so that we can end the year in a positive financial position and keep on sharing God’s love with our neighbours. Thank you for being part of this journey together in faith!

A butterfly, representing Jesus as new life and new birth has been added for the Sixth Sunday in our Extended Advent! At St. Peter's our journey continues through an Extended Advent. Our blue paraments have been brought out, our Advent wreath now has seven candles, and we will add a new ornament to our Chrismon Tree each week. Our theme is: 'What are you waiting for?' Come and join us on the journey!

ZOOM INFORMATION FOR SUNDAY DECEMBER 22ND 2024-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT

The ZOOM link for today’s service, which opens at 09.30 am on December 22, 2024, can be found here:
Worship December 22, 2024 09:30 am ZOOM room opens; service begins at 10:00 am.

Join Zoom Meeting click here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86594280120?pwd=cJ07AosND16wJ0Jo0pnzqOjVbLaXMR.1

Meeting ID: 865 9428 0120 Passcode: 155931

You don’t have to have a computer or internet to connect to any of our church Zoom services; you can also just call in on one of these numbers (long distance charges may apply): (All Canadian numbers). You can also access the ZOOM from your telephone by using the “One tap mobile” option:
+15873281099,,86594280120#,,,,*155931# Canada; +16473744685,,86594280120#,,,,*155931# Canada

Dial by your location:
+1 778 907 2071 Canada
+1 780 666 0144 Canada
+1 204 272 7920 Canada
+1 438 809 7799 Canada
+1 587 328 1099 Canada
+1 647 374 4685 Canada
+1 647 558 0588 Canada

Meeting ID: 865 9428 0120 Passcode: 155931

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kkudXhpUs
……………………………………………….

On Friday December 6th, St. Peter's, Cambridge presented its annual Dramatic Reading of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'. This event proudly supports the Cambridge Self Help Food Bank. Back Row: L to R: Our host Mike Mann and reader Bishop Michael J. Pryse, retired. Front Row: L to R: Readers HCol Jane Klugman, Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada, Dr. Michael Lawrie, Cambridge Sympony Orchestra Chair, Eugenia Schatz, St. Peter's Member, Hon. Karen Redman, Waterloo Region Chair, Representative from the Food Bank, Amy Slack, and musicians Judith Douglas, French Horn, and Bradley Moggach, piano.

http://stpeterscambridge.com/weekly-announcements

*******************************

UPDATE December 20, 2024

They Watch for Christ
John Henry Neuman, 19th c.

They watch for Christ
who are sensitive, eager, apprehensive in mind,
who are awake, alive, quick-sighted,
zealous in honoring him,
who look for him in all that happens, and
who would not be surprised,
who would not be over-agitated or overwhelmed,
If they found he was coming at once.

This then is to watch:
to be detached from what is present, and
to live in what is unseen;
to live in the thought of Christ as he came once,
and as he will come again;
to desire his second coming, from our affectionate
and grateful remembrance of his first.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Wexford Carol’, by Alison Krauss & Yo Yo Ma
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxDZjg_Igoc
***************

UPDATE December 19, 2024

Evening Hymn for Advent, 8th century

Creator of the stars of night,
Your people’s everlasting light,
O Christ, Redeemer of us all,
We pray you hear us when we call.

In sorrow that the ancient curse
Should doom to death a universe,
You came, O Savior, to set free
Your own in glorious liberty.

Come, Sun and Savior, to embrace
Our gloomy world, its weary race,
As groom to bride, as bride to groom,
The wedding chamber, Mary’s womb.

At your great name, O Jesus, now
All knees must bend, all hearts must bow;
All things on earth with one accord,
Like those in heaven shall call you Lord.

Come in your holy might, we pray,
Redeem us for eternal day;
Defend us while we dwell below,
From all assaults of our dread foe.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Creator of the Stars of Night: Advent Vesper Hymn’, by Gregorian Chant Schola of Saint Meinrad Archabbey
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZjeOH_Qh2M
*****************

UPDATE December 18, 2024

Advent

I live my Advent in the womb of Mary
And on one night when a great star swings free
From its high mooring and walks down the sky
To be the dot above the Christus i,
I shall be born of her by blessed grace.
I wait in Mary-darkness, faith's walled place,
With hope's expectance of nativity.
I knew for long she carried me and fed me,
Guarded and loved me, though I could not see,
But only now, with inward jubilee,
I come upon earth's most amazing knowledge:
Someone is hidden in this dark with me.
– Jessica Powers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Til the Season Comes Round Again’, by Amy Grand & Vince Gill
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKq4zCJeMAA
*****************

UPDATE December 17, 2024

Advent Summons

Come forth from the holy place,
Sweet Child,
Come from the quiet dark
Where virginal heartbeats
Tick your moments.

Come away from the red music
Of Mary's veins.
Come out from the Tower of David
Sweet Child,
From the House of Gold.

Leave your lily-cloister,
Leave your holy mansion,
Quit your covenant ark.
O Child, be born!

Be born, sweet Child,
In our unholy hearts.

Come to our trembling,
Helpless Child.
Come to our littleness,
Little Child,
Be born unto us
Who have kept the faltering vigil.
Be given, be born,
Be ours again.

Came forth from your holy haven,
Come away from your perfect shrine,
Come to our wind-racked souls
From the flawless tent,
Sweet Child.

Be born, little Child
In our unholy hearts.
– Mary Francis, P.C.C.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Hope of Christmas’, by Matthew West
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27rMrWqJsNA
|*******************

UPDATE December 16, 2024

Today in the news we are hearing of yet another tragic school shooting in Madison, Wisconsin. As of this writing, three people are confirmed dead, including the shooter as well as a teenage student and a teacher. At least six others were transported to area hospitals: two students in critical condition with life-threatening injuries and four students with non-life-threatening injuries, according to authorities. This shooting happened at a private, Christian school and apparently a handgun was used. Events are still unfolding and none of us can even begin to imagine the tragedy of this happening just two days after the twelfth anniversary of the Sandy Hook school shooting, and nine days before Christmas.

There will be plenty of time to find reasons for this shooting and those with the loudest voices will look to place blame anywhere but on easy access to guns. Mental health is often the fall-back target of blame, and yet few resources are actually put into addressing mental health issues in young people who might be struggling. It is hard not to fall into a state of deep lament at the feelings of our own helplessness. It is hard to know how to force our leaders to address their own lack of will to find solutions to the problems of gun violence. How long, O Lord, how long?

It is especially hard at this time of year when we focus on the love, hope, peace, and joy of the Advent/Christmas season and the coming once again of the Christ-child, to remember that this season won’t be that way for everyone. Today’s events bring that into stark reality. We can look away, but those whose family members won’t be coming home this evening will never see life quite the same way again. Now is when we lift them up in prayer. Now is when we look around at our own friends who also suffer tragedies at this time of year. Now is when we hold even tighter to the hope that the coming birth of Jesus brings. Love still comes Hope still comes. Peace still comes. Joy still comes. Jesus still comes. --LC

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I Heard the Bells of Christmas Day’, by Johnny Reid
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lPvv0IEY4o
*******************

UPDATE December 15, 2024

Advent Antiphons

From Mary's sweet silence
Come, Word mutely spoken!

Pledge of our real life,
Come, Bread yet unbroken!

Seed of the Golden Wheat,
In us be sown.

Fullness of true Light,
Through us be known.

Secret held tenderly,
Guarded with Love,

Cradled in purity,
Child of the Dove,

COME!
– Sr. M. Charlita, I.H.M.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Tennessee Christmas’, by Amy Grant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZqNMS_mEmE
***************

Never forgotten. Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy.

UPDATE December 14, 2024

December

All bright and clear, the starry vault
With golden lights and crisp, clean air,
Allures the soul to rise, nor halt
Till she shall float exultant there.

Earth folds her form in ermine cloak,
Whose glist'ning sheen reflects the stars;
Clear rings the skaters' rhythmic stroke
From stream held fast in icy bars.

Uprears the sun at morning's birth,
In glory bathes the wood and plain;
Day's busy hum awakes the earth
To view the scene of Winter's reign.

We love the smile of youthful Spring,
There's gladness in the Summer's glow,
And rich in Autumn's harvesting,--
Yet, greater gifts can Winter show,--

Rare gifts, surpassing pearls and gold;
God's Mother-Maid, Immaculate,
And Christ the King--these, Winter old
Brings down to bless man's poor estate.
- J.A.M

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Mary and Joseph’, by Tim McGraw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYR-dFm84DM
*******************

UPDATE December 13, 2024

Advent Prayer

Like foolish folk of old I would not be,
Who had no room that night for Him and thee.
See, Mother Mary, here within my heart
I've made a little shrine for Him apart;
Swept it of sin, and cleansed it with all care;
Warmed it with love and scented it with prayer.
So, Mother, when the Christmas anthems start,
Please let me hold your baby--in my heart.
– Sr. Maryanna, O.P.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Star Still Shines’, by Matt Koenig
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHNFVaR7-J4
****************

UPDATE December 12, 2024

The Winter Is Cold, Is Cold
by Madeleine L’Engle

The winter is cold, is cold.
All’s spent in keeping warm.
Has joy been frozen, too?
I blow upon my hands
Stiff from the biting wind.
My heart beats slow, beats slow.
What has become of joy?

If joy’s gone from my heart
Then it is closed to You
Who made it, gave it life.
If I protect myself
I’m hiding, Lord, from you.
How we defend ourselves
In ancient suits of mail!

Protected from the sword,
Shrinking from the wound,
We look for happiness,
Small, safety-seeking, dulled,
Selfish, exclusive, in-turned.
Elusive, evasive, peace comes
Only when it’s not sought.

Help me forget the cold
That grips the grasping world.
Let me stretch out my hands
To purifying fire,
Clutching fingers uncurled.
Look! Here is the melting joy.
My heart beats once again.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Wrap This One Up’, by Christy Nockels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkEg8MRhAkw
****************

UPDATE December 11, 2024

The God We Hardly Knew
by Óscar Romero

No one can celebrate
a genuine Christmas
without being truly poor.
The self-sufficient, the proud,
those who, because they have
everything, look down on others,
those who have no need
even of God- for them there
will be no Christmas.
Only the poor, the hungry,
those who need someone
to come on their behalf,
will have that someone.
That someone is God.
Emmanuel. God-with-us.
Without poverty of spirit
there can be no abundance of God.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Song in the Air’, by Christy Nockels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rFyAhGEL8w
****************

UPDATE December 10, 2024

Into The Darkest Hour
by Madeleine L’Engle

It was a time like this,
War & tumult of war,
a horror in the air.
Hungry yawned the abyss-
and yet there came the star
and the child most wonderfully there.

It was time like this
of fear & lust for power,
license & greed and blight-
and yet the Prince of bliss
came into the darkest hour
in quiet & silent light.

And in a time like this
how celebrate his birth
when all things fall apart?
Ah! Wonderful it is
with no room on the earth
the stable is our heart.

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Simeon’s Song’, by The Porter’s Gate ft Tenielle Neda & Paul Zach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNhcJZbg_0E
******************

UPDATE December 9, 2024

Advent Longing
by W.S. Beattie

These are the greedy days.
It used to be
That Advent was a longing fast,
A time to feel our need
in faith and tingling hope
And keen-eyed looking forward.
Now we cannot wait
But day by day and week by week
We celebrate obsessively
Clutching at Christmas.
When at last it comes,
The day itself,
Our glass is empty.
We have held the feast
Already, and the news is stale
Before it ever reaches us.
We cheat ourselves.
Yet – somehow – still we hope
In these spoiled days
That there may be a child.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘In a Land By Death O'ershadowed’, by The Porter’s Gate ft Paul Zach & Page CXVI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzEPMtIFUv8
**********************

UPDATE December 8, 2024

O Sapientia
Madeleine L’Engle

It was from Joseph first I learned
of love. Like me he was dismayed.
How easily he could have turned
me from his house; but, unafraid,
he put me not away from him
(O God-sent angel, pray for him).
Thus through his love was Love obeyed.

The Child’s first cry came like a bell:
God’s Word aloud, God’s Word in deed.
The angel spoke: so it befell,
and Joseph with me in my need.
O Child whose father came from heaven,
to you another gift was given,
your earthly father chosen well.

With Joseph I was always warmed
and cherished. Even in the stable
I knew that I would not be harmed.
And, though above the angels swarmed,
man’s love it was that made me able
to bear God’s love, wild, formidable,
to bear God’s will, through me performed.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Isaiah (O Come)’, by The Porter’s Gate ft Paul Zach, Jessica Fox, and IAMSON
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VF9dKlRgnVY
*****************

UPDATE December 7, 2024

First Coming
Madeleine L’Engle

He did not wait till the world was ready,
till men and nations were at peace.
He came when the Heavens were unsteady,
and prisoners cried out for release.

He did not wait for the perfect time.
He came when the need was deep and great.
He dined with sinners in all their grime,
turned water into wine.

He did not wait till hearts were pure.
In joy he came to a tarnished world of sin and doubt.
To a world like ours, of anguished shame
he came, and his Light would not go out.

He came to a world which did not mesh,
to heal its tangles, shield its scorn.
In the mystery of the Word made Flesh
the Maker of the stars was born.

We cannot wait till the world is sane
to raise our songs with joyful voice,
for to share our grief, to touch our pain,
He came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice!

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Reign of Mercy’, by The Porter’s Gate ft Paul Zach & Lauren Plank Goans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rX2yDtjSDw
*******************

On this day, December 6th, 35 years ago, fourteen women were murdered and another ten were injured along with four men being injured by an armed gunman at the École Polytechnique in Montreal. The gunman separated the women from the men in a mechanical engineering class and opened fire only on the women. He then moved on and roamed the halls targeting other women. We continue to mourn their loss even as we realize we must recommit to fighting misogyny and gender based violence. Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, kyrie eleison.
*******************

UPDATE December 6, 2024

Advent Calendar
by Rowan Williams

He will come like last leaf’s fall.
One night when the November wind
has flayed the trees to the bone, and earth
wakes choking on the mould,
the soft shroud’s folding.

He will come like frost.
One morning when the shrinking earth
opens on mist, to find itself
arrested in the net
of alien, sword-set beauty.

He will come like dark.
One evening when the bursting red
December sun draws up the sheet
and penny-masks its eye to yield
the star-snowed fields of sky.

He will come, will come
will come like crying in the night,
like blood, like breaking,
as the earth writhes to toss him free.
He will come like child.

--You can find this poem in Haphazard by Starlight.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Make a Way’, by The Porter’s Gate ft Liz Vice & Paul Zach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXbPMVg3mUU
*********************

UPDATE December 5, 2024

“On Thy Wondrous Works I Will Meditate (Psalm 145)”

    Every morning I want to kneel down on the golden
       cloth of the sand and say
    some kind of musical thanks for
       the world that is happening again — another day —
    from the shawl of wind coming out of the
       west to the firm green

    flesh of the melon lately sliced open and
       eaten, its chill and ample body
    flavored with mercy. I want
       to be worthy of — what? Glory? Yes, unimaginable glory.
    O Lord of melons, of mercy, though I am
       not ready, nor worthy, I am climbing toward you.
     -- from “DEVOTIONS: The Selected poems of Mary Oliver

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Advent Song’, by The Porter’s Gate ft Jonathan Ogden & Page CXVI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRr3HHT857A
**********************

UPDATE December 4, 2024

Varanasi
By Mary Oliver

Early in the morning we crossed the ghat,
where fires were still smouldering,
and gazed, with our Western minds, into the Ganges.
A woman was standing in the river up to her waist;
She was lifting handfuls of water and spilling it
over her body, slowly and many times,
as if until there came some moment
of inner satisfaction between her own life and the river’s.
Then she dipped a vessel she had brought with her
and carried it filled with water back across the ghat,
no doubt to refresh some shrine near where she lives,
for this is the holy city of Shiva, maker
of the world, and this is his river.
I can’t say much more, except that it all happened
in silence and peaceful simplicity, and something that felt
like the bliss of a certainty and a life lived
in accordance with that certainty.
I must remember this, I thought, as we fly back
to America.
Pray God I remember this.
--Mary Oliver

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Infant Holy, Infant Lowly’, by The Porter’s Gate ft Paul Zach & Lauren Plank Goans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTR6njWwX8s
*******************

UPDATE December 3, 2024

Thirst
by Mary Oliver

Another morning and I wake with thirst
for the goodness I do not have. I walk
out to the pond and all the way God has
given us such beautiful lessons. Oh Lord,
I was never a quick scholar but sulked
and hunched over my books past the
hour and the bell;   grant me, in your
mercy, a little more time. Love for the
earth and love for you are having such a
long   conversation in   my heart.   Who
knows   what   will   finally   happen   or
where I will be sent, yet already I have
given a great many things away expect-
ing to be told to pack nothing, except the
prayers   which with   this   thirst,   I am
slowly learning.
--Mary Oliver

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Mary’s Lullaby (Black Haired Boy)’, by The Porter’s Gate ft Liz Vice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LC6Xp2qmruw
***********************
UPDATE December 2, 2024

The Chat -
by Mary Oliver

I wish
   I were
     the yellow chat
         down in the thickets

who sings all night,
throwing
into the air
praises

and panhandles,
   plaints,
      in curly phrases,
         half-rhymes,

free verse too,
   with head-dipping
      and wing-wringing,
         with soft breast

rising into the air –
   meek and sleek,
     broadcasting,
         with no time out

for pillow-rest,
   everything –
      pathos,
         thanks –

oh, Lord,
   what a lesson
    you send me
         as I stand

listening
   to your rattling, swamp-loving chat
      singing
         of his simple, leafy life –

how I would like to sing to you
   all night
    in the dark
         just like that.

--Mary Oliver

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘O Come, O Come Emmanuel’, by The Piano Guys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO7ySn-Swwc
*****************
UPDATE December 1, 2024

An Advent Poem
by Mary Oliver,
Dear Lord, I have swept and I have washed but
still nothing is as shining as it should be
for you. Under the sink, for example, is an
uproar of mice – it is the season of their
many children. What shall I do? And under the eaves
and through the walls the squirrels
have gnawed their ragged entrances – but it the season
when they need shelter, so what shall I do? And
the raccoon limps into the kitchen and opens the cupboard
while the dog snores, the cat holds the pillow;
what shall I do? Beautiful is the new snow falling
in the yard and the fox who is staring boldly
up the path, to the door. And I still believe you will
come, Lord; you will, when I speak to the fox,
the sparrow, the lost dog, the shivering sea-goose, know
that I am really speaking to you whenever I say,
as I do all morning and afternoon: Come in, Come in.
--From Thirst by Mary Oliver

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Thrill of Hope-Advent Hymn’, by Christy Nockels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNuY6I4OtoE
******************
UPDATE November 30, 2024

Remember your ancestors. Remember your elders. Remember your story. Remembering is such a vital part of spirituality. When we remember we create a continuity that connects our past with our future. You and I will be remembered one day: just as we are remembering others now. Community is memory. Kinship is memory shared.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Fresh Fire Fresh Wind’, by Josh Baldwin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNq2q7EiNS0
***********************
UPDATE November 29, 2024

May we have enough. May we share what we have. May our sharing generate trust. May trust open new doors. May we step through those doors together. May we find peace. May we learn to live in peace and pass peace on to our children. May the circle be complete. May we have enough.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Narrow Road’, by Josh Baldwin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vcurr4Zk4vs
*****************
UPDATE November 28, 2024

Every life is a work of art. Of many arts, in fact. Our lives are music, a symphony of love and loss, the haunting refrain of what might have been. We are paintings on the canvas of time, bold strokes and bright colors, more mystery than meaning. Our lives are drama and comedy, a dance of chances, a novel filled with characters we have known and a few we have loved. Spirit is the artist. We are the creation.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘You Are Our God’, by Josh Baldwin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK6Lh6n2i6g
*******************
UPDATE November 27, 2024

Hold on together. That is what we will do. Link arms, shoulder to shoulder, face forward and stay together. In this way, we become one organism, one community, that will not be moved from the high ground of integrity. We will hold on for peace, compassion and justice. Come what may, we will hold on together.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Made for More’, by Josh Baldwin ft Jenn Johnson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov9Ls4npIrc
******************
UPDATE November 26, 2024

It has been my experience that people who do more of the work tend to need less of the praise for doing so. In fact, they can be very shy when it comes to recognition and prefer to remain in the background. So, without embarrassing anyone, let me just say to all of you (and you know who you are)…thank you, well done, we could not do it without you!

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Time and Time Again’, by Mack Brock & Josh Baldwin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XB5WWVzywwo
****************
UPDATE November 25, 2024

Keep the prayer flags flying, the candles burning, the drums drumming, the sights and sounds of hope, hope making its presence known as unavoidable, irrepressible and persistent, no matter how great the odds or difficult the struggle. Hope is a sacred gift -- something to see us through -- until we find our balance again.
-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Stained Glass Window’, by Cochren & Co
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E50Xgs55BOE
*******************
UPDATE November 24, 2024

We are sharing some quotes from author, literary scholar, and Anglican lay theologian C.S Lewis today. He died November 22nd 1963. The anniversary of his death is often overlooked since it happened on the same day that President Kennedy was assassinated. But, even if you have never read any of his books, his thoughts and quotes give us a glimpse into this man of faith and the depths of his beliefs.--ED

“Friendship ... is born at the moment when one man says to another "What! You too? I thought that no one but myself . . .” ― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” ― C.S. Lewis

“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” ― C.S. Lewis

“He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man made, He would have done no less.” ― C.S. Lewis

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Grave’, by Cochren & Co.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azcaS6c8muE
********************
UPDATE November 23, 2024

I saw this small light, hovering in the evening shadows, a last bit of the sun, left behind by accident, waiting for rescue by some passing poet. I cupped the light in my hands and hurried home. All around us are glimmers of love and hope, left behind for us to find, when we are in an evening of shadow, and need a light to bring us home.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Lows’, by Cochren & Co.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU-n9Lg1ZF8
************************
UPDATE November 22, 2024

A Friday Prayer from Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber

Dear God,

You remember that whole “who by worrying can add a single hour to their life” thing? I could use a reminder of that right now.

I’m just rehearsing dread and practicing fear right now.

So when I start doom-casting about what might happen in days to come, remind me that this day has worries of its own.

Guide my hand to turn off the radio, my feet to walk away from my laptop, and my eyes to turn away from my phone, because none of that shit is healthy for me right now.

With your grace, may we all recoil from hot takes as from a hot flame.

And then give me the strength to do the next right thing in this life I have been given, among these people you love, in this place you created.

I guess what I’m saying is, please help me not miss the good stuff because I’m worrying about the bad stuff.

And if it’s not too much of a bother, could you, in your infinite mercy, also help everyone be on their best behavior this year at all our Thanksgiving tables? That’d be great, because more drama we do not need.

Amen.
--Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘When I Fall’, Katy Nichole
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EH87xXauLoI
*************************
UPDATE November 21, 2024

All that we really know is that what we know will change. We see through a glass, but darkly. There is more going on behind the scenes than we may ever learn. Our pragmatic spirituality takes this in stride. We keep our eyes on Spirit, and our feet on solid ground. Spirituality is being prepared.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Lift Me Up’, by The Afters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHwZXvbGX_I
********************
UPDATE November 20, 2024

Rev. Dr. Tony Campolo died on Tuesday November 19th at the age of 89. From Wikipedia: “Campolo was an American sociologist, Baptist pastor, author, public speaker, and spiritual advisor to U.S. President Bill Clinton. Campolo was an influential leader in the evangelical left. Campolo was a popular commentator on religious, political, and social issues. In 2007, with Shane Claiborne, he founded Red-Letter Christians, with the aim of bringing together evangelicals who believe in the importance of insisting on issues of social justice mentioned by Jesus (in red in some translations of the Bible). He also became a leader of the Red-Letter Christian movement, which aims to put emphasis on the teachings of Jesus.”

Some quotes from Tony Campolo:

“I have three things I'd like to say today. First, while you were sleeping last night, 30,000 kids died of starvation or diseases related to malnutrition. Second, most of you don't give a shit. What's worse is that you're more upset with the fact that I said shit than the fact that 30,000 kids died last night.” ― Tony Campolo

“Jesus never says to the poor: ‘come find the church’, but he says to those of us in the church: ‘go into the world and find the poor, hungry, homeless, imprisoned.” ― Tony Campolo

“I don't know how your theology works, but if Jesus has a choice between stained glass windows and feeding starving kids in Haiti, I have a feeling he'd choose the starving kids in Haiti.” Tony Campolo

“There are 2,000 verses of Scripture that tell us we must be committed to protecting the poor and the oppressed... There is no concern of Scripture that is addressed so often and so powerfully as reaching out to the poor.” Tony Campolo

“One of the most startling discoveries of my life was the realization that the Jesus that I love, the Jesus who died for me on Calvary, that Jesus, is waiting, mystically and wonderfully, in every person I meet. I find Jesus everywhere.” Tony Campolo

Thank you for your powerful witness, Tony! Rest in peace and rise in glory!

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I Will Fear No More’ by The Afters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMmmbJlWhtk
*********************
UPDATE November 19, 2024

The courage of love. That is what got my ancestors through times of turmoil and conflict. It was not that we all thought alike; just the opposite: our people always think for themselves. But when the chips are down, we unite with a common commitment to our people -- a love from which we will never retreat. We have the courage of love.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘What God is Gonna Do’, by The Afters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTsVlWlqbmc
***********************
UPDATE November 18, 2024

We have a message to share, a wonderful, liberating message of peace and hope. We know our message is real because we have experienced it with each other. No matter what our differences, we have agreed to seek Spirit together. Our experience is needed now more than ever. Do not be intimidated by the dark waves of our time: tell others what you have seen with your own eyes.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Light Up the Sky’, by The Afters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3EJ_4GBSes
**********************
UPDATE November 17, 2024

We acknowledge the sacred kinship of all creatures. All living things have a spirit within them, the handprint of the Potter who shaped them from clay and breathed the breath of life into them as they lay sleeping. Therefore, we have many elders whose wisdom can help us -- and not all of those are human.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘God is With Us’, by The Afters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kWk_Wu-wKM
******************************
UPDATE November 16, 2024

It will start today. Now. The minute that you recognize it, turn toward it, and allow its grace into your life. It is the love of Spirit, the pure center of all that exists in time and space, the core to creation. When you open your mind to its presence and your heart to its power: it will transform you. Starting today. Beginning right now.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Well Done’, by The Afters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7jhljYvxrY
******************************
UPDATE November 15, 2024

I bet like me, you can’t stop thinking about how many people are suffering right now. There are so many. Suffering for so many reasons. We must refuse to be overwhelmed. Even if it is modest, there is always something we can do. Locally and globally. May our actions be a constant source of hope and healing. Together, may we be a deep well of compassion.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘He Leadeth Me’, by Wilson Fairchild
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Xg-S-7NpVM
******************************
UPDATE November 14, 2024

Prayer is energy released. When we focus our thoughts, our minds light up and begin processing the details. When we engage this process with a deep sense of emotion, the energy we create extends through our whole body. We become transmitters: of love, of compassion, and of healing. Never underestimate your prayers: they are pulses of hope, connecting with an even greater energy that surrounds us.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Humbled Heart’, by Sarah Kroger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2vBD93_MH4
******************************
UPDATE November 13, 2024

Prayer of St. Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Standing Strong & True (For Tomorrow)’, by Various Artists
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuNeV0fMflw
******************************
UPDATE November 12, 2024

Prayer for Sanity

God of all, we call you by different names, but You listen anyway. You satisfy our need, but in our greed, we ask for more. You sustain us but do not restrain us because You gave us free will. Sadly, we use that gift of free will to kill freely and often in Your name.

Over and over, we have fought “holy wars” to convert others to our beliefs. Why are we so sure that we alone have Your blessing? Surely in Your infinite mercy You love us all equally, just as a mother loves all her children and wants them all to be safe.

In our present time of strife when violence is rife, please give life to our hopes for a peaceful resolution of this war and absolution for our sins. Please shelter in Your loving arms Your errant children of all races and creeds. Let us see our likenesses rather than our differences and see Your face in all of us. Amen.

-- Ann Dow of Thorofare composed this “Prayer for Sanity” in responses to her belief that “God has to be neutral.”

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Remembrance Day’, by Bryan Adams
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ-TVcoFbRU
******************************
UPDATE November 11, 2024

In Flanders Fields
By John Mccrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
    The torch; be yours to hold it high.
   If ye break faith with us who die
|We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
        In Flanders fields.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Highway of Heroes’, by The Trews
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qEcvurq63A
******************************
UPDATE November 10, 2024

Opening Land Acknowledgement by Pastor Laura in our worship this morning:

“As we gather, I invite us to begin by remembering and giving thanks for Senator Murray Sinclair, chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, who died this past week. The TRC revealed the truth of the Residential Schools and their legacy, and put before Canadians ‘94 Calls to Action’ to help us live into reconciliation with the indigenous peoples of Turtle Island. Today we give thanks for the life and witness of Murray Sinclair. May his memory inspire us to carry on the work of truth and reconciliation in this land.”

A Prayer for Our Soldiers
God of love, God of peace, Min Ha’Meitzar Karati Yah. Out of the depths of despair, we call to You. Our ears ring with the words “Do not fear.” But our stomachs churn with the acid of doubt. Determined to preserve our shared world from the tyranny of terrorism, we turn to You for answers, for values, for strengths.

We stand before You with respect and concern for those who have been summoned to protect and secure our nation, our world. Give them the courage to meet the chilling stare of death…Return them safely to fulfill dreams unrealized so that they may bless Your name through the lives they live. May their efforts further the cause of peace throughout the world and bring us closer to the day when “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn of war anymore.” Amen.

-- Rabbi Jerome Epstein, executive vice president of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, the association of Conservative synagogues

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘A Pittance of Time’, by Terry Kelly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kX_3y3u5Uo
******************************
UPDATE November 9, 2024

Knowing how volatile the issue of refugees and borders is today, I have been remembering an image my elders gave me long ago: there are no pearly gates to heaven because there is no need for a gate at all. Spirit has no need of gates and walls. Eternal love alone encircles the holy community. In this age of boundaries and conflict, it is healing to remember the elder’s vision: an open path to heaven for all who seek shelter.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘In the Silence’, by Sarah Kroger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9F2VxxP1JR8
****************************
UPDATE November 8, 2024

We are more than we imagine, more than we have been told, more than we could ever become on our own. The healing power is within us, but it is the Spirit who opens our awareness and sets us free. We discover ourselves. We find our gifts. And we grow.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Human’, by Sarah Kroger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwMYuJCuT1s
*************************
UPDATE November 7, 2024

So much of our lives is an investigation. We search for clues, for connections, for meanings. We follow the facts. We weigh the evidence. We are spiritual detectives, trying to put the pieces of a puzzle together, the puzzle we call life. Spirit is as much a question as an answer.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Glory Be’, by Sarah Kroger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUkewtbCOJg
***************************
UPDATE November 6, 2024

Deep meditation is when you keep dancing, even after the music has stopped. It is such an embrace of the holy that time disappears. Only your awareness of Spirit remains. That perfectly calm center to the pinwheel of creation, where the dance of life goes on forever, in the silence of space.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Communion’, by Sarah Kroger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjXBTNNdjgA
**************************
UPDATE November 5, 2024

We are not given more than we can bear, though it sometimes seems that way. The pain and disappointment of life can be so raw, it is hard to imagine how we keep going -- but we do -- and not by ourselves alone. We have a secret weapon against despair: the presence of Spirit, the silent strength that carries us on broad shoulders of hope, safe and secure from all alarms.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Somebody Prayed’, by Crowder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUrvBHgYn0I
*********************
UPDATE November 4, 2024

I may be physically weaker than I once was, but spiritually I grow stronger each day. My prayers arise from a deeper experience of life, my hopes from a wider view of history. I am nearer now to the angels and I walk close enough to the ancestors to hear their voices. Time cannot contain me, nor age set my limits. I am small, but filled with a universe of love.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Gardner’, by Sarah Kroger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5bJguYEapg
********************
UPDATE November 3, 2024

I have walked alone and I have stood in the crowd. I have forgiven others and I have been forgiven. I have danced in joy and I have mourned in silence. My life, like any life, follows the pendulum of time and circumstance. I am a leaf on a rushing stream and I am a mountain unmoveable. Only Spirit stays the same.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Giving Up’, by Sarah Kroger ft Leeland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw0Ju5USPiA
**********************
UPDATE November 2, 2024

When the harvest came, the whole community rose up, as if from a peaceful sleep, to work instinctively together, an unspoken understanding that in the harvest was the promise given by Spirit, a full barn for all to share, a witness to the unity of all people, a celebration of resurrection -- for the seeds that so soundly slept had been transformed, once more, and forever.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Then I Will’, by Lauren Daigle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKBQrWWX570
********************
UPDATE November 1, 2024

Give me a just heart, Spirit, that I may see the world as it truly is, not as I may wish it would be. Let me not look away from suffering or need. Let me not scapegoat others or avoid recognizing my own complicity. Put justice before me like a flame, that I may serve the cause of peace and build the community of hope.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘What the Lord Has Done’, by Hope Darst
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXWsjw4RA7o
*****************
UPDATE October 31, 2024

There is joy in even the smallest things, a child’s laughter, a pet curling up to sleep by you, a sunset of gold and lavender. Even if life is difficult, these tiny embers of hope and beauty are cast across our path, just waiting to be noticed, to be discovered, and to release their healing power. The ancestors walk before us, scattering blessings as they go.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘When God Pulled Back the Curtain’, by The Nelons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0-din48DNk
*******************
UPDATE October 30, 2024

Take the love you want to receive, the nature of that love, the expression of that love – and turn it outward to those around you. If you want a patient love, then be intentionally patient with someone else. Send out what you know will one day come back to you. Draw the circle of love and let it touch others as it touches you.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I Believe’, by Charity Gayle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuD33xMxAoY
************************
UPDATE October 29, 2024

There is more mystery in this world than all our senses will ever discover. We live where the poets first found us, awash in a creation of wonder. It will not be the rational that guides us to peace, but something closer to the heart: empathy. Peace begins in the mutual recognition that none of us owns the mystery.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Friend in High Places’, by Zach Williams
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaz8nZju8c8
**********************
UPDATE October 28, 2024

In the forest the deer raise their heads. The eagle and the hawk glide above, piercing the thin air with their sharp cries. The buffalo gather in a circle. The wind in the trees falls silent. Something sacred comes this way. The Spirit comes this way. The unity of creation is not an idea, but a feeling. It is kinship. Open your heart and it will be there.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Christus Victor (Amen)’, by Keith & Kristyn Getty and Cochren & Co.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF5knxzkCVw
*********************
UPDATE October 27, 2024

dear father in heaven,

we call upon you in jesus' name.

we come empty-handed.

we have not been able to love our enemies.

we have mostly not even seen them.

we have avoided them.

where we saw them, we found no love in us, but fear and anger.

so we come to you not as children of your love, but as their enemies and ask you for ourselves and all others: bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you.

forgive us what we owe our enemies.

you lead us out of the confines of fear and the prison of hatred into the wide open space of freedom.

let us see your sun rising over evil and good, and rejoice with our enemies in its warmth.
amen.
— jürgen moltmann

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Chasing Rebels’, by Ben Fuller
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjC_B2H8pUU
********************
UPDATE October 26, 2024

It’s in the eyes. The eyes of a seeker. They look out at the world through the lenses of their hope. They reflect the stillness within, the deep compassion that is at the core of what makes a person trust enough to believe with their whole heart. Nothing is held back in those eyes, for they have seen struggle, but they have also seen miracles.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Turn’, by Ben Fuller
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gckmq2Uwf0
***********************
UPDATE October 25, 2024

We are all needed, more than we know. We are needed to fulfill the purpose Spirit had for us at the moment of our awakening into the world. We are needed to share our love and vision. We are needed to help others walking with us. I am needed. You are needed. We are all needed. Just as we are.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Jesus Won’t You Guide Me Through This Storm’, by Anointed Family
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZsh9qgE7Xg
*************************
UPDATE October 24, 2024

It seems the world is becoming a more violent place. Violence is the brute response to disagreement, the favorite option for the tyrannical, and the ignorance of others rooted in fear. We may never completely eradicate violence, but there is much we can do to minimize and isolate it. Critical thinking, transparent communication, and education are among the tools we can use. Creating non-violent community must become a priority for people of every spiritual tradition.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Who I Am’, by Ben Fuller
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXFklH5A4jA
*******************
UPDATE October 23, 2024

You have kept the faith, your dream of a day when peace will come. You have kept the vision, your hope for Mother Earth and all her children. You have kept the witness, your work for justice and peace. Now, it is time to let the love of Spirit keep you. Let its energy fill you with new life and with a deep sense of wellbeing.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘If I Got Jesus’, by Ben Fuller
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gc2sNY5HMV8
********************
UPDATE October 22, 2024

Harvest season makes me think of the families around the world for whom a plentiful harvest may be a distant dream. That is true for people far away and close at hand. Scarcity and abundance are concepts, but they are also symbols for human need and human response. They reveal so many ways to share what we have.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Don’t Let Me Forget’, by Ben Fuller
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USclW21NFmk
**************************
UPDATE October 21, 2024

Don’t give up. If you are in a situation that seems hopeless, if you have wrestled with a problem until you are out of ideas, if you think the condition of the world is terminal, then my simple message is: don’t give up. Love will find you. Hope will return to you. Peace will show you an answer you never imagined.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Black Sheep’, by Ben Fuller
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erc4IeGwfjk
****************************
UPDATE October 20, 2024

It may be that you can see the other side of the river from where you are walking. You know one day you will cross over to explore that country. But first you have a vocation to complete here -- distributing as many blessings as you can. Forgiveness and mercy, kindness and compassion, love and healing: you have much to share before you see what life is like across the river.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘How Great is the Greatness of God’, by Matt Boswell, Bryan Fowler, Matt Papa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnCn5cXwI1I
***********************
UPDATE October 19, 2024

Love never sleeps, but keeps a watchful eye on those who do, to protect and to comfort, a living presence in each life, the heart-covenant between life and the source of life, where the soul does not slumber, but holds every life in a blanket of hope, the promise of a bond unbroken, the vision of all dreamers, awake to the wonder around them.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Where Forgiveness Is’, by Sidewalk Prophets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRpabLhQZ2k
***************************
UPDATE October 18, 2024

Here is a prayer to send around the Earth, prayer as simple as a word: peace. Peace now, peace here, peace everywhere. Peace to one and peace to all. Peace among all nations, peace flowing from every heart. Peace to wrap round the corner-less world until peace becomes an embrace that will never let go.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Keep Making Me’, by Sidewalk Prophets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuBuxIKciqo
**********************
UPDATE October 17, 2024

Thank you for the ambiguity, Spirit, for the mystery and the exploration. Thank you for choices, for ideas and moments of wonder. Our lives are always a response to your ancient invitation to think for ourselves. Critical thought is one of your greatest gifts and we are eternally grateful.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Live Like That’, by Sidewalk Prophets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfosSggwQS0
**********************
UPDATE October 16, 2024

My joy will not be contained, though the news of the day tries hard to make it so. I will accept the realities in which I live, in all their vagueness and distraction, knowing that I cannot control where they will take me, but refusing to allow them to define me. They do not. Hope defines me. And love. And vision. I will carry joy with me like the First People carried fire.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘You Love Me Anyway’, by Sidewalk Prophets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myP9Mvs1sOk
************************
UPDATE October 15, 2024

Spirituality is not magic, but it can seem that way. A prognosis transcended by healing that cannot be explained. Lives heading toward a crash, pulled up by invisible hands. An offer of help, coming at just the right moment. We have all witnessed this kind of outcome in our lives and others. We may not call it magic, but we certainly can receive it as miracle.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Come to the Table’, by Sidewalk Prophets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXXxLwxfo0U
**************************
UPDATE October 14, 2024

A Simple Prayer of Gratitude

Thank you, Lord, for the blessings you have bestowed on my life. You have provided me with more than I could ever have imagined. You have surrounded me with people who always look out for me. You have given me family and friends who bless me every day with kind words and actions. They lift me up in ways that keep my eyes focused on you and make my spirit soar.

Also, thank you, Lord, for keeping me safe. You protect me from those things that seem to haunt others. You help me make better choices and provide me with advisors to help me with life’s difficult decisions. You speak to me in so many ways so that I always know you are here.

And Lord, I am so grateful for keeping those around me safe and loved. I hope that you provide me with the ability and sense to show them every day how much they matter. I hope that you give me the ability to give to them the same kindness they have provided to me.

I am extremely grateful for all of your blessings in my life, Lord. I pray that you remind me of just how blessed I am and that you never allow me to forget to show my gratitude in prayer and returned acts of kindness.

Thank you, Lord.

- By Kelli Mahoney
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/thanksgiving-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘My Heart is Filled With Thankfulness ‘by Keith & Kristyn Getty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qntf2Y_VNok
**********************
UPDATE October 13, 2024

Remembering Others

O God, when I have food,
help me to remember the hungry;
When I have work,
help me to remember the jobless;
When I have a home,
help me to remember those who have no home at all;
When I am without pain,
help me to remember those who suffer,
And remembering,
help me to destroy my complacency;
bestir my compassion,
and be concerned enough to help;
By word and deed,
those who cry out for what we take for granted.
- Samuel F. Pugh
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/thanksgiving-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Thanks and Praise’, by Songs From The Soil ft Philippa Hanna, Rich DiCas, Lucy Grimble
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8vBK1pra1w
*********************************
UPDATE October 12, 2024

October 7th marked the one year anniversary of the horrific, unprovoked attack on Israel by Hamas. There are reports of about 101 people still held hostage by Hamas, about 1,200 people were killed in the initial attack, the number of Palestinians killed in the ongoing war now numbers about 42,000 people, and upwards of 110,000 Israelis and Palestinians have been injured in the past year. Many, many of the dead and injured are children. We continue to pray for peace and an end to the conflict and war.

God of Peace

In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful: Guide us on the straight way, the way of those whom thou has blessed. Help us so that we do not transgress the bounds of what is right and lawful. Take us out of deep darkness into light. Make us not bear burdens which we have no strength to bear. Help us bring about mutual affection and understanding between us. Grant us Thy forgiveness and blessings, O Our Sustainer, for with Thee is all journeys' end.
- Mian Ashraf
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/prayers-in-times-of-crisis/prayes-for-peace-in-the-middle-east

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Isaiah 61 PRAYER SONG to Set the Captives Free’ by Israeli believers from all over the Land
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7I77RcmHfA
*********************
UPDATE October 11, 2024

God, Most Gracious

O God of peace, you have established Jerusalem as the Lord's House and a place of peace, and you have called on all who live there to love you and prosper. Instill in her inhabitants - Jews, Christians and Muslims - a hunger for justice and dignity and a resolve to end the distrust that culminates in violence. Grant them the wisdom and patience to build a city where Israeli and Palestinian reside in safety, free from oppression and committed to the good of all. In this endeavor, make every one of us agents of your peace, O God. Forgive us our indifference and stamp out the prejudices that lead to hatred. Fill us with the reconciling spirit of your presence. So may we join people of good will - in the Middle East and throughout the world - who raise before Jerusalem's gates their insistent Shalom and Salaam: "Peace be within your walls. . .Peace be within you."

- The Reverends Harry and Judith Hoehler First Parish (Unitarian-Universalist), Weston, MA
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/prayers-in-times-of-crisis/prayes-for-peace-in-the-middle-east

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Bring Them Home’, by Homeland Concert
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aIyZnFbOu0
**********************
UPDATE October 10, 2024

Bring Justice and Peace

God of all creation, bring justice and peace to our world.
Teach us to be peacemakers. Guide us in our pursuit of
justice and the common good. Inspire us to welcome all, forgive
all, and love all. Direct us as we walk in the shadow of Jesus: the
Way, the Truth, and the Life. Inspire us to perceive the world
through your eyes, that we might find hope and joy each day,
supportive of each other, for the sake of your Kingdom.
- Author Unknown
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/prayers-in-times-of-crisis/prayes-for-peace-in-the-middle-east

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Al Shlosha D’Varim’ by Halifax Camerata Singers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5xpamd3f0U
***********************
UPDATE October 9, 2024

Reconciliation in the Middle East

Almighty God!
After almost a century of mistrust and fratricide,
you inspired Jews, Christians, and Muslims
to take the path of reconciliation in the Middle East...
We ask for your forgiveness, O God,
yet we find it hard to forgive our past enemies.
May Your Words touch those who still stray
in the wilderness of vengeful violence,
forgetting your command to "forgive and overlook,
till God accomplish His Purpose;
for God hath power over all things."
- Abdelwahab Hechiche
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/prayers-in-times-of-crisis/prayes-for-peace-in-the-middle-east

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘L’Chi Lach’, by Debbie Friedman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8WrShnKTWY
*****************
UPDATE October 8, 2024

Peace in the Middle East

God of mercy and compassion,
of grace and reconciliation,
pour your power upon all your children in the Middle East:
Jews, Muslims and Christians,
Palestinians and Israelis.
Let hatred be turned into love, fear to trust, despair to hope,
oppression to freedom, occupation to liberation,
that violent encounters may be replaced by loving embraces,
and peace and justice could be experienced by all.
- Reverend Said

https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/prayers-in-times-of-crisis/prayes-for-peace-in-the-middle-east

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Peace, Salaam, Shalom’, by Emma’s Revolution
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbdKW39TMNk
************************
UPDATE October 7, 2024

Listen for the voice of a holy messenger, speaking in a sacred way, announcing the work of Spirit, calling us all to be aware. I believe I have heard it, perhaps you have too. Though its full meaning is still unfolding, I share what I have heard, a new hope in a single word: a breakthrough is coming.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

We continue to feature some of Kris Kristofferson’s music over the next few days, some recorded by him, and some recorded by other artists. Kristofferson passed away at the age of 88 on Saturday September 28th. Godspeed Kris, and thanks for sharing your gift of music with the rest of us.--ED

‘Why Me, Lord?’, by Kris Kristofferson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzVycgM8XHQ
************************
UPDATE October 6, 2024

If you have not heard this recently, please let me say it once again: you make an enormous difference in this world. You make things so much better. And while you may not imagine this to be true, thinking you have no great position or authority, it is true because the love you embody is exactly what millions of people hope they can experience. You are a living sign of that hope. And that is making a profound difference.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Loving Her Was Easier’, by Kris Kristofferson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCgnbRWVvU8
*********************
UPDATE October 5, 2024

You are the mystic you always knew you were. I share that thought as an affirmation, not a definition. Mysticism speaks to our spiritual intuition, to what we discover, to why we believe. Whatever the mystical may be for each of us, we are all tied to it by a holy thread, back to the time of the ancestors. We are all inheritors, if we choose to accept our inheritance.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Help Me Make it Through the Night’, by Sammi Smith (written by Kris Kristofferson)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Si5aH1sg7gU
************************
UPDATE October 4, 2024

Here are some words to ponder: moxie, grit, pluck, gumption. They are funny old words. And they all mean similar things: courage and determination. Resourcefulness and resilience. Sometimes the funny old words still have a message to teach. They are what we need, and thanks to Spirit, what we have, to face the times in which we live.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Please Don’t Tell Me How the Story Ends’, by Kris Kristofferson & Rita Coolidge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLeDe5yRi8s
***********************
UPDATE October 3, 2024

I hear you singing. As I have so many nights before. I do not know who you are. Or where you are. Or even why I hear you. But I do. Out there. In the night. Across vast oceans beneath the moon. I hear you and I take hope. I know I am not alone. I pray you can hear me too. For I am singing. Just like you.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘For the Good Times’, by Ray Price (written by Kris Kristofferson)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BW0_D6jJ1g
**********************
UPDATE October 2, 2024

A blessing for collective grief

God, we are blindsided
what we thought was impossible,
even unthinkable
has brought us to our knees.

God, things don’t make sense,
the innocent still suffer,
buildings still fall,
families still grieve.

Help us to know what to feel,
what to do,
how to grieve—together.

Blessed are we
who let reality in
though our bodies shudder.
blessed are we
who ask and wait, and ask again
for answers that may not come,
for hope that seems hard to find,
for comfort that is not easily found.

Along the way
show us how to live
when we’ve lost the things
we cannot get back.

Remind us that you, oh God,
are our home and our refuge
when life’s cruelty and our fragility
are too difficult to shoulder alone.
be with us, oh God of all comfort
-Kate Bowler

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Me and Bobby McGee’, by Kris Kristofferson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-J7mLyD3yc
*********************
UPDATE October 1, 2024

Singer/songwriter Kris Kristofferson died on Saturday September 28, 2024 at the age of 88. Kristofferson also delved into acting at times over the years. He was a Rhodes Scholar who had a deft way with words and wrote songs with language and phrasing that few songwriters before him had ever employed. He wrote about love, melancholy, loneliness, humility, and heartbreak in ways that spoke to people in new and different ways. No one’s lyrics sounded like his. His songs became career-making hits for other artists, but he also made hits of them himself. His raw, gravelly voice was real, and people related to it.

We will feature some of Kris Kristofferson’s music over the next few days, some recorded by him, and some recorded by other artists. Godspeed Kris, and thanks for sharing your gift of music with the rest of us.—ED

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Sunday Morning Coming Down’, by Johnny Cash (written by Kris Kristofferson)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPiSYVLFCM8
****************
UPDATE September 30, 2024

A poem for Orange Shirt Day
from Abigail Echo-Hawk (Pawnee)
When they buried the children
What they didn’t know
They were lovingly embraced
By the land
Held and cradled in a mother’s heart
The trees wept for them, with the wind
they sang mourning songs their mothers
didn’t know how to sing
bending branches to touch the earth
around them. The Creator cried for them
the tears falling like rain.
Mother Earth held them
until they could be found.
Now our voices sing the mourning songs
with the trees. the wind. light sacred fire
ensure they are never forgotten as we sing
JUSTICE

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Residential School Song (Indian Boarding School Song) ’, by Cheryl Bear
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoVERQn0YV0
**********************
UPDATE September 29, 2024

I have been practicing my listening. Listening is such a core part of spiritual life. It is how we cast our nets to gather in new insights; how we challenge ourselves to see reality from another perspective. It is the gift of fresh ideas. It is going deeper than we first imagined. With practice, we learn to hear what we need to hear, not what we like to hear.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Every Child Matters’, by Teagan Littlechief & Tracey Bone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-GAXNU7blw
*********************
UPDATE September 28, 2024

All creatures possess a spiritual nature. It locates us in the patterns of creation. It describes our purpose and our being as embodied by the Spirit who made us. All creatures have equal access to Spirit, though how is a mystery. We live where we are meant to be.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I Believe’, by Damascus Worship ft Seph Schlueter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8hlL3OccMI
******************
UPDATE September 27, 2024

A blessing for when you want to change

God, I carry around this incompleteness,
this drive for fulfillment that always seems just around the corner.
If only I could get it together and find my true calling,
my real passion, or the right plan.

God, help me, guide me. What am I missing?

Blessed are we who strive earnestly
to change ourselves and the world around us,
but feel the drag and pull of what won’t budge,
the weight of all our limited and frail humanity.
We carry it with us.

Blessed are we, the hungry,
in lives that are both too much and not enough,
willing to tell the truth to ourselves and to each other,
that we languish here…

in “what is perhaps the central paradox of our condition—
that what we hunger for more than anything else, is to be known in our full humanness, and yet that is often just what we also fear more than anything else.” (Frederick Buechner)

To be fully known, and fully loved, in all our humanity.
And that is a God-sized project.

Blessed are we, thankful that we can live
our human-sized lives in the glad company of the vulnerable and the broken,
the imperfect made whole in the love of God, through Jesus Christ.

Maybe it’s right to be hungry. And stay that way.
-Kate Bowler

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘We Draw Near’, by Damascus Worship ft Seph Schlueter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGqCB6TB9MU
**********************
UPDATE September 26, 2024

Let the dance begin. Summon the singers and let the drum know we are ready. Have the people gather. People from every land and every hope. Invite them onto the dance ground. Create a circle within a circle, ever spiraling out to the edges of creation. All in step with the same heartbeat. All belonging to the rhythm together: the ancient dance, the first dance, the one that still echoes in the human heart.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Prodigal’, by Sidewalk Prophets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZUCtUOPX7I
***********************
UPDATE September 25, 2024

I am in the age of goodbyes, perhaps some of you are too. When you get to a certain age you start saying goodbye to people you have known. Sometimes you are surprised by the news. Sometimes you find yourself pondering what it means. But if you are like me, and find yourself saying goodbye more and more, please remember this: there is another age, another place, just as real as this one. It is a place of hellos, a place where all those you have known are being welcomed and greeted. We will all see one another again.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Impossible’, by Sidewalk Prophets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUL3dJkNTKI
*********************
UPDATE September 24, 2024

We are on a migration. The whole human family. We are going somewhere, somewhere mysterious, somewhere beautiful. We have been searching for it for a very long time. We have resting places on our journey, but no permanent address. Change is our reality -- one that we live into over and over again. We are able to do this because, over all these years, we have learned an important lesson: what we cannot do, we do with Spirit.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Come to Jesus’, by Sidewalk Prophets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Me0Fqi9Sx1E
*************
UPDATE September 23, 2024

a blessing for the brave

Blessed are you, brave one. you who perform big courageous acts of sacrifice.

The firefighters and military and activists and doctors and nurses and paramedics. You who move toward danger so the rest of us feel a little more safe.

Blessed are you, brave one. you who do small acts of great love.

The memory keepers who remember for those who can’t. and the parents who long to keep our kids small and safe.

Or you who teach for far less than you are worth. or pastor even when the cranky member complains about the music again.

You who hold people’s hand all the way to the edge. and give you handkerchiefs when they are needed.

Your great love moves you closer toward people’s great need.

Blessed are you, brave one. you who are grieving, even if you feel like you are doing it all wrong.

You who have received the bad news. you who are sitting in the shards of a life that has come undone.

In your fear. in your shaky hope. Brave looks like that too sometimes.

You who live still. brave and scared at the same time.
--Kate Bowler

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I Believe it Now’, by Sidewalk Prophets ft Olivia Lane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8sLyM9tMZY
*******************
UPDATE September 22, 2024

You will know it. When the eye of the sacred looks your way. When a new insight into truth enters your mind. When love seems to fill your heart in beauty and tenderness. You will know it: for the unmistakable handprint of Spirit will be visible in your life and the deep compassion of all that is holy will be wrapped about you like a shawl of stars.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Unbelievable’, by Sidewalk Prophets ft Ben Fuller
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuBqgPqBAXA
***********************
UPDATE September 21, 2024

Standing in the light of love, sitting in deep reflection, walking the red road as it opens before me. Wherever I go, whatever I do, the sacred will enfold me in a timeless embrace. Behold the mystery of every life, listen to the sound of old souls praying, and discover a sanctuary within, where all your hopes come to make their home.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I Just Came to Talk With You, Lord’, by 11th Hour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEJ7CSj9Ihw
**************************
UPDATE September 20, 2024

Even on the darkest day love will be there to help. Even when all seems lost. Even amid the tears and the loss of words. Love will always be there -- because Spirit will always be there. Open the eyes of your soul and see this truth known by more lives than will ever be counted: even in the hardest times, love will always be there.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Need a Favor’, by Jelly Roll
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1nRboaLTzU
****************************
UPDATE September 19, 2024

a blessing for learning to delight again

Blessed are you, the pragmatic.
You who have run the math and know what adds up…
and what doesn’t.
You have set it all down.
You who don’t hope or dream or plan anymore because… what’s the point?

But blessed are you, learning to live here.
Your world has shrunk.
Pain or grief or fear has sucked up
every bit of oxygen from the room
and every ounce of delight has been squeezed from your hands.

But blessed are we,
who discover that even in the smallness,
our attention might compress even more.

We who pull out a magnifying glass
to discover… to notice… to taste… to smell…
the small joys and simple pleasures that make a life worth living.

You who wear the fancy blouse
because it makes you feel nice,
long after you thought your body was worth decorating.
You who eat the over-the-top meal because that is what today can afford.

you who make the memory and plan the trip and who snap a picture because we know that this one, wild, precious life might cost us everything… so why not make it not just bearable, but beautiful.

--Kate Bowler

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I Am Not OK’, by Jelly Roll
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qop5XLgwkNc
******************
UPDATE September 18, 2024

Worship is our acknowledgment of the transcendent. It is how we seek to express our awe, our curiosity, our wonder. We believe there is something -- a presence, a mind, a consciousness – far beyond the reach of our control, but still accessible to us, aware of us, engaged with us. Worship is standing at night on a high hill beneath the sky, feeling like you could cry from happiness.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘May I Suggest’, by Red Molly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kbvTPlYgNw
**********************
UPDATE September 17, 2024

There is a reason spiritual people are critical to our shared future: we are more likely to hold the center than run to the extremes. That fact alone makes us valuable to global community, for we are in every corner of the Earth. Open-minded, critical thinkers with a deep sense of compassion, we are in every religion and every society. We are the leaven of tomorrow.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Whispered Prayers’, by Karen Peck & New River
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7YcQS_mUlc
**********************
UPDATE September 16, 2024

I know you have suffered, for I have suffered too. I know you have rejoiced, for I have rejoiced too. I know you and you know me. We are related. Our kinship keeps us in balance as we travel the seasons of our lives. I know you are only a prayer away, for I am only that far from you.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘He Sees What We Don’t’, by 11th Hour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh9WPQP6olE
**********************
UPDATE September 15, 2024

a blessing for when we lose ourselves in other people’s problems

God, I am a shapeshifter.
Hidden in plain sight.
A great disappearing act.

Every now and again,
when I am spinning in a tornado
of other people’s needs and wants,
I worry that if I stepped out of it
to stand dumbfounded for a moment,
my body would cast no shadow.

God, I vanish.
The unnecessary pain and necessary needs
of others feels durable. Measurable.
God, look at how much they need me.
Isn’t it necessary that I am not myself today?

God, remind me of my own goodness.
The way you look at me and grin.
The way the earth can stretch to hold
my own dreams when I remember them.

God, let my stomach grumble and I eat.
Let me be delighted and I laugh.
Let me tire and I rest.
Give my heart peace as today
I am here
surprisingly myself
as the storm rages on.
--Kate Bowler

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘He Saw it All’, The Booth Brothers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4H-J5Ynpog
*******************
UPDATE September 14, 2024

Grant Us Strength

The One Universal Creator of all, our Divine Mother and Father In Your blessings we find true and lasting comfort and peace Grant healing and solace to our wounded hearts Grant us strength to bear the loss of loved ones and to live in Your Will Grant us resilience in the face of hate, and the courage to face it with dignity May we all unite and share one another's pain and tears May the hatred in the world melt away in Your boundless and everlasting love And living in Your Will, may all find peace, harmony and serenity.

- Dr. Satpal Singh
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/patriot-day

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘If I Should Lose My Way’, by Linda Eder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqoyTDBtvSw
********************
UPDATE September 13, 2024

We Place in Your Loving Arms

God of love we place in your loving arms the thousands of innocent lives that were lost on that unforgettable morning of September 11, 2001. We also remember the courage of the countless men and women who put their lives at risk in order to rescue, alleviate and bring solace to the afflicted. Help us to continue to work for a world free from every form of hatred, violence and ignorance. May terrorism -- in all its forms -- disappear from the face of the earth.

Amen.

- Fr. Alberto Cutie
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/patriot-day

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘There Are No Words’, by Celtic Aire, United States Air Force Band
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4duNWjct1uA
*********************
UPDATE September 12, 2024

Prayer for the Anniversary of 9/11

O God, our hope and refuge,
in our distress we come quickly to you.
Shock and horror of that tragic day have subsided,
replaced now with an emptiness,
a longing for an innocence lost.

We come remembering those who lost their lives
in New York, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania.

We are mindful of the sacrifice of public servants
who demonstrated the greatest love of all
by laying down their lives for friends.
We commit their souls to your eternal care
and celebrate their gifts to a fallen humanity.

We come remembering
and we come in hope,
not in ourselves, but in you.

As foundations we once thought secure have been shaken,
we are reminded of the illusion of security.
In commemorating this tragedy,
we give you thanks for your presence
in our time of need
and we seek to worship you in Spirit and in truth,
our guide and our guardian.

Amen.
- Rev. Jeremy Pridgeon
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/patriot-day

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning?’, by Alan Jackson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPHnadJ-0hE
********************
UPDATE September 11, 2024

Anniversary Prayer for 9/11

Holy God,
Creator of all people and all nations,
It is with sorrow and apprehension we remember the tragic events
That occurred on this day.

We lift to You in prayer all those who died
In the Twin Towers, at the Pentagon, and on United Airlines Flight 93
In Shankesville, Pennsylvania.

We entrust them to Your loving care.
Console their families, friends, and all who mourn this loss
In the hope that all who trust in You find peace and rest in Your Kingdom.

We pray for those who courageously responded to provide aid and comfort to the afflicted.
May their painful memories of that day
Be healed and transformed into strength and positive resolution.

We also pray for ourselves as we seek Your strength and guidance.
We live in the aftermath of this tragedy and under the shadow of future acts of aggression;
We stand in need of Your assistance.

Enable us, Dear God, to put an end to fear:
By resolving to live lives that are based on respect for one another;
By resolving to abide in a peaceful manner
and never settle disagreements in our lives in a violent way;
By resolving not to fall into the trap of blaming entire ethnic groups, races, or religions
in response to acts of hostility;
By resolving that justice, not revenge, prevail in our world.

Let us resolve that in the face of hatred, we will show love;
That in times of despair, we will be voices of hope
And creators of new dreams;
That in times of darkness, we will be sources of light.

Let us resolve that we never regard forgiveness as weakness,
But rather as a source of strength in our lives and in our world.

And, let us honor the memory of nearly 3,000 individuals who died on September 11, 2001
By resolving, with Your help Almighty God,
To truly live this way so You may be glorified and Your love made known to others through us.

Amen.

- Bro. Darrell Burns, S.J.
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/patriot-day

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘If I Had My Way’, by Linda Eder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y32XCriC-rI
*****************
UPDATE September 10, 2024

Reality is like a cold shower, it may shock you, but it won’t kill you. In fact, sometimes we need that jolt of awareness. Life is complex and full of the unexpected. “Now” is where we live: in that slim space of time between the past and the future. We don’t have much time for guessing games. Give it to us straight, Spirit. We need to know where we stand.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Peace at Last’, by The Nelons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfFfLxGOvHY
************************
UPDATE September 9, 2024

A blessing for when you need a little peace

God, I am a shape-shifter.
Hidden in plain sight.
A great disappearing act.

Every now and again,
when I am spinning in a tornado
of other people’s needs and wants,
I worry that if I stepped out of it
to stand dumbfounded for a moment,
my body would cast no shadow.

God, I vanish.
The unnecessary pain
and necessary needs
of others feel durable. Measurable.
God, look at how much they need me.
Isn’t it necessary that I am
not myself today?

God, remind me of my own goodness.
The way you look at me and grin.
The way the earth can stretch to hold
my own dreams when I remember them.

God, let my stomach grumble and I eat.
Let me be delighted and I laugh.
Let me tire and I rest.
Give my heart peace today
as I am here
surprisingly myself
while the world spins and spins.
--Kate Bowler

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘He Looked Beyond My Fault’, by The Nelons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za1DyuDaaLQ
********************
UPDATE September 8, 2024

Spirituality is a sanctuary, a refuge for the vulnerable, a community of kindness in a world torn by anger. Spirituality is a process, an ongoing conversation, an exploration of discovery. Spirituality is a vision, a portrait of the best we can be, a sign of hope, an invitation to continue our sacred voyage.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘God is Real’, by The Sound
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avS807dBJZg
***********************
UPDATE September 7, 2024

Give me my assignment, Spirit, and let me stay active in your service. Sometimes the needs of this life seem so great, it is easy to feel a little overwhelmed. But when I am busy, I feel I am doing something positive to create change. So take me off the bench and put me in the game. I am ready to help in every way I can.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Prayers My Parents Prayed’, by The Sound
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJM48JYzyUc
*******************
UPDATE September 6, 2024

Wisdom is a choice. We can be as wise as we want to be. But it is not easy. Wisdom means letting go of preconceived ideas. It means taking a risk. It requires us to be an open-minded and critical thinker. Wisdom is a commitment to accurate data and free dialogue. When we choose wisdom, we choose the harder path of learning.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Amazing Grace (with a twist)’, by The Sound
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxtg_WloQac
*******************
UPDATE September 5, 2024

A blessing for when faith breaks your heart
Blessed are you standing among the ruins of a faith
that once felt so sturdy,
now turned to dust under your feet.

The certainty you once had, gone.
The community you loved, dissipated.
The hope you held dear, hard to find.

Instead, what’s taken up residence
is the very stuff that seems counter
to what you imagined:
Disappointment. Doubt. Disillusionment. Despair.

In this new landscape, may you practice the courage to find the others
who make space for your questions without easy answers,

who celebrate doubt when it makes room for more faith,
who search high and low for a defiant hope born amidst despair.

Bless you, dear one. You who don’t give up wrestling.
who have eyes to see something new being rebuilt on top of what was.

Blessed are you who walk away wounded, yes. But changed.
--Kate Bowler
This blessing was inspired by my conversation with Randall Balmer on the Everything Happens podcast.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Family Chain’, by The Nelons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPE_aMzJCu8
**********************
UPDATE September 4, 2024

Since the beginning, when we first wondered about the meaning of it all, we have been aware of an ancient duality. Light and dark, right and wrong, true and false, life and death and all the gray areas in-between. Now, once again, we face the need to choose. The first step: clear our own vision that we may see our choices more clearly.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Can I Get a Witness’, by The Sound
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WcXOIg60DU
**********************
UPDATE September 3, 2024

Let us see you as clearly as we can, Spirit, for this is a time when your people need to know you are there. They want to follow you more closely, for the way is steep and the steps are narrow. Come, please, and be visible on our horizon, your presence a beacon of hope we all may see. Come, stand before us, that our hearts may be made strong once more.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I Just Wanted You to Know’, by The Nelons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujjyMVXAVHE
******************
UPDATE September 2, 2024

An appeal to our better nature, the nature within us, within any community, to recognize how difference makes us stronger, to see the common threads of family and love that run through all of our lives, to bear witness to the ability of only a few good souls to turn the tides of history. Our nature, our character as a people, is where I make my appeal, for it is where our destiny will be decided.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Helping Hand’, by Amy Grant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fX-92K08sc
**********************
UPDATE September 1, 2024

for parenting teenagers: A BLESSING

Bless you who love a teenager.
You whose worries about them
keep you up at night.
wondering if you’re doing it right,
if they’re going to be okay,
if you over-reacted or under-reacted.

If you’re going to make it through tomorrow
without losing it.
Or how you’re going to have that hard conversation
without them shutting down or shutting you out.

Bless you in this hard, beautiful work.

In those moments of big feelings,
may you remember to take a beat
and say something like:

“If I was in your shoes,
I’d feel the same way.”

(Even when you’re tempted
to give them advice,
or to solve their problem for them,
or to offer how they could have avoided
the problem in the first place.)

Bless you in your restraint.

May you know when to intervene and
when to stay that steady, calm presence
that will offer them the grounding
to grow and change their mind
and make mistakes.

May you have the patience
to affirm their normal
(sometimes very big) feelings
and may your constant love
relieve their fears (and yours).

May laughter and joy fill your home,
fueling even the hardest of moments
or most difficult of conversations.

And bless you who wish *you* would have
gotten this kind of parenting.
And bless you who want to do it differently.

Imperfect love.
It's okay that we know that.
We can bless it all the same.
--Kate Bowler
(this blessing was inspired by my conversation with @lisa.damour listen to the episode here: katebowler.com/podcasts/understanding-todays-teenagers)

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘First Church of Mercy’, by The Sound
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-gkt9OqEjI
*******************
UPDATE August 31, 2024

You are not alone. Please spiritually tattoo that somewhere you will always be able to see it. No matter what the situation, no matter how seemingly final or irreparable, no matter how difficult or personal: you are never alone in dealing with it. Love is there. Healing is there. Hope is there. Mercy is there. In other words, Spirit is there. Right by your side.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The God I Serve’, by Karen Peck & New River
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnv0WfhU6Qk
****************
UPDATE August 30, 2024

The spiritual life is not a maze, but a garden. It is not designed for us to figure out, but to experience. Sitting, walking, working, resting, thinking, doing, feeling, dreaming – the sacred is infused within our reality. Each day we open ourselves to the mystery and the beauty around us, is a day we draw one step closer to the source we are seeking.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Keepers’, by Karen Peck & New River
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Nm7CL-fmk4
****************
UPDATE August 29, 2024

Fear slips in through cracks of doubt. When we are uncertain about how things will turn out, when we worry things might go wrong, we begin cycles of anxiety that can lead to emotional paralysis. Common sense and diversity counteract fear. Our spiritual confidence puts our worries into perspective and allows us to work on solutions. Our strength is in our faith.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Four Days Late’, by Karen Peck & New River
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5UPiotS96k
****************
UPDATE August 28, 2024

a blessing for when things don’t add up

Blessed are you who say:
This did not add up.
I had hoped these choices I made,
the life I tried so hard to pick,
would add up to something
Meaningful.

But now I’m left
without many choices at all.

Left wondering… did I pick right?
Did I waste my days?
What should I have done differently?

This limited life is
what it means to be human.

In our failures and bad, bad math.
In our best intentions and hardest work,
In our waylaid hopes and far off dreams.

In the love that is never ever
too late to give or receive.

Maybe ‘success’ and ‘happiness’
can mean something different now.
On the other side of a life changed.

Where minutes become moments.
And there will never be enough
sunsets or handholds or jokes shared.

But there is never ever too much love.
--Kate Bowler

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Three Nails Instead’, by The Nelons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=005oMyjWVWE
*****************
UPDATE August 27, 2024

The most subversive thing we can do is love. If we do not like the way things are going, if we would like to see radical change: love is the way to create it. Anger and blame can release emotions of the moment, but they cannot sustain long term change. Only hope can do that. And love gives life hope in abundance. So join the revolution: love extravagantly.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Hear the Voice of My Beloved’, by The Nelons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRFWW6kh9iY
****************
UPDATE August 26, 2024

What keeps us going? Vision, for one thing. The vision of a just and peaceful world. The vision of a clean and healthy planet. The vision of a future free from the struggles we have known for so long. We can see all of that and more in our spiritual imagination. We know it is possible. We will keep going until it is reality.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘My God Can’, by Katy Nichole & Naomi Raine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnsdMC8gipU
****************
UPDATE August 25, 2024

Never underestimate the power of a single heart. One person. One passion. A spiritual bond unbroken and unbreakable. That level of commitment is how mountains are moved. Never underestimate yourself.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Money Can’t Buy’, by Cochren & Co.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRD9OTn43p4
****************
UPDATE August 24, 2024

Here’s a blessing for you who feel like the bad thing.

You are everyone’s reminder of frailty, of life’s cruelty. Your chronic pain or depression or regular scans remind those around you that life isn’t as fair or easy as they had hoped.

Blessed are you who try to hide your humanity. You who temper your complaints, who avoid mentioning your next appointment, who pretend you are doing better than you are to make reality a little more palatable for others. You, who try and try and try to make yourself easier to love, easier to be around, easier to manage.

But, dear one, blessed are you because you are not the bad thing. Your illness or grief or despair or addiction is not too much. It’s just your humanity showing.

And blessed are we who get to see it up close. Who, despite our own fears and reminders of our finitude, get to hold your hand as you face each day with courage as you face things you didn’t choose. It is this kind of courageous living– the kind that shows all the shabby edges– that we are so thankful to see up close.

You, blessed one, remind us that life is so beautiful and life is so hard. And we feel lucky for the privilege to do life with you — no matter how difficult, no matter how messy.

You are not the bad thing. You are a gift. And we love every bit of you.

--Kate Bowler

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Running Home’, by Cochren & Co.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK1AkCEHkZQ
****************
UPDATE August 23, 2024

If I tried to share my vision in as short and simple a statement as I can, I would say: trust love. In the end, when all is said and done, it will be love that will get you through. The love of Spirit. The love of the Earth. The love of others. The love we have for what is within us. Trust love. Do everything else you can, in all the ways you can, but keep your heart fixed on a life of love.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘One Day’, by Cochren & Co.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kg6EtcGq0I
***********************
UPDATE August 22, 2024

A great change has begun, an axial age in the making. It started some years ago, when we were distracted, not noticing how history was moving around us. Now we sense the shift -- like deer in the forest alert to every sound. As an indigenous person I would say a great spiritual migration has begun. We will become what we believe.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Be There For You’, by Cohren & Co.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8l7MWJNbg4
***********************
UPDATE August 21, 2024

Emotion is energy. When we respond to something, positively or negatively, we release emotional energy into the equation. We draw on our inner resources. We express our feelings…which is why we need to stay in spiritual shape, expending our energy where it is needed, letting our experience guide our choices, our actions aligned with both our mind and heart.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Daniel Prayed’, by The Isaacs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1J27Dsvy8E
***********************
UPDATE August 20, 2024

today already feels like too much: a blessing

I was hoping to
be the kind of person by now
who doesn’t tumble,
headlong, into the day
falling, falling, falling
from the high board
without nearly enough water below.

I swear I didn’t plan it like this.
But here I am,
hoping for another miracle.

bless these dumb plans
that will short circuit my thinking
and make me fragile, brittle.

bless these multiplying tasks
that swarm like mosquitoes.

Underneath this to-do list
and these calendar invites
and these many obligations
is a set of loves.

Keep love in front of my eyes.
Love in the car.
Love in the waiting room.
Love on the phone.
Love at my laptop.
Love in the laundry room.

And love, especially,
for the soft heart—mine –
who cared enough to be this tired
in the first place.
--Kate Bowler

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Through the Fire’, by The Crabb Family
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiSF7sNU2UA
***********************
UPDATE August 19, 2024

Sentinels of the Spirit, keep watch over the most vulnerable, guard the innocent, shelter the children. Keep vigil over the flame of justice, with truth a transparent process for all to see, and freedom a responsibility for all to share. Sentinels of the Spirit, stand with us through days to come, constant and strengthening, a watch kept by day and by night.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Loving God, Loving Each Other’, The Gaither Vocal Band
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WHFhpz00YQ
******************
UPDATE August 18, 2024

Spirit, watch over us, please. We are feeling a little anxious, a little uncertain, as if something was hanging over us, something beyond our control. Give us your confidence, Spirit, let us feel your presence among us, for when you are by our side, fear cannot be found.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Then Came the Morning’, by The Nelons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikJMzqK5fQI
******************
UPDATE August 17, 2024

A small spiritual lesson from our four-legged relatives: the next time you think it is silly to talk about people having auras, try standing next to a dog. Animals can sense, and perhaps even see, the energy within other creatures, including us. Like our infrared heat signature, we embody an energy that many animals can sense. As the elders would say: we are a source.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘As For Me and My House’, by Cochren & Co., Keith & Kristyn Getty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIUcAFMCDnY
******************
UPDATE August 16, 2024

a blessing for your great, big, dumb heart

Love can break your heart.
It’s probably in the fine print.
Didn’t you click the box at
the bottom of the terms and conditions?

Blessed are you when
your kids are ungrateful,
when your parents are unbearable,
or when they would have been
if they were still around.

When you help an unfixable friend,
listen much longer than
a normal person should,
or give selflessly out of
meager resources.

Blessed is your terrible evaluation
of who is worth it.
Your cost-benefit analysis would be
the laughingstock of any economist.
You ignored the signs:
Will this make you richer?
Happier?
Well rested?
Probably not.

You have been noticing for a while
how these small moments—
the privilege of wrapping a blanket
around this love, that friendship,
this stranger—are impossible to quantify.
Love is adding up to
so much more, somehow.

Because blessed are you
whose heart has grown three sizes.
Regardless.
You who push through
the fear of intimacy,
the fear of loss,
the fear of all the unknowns,
and choose to love still.

Blessed are we,
loving beyond our limits,
loving when it doesn’t make sense,
loving without any lifetime guarantees,
loving when it might break our hearts.

That is, of course,
the best thing about us:
our great, big, dumb hearts.
--Kate Bowler

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Night Song’, by CityAlight ft Colin Buchanan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBraI_mU1O4
**************************
UPDATE August 15, 2024

I may dance a little slower, but I still dance, and I hope to go on dancing a while longer, even if it is only dancing myself to sleep. My ancestors expressed and practiced their spirituality through dance -- the eternal movement of the sacred. We are all spirit dancers, moving to the heartbeat, on the holy ground of heaven.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting’, by Hymns of Grace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0vKNYDQa9Q
*************
UPDATE August 14, 2024

What would you give for peace of mind? How about…free of charge? How does that sound? And it is true. The peace that passes all understanding is for any of us to receive, embrace, and put to work healing the world around us. Peace of mind is the free blessing of the Spirit. Keep opening your heart to it each day and let it grow within you.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘How Deep the Father’s Love for Us’, by Hymns of Grace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeUUmuwZIRs
*****************
UPDATE August 13, 2024

I have been to the other side of time. I made that flight and returned. Like any poet. Like any dreamer. Spirit carries you until you are able to see between the clouds, aware that what you see is what will be. Any of you who know what I mean, join me, for the message we bring must be heard: it will not be easy, but together, we will make it.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘In A Little While’, by CeCe Winans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xI70E6SVmBQ
****************
UPDATE August 12, 2024

a blessing for those who care about strangers

What a waste.
That wasn’t going to get you
a nicer apartment.
Bless those who give their health
in service of people
who might not even deserve it.

Or if they took unnecessary risks
or was selfish or
was never going to say thank you?
You could have been protecting yourself
or God forbid, sleeping through the night.

Bless those who listen to long,
winding stories from lonely hearts.
Instead of rushing off
to more interesting friends.
You picked boredom or patience
instead of the warmth of being known.
That was your time and

you’re never going to get it back.

Bless those who loved people
who weren’t grateful.
The sick who endangered your health,
The deeply boring,
who know you have things to do.

Loving people can be
the most meaningful thing in the world,
but it can also be hard and scary
and boring and disgusting or sad
or anxiety inducing with zero overtime.

Thank you to all those who
make these bad investments.
Those acts of love that are not
going to add up to success
in the way that the world sees it.

You, my darling,
are the definition of love.
--Kate Bowler

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Praise the Lord’, by Selah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e8H3tCqS64
********************
UPDATE August 11, 2024

Here is the assignment: create a simple statement that can be translated and sent out around the world as an invitation to unity. Here is one I imagined: we are all loved. I would like to send that idea out to as many people as I can. And please feel free to offer your suggestion. Together, we can begin to signal a new hope.

--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Come Harvest Time’, by Glen Campbell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJraC1NN2sY
*******************
UPDATE August 10, 2024

Every child I see, is the answer to the question: why do you do what you do? Why do you go on believing in a better world to come? Why do you continue to think justice and peace are possible? Why do you see this time as a beginning and not an ending? Every child I see, is the answer. Millions and millions of small and hopeful answers all around the world. They are why we do what we do.

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I Will Arise’, by Glen Campbell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k39ejSbzSsU
******************
UPDATE August 9, 2024

Want to do something outrageous? What if we spend the day being happy? That’s a pretty outrageous thing to do these days. What if we were not angry today? Not fearful. But kind, understanding and generous? How outrageous would that be? Or we could really be all in and help others find a reason to be outrageous too. We could start a worldwide movement of outrageous hope. How does that sound?

-Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot/I’ll Fly Away’, by Selah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8S0O5kGQY5o
**********************
UPDATE August 8, 2024

A blessing for everyday empathy
Blessed are you, the sensitive one,
attuned to the feelings of others.
You couldn't turn it off if you tried.

Blessed are you with the
emotional bandwidth to hear hard things,
without fixing or minimizing or deflecting,
You know the gift of presence.

Blessed are you who
chooses to show up without judgment with
little gifts or small acts of practical help.
You know the gift of compassion.

Blessed are you, too,
when you are utterly exhausted
by other people’s problems.

(And actually now that we’re talking about it
it’s getting even more annoying.)
Your empathy is a precious gift
that deserves to be protected too.

Today, help me stand ready to hear
those divine whispers nudging me
to give compassion away.
Naturally. Freely.

And help me find those who,
to my surprise, want to pour back into me.
(Which, fine, you know I hate receiving.)

Love given and received,
without shame or embarrassment.
Because what else can a big-hearted person
do but learn to give and get?

--Kate Bowler

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Jesus and Me’, by Glen Campbell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBKodIRDGkw
*********************
UPDATE August 7, 2024

For Those Who Mourn
Bless those who mourn, eternal God, with the comfort of your love that they may face each new day with hope and the certainty that nothing can destroy the good that has been given. May their memories become joyful, their days enriched with friendship, and their lives encircled by your love.

- Vienna Cobb Anderson

https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/condolence-loss-sympathy-prayers

We continue to feature some music from The Nelons. Three of the four members of this award-winning family gospel group, in addition to four others, were killed in a tragic plane crash on July 26th. You are encouraged to keep this family, and all who suffer unexpected, tragic loss, in your prayers. We are never promised tomorrow and so we must live each day as faithful followers of Jesus. And, when that day comes when we are called home, may Jesus be able to say to each of us, ‘well done, good and faithful servant.’

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I’m Going Home With Jesus’, by The Nelons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYMiLOHU-V0
******************
UPDATE August 6, 2024

Overcoming Life's Hardships
O Lord, we call upon You in our time of sorrow, that You give us the strength and will to bear our heavy burdens, until we can again feel the warmth and love of Your divine compassion. Be mindful of us and have mercy on us while we struggle to comprehend life's hardships.

Keep us ever in Your watch, till we can walk again with light hearts and renewed spirits.

- Author Unknown

https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/condolence-loss-sympathy-prayers

We continue to feature some music from The Nelons over the next several days. Three of the four members of this award-winning family gospel group, in addition to four others, were killed in a tragic plane crash on July 26th. You are encouraged to keep this family, and all who suffer unexpected, tragic loss, in your prayers. We are never promised tomorrow and so we must live each day as faithful followers of Jesus. And, when that day comes when we are called home, may Jesus be able to say to each of us, ‘well done, good and faithful servant.’

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I Know Who Holds Tomorrow’, by The Nelons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aSpf5UZ6G0
*****************
UPDATE August 5, 2024

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

(KJV)

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Going Home’ by The Nelons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPaa6akcKW0
*****************
UPDATE August 4, 2024

Jewish Blessing of the Mourners
Those who are worn out and crushed by this mourning, let your hearts consider this:
this is the path that has existed from the time of creation and will exist forever.
Many have drunk from it and many will yet drink.
As was the first meal, so shall be the last.
May the master of comfort comfort you.
Blessed are those who comforts the mourners.

https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/condolence-loss-sympathy-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I Heard it First on the Radio’, by The Nelons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLVN5sYvQsA
******************
UPDATE August 3, 2024

Only For a Short While
Oh, only for so short a while you
have loaned us to each other,
because we take form in your act of drawing us,
and we take life in your painting us,
and we breathe in your singing us.

But only for so short a while
have you loaned us to each other.
Because even a drawing cut in obsidian fades,
and the green feathers, the crown feathers,
of the Quetzal bird lose their color,
and even the sounds of the waterfall
die out in the dry season.

So, we too, because only for a short while

have you loaned us to each other.

- Aztec Indian Prayer
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/condolence-loss-sympathy-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Hallelujah, What a Savior’, by The Nelons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsEqXf7k9_0
****************
UPDATE August 2, 2024

In Times of Loss...
We pray that in this time of loss,
You'll feel God's love much more
And that you'll find your comfort
In the presence of the Lord
We pray God pours upon you,
His sweet amazing grace
And overflow your heart with peace
As you live in His embrace.

- M.S. Lowndes
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/condolence-loss-sympathy-prayers

Three members of an Atlanta gospel group, The Nelons, died in a fatal plane crash near Gillette, Wyoming, on Friday, July 26, 2024. The beloved gospel music family were on their way to the Gaither Homecoming Cruise in Alaska. The individuals who were killed in the crash were Jason and Kelly Nelon Clark, Amber and Nathan Kistler, and their assistant, Melodi Hodges. The pilot, Larry Haynie, and his wife, Melissa, were also among those who lost their lives.

Statement from Autumn, their daughter. “As many of you have heard by now, my father and mother, Jason and Kelly Nelon Clark, along with my sister, Amber and brother-in-law, Nathan, as well as our dear friends Melodi Hodges, Larry and Melissa Haynie were involved in a tragic plane crash on Friday," “Thank you for the prayers that have been extended already to me, my husband, Jamie, and our soon-to-be-born baby boy, as well as Jason’s parents, Dan and Linda Clark. We appreciate your continued prayers, love and support as we navigate the coming days."

We will feature some music from The Nelons over the next several days and you are encouraged to keep this family, and all who suffer unexpected, tragic loss, in your prayers. We are never promised tomorrow and so we must live each day as faithful followers of Jesus. And, when that day comes when we are called home, may Jesus be able to say to each of us, ‘well done, good and faithful servant.’

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘When Grandpa Sang Amazing Grace’, by The Nelons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcCYOOUahgg
*******************
UPDATE August 1, 2024

In Times of Sorrow
May you see God's light on the path ahead
When the road you walk is dark.
May you always hear,
Even in your hour of sorrow,
The gentle singing of the lark.
When times are hard may hardness
Never turn your heart to stone,
May you always remember
when the shadows fall,
You do not walk alone.

- Author Unknown
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/condolence-loss-sympathy-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Scars in Heaven’, by The Nelons’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLgQDW_3gBI
********************
For the month of July, we will celebrate our home here in Canada. We are reminded that we can, and should, love many things about our country and the people in it. At the same time, we can be aware that during our history we have done damage to many people, cultures, and the very land itself during the last 157 years, and longer. Both can be true. We have the most beautiful scenery, lakes, mountains, trees, meadows skies, and streams as anywhere in the world. The seasons and the colours are gifts from God to our eyes. And yet not everyone experiences Canada in the same wonderful way. Life is hard and unfair for many, cruel for others, and not worth living for too many. Perhaps during this month of celebration, those of us who are a little better off, who have had better breaks in life can maybe consider how we can offer a hand up to those for whom Canada has not been the land of promise it has been for so many of the rest of us.

For the month of July we will feature writings and quotes from famous Canadians and music from Canadian artists. We have wonderful gifts to share. We are blessed. Thank You God for our home on native land!--LC

UPDATE July 31, 2024

“Canada will be a strong country when Canadians of all provinces feel at home in all parts of the country, and when they feel that all Canada belongs to them.”

Pierre Trudeau

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Song for the Mira’, by Anne Murray
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoR3SiIqBmI
******************
UPDATE July 30, 2024

“My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world.”

Jack Layton

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Northwest Passage’, by Stan Rogers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKF2uPx-d50
******************
UPDATE July 29, 2024

“Doing all we can to combat climate change comes with numerous benefits, from reducing pollution and associated health care costs to strengthening and diversifying the economy by shifting to renewable energy, among other measures.”

David Suzuki

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I Will Always Be Right There’, by Bryan Adams
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3zZEvLhqec
******************
UPDATE July 28, 2024

“Man can now fly in the air like a bird, swim under the ocean like a fish, he can burrow into the ground like a mole. Now if only he could walk the earth like a man, this would be paradise.”

Tommy Douglas

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘God Bless the Child’, by Shania Twain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vm4LSgFv2VY
******************|
UPDATE July 27, 2024

“The music field was the first to break down racial barriers, because in order to play together, you have to love the people you are playing with, and if you have any racial inhibitions, you wouldn't be able to do that.”

Oscar Peterson

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Georgia On My Mind’, by Oscar Peterson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tY_RE7tWzM
******************
UPDATE July 26, 2024

“I am a huge believer in giving back and helping out in the community and the world. Think globally, act locally I suppose. I believe that the measure of a person's life is the affect they have on others.”

Steve Nash

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘My Nova Scotia Home’, by Hank Snow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o096e_RiI0
*****************
UPDATE July 25, 2024

“There's beauty everywhere. There are amazing things happening everywhere, you just have to be able to open your eyes and witness it. Some days, that's harder than others.”

Sarah McLachlan

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Daughters of Newfoundland’, by The Ennis Sisters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnP7LwWwaps
*****************
UPDATE July 24, 2024

“I am grateful for the opportunities I have been given to participate in that work as a representative of my country, Canada, whose people have, I think, shown their devotion to peace.”

Lester B. Pearson

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘California Dreamin’’, by Diana Krall
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U8XWyHaGkI
*****************
UPDATE July 23, 2024

“Ultimately, leadership is not about glorious crowning acts. It's about keeping your team focused on a goal and motivated to do their best to achieve it, especially when the stakes are high and the consequences really matter. It is about laying the groundwork for others' success, and then standing back and letting them shine. “

Chris Hadfield

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Home’, by Michael Buble
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbSOLBMUvIE
******************
UPDATE July 22, 2024

“My heroes in real life are definitely my mom for being true to herself, for having a foot in both worlds, for being so very polite - Canadian and also such a traditional Greek woman. I would sum it up this way: the life lesson she would say is be polite while you're breaking the rules.”

Nia Vardalos

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Prayer’, by Celine Dion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLsUb_mJWmI
******************
UPDATE July 21, 2024

“I believe that never was a country better adapted to produce a great race of women than this Canada of ours, nor a race of women better adapted to make a great country.”

Emily Murphy, women’s rights activist, jurist, and author

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Farewell to Nova Scotia’, by Knackers Yard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkLgGSG7PF8
******************
UPDATE July 20, 2024

“Privilege isn’t about what you’ve gone through; it’s about what you haven’t had to go through. And right now, we are in a time that is calling on us to learn the stories that we don’t know.

Janaya Khan

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Wood River’, by Connie Kaldor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYS_1TPAnPk
*****************
UPDATE July 19, 2024

“We need to move towards a truly just and equitable society by... making sure that every Canadian - whether they're living in long-term care or they're working part-time or they're students or they're Black or they're Indigenous - whatever their circumstances, can live in dignity and security.”

Annamie Paul

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Bird on a Wire’, by kd lang
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvhD1cORBrU
*******************
UPDATE July 18, 2024

“Through these ongoing activities and possibly in the future, a Canadian will go live and work on the International Space Station and we will continue to make Canadians proud of our achievements in space.”

Marc Garneau

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Emily Remembers’, by Shirley Eikhard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPUo5jTSUfQ
*****************
UPDATE July 17, 2024

“The purpose of a woman’s life is just the same as the purpose of a man’s life: that she may make the best possible contribution to the generation in which she is living.”

Louise McKinney, provincial politician and women’s rights activist, first woman sworn into the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and the first woman elected to a legislature in Canada

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Try a Little Kindness’, by Jann Arden with the Doane Uschool
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GzLHgdz4ag
****************
UPDATE July 16, 2024

“I've learned what it truly means to be Canadian and in turn I've been inspired to make a difference in the world, however small it's been.”

Clara Hughes

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘B Minor’, by Leahy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yN0IPO91d4
**************************
UPDATE July 15, 2024

“If there's a pro-Canadian, or someone who's a real proud Canadian, I am. Nobody in Canada would want a united Canada more than me.”

Terry Fox

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Rise Again’, Raylene Rankin and the Rankin Family
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6typt9LJUXo
***************
UPDATE July 14, 2024

“Since the summer days of my Canadian childhood, I have loved to canoe across the dark mirror of northern lakes, paddling with an inside flick of the blade, leaving a trail of twisting whirlpools in my wake.”

Rory MacLean

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Dante’s Prayer’, by Loreena McKennitt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUHvj1cxOs0
***************
UPDATE July 13, 2024

“People ask me, ‘Are you proud of the fact that you were Canada’s first woman prime minister?’ I respond, ‘Yes, but I’d be prouder still to say I was Canada’s tenth woman prime minister.’”

Kim Campbell, Canada’s first and only female Prime Minister

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free’, by Salome Bey
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YQoxdHuuvY
***************
UPDATE July 12, 2024

“We owe the Aboriginal peoples a debt that is four centuries old. It is their turn to become full partners in developing an even greater Canada. And the reconciliation required may be less a matter of legal texts than of attitudes of the heart.”

Romeo LeBlanc, former Governor General of Canada

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Blackbird (sung in Mi’kmaq)’, by Emma Stevens
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99-LoEkAA3w
*****************
UPDATE July 11, 2024

“I think reconciliation with indigenous people remains the biggest social justice issue facing the country, because we don’t do a good job of acknowledging the contributions native people have made. This is not just a country of immigrants.”

Wab Kinew, politician and broadcaster

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Canada, My Canada’, by Liona Boyd ft various artists
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpCt8-vBgrM
*****************
UPDATE July 10, 2024

“Even before you’ve earned it, treat yourself and your career with the level of respect that you hope to one day deserve.”

Catherine O’Hara, actress

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Summer Wages’, by Ian & Sylvia Tyson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HaddgwNqhY
******************
UPDATE July 9, 2024

"The woman is the foundation on which nations are built. She is the heart of her nation. If that heart is weak, the people are weak. If her heart is strong and her mind is clear, then the nation is strong and knows its purpose. The woman is the center of everything."

Art Solomon, Ojibway Elder

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Cherokee Morning Song’, by Robbie Robertson & The Red Road Ensemble ft Rita Coolidge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQTYmWTnrSY
*****************
UPDATE July 8, 2024

"Bullying, jealousy, hate, greed, lies, arrogance, searing self-absorption, destructive 'power over' mentalities are wasteful pursuits and causes the human heart to fall to the ground. It is beyond healing, beyond human conscience when women fight with each other. We are Mother Earth's heartbeat, it is our responsibility to bring peace, harmony and balance back to the world. This will not happen if we continue to find fault with ourselves and perpetuate it on our sisters."

Shannon Thunderbird, Tsimshian singer and storyteller

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Georgia’, by Jackie Richardson ft Peter Appleyard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8ObplHsxa4
******************
UPDATE July 7, 2024

"I remember my first solo (in the CF-18 Hornet). There I was taxiing out to the end of the runway thinking to myself, 'Can you imagine this, look at me driving this $35 million jet!'"

Major Deanna Brasseur, one of the first two women in the world trained to fly jet fighter aircraft in combat

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Four Strong Winds’, by Neil Young ft Willie Nelson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIQu_MVZcas
********************
UPDATE July 6, 2024

"I do not want to be the angel of any home; I want for myself what I want for other women, absolute equality. After that is secured, then men and women can take turns at being angels.""

Agnes Macphail, first woman member of Parliament in Canada

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Working Man’, by Rita MacNeil ft Men of the Deeps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe2hEm1xsa8
*********************
UPDATE July 5, 2024

"It's great going up and looking at the earth, but all I could think of was getting back and having a glass of cold skim milk."

Roberta Bondar, the first Canadian woman in space

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Christian Island’ (Georgian Bay), by Gordon Lightfoot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP3n_U7G2CY
*******************
UPDATE July 4, 2024

"I see a peaceful world in which we have finally come to terms with the reality that our survival depends on abandoning conflict, working for peace, sharing what we have and living within our ecological means."

Elizabeth May, environmentalist

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Circle Game’, by Joni Mitchell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9VoLCO-d6U
********************
UPDATE July 3, 2024

"The people do not exist for the sake of art, to give the painter fame or the picture a market. On the contrary, art exists for the sake of the people, to refresh the weary, to console the sad, to increase man's joy of living and his sympathies with all the world."

Madge Young Clement, singer and first president of The Brandon Art Club

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Snowbird’, by Anne Murray ft Jann Arden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFKmqmYcRLM
*****************

UPDATE July 2, 2024

"The root of the word 'society' is 'friendship' and 'companionship'. This concept is the basis of the Kaienerekowa, the Great Law of Peace, the Constitution of the Five Nations Iroquois Confederacy. The Great Law is a way of life that was given to us as we saw it. It's how we are to relate to the universe, which is the way that I have tried to live."

Kahn-Tineta Horn, Mohawk activist

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Dreamcatcher’, by Morgan Toney
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iy6lrOgW0Hs
*******************
UPDATE July 1, 2024

Prayer for Canada
(inspired by Psalm 72)

“He shall have dominion from sea to sea….” Psalm 72:8

O Lord,
we gather together in your presence on this Canada Day.
We read of your “dominion” in Psalm 72,
and claim this promise—that your will would prevail in this land.
We pray for the movement of your Holy Spirit across this nation
and for the work of your church in every city and village.

O Lord, make us mindful of your generosity,
and glad to do your will.
Bless our land with honest industry, truthful education,
and an honourable way of life.
Save us from violence, discord, and confusion;
from pride, arrogance, and from every evil course of action.
Make us, who come from many different backgrounds and countries,
a united people – one in purpose and vision.
Give our government a spirit of wisdom and compassion
that there may justice and peace in our land.
When times are prosperous, lead us to thanksgiving,
and when times are troubled, lead us to a deepening trust in you.

All this we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

~ adapted from a prayer on the website of Trinity Anglican Church in Barrie, Ontario. http://www.trinitybarrie.ca/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘O Canada (A Prelude and Anthem)’, by Revv 52
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7_ZUBjuTi4
*******************
June is Pride Month and Indigenous History Month. The month of June offers us two themes to focus our minds and hearts. It is Pride Month where we consider how the church has too often excluded our 2SLGBTQIA+ siblings. Also, it is Indigenous History Month where we consider our learning and further our journey of reconciliation with our Indigenous siblings here on Turtle Island. We want to observe and celebrate both of these important observations so we will alternate daily from one focus to the other with resources and music from each of these diverse communities. We will offer suggestions of books, movies, documentaries, and podcasts that you can use to begin or continue your own personal journey as well as the journey of the church. Some resources may prove more difficult to watch or read than others, but you are encouraged to find a place to start. We as individuals and in the church have not always conducted ourselves with the grace and welcome we might have liked if we had been in the shoes of others. But, in the immortal words of the late Dr. Maya Angelou, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”—LC

UDATE June 30, 2024

Cure for Love (Documentary)
Written by: Christina Willings
Directed by: Francine Pelletier & Christina Willings
Produced by: Christina Willings & Bonnie Thompson
2008; Running Time: 59 Min

From the National Film Board Website
Cure for Love is a full-length documentary about a controversial evangelical movement that purports to convert gay people into heterosexuals. The film brings us inside this unusual Christian subculture and follows the lives of several young people whose homosexuality is at odds with their religious beliefs.

This documentary is available for you to watch for from the NFB website at the following link:
https://www.nfb.ca/film/cure_for_love/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Wonder of the Cross’, by Vicky Beeching
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z6ajASbM0A
*********************
UPDATE June 29, 2024

Spirit Doctors (Documentary)
Written & Directed by: Marie Burke
Produced by: Bonnie Thompson
2005; Running Time 40 Min

From the National Film Board Website
This short documentary journeys into the spiritual world of traditional Indigenous medicine, a world inhabited by Dr. Mary Louie (a spiritual leader of the Syilx or Okanagan Nation), and her husband Ed Louie. With a lifetime of experience in the ways of spirituality, they are committed to practices that keep them accountable to the spirit world, their people, and Mother Earth. When one of the crew members get sick while shooting, his subsequent care is recorded for the purposes of this film.

This documentary is available for you to watch for from the NFB website at the following link:
https://www.nfb.ca/film/spirit_doctors/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Into the Light’, by Susan Aglukark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyRab7EIwGk
*********************
UPDATE June 28, 2024

Love, Scott (Documentary)
Written & Directed by: Laura Marie Wayne
Story Consultant: Scott Jones
Music: Sigur Ros
2018; Running Time: 1 Hr 15 Min

From the National Film Board Website
While walking on the street one night in a small town in Canada, Scott Jones, a gay musician, is attacked and paralyzed from the waist down; what follows is a brave and fragile journey of healing and the transformation of a young man’s life. From the first raw moments in the hospital to a disquieting trip back to the place he was attacked, Scott is constantly faced with the choice of losing himself in waves of grief or embracing love over fear. Filmed over three years by Scott’s close friend, Love, Scott is an intimate and visually evocative window into queer experience, set against a stunning score by Sigur Rós.

This documentary is available for you to watch for from the NFB website at the following link:
https://www.nfb.ca/film/love_scott/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Break Our Hearts’, by Vicky Beeching
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zGQL-O9aew
*******************
UPDATE June 27, 2024

Crazywater (Documentary)
Written & Directed by Dennis Allen
Produced by: Selwyn Jacob
2013; Running Time 56 Min

From the National Film Board Website
This feature-length documentary from Inuvialuit filmmaker Dennis Allen is an emotional and revealing exploration of addiction among Indigenous people in Canada.

After years of struggle and shame, 5 Indigenous Canadians bravely come forward with their stories of substance abuse, presenting the sensitive topic of alcoholism in an honest and forthright manner. Alex, Paula, Desirae, Stephen, and Dennis himself maintain a deep and devoted commitment to their traditional culture to achieve long-term sobriety. Through their voices, this insightful doc offers an inspirational beacon of hope for others.

THIS WORK DEALS WITH MATURE SUBJECT MATTER. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

This documentary is available for you to watch for from the NFB website at the following link:
https://www.nfb.ca/film/crazywater/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Ko’jua’, by Morgan Toney
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnpvxx0xyMU
********************
UPDATE June 26, 2024

The Ice King (Documentary)
Written & Directed by: James Erskine
Produced by: New Black Films
2018; Running Time: 1 Hr 30 Min

From IMDB
The Ice King is the searing documentary of a lost cultural icon, a story of art, sport, sexuality, and rebellion. Including incredible unseen footage of some of his most remarkable performances and with access to Curry's letters, archive interviews, and interviews with his family, friends and collaborators, this is a portrait of the man who turned ice-skating from a dated sport into an exalted art form. Watch any figure skating and it falls into two possible camps: before and after John Curry. From what was a macho, technical sport whose judges punished deviation blossomed - through John Curry's stubborn beauty - ice-dancing. This was no Holiday on Ice, but a new artistic medium. After winning gold at the Winter Olympics for a rebelliously balletic routine, Curry saw the world's stages sheeted with ice. Audiences and reviewers alike were enthralled by his genius. But Curry's story is about more than skating. On the night of the final, Curry became the first openly gay Olympian at a time when homosexuality was barely legal. From bullying and prejudice, to relief in the gay underworld, to his untimely death from AIDS, Curry's story dovetails with the experiences of a generation. Tortured by demons, Curry was forever on the run. Never owning a home, he lived on the favours of those who loved him. The only place he found true freedom was the ice. This is the story of a man whose body was a battleground. From love affairs, to violence in sex clubs, to its 'unmanly' elegance on the ice, every act was rebellion. John Curry was no activist, but an artist expressing his authentic self - yet in a world where his existence was taboo, his life was unavoidably political.

You can watch this documentary for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpCIF6X6AWw

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Never Lost’, by Ray Boltz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn9I6DDLJ1o
*********************
UPDATE June 25, 2024

Our Maternal Home (Documentary)
2023; Running Time: 27 Min
Written & Directed by: Janine Windolph
Produced by: Chehala Leonard & Jon Montes

From the National Film Board Website
Filmmaker and educator Janine Windolph ventures from Saskatchewan to Quebec with her two teens and younger sister, tracing their familial origins to the Cree First Nation of Waswanipi. Against the scenic backdrop of these Traditional Lands, Elders offer newfound interdependence and hands-on learning, transforming this humble visit into a sensory-filled expression of reclamation and resilience. Our Maternal Home lovingly establishes a heart-centred form of resistance to confront and heal from the generational impacts of cultural disconnection, making space for what comes next.

This documentary is available for you to watch for from the NFB website at the following link:
https://www.nfb.ca/film/our-maternal-home/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I Want to Rise’, by Emma Stevens
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5cbSh5Ru7s
*****************
UPDATE June 24, 2024

Emergence: Out of the Shadows (Documentary)
Directed by: Vinay Giridhar
2021; Running Time: 1 Hr
TVO Docs

From IMDB
For Kayden, Jag, and Amar, awakening to and expressing their sexuality within conservative South Asian families was a lonely and terrifying experience. Denial, shame and despair haunted their youths, even threatening their lives. Yet, they've emerged. In the gripping feature documentary Emergence: Out of the Shadows, the disparate journeys of Kayden, Jag and Amar candidly converge around a shared sense of compassion and healing as they bravely convey their often heart-wrenching stories. Confronted with tradition and taboo in their Punjabi Sikh cultures, resisting silence, Jag's parents and Amar's mother choose love over rejection, offering courage and inspiration to individuals and communities struggling with acceptance. Tender, thoughtful and teary, Emergence: Out of the Shadows asserts a potent and transformative voice in support of marginalized queer youth and their families.

You can watch this documentary for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lxye-3OVN9c

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Unknown’, by Chely Wright
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6fu8C9SmNg
*****************
UPDATE June 23, 2024

Our Home on Native Land-Burrard Inlet (Documentary)
CPAC Production
Produced by: Ed Watson
2008; Running Time 1 Hr

From CPAC:
CPAC’s Ed Watson provides an in-depth look at one of this country's wealthiest First Nations Reserves, the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, commonly known as Burrard Inlet, in British Columbia.

Located on the outskirts of Vancouver, this community has been very successful in developing up-scale condominiums and building prestigious golf courses that have become profitable sources of revenue for the reserve.

Prosperity has also brought its share of problems to Burrard Inlet, but the community is determined to solve them in their own traditional ways.

Ed also speaks with residents about day-to-day life on the reserve. Among those interviewed are Justin George (a councillor), Leah George-Wilson (the chief of the Tseil-Waututh Nation), and Andrew Van Eden (a community justice co-ordinator).

You can watch this documentary for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pmnJjsk7jQ&t=

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘We Shall Remain (It Wasn’t Taken Away)’, by Kaolin Johnson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jYnPr065-4
******************
UPDATE June 22, 2024

No Ordinary Man (Documentary)
Written by: Amos Mac & Aisling Chin-Yee
Directed by: Aisling Chin-Yee & Chase Joynt
TVO Docs
2020; Running Time: 1 Hr 18 Min

From YouTube
This film explores the life of American Jazz musician Billy Tipton, whose story was framed as an ambitious woman passing as a man in pursuit of a music career. Tipton's story is re-imagined and performed by trans artists as they collectively paint a portrait of an unlikely hero.

You can watch this documentary for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crPsU8jwQfc

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Tomorrow is a Long Time’, by Chely Wright
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHjZEBbCRgk
*****************
UPDATE June 21, 2024

Our Home on Native Land-Cumberland House (Documentary)
CPAC Production
Produced by: Ed Watson
2008; Running Time 30Min

From the CPAC website:
CPAC’s Ed Watson visits Cumberland House Cree Nation (CHCN), a Cree reserve located north of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. CHCN was once the largest in-land trading post in Canada.

Ed speaks with residents about day-to-day life in their community, including concerns about education and job availability.

He also interviews community leaders about steps taken to improve quality of life on the reserve. Among those interviewed are Celia Dechambault (the principal of Nisto Awasisak Memorial School), Chief Walter Sewap (CHCN), Hazel Harris (a community health worker), and Andy McKay (the mayor of Cumberland Village).

You can watch this documentary for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aA4vG7zU_w

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Gentle Warrior’, by Kaolin Johnson ft Devon Paul and Thunder Herney
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkUxIFw5vOg
*******************
UPDATE June 20, 2024

Makers: Women Who Make America--
Billie Jean King-A Tennis Legend's Journey to Social Change (Documentary)
PBS, Kunhardt Film Foundation
2013; Running Time: 48 Min

From YouTube
Billie Jean King recalls discovering tennis at the age of 11, how she paid for her first racket, and why she instantly fell in love with the sport after her first lesson. King discusses how she used tennis as a platform for her life’s work to fight for equal rights, her role in the birth of professional women’s tennis in 1971, the importance of Title IX, and explains why she decided to play Bobby Riggs in 1973’s Battle of the Sexes - “It wasn’t about tennis, it was about history and social change.”

You can watch this documentary for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LENIJW93XAI

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Cowboy Take Me Away’, by Cameron Hawthorn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij_7lgVPaWA
**************
UPDATE June 19, 2024

Our Home on Native Land-Pauingassi (Documentary)
CPAC Production
Produced by: Jonathan Craven
2008; Running Time 1 Hr

From CPAC
CPAC’s Jonathan Craven visits Pauingassi, a First Nations reserve located 300 kilometres north of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Jonathan speaks with Pauingassi residents about key issues affecting quality of life on the reserve, such as poverty, alcohol abuse, and alcohol-related violence.

He also interviews leaders in the Pauingassi community about steps being taken to improve these conditions, including Eric Kennedy (a supervisor at Southeast Child and Family Services), David Phillips (a member of the defence council for the Pauingassi court docket), Louis Young (the Pauingassi health director), and Jim Leonard (the principal of Omiishosh Memorial School).

You can watch this documentary for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0SOx29D6vE

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Cheslatta’, by Cheryl Bear
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfuZiikEYkY
***********************
UPDATE June 18, 2024

You’ll Be Straight: The Underside of Conversion Therapies (Documentary)
Directed by: Caroline Benarrosh
Production: Tohubohu for France Télévisions
2020; Running Time: 52 Min

Accepting one’s homosexuality for an American today ought to be simple? And yet, it is not so straightforward!

700,000 young people in the United States have already undergone so-called conversion therapies, intended to "cure" their homosexuality. Run by religious or pseudo-scientific communities, these therapies promise to fix a supposedly "deviant sexual orientation" and to change a person’s inner identity.

Through social, familial and religious pressure, Mathew, Jordan and Lucas all signed up for these therapies and went through hell: Isolation, sequestration, humiliation, food deprivation, physical and psychological violence.

Today, a political combat is underway to halt these therapies and to acknowledge the victims. This is likely to be a long process, given that such practices are still allowed in 41 states and have the backing of the Trump administration.

You can watch this documentary for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q71p4AvUBhI

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Georgia’, by Katie Pruitt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqWtfkcUuoQ
**************
UPDATE June 17, 2024

Our Home on Native Land-Wikwemikong (Documentary)
CPAC Production
Produced by: Jonathan Craven
2008; Running Time 1 Hr

From YouTube
A special one-hour documentary on the First Nations Reserve of Wikwemikong. Located on Manitoulin Island in Georgian Bay in Ontario, Wikwemikong is one of Canada's largest reserves with a population of over 7,000. Many in the community are scarred from the legacy of residential schools, and unemployment and drug abuse are high, but there is a concerted effort made within the community to improve their lives.

You can watch this documentary for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ell3X6Afn3U

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Road to the Reservation’, by Cheryl Bear
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQCiY-E3VUM
************************
UPDATE June 16, 2024

Rupert Everett’s Shades of Gay (Documentary)
Directed by: Michael Waldman
Narrated & Hosted by: Rupert Everett
2017; Running Time: 46 Min

From YouTube
Fifty years after the decriminalization of homosexuality in Great Britain, actor Rupert Everett examines the evolution of both the gay community and public opinion toward gay people.

You can watch this documentary for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RASRL0wwJ0

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘All My Life’, by Brooke Eden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv2QMboZ_Lc
**************
UPDATE June 15, 2024

Broken Treaties (Documentary)
Oregon Experience, Oregon Public Broadcasting
Produced & Written by Eric Cain
Narrated by Art Alexander
2017; Running Time: 1 Hr

From YouTube:
For thousands of years, more than 60 Native American tribes lived in Oregon's diverse environmental regions. At least 18 languages were spoken across hundreds of villages. This civilizational fabric became unraveled in just a few short decades upon contact with white settlers in the 19th century.

In this "Oregon Experience" documentary, Native Oregonians reflect on what has been lost since and what's next for their tribes.

You can watch this documentary for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHq6ncJJ35w

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Broken Walls’, by Jonathan Maracle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mIBck7ZCl0
******************
UPDATE June 14, 2024

Call Me Troy (Documentary)
Directed by: Scott Bloom
2007; Running Time: 100 min.

From YouTube
Profiling the life and times of one of the gay community's most visible and tenacious advocates for change, Rev. Troy Perry, Call Me Troy is a truly inspirational story about a remarkable and dynamic individual whose activism was decades ahead of its time.

Rev. Perry is perhaps best known as the founder of the Metropolitan Community Church - the first church to recognize the spiritual needs of the gay community - but his "firsts" don't stop there. He was the first openly gay person to serve on the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations. In 1969, Perry performed the first public same-sex wedding in the U.S., and in 1970 he filed the first-ever lawsuit seeking legal recognition for same-gender marriages. From presidential advisor to outspoken advocate, Perry has been on the front lines leading the charge for equal rights and protections for gay men and lesbians the world over as well as providing a place for all people, gay and straight, to worship side by side. This film celebrates his life and his legacy.

(Caution: Adult content warning. Viewer discretion advised.)

You can watch this documentary for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eCaJ-xs3Xo&rco=1

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Hometown’, by Brandon Stansell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE-PiUdtttQ
******************
UPDATE June 13, 2024

O Siem (Documentary)
Written & Directed by: Gillian Darling
Produced by: George Johnson
1996; Running Time 53 Min

From the National Film Board website:
This documentary offers an engrossing portrait of Gene Harry, devoted husband, father, and foster father. He's also a Church Minister, champion dragon boat racer, long-boat canoe paddler, and Eagle Spirit Dancer in the traditional Salish Long House. In short, he's remarkable. And when he speaks, people listen. Discover why with this up-close look at the humble, yet charismatic, First Nations spiritual healer.

This documentary is available for you to watch for from the NFB website at the following link:
https://www.nfb.ca/film/osiem/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Time Traveler’, by Lyla June ft Desirae Harp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulK_GE9XjO8
*********************
UPDATE June 12, 2024

Devout and Out: Susan (Documentary)
CBC ShortDocs
Directed by: Thirza Cuthand
Co-Produced by: Alex Josselyn-Hamilton
2018; Running Time: 21 Min

From YouTube
Susan navigates her identity as a queer Mohawk minister as she finds herself nominated for the position of Moderator of The United Church of Canada. Susan lives on a fine line between cultures and expressions. She is Kanien'kehá:ka (also known as Mohawk). She is a United Church minister at the Grand River United Church. Despite balancing these diverse identities, Susan radiates peace and thoughtfulness. She is living out a new expression of faith in the somber face of the church’s abusive history toward Indigenous and queer individuals.

You can watch this documentary for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dL4umRd0K8

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Loving Her’, by Katie Pruitt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=md20eWBsRYo
****************

UPDATE June 11, 2024

Dancing Around the Table: Part Two (Documentary)
Directed by: Maurice Bulbulian
Executive Producer: Raymond Gauthie
1987; Running Time: 50 Min

From the National Film Board website:
Dancing Around the Table: Part Two charts the battle to enshrine Indigenous rights in the Canadian Constitution, capturing a key moment in Canada’s history from the perspective of Indigenous negotiators. The 1985 conference, chaired by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, was the fourth and final meeting to determine an amendment to Indigenous rights as defined in the Constitution. The provincial premiers again refuse to reach an agreement with the First Nations, Metis and Inuit leaders, even though the majority of Canadians supported the inclusion of Indigenous rights to self-government.

Director Bulbulian captures the pride and determination of Indigenous leaders and community members who refuse to back down on this historic opportunity to enshrine their rights, and the arrogance of the First Ministers who are fighting to keep power within the federal and provincial governments. The film takes us to Indigenous communities, where ceremony and traditional practices affirm the connection to the earth and its animals, and are the source of the strength and resilience shown by the Indigenous people around the table.

This documentary is available for you to watch for from the NFB website at the following link:
https://www.nfb.ca/film/dancing_around_the_table_part_two/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Residential School Song (Indian Boarding School Song)’, by Cheryl Bear
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoVERQn0YV0
******************
UPDATE June 10, 2024

Devout and Out: Cormac (Documentary)
CBC ShortDocs
Written & Directed by: D.W. Waterson
Co-Produced by: Alex Josselyn-Hamilton
2018; running Time 19 Min

From YouTube:
Cormac left evangelical Christianity after coming out as queer. Now, as an Anglican youth minister, they’re trying to create a different script for young, queer Christians. Cormac is a queer, trans, non-binary youth minister who works at an Anglican church in Toronto. Cormac is creating a new narrative for queer people by setting an example of how religious organizations can reduce the trauma that young people experience when they come out to their communities.

Over the course of this documentary, we see the impact that a positive queer role model can have on youth and the strength of character it takes to create a safe space within a place that felt so hostile in the past.

You can watch this documentary for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1JaYxAfAPk

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Outlaw Love’, by Brooke Eden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLhnY8NSrfU
*****************
UPDATE June 9, 2024

Dancing Around the Table: Part One (Documentary)
Directed by: Maurice Bulbulian
Executive Producer: Raymond Gauthie
1987; Running Time: 57 Min

From the National Film Board website:
Dancing Around the Table: Part One provides a fascinating look at the crucial role Indigenous people played in shaping the Canadian Constitution. The 1984 Federal Provincial Conference of First Ministers on Aboriginal Constitutional Matters was a tumultuous and antagonistic process that pitted Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau and the First Ministers—who refused to include Indigenous inherent rights to self-government in the Constitution—against First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders, who would not back down from this historic opportunity to enshrine Indigenous rights.

In a now infamous exchange, Kwakwaka’wakw lawyer and lead negotiator Bill Wilson states that he has two children who want to become lawyers and prime minister. When he says that they are Indigenous women, the male audience bursts into laughter, and Trudeau replies, “Tell them I’ll stick around until they’re ready.” Over 30 years later, Bill Wilson’s daughter, Jody Wilson-Raybould, became Canada’s first Indigenous minister of justice and attorney general in the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The conference was Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s last constitutional meeting before he resigned and the process was handed over to his successor, Brian Mulroney.

This documentary is available for you to watch for from the NFB website at the following link:
https://www.nfb.ca/film/dancing_around_the_table_1/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Water is Life’, by Lyla June ft Oliver Enjady
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfX0tTrSRG0
******************

UPDATE June 8, 2024

Pray the Gay Away? Breaking News
Our America Episode with Lisa Ling
2012; Running Time: 46 Min

From YouTube
Is it possible to use prayer and therapy to "pray the gay away"? Revisit the groundbreaking episode on this topic, along with an exclusive new interview with the leader of Exodus International, Alan Chambers, who credits this show with changing his mind. (Original Air Date: August 21, 2012)

You can watch this documentary for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JILH0bWiWc

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Dear Insecurity’, by Brandy Clark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9MY-FFis2E
*****************
UPDATE June 7, 2024

We Will Be Free-Aboriginal Peoples in Canada (Documentary)
2011; Running Time 1 Hr
Directed by: Max F. Meis
Written by: Max F Meis, Larry Morrissette, Ferdinand Carriere

From YouTube
The indigenous people in Canada are survivors. Survivors of a long history of oppression. Their culture and language were once questioned by the new 'owners' of their world. This documentary is looking for the sources of suffering within the indigenous population of Winnipeg in Canada. Their stories tell about a long battle for the right to simply exist and about a machinery that was designed to erase their people from planet earth. Many generations of indigenous people have suffered this cultural genocide enforced by the canadian government. What we see today is the aftermath of this history of colonization and the first steps to pick up the pieces and heal. There is a long journey ahead but a start is made.

You can watch this documentary for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXT2JXe8mnA

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Eagle Song’, by Red Shadow Singers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwYa14fk8lE
***************
UPDATE June 6, 2024

Take Me to Prom
CBC Short Docs
Directed & Produced by: Andrew Moir
2019; Running Time: 20 Min

Revisit this iconic adolescent milestone through interviews with LGBTQ people ranging in age from 17 to 88. Featuring intimate, charming interviews with queer Canadians ranging in age 17 to 88, Take Me To Prom invites audiences to revisit this iconic adolescent milestone.

Meet Alf, a quiet wallflower with a secret crush. Fontaine only remembers the details of his date’s dress. Marcy skipped her prom for a wild escapade. Alphonso staged a liberating protest with his friends. Marc bravely went to court so he could take his boyfriend to prom. Carmen’s traumatic prom marked the beginning of her inspiring transformation. And Caroline’s story captures the complex reality faced by queer youth today.

Vivid set design, re-enactments and archival footage transport audiences across 70 years of teenage heartbreak and rebellion — all while telling a story of social change over seven decades.

(Caution: Occasional strong language. Viewer discretion advised.)

You can watch this documentary for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR4fcsx_U6k

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘You and Me on the Rock’, by Brandi Carlile ft Catherine Carlile
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLrXLjWGmi8
*****************
UPDATE June 5, 2024

Standing Alone (Documentary)
1982; Running Time: 57 Min
Directed by: Colin Low
Produced by: Tom Daly
National Film Board

From the National Film Board website:
Pete Standing Alone of the Kainai Nation was more at home in the White man's culture than his own as a young man. However, confronted with the realization that his children knew very little about their origins, he became determined to pass down to them the customs and traditions of his ancestors. This hour-long film is the powerful biographical study of a twenty-five-year span in Pete's life, from his early days as an oil-rig roughneck, rodeo rider and cowboy, to the present as an Indigenous man concerned with preserving his Nation's spiritual heritage in the face of an energy-oriented industrial age.

This documentary is available for you to watch for from the NFB website at the following link:
https://www.nfb.ca/film/standing_alone/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Remember Me’, by Fawn Wood
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-UKIhCQ-C4
*******************
UPDATE June 4, 2024

Devout and Out: Pip
CBC ShortDocs
Directed by: Alex Josselyn-Hamilton
2018; Running Time: 25 Min

From YouTube:
After going through conversion therapy, marrying a woman and having children, Pip came out as gay. He’s now an Anglican priest who’s breaking new ground with queer-focused services at his church.

You can watch this documentary for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8U1TqvREtAQ

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Back Pew’, by Lily Rose
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXlL4Bk9VjE
********************
UPDATE June 3, 2024

These Are My People…(Documentary)
Directed by: Roy Daniels, Willie Dunn, Michael Kanentakeron Mitchell, & Barbara Wilson
1969; Running Time: 13 Min
National Film Board

From the National Film Board website:
Released in 1969, These Are My People… was the first NFB film made entirely by an Indigenous crew. It was co-directed by Roy Daniels, Willie Dunn, Michael Kanentakeron Mitchell and Barbara Wilson—members of the Indian Film Crew (IFC), an all-Indigenous unit established in 1968 as part of Challenge for Change, a broader organizational initiative to use media to effect social change. One of the first Canadian documentaries to foreground an Indigenous perspective on the history of Indigenous–settler relations, it features Standing Arrow and Tom Porter, from the Kanien’kéhaka (Mohawk) community of Akwesasne, who discuss longhouse religion, culture, government and the impacts of settler arrival on their way of life.

This documentary is available for you to watch for from the NFB website at the following link:
https://www.nfb.ca/film/these_are_my_people/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘One World (We Are One)’, by Taboo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHhbeRJudY4
******************
UPDATE June 2, 2024

Challenging Tradition: LGBT Clergy in the Church of England
2017; Running Time: 30 Min
Produced by: Florence Browne

From YouTube:
The Church of England’s interpretation of the Bible is far from accepting of non-heterosexual relationships. “I had an internal battle,” says Michael, a gay priest, “because the way I still felt in my heart of hearts, at the core of my being, was that it wasn't wrong.” Another priest, Andrew, feels that he has been discriminated against after marrying a male partner: “I’m on a blacklist, basically.” By speaking out, the Church’s own ranks are leading the struggle for change.

You can watch this documentary for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rh5b_nApxJk

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘What Mattered Most’, by Ty Herndon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSnGDePzppE
****************
UPDATE June 1, 2024

Trick or Treaty? (Documentary)
Directed & Written by: Alanis Obomsawin
2014; Running Time: 1 Hr 24 Min
National Film Board

From the National Film Board website:
Covering a vast swath of northern Ontario, Treaty No. 9 reflects the often contradictory interpretations of treaties between First Nations and the Crown. To the Canadian government, this treaty represents a surrendering of Indigenous sovereignty, while the descendants of the Cree signatories contend its original purpose to share the land and its resources has been misunderstood and not upheld. Enlightening as it is entertaining, Trick or Treaty? succinctly and powerfully portrays one community’s attempts to enforce their treaty rights and protect their lands, while also revealing the complexities of contemporary treaty agreements. Trick or Treaty? made history as the first film by an Indigenous filmmaker to be part of the Masters section at TIFF when it screened there in 2014.

This documentary is available for you to watch for from the NFB website at the following link:
https://www.nfb.ca/film/trick_or_treaty/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘All Nations Rise’, by Lyla June
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nr2VLI8jKww
*******************
UPDATE May 31, 2024

Come to the edge of creation. Come look out to the silent darkness. Open your spirit and let your voice be heard. I am here, your voice will say, I am part of it all. And once you claim your spiritual ground, suddenly fields of stars will fill the darkness: the campfires of your ancestors, still burning bright. Yes, we know, they will answer, for we followed the signs of your love, until they brought us to you.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Plan for Me’, by Zach Williams
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ELwaho1WWI
*********************
UPDATE May 30, 2024

We are not weak, but strong, in the love of Spirit. We are not anxious, but confident, in the future we create with Spirit. We are not overwhelmed, but organized around the wisdom of Spirit. We are not timid, but bold in the justice of Spirit. We are not passive, but active in the service of Spirit. We are not finished, but only beginning, to see the vision of Spirit.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘God Who Listens’, by Chris Tomlin & Thomas Rhett
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RSC34jQuoU
********************
UPDATE May 29, 2024

Celebrate the small stuff, the minor victories, the score one for the good guys moments that feel like they are helping you to breathe again. The big issues may still elude us, they may still be a work in progress. But never walk past the modest but clear signs that Spirit is at work in your life. The wildflower is as beautiful as the redwood.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Abide’, by Aaron Williams
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA-Wi4fdcVE
*************************
UPDATE May 28, 2024

Let love your anthem be, the constant refrain heard in all your words and actions, the music you make to heal the world. We are each part of a choir, a global choir, ringing right around the whole of Mother Earth, all life singing together, every squawk and squeak, every bellow and chirp, part of the sound of love that sings forever in the heart of creation.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Hurt People (Love Will Heal Our Hearts)’, by Sidewalk Prophets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8Ij1vjyf24
***********************
UPDATE May 27, 2024

When I get angry at the way the world is going, I try to turn that energy toward doing something about it. The more frustrated I feel, the more I search for ways to have an impact. At my time of life, it may not be as big of an impact as others can make, but it is a contribution. Every time we volunteer, donate, or show up: we change the balance of hope.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Let the Nations be Glad’, by Matt Boswell & Matt Papa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7stE0C1oST8
*******************
UPDATE May 26, 2024

There is a balance to be kept in times of adversity. It is between confidence and common sense. We need to be confident in what is guiding us. We need to trust and have the courage of our convictions. At the same time, we need the common sense of having our doubts and the ability to share our concerns. We need the freedom to be different. We need the balance of diversity.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Still Waters (Psalm 23)’, by Leanna Crawford
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1IaQvgPsfA
***********************
UPDATE May 25, 2024

Christian Prayer for Peace

Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be known as the Children of God.

But I say to you that hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.

To those who strike you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from those who take away your cloak, do not withhold your coat as well.

Give to everyone who begs from you, and of those who take away your goods, do not ask for them again.

And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
- Author Unknown
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/prayers-for-peace

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Psalm 19’, by Jess Ray
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCmGsqtnSEs
*****************
UPDATE May 24, 2024

Prayer for a World Where Hope Seems Dim

Dear God, the world seems so dark and foreboding.

Where are the signs of hope?

What are you calling us to do?

Wars, uprisings, displacements, hunger, poverty, and disease continue to claim victims by the millions around the world each year.

Our ears do not want to hear their stories and our eyes do not want to see their plight because the suffering and destruction is so massive and cruel.

In our hearts and minds there is a desire to help somehow, but the crisis seem so overwhelming that we shake our heads in dismay and we wonder what the point is for us even to attempt to be witnesses for healing and hope in this hellish morass.

We beg with the song writer to open our eyes that we may see glimpses of truth you have for us.

Help us to follow the path of Jesus, the Suffering Servant. Give us the courage to be willing to walk the path of depression and pain with the victims of injustice here at home as well as abroad.

Help us to seek ways to light candles of hope, however small, through our words, our deeds, and our prayers, to encourage our sisters and brothers to hold onto the faith in spite of the pain and suffering they are facing.

And help those of us who are among the fortunate ones, who have enough bread to eat, good health, and who live in relative peace, to open our heart to learn from our sisters and brothers who are living lives of grace and forgiveness in the horrid circumstances which surround them. O God, help us to light one candle rather than to curse the darkness.

We pray this in the name of Jesus, who knows what being a light in this dark world is all about.
- Larry Kehler, Mennonite Central Committee, Canada, 2009
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/prayers-for-peace

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Morning Song’, by Jess Ray
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3GEKAM6CcI
*********************
UPDATE May 23, 2024

A Prayer for Peace
We are moulded, each one of us,
in the image of God,
and within our souls there is a fingerprint
none can erase.
We pray for those who have no regard
for anyone but self,
who put no value on human life.
For nations and individuals who abuse and kill.
We are not called to be judge or jury,
but we are called to be agents of change,
and if the butterfly that flaps its wings
should be our attitude to others
then so be it, Lord,
and may the hurricane this generates
somewhere within the world
reach into the hearts and souls of those
for whom we pray, and reveal to them
how precious are those
for whom they have no love,
and how precious are they
who now bring tears to the eyes of God.
- John Birch
As found on: https://www.faithandworship.com/prayers_peace.htm
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/prayers-for-peace

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘What If’, by Jess Ray
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfvlIbfb9-w
**********************
UPDATE May 22, 2024

Give Me Strength
Dear Oh God, I ask not for easier tasks.
I ask for stronger aptitudes and greater talents
to meet any tasks which may come my way.

Help me to help others
so that their lives may be made easier and happier.
Strengthen my confidence in my fellow men
in spite of what they may do or say.

Give me strength to live according to the Golden Rule,
enthusiasm to inspire those around me,
sympathy to help lighten the burdens of those who suffer,
and a spirit of joy and gladness to share with others.
-attributed to Harry Bullis, former chairman of General Mills
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/strength

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Ninety-One’, by Jess Ray
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0rhAAI4988
***********************

UPDATE May 21, 2024

For Strength and Wisdom

Thank You, Lord, for being there for me and allowing me to cry out to you in my times of need. It is amazing to me that the Lord of the Universe would take time to listen to me and to care about what I say.

God, there are things happening around me right now that I do not understand. Some of these thinks make me feel weak, helpless, and afraid.

Even in the midst of this, I know that you are the Lord.

I know that the situation is in Your hand, and I trust You.

I beseech you for strength and for wisdom that I would be able to endure his situation and be able to handle it in a way that would bring glory to Your name.
- Author Unknown
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/strength

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Lilies and Sparrows’, by Jess Ray
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw8757d5lfg
*******************
UPDATE May 20, 2024

Your Loving Support
God, oh God, it is you I seek.
And, with your constant loving support
I will even try to seek you in lost causes,
those dark and forgotten places that I can't imagine you present.
And yet you are there.
Help me to be there too,
seeking, finding, proclaiming your goodness
even as the day darkens
and my spirit draws back to my false safety of self.
Fill me with wonder of your goodness,
replacing my self doubt with confidence
in you and your sure and steady help.
- Author Unknown
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/strength

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Nothing’, by Jeremy Rosado
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oduxNoHoWtI
********************
UPDATE May 19, 2024

THIS GRACE THAT SCORCHES US
A Blessing for Pentecost Day

Here’s one thing
you must understand
about this blessing:
it is not
for you alone.

It is stubborn
about this.
Do not even try
to lay hold of it
if you are by yourself,
thinking you can carry it
on your own.

To bear this blessing,
you must first take yourself
to a place where everyone
does not look like you
or think like you,
a place where they do not
believe precisely as you believe,
where their thoughts
and ideas and gestures
are not exact echoes
of your own.

Bring your sorrow.
Bring your grief.
Bring your fear.
Bring your weariness,
your pain,
your disgust at how broken
the world is,
how fractured,
how fragmented
by its fighting,
its wars,
its hungers,
its penchant for power,
its ceaseless repetition
of the history it refuses
to rise above.

I will not tell you
this blessing will fix all that.

But in the place
where you have gathered,
wait.
Watch.
Listen.
Lay aside your inability
to be surprised,
your resistance to what you
do not understand.

See then whether this blessing
turns to flame on your tongue,
sets you to speaking
what you cannot fathom

or opens your ear
to a language
beyond your imagining
that comes as a knowing
in your bones,
a clarity
in your heart
that tells you

this is the reason
we were made:
for this ache
that finally opens us,

for this struggle,
this grace
that scorches us
toward one another
and into
the blazing day.

—Jan Richardson
From Circle of Grace: A Book of Blessings for the Seasons

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.|
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Halleluyah’, by Anshe Emet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEUTaBXFKDQ
*******************
UPDATE May 18, 2024

May What I Do Flow From Me Like a River
I believe in all that has never yet been spoken.
I want to free what awaits within me
So that what no one has dared to wish for
May for once spring clear
Without my contriving.
If this is arrogant, God, forgive me,
But this is what I need to say.
May what I do flow from me like a river,
No forcing and no holding back,
The way it is with children.
Then in these swelling and ebbing currents,
These deepening tides moving out, returning,
I will sing you as no one ever has,
Streaming through widening channels
Into the open sea.

- Rainer Maria Rilke
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/strength

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Heaven Are You Listening?’, by Kalsey Kulyk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01knHhQRlEc
*******************
UPDATE May 17, 2024

Nostalgia
Here is a little thought that floated in on a gentle breeze:
nostalgia can be spiritual band-aids.
These small flashbacks to the familiar
and the comforting can do any of us good
when our nerves are jangled.
And right now,
there is a lot of jangling going on.
So take a break into memories of a calmer season.
Let your nostalgia soothe the cuts and scrapes of life in our time.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘More Than This’, by CeCe Winans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm8KyYFKf2I
*****************

UPDATE May 16, 2024

The Mother Within Us All
There is a mother within us all,
a mother remembered,
a mother discovered,
a mother surprisingly ourselves.
We are all capable of a love so strong
that it can be described as loving with a mother’s passion.
Let us celebrate that passion
by honoring the many mothers whose life-changing love
has blessed us beyond measure.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘God and God Alone’, by Chris Tomlin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64R6BZK7tm8
*****************
UPDATE May 15, 2024

Enough
Our goal is that everyone has enough.
Not more.
Not all.
But enough,
enough for living beings to share,
enough for life to thrive.
Spirit has given us an Earth where doing that
is more than possible.
All we need to do
is recover from our addiction to privilege.
Simple and sustainable:
the path forward is broad and inclusive.
Let us walk it together.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Lord and Friend’, by CeCe Winans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig9QNLiVDEE
*****************
UPDATE May 14, 2024

The Choice
Sometimes we have to choose.
So often in life it comes down to that:
we have to make a choice.
The crossroads is where our spirituality is lived out,
where it shapes the world in which we live.
When you find yourself standing in the place of decision,
make sure you are standing next to the Spirit.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

‘3:16’, by Anne Wilson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LobSQBqW22w
****************
UPDATE May 13, 2024

Creation Prayer
God our Father,
you created the world and sent your own Son to live among us,
made of the same stuff, breathing the same air,
marveling at sunrise and sunset just as we do.

Help us to participate in the life around and within us as your life,
as you living in us and we living in you and in each other.

God of love and life, restore us to your peace,
renew us through your power and teach us to love all that you have created and to care for the earth as your gift and our home.

- The Earth Community: In Christ through the Integrity of Creation
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/creation-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Cross’, by Anne Wilson & Chris Tomlin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39UafwUH4Gg
****************
UPDATE May 12, 2024

a blessing for Mother's Day
Bless all the moms—
those who have carried us
in their bodies,
and in their hearts,
and in their minds,
and all those who have mothered us
in some form or fashion.

The ones who answer our calls
no matter the time of day,
or absurd the request.
Those who remind us
that we are loved, loved, loved
no matter what.
We thank them and honor them all.

Those we can hug today,
and those who are now gone
and those now distant from us.

And bless all those too
for whom mothering is
complicated, difficult,
heartbreaking, or incomplete.

Do what only you can do, God:
Bless and heal.
Restore. Rebuild.
Pour love over everything
these hearts have touched.
--Kate Bowler

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘When My Mama Prays’, by Corrina Grant Gill & Vince Gill
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akodSdB9daM&list=RDakodSdB9daM&start_radio=1
***********

UPDATE May 11, 2024

God Bless the World
Mighty God, Father of all,
Compassionate God, Mother of all,
Bless every person I met,
every face I have seen,
every voice I have heard,
especially those most dear;
bless every city, town and
street that I have known,
bless every sight I have seen,
every sound I have heard,
every object I have touched.
In some mysterious way these have all fashioned my life:
all that I am,
I have received.
Great God, bless the world.

-John J. Morris, S.J.
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/creation-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Somebody’s Child’, by Blessing Offor & Dolly Parton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytmDNu-QWC8
******************

UPDATE May 10, 2024

The Earth is the Lord's

This we know: the earth does not belong to us.
The earth is the Lord’s and so are all its people.

This we know: we did not weave the web of life.
The earth is the Lord’s and so is all that breathes on it.

This we know: we are called to till and work the earth.
The earth is the Lord’s and so are all who work the land.

This we know: that we are called to take care of creation.
The earth is the Lord’s yet we have polluted and abused it.

This we know: that whatever befalls the earth, Befalls the sons and daughters of the earth
This we know: that the earth is the Lord’s. And so we will serve Him in it.

Amen.
-Bishop Eric Pike
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/creation-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘All Things New’, by Elaine Hagenberg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGNU0Wz2ors
*******************

UPDATE May 9, 2024

May 5th was the national day of awareness for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, also known as Red Dress Day. As we move toward a more just and reconciling relationship with our Indigenous siblings, we remain committed to becoming more aware, and bringing more awareness to the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People.

Creator God, we come to you with humility, courage, respect, and honesty as we seek to right the wrongs done to Indigenous women and girls, and to members of the 2-Spirit-plus community, the First Nations, Inuit and Métis people of Turtle Island.

We seek truth. We listen to the stories of family and friends who have lost a beloved grandmother, mother, daughter, auntie, sister, cousin, friend. Help us to face this difficult truth and to make much needed change.

We seek love. We pray for all who lives have been impacted by this trauma of death and disappearance.

We seek honesty. May those with information about these murdered and missing women and girls have courage to come forward.

We seek wisdom. May our leaders and police continue to lead and search with speed and compassion, love, and concern.

We pray for healing. May those impacted by these murders and disappearances, as well as those who face bigotry and violence, continue to hold their loved ones in care and love. May our hurting nation seek to offer support, generosity, and love to all affected by these tragic losses. May we seek to listen to stories, to look at photos, and to offer our resolve.

We ask for courage. For all families and friends who offer testimony, stories, tears, and anger. For those who continue to search. For the First Nations, Inuit and Métis people of Turtle Island who fear for the women and girls of their communities. For our nation as we face the ugly truth before us. For the Christian Churches of Canada to be people who follow the example of Jesus by welcoming all and offering peace, love, and friendship always.

We seek to be welcoming. For all people, regardless of their race, culture, orientation, beliefs, or any other category we place one another into, may we be kind, friendly, accepting of differences, and loving to all your peoples.

Creator God, you are present within us and all around us. Bring about a change in our collective hearts that transforms fear into hope, apathy into genuine concern, tragedy into a transformed society. Help us to hold Indigenous women and girls, and all easily exploited and ignored people, in our care.

Be with us, Creator God, as we do the difficult work of righting the wrongs done. Give us courage, give us honesty, make us humble, open our hearts to love more fully.

AMEN.
--Reprinted from the Eastern Synod website

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women’, by Antone George & the West Shore Canoe Family
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KMYi-2BMsI
*******************
UPDATE May 8, 2024

Watch for the Signs
One of the spiritual lessons I enjoyed most as a child
was learning to read the signs.
It is a little like tracking.
You need to be alert.
You need to watch for context.
But the signs are there.
Signs of the presence of the sacred.
They can be seen throughout the natural world.
They can be seen in our daily lives.
They are road markers on the holy journey.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Come Alive’, by Lauren Daigle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XfYmkWYdQ4
*******************
UPDATE May 7, 2024

The Wisdom is Within Us
They knew it long ago,
those who went through times of struggle,
those who faced profound change
-- our ancestors.
They knew how important it was to stand together.
To help one another.
To keep the common good sacred.
They had the courage of love.
We are their children.
Their wisdom is within us.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘How Can I Keep From Singing?’, by Shenandoah Christian Music Camp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cw-ycev482k
*************************
UPDATE May 6, 2024

Show Me and Let Me See
Show me my blind spots, Spirit,
show me what I fail to see.
Let me look reality in the eye.
Let me see the truth,
even if the truth is difficult for me.
I do not want to live in delusions or denial.
I want to be a meaningful partner in the work of change.
So open my eyes to see as you see:
the broad vision of hope
where possibilities are revealed
like lights going on in the night.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘God Be With You’, by Oasis Chorale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEzBtaiUZNI
********************
UPDATE May 5, 2024

a blessing for your (actual human) body

Blessed is the body
that offers soft hugs on hard days.
Whose curves fit our pets
and our kids and our partners.

Whose hands hold another
alongside hospital beds and
in nursing homes and at the altar
and on the first day of school.

Whose breasts nurse and legs run
to chase littles and whose toes
balance us on the earth.
Whose wrinkles tell stories
of laughs and tears and worries.

Blessed are these imperfect,
fragile bodies.
This flesh and bone.

These cells that sometimes duplicate
for no reason whatsoever.
This skin that is stitched together
with scars and stretch marks and fine lines.

Blessed is the body
because it is a home.
Not just for us,
but for those who love us.
And sometimes you just need to
stand in front of the mirror
and take off all your clothes,
and remember that this body,
your body, is God’s home address.

p.s. That last line is inspired by Barbara Brown Taylor, who always says it best.
--Kate Bowler

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Sweetest Gift (A Mother’s Smile)’, by Trio (Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, & Linda Ronstadt)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWEQDyrbphE
******************
UPDATE May 4, 2024

Here are some quotes by blogger, author, speaker, and theologian, Rachel Held Evans who passed away unexpectedly five years ago on May 4, 2019 at the tender age of 37. She left behind a husband, two very young children, a sister, parents, and a world full of people who read her words and realized that despite what they heard from so many fundamentalist Christians, there really was a place at God’s table for everyone and that God loves everyone exactly as they are. Her legacy is huge and far-reaching. She is missed.—LC

“Dignified or not, believable or not, ours is a God perpetually on bended knee, doing everything it takes to convince stubborn and petulant children that they are seen and loved. It is no more beneath God to speak to us using poetry, proverb, letters, and legend than it is for a mother to read storybooks to her daughter at bedtime. This is who God is. This is what God does.”
― Rachel Held Evans, Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again

“Baptism reminds us that there’s no ladder to holiness to climb, no self-improvement plan to follow. It’s just death and resurrection, over and over again, day after day, as God reaches down into our deepest graves and with the same power that raised Jesus from the dead wrests us from our pride, our apathy, our fear, our prejudice, our anger, our hurt, and our despair.”
― Rachel Held Evans, Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church

“But the gospel doesn’t need a coalition devoted to keeping the wrong people out. It needs a family of sinners, saved by grace, committed to tearing down the walls, throwing open the doors, and shouting, “Welcome! There’s bread and wine. Come eat with us and talk.” This isn’t a kingdom for the worthy; it’s a kingdom for the hungry.”
― Rachel Held Evans, Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church

“The truth is, you can bend Scripture to say just about anything you want it to say. You can bend it until it breaks. For those who count the Bible as sacred, interpretation is not a matter of whether to pick and choose, but how to pick and choose. We’re all selective. We all wrestle with how to interpret and apply the Bible to our lives. We all go to the text looking for something, and we all have a tendency to find it. So the question we have to ask ourselves is this: are we reading with the prejudice of love, with Christ as our model, or are we reading with the prejudices of judgment and power, self-interest and greed? Are we seeking to enslave or liberate, burden or set free?”
― Rachel Held Evans, Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Hold on to Me’, by Lauren Daigle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBl2rPMP49Q
***************
UPDATE May 3, 2024

“But there is a difference between curing and healing, and I believe the church is called to the slow and difficult work of healing. We are called to enter into one another’s pain, anoint it as holy, and stick around no matter the outcome.”
― Rachel Held Evans, Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church

“What I love about the ministry of Jesus is that he identified the poor as blessed and the rich as needy...and then he went and ministered to them both. This, I think, is the difference between charity and justice. Justice means moving beyond the dichotomy between those who need and those who supply and confronting the frightening and beautiful reality that we desperately need one another.”
― Rachel Held Evans, A Year of Biblical Womanhood

“We could not become like God, so God became like us. God showed us how to heal instead of kill, how to mend instead of destroy, how to love instead of hate, how to live instead of long for more. When we nailed God to a tree, God forgave. And when we buried God in the ground, Got got up.”
― Rachel Held Evans, Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church

“Two thousand years later, John’s call remains a wilderness call, a cry from the margins. Because we religious types are really good at building walls and retreating to temples. We’re good at making mountains out of our ideologies, obstructions out of our theologies, and hills out of our screwed-up notions of who’s in and who’s out, who’s worthy and who’s unworthy. We’re good at getting in the way. Perhaps we’re afraid that if we move, God might use people and methods we don’t approve of, that rules will be broken and theologies questioned. Perhaps we’re afraid that if we get out of the way, this grace thing might get out of hand. Well, guess what? It already has. Grace got out of hand the moment the God of the universe hung on a Roman cross and with outstretched hands looked out upon those who had hung him there and declared, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
― Rachel Held Evans, Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Be Still and Know’, by CeCe Winans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_OaCHslVVY
********************
UPDATE May 2, 2024

Not Giving Up
I am not ready to give up on hope,
no matter the evidence to the contrary.
I am not ready to give up on peace,
even as wars rage.
I am not going to give up on hope
because I am not going to give up on people.
Even a few people can make a great difference –
if they do not give up on the Spirit who will never give up on them.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Abide in Me’, by Diana Trout
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tcO-INylGs
*************
UPDATE May 1, 2024

Grateful, Thankful
I am grateful to you, Spirit,
for your gift of life.
Every morning I open my eyes is another gift of time,
that most precious of substances,
poured out for me to claim in any way I wish.
I walk in gratitude, Spirit,
knowing you are forever beside me,
ever watchful, ever loving.
I am thankful that your breath
and my breath
are the same.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Let Go and Let God’, by Elaina Smith
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IpkAikjsMo
*******************
UPDATE April 30, 2024

A blessing for everything we cannot buy

God, I am told to invest in myself.
You’re worth it.
I should find myself
in the market that owns me.

If you check my billing statements,
I am a monthly subscription
for white noise and sleep stories
and chewable melatonin.

I am a standing grocery order
for dark roast fair-trade beans
and dry, full-bodied Spanish reds.

On a customer-service report somewhere
read aloud in an
air-conditioned boardroom
I represent the value of unlimited
digital access to The New York Times
and Wordle. Mostly Wordle.

But, Lord, this is not the creation story
of gardens and mud made flesh,
and life breathed into
one-click ordering.

Unmake me.
Unmake me.
Unmake me.

Put me to sleep.
Steal another rib
and let me awake to all things
astonishingly unnamed and unknown
by the world I made
in affordable monthly installments.
—Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day!
--Kate Bowler

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Like the Sparrow’, by Elaina Smith
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS114lOa7CQ
******************
UPDATE April 29, 2024

for keeping your heart soft when everything is broken

Blessed are you who see it all now.
The terrible,
beautiful truth that our world,
our lives seem irreparably broken.

And you can’t unsee it.
The hungry kid.
The exhausted mom.
The woman who wonders
if any of this is worth it.
The loneliness and despair.

Blessed are you
who glimpse reality
and don’t turn away.
This kind of seeing
comes at a steep cost,
and it is a cost you
may not have paid intentionally,
but here you are.
Seeing things clearly.

Blessed are you who have worked hard
to keep your heart soft.
You who live with courage,
fixing what is in your reach,
praying about what is not,
and loving, still.

May you experience deeper capacity
and glimpses of hope,
as you continue to see the world as it is.
Terrible. Beautiful. Fragile.
--Kate Bowler

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Still Kind’, by Diana Trout
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_BUrGWTdKA
***************
UPDATE April 28, 2024

Today’s Earth Week Resource

We close out our focus on Earth Week, but our work to help save our creation is ongoing. We can do something each and every day to make a difference. Think. Pray. Act. It’s up to all of us!

Living the Change: Inspiring Stories for a Sustainable Future
Running Time: 1 Hr 26 Min

From YouTube
Living the Change is a free feature-length documentary that explores solutions to the global crises we face today – solutions any one of us can be part of – through the inspiring stories of people pioneering change in their own lives and in their communities in order to live in a sustainable and regenerative way.

Directors Jordan Osmond and Antoinette Wilson have brought together stories from their travels, along with interviews with experts able to explain how we come to be where we are today. From forest gardens to composting toilets, community supported agriculture to timebanking, Living the Change offers ways we can rethink our approach to how we live.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gq9sg397ee8

As an added bonus, Pastor Laura recommended the documentary 500 Days in the Wild. It is an independent documentary film project which follows filmmaker Dianne Whelan's 6-year journey on all 24,000 km of the land and water trails of the Trans Canada Trail, weaving together a total experience of adventure, personal reflections, stunning wildlife and landscapes. It is available at the following link, but it is available for purchase or rent only. Running Time: 2Hr 4 min. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do82w1J4v3g

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Earth Day Every Day (Celebrate)’ by John Denver
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGnWuwAJ6bM
*******************
UPDATE April 27, 2024

Today’s Earth Week Resource

Our Planet-Our Business
Running Time 38 Min

The global business community can be a powerful force to drive action for nature - find out why we are confident that change is possible. Our Planet: Our Business, a new film for business inspired by the Netflix series Our Planet, is available to watch now.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdWQJq2OkJs

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Love Song to the Earth’, by Various Artists
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSnOXbaXzfM
*********************
UPDATE April 26, 2024

Today’s Earth Week Resource

Our Planet Netflix Series
Experience our planet's natural beauty and examine how climate change impacts all living creatures in this ambitious documentary of spectacular scope.
Each episode has a running time of about 48 minutes.

This documentary series is available for you to watch for free on YouTube at the following links:

Episode 1-One Planet
In this episode: Witness the planet's breathtaking diversity -- from seabirds carpet-bombing the ocean to wildebeests eluding the wild dogs of the Serengeti.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfO-3Oir-qM&list=PLydZ2Hrp_gPS1DRwFcowNTRNR1B9QbPm3

Episode 2-Frozen Worlds
In this episode: On the unforgiving frontier of climate change, polar bears, walruses, seals and penguins find their icy Edens in peril.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTQ3Ko9ZKg8&list=PLydZ2Hrp_gPS1DRwFcowNTRNR1B9QbPm3&index=2

Episode 3-Jungles
In this episode: Jungles and rainforests are home to an incredible variety of species like preening birds, intelligent orangutans and remarkably ambitious ants.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=um2Q9aUecy0&list=PLydZ2Hrp_gPS1DRwFcowNTRNR1B9QbPm3&index=3

Episode 4-Coastal Seas
In this episode: From fearsome sharks to lowly urchins, 90 percent of marine creatures live in coastal waters. Protecting these habitats is a battle humanity must win.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9PeYPHdpNo&list=PLydZ2Hrp_gPS1DRwFcowNTRNR1B9QbPm3&index=4

Episode 5-From Deserts to Grasslands
In this episode: Cameras follow desert elephants seeking sustenance, bison roaming North American grasslands and caterpillars living the good life underground.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmtXC_n6X6Q&list=PLydZ2Hrp_gPS1DRwFcowNTRNR1B9QbPm3&index=5

Episode 6-High Seas
In this episode: Venture into the deep, dark and desolate oceans that are home to an abundance of beautiful -- and downright strange -- creatures.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FqwhW0B3tY&list=PLydZ2Hrp_gPS1DRwFcowNTRNR1B9QbPm3&index=6

Episode 7-Fresh Water
In this episode: The need for fresh water is as strong as ever. However, the supply is becoming increasingly unpredictable for all manner of species.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2DU85qLfJQ&list=PLydZ2Hrp_gPS1DRwFcowNTRNR1B9QbPm3&index=7

Episode 8-Forests
In this episode: Examine the fragile interdependence that exists between forests' wide variety of residents, including bald eagles, hunting dogs and Siberian tigers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkaxUblCGz0&list=PLydZ2Hrp_gPS1DRwFcowNTRNR1B9QbPm3&index=8

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Creation Hymn’, by Matt Boswell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpqCsX_vJDE
*****************
UPDATE April 25, 2024

Today’s Earth Week Resource

Earth: The Inside Story
2014; Running Time: 57 Min
Written by: Doug Prose
Narrated by: Dan Nachtrab
Produced by: Earth Images Foundation

From the PBS website:
Trace the geologic story of our home planet, beginning with its formation four-and-a-half-billion years ago and continuing with its evolution to the present. Shot in top geologic hot spots on all seven continents, interspersed with footage of earthquakes and volcanoes from Nepal to Antarctica, this film features a diverse group of leading geologists who reveal the latest thinking about how the Earth works, from the core to the crust and up into the atmosphere. Earth: The Inside Story contrasts Earth’s geology with that of other planets in our solar system, dramatically underscoring how unique our planet is, and delves into the unpredictable sequence of geologic and cosmic events that happened before we humans made our appearance on Earth just a few million years ago. Leading up to modern times, the film lends scientific perspective to a question people have been asking in light of recent news coverage of major earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and extreme weather: Are Earth’s natural systems undergoing a period of intense upheaval?

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy4dth1N224

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘For the Beauty of the Earth’, by Audrey Assad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asU005-nnDI
********************
UPDATE April 24, 2024

Today’s Earth Week Resource

Greta's Story: The Schoolgirl Who Went on Strike to Save the Planet
By Valentina Camerini
Illustrated by Veronica Carratello
Translated by Moreno Giovannoni
Published by: Aladdin
2021
Ages: 8-12

From Simon and Schuster
The inspiring true story of a Greta Thunberg, a young eco-activist whose persistence sparked a global movement.

You are never too young to make a difference.

Ever since she learned about climate change, Greta Thunberg couldn’t understand why politicians weren’t treating it as an emergency. In August 2018, temperatures in Sweden reached record highs, fires raged across the country, and fifteen-year-old Greta decided to stop waiting for political leaders to take action. Instead of going to school on Friday, she made a sign and went on strike in front of Stockholm’s parliament building.

Greta’s solo protest grew into the global Fridays for Future—or School Strike 4 Climate—movement, which millions have now joined. She has spoken at multiple international climate summits, was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, and was chosen as Time’s 2019 Person of the Year. This timely, unofficial biography is her story, but also that of many others around the world willing to fight against the indifference of the powerful for a better future.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Creation Calls’, by Brian Doerksen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28sqs5H5hao
*****************
UPDATE April 23, 2024

Today’s Earth Week Resource

How to Give Up Plastic: A Guide to Changing the World, One Plastic Bottle at a Time (Book)
By Will McCallum
Published by: Penguin Books
2019

From Bookshop.org
An accessible guide to the changes we can all make--small and large--to rid our lives of disposable plastic and clean up the world's oceans

How to Give Up Plastic is a straightforward guide to eliminating plastic from your life. Going room by room through your home and workplace, Greenpeace activist Will McCallum teaches you how to spot disposable plastic items and find plastic-free, sustainable alternatives to each one. From carrying a reusable straw, to catching microfibers when you wash your clothes, to throwing plastic-free parties, you'll learn new and intuitive ways to reduce plastic waste. And by arming you with a wealth of facts about global plastic consumption and anecdotes from activists fighting plastic around the world, you'll also learn how to advocate to businesses and leaders in your community and across the country to commit to eliminating disposable plastics for good.

It takes 450 years for a plastic bottle to fully biodegrade, and there are around 12.7 million tons of plastic entering the ocean each year. At our current pace, in the year 2050 there could be more plastic in the oceans than fish, by weight. These are alarming figures, but plastic pollution is an environmental crisis with a solution we can all contribute to.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Trees We’ll Never See’, by Amy Grant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYzGMsBwU8c
********************
UPDATE April 22, 2024

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Today’s Earth Week Resource

Michael Moore Presents: Planet of the Humans
A Film by Jeff Gibbs
2019

Michael Moore presents a film by Jeff Gibbs, Planet of the Humans, a documentary that dares to say what no one else will — that we are losing the battle to stop climate change on planet earth because we are following leaders who have taken us down the wrong road — selling out the green movement to wealthy interests and corporate America. This film is the wake-up call to the reality we are afraid to face: that in the midst of a human-caused extinction event, the environmental movement’s answer is to push for techno-fixes and band-aids. It's too little, too late.

Removed from the debate is the only thing that MIGHT save us: getting a grip on our out-of-control human presence and consumption. Why is this not THE issue? Because that would be bad for profits, bad for business. Have we environmentalists fallen for illusions, “green” illusions, that are anything but green, because we’re scared that this is the end—and we’ve pinned all our hopes on biomass, wind turbines, and electric cars?

No amount of batteries are going to save us, warns director Jeff Gibbs (lifelong environmentalist and co-producer of “Fahrenheit 9/11” and “Bowling for Columbine"). This urgent, must-see movie, a full-frontal assault on our sacred cows, is guaranteed to generate anger, debate, and, hopefully, a willingness to see our survival in a new way—before it’s too late.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk11vI-7czE

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Keepers of the Earth-Yes We Are (Song for the Environment’, by Centuple Resource Centre & SEFAAI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyeXIO8s1UU
*************************
UPDATE April 21, 2024

As we begin Earth Week, we will focus on how we can be better stewards on the earth we have been gifted with by our Creator. We can all do something to help save our planet from ourselves, be it large or small. What can you do? Act. Learn. Pray. --ED

Today’s Earth Week Resource

Earth is a 2007 nature documentary film which depicts the diversity of wild habitats and creatures across the planet. The film begins in the Arctic in January of one year and moves southward, concluding in Antarctica in the December of the same year. Along the way, it features the journeys made by three particular species—the polar bear, African bush elephant and humpback whale—to highlight the threats to their survival in the face of rapid environmental change. A companion piece to the 2006 BBC/Discovery television series Planet Earth, the film uses many of the same sequences, though most are edited differently, and features previously unseen footage. Earth was co-directed by Alastair Fothergill, the executive producer of the television series, and Mark Linfield, the producer of Planet Earth's "From Pole to Pole" and "Seasonal Forests" episodes. It was co-produced by BBC Natural History Unit and Greenlight Media, with Discovery providing some of the funding. In North America, the film was released by Disneynature, the first film under Disney's recently formed nature film label. The same organisations collaborated on Fothergill's previous film, Deep Blue (2003), itself a companion to his 2001 television series on the natural history of the world's oceans.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQoMqthZehI

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Mother Earth’, by Karliene
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caIo1UGSDgw
****************
UPDATE April 20, 2024

If Not For You
How barren my land would be,
if not for you, Spirit of life.
You are clouds gathering on the mesas,
wind racing across seas of grass,
rivers dancing down the mountains.
You are moonlight.
You are breath.
You are what calls me on and keeps me going.
How full you make my life, Spirit,
how abundant the land you let me call home.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Where Can I Go-Psalm 139’, by Ellie Holcomb
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUjhyYXZ3wA
****************
UPDATE April 19, 2024

Here Is Hope
Tossed like leaves in the wind,
we feel our own fragility with every headline we read.
We do not know why this is the time into which we were born,
but we are not here by accident.
Beneath the gathering clouds we make our witness –
a torch held high for others to see.
Here, it says to all without exception,
here is a light that will not be lost.
Here is hope. Here is the ark of our dreams.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I Lift My Eyes-Psalm 121’, by Ellie Holcomb
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KjpfRFylPo
**********************
UPDATE April 18, 2024

Who Do You Trust?
Who do you trust?
That’s an important question these days.
You may have a short list.
You may have a long list.
But whoever else you trust,
please remember to add yourself to the list.
Trust your own experience,
your intuition,
your wisdom,
your relationship with Spirit.
You have not come this far
without learning what is important.
That is why I trust you.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘All of My Days-Psalm 23’, by Ellie Holcomb
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGzJxSS2W8Y
*****************
UPDATE April 17, 2024

I Am A Work In Progress
Patience in what I need to do.
Courage in what I need to be.
Peace in what I need to become.
Hope in what I need to believe.
I am a work in progress, Spirit,
a veteran learner who longs to grow.
Please help me embody the qualities
I need to follow my path to you.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Wait for You-Psalm 130’, by Ellie Holcomb
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCJAHT96R9s
********************
UPDATE April 16, 2024

One In Heart And Many In Mind
We are one in heart and many in mind.
Spiritual unity is possible
when people do not have to agree with one another
to love one another.
Our kindness, compassion and support
come from the heart as we live together in peace.
At the same time, our ideas, visions and opinions
may vary widely as we continue our creative work together
for the common good.
We are one in heart and many in mind.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘All We Ask’, by Shofar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUpuU8vwHvw
**********************
UPDATE April 15, 2024

A blessing to take what you need
The feeder is empty again
and no one is claiming that
the birds are greedy
for taking what they pleased.

Look at how the fat, pink flowers
are weighing the end of each branch,
sucking nutrients into each velvet petal.
How selfish.

Nature hungers,
takes and needs.
God, why can’t I?

Blessed are we,
learning to take what we need.
Sleeping past our alarms.
Reaching for another helping.
Staying a little longer
when the evening is unwinding.

Blessed are we,
ignoring the rising anxiety
that our needs are somehow silly
because we’ve survived this long
without the pleasures
of this wanting.

God,
let these needs be the good sign
of the greening of my life.
--Kate Bowler

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Ancient Words’, by Michael W. Smith
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9rk7v2L3hc
*******************
UPDATE April 14, 2024

Generosity
Generosity is a unique kind of spiritual energy.
It has a life of its own.
A generous act can be like fireworks exploding in a night sky,
beautiful, ephemeral, or it can last a lifetime,
a relationship of love.
Generosity is a gift that blesses the giver
just as it blesses the receiver.
It is an expression of our common heart,
a gift given for what we share.
Generosity is who we are
when who we are is suddenly seen.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘In the Stillness’, by The Many
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knaEnlvPu3U
***************
UPDATE April 13, 2024

Drawn Together, Held Together
Sometimes,
when I am keeping company with the moon,
awake and thinking in the dark,
I drift into thinking of you
(whoever you are, wherever you are)
and how we are drawn together,
held together, by words,
words we share in this community every day.
The power of the word is still strong.
In you. In me.
The beauty and authority of the words we release.
Still able to call forth the best in us.
Still willing to speak the words that must be spoken.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Rise Up’, by The Many
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pb1aI1PePY
***************
UPDATE April 12, 2024

They Say Struggle Makes Us Stronger
They say struggle makes us stronger,
and sure I believe it is so,
for I have known many quiet heroes,
champions of the struggle called life,
who have taught me the common courage within us all,
the strength of a heart that will not surrender its hope,
the depth of a human soul unafraid,
the enduring goodness that is always there just before us,
a promise made and a promise kept.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Hold Me Saviour’, by Keith & Kristyn Getty, Skye Peterson, Sandra McCracken
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8Ps_p7tjxc
****************
UPDATE April 11, 2024

A Blessing for When You Don’t Feel Fulfilled Anymore
God, I will wake up today and move,
numbly,
into each new hour.

I will fill my lungs with the air
of an undone, unfinished,
never-before-seen day,
entirely certain of how I will feel
when it ends:
tired.
bored.
unchanged.

God, even my best efforts—
my sacrificial love, my diligent work—
don’t stir up anything
like the rush of accomplishment.
Whatever felt like meaning
isn’t meaningful anymore.
At least not today.

One minute, I want to change everything.
And the next I want to crawl back into bed.|
(But, if I’m honest, how much of my actual
day-to-day life could I change,
even if I wanted to?)

Lord, this is the simplest prayer:
make it matter again.
Color my grayscale vision
with every shade of meaning.
Blues and purples and lilacs for purpose.
Reds and pinks for every kind of love.
Yellows for insights and ideas that sparkle.

And if once-cherished dreams need to fade,
let them fade.

Let me not imagine
that each one of my plans
must glue my future together.

Surprise me.
(I regret saying that already.)
But let me come alive to the wonder
of this day.
--Kate Bowler

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘God Walks the Dark Hills’, by Iris DeMent
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0t38AyrqBM
******************
UPDATE April 10, 2024

A Blessing for Learning to Delight Again
Blessed are you, the pragmatic.
You who have run the math and know what adds up…
and what doesn’t.
You have set it all down.
You who don’t hope or dream or plan anymore because… what’s the point?

But blessed are you, learning to live here.
Your world has shrunk.
Pain or grief or fear has sucked up
every bit of oxygen from the room
and every ounce of delight has been squeezed from your hands.

But blessed are we,
who discover that even in the smallness,
our attention might compress even more.

We who pull out a magnifying glass
to discover... to notice... to taste... to smell…
the small joys and simple pleasures that make a life worth living.

You who wear the fancy blouse
because it makes you feel nice,
long after you thought your body was worth decorating.
You who eat the over-the-top meal because that is what today can afford.

you who make the memory and plan the trip and who snap a picture because we know that this one, wild, precious life might cost us everything… so why not make it not just bearable, but beautiful.
--Kate Bowler

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Leaning on the Everlasting Arms’, by Iris DeMent
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1r-aTbaA-c
****************
UPDATE April 9, 2024

For living without control
God, I come to you as I am.
It is all I have, really.
And the next one I’m conscious of
will be the same.
I can feel the way I move,
moment to moment,
without the comfort of “solutions.”

It seems wild to me now
how I imagined any
once-and-for-all cure for this,
or a master plan to ensure
things will work out.
But, truth be told,
that’s always been
my secret hope.

So, Lord, let’s try again.
I’m begging for a new plan.
I want a plan that is an “unplan.”
I must keep moving and planning,
trying and changing,
knitting my days together even
as they unravel.
So can we do this together?

Remind me to pray: come Lord
and quiet the worry.
I step, and you steady me.
I give, and you keep my hands open.
I act, and you fortify me with courage
to try and try and try again.

This life is uncertain, Lord,
but your love is not.
You tell the story of my life
regardless of how little I know
about how it ends, except to say,
you were there since the beginning
and you appear on every page.
--Kate Bowler

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Let the Mystery Be’, by Iris DeMent
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlaoR5m4L80
**************
UPDATE April 8, 2024

Your Soul Rises
Like a still pool of water,
nestled beneath bending trees,
your soul rests in a timeless world,
at peace within itself.
Like a mother lion,
alert and ever watching,
your soul rises to meet its challenges,
protecting young hope from any danger.
Like a clear voice singing,
singing through the night,
your soul brings love to all who hear,
a healing sound across still waters.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘God is God’, by Joan Baez
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ_Ktz73WMY
*******************
UPDATE April 7, 2024

An Easter Blessing
So, Jesus, wasn’t that illegal
for you to break the seal
the Roman guards put there?
Bursting the bonds of death itself
to come again, larger than life?
And was it wise to present yourself
first to the women,
so lowly in social standing their word meant nothing in court?

And why did you keep appearing suddenly
to the huddled believers
behind locked doors for
fear of their enemies,
scared out of their wits to hear you say,
“Peace be with you!”?

And isn’t it the case that they were
never the same again,
these ordinary people
who had been so cowed,
receiving your Holy Spirit,
emboldened to begin the work you
set in motion,
speaking life and health and peace
to all who would listen?

This is what our newborn church
looks like: Blessed.
Blessed in our fear and inadequacy.
Blessed by your faith in us.
Blessed that we received,
by your own hand, the gift of hope—
the beginning of the end of sin
and of death.

We follow you as best we can
along that downward path
with all the humility we can manage.
You came back to us.

Alleluia.
Alleluia.
Alleluia.
--Kate Bowler

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Precious Love’, by Chris Tomlin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLZeYx9sZS0
******************
UPDATE April 6, 2024

We Are Not Afraid
We are not afraid,
even if we have every reason to be.
Yes, our eyes are open.
Yes, we are aware of the realities around us,
the hard realities,
but even if the daily news tries to press the hope out of us,
still we are not afraid.
Why?
Because we know every living thing
is under the watchful eye of love.
Every prayer,
ever said, by anyone,
is heard and received.
Every life, ever lived,
is redeemed by a power
far greater than even imagination can contain.
So, no, we are not afraid.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Above All’, by Michael W. Smith
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdhIz3SKAp8
**********************
UPDATE April 5, 2024

Collateral Renewal
You have heard of collateral damage.
Now hear of collateral renewal.
Every time we act in kindness,
in mercy, in love:
the impact of our actions radiates out
to touch many more lives
than the ones in our immediate vicinity.
Others we do not know will be affected.
The reverberations of our compassion
will circle the world.
Collateral renewal –
healing rippling out, never ending.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Hello God’, by Dolly Parton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvgHfqXHS-8
*****************
UPDATE April 3, 2024

Across Still Waters
Like a still pool of water,
nestled beneath bending trees,
your soul rests in a timeless world,
at peace within itself.
Like a mother lion,
alert and ever watching,
your soul rises to meet its challenges,
protecting young hope from any danger.
Like a clear voice singing,
singing through the night,
your soul brings love to all who hear,
a healing sound across still waters.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Completely Known, Completely Loved’, by Matt Boswell & Matt Papa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVuTMug1XqI
*********************
UPDATE April 2, 2024

We Are a Celebration
Hear laughter sound from distant mountains.
Hear the shout of joy rising from the valley.
Dawn has broken on fields of flowers,
sending clouds flying like kites in a clear sky.
This is a sign from heaven,
a promise made to all living things:
life is not random,
but intentional.
Life is not an end,
but a transformation.
Life is not only now,
but forever.
We are a celebration
with every breath we take.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Hallelujah (Easter Version)’, by Kelley Mooney
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWwl3DS2dh4
********************
UPDATE April 1, 2024

When Your Life Turns
How quickly life turns.
One minute you are in a place of peace.
The next minute you are facing a struggle.
The truth is,
we cannot change that pendulum.
We can only live it.
But we can live it with hope,
with dignity,
and with support.
The next time your life turns on a dime,
let it turn first to the Spirit,
the steady source of help
in an ever-changing world.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Via Dolorosa’, by Sandi Patty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYbJINxRz6o
******************
UPDATE March 31, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

Anne Murray-Life & Times (Documentary)
CBC Production
Produced & Directed by: Sharon Bartlet & Maria LeRose
Written by: Helen Slinger
Narrated by: Jerry Thompson
1996; Running Time: 47 Min

From Wikipedia
Morna Anne Murray CC ONS (born 1945) is a Canadian singer of pop, country, and adult contemporary music, who has sold over 55 million album copies worldwide during her over 40-year career. Murray has won four Grammys including the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1979.

Murray was the first Canadian female solo singer to reach No. 1 on the U.S. charts and also the first to earn a Gold record for one of her signature songs, "Snowbird" (1970). She is often cited as one of the female Canadian artists who paved the way for other international Canadian success stories such as k.d. lang, Céline Dion, and Shania Twain. Murray is well known for her Grammy Award-winning 1978 number-one hit (in several countries) "You Needed Me", and is the first woman and the first Canadian to win Album of the Year at the 1984 Country Music Association Awards for her Gold-plus 1983 album A Little Good News.

Besides four Grammys, Murray has received a record 24 Juno Awards, three American Music Awards, three Country Music Association Awards, and three Canadian Country Music Association Awards. She has been inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, the Juno Hall of Fame, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame. She is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame Walkway of Stars in Nashville and has her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles and on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto.

In 2011, Billboard ranked her 10th on their list of the 50 Biggest Adult Contemporary Artists Ever.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCAfI0fkHy4

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Let There Be Love’, by Anne Murray ft Dawn Langstroth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=310V18GzrtY
********************
UPDATE March 30, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

Dottie Rambo ‘More Than the Music’ (Documentary)
2002; Running Time: 1 Hr 11 Min
Produced by: Stephen Yake
Narrated by: Charlie Daniels

From Wikipedia
Dottie Rambo (1934–2008) was an American gospel singer and songwriter. She was a Grammy winning solo artist and multiple Dove award-winning artist. Along with ex-husband Buck and daughter Reba, she formed the award-winning southern Gospel group, The Rambos. She wrote more than 2,500 songs, including her most notable, "The Holy Hills of Heaven Call Me", "He Looked Beyond My Fault and Saw My Need", "We Shall Behold Him", and "I Go To the Rock".

As a songwriter, Whitney Houston, Elvis Presley, Carol Channing, Sandi Patty, Barbara Mandrell, Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Rhonda Vincent, Vestal Goodman, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Solomon Burke, and George Jones are among those who have recorded her songs. Her songs have appeared in movies such as Undertow. It's very common to find hymnals that include Dottie's compositions. The Gaither Homecoming series have featured/covered dozens of her songs; moreover, she has appeared in five of the Gaither Homecoming video and TV series.

In 1991 Dottie was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall Of Fame, 1997 The Southern Gospel Music Hall Of Fame. The Christian Country Music Association's “Songwriter of The Century”. In 2006 she was inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame with Lily Tomlin presenting her the honor. In 2007 Barbara Mandrell presented Dottie her induction into the Nashville Songwriter Association's Hall of Fame (she was the 10th female ever to be inducted). In 2008 she was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.

In 2000, Rambo was awarded the ASCAP Lifetime Achievement Award. Her music is known for its poetic lyrics and cross genre reaching melodies often dealing with themes such as heaven, Christian sacrifice, hurts, and the born-again Christian experience.

On May 11, 2008, while on her tour bus heading to Texas for a Mother's Day concert, Rambo's tour bus crashed, killing her instantly. The crash took place in Mt. Vernon, Missouri. The other 6 passengers survived with injuries, including her manager Larry Ferguson and his family.

A tribute album in honor of Dottie's songwriting will be released in 2021. The album will feature artists of various genres singing their favorite Rambo composition. Rambo's longtime manager Larry Ferguson is co-producer of the project.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8IbMjnA_MU

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I Will Glory in the Cross’, by Dottie Rambo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw9_wUugYgA
******************
UPDATE March 29, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

The Fanny Crosby Story (Documentary)
2017; Running Time: 45 Min
Director: Stephen H. Plitt
Starring: Cassandra Husband, Kathy Shane, Anthony Kim

From YouTube
This is the amazing biography of the blind hymn writer, Fanny Crosby. As the writer of more than 10,000 hymns, all penned after the age of 40, she is credited with authoring more verse than any human in history. The tragic mistreatment by a charlatan masquerading as a doctor blinded Fanny shortly after birth. Nevertheless, she learned to function as a sighted child except for her inability to read. She was an extraordinary child filled with joy and mischief! At her grandmother's knee, she began to demonstrate an exceptional memory, and memorized several complete books of the Bible, including Ruth and Proverbs. She left home at age 15 to begin her formal education. One of the most notable pupils of the New York Institute for Special Education, Fanny was also the first woman to address the US Congress. Fulfilling the roles of wife, mother, friend, teacher, nurse to the sick during the cholera epidemic, humanitarian to the poor and disenfranchised, and friend of presidents — Fanny Crosby was an exceptional woman by any standard. And her legacy lives on through the thousands of hymns that are still sung today.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceP4fZTVUYA

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross’, by Alison Krauss
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlCSVIfsllU
*************
UPDATE March 28, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

American Women of Achievement—Emily Dickinson (Documentary)
Wolfington Media LLC Production
1995; Running Time: 27 Min

From Wikipedia
Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (1830 – 1886) was an American poet. Little-known during her life, she has since been regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry. Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massachusetts, into a prominent family with strong ties to its community. After studying at the Amherst Academy for seven years in her youth, she briefly attended the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary before returning to her family's home in Amherst. Evidence suggests that Dickinson lived much of her life in isolation. Considered an eccentric by locals, she developed a penchant for white clothing and was known for her reluctance to greet guests or, later in life, even to leave her bedroom. Dickinson never married, and most of her friendships were based entirely upon correspondence.

Although Dickinson was a prolific writer, her only publications during her lifetime were 10 of her nearly 1,800 poems and one letter. The poems published then were usually edited significantly to fit conventional poetic rules. Her poems were unique for her era; they contain short lines, typically lack titles, and often use slant rhyme as well as unconventional capitalization and punctuation. Many of her poems deal with themes of death and immortality, two recurring topics in letters to her friends, and also explore aesthetics, society, nature, and spirituality.

Although Dickinson's acquaintances were most likely aware of her writing, it was not until after she died in 1886—when Lavinia, Dickinson's younger sister, discovered her cache of poems—that her work became public. The first published collection of her poetry was made in 1890 by her personal acquaintances Thomas Wentworth Higginson and Mabel Loomis Todd, though they heavily edited the content. A complete collection of her poetry first became available in 1955 when scholar Thomas H. Johnson published The Poems of Emily Dickinson. In 1998, The New York Times reported on a study in which infrared technology revealed that much of Dickinson's work had been deliberately censored to exclude the name "Susan". At least eleven of Dickinson's poems were dedicated to her sister-in-law Susan Huntington Gilbert Dickinson, and all the dedications were later obliterated, presumably by Todd. This censorship serves to obscure the nature of Emily and Susan's relationship, which many scholars have interpreted as romantic.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ri1oPRnzEZ4

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Just A Closer Walk With Thee/Take My Hand Lord Jesus’, by Anne Murray ft Tommy West
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evG6mLukuw4
*******************
UPDATE March 27, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

American Women of Achievement—Helen Keller (Documentary)
Wolfington Media LLC Production
1995; Running Time: 26 Min

From Wikipedia
Helen Adams Keller (1880–1968) was an American author, disability rights advocate, political activist and lecturer. Born in West Tuscumbia, Alabama, she lost her sight and her hearing after a bout of illness when she was 19 months old. She then communicated primarily using home signs until the age of seven, when she met her first teacher and life-long companion Anne Sullivan. Sullivan taught Keller language, including reading and writing. After an education at both specialist and mainstream schools, Keller attended Radcliffe College of Harvard University and became the first deaf/blind person in the United States to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Keller was also a prolific author, writing 14 books and hundreds of speeches and essays on topics ranging from animals to Mahatma Gandhi. Keller campaigned for those with disabilities, for women's suffrage, labor rights, and world peace. In 1909, she joined the Socialist Party of America (SPA). She was a founding member of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

Keller's autobiography, The Story of My Life (1903), publicized her education and life with Sullivan. It was adapted as a play by William Gibson, and this was also adapted as a film under the same title, The Miracle Worker. Her birthplace has been designated and preserved as a National Historic Landmark. Since 1954 it has been operated as a house museum and sponsors an annual "Helen Keller Day".

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTmpcSaRpss

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Song of Bernadette’, by Anne Murray
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhTHNEztLT8
*****************
UPDATE March 26, 2024

We are deviating from our focus on Women’s History Month to focus our thoughts and prayers on the disaster in Baltimore, Maryland that happened overnight. A cargo ship ran into the Francis Scott Key Bridge, bringing the entire bridge down into the bay. Lives have been lost. People will be grieving. A city and community will be in shock. The Rev. Emily M. D. Scott, pastor at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Baltimore and Pastor/Church Planter at Dreams and Visions wrote this post of Facebook earlier today. Let us all join our prayers with those closest to this disaster that God would be present in the midst of the chaos and journey with those most affected through the aftermath.--LC

Pastor Emily writes:
“Baltimore is in shock this morning, waking up to the news of the collapse of the Key Bridge after a cargo ship lost power and hit it early this morning.

Our hearts go out those all those impacted. I'm praying this morning for those driving on the bridge, and for the crew, and that as many lives can be saved as possible. I'm praying for the rescue workers who are out there doing everything they can.

These events can sometimes make us feel uneasy -- that something that felt so solid and reliable is suddenly gone. It can make us wonder what else in our lives might be less solid than it appears? And we may be worried about what this means for commerce and jobs in our area in the future.

Whatever you're feeling this morning, it makes sense. Here is a prayer to pray that might be helpful:

Loving God, we are joined with the trials and sufferings of all. Be with those who are impacted by the collapse of the Key bridge. Protect those in the path of danger. Open pathways for rescue. Provide assistance to those who need help. Be with those who are frightened, waiting, or grieving. Let your love be known through those who work to bring order in chaos. Help us to shoulder the burden of suffering, and make us bearers of the hope that is your healing gift in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.”
-Adapted from Evangelical Lutheran Worship

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Peace’, by We the Kingdom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uW6xcmqfiY4
*******************
UPDATE March 25, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

American Women of Achievement—Clara Barton (Documentary)
Wolfington Media LLC Production
1995; Running Time: 27 Min

From Wikipedia
Clarissa Harlowe Barton (1821–1912) was an American nurse who founded the American Red Cross. She was a hospital nurse in the American Civil War, a teacher, and a patent clerk. Since nursing education was not then very formalized and she did not attend nursing school, she provided self-taught nursing care. Barton is noteworthy for doing humanitarian work and civil rights advocacy at a time before women had the right to vote. She was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1973.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIg5qUbks2o

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Other Side’, by Anne Murray
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMME-W0qCoA
*******************
UPDATE March 24, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

American Women of Achievement—Susan B. Anthony (Documentary)
Wolfington Media LLC Production
1995; Running Time: 27 Min

From Biography.com
Who Was Susan B. Anthony?
Susan B. Anthony (1820–1906) was an American writer, lecturer, and abolitionist who was a leading figure in the women’s voting rights movement. Raised in a Quaker household, Anthony went on to work as a teacher. She later partnered with Elizabeth Cady Stanton and would eventually lead the National American Woman Suffrage Association. The work of Anthony and other suffragists eventually lead to the passage of the 19th Amendment, granting all women the right to vote, in 1920, which 14 years after her death.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PIWr17uwIk

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I Think He Is’, by Rita Springer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4n-pX95ZKc
**************
UPDATE March 23, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

Celebrating Carol: The Gift of Laughter—Carol Burnett (Documentary)
Directed by: Jeff Peisch
Written by: Emily Simon
2023; Running Time: 45 Min
Shout Studios

From Youtube
Shout! Factory TV proudly presents Celebrating Carol: The Gift Of Laughter, an exclusive special honoring Carol Burnett’s comedy career. Originally airing as a pre-show to NBC’s “Carol Burnett 90th Birthday Special,” this interview features the comedy legend discussing her favorite moments from her storied career. Cited as one of the best TV shows of all time by TV Guide, Entertainment Weekly, TIME, Rolling Stone, and others, “The Carol Burnett Show” is among the originators of the sketch comedy format.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uCD1ay7KlM

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Shepherd’, by CeCe Winans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWknnFaVi1Y
*******************
UPDATE March 22, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

Joni Mitchell A Life Story: Woman of Heart and Mind (Documentary)
Written & Directed by: Susan Lacy.
2003; Running Time: 1 Hr 32 Min

From YouTube
Joni Mitchell A Life Story: Woman of Heart and Mind review: One of the great talents of her or anyone else's generation gets the royal treatment with this superb documentary. It's all here (via interviews, including conversations past and present with Mitchell herself, photos, generous helpings of concert footage, and more): her Saskatchewan childhood, her lovers, her painting, her reunion with the daughter she had left behind at age 19... and, of course, her music, the songs, recordings, and performances, so intensely personal yet so universally accessible, that comprise one of the most extraordinarily original and significant (if not always wildly popular) bodies of work any artist has ever produced. Even true fanatics are likely to find revelations here; the rest of us can simply rejoice in the life and artistry of Joni Mitchell. --Sam Graham

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5AzNDO-V2k

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Both Sides Now’, by Joni Mitchell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxiluPSmAF8
****************
UPDATE March 21, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

Josephine Baker: The Story of an Awakening (Documentary)
Produced by: Juliette Cazanave
Narrated by: Akiya Henry
2018; Running Time: 52 Min

From YouTube
In the 1920’s, Josephine Baker, a chorus girl from segregated America becomes an international superstar in Paris. Her "savage" dance brings modernity to the Europe of the Roaring Twenties. But over the years, on every trip "back home", she faces racism and segregation. This film tells the story of her political awakening.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nHUh_yjLaA

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘People Get Ready’, by Eva Cassidy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzLd2MDAHK8
******************
UPDATE March 20, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

Betty Ford: The Real Deal (Documentary)
2009; Running Time: 57 Min
PBS Newshour Production

From YouTube
Family, friends, historians and Betty Ford herself reflect on her life as a political spouse; an accidental and outspoken first lady; breast cancer survivor; and feminist pro-choice Republican in Betty Ford: The Real Deal, a one-hour biography which aired in March 2009 on PBS.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc_KY9-5Qzs

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Water is Wide’, by Eva Cassidy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTTkvWsY-e4
*****************
UPDATE March 19, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

Mary Pickford Life & Times (Documentary)
Hosted by Ann-Marie MacDonald
Produced, Directed, & Written by Jill Offman
Narrated by Nicky Guadagni
CBC Productions
1998; Running Time: 45 Min

From Canada’s Walk of Fame Website:
Mary was born Gladys Louise Smith on April 8th, 1892 in Toronto, Ontario. Her father, John Charles Smith, died suddenly from an accidental blow to the head, leaving her mother, Charlotte, without income, savings and alone with three young children. In order to make ends meet, the family took boarders into their University Avenue home. One of the borders was a theatre stage manager who suggested that Charlotte could put her children on the stage for added income. At age 15, the young Smith set off for New York and approached the famed producer, David Belasco. Against all odds, Gladys got her break on Broadway, and Belasco changed her name to Mary Pickford.

She began working in “flickers” between stage shows and in 1908, signed a movie studio contract that catapulted her to Hollywood stardom. She reigned for 23 years as the undisputed queen of the screen. Canada’s “Baby Gladys,” as one playbill named her back in Toronto, had become the most famous woman in the world. By 1916, Mary’s weekly “wages” topped the average family annual income of the day. Pickford always remembered her roots and humble beginnings. Her chosen name, Pickford, came from her mother’s ancestors so she always felt close to family. She was active in philanthropy, contributing to charities such as the Motion Picture and Television Fund, which she helped found.

Mary was awarded two Oscars during her life: the first was in 1929 for her role in the film Coquette. Her second was a Lifetime Achievement Award she received at the 1976 Oscars, also when she made her last public appearance. Pickford was the first Canadian to win an Oscar. She was also the second to win best actress and the first for a role in a film with sound. She was one of the founding members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcEZWCMeA3U

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Over the Rainbow’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rd8VktT8xY
*******************
UPDATE March 18, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

Dolly Parton: From Rags to Rhinestones (Documentary)
2020; Running Time: 1 Hr
Written & Directed by Finlay Bald
Entertain Me Productions

From IMDB:
Dolly Parton is one of the most iconic singer-songwriters of all time - having won numerous prestigious awards for her emotional writing that strikes at the very heart of what it is to be human. From the bright lights of recording contracts in Nashville to topping the music charts, from acting in movies to appearances across the world in sold-out arena tours - Dolly has certainly come a long way and it hasn't always been an easy ride. From her humble beginnings - one of 12 children living in a shack in Tennessee - Dolly has not only conquered the Country music scene but made her mark on the entertainment industry.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQL5BwkaKAc

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Eagle When She Flies’, by Dolly Parton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb1Rufxem_4
*****************
UPDATE March 17, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

The Famous Five and The Persons Case (Did You Know Short Doc)
2014; Running Time: 6:00 Min
CPAC

From YouTube:
They've been called visionaries, feminists, trailblazers and Canadian heroes- Emily Murphy, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Louise McKinney, Irene Parlby and Nellie McClung changed the Canadian political landscape forever. They fought to be recognized as persons under the law. On October 18th, 1929, after an arduous legal and political battle the British Privy Council recognized women as persons under the British North America Act.

This short documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if_pyx5dm9Y

Heritage Minutes-Emily Murphy
Running Time: 1 Min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njAO38Og1-k

Heritage Minutes-Nellie McClung
Running Time: 1 Min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdbG6EIHrbs

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Come Jesus Come’, by CeCe Winans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9NjB38sDvQ
*****************
UPDATE March 16, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

Malala Yousafzai addresses United Nations Youth Assembly (Speech)
2013; Running Time: 18 Min
United Nations Video

From YouTube
United Nations, New York, 12 July 2013 - Education activist Malala Yousafzai marks her 16th birthday, on Friday, 12 July 2013 at the United Nations by giving her first high-level public appearance and statement on the importance of education.

Malala became a public figure when she was shot by the Taliban while travelling to school last year in Pakistan -- targeted because of her committed campaigning for the right of all girls to an education. Flown to the United Kingdom to recover, she is now back at school and continues to advocate for every child's right to education.

In support of the UN Secretary-General's Global Education First Initiative (GEFI), on 12 July -- declared as "Malala Day" -- the President of the UN General Assembly and the UN Special Envoy for Global Education with the support of A World at School initiative are organizing the UN Youth Assembly, where more than 500 young leaders from around the world will convene to accelerate the goal of getting all children, especially girls, in school and learning by 2015.

This speech is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rNhZu3ttIU

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘One Woman’, by Various Artists
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldyvIcVR9JI
*******************
UPDATE March 15, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

Eva Cassidy may be the best singer you’ve never heard of. She has achieved more success since her untimely death from cancer at 33 years of age than she did in her years of performing as a singer and musician. Most of the songs she sang were ‘cover songs’, songs made famous by other artists. Eva’s gift was putting her own imprint on each and every song she covered. She sang nearly every genre of music, refusing to be boxed into one style. Simply put, she sang what moved her and made each song her own. Give her music a listen and see if you don’t agree.--LC

The Musical Story Of Eva Cassidy - Nightline Profile 2001 (Documentary)
2001; Running Time: 18 Min

The story of Eva Cassidy's music career, originally broadcast on ABC's Nightline in 2001. She's considered by many to be one of the best vocalist and arrangers of her generation.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKowGakjJQI

and

Eva Cassidy - One Night That Changed Everything (Documentary)
2021; Running Time: 50 Min

25 years ago, a little known singer, Eva Cassidy, and her producer scraped together enough money to record a gig and self-produce an album. This is the story of one night – 3rd January 1996 - at a jazz club in Georgetown, Washington D.C., a set of recordings that almost never happened, and the extraordinary success that followed told by her band members who played with her that night. No one could have imagined that the audio and video recordings from that night would prove to be the foundation of her unparalleled posthumous worldwide success.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEqzTlZdfSo

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Imagine’, by Eva Cassidy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGnfqRR509M
********************
UPDATE March 14, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

Ms Represented
2021; 4 Episodes at approx. 30 Min each
Hosted by: Annabel Crabb
Australian Broadcasting Corporation

From the TVO Website:
Australia was the first independent nation in the world where women could both vote and run for Parliament. But it took a long time for women to actually be elected, and once elected, they were expected to fit into a system that was already there. This is the story of the struggle of women to be heard, to be respected, and to prosper in Australia's federal ParliamentAustralia was the first independent nation in the world where women could both vote and run for Parliament. But it took a long time for women to actually be elected, and once elected, they were expected to fit into a system that was already there. This is the story of the struggle of women to be heard, to be respected, and to prosper in Australia's federal Parliament

This series is available for you to watch for free on TVO:
https://www.tvo.org/programs/ms-represented

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Mercy’, by Rachel Platten
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKdmJhOeoTg
***************
UPDATE March 13, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

RBG (Documentary)
2018; Running Time: 1 Hr 40 Min
Directed by: Betsy West, Julie Cohen
Produced by: Betsy West, Julie Cohen
Magnolia Pictures

From the CBC Website:
An exploration of the life and career of United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and how her legal legacy has propelled the battle for gender equality.

From Wikipedia
RBG is a 2018 American documentary film focusing on the life and career of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the second female Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States after Sandra Day O'Connor. After premiering at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, the film was released in the United States on May 4, 2018. The film was directed and produced by Betsy West and Julie Cohen.

This documentary is free for you to watch at CBC Gem https://gem.cbc.ca/ but you will need to set up a free account.
https://gem.cbc.ca/rbg?autoplay=1

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘How Beautiful’, by Twila Paris
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lstrUWHt4-k
*****************
UPDATE March 12, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

Dr. Sally Ride—A Woman Space Pioneer (Documentary)
1995; Running Time: 44 Min
Narrated by Natalie Alexander
Written & Produced by Elliott H. Halimoff, PhD, & Scott Stillman
Global Science Productions

From YouTube
This documentary profiles the life and experiences of Dr. Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly in space aboard the Space Shuttle STS-7 in June 1983. It was the pioneering work of Dr. Ride that served as a model for women of all ages that the sky's the limit to achieving their dreams in their own professions.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVcckmqxgFY

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘This is My Father’s World’, by Amy Grant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5rZx-iogyg
****************
UPDATE March 11, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

Behind the Veil: Nuns (Documentary)
Directed by: Margaret Wescott
1984; Running Time: 2 Hr 10 Min
Producer: Signe Johansson
Narrated by: Gloria Demers
National Film Board of Canada

From the NFB website:
This feature documentary records the turbulent history and remarkable achievements of women in religion, from pre-Christian Celtic communities to the radical sisters of the 1980s. The history of nuns mirrors that of all women - in what we are taught about the past, women are almost invisible. Although today's one million nuns outnumber priests two to one, they still struggle to be heard by the all-male Roman Catholic hierarchy from which they are excluded. In Behind the Veil: Nuns, contemporary nuns speak candidly of their lives, their challenges, and their predecessors.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on the National Film Board website:
https://www.nfb.ca/film/behind_veil_nuns/

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Miserere et Parce (Have mercy, and spare Thy people, O Lord) Lenten Hymn’, by Sisters of Aquinas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ri44YG_0dXU
******************
UPDATE March 10, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands (Documentary)
2022; Running Time: 1 Hr 53 Min
Directed by Rita Coburn
American Masters; PBS

From the PBS Website:
American Masters – Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands explores the life, career, art and legacy of the African American contralto and civil rights pioneer in her own words using archival interview recordings. Marian Anderson’s singing and speaking voice are heard throughout the documentary, providing new understanding of the woman behind the music.

Best known for her concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1939, Anderson christened the Washington, D.C., landmark as a place of protest after she was discriminated against on the basis of a “whites only” concert policy at the Daughters of the American Revolution’s Constitution Hall. She garnered interracial support from First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, the NAACP, Howard University and other leaders and defied the conscience of her time by performing for an integrated audience of over 75,000. The concert reached millions of radio listeners around the world and became an inspiration to the growing civil rights movement, inspiring a 10-year-old Martin Luther King, Jr., to later publish a winning oratorical citing the experience.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rlk-x2gkglk

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands’, by Marian Anderson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9m49NK-xUUk
******************
UPDATE March 9, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

And We Knew How to Dance: Women in World War I (Documentary)
Directed by: Maureen Judge
Produced by: Silva Basmajian
Executive Producer: Dennis Murphy, John Taylor
1993; Running Time: 55 min
National Film Board of Canada

From the NFB Website:
This feature documentary profiles 12 Canadian women who entered the male-dominated world of munitions factories and farm labour during World War I. In 1994, aged 86 to 101, these women recall their wartime work experiences and the ways in which their commitment and determination helped lead the way to postwar social changes for women.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on the National Film Board website:
https://www.nfb.ca/film/and_we_knew_how_to_dance/

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Wayfaring Stranger’, by Eva Cassidy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1McUJ5T_IQo
**************
UPDATE March 8, 2024

On this International Women’s Day, we share a video from 1965 about one of the most remarkable women of the 20th century. Many women who came after Eleanor Roosevelt claim her as an influence and a role model. She was ahead of her time and she paved the way for so many who came after her. Women today owe a great debt to the life and legacy of Eleanor Roosevelt. Happy International Women’s Day to all of the Phenomenal Women out there!

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

The Eleanor Roosevelt Story (Documentary)
1965; Running Time: 1 Hr 30 Min
Director: Richard Kaplan
Distributed by: Monogram Pictures
Produced by: Sidney Glazier

From YouTube
Richard Kaplan documents the life of one of America's most influential first ladies. Orphaned at age 10, Eleanor Roosevelt marries her fifth cousin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in 1905. His election in 1932 allows Eleanor to step up to national prominence, battling for civil rights and visiting troops during World War II. After her husband's death, Roosevelt continued to advocate for human rights at the U.N., proving herself one of America's great humanitarians.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVHHIG-WWTw

‘Phenomenal Woman’, by Amy Sky
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkdfdC__EvA
******************
UPDATE March 7, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

Under the Willow Tree: Pioneer Chinese Women in Canada (Documentary)
Directed by: Dora Nipp
Executive Producer: Ginny Stikeman
Produced by: Margaret Wong
1997; Running Time: 51 Min
National Film Board of Canada

From the NFB Website:
A rich and little-known part of Canadian history unfolds through the stories of the first Chinese women to come to Canada and of subsequent generations of Chinese Canadian women. It is an amazing tale of courageous women who left behind their families, knowing they would never see them again and of girls who were shipped off to the New World to marry men they had never met. These are the women who fought against the many forms of racism they faced in Canada while, at the same time, challenging sexism within their own communities. By passing on language, culture, and values to their children, these women defined what it means to be Chinese Canadian. Beautiful old photographs from family albums, the recollections of seven women who grew up in Canada in the first half of the 20th century, and the memories of narrator and director, Dora Nipp, whose grandfather came to Canada in 1881 to build the railway, create a remarkable story of stunning impact.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on the National Film Board website:
https://www.nfb.ca/film/under-the-willow-tree-pioneer-chinese-women/

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘If I Could See What the Angels See’, by Amy Grant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_3NXD4cKJY
*****************
UPDATE March 6, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

Prairie Women (Documentary)
Directed by: Barbara Evans
Executive Producers: Tom Radford, Graydon McCrea
Produced by: Caryl Brandt
1986; Running Time: 45 Min
National Film Board of Canada

From the NFB Website:
This film illustrates the struggles of Canadian prairies women to achieve a more just and humane society within the farm movement and at large. During the early 1900s, women on the prairies looked for ways to overcome their isolation. Out of the resulting farm women's organizations grew a group of women possessing remarkable intellectual abilities, social and cultural awareness, and advanced worldviews.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on the National Film Board website:
https://www.nfb.ca/film/prairie_women/

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Thy Word’, by Amy Grant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6LC8cu03Ig
****************
UPDATE March 5, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

Joan of Arc (TV Movie)
Written by: Michael Alexander Miller, Ronald Parker
Directed by: Christian Duguay
Starring: Leelee Sobieski, Chad Willett, Peter O'Toole, Jacqueline Bisset, Powers Boothe, Neil Patrick Harris, Maximilian Schell, Maury Chaykin, Olympia Dukakis, Jonathan Hyde, Robert Loggia, Peter Strauss, Shirley MacLaine
1999; Running Time: 2Hr 20 Min

From Wikipedia
Joan of Arc is a 1999 Canadian two-part television miniseries about the 15th-century Catholic saint of the same name. The miniseries stars Leelee Sobieski as Saint Joan. A joint production of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Alliance Atlantis Communications, it was shown internationally in 1999.

This TV Movie is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ewl6aIfwpg4

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Joan of Arc’, by Jennifer Warnes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmd_H1lTW8Q
****************

UPDATE March 4, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

The Women Behind Project Mercury (Documentary)
2018; Running Time: 55 Min
Executive Procucer: Diana Sole Walko
Scriptwriter: Diana Sole Walko
Narrated by Kevin Dorsey

From YouTube
"Outlier: the story of Katherine Johnson" maps the trajectory of this African American girl-wonder whose mathematical genius catapulted astronauts into space. From America's first attempt at manned space flights to the Space Shuttle program, Johnson was an integral part of NASA. Includes an interview with Johnson, whose life was profiled in the movie "Hidden Figures."

From Films Media Group
In mathematical terms, an outlier is a data point that differs greatly from other observations. It is an apt description for a person, too, that is outside the norms. This film is a one-hour documentary about the trajectory of an African-American girl wonder whose mathematical genius would catapult astronauts into space. Born in 1918, Johnson graduated high school at the age of 14, college at 18, and went on to a career with NASA where she broke race and gender barriers. Johnson not only succeeded in a white, male-dominated field, she excelled. From America’s first attempt at manned space flights to the Shuttle program, Johnson was an integral part of the mission. The documentary includes an interview with Johnson herself, as well as interviews with NASA’s chief historian, a curator at the Smithsonian’s Air & Space Museum, and an interview with Margot Shetterly, the author of the book Hidden Figures. Johnson’s life was one of three profiled in the Hollywood film of the same name.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvsHjWVgqcY

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Window in the Wall’, by Olivia Newton-John & Chloe Lattanzi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmW-wumdBV4
********************
UPDATE March 3, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

The Legacy of a Canadian Chief Justice (Interview)
An Interview with Former Chief Justice of Canada, Beverley McLachlin
2019; Running Time: 30 Min
TVO Today

From YouTube
Beverley McLachlin, former chief justice of Canada, joins Steve Paikin to talk about her memoir, "Truth Be Told: My Journey Through Life and the Law," within which she reflects on her life, from her childhood in Alberta to her Supreme Court career.

This interview is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwVRQEhUKTA

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘This is Me’, by Selah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BYPZ2NDDd4
*******************
UPDATE March 2, 2024

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

World In Action, Women on the March (Documentary)
National Film Board of Canada
1958; Running Time: 58 Min
Directed by: Douglas Tunstell
Executive Producer: Nicholas Balla
Narrated by: Pierre Berton

From the NFB Website
This feature film in two parts is an exploration of the women’s suffrage movement. Spearheaded by women like Emmeline Pankhurst, founder of the Women's Social and Political Union, the Suffragettes realized they would have to become radical and militant if the movement was going to be effective. There followed many demonstrations, and imprisonments until the women’s vote was finally granted, in 1918 (Britain) and 1919 (Canada, except Quebec.)

From YouTube
Documentary film that uses motion pictures and photographs to outline the development of women's rights internationally. Part 1 covers the suffragette movement from the turn of the century. Feminist leaders such as Emmeline Pankhurst, Nellie McClung, and Anna Howard Shaw are highlighted. Shots include: women going to jail for the cause; men and women protesting for the vote; and women at work on the home front and enlisting for overseas service during World War I. Part 2 traces the advancement of women since attaining the vote. Shots include: women supporting prohibition; women running for office; women at work in a variety of occupations; and women having an increased role in World War II.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx3B8HRmAVU

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘You Say’, by Lauren Daigle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIaT8Jl2zpI
*********************
UPDATE March 1, 2024

March is Women’s History Month and for the next four weeks we will offer daily resources that shine a spotlight on the role, the struggle, and the importance of women through history. We will offer links to movies, documentaries, books, and music that illustrate the accomplishments of women as well as their strength and resilience.—ED

Today’s Women’s History Month Resource

A League of Their Own-The Documentary (Documentary)
Directed by: Mary Wilson
Produced by: Kim Wilson & Kelly Candaele.
1987; Running Time: 27 Min

From YouTube
Director Penny Marshall saw this All American Girls Professional Baseball League documentary and was inspired to make a movie version of the story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. The documentary was directed by Mary Wilson and produced by Kim Wilson and Kelly Candaele. Kelly's mother, Helen, and his Aunt Margaret both played in the Girls Professional Baseball League and are featured in the documentary. Kelly and Kim are also credited with creating the story for the A League of Their Own movie starring Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Tom Hanks, Rosie O'Donnell, and Madonna.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxQg1j0D70k

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I Am Woman’, by Helen Reddy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rptW7zOPX2E
****************
UPDATE February 29, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Black Life: Untold Stories
Black Life: Untold Stories illuminates the struggles and triumphs of Black people in Canada while celebrating the contributions of both famous and lesser-known Black Canadians. Epic in scope, Black Life is an eight-part series that spans more than 400 years with an eye toward contemporary issues, culture, politics, music, art and sports. Viewer discretions is advised.

This documentary series is free for you to watch at CBC Gem https://gem.cbc.ca/ but you will need to set up a free account.

You can watch the entire series here:
https://gem.cbc.ca/black-life-untold-stories?autoplay=1

Episode 1-Haven But Not Heaven
Running Time 44 Min

An unflinching examination of slavery in Canada that dispels the myth of Canada as a safe haven for Black people. Slavery was the norm in Canada for centuries. The first recorded enslaved person in Canada was a little boy who was given the name Olivier Le Jeune, whose sale was recorded in 1628.

This episode examines the history of slavery, which dispels the myth of Canada as a utopia for Black people. But amid the tragedies, there are also instances of hope and resilience, including the remarkable account of the Blackburns, a couple who escaped enslavement and persecution in the U.S. and unwittingly put Upper Canada's new slavery laws to the test for the first time. The principle established in their landmark case remains foundational to Canadian extradition law to this day. This is just one episode in an eight-part series.

Warning: This episode contains disturbing depictions of abuse endured by enslaved Black people. Viewer discretions is advised.

Episode 2-Revolution Remix
Running Time 44 Min

Two era-defining Black empowerment events in 1960s Montreal are explored, including the Sir George Williams Affair.

Episode 3-Northern Beats
Running Time 44 Min

Pioneers of Canadian hip-hop tell the story of the music, featuring interviews with Maestro Fresh Wes and Michie Mee.

Episode 4-MIgrations
Running Time 44 Min

Black migrants share intimate and personal stories of trying to create a home in Canada.

Episode 5-Creation Insists
Running Time 44 Min

A look at the work of six Black Canadian artists including Austin Clarke and Sylvia Hamilton

Episode 6-More Than a Game
Running Time 44 Min

A chronicle of the lives of Black Canadian athletes that delves into their rise, and the challenges they faced.

Episode 7-Justice Denied
Running Time: 44 Min

Scholars and activists analyze historic criminalization of Black Canadians, and the effect on policing.

Episode 8-Claiming Space
Running Time: 44 Min

A lyrical journey through the growth of Black communities, and their resistance to systemic displacement.

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’, by The Spelman College Glee Club
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRF9FOPgLpw
********************
UPDATE February 28, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Soul of the Game (TV Movie)
Directed by: Kevin Rodney Sullivan
Produced by: Robert Papazian
Written by: Gary Hoffman (story); David Himmelstein (teleplay)
Starring: Blair Underwood, Delroy Lindo, Mykelti Williamson, Edward Herrmann, R. Lee Ermey
1996; Running Time: 1Hr 35 Min

Soul of the Game is a 1996 made-for-television movie about Negro league baseball.
It stars Blair Underwood as Jackie Robinson, Delroy Lindo as Satchel Paige and Mykelti Williamson as Josh Gibson. The film depicts Paige and Gibson as the pitching and hitting stars, respectively, of the Negro Leagues in the period immediately following World War II. Robinson is an up-and-coming player on Paige's team, the Kansas City Monarchs.

This movie is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiDULxPh0hU

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘When the Saints Go Marching in’, by BB King
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHCGNf7KaVQ
************************

UPDATE February 27, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Deeply Rooted: A black family's history as 7th-generation Canadians (Documentary)
CBC Short Docs
2022; Running Time: 23 Min
Written & Directed by: Cazhhmere

Filmmaker Cazhhmere is a 7th-generation black Canadian. Despite this deep history, she’s constantly asked to explain where she’s from—even though the answer is always “Canada.”

Cazhhmere is a proud Canadian. Her ancestors were among the first black settlers to come to Canada — her family has spent hundreds of years weaving itself into the fabric of our nation. Despite this deep history, Cazhhmere is constantly questioned about where she is originally from. Deeply Rooted was born out a conversation she’s had hundreds of times:

Q: Where are you from? A: Canada.
Q: No, I mean, where are you from? A: Canada.
Q: Well, where are your parents from? A: Canada.
Q: But where are your grandparents or great-grandparents from? A: Canada.

In Deeply Rooted, Cazhhmere sets out to change your perception of what a multi-generational Canadian family looks like. She delves into the story of the Downey/Collins family, which includes fighting in WWI and WWII, standing on an Olympic podium, appearing on the silver screen and breaking through barriers in Canadian politics.

Through interviews with her family members, she shares her family’s rich history and shows an overall sense of unity that is seldom seen in black families in today's media landscape. In a country that is widely known for being a "global melting pot," our nation can easily forget that not every person of colour is a newcomer to Canada.

Q: How can you be black, and be from Canada?
A: This is how.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCg1t3mdWwM

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Hymn to Freedom’, by Oliver Jones, Dave Young, & Dione Taylor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTAzDaAOtmI
***********************
UPDATE February 26, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Hitsville-The Making of Motown
2019; Running Time: 1 Hr 52 Min
Directed by: Benjamin Turner, Gabe Turner

A look at the birth of Motown in Detroit in 1958 until its relocation to Los Angeles in the early 1970s. Featuring rare performances, interviews and behind-the-scenes footage offer insight into the history and cultural impact of Motown Records.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjwkgD0p5lE

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘His Eye Is on the Sparrow’, by Gladys Knight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuGLXhX0k5I
**********************

UPDATE February 25, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

The Queen of Basketball
Directed by: Ben Proudfoot
2021; Running Time: 22 Min
Production Company: Breakwater Studios

From YouTube
As a child growing up in rural Mississippi, Lusia “Lucy” Harris often stayed up past her bedtime watching her favorite N.B.A. players, dreaming of one day playing on the same courts. Reaching 6 feet 3 inches by the time she was in high school, Harris was often called “long and tall and that’s all” by her classmates — but she knew her height would be an asset on the court. And she wasn’t just tall enough to play the game. She was a rare talent who would go on to be a three-time national college champion and an Olympic silver medalist, making her a national sensation by the time she finished her college career.

For an electrifying young basketball player on the national stage, success often comes with a lucrative professional contract and brand deals — but Harris’s moment came in the 1970s, decades before the W.N.B.A. was founded, when few opportunities were available to female athletes interested in pursuing a professional career. In Ben Proudfoot's "The Queen of Basketball," Harris tells the story of what happens when an unstoppable talent runs out of games to win.

Lusia Harris, the pioneering athlete who became a basketball phenomenon in the 1970s, made history as the first woman to score a basket in the Olympics and was one of the first two women inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame — died on Jan. 18, 2022 in Mississippi. She was 66.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPFkcoTfr7g

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Take Me to the Water’, by Nina Simone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If6i59NUfkk
*********************
UPDATE February 24, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Once Upon a Black Halifax (Documentary)
2020; Running Time 19 Min
Produced & Directed by: George Akintokun

From YouTube
Once Upon A Black Halifax captures the history of the black community in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It talks about what it was like as they struggled to gain acceptance in the society at that time.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCFsRcOZT7A

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘We Shall Not Be Moved’, by Mavis Staples
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcDpmzQh3YU
****************

UPDATE February 23, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Stamped from the Beginning (Documentary)
Directed by: Roger Ross Williams
Written by: David Teague
Produced by: Roger Ross Williams, David Teague, Alisa Payne
Production company: One Story Up
2023: Running Time 85 Min

From the Toronto International Film Festival Website
Inspired by the book of the same name by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, Oscar-winning filmmaker Roger Ross Williams’ Stamped From the Beginning explores the history of anti-Black ideas in a way that helps us grapple with present-day racism.

In his book Stamped From the Beginning: the Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, author Dr. Ibram X. Kendi explored the history of anti-Black racist ideas and their impact on the United States. Oscar-winning filmmaker Roger Ross Williams takes inspiration from Kendi’s work to explore those themes with an array of powerful film techniques. Music and visual sampling are injected to create vivid storytelling with a hip hop sensibility.

As the director of television series such as The 1619 Project and High on the Hog, Williams has steeped himself in Black American history. He’s also proven himself fluent in pop culture with films such as Life, Animated and Love to Love You, Donna Summer. This new work shows him marshalling all of his talents at the peak of his power.

The documentary is grounded in scholarship featuring on camera commentary by Kendi and Angela Davis (who figures prominently in the book). In addition to their contributions, Williams makes a deliberate choice to feature Black women intellectuals who don’t always show up as the usual suspects in documentary history.

But the film never feels like a lecture. Instead, these brilliant minds bring the past alive through the stories of historical figures who took radical stands against racism. They include poet Phyllis Wheatley, memoirist Harriet Jacobs, and journalist Ida B. Wells. There is a lively discussion of the whitewashed legacies of Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln; and what's wrong with white savior narratives.

Stamped From the Beginning makes the past come alive in a way that’s vital in order to grapple with the present.

This film is available for you to watch on Netflix

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Hold On’, by DEM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfvLZjofEXA
*******************
UPDATE February 22, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Descendant (Documentary)
Directed by: Margaret Brown
Written by: Margaret Brown, Dr. Kern Jackson
Produced by: Margaret Brown, Kyle Martin, Essie Chambers
Production Companies: Participant; Night Tide Production; Take One Five Entertainment
2022; Running Time: 109 minutes

From Wikipedia
The wreckage of the Clotilda was found in 2019 in the Mobile River of Alabama, and the film explores the community of Africatown and the descendants of some of the last known enslaved Africans that were brought to the United States aboard her 40 years after slave trading had already been deemed a capital offense.

After the wreckage of the Clotilda was discovered, director Margaret Brown spent four years with the residents of Africatown examining how the discovery impacted the lives of descendants of the last known slaves brought to the US. Brown also produced the film alongside Kyle Martin and Essie Chambers for Participant and Take One Five Entertainment. The film premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, after which it was picked up by Higher Ground Productions and Netflix for theatrical and streaming distribution. It continued on the festival circuit at the SXSW (South by Southwest) Festival as a Festival Favorite. The film was released to select theaters and on Netflix on October 21, 2022.

This film is available for you to watch on Netflix

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Lord Don’t Move the Mountain’, by Mahalia Jackson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jusAnLIFE3k
*******************
UPDATE February 21, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Kareem Minority of One (Documentary)
2015; Running Time 1 Hr 30 Min
HBO Sports
Written by Aaron Cohen
Produced by Mike Tollin, Rick Bernstein, & Deborah Morales

From IMDB
Award-winning documentary. An intimate and rare look into the life and career of one of basketball's most celebrated athletes, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pNwHfhKcdg

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Down by the Riverside’, by Mahalia Jackson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eiwb67-TMd0
**************************
UPDATE February 20, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Searching for Augusta Savage (Documentary)
American Masters Shorts; PBS
2024; Running Time: 22 Min
Directed and Written by: Charlotte Mangin & Sandra Rattley
Produced by: Mariana Surillo
Narrated by: Jeffreen Hayes & Lorraine Toussaint

From YouTube
Augusta Savage was the first person in the U.S. to open a gallery dedicated to African American art. A Harlem Renaissance sculptor and art educator, she was also one of the first Black women art activists of her time and fought for the inclusion of Black artists in the mainstream canon. Art historian Jeffreen M. Hayes, Ph.D. explores Savage's legacy, and why her artwork has been largely erased.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMuK47mZkMc

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Brand New Day’, by Ruthie Foster
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE3YDQNO_cs
**********************

UPDATE February 19, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

The Barber of Little Rock (Documentary)
2023; Running Time: 35 Min
Directed by: Christine Turner
Produced by: John Hoffman, Christine Turner, Christina Avalos

From Wikipedia and YouTube
The documentary film tells the story of Arlo Washington, an African American barber in Little Rock, Arkansas who founded a nonprofit community bank to try to lessen the racial wealth gap. John Hoffman and Christine Turner’s short film follows Washington as he helps members of his community escape the hazards of banking while Black. "The Barber of Little Rock" is nominated for Best Documentary Short at the 96th Academy Awards.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1amOPUn49aM

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Imagine’, by Keb’ Mo’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98PnqkH8GRI
*******************
UPDATE February 18, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Bill Russell: Legend (Documentary)
2023; Running Time: 3 Hr 20 min (Incl Pt 1 & Pt 2)
Directed by: Sam Pollard
Dark Horse Indie; High Five Productions

From IMDB
This two-part documentary features interviews and personal archives from the life and career of NBA legend Bill Russell. As the Boston Celtics' star defender and a civil rights leader, Bill finds himself playing defense beyond the hardwood amid segregation and competition. Between fierce opponents and injustice all around, Bill helps the Celtics cement their dynasty. A historic role change puts Bill in a position of power.

This film is available for you to watch on Netflix

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I’ll Be Your Water’, by Keb’ Mo’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTiSMkXPwtY
****************
UPDATE February 17, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Pride and Perseverance: The Story of the Negro Leagues (Documentary)
2014; Running Time: 50 Min
Narrated by: Dave Winfield
Written by: Jeff Scott
MLB Productions

From Letterboxd
The history of the Negro Leagues is often a forgotten part of baseball history. Despite its popularity and wealth of talent, the era was not well documented. Pride and Perseverance sheds light on this period and shows how it laid the groundwork for today’s African-American players in Major League Baseball. With rarely seen footage from the 1920s through 1950s, these extraordinary stories illustrate the birth of the Negro Leagues and depict both the struggles endured and milestones achieved by its players. The film also highlights Negro League innovations that helped shape modern day baseball, such as the Leagues’ usage of portable light towers to enable games to be played after dusk for the first time ever.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvROnTC_7CU

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Hand It Over’, by Keb’ Mo’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKvUK_jrZOk
*******************
UPDATE February 16, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Reconstruction-The Second Civil War (Documentary)
2022; Running Time: 2 Hr 40 Min
Film By: Elizabeth Deane and Dion Graham

From PBS
PBS’s Reconstruction: The Second Civil War is one of the few useful documentaries for those teaching the Reconstruction era. In addition to the common narrative of President Andrew Johnson’s battle with the Radical Republicans in Congress — most notable Thaddeus Stevens, who is featured prominently in the film — the documentary also uses the stories of several other lesser-known Americans to tell the tale of Reconstruction from different perspectives.

Through the voices of several historians, including Eric Foner, and dramatic re-enactments by actors, Reconstruction follows the stories of Kate Stone, whose family owned a large cotton plantation and enslaved over 150 people before the war; Marshall Twitchell, a former Union soldier who becomes a Freedmen’s Bureau agent in one of the most violent corner’s of Louisiana; John Roy Lynch, a former slave who became a U.S. congressman for the state of Mississippi; Frances Butler, the daughter of a Georgia plantation owner; and, most compellingly, Tunis Campbell, a Black abolitionist who builds an independent colony for freedmen and women in Georgia’s Sea Islands before being elected to Georgia’s state senate.

While the documentary leaves out many other important Reconstruction era stories and suffers from its attempt at providing “balance” (note the two narratives of former slaves are “balanced” by two narratives of former slave owners), by constructing the time period from the perspectives of ordinary citizens it paints a much more expansive and comprehensive picture than most textbook accounts.

This video may not be suitable for everyone. Viewer discretion advised.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btV1ovf560g

Remember you are loved and you are missed
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Lord Remember Me’, by Ruthie Foster ft The Blind Boys of Alabama
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Dx8jcLjUQA
*********************
UPDATE February 15, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Pullman and the Railroad Rebellion (Documentary)
2023; Running Time: 57 min
Chicago Stories
Written & Produced by: Rachel Pikelny

From Chicago Stories
Railroad titan George Pullman’s name was once synonymous with luxury. His sleeping cars changed how some Americans rode the rails. But when his success didn’t trickle down to the people who built, operated, and staffed his cars, a rebellion ensued. While the first major strike ultimately failed, a group of Black workers later found success through organizing, paving the way for a Black middle class and a civil rights movement that forever changed the course of American history.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-kxAUwLktM

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Amazing Grace’, by Jessye Norman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5jZe32DEYI
**************
UPDATE February 14, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Roberto Clemente: A Video Tribute (Documentary)
Running Time: 51 Min
Narrated by Hector Elizondo
Written by Ouisie Shapiro
MLB Production

From YouTube
Documentary from 1993 on the life and times of the great Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Roberto Clemente and his immeasurable impact on the game of baseball and to millions around the world.

You can watch this documentary for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnyDAZl7lpk

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Jesus is Love’, by Lionel Richie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0hptluApcE
******************
UPDATE February 13, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Wilma (1975) TV Movie
Starring Shirley Jo Finney, Cicely Tyson, and Denzel Washington
Running Time: 1Hr 40Min
Written & Directed By Bud Greenspan

From YouTube
At the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, an amazing athlete, Wilma Rudolph (played by Shirley Jo Finney), became the first woman to win three consecutive gold medals. But the most amazing part of this true story is that Wilma was stricken in her youth with crippling polio, a disease she conquered to become one of America's greatest female athletes. The story begins with Wilma's childhood in rural Tennessee when her parents learn of does everything in her power to bolster Wilma's self-confidence and help her overcome the handicap. her determination pays off as Wilma grows in strength, speed and agility. Eventually, her tremendous courage and astounding athletic ability bring Wilma to her greatest triumph at the Olympics Games.

You can watch this movie for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R98SBEiQ2c

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘So Help Me God’, by Ray Charles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrbymllgF_E
**************
UPDATE February 12, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

The Skin We're In (Documentary)
Running Time 44 Min; 2016
Directed by: Charles Officer

An urgent exploration of race relations, this documentary from acclaimed director Charles Officer follows award-winning journalist and activist Desmond Cole as he pulls back the curtain on racism in Canada, inviting all Canadians to understand the experience of being in his skin. Cole won a National Magazine Award for his impactful and incisive Toronto Life cover story about carding and racial profiling. Now, in Officer’s starkly honest doc, he journeys across North America, exploring what it’s really like to be Black in the 21st century.

“Cole’s journey is not just toward discovery, but toward the unveiling of a desperate, hidden truth: the truth about the skin he’s in. And the Canada we thought we knew.” – CBC.ca

You can also read Desmond Cole’s book, ‘The Skin We're In--A Year of Black Resistance and Power’
From Penguin Random House:
“A bracing, provocative, and perspective-shifting book from one of Canada's most celebrated and uncompromising writers, Desmond Cole. ‘The Skin We're In’ will spark a national conversation, influence policy, and inspire activists. In his 2015 cover story for Toronto Life magazine, Desmond Cole exposed the racist actions of the Toronto police force, detailing the dozens of times he had been stopped and interrogated under the controversial practice of carding. The story quickly came to national prominence, shaking the country to its core and catapulting its author into the public sphere. Cole used his newfound profile to draw insistent, unyielding attention to the injustices faced by Black Canadians on a daily basis.

This documentary is free for you to watch at CBC Gem https://gem.cbc.ca/ but you will need to set up a free account.
https://gem.cbc.ca/firsthand?autoplay=1

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Never Gonna Break My Faith’, by Jackie Richardson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USAtmLvqeys
**************
UPDATE February 11, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Good Trouble (Documentary)
2020; Running Time: 96 Min
Directed by: Dawn Porter
Produced by: Laura Michalchyshyn, Dawn Porter, Erika Alexander, Ben Arnon

From Wikipedia
John Lewis: Good Trouble is a 2020 American documentary film directed by Dawn Porter about the life of civil rights activist and United States congressman John Lewis. John Lewis: Good Trouble premiered at the Circle Cinema Theater in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on June 19, 2020. The date and place were chosen to commemorate Juneteenth, the celebration of the emancipation of slaves in the United States, and to protest against a Donald Trump presidential re-election campaign rally planned in Tulsa for the same day; the rally was rescheduled for the following day after widespread criticism. The film was originally scheduled to premiere in April 2020 at the Tribeca Film Festival, before the festival was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This documentary is free for you to watch at CBC Gem https://gem.cbc.ca/ but you will need to set up a free account.
https://gem.cbc.ca/john-lewis-good-trouble

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody’, by Howard Gospel Choir
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-EVRMk5Zow
**********************
UPDATE February 10, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Willie (Documentary)
Running Time: 91 Min; 2019
Directed by: Laurence Mathieu-Leger
Don Kee Productions

From williedoc.com
Willie O'Ree changed hockey forever on Jan. 18, 1958. In the midst of America's tumultuous fight to end Jim Crow and the birth of the civil rights movement, Willie - the descendant of escaped slaves - became the first black player to skate in a National Hockey League game.

He was blind in one eye – an extraordinary secret that only his sister knew. He played 45 games in the NHL and then 22 years of minor league hockey. Later, Willie sold cars, managed fast food restaurants, and worked security at a hotel. When he was asked to become the NHL's diversity ambassador in 1994, he was 60 years old. He took the job, and he has never stopped.

Now, 60 years after Willie broke the NHL's color barrier, a grassroots movement is working to get him into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Will he also break this barrier? "Willie" provides historical context and depth to O'Ree's incredible journey. The film is a testament to the resilience and determination of a man empowered by his family's legacy, and the people he has inspired along the way.

His work is not done.

This documentary is free for you to watch at CBC Gem https://gem.cbc.ca/ but you will need to set up a free account.

https://gem.cbc.ca/willie

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Heaven Help Us All’, by Ray Charles ft Gladys Knight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6UVVaoiDMg
******************
UPDATE February 9, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Arthur Ashe: More Than a Champion (Documentary)
BBC; 2015
Running Time: 1 Hr
Written by: Kevin Willmott

From YouTube
2015 marks the 40th anniversary of tennis legend Arthur Ashe lifting the Wimbledon men's singles title.

From boyhood in segregated America to becoming one of the world's opinion-formers, Ashe's story is told poignantly by his brother Johnnie, along with friends Stan Smith and Donald Dell, and rivals like Ilie Nastase. This is far more than a just a story of how a man conquered the world of tennis. Ashe's life spans America's Civil Rights struggle, the ending of South Africa's system of apartheid and his creation of an awareness of the disease that would eventually kill him: AIDS. Serena Williams, Martina Navratilova, John McEnroe and Andy Murray all explain Arthur's legacy and their own personal debt to the man.

It is not surprising that when Nelson Mandela was finally released from prison, one of the first people he asked to meet was Arthur Ashe.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX09hjb4XYA

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Highway to Heaven’, by The Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JYVMHMT4os
*********************
UPDATE February 8, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Journey To Canadian Justice-Stanley G. Grizzle (Documentary)
Directed by Roger McTair; Running Time: 47 Min
Produced by Karen King-Chigbo
National Film Board of Canada Production

This film focuses on Stanley Grizzle, Canada’s first black Citizenship Court Judge. Stanley George Sinclair Grizzle (1918–2016) CM, O. Ont was a Canadian citizenship judge, soldier, political candidate and civil rights and labour union activist. He died in November 2016 at the age of 97.

This film is available for you to watch for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDG2t6BG-Ww

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Just a Little Talk With Jesus’, by the Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9bB7OoO4II
****************
UPDATE February 7, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Seeking Salvation-A History of the Black Church in Canada (Documentary)
Directed by Phillip Daniels, 2004, Running Time: 1hr 30min

From YouTube:
“Spanning four centuries on a joyful voyage of music and heritage, Seeking Salvation traces the history of the Black Church and considers its future in a changing society.”

This film is available for you to watch for free on YouTube at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81OFeofdksw

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Let Us the Cheer the Weary Traveller’, by the Nathaniel Dett Chorale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlLPu2Sr1ZU
********************
UPDATE February 6, 2024

Black Liturgies: Prayers, Poems, and Meditations for Staying Human (Book)
By Cole Arthur Riley
2024; Convergent Books

From goodreads.com
A collection of prayer, poetry, and spiritual practice centering the Black interior world, from the New York Times bestselling author of This Here Flesh and creator of Black Liturgies

For years, Cole Arthur Riley was desperate for a spirituality she could trust. Amid ongoing national racial violence, the isolation of the pandemic, and a surge of anti-Black rhetoric in many Christian spaces, she began dreaming of a more human, more liberating expression of faith. She went on to create Black Liturgies, a digital project that connects spiritual practice with Black emotion, Black memory, and the Black body.

In this book, she brings together new prayers, letters, poems, meditation questions, breath practices, scriptures, and the writings of Black literary ancestors to offer forty-three liturgies that can be practiced individually or as a community. Inviting readers to reflect on their shared experiences of wonder, rest, rage, and repair, and creating rituals for holidays like Lent and Juneteenth, Arthur Riley writes with a poet’s touch and a sensitivity that has made her one of the most important spiritual voices at work today.

For anyone healing from communities that were more violent than loving; for anyone who has escaped the trauma of white Christian nationalism, religious homophobia, or transphobia; for anyone asking what it means to be human in a world of both beauty and terror, Black Liturgies is a work of healing and empowerment, and a vision for what might be.

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Wade in the Water’, by the Staple Singers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDp1v2YgseM
********************
UPDATE February 5, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Quincy-A Life Beyond Measure
2018; Running Time 2 Hr 4 Min
TriBeCa Productions; Quincy Jones Productions
Directed by: Alan Hicks; Rashida Jones
Written by: Alan Hicks; Rashida Jones
Produced by: Paula DuPré Pesmen
Starring: Quincy Jones

From Netflix
Quincy is a 2018 American documentary film about the life of American record producer, singer and film producer Quincy Jones. The film was co-written and co-directed by Alan Hicks and Rashida Jones and produced by Paula DuPré Pesmen. The film details his career as follows: "Over 2,900 songs recorded; over 300 albums recorded; 51 film and television scores; over 1,000 original compositions; 79 Grammy nominations; 27 Grammy awards; 1 of 18 EGOT winners (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony); Thriller the bestselling album of all time; We Are the World the bestselling single of all time; $63 million raised for famine relief in Africa; and 7 children."

This film is available for you to watch on Netflix

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘God Is Trying to Tell You Something’, from The Color Purple (1985), music by Quincy Jones
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEv_d6zAYHk
*****************
UPDATE February 4, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Robin Roberts Presents ‘Mahalia’ (TV Movie)
2021; Running Time: 85 min
Front Street Pictures; StarScape Entertainment
Written by; Bettina Gilois, Todd Kreidler
Directed by: Kenny Leon
Starring: Danielle Brooks

From IMDB
The story of the New Orleans-born crooner who began singing at an early age and went on to become one of the most revered gospel figures in U.S. history, melding her music with the civil rights movement.

This film is available for you to watch on Netflix

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Precious Lord, Take My Hand’, by Mahalia Jackson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=as1rsZenwNc
*****************
UPDATE February 3, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

We Are the Change We Seek: The Speeches of Barack Obama (Book)
By Joy-Ann Reid & E.J. Dionne Jr.
2017; Bloomsbury USA

From goodreads.com
A collection of Barack Obama's greatest speeches selected and introduced by columnist E.J. Dionne and MSNBC host Joy-Ann Reid.

We Are the Change We Seek is a collection of Barack Obama's 26 greatest addresses: beginning with his 2002 speech opposing the Iraq War and closing with his final speech before the United Nations in September 2016. As president, Obama's words had the power to move the country, and often the world, as few presidents before him. Whether acting as Commander in Chief or Consoler in Chief, Obama adopted a unique rhetorical style that could simultaneously speak to the national mood and change the course of public events. Obama's eloquence, both written and spoken, propelled him to national prominence and ultimately made it possible for the son of a Kenyan man and a white woman from Kansas to become the first black president of the United States.

These speeches span Obama's career--from his time in state government through to the end of his tenure as president--and the issues most important to our time: war, inequality, race relations, gun violence and human rights. The book opens with an essay placing Obama's oratorical contributions within the flow of American history by E.J. Dionne Jr., columnist and author of Why The Right Went Wrong, and Joy Reid, the host of AM Joy on MSNBC and author of Fracture.

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Freedom Highway’, by The Staple Singers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7_b_jyRVRc
********************
UPDATE February 2, 2024

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Rustin (Film)
2023; Running Time: 106 min
Higher Ground, Bold Choices
Directed by: George C. Wolfe
Screenplay by: Julian Breece, Dustin Lance Black
Story by: Julian Breece
Produced by: Bruce Cohen, Tonia Davis, George C. Wolfe
Starring: Colman Domingo, Chris Rock, Jeffrey Wright, Audra McDonald

From Wikipedia
Rustin is a 2023 American biographical drama film about the life of civil rights activist Bayard Rustin. Produced by Barack and Michelle Obama's production company Higher Ground, the film stars Colman Domingo in the title role, alongside Chris Rock, Glynn Turman, Aml Ameen, Gus Halper, CCH Pounder, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Johnny Ramey, Michael Potts, Jeffrey Wright, and Audra McDonald. It is based on the true story of Rustin, who helped Martin Luther King Jr. and others organize the 1963 March on Washington.

The film tells the story of the charismatic, gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin. Despite incredible odds, he managed to organize the March on Washington in 1963. This event is considered one of the high points of the civil rights movement in the United States. Over 200,000 people gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. and called for an end to racial discrimination in the USA. Martin Luther King gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech at the event.

This film is available for you to watch on Netflix

Remember you are loved and you are missed.
Stay safe and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Oh Freedom’, by The Golden Gospel Singers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veiJLhXdwn8
*******************
UPDATE February 1, 2024

February is Black History Month. It is hard to know how those of us who are not people of colour should mark the importance of this yearly observance. One way is by educating ourselves and increasing our awareness of the issues faced by our siblings who are of African descent. We can read, we can take advantage of documentary films, and we can listen to the lived experiences of people of colour in our churches, in our communities, in our lives.

This year, in order to aid in our collective and individual learning experience, we will feature each day a book, movie, documentary, feature film, podcast, speaker, or a person in public life. We may also share some writings of prominent people of colour who lift up the Black experience, struggles, and successes. We will post a brief description of each day’s featured item and encourage you to choose somewhere to begin your own education about black history. If you have any suggestions of books, movies, or persons if interest that you think should be passed along, please send them to lorre.calder@sympatico.ca. At the end of the month, these resources will be compiled into a document which will available for you to access at any time.

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Medgar and Myrlie: Medgar Evers and the Love Story That Awakened America (Book)
By Joy-Ann Reid
2024; Mariner Books

From goodreads.com
The host of MSNBC’s The ReidOut and New York Times bestselling author of The Man Who Sold America traces the extraordinary lives and legacy of civil rights icons Medgar and Myrlie Evers, situating Medgar Evers’s assassination as a catalyzing moment in American history. Myrlie Louise Beasley met Medgar Evers on her first day of college. They fell in love at first sight, married just one year later, and Myrlie left school to focus on their growing family. Medgar became the field secretary for the Mississippi branch of the NAACP, charged with beating back the most intractable and violent resistance to black voting rights in the country. Myrlie served as Medgar’s secretary and confidant, working hand in hand with him as they struggled against public accommodations and school segregation, lynching, violence, and sheer despair within their state’s “black belt.” They fought to desegregate the intractable University of Mississippi, organized picket lines and boycotts, despite repeated terroristic threats, including the 1962 firebombing of their home, where they lived with their three young children. On June 12, 1963, Medgar Evers became the highest profile victim of Klan-related assassination of a black civil rights leader at that time; gunned down in the couple’s driveway in Jackson. In the wake of his tragic death, Myrlie carried on their civil rights legacy; writing a book about Medgar’s fight, trying to win a congressional seat, and becoming a leader of the NAACP in her own right. In this groundbreaking and thrilling account of two heroes of the civil rights movement, Joy-Ann Reid uses Medgar and Myrlie’s relationship as a lens through which to explore the on-the-ground work that went into winning basic rights for Black Americans, and the repercussions that still resonate today.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’A Change is Gonna Come’, by Sam Cooke
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEBlaMOmKV4
************

UPDATE January 31, 2024

A Blessing For Not Your Best Self
(From Have A Beautiful, Terrible Day!)

God, I can’t tell
which person
I will be today:
kind and loving,
turn-the-other-cheek and I’ll-be-right-here,
soft but strong.
I will keep no record of wrongs.

I might be someone else entirely:
brittle and judgmental,
I’m-taking-my-share and
you-deal-with-it-alone,
hard but weak.
I will keep every record, dammit.

I am an accountant in this world
that does not give me what I’m owed.

God, these multiple selves, you know
(of course you know) are parts of a whole.

You send the love I have to give.
You grieve the pain that
causes me to withhold.
You send your spirit every day
not to stitch us back together
but to heal every tender part
from the inside out.

So, in the meantime,
bless this generous self,
bless this breakable self,
bless these many parts and
make them whole.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/books/have-a-beautiful-terrible-day/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Heaven High’, by Paul Bell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e39FJ9ypr-k
*************

UPDATE January 30, 2024

The Key is Hope
So many people struggling in their own lives,
so many caught in events that sweep them away,
so many left alone in the night.
Against this reality we come,
armored with nothing more than our faith.
Our intention is to dare the fear around us
and set as many captives free as we can.
The key is hope.
To be seen unafraid in a time of fear
is to open a door in the human heart
that can never be closed.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Beautiful and Brave’, by Paul Bell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjjF5zGgz44
*****************
UPDATE January 29, 2024

The Ability to Listen
In the beginning,
before a word was spoken,
creation began with a single thought.
In the ancient creation stories of Turtle Island,
the idea comes before the word.
The light first went on in the mind of the Spirit
before it illuminated the rest of reality.
Therefore, critical thinking,
the use of the mind –
the ability to listen, study and learn—
is a sacred gift
and should be used well and often.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Unbelievable’, by Sean Rodriguez
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp0RMY1PfMA
******************

UPDATE January 28, 2024

For those of us who have been around for more than a couple of decades, this time of year is a difficult and dark period in our collective remembrance. Specifically your attention is drawn to the disasters that befell those who sought to explore the expanse of outer space. It is also a time of renewed willingness to find joy through tragedy, life, through loss, and hope through defeat. The tragedies of Apollo 1 (January 27, 1967), Challenger (January 28, 1986) and Columbia (February 1, 2003) all happened six days apart across the span of thirty-six years. Each one of these incidents, on their own, with such a tragic loss of life, could have ended the exploration of space altogether, being a price higher than we were willing to pay. But, our human eagerness and need to ‘see what else there is to see’ pushed us to learn from each of these disasters, to fix the flaws and faults that caused them, and to return to our exploration of space with renewed purpose. Each time the space programme returned to the launch pad following tragedy, they carried on the legacy of those who were lost in such a public way, as well as those who perished along the journey in unseen training accidents and whose names we might never have heard of. We forged on, and we continue to do so, thus honouring their lives and their sacrifice.

May God bless the crews of Apollo 1 (Virgil I. ‘Gus’ Grissom, Edward H. White II, and Roger B. Chaffee), Challenger STS-51 (Francis R. "Dick" Scobee; Judith A. Resnik, Ronald E. McNair, Michael J. Smith, Christa McAuliffe, Ellison Onizuka, and Gregory Jarvis), and Columbia STS-107 (Rick Husband, William C. McCool, Michael P. Anderson, Kalpana Chawla, David M. Brown, Laurel Clark, and Ilan Ramon), as well as all who died in the field of space exploration. Take a moment to say a prayer for those they left behind, and prayer of thanks for the lives they so willingly gave seeking new horizons.

‘Flying for Me’, by John Denver
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7FiPaEPbMI
*****************
UPDATE January 27, 2024

Coping With Pain
Of one thing I am certain:
we all experience pain in our lives.
Physical pain.
Emotional pain.
We live with old memories that are painful.
We cope with the pain of grief and loss.
We have no magic to make pain go away,
but we can comfort and care for one another when it arises.
We can hold one another until it subsides:
may your pain be soothed by the Spirit
and may you be comforted by a love
that knows how hurt feels.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘While We Sleep Tonight’, by Paul Bell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwD0yaIvGn4
*******************
We regret that due to illness, the daily postings from St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Cambridge were unavailable this past week. They have now been added and we apologize for any inconvenience.--LC

UPDATE January 26, 2024

What Hope Looks Like
We need you now.
We need your wisdom.
We need your vision.
Your experience.
Your common sense.
We know you have already given
much of your time and talent.
You have been more than generous.
We do not ask for more.
We only ask for your witness.
Your presence.
Your visibility.
Help us show the world what hope looks like.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Bring It All’, by Paul Bell ft Cathy Burton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xehfUxHASzs
**********************
UPDATE January 25, 2024

Our Spiritual Family
We have a spiritual family.
It is a family that stretches around the world,
connecting us to people we may never meet in person,
but with whom we maintain a global partnership
grounded in love.
Our family exists in both sacred time
and chronological time.
It includes our ancestors who dwell
in both our past and our future.
Our family includes all creatures great and small
with whom we live in kinship.
We are a spiritual family,
ever growing,
always welcoming.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘God is For Us (Romans 8:31)’, by CityAlight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pmCn81PKC4
*******************
UPDATE January 24, 2024

Why Not Start There?
Sometimes love is a distant star.
With some people, with those people,
it is just not going to happen.
Not now.
Not with things the way they are.
Talking about loving those people
or trusting them is like wishing on a star.
Ok. I understand.
So… what if we start somewhere
closer to home?
Like civility.
Like prayer.
Like a shared witness to nonviolence.
Why not start there
and see where it takes us?
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘How Great Thou Art (Until That Day)’, by Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin, Hillary Scott, TAYA & Friends
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSfTnv9NvV8
*******************
UPDATE January 23, 2024

When the Time Comes
When the time comes,
and it always comes,
for our hope to be tested,
we will be ready.
This is not our first spiritual rodeo.
Many of us are veterans
of the holy struggle for peace,
justice, and human dignity.
We did not just acquire our beliefs.
We earned them through hard days
and long nights.
We are experienced.
We are united.
We are ready,
when the time comes.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘All Things for My Good’, by Jaime Jamgochian
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdo5jOEomYs
*****************

UPDATE January 22, 2024

I Have Poured Out My Life
I have poured out my life in prayer.
I have poured out my life in love.
I have no restraints now,
now that the days are only brief reminders
of an endless story.
I will pour myself out completely,
joyfully, giving all that I have
and all that I am
to the chorus of hope
that fills the air.
My life will be a celebration,
poured out,
a stream of living water running to the sea.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Our Father’, by Jaime Jamgochian & Selah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8w6rn7xKTi4
******************
UPDATE January 21, 2024

The Seeds of Peace
I would like to ask you to join me
in doing something.
I want to try to project
peace into our world.
I know some people might say
we are trying to bend a spiritual spoon
with our minds, but I believe
we can impact the social climate
of our community if we focus
on peace rather than anger.
And even if we don’t succeed
in calming the world around us,
at least we will have tried.
Visualize this:
I want to cast peace before us today
as if peace were seeds,
millions of seeds,
being thrown forward
by millions of people,
thrown into the field of days to come,
falling to the earth,
rooting peace into our lives.
In this way, this spiritual way,
anger and violence will be overcome
by the focused intention of our hearts.
Peace will be strengthened,
for it needs strengthening
if it is to withstand the worst
that evil can devise.
Together, we can cast our shared hope forward,
like seeds that will one day grow
to nourish us all.
Today I will be focusing all of the spiritual energy I have
on a single vision:
peace for every heart that will embrace it.
Peace like seeds,
falling to earth as new life
to give hope to the battered world.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Loved and Not Alone’, by Jaime Jamgochian
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d-3sBnMOwc
*********************
UPDATE January 20, 2024

Can We Work Together
Can we work together,
even if we do not agree with one another?
Answering that question
may be one of the most important things
we do in this century.
The spiritual response is clear:
yes, we can cooperate for the common good
while working out our differences.
We can agree to disagree.
Peace and reconciliation
seem a lot more possible
when conformity is not a prerequisite.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘To Know You’, by Jonathan Ogden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbVVIIqzuBc
****************
UPDATE January 19, 2024

The Secret to Having a Spiritual Life
What is the secret to having a spiritual life?
There are lots of answers,
but here is one of mine:
keep going.
When you get surprised on the road of life,
don’t let it stop you,
don’t let it trick you
into thinking your journey is over.
Remember,
not even death can stop you.
So seek the healing you need and
abide with those who need you:
but spiritually, keep going.
You have a destination to find,
a meeting with someone
you have searched for your whole life.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Day After Day, Jesus Reigns’, by CityAlight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGo_lNJ6yj4
**************
UPDATE January 18, 2024

Belief
I believe.
What a joyful and liberating
thing to say. I believe.
We each have the right
to fill in the blank
on what we believe,
but I think the fact that we do believe
is remarkable in itself.
So many people in our time
have lost the capacity to believe
in something greater than themselves.
They have known too many disappointments.
Like water in the desert,
belief is precious and life restoring.
Let us share it with as many as we can.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Journey’, by Maryanne J. George ft Mitch Wong
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAApjtqClLU
******************
UPDATE January 17, 2024

Bonded to the Spirit
The strength of the Spirit
is round about you,
encircling you with the power of love.
You need not be afraid,
for the Spirit will be with you,
through all seasons,
through all situations,
the presence of love
will not depart from you.
You are sealed into a living relationship with the holy,
bonded to hope as though it was your heartbeat.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘God Can Use a Broken Man’, by Jason Crabb
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUKi212RpiA
******************
UPDATE January 16, 2024

Right Next Door
Right next door to you,
only a step away,
are the gardens of paradise,
a land of soft rain and sea air.
Your reality and this world exist side by side.
You can pass between them
through a doorway of the heart.
You can step across.
To find help and healing.
To find peace.
To find the source of love.
Right next door,
only a step away –
any time you pray, every time you ask.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Not My Home’, by Maryanne J. George
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYVfcTwsPLY
*******************
UPDATE January 15, 2024

“Then I got into Memphis and some began to say the threats, or talk about the threats that were out, what would happen to me, from some of our sick white brothers. Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn’t matter with me now, because I’ve been to the mountaintop, and I don’t mind.

Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will, and He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. I’ve looked over and I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the Promised Land!

So I’m happy tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!”

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., April 3, 1968
(The last speech of his life)

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Up To the Mountain’, by Charlean Carmon ft Michiko Hill
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4H-eHpMWhk
*******************
UPDATE January 14, 2024

Start With the Positive
The elders say a good morning prayer
is to recite four things in your life
for which you are grateful.
Not only does this allow you
to give thanks for what you have,
it encourages you to consider your blessings
before you encounter your problems.
It sets the spiritual tone for the day,
beginning with gratefulness,
awareness and confidence.
Even on the hardest days,
you start with the positive.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I Know Who Holds Tomorrow’, by Alison Krauss
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZN8w-Tkmk8
********************
UPDATE January 13, 2024

Unbreakable Partnership
We are not hopeful
because we are denying reality.
The world looks as grim to us
as it does to anyone paying attention today.
We know how difficult it will be
to turn this reality around.
We have no unicorn visions
about the risks and the price
of peace and justice.
And yet, we are certain
about the outcome.
Not by wishful thinking,
but by an unbreakable partnership
with the source of hope itself,
the eternal Spirit of renewal.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘An Irish Blessing (May the Road Rise to Meet You)’, by Celtic Thunder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mtR9qoISPU
****************
UPDATE January 12, 2024

Right Next Door
Right next door to you,
only a step away,
are the gardens of paradise,
a land of soft rain and sea air.
Your reality and this world
exist side by side.
You can pass between them
through a doorway of the heart.
You can step across.
To find help and healing.
To find peace.
To find the source of love.
Right next door,
only a step away –
any time you pray,
every time you ask.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Remind Me, Dear Lord’, by The Cox Family & Alison Krauss
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdT5BK-eqVY
******************
UPDATE January 11, 2024

Step Back, Fear
Step back, fear,
for you have no dominion here.
Through the love of the Spirit,
I long ago drew a circle of peace
around my heart,
around my mind,
around my life.
Wherever I am,
you have no power.
Wherever I go,
you cannot follow.
I am free of you, fear,
and thanks to the Spirit,
I always will be.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Jesus, Hold My Hand’, by Alison Krauss
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd_bBOBumYE
********************
UPDATE January 10, 2024

Listen
Listen.
I hear a beautiful sound.
It is the sound of millions of people
awakening to hope in their future.
Each day, around the world,
hopeful people are waking up
to the vision of peace.
Peace among nations.
Peace among religions.
Peace among us all.
Like a bell, hope is ringing.
It is ringing to awaken
a new community.
Listen.
What a beautiful sound.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘A Living Prayer’, by Allison Krauss
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKpy15xBW4w
*****************
UPDATE January 9, 2024

The Time Has Come
The time has come for wars to cease.
For prejudice to be replaced by respect.
For violence to fade away.
The time has come for awareness to grow
and love to expand.
For people to work together.
For the hungry to be fed.
For a global awareness to shift
the vision of the world.
The time has come
for all of these blessings and more.
Let us proclaim it.
Let us live into it.
The time has come for the renewal of creation.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Bless God’, by Brooke Ligertwood
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw3t9o-PSkI
***********************
UPDATE January 8, 2024

A Blessing When You Need A Little Motivation To Change
I am rummaging through this day
In search of evidence
That tomorrow could be different

As many times as I wake up
Determined to bend the future
With each effort and expectation,
My conviction dissipates
By day’s end.

Lord we are given so few chances
To direct the courses of our lives.
So, with what little is in my control
Could you help me try?

Let me know the satisfaction of sleep
Exhausted by my effort.

Walk me to the edge of comfort
And keep me there long enough
To reach for something more.

Rescue me from familiar self-hatred.
(You’ll never do it. You can’t do it)

Refine my ambition into honest goals.

Quiet my mind when
it is already certain
that nothing could possibly
be different.

And rekindle a tenderness
in my uncertain heart
for my own small
moments of courage
as I peak my head out
from this hiding place.

And all the comfort—
From this familiarity
To announce ‘I’M READY’
If only to myself.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/books-by-kate-bowler/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Children of the Heavenly Father’, by Oasis Chorale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2XpVEKGCvE
******************
UPDATE January 7, 2023

Blessing of the Magi

There is no reversing
this road.
The path that bore you here
goes in one direction only,
every step drawing you
down a way
by which you will not
return.

You thought arrival
was everything,
that your entire journey
ended with kneeling
in the place
you had spent all
to find.

When you laid down
your gift,
release came with such ease,
your treasure tumbling
from your hands
in awe and
benediction.

Now the knowledge
of your leaving
comes like a stone laid
over your heart,
the familiar path closed
and not even the solace
of a star
to guide your way.

You will set out in fear.
You will set out in dream.

But you will set out

by that other road
that lies in shadow
and in dark.

We cannot show you
the route that will
take you home;
that way is yours
and will be found
in the walking.

But we tell you,
you will wonder
at how the light you thought
you had left behind
goes with you,
spilling from
your empty hands,
shimmering beneath
your homeward feet,
illuminating the road
with every step
you take.
—Jan Richardson
http://janrichardson.com/bookcircleofgrace

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Behold’, by Phil Wickham & Anne Wilson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CP08HOcWGY
***************
UPDATE January 6, 2024

For Those Who Have Far to Travel
An Epiphany Blessing

If you could see
the journey whole,
you might never
undertake it,
might never dare
the first step
that propels you
from the place
you have known
toward the place
you know not.

Call it
one of the mercies
of the road:
that we see it
only by stages
as it opens
before us,
as it comes into
our keeping,
step by
single step.

There is nothing
for it
but to go,
and by our going
take the vows
the pilgrim takes:

to be faithful to
the next step;
to rely on more
than the map;
to heed the signposts
of intuition and dream;
to follow the star
that only you
will recognize;

to keep an open eye
for the wonders that
attend the path;
to press on
beyond distractions,
beyond fatigue,
beyond what would
tempt you
from the way.

There are vows
that only you
will know:
the secret promises
for your particular path
and the new ones
you will need to make
when the road
is revealed
by turns
you could not
have foreseen.

Keep them, break them,
make them again;
each promise becomes
part of the path,
each choice creates
the road
that will take you
to the place
where at last
you will kneel

to offer the gift
most needed—
the gift that only you
can give—
before turning to go
home by
another way.
—Jan Richardson
http://janrichardson.com/bookcircleofgrace

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Take Us Home by Another Way’, by Christopher Grundy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOw7kqKEcFA
***********************
UPDATE January 5, 2024

Praise for the Ordinariness of Christmas
God of Goodness,
We give you praise for the ordinariness of Christmas -
that the day comes the same as any other day.
We give you praise that there is no sign in the heavens, and no bright star but the light of your presence in the ordinary birth of the child.
We give you praise that unobtrusively you are in the center of human affairs, involved in the struggle of life, and sharing human experience.
We give you praise that out of compassion you take our part, and open to us a new way of life. We pray that this day we shall be able to see its true glory.
- Caryl Micklem, Contemporary Prayers for Public Worship
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/advent-and-christmas-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Night of Silence/Silent Night’, by Luther College Nordic Choir
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hy9j_mHjUw
***************
UPDATE January 4, 2024

Keeping Christmas
Are you willing...
To forget what you have done for other people, and to remember what other people have done for you?
To ignore what the world owes you, and to think what you owe the world?
To put your rights in the background, and your duties in the middle distance and your changes to do a little more than your duty in the foreground?
To see that men and women are just as real as you are, and try to look behind their faces to their hearts, hungry for joy?
To own up to the fact that probably the only good reason for your existence is not what you are going to get out of life, but what you are going to give to life?
To close your book of complaints against the management of the universe, and look around you for a place where you can sow a few seeds of happiness?
Are you willing to do these things even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas.

Are you willing..
To stoop down and consider the needs and desires of little children?
To remember the weakness and loneliness of people growing old?
To stop asking how much your friends love you, and ask yourself whether you love them enough?
To bear in mind the things that other people have to bear in their hearts?
To try to understand what those who live in the same home with you really want, without waiting for them to tell you?
To trim your lamp so that it will give more light and less smoke, and to carry it in front so that your shadow will fall behind you?
To make a grave for your ugly thoughts, and a garden for your kindly feelings, with the gate open?
Are you willing to do those things, even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas.

Are you willing…
To believe that love is the strongest thing in the world, stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death - and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem two thousand years ago is the image and brightness of the Eternal Love?

Then you keep Christmas.
And if you can keep it for a day, why not always?
But you can never keep it alone.
- Henry Van Dyke
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/advent-and-christmas-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Jesus the Light of the World’, by The Gleniffer Singers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zHgEEWuUe0
**************
UPDATE January 3, 2024

Where the Map Begins
This is not
any map you know.
Forget longitude.
Forget latitude.
Do not think
of distances
or of plotting
the most direct route.
Astrolabe, sextant, compass:
these will not help you here.

This is the map
that begins with a star.
This is the chart
that starts with fire,
with blazing,
with an ancient light
that has outlasted
generations, empires,
cultures, wars.

Look starward once,
then look away.
Close your eyes
and see how the map
begins to blossom
behind your lids,
how it constellates,
its lines stretching out
from where you stand.

You cannot see it all,
cannot divine the way
it will turn and spiral,
cannot perceive how
the road you walk
will lead you finally inside,
through the labyrinth
of your own heart
and belly
and lungs.

But step out
and you will know
what the wise who traveled
this path before you
knew:
the treasure in this map
is buried not at journey’s end
but at its beginning.
—Jan Richardson
http://janrichardson.com/bookcircleofgrace

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Wandering Pilgrim’, by Twila Paris
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4EjKS9f-Js
****************
January 2, 2024

A Blessing For Your Best Life Now
My world is spinning on the axis
of a single thought:
I should be living my best life now.

Lord, other people are living
their effortless, joyful,
perfect lives.

Why aren’t I?

When I scroll social media,
I see grinning faces teaching me,
selling me, convincing me
down to every atom
of my not sufficiently moisturized skin
that I should be more.

I could heal myself,
budget myself,
shop myself whole.
I am a project ready to be completed.
I am an unfinished checklist.

But that much is true.
I am incomplete.
And you never promised us
a finished life.
So pry my eyes from the
Christmas card versions
of other people’s lives.
God, give me satisfaction
in the trying.
Give me joy in
the never-quite-there.
Grant me peace in my unsettled heart
for my wild mediocrity.

Help me smile back at the truth
that no one,
not one, knows perfection but you.
And you already looked at this
messy creation
at the beginning of time
and pronounced it pretty darn good.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Rise Up Shepherd’, by the Ennis Sisters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJDyz1pHCpw
*******************
UPDATE January 1, 2024

A New Year’s Blessing for realists.

As you enter this new year, as you pack away the Christmas decorations and get out your stretchy pants,
as you face the onslaught of false promises offered you through new disciplines and elimination diets,
as you grasp for control of yourself and your life and this chaotic world -

May you remember that there is no resolution that, if kept, will make you more worthy of love.

There is no resolution that, if kept, will make life less uncertain and allow you to control your aging parents and your teenage children and the way other people act.

So this year (as every year),

May you just skip the part where you resolve to be better do better and look better this time.

Instead, may you give yourself the gift of really, really low expectations. Not out of resignation, but out of generosity.

May you expect so little of yourself that you can be super proud of the smallest of accomplishments.

May you expect so little of the people in your life that you actually notice and cherish every small, lovely thing about them.

May you expect so little of the service industry that you notice more of what you do get and less of what you don't and then just tip really well anyhow.

May you expect to get so little out of 2024 that you can celebrate every single thing it offers you, however small.

Because you deserve joy and not disappointment.

So, I wish you a Happy as possible New Year.

Love, Nadia.
(Yearly reminder: there is no resolution that, if kept, will make you more worthy of love.)
--by Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber
https://thecorners.substack.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Christ is Born’, by The Carpenters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjvwcFJg6Og
************************
UPDATE December 31, 2023

For New Year’s Eve 2023

There’s nothing quite as punishing as New Year’s Eve

What did I accomplish?
Who still loves me?
Who doesn’t?
What did I gain?
What can I never get back?

May my fingers find the loose end of a thread
That unravels everything but this truth:

Love was everywhere.
Enough for everyone.
For me.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?’, by The Carpenters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhT8aI9-X5I
***********************
UPDATE December 30, 2023

I Am There
Now God says to us
What He has already said to the earth as a whole
Through His grace-filled birth:

I am there. I am with you.
I am your life. I am your time.
I am the gloom of your daily routine. Why will you not hear it?
I weep your tears - pour yours out to me.
I am your joy.
Do not be afraid to be happy; ever since I wept, joy is the standard of living
That is really more suitable than the anxiety and grief of those who have no hope.

I am the blind alley of all your paths,
For when you no longer know how to go any farther,
Then you have reached me,
Though you are not aware of it.

I am in your anxiety, for I have shared it.
I am in the prison of your finiteness,
For my love has made me your prisoner.

I am in your death,
For today I began to die with you, because I was born,
And I have not let myself be spared any real part of this experience.

I am present in your needs;
I have suffered them and they are now transformed.

I am there.
I no longer go away from this world.
Even if you do not see me now, I am there.

My love is unconquerable.
I am there.
It is Christmas.
Light the Candles! They have more right to exist then all the darkness.
It is Christmas.
Christmas that lasts forever.

- Karl Rahner, S.J., "The Eternal Year"
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/advent-and-christmas-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Leaving Footprints’, by The Ennis Sisters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxETq9LZok8
******************
UPDATE December 29, 2023

Christmas Day Table Prayer
Lord God of Life,
together with the beautiful traditions
of decorating the Christmas tree,
of singing carols and giving gifts,
this Christmas dinner is an important part
of our celebration of the birth
of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Come, Lord our God,
and surround our feast day table
as we delight in this joyous season of Christmas.
Gift us in this meal with the taste of happiness
as we savor this coming together
of family and friends.
As sparkling stars and singing angels rejoiced
at the birth of the Christ Child in Bethlehem,
so may we take great joy
in this our Christmas dinner-celebration.

May You, our God, bless it and us
in Your holy name.

- Hays, Edward, "Prayers for the Domestic Church: A Handbook for Worship in the Home"
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/advent-and-christmas-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Harbour Lights’, by The Ennis Sisters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxGDL5yqAro
****************
UPDATE December 28, 2023

Joy of Discovery
The joy of discovery
that moment
when hope and expectation
were gloriously met
by the illumination of one bright star.
We cannot imagine
what words were spoken by visitors
or if first impressions
left them somewhat confused.

Messiah, Savior, a King
born in the barest of palaces.
Yet they saw and fell down
on their knees in adoration.
Lord, they saw you and knew
whom they had met.
As we meet around crib
candle or advent wreath
draw us into that stable
in our imagination.

In the quiet moments of prayer
this Christmas, that brief oasis
from the bustle of the world
bring alive to us
the smell of the hay
the sound of the animals
the cry of a baby.

Draw us close to our Savior
Messiah and King as we bring
not Gold, Myrrh or Frankincense
but the gift of our lives
the only offering we can bring.

- Found on: Contemporary and traditional prayers for Christmas, www.faithandworship.com

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘In the Bleak Midwinter’, by Keith & Kristyn Getty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwSV-b9vAUQ
*************************
UPDATE December 27, 2023

A Christmas Prayer
Not gold, nor myrrh, nor even frankincense
would I have for you this season,
but simple gifts, the ones that are hardest to find,
the ones that are perfect,
even for those who have everything (if such there be).

I would (if I could)
have for you the gift of courage,
the strength to face the gauntlets
only you can name,
and the firmness in your heart to know
that you (yes, you!) can be a bearer of the quiet dignity
that is the human glorified.

I would (if by my intention I could make it happen)
have for you the gift of connection,
the sense of standing on the hinge of time,
touching past and future
standing with certainty that you (yes, you!)
are the point where it all comes together.

I would (if wishing could make it so)
have for you the gift of community,
a nucleus of love and challenge,
to convince you in your soul
that you (yes, you!) are a source of light
in a world too long believing in the dark.

Not gold, nor myrrh, nor even frankincense,
would I have for you this season,
but simple gifts, the ones that are hardest to find,
the ones that are perfect,
even for those who have everything (if such there be).

- Rev. Maureen Killoran
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/advent-and-christmas-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Gesu Bambino’, by Maggie Beth Phelps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Cm8PSvWi_k
*********************
UPDATE December 26, 2023

A Blessing for Christmas

God, this is a kind of magic
the way this day shines so strangely,
how it sparkles beyond
our understanding.

(Yes, it was a disaster
the way the food
turned out this year
and how what’s-her-face said
—I told her not to—
what shouldn’t be repeated.
Again, this year.)

But, somehow, this day
never fails to awaken a longing
to love well—or at least better—
all those here with us,
and those far away,
and to remember with gratitude
those now gone, gone, gone
and missed.

What is this mystery?

Our God,
who set the world spinning,
should come down
for this one reason:
to love us into newness.

Not for gain,
nor our capitalist fantasies,
but for the hope so freely,
lavishly given
that we might learn to see,
feel, and live Christ’s love.

Thank you,
Christ the Giver
and the Gift.

--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day’, by Johnny Reid
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lPvv0IEY4o
*********************

UPDATE December 25, 2023

Where the Light Begins
A Blessing for Christmas

Perhaps it does not begin.
Perhaps it is always.

Perhaps it takes
a lifetime
to open our eyes,
to learn to see
what has forever
shimmered in front of us—

the luminous line
of the map
in the dark

the vigil flame
in the house
of the heart

the love
so searing
we cannot keep
from singing,
from crying out
in testimony
and praise.

Perhaps this day
will be the mountain
over which
the dawn breaks.

Perhaps we
will turn our face
toward it,
toward what has been
always.

Perhaps
our eyes
will finally open
in ancient recognition,
willingly dazzled,
illuminated at last.

Perhaps this day
the light begins
in us.

—Jan Richardson
from Circle of Grace
https://www.janrichardson.com/books

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘O Holy Night’, by The Tenors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3A2-LX2Kms
*******************
UPDATE December 24, 2023

Christmas Eve Blessing

How the Light Comes

I cannot tell you
how the light comes.

What I know
is that it is more ancient
than imagining.

That it travels
across an astounding expanse
to reach us.

That it loves
searching out
what is hidden,
what is lost,
what is forgotten
or in peril
or in pain.

That it has a fondness
for the body,
for finding its way
toward flesh,
for tracing the edges
of form,
for shining forth
through the eye,
the hand,
the heart.

I cannot tell you
how the light comes,
but that it does.
That it will.
That it works its way
into the deepest dark
that enfolds you,
though it may seem
long ages in coming
or arrive in a shape
you did not foresee.

And so
may we this day
turn ourselves toward it.
May we lift our faces
to let it find us.
May we bend our bodies
to follow the arc it makes.
May we open
and open more
and open still

to the blessed light
that comes.

—Jan Richardson
https://www.janrichardson.com/books
…………………….
The Fourth Week of Advent
Sunday

Loving God,
It is growing in my heart:
An awareness and gratitude of your constant love for me;
Like the sun rising in the East
to warm and comfort my life
and to bring new growth.

Thank you for these weeks of prayer.
In the spirit of the season
my waiting, my patience,
feels sacred.

Bless my heart with generosity
and make me ready to receive you.

Come, Lord Jesus! Come!

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/Daily-prayers-4.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Silent Night’, by Nathan Pacheco & Madilyn Paige
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGrvfsZaYIk
*********************
UPDATE December 23, 2023

The Third Week of Advent
Saturday

Oh, King of us all.
I find myself standing before
your strength and splendor
watching, waiting
and filled with total joy.

You have lifted my mind in hope.
Now help me to open my life
the the coming of the Spirit.

I want to be like Mary, your mother.

Her wonderful courage and strength
inspire me to do the same.
She simply said Yes
and the impossible was done.

Thank you for this Advent journey.
The anticipation has filled my life
and made me long for
a closer relationship with you.

My life gets so busy that I forget to focus.

Thank you for guidance.
Thank you for the quiet moments
when I have felt your love.

Nothing will be impossible with God.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/Daily-prayers-3.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Amen/Go Tell it On the Mountain’, by Selah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpTZ1ibC3bM
******************
UPDATE December 22, 2023

The Third Week of Advent
Friday

Loving God,
It is growing in my heart:
An awareness and gratitude of your constant love for me;
Like the sun rising in the East
to warm and comfort my life
and to bring new growth.

Thank you for these weeks of prayer.
In the spirit of the season
my waiting, my patience,
feels sacred.

Bless my heart with generosity
and make me ready to receive you.

Come, Lord Jesus! Come!

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/Daily-prayers-3.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Gabriel’s Oboe/Still, Still, Still, by GENTRI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGohh1gGTug
*********************
UPDATE December 21, 2023

The Third Week of Advent
Thursday

Oh, Jesus, you hold the key
that will unlock my constricted heart.
It gives me great hope
that Mary said yes to you and your plan.
She was filled with the Spirit
and put aside her own doubts.

I know you are ready to answer my prayers,
ease my doubts and calm my fears.
Sometimes I don't hear your messengers
because they aren't what I expect.
They aren't wearing wings or halos
but are the people standing in front of me.

How many times have I not listened?
How often have I balked at your messages
and your messengers?

Fill me with the light of your Spirit
and enter, in all your glory
into my life.
Let me rejoice!

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/Daily-prayers-3.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Take a Walk Through Bethlehem’, by Trisha Yearwood
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFIHyuAYNd4
********************
UPDATE December 20, 2023

The Third Week of Advent
Wednesday

Oh, Jesus who descended from Jesse,
you are a sign of God's love.
I feel hopeful and expectant,
filled with a rebirth of joy and love.

I depend you so much.
You are a rock for my belief
and a sign of God's love.

Fill me with your praise!
I want to sing your glory,
filled with joy
for the message of hope you send.

I don't always understand
when you are acting on my behalf.
Thank you for the message of hope you send me.
Give me true faith and love
as I celebrate the mystery
of how you came to be with us.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/Daily-prayers-3.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘At This Table’, by Sela
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKRROCZ7D08
*******************
UPDATE December 19, 2023

The Third Week of Advent
Tuesday

Oh, Adonai, dearest Lord,
Compassionate God of justice,
so many areas of my life seem imprisoned
but you promise me real freedom
and peace in my life.

Renew my spirit and free my soul.
Please, open my heart which you have bathed in the longing of Advent.

I am awe-struck as your glory fills the earth and I want to follow you in caring for other.

Grant me the grace to see how you shine your light on the poor who have such a special place in your heart.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/Daily-prayers-3.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Light of the Stable’, by Selah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUfCglswhNE
********************
UPDATE December 18, 2023

The Third Week of Advent
Monday

Oh, God of wisdom,
I want to praise you and give you my life.

Like a loving parent,
you bless me.
You have watched over me,
knowing my history
and the path that led me to you.

Thank you for the peace
you promise peace in my life.
I ask that I be always aware
of the strength of your great power.
May it never leave me.

So many people before me
in so many generations,
have served you so humbly,
answering your call.
Please give me the wisdom and courage
to be your humble servant.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/Daily-prayers-3.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Rose of Bethlehem’, by Selah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_HoavOP_Dk
*****************
UPDATE December 17, 2023

The Third Week of Advent
Sunday

I lift my heart up to you, Lord,
to thank you for the blessings
you shower on me each day.

You are the 'joy of my soul.'
I know that in your great love,
I am held and protected by you.

I pray and listen to the good news you send;
I ask and feel the healing.
I am freed by you
from the things in this world
that let me hide from you.

I rejoice, I rejoice, down to my soul.
Help me to prepare my heart
to be open and able to receive your immense love.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/Daily-prayers-3.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Once Upon a Christmas’, by Selah ft Dolly Parton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jyGOsvz5A0
********************
UPDATE December 16, 2023

The Second Week of Advent
Saturday

Jesus,
in the darkness of these Advent nights
let me be guided by the light of your word.
Give me the humility to be led by you
and the wisdom to learn from you.

I feel your light in my life
and in the world.
I am grateful for the Savior who awaits us,
and eagerly await the time of rejoicing.
Let me look forward in hope
and turn to you with great trust,
knowing you will guide my steps
along the unknown path of this day.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/Daily-prayers-2.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Mystery’, by Selah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJaQM8egwE4
************
UPDATE December 15, 2023

The Second Week of Advent
Friday

Jesus,
in the darkness of these Advent nights
let me be guided by the light of your word.
Give me the humility to be led by you
and the wisdom to learn from you.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Joy to the World/The King is Coming’ by Christy Nockels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cAXtV1XEis
*******************

UPDATE December 14, 2023

The Second Week of Advent
Thursday

Lord, like a loving parent,
you offer me your comforting hand
and tell me not to be afraid.

Help me to wait for your coming with patience
and to listen to what you ask of me.

I want so much to be one of “your people"
and to live my life in you.

Thank you for the way you bless my life.
Thank you for listening to my prayers
and for planting deep in my heart
the knowledge that with you,
nothing is impossible.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/Daily-prayers-2.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Angels’ Lullaby (Mary’s Song)’, by Christy Nockels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7dAf66w038
*****************
UPDATE December 13, 2023

The Second Week of Advent
Wednesday

Jesus, I can see your special love
of those who are so often invisible in this world.
You sent your mother to give hope to the poor by appearing to Juan Diego.
Open my heart to fill with compassion
for those who are hungry and without dignity.
Grant me the ability to live simply
and to see you in the faces of those around me.
In the darkness of these Advent nights
let me be guided by the light of your word.
Give me the humility to be led by you
and the wisdom to learn from you.
I am grateful for the Savior who awaits us,
and eagerly await the time of rejoicing.
Let me look forward in hope
and turn to you with great trust,
knowing you will guide my steps
along the unknown path of this day.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/Daily-prayers-2.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’, by Christy Nockels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpfdob9K3sE
********************
UPDATE December 12, 2023

The Second Week of Advent
Tuesday

Almighty God,
I hear it over and over: you are coming to me.

I feel my heart stir in anticipation,
and I sense that you are inviting me
to enter more deeply
into the mystery of your birth.

Help me to feel renewed patience settle in my heart,
and to lift my face in joy.

I have been like a lost lamb,
but I hear your voice calling me
and I feel how deeply you want me to return.
Somehow I know that you rejoice in my desire to find you.

Help me not to be afraid to say out loud, to believe:
Here is God, coming into my life.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/Daily-prayers-2.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Wrap This One Up’, by Christy Nockels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkEg8MRhAkw
****************
UPDATE December 11, 2023

The Second Week of Advent
Monday

God of Strength,
I need your courage.
You offer to make firm the knees that are weak.
Only you know how frightened I so often am.

And you do offer me strength.
There is the promise of your Son's coming
and knowing that you will save me.
I can't do this on my own
no matter how often I think I can.

Give me the humility to ask for your help
and open heart to accept
your healing and love in my life.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/Daily-prayers-2.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘O Come, O Come Emmanuel’, by Christy Nockels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5yclUtyH0E
*****************
UPDATE December 10, 2023

The Second Week of Advent
Sunday

Dear Lord,
Through the darkness, I look for your wisdom.
I want my heart to be open to you.
But sometimes in these days, it seems that
so many things come between us.

Help me to be awake and aware
of the radiance you bring to my life.
Help me to be grateful each day
for the blessings of family and friends.
Let me be a peacemaker
in my own life, and in the world.
Let me pray especially for this difficult world
and those who are so in need of an end to violence.
My heart begs for this as my Advent prayer today.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/Daily-prayers-2.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Thrill of Hope-Advent Hymn’, by Christy Nockels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNuY6I4OtoE
*****************

UPDATE December 9, 2023

The First Week of Advent
Saturday

God of us all,
Thank you for the gift of Mary in my life.
I rely on her to intercede for me with her son,
and to guide me, especially in my family.

Help me to learn the grace of humility,
and give me the courage to say "yes" to you
without always knowing where it will lead.

Release me from the fears that grip me,
the pride and stubbornness
that keep me from you and others.

Let me turn to Mary, so human,
for an example of how I might live my own life
more freely, more loving and more aware of you.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/Daily-prayers.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Song in the Air’, by Christy Nockels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rFyAhGEL8w
***************

UPDATE December 8, 2023

The First Week of Advent
Friday

Jesus, protector,
I long for your coming.
The promise of new light is there
if only I can believe.

Protect me from dangers
and lead me through the gloom and darkness
to the joy I so long to find in you.

Lift me from my lowly sins
and give me the promise of salvation
with no more shame,
only the light and saving grace of your love.

Let the ancient dream be fulfilled in you
|and peace come to this life and world.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/Daily-prayers.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Every Valley- A Soulful Celebration’, by Lizz Lee and Chris Willis (with Mike E.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3VzKzJxceg
****************
UPDATE December 7, 2023

The First Week of Advent
Thursday

God of strength and protection,
I turn to you because I need help.
I long to be free enough
to trust that I can lean on you.

But I become afraid.
Help me to trust in you, Lord.
Your strength and power
are a gentle place of protection.

Be a safe refuge when I am being trampled.
I long for your help, your protecting care.
Help to deliver me from the cold
loneliness of these dark nights.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/Daily-prayers.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Every Valley from Handel’s New Young Messiah’, by Larnelle Harris
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLO--IMaUpE
*****************

On this day 34 years ago, fourteen women were murdered and another ten were injured along with four men being injured by an armed gunman at the École Polytechnique in Montreal. The gunman separated the women from the men in a mechanical engineering class and opened fire only on the women. He then moved on and roamed the halls targeting other women. We continue to mourn their loss even as we realize we must recommit to fighting misogyny and gender based violence. Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, kyrie eleison.
*******************

Mike Farwell from CityNews 570 interviewed our own Bradley Moggach in promotion of our dramatic reading of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' being held on Friday December 8th at 7:30 PM. The interview with Brad begins at the 2:27:36 mark of the programme. Thank you Mike Farwell, and thank you Brad for making time to do this interview!

https://kitchener.citynews.ca/2023/12/05/tuesday-december-5th-2023/

***********************
UPDATE December 6, 2023

The First Week of Advent
Wednesday

Lord of all,
you are a God of plenty, a Lord who provides
for us in our need.
As I begin these early days of Advent
help me to believe that you know what I need.
Give me the courage to listen to your voice
and the freedom
to open my heart to the graces you are
offering me to place my trust in you.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/Daily-prayers.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

“Every Valley from Handel’s Young Messiah, by First Call
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBkjIoW7vjA
******************
UPDATE December 5, 2023

The First Week of Advent
Tuesday

God of forgiveness,
I turn to you in my great weakness
and beg for your help.
Let me feel the joy growing in my heart
as I anticipate your coming.

I hear the message of the prophets of old and know that the Messiah will bring new life and new ways of living.

From the humbleness of my life,
help me to grow and bloom
and hear the words
that will change the world.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/Daily-prayers.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Comfort Ye from Handel’s Messiah-A Soulful Celebration’, by Daryl Coley & Vanessa Bell Armstrong
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKuIT9LOB8A
**************

UPDATE December 4, 2023

The First Week of Advent
Monday

Loving God,
I sense that all is your creation
and everything, and all of us,
are being drawn back toward your loving heart.

Help me to be a person of peace,
To speak about it in an uneasy world,
And to live it among the people
you have put into my life every day.

Light in me a desire to prepare for your coming
to stand in the darkness, waiting, eager and filled with joy.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/Daily-prayers.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Comfort Ye from Handel’s New Young Messiah’, by Wayne Watson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAidIlmQpNk
**************
UPDATE December 3, 2023

a blessing for hope
(for the first Sunday of advent)

God, these are darkening days,
with little hope in sight.
Help us in our fear and exhaustion.
Anchor us in hope.

Blessed are we with eyes open
to see the accumulated
suffering of danger,
sickness, and loneliness,
the injustice of racial oppression,
the unimpeded greed and misuse
of power, violence, intimidation,
and use of dominance for its own sake,

the mockery of truth,
and disdain for weakness or vulnerability
—and worse, the seeming powerlessness
of anyone trying to stop it.

Blessed are we who ask:
Where are you, God?
And where are Your people
—the smart and sensible ones
who fight for good and
have the power to make it stick?

Blessed are we who cry out:
Oh God, why does the bad
always seem to win?
When will good prevail?
We know you are good,
but we see so little goodness.

God, show me your heart.
How you seek out the broken,
lift us on your shoulders,
and carry us home—
no matter how weak we’ve become.

God, seek us out, and find us,
we your tired people,
and lead us out to where hope lies
where your kingdom will come
and your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.

Fill me with your courage.
Calm me with your love.
Fortify me with your hope.

P.S. Open your hands
as you release your prayers.
Then take hold of hope.
As protest.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Comfort Ye from Handel’s Young Messiah’, by Matthew Ward
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WziSZ9C3WcY
***************
UPDATE December 2, 2023

Even a Single Soul
Even a single soul can bring light to the world.
One faithful soul,
one loving heart,
can turn life from sorrow to singing.
It can heal even the deepest rift.
It can restore hope in the imagination of millions.
I want to be such a soul.
I want to be a source of the sacred,
a sign of renewal,
an invitation others can embrace
and make their own.
I am not anything but me,
me as I am,
but even a single soul
can bring light to the world.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Sun of My Soul (Shine)’ by Kristyn Getty & Sandra McCracken
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJMcP44aw4Q
*******************
UPDATE December 1, 2023

I Will Not Be Afraid
I will not be afraid,
even if what I wanted to happen doesn’t happen,
even if there are many more problems
than I can handle alone,
even if the future seems shrouded
in a fog of uncertainty and threat.
I will not be afraid.
Setbacks are to be expected.
I do not have to handle everything myself.
And the future is what we make it.
So even if the mountains tremble,
I will not be afraid.
My help, my hope, my heart is in the Spirit.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘All People That on Earth Do Dwell’, by Keith & Kristyn Getty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0der19PAMyQ
*****************
UPDATE November 30, 2023

Prayer for a Messy Heart
Dear God,
My heart is a mess.
There’s just more suffering and loss and fear in the world than it can hold right now. Help me not let in so much news that I have to put the “closed” sign up in the door of my heart, because my family and friends need it to stay open.
Sometimes my heart doesn’t really trust love.
When my heart is full, help the anxious thoughts and feelings that poke a hole and empty it again come more slowly (or preferably not at all).
Sometimes the old girl does unhelpful things to protect herself.
When my heart is broken, help it not also create an emotional auto-immune disorder – attacking as pathogen what is actually harmless.
But sometimes, sometimes I’m surprised by my heart.
It can be more deeply in love than I ever knew possible.
It can increasingly be gladdened by simple things I used to ignore.
It can hurt for people I don’t even like very much.
It can heal from things I used to think would destroy it.
It can long for you, God. But in ways that look less like piety and more like friendship.
It’s confusing, having a human heart.
So help me remember that while my heart may break, expand, hurt, heal, close, open and overflow - none of that affects my soul.
None of it can get to the part of me which bears your image; the part of me that contains the divine, inextinguishable spark. And for that I am thankful. Because, as stated earlier, my heart is a mess.
AMEN.
--Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber
https://thecorners.substack.com/p/prayer-for-a-messy-heart

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Walk With Me, Lord’, by Lynda Randle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r9w_X8HZyA
*****************
UPDATE November 29, 2023

A Blessing for When You Need a Little Peace
God, I am a shape-shifter.
Hidden in plain sight.
A great disappearing act.

Every now and again,
when I am spinning in a tornado
of other people’s needs and wants,
I worry that if I stepped out of it
to stand dumbfounded for a moment,
my body would cast no shadow.

God, I vanish.
The unnecessary pain
and necessary needs
of others feel durable.
Measurable.

God, look at how much they need me.

Isn’t it necessary that I am
not myself today?

God, remind me of my own goodness.
The way you look at me and grin.
The way the earth can stretch to hold
my own dreams when I remember them.

God, let my stomach grumble
and I eat.
Let me be delighted
and I laugh.
Let me tire
and I rest.

Give my heart peace today
as I am here
surprisingly myself
while the world spins and spins.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/
*From my new book, HAVE A BEAUTIFUL, TERRIBLE DAY!

Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Day Three’, by Lynda Randle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so0Ljy54lqs
****************
UPDATE November 28, 2023

a thanksgiving blessing when you don’t feel terribly thankful
God, I am struggling to find my way
toward gratitude this thanksgiving.

Help my heart find joy,
for you know how much I need it.
come meet us in our needs
that weigh so heavily upon us.

God have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Spirit have mercy.

"Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?"
—Psalm 85:6

God have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Spirit have mercy.

Blessed are we
who come to you just as we are,
with our loneliness and loss,
our scarcity and sorrow,
and say God,
there is just not enough
though we’re not even
supposed to say it today,
there is just not enough to go on:
not enough money to pay bills,
not enough jobs,
nor safety for those who have them,
not enough wisdom to find solutions,
not enough strength
or comfort or connection.

Things are just harder now.

Blessed are we who say, God,
could you come meet us here,
in this place?
This place of need
where our feelings don’t match the day?

Blessed are we who hear You saying:
“come to me, all you who are weary
and carrying heavy burdens,
and I will give you rest.”

And we come.
And somehow there is rest,
and gladness for tiny, tiny graces.

Blessed are we,
the truly thankful.
God have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Spirit have mercy.

Settle.
Place before your mind one gift of God.
And say thanks.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
—Matthew 5:3
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Not In Vain’, by Lucy Grimble
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGpyxGfB2PE
******************
UPDATE November 27, 2023

Open the Four Directions
Opening the four directions within you.
First, open your spirit:
intentionally go to a sacred space
to be in touch with the Spirit.
Second, open your mind:
be receptive to new inspirations,
allowing the Spirit to reveal wisdom to you.
Third, open your heart:
receive the message of the Spirit,
letting it expand your horizons.
Fourth, open your hands:
use what you have learned,
a working wisdom
that transforms belief into being.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Seed of Faith’, by Charity Gayle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvjaesgAs4U
***************
UPDATE November 26, 2023

Generosity
One of the blessings of generosity
is that you get to see the delight
on another person’s face.
When you are generous,
you release a moment of pure joy,
one of the rarest of our human experiences.
Bestowing that gift,
the gift of joy,
far exceeds any monetary value
of what you have given.
It allows someone a chance
to feel weightless in a world
heavy with the gravity of worry.
It gives them a memory
that will go on inspiring
and healing them, for as long as they live.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I’ve Got Joy’, by CeCe Winans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LFpy9tRTw8
*****************
UPDATE November 25, 2023

A Time of Deep Transistion
We are in a time of deep transformation.
Deep change.
We did not ask for this to be the case.
We did not even fully anticipate it.
But it is our reality.
It is our challenge.
The Spirit has confidence in us
to move history in the direction of hope.
We are called to create a future.
And we are equal to the task –
with the help of heaven
and the kinship of all living things.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Loved Me First’, by Philippa Hana
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz2Etmcy9nQ
*******************
UPDATE November 24, 2023

Listen
Somewhere out there,
in the darkness, in the distance,
someone is playing music.
I can just hear it.
The sound slips through the noise of the world,
the tumult of the world,
to find me listening.
It is the music of grateful hearts,
of lives restored to wholeness,
of hope fulfilled and justice,
at last, realized. Listen.
Even in the turmoil, listen.
It is the music of our redemption,
the first sound of creation.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘O Give Thanks’, by Matt Boswell & Matt Papa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwPa23Ar8HI
***************
UPDATE November 23, 2023

When Will The Change Begin?
When will the change begin?
When will it start to happen?
We have waited so long and prayed so long,
when will the light begin to shine in this conflicted world?
Our answer is:
when we each begin to see it in ourselves.
When we believe and not despair,
when we love and not fear,
when we give and not take –
then we will see the change start to happen,
and happen all around us.
The answer is already here,
within, waiting for us to find it.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘King of Glory’, by Michael W. Smith & CeCe Winans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1KkFw1Oupg
***************
UPDATE November 22, 2023

a blessing for living between.
Between miracles.
Between answers.
Between formulas.

Blessed are you who live here,
this space between
simple categories and easy answers.

You who wonder why this is your life,
why you got this diagnosis,
or why you still struggle with infertility,
or why you haven’t found your birth parents,
or why you can’t kick the addiction
or why your kids haven’t come home.

Blessed are you who
build a home on uneasy ground,
who, despite your trying,
your asking, you’re searching,
haven’t found the satisfying
feeling of discovery.

And blessed are you who never will.
This is not an easy place to live.
Outside of certainty,
outside of knowing,
outside of the truth.

But blessed are you
who realize that love and beauty
and courage and meaning live here too.
Amid the unease and the frustration
and the sleepless nights.
In the way love and courage
show up through people,
through presence, through laughter.

May you be surprised by
your capacity for ambiguity,
for the way it makes you
a great listener and a good friend,
for you are someone who knows
how to feel your way around
in the dark and squint for the stars.

I wish it were easier, dear one.
I wish I could hand you
the answers you seek.

But for now,
may you find comfort
in the fact that you are not alone.
We are all learning to live
in the uncertainty in the unknowing.
So blessed are we who live here together.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Ave Mara (Schubert)’, by Kings Return
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRzI8y-EJJ0
****************
UPDATE November 21, 2023

Lord Jesus Christ
You are the peace
of all things calm,
You are the place
to hide from harm,
You are the light
that shines in the dark,
You are the heart’s
eternal spark,
You are the door
that’s open wide,
You are the guest
who waits inside,
You are the stranger
at the door,
You are the calling
of the poor,
You are my Lord
and with me still,
You are my love,
keep me from ill,
You are the light,
the truth, the way,
You are my Saviour
this very day.
--Ancient Celtic prayer

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Letting Go’, by Amy Perry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiXMfzg6e-Q
***************
UPDATE November 20, 2023

Our Shared Calling
In the midst of chaos,
I will be peace.
In the heart of anger,
I will be love.
In the presence of despair,
I will be hope.
Those are my assignments.
Not imposed on me,
but taken up willingly
as a witness to what I believe is true for all of us.
The circle of life needs
and deserves peace, love and hope.
Our shared calling is to embody that grace,
to live what we pray,
to be the blessing we ask of others.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Firm Foundation’, by Selah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfyO1NJFygg
**************
UPDATE November 19, 2023

I Will Start From Here
|I will start from here.
That is an interesting spiritual statement
when you stop to think about it.
It means that whatever happened before,
and whatever may happen in time to come,
the past and the future
are not the sacred space
I actually inhabit.
That space is right here,
right now,
in whatever condition I find myself.
This is what I have to work with.
This is where change and hope begin for me.
Recognizing my location on the map of the holy
is one more way that I claim my place of blessing
and announce to the universe:
I will start from here.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Redeemer’, by Nicole C. Mullen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QvX4CwSmwY
*******************
UPDATE November 18, 2023

A Benediction
Neither the watchful eye nor the healing hand
will be far from you.
Your path will find its own way
and your mission will be fulfilled.
The angels will go before you
and the ancestors will walk at your side.
What you have planted will prosper
and what you need most will be supplied.
The work of your heart will bless all you love
and the wisdom you have shared will fall to fertile minds.
You will be hopeful in difficult times
and joyous in every good moment that can be shared.
You will give what you have
just as you have received what has been given.
Contentment will be a reward for you
as peace of mind has been your inheritance.
Your prayers are being answered and will always be answered
in ways marvelous and mysterious.
Draw in a deep breath,
a breath you have earned,
here on the shores of faithfulness,
beside the endless sea of compassion.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Counting My Blessings’, by Seph Schlueter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqVsRt_D-QY
****************
UPDATE November 17, 2023

Spiritual Stamina.
Trying to live in this day and age is not easy.
Trying to live in it with hope and integrity is even harder.
Trying to do all of the above while coping with a personal need is hardest of all.
We need the endurance of a long distance runner.
We need the spiritual stamina faith requires today.
Which is exactly why I am writing these words.
To any person making the long run to hope
let me offer this blessing of energy through faith in the Spirit:
be renewed in your strength,
empowered in mind and body,
carried forward by the faith you need
to complete the race before you.
Be blessed with spiritual stamina when you need it most.
--Bishop Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Day After Day, Jesus Reigns’, by CityAlight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDY4gvXGjSo
********************
UPDATE November 16, 2023

Within My Circle
Within the circle of my family and friends
May I be a source of peace
a hand to hold
accessible
generous
loving
A blessing

Within the circle of my acquaintances
May I be a steady rock
a ready shoulder
dependable
trustworthy
caring
A blessing

Within the circle of my community
May I be a light that shines
a love that flows
discernible
accessible
healing
A blessing
https://www.faithandworship.com/prayers_Discipleship.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Love of God’, by Selah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fqp27IvdbSo
**************
UPDATE November 15, 2023

A Blessing for Knowing and Being Known
Blessed are we with eyes to see
the person right in front of us,
Not solely their faults
or some future version of themselves
or the way they always do
that thing that drives you nuts.
But as poetry incarnate,
as treasures to be beheld.

Blessed are you who notice
the light in their eyes
or when that light dims.
You who scoot up close
to their suffering,
though you might not have
the right words to say.
You who bear witness
to their life in its entirety—
the joys, the sorrows,
the unfinishedness of it all.
You who cherish every story
(even if you’ve heard it before),
listening without judgment
and without haste.

May your careful attention
be met with others
who see you as
the same bright light
and wonder that you are.

As you practice seeing
and being seen,
may you remember that
you too are a blessing to all
who have the privilege to know you.
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘How Can You Not’, by Leanna Crawford
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70JD5YTemJc
*****************
UPDATE November 14, 2023

“World, world,
forgive our ignorance and our foolish fears.
Absolve us of our anger and our error.
In your boundless gift for renewal,
disregard our undeserving.
For no reason but the hope that one day
we will know the beauty of unloved things,
accept our unuttered thanks.”
This is from Margaret Renkl, in her new book, "The Comfort of Crows"–
Bless you as you learn to be in love with the world again, my dears.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Take It To Jesus’, by Anna Golden ft. Kari Jobe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HY-QdAWMlxc
*******************
UPDATE November 13, 2023

A Blessing for When You Want to Wake Up to Joy
Blessed are you for feeling the pull,
that tug back toward a part of yourself
so easily ignored.
Yourself at ease.
Yourself in the flow.
Yourself at play.

Pain or boredom or business
has sucked up all the energy.

But wait.

Aren’t you more than
a crisis firefighter?

Blessed are you when you relax.
When you feel young again
When you LAY THE STRESS DOWN.

Blessed are you when you remember
That you used to be pretty good at guitar
Or piano, or actually you’re a terrible singer
but, wait for it, you’re going to
bring out the showtunes.

Blessed are you who
put the words FUN in the calendar
Even when you have no idea
what you might actually do.

You are more than
a list of things to do,
people to love,
problems to survive.

You are a big, loud laugh.
Or a quiet, study of wonder.
Extroverted or introverted.
Splashy or contained.
May the joy of fun be
poured back in your roots,
And may you watch yourself
come back to life.
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘He Leadeth Me’, by Sovereign Grace Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpYM6Et_hVY
****************
UPDATE November 12, 2023

Prayers for Our Armed Forces and For All Peacekeepers

For those who are serving this country, abroad or at home, by land, by sea, or in the air;
for their mission to bring peace and security in other lands;
and for God's protection from all perils and injury, we pray to the Lord.

For families separated from their loved ones in the military;
and for the strength they need to face this time of isolation and uncertainty, we pray to the Lord.

For the Church and all military chaplains, for preachers and counsellors,
and for all who bring guidance and support to our troops and their families, we pray to the Lord.

For all who support our troops in this time of trial; for doctors, nurses and care-givers;
and for all who need to see the face of a loving God, we pray to the Lord.
For all prisoners and combatants; for victims of conflict or oppression;
and for God's mercy upon all who suffer, we pray to the Lord.

For wisdom, compassion and peace within our government and nation,
for a recognition of the dignity of every human person;
and for the safety of all Canadian peace-keepers, we pray to the Lord.
https://www.cccb.ca/document/prayers-for-the-canadian-forces/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Sing You Home’, by The Ennis Sisters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JeuCgA0rFI
****************
UPDATE November 11, 2023

In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders Fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.
--John McCrae

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Highway of Heroes’, by The Trews
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qEcvurq63A
***************
UPDATE November 10, 2023

A prayer for World peace
O God of the nations,
as we look to that day when you will gather people
from north and south, east and west,
into the unity of your peaceable Kingdom,
guide with your just and gentle wisdom all who take counsel
for the nations of the world,
that all your people may spend their days in security, freedom, and peace,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
https://www.churchofengland.org/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘A Pittance of Time’, by Terry Kelly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIHie6R2TlY
****************
UPDATE November 9, 2023

High Flight
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air...
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.
--Officer John G. Magee, Jr. - November, 1941

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘O Day of Peace’, by Claire Holley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQXqR6LaYTA
*******************
UPDATE November 8, 2023

I do not know what will come next.
I have no special insight or prediction.
I only know that whatever it is,
I will have the Spirit beside me.
I say this not from faith alone,
but from experience.
Like you, I have felt the Spirit with me on more than one occasion
where that loving presence made all the difference.
I will never forget it.
Therefore, I am at peace, come what may.
--Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Great Redeemer’, by Songs From The Soil ft Sophia Mitchell and Steph Macleod
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH7sQ76tcSk
********************
UPDATE November 7, 2023

In Your Time
In your time, Saving God,
You walked upon this earth,
And in your time
Became one of us,
To show what we could become.
Remind us always
As we look at our lives
In comparison with yours,
That at the centre of all things
Is the saving Grace of God

In your time, Mighty God,
You will come in glory,
And in your time
Gather the harvest,
From one end of this earth to the other.
Remind us always,
In times of plenty,
And in times of famine,
That at the centre of all things
Are the mercy and justice of God.
Amen
https://www.faithandworship.com/Prayers_Encounters_with_God.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Thy Mercy, My God’, by Sandra McCracken
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtVMhe4SMFE
******************
UPDATE November 6, 2023

The Embrace of God
There is a transformation that takes place
within the warmth of your embrace,
That certain knowledge that you are
refuge, shelter, fortress and stronghold,
against which no army can succeed.
That you are Brother, Sister, Mother, Father,
the love that knows no bounds.
That you are God,
And I am lost outside of your embrace.
https://www.faithandworship.com/Prayers_Encounters_with_God.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘All Hail the King of Heaven’, by Keith & Kristyn Getty, Matt Boswell, Matt Papa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbHP62jp4Zk
**********************
UPDATE November 5, 2023

Into the Daily Cycle of Our Lives
Into the daily cycle of our lives,
When all seems well
With us and with the world,
When our yoke is easy
And the burden light,
You break in,
And scatter our complacency.

Into the daily cycle of our lives,
When we are comfortable
And at our ease,
When the fire is lit,
But eyes are closed,
You break in,
And challenge our dependency.

You break into
Our daily prayers,
Humble hearts,
Lay souls bare,
You break in,
You break in.

You break in
When defences are down,
With an Angel's shout,
Or the quietest sound,
You break in
You break in.

And we change,
And all things change,
When you break in.
https://www.faithandworship.com/Prayers_Encounters_with_God.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘My Dwelling Place’, Keith & Kristyn Getty ft Phil Keaggy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiuNq2OWgzg
*********************
UPDATE November 4, 2023

Your Voice Remains
We have heard your glorious whisper,
Almost silent, yet insistent,
Breaking through the chatter
Of many voices,
The clatter
Of background noises,
The wind,
The rain,
Storm and hurricane.
Through all of this
Your voice remains
Unchangeable,
Cuts through to heart
And soul.
Unmissable.
'Come follow me
Pick up the Cross…
My burden is no burden at all,
It is simply love
Poured out for you,
And through you,
Sustaining,
Empowering …
Come follow me'

The world has ears
Yet fails to hear,
But we have heard your glorious whisper
https://www.faithandworship.com/Prayers_Encounters_with_God.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Real Thing’, by Songs for the Soil ft Marc James & Kate Cooke
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuKNg3NdiKc
********************
UPDATE November 3, 2023

A Quote from Irish poet and theologian, Padriag O Tuama:
“Neither I nor the poets I love found the keys to the kingdom of prayer and we cannot force god to stumble over us where we sit. But I know that it's a good idea to sit anyway. So every morning I sit, I kneel, waiting, making friends with the habit of listening, hoping that I'm being listened to. There, I greet God in my own disorder. I say hello to my chaos, my unmade decisions, my unmade bed, my desire and my trouble. I say hello to distraction and privilege, I greet the day and I greet my beloved and bewildering Jesus. I recognize and greet my burdens, my luck, my controlled and uncontrollable story. I greet my untold stories, my unfolding story, my unloved body, my own love, my own body. I greet the things I think will happen and I say hello to everything I do not know about the day. I greet my own small world and I hope that I can meet the bigger world someday. I greet my story and hope that I can forget my story during the day, and hope that I can hear some stories, and greet some surprising stories during the long day ahead. I greet God, and I greet the God who is more God than the God I greet. Hello to you all, I say, as the sun rises above the chimneys of North Belfast. Hello.”
― Pádraig Ó Tuama, In the Shelter: Finding a Home in the World
https://www.padraigotuama.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Send the Rain’, by Songs from the Soil ft Nathan Jess and Kate Cooke
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pdr-SRhK3j4
********************
UPDATE November 2, 2023

God of the Living
A Blessing

When the wall
between the worlds
is too firm,
too close.

When it seems
all solidity
and sharp edges.

When every morning
you wake as if
flattened against it,
its forbidding presence
fairly pressing the breath
from you
all over again.

Then may you be given
a glimpse
of how weak the wall

and how strong what stirs
on the other side,

breathing with you
and blessing you
still,
forever bound to you
but freeing you
into this living,
into this world
so much wider
than you ever knew.

—Jan Richardson
from The Cure for Sorrow
© Jan L. Richardson. janrichardson.com

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Cross Has Spoken’, by Songs from the Soil ft Lucy Grimble & Marc James
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J8midvXRhA
***********************
This is a video we at St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Cambridge created in November of 2020 to help us remember those of our congregation, as well as some family and friends, who have gone before us. So many more could be added and we treasure those dear ones as well. May their memories always be a blessing.

UPDATE November 1, 2023

For Those Who Walked With Us
For those
who walked with us,
this is a prayer.

For those
who have gone ahead,
this is a blessing.

For those
who touched and tended us,
who lingered with us
while they lived,
this is a thanksgiving.

For those
who journey still with us
in the shadows of awareness,
in the crevices of memory,
in the landscape of our dreams,
this is a benediction.
--Jan Richardson
© Jan L. Richardson. janrichardson.com

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

My father Ross Calder died on All Saints Day 2015. For today’s music selection, I am taking this opportunity to mark the occasion with a song that he did. He played guitar and sang as long as I can remember, and in fact, for long before I ever came along. He had the chance to record two CDs and this piece is one I especially loved to hear him sing. I added some photos of him on playing his guitar as well as some photos of him as a child with his parents on the family farm to the music track. At the end of his life he told Pastor Janaki “I am not afraid, and I have no regrets.” May that sentiment be so for all of us saints as we wait for that day when we join our loved ones who have gone before us.—LC

When It’s Lamplighting Time in the Valley’, by Ross Calder ft Carol Johnson
https://youtu.be/oOuuANtLg3c
**********************
UPDATE October 31, 2023

A Reformation Day Prayer
Lord God of hosts, the Refuge of every sinner and the Strength of all who put their trust in you, we praise you for having made us partakers of the blessings of your Reformation. Without any merit on our part, you have sent your Holy Spirit into our hearts and brought us to faith in your dear Son, Jesus Christ. You have made known to us the perfect merit of Christ. You have directed our faith to rest on the exceedingly great and precious promises of your Gospel. You have revealed the beauty of your grace, which rescued us from a just condemnation and assured us of certain salvation in Christ. Grant us your grace that we may receive your forgiveness with thanksgiving. Use us as your witnesses in bringing the message of pardon in Christ to people everywhere. Open our eyes to a better understanding of your Word and a deeper appreciation of your grace that our faith in Christ Jesus may grow and flourish with the fruits of righteous living. Amen.
https://desperatepreacher.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘A Mighty Fortress is Our God’, by 2nd Chapter of Acts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tACm8ik3n4
********************
UPDATE October 30, 2023

By Your Word You Have Brought Us Out of Darkness
Lord God, heavenly Father,
we most heartily thank you
that by your Word
you have brought us out of the darkness of error
into the light of your grace.
Mercifully help us to walk in that light,
guard us from all error and false doctrine
and grant that we may not become ungrateful
and despise and persecute your Word,
as your people did long ago,
but receive it with all our heart,
govern our lives according to it
and put all our trust in your grace
through the merit of your dear Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one true God, now and forever.

Source: Veit Dietrich, d. 1549, Trinity 25 / Reformation
Source of this version: The Collects of Veit Dietrich in Contemporary English © 2016 Paul C. Stratman

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Famous Lutherans Song’, by Lost and Found
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7L8ilM03CMs
*******************
UPDATE October 29, 2023

A Reformation Day Blessing
Almighty God, gracious Lord, we thank you for preserving your holy church throughout the ages. For the gift of the blessed gospel we praise your name. For the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection from the dead and life eternal in Christ, we thank you, loving Father. We treasure the rich heritage handed down from our fathers in the faith. Hear our prayer which we ask in the name of your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, through all eternity. Amen.
https://desperatepreacher.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Reformation Song’, by Sovereign Grace Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osKjBaYwq5k
****************
UPDATE October 28, 2023

May The Light Of Your Soul Guide You,
May the light of your soul guide you.
May the light of your soul bless the work
You do with the secret love and warmth of your heart.
May you see in what you do the beauty of your own soul.
May the sacredness of your work bring healing, light and renewal to those
Who work with you and to those who see and receive your work.
May your work never weary you.
May it release within you wellsprings of refreshment, inspiration and excitement.
May you be present in what you do.
May you never become lost in the bland absences.
May the day never burden you.
May dawn find you awake and alert, approaching your new day with dreams,
Possibilities and promises.
May evening find you gracious and fulfilled.
May you go into the night blessed, sheltered and protected.
May your soul calm, console and renew you.
by John O’Donohue

johnodonohue.com

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘You’re Still God’, by Songs From the Soil ft Junior Garr & Emmanuel Smith
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FZP8eTKJ70
*****************
UPDATE October 27, 2023

A Prayer In Response To Violence

Holy One,
Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those who have experienced senseless gun violence in their lives and communities.*

We recognize, however, that this isn’t enough.

Mobilize us, God.

We do not want to be desensitized to violence.

Stir something deep within that empowers us to stand up to violence of all kinds but most especially to the violence that hurts all of God's children.

Give us words to speak truth to power.

Show us how to use our hands, our feet, and our hearts because we know that you require more from us in these times.

Provide us with the strength only you can provide as we seek to protect all of your children.

We pray for the healing of those who are in critical condition, for the parents and families who are grieving, and for our communities that have suffered a great loss.

Amen

This prayer was written by Aimee Cox, director of children's ministry at Christ United Methodist Church, and was published on May 24, 2022, by United Methodist Communications. The contact is Joe Iovino.

*This prayer originally was written in response to the May 24, 2022, gun violence in Uvalde, Texas, that killed children and teachers at an elementary school.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘How Long’, by The Porter’s Gate ft Latifah Alattas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk7VMmK8wJE
**********************
UPDATE October 26. 2023

Once again we find ourselves in the grip of yet another mass shooting. This time, a lone gunman used an assault weapon to open fire in a bowling alley and a neighbourhood bar in Lewiston, Maine. The exact count of those killed and injured are not yet known, but the number doesn’t matter. One is too many! We grieve with those families who lost loved ones and we pray for swift and complete healing for those who were injured. We ask for peace and calm for a community held in the bonds of fear and uncertainty. We ask for strength and courage for all first responders, law enforcement and medical personnel. God hear our prayers and be present with all who need your presence. Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison.—LC

Let the Shooting End
God, our hearts are broken with pain at the senseless deaths caused by gun violence. Families mourn, children live in fear, and some in our nation respond by arming themselves with more guns with greater capacity to end life. Our disconnection and alienation has caused some to turn to guns for protection and safety. We ask that you touch our hearts with your love, heal our brokenness, and turn us away from violence toward peace. Help us to transform our own hearts and to seek peaceful ways of resolving our differences. Let our hands reach out and connect with those who feel alone, those who live in fear, and those suffering from mental illness. Let our voices be raised asking our legislators to enact gun laws to protect all in our society, especially those most vulnerable. Let our pens write messages demanding change while also scripting words of hope and transformation. We ask this in the name of the God who desires that we live together in peace. Amen
https://sistersofmercy.org/resource/prayer-let-the-shooting-end-2/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘How Long, O Lord? (Psalm 13)’, by Sovereign Grace Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdUnNIktxxI

*****************
UPDATE October 25, 2023

For a New Beginning
In out-of-the-way places of the heart,
Where your thoughts never think to wander,
This beginning has been quietly forming,
Waiting until you were ready to emerge.

For a long time it has watched your desire,
Feeling the emptiness growing inside you,
Noticing how you willed yourself on,
Still unable to leave what you had outgrown.

It watched you play with the seduction of safety
And the gray promises that sameness whispered,
Heard the waves of turmoil rise and relent,
Wondered would you always live like this.

Then the delight, when your courage kindled,
And out you stepped onto new ground,
Your eyes young again with energy and dream,
A path of plenitude opening before you.

Though your destination is not yet clear
You can trust the promise of this opening;
Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning
That is at one with your life's desire.

Awaken your spirit to adventure;
Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk;
Soon you will be home in a new rhythm,
For your soul senses the world that awaits you.
by John O'Donohue

johnodonohue.com

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Come Unto Jesus’, by Keith & Kristyn Getty, Laura Story, Jordan Kauflin, Matt Merker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlYVF_jGmf8
*****************
UPDATE October 24, 2023

A Blessing for When You Don't Know How to Pray
Teach us how to pray, God,
when our faith doesn’t feel like comfort.
when there are not easy answers or tidy scripts.
when there are no other words but lament.

Teach us how to pray, God,
when we see Christ in Gethsemane
at the center of it all.

Teach us how to pray, God,
when the Spirit groans alongside us,
speechless too, at the pain,
at the inexplicable, at the unfair.
Joining the chorus of others
in this agonized prayer.

Teach us how to pray, God,
May our words of lament
turn toward acts of love,
as we remake this beautiful,
terrible world, together.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Not To Us (One Name Forever Shall Be Praised)’, by Matt Boswell & Matt Papa ft Matt Redman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-Z24CHN4UI |
******************
UPDATE October 23, 2023

A Blessing for You Who Serve Others
So bless you all in these
beautiful, terrible contradictions.
You who serve others,
knowing it comes at a steep cost.
That time you’ll never get back.
Those people who won’t ever
be as grateful as you hope.
The paycheck or PTO or benefits
that will never add up to enough.

May you be reminded
that maybe you were called
for such a time as this.
To pour out your great,
great gifts for the sake of the other.
To work toward this beautiful,
terrible interdependence.
(Even if community is much easier
in theory than in practice.)

And on the days where you feel
like your work is just a drop in the ocean.
Or you want to throw in the towel
Because you are far beyond burnout.

May joy and delight be yours, my dears,
and may it fuel the hard, beautiful work you do.

And hey, if you are just beginning
a move toward service,
may you have the eyes to see
the needs in front of you,
the places where your gifts
and passions and resources
meet your community’s deep needs.
Or if you’re just starting to
ask for help yourself, bless you.
May your courage be met with kindness.

You are all my favorite kinds of people
and I love you.
Bless you.
--Kate Bowler
Inspired by my conversation with Angela F. Williams of United Way.
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Every Tribe’, by Aaron Shust ft Chief Riverwind
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpoBc-f4RIc
*******************
UPDATE October 22, 2023

Prayer of Approach
Spirit of the living God,
Come afresh on your holy land.
Help your people to restore broken relationships.
Give them patience to break down barriers of suspicion and mistrust;
ability to discern personal prejudices and the courage to overcome fear.
Teach them to respect each other's integrity and rights
so that your kingdom may be established on earth.
For Jesus' sake.
- Rt Rev Riah Abu El-Assal
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/prayers-in-times-of-crisis/prayes-for-peace-in-the-middle-east

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Shema (A Prayer for Israel)’, by Shae Wilbur & Misha Goetz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUB5g6u0K4w
*****************
UPDATE October 21, 2023

Peace and Strength
Holy One of blessing
We pray for the soldiers
who are called to defend the people of Israel.
Keep them safe. When they are weary
give them strength.
When they are scared give them courage.
May they find strength and faith in the days ahead.

Holy One of blessing,
We pray for the people of Israel
Who long to live under the canopy of peace.
Keep them safe. When they are threatened
protect them from harm.
When they are wounded and bereaved
grant them healing and comfort.
May they find strength and courage in the days ahead.

May our voices carry prayers of hope
that the people of Israel know that they are not alone.

Dear God,
give us strength
and know that there is nothing more sacred than peace.
Grant us dear God,
Faith. Courage. Wisdom.

- Rabbi Karyn D. Kedar
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/prayers-in-times-of-crisis/prayes-for-peace-in-the-middle-east

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Arise’, by Misha Goetz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r4suY8ogRw
*******************

A Prayer from ELCIC National Bishiop, Susan Johnson following the recent terror attacks in the Holy Land:

”God of peace we pray for peace between lsraelis and Palestinians. We pray for the attacks to end so that there will be no more casualties. We pray for peace with justice. Amen.” @ELCICinfo @ELCJHL
*********************
UPDATE October 20, 2023

God of Peace
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful: Guide us on the straight way, the way of those whom thou has blessed. Help us so that we do not transgress the bounds of what is right and lawful. Take us out of deep darkness into light. Make us not bear burdens which we have no strength to bear. Help us bring about mutual affection and understanding between us. Grant us Thy forgiveness and blessings, O Our Sustainer, for with Thee is all journeys' end.
- Mian Ashraf
Found on:
https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/global-issues/middle-east/israel-palestine/upload/prayers-for-peace-in-the-middle-east.pdf

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Aaronic Blessing’, by Misha & Marty Goetz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW4YB6fVvJo
****************
UPDATE October 19, 2023

God, Most Gracious
O God of peace, you have established Jerusalem as the Lord's House and a place of peace, and you have called on all who live there to love you and prosper. Instill in her inhabitants - Jews, Christians and Muslims - a hunger for justice and dignity and a resolve to end the distrust that culminates in violence. Grant them the wisdom and patience to build a city where Israeli and Palestinian reside in safety, free from oppression and committed to the good of all. In this endeavor, make every one of us agents of your peace, O God. Forgive us our indifference and stamp out the prejudices that lead to hatred. Fill us with the reconciling spirit of your presence. So may we join people of good will - in the Middle East and throughout the world - who raise before Jerusalem's gates their insistent Shalom and Salaam: "Peace be within your walls. . . .Peace be within you."

- The Reverends Harry and Judith Hoehler First Parish (Unitarian-Universalist), Weston, MA
Found on: https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/global-issues/middle-east/israel-palestine/upload/prayers-for-peace-in-the-middle-east.pdf

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘For Zion’s Sake (Isaiah 62)’, by Marty Goetz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8thxVtFmw4
****************
UPDATE October 18, 2023

We Turn to You
Lord God, we turn to you in these trying hours when conflict is a daily reality for our sisters and brothers in Israel and Palestine. We promise you to work to our utmost for peace and reconciliation in the region. But we know we cannot do it alone. We very much need the strength of your presence in our midst if we are to overcome the obstacles before us. So our prayer at this moment is that you add your support to our efforts, that you show yourself as a tower of strength in those moments when the barriers seem impassable. Together we can become beacons of hope for just and peaceful societies in the land so very dear to the peoples of your covenant.

- Reverend John T. Pawlikowski
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/prayers-in-times-of-crisis/prayes-for-peace-in-the-middle-east

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Oseh Shalom’, by Debbie Friedman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scbPrzCicLk
******************
UPDATE October 17, 2023

God, Source of Life
O God Source of Life, Creator of Peace. . . Help Your children, anguished and confused, to understand the futility of hatred and violence and grant them the ability to stretch across political, religious and national boundaries so they may confront horror and fear by continuing together in the search for justice, peace and truth. . . . With every fiber of our being we beg You, O God, to help us not to fail nor falter.
- Rabbi H. Rolando

Found on:
https://www.neumc.org/files/tables/content/808313/fields/files/5c3584b07db3441ea9942daec750304a/prayers-middleeast.pdf

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Mi Shebeirach’, by Debbie Friedman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHKo3CjuzpY
*******************
UPDATE October 16, 2023

God, Giver of Peace
Sustain together in undiminished hope, O God of hope, those who continue to labor with undiminished determination to build peace in the land from which, of old, out of brokenness, violence and destruction, nevertheless hope emerged for so many of faith. . . . Bless all the spiritual seed of Abraham together with the light of your Presence. For in the light of your Presence we have found a way of justice and mercy and a vision of Peace. We praise you O God, Giver of Peace, who commands us to Peace.

- Rabbi Herbert, from "Christians and a Land Called Holy: How We Can Foster Justice, Peace, and Hope"
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/prayers-in-times-of-crisis/prayes-for-peace-in-the-middle-east

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘L’Chi Lach’, by Debbie Friedman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8WrShnKTWY
******************
UPDATE October 15, 2023

Two Peoples, One Land
Two peoples, one land,
Three faiths, one root,
One earth, one mother,
One sky, one beginning, one future, one destiny,
One broken heart, One God.
We pray to You: Grant us a vision of unity.
May we see the many in the one and the one in the many.
May you, Life of All the Worlds, Source of All Amazing Differences help us to see clearly.
Guide us gently and firmly toward each other, toward peace.
- Rabbi Sheila Weinberg

https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/prayers-in-times-of-crisis/prayes-for-peace-in-the-middle-east

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem’, by Marty Goetz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEvzm-rNsBM
*******************
UPDATE October 14, 2023

Father of All Mercies
Father of all mercies, we pray for the families who have fled their homes in fear. We lift up the mothers and fathers who have escaped with only their children, leaving everything else behind. Their country has changed, their lives will never be the same and they are afraid of the future.

Lord, you are the God who heals. Please bring your comfort and healing to those who are hurting.

We lift up the communities who have taken in refugees and displaced people, even though they may be struggling themselves. We thank you for their generosity and compassion towards those in distress.

Lord, you are the God who provides. We pray that timely help and support will reach all who are in need.

Father, there is so much pain and conflict across the Middle East. We pray for leaders throughout the region and ask you to turn their hearts towards peace. As our leaders and those around the world consider how to respond, please grant them wisdom and insight.

Lord Jesus, you are the Prince of Peace. We pray for an end to the violence and bloodshed, and ask you to bring a new dawn of peace across the Middle East. Amen.

https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/prayers-in-times-of-crisis/prayes-for-peace-in-the-middle-east

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Kadosh’, by Paul Wilbur
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSMDz1fpHxE
*****************
UPDATE October 13, 2023

Bring Justice and Peace
God of all creation, bring justice and peace to our world.
Teach us to be peacemakers. Guide us in our pursuit of
justice and the common good. Inspire us to welcome all, forgive
all, and love all. Direct us as we walk in the shadow of Jesus: the
Way, the Truth, and the Life. Inspire us to perceive the world
through your eyes, that we might find hope and joy each day,
supportive of each other, for the sake of your Kingdom.

- Author Unknown
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/prayers-in-times-of-crisis/prayes-for-peace-in-the-middle-east

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Zion’, by Aaron Shust
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_GsKLJcum8
***************
UPDATE October 12, 2023

Reconciliation in the Middle East
Almighty God!
After almost a century of mistrust and fratricide,
you inspired Jews, Christians, and Muslims
to take the path of reconciliation in the Middle East...
We ask for your forgiveness, O God,
yet we find it hard to forgive our past enemies.
May Your Words touch those who still stray

in the wilderness of vengeful violence,
forgetting your command to "forgive and overlook,
till God accomplish His Purpose;
for God hath power over all things."

- Abdelwahab Hechiche
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/prayers-in-times-of-crisis/prayes-for-peace-in-the-middle-east

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Jerusalem’, by Aaron Shust
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMP7QE_-yjI
********************
UPDATE October 11, 2023

Peace in the Middle East
God of mercy and compassion,
of grace and reconciliation,
pour your power upon all your children in the Middle East:
Jews, Muslims and Christians,
Palestinians and Israelis.
Let hatred be turned into love, fear to trust, despair to hope,
oppression to freedom, occupation to liberation,
that violent encounters may be replaced by loving embraces,
and peace and justice could be experienced by all.
- Reverend Said
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/prayers-in-times-of-crisis/prayes-for-peace-in-the-middle-east

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Shalom, Jerusalem’, by Paul Wilbur
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z25R4-1VM_M
*********************
UPDATE October 10, 2023

By Faith

By faith
I gaze up to the heavens,
and know
within its vastness
that this is your creation
planned and effected within eternity

By faith
I pluck an ear of corn,
and know
within its symmetry
lies the chemistry of life,
the potential of creation within my hand

By faith
I listen for your voice,
and know
the whisper that I hear|
breathed a world into existence,
yet listens to the prayer within my soul

By faith
I strive to do your will,
and know
the door that I approach
may lead me to shadows,
where my roll is to become your light

By faith
I cling to your word,
and know
the strength that I receive,
has it’s source within the love,
that is at the centre of all things
https://www.faithandworship.com/Harvest_Thanksgiving_Resources_and_Prayers.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Jesus You’re More’, by Sophia Rebekah Mitchell & Steph Macleod, and Songs From The Soil
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk_4vsUtmn4
*****************
UPDATE October 9, 2023

Thank God for Mystery

May this eternal truth be always on our hearts,
That the God who breathed this world into being,
Placed stars into the heavens
And designed a butterfly's wing,
Is the God who entrusted his life
to the care of ordinary people,
became vulnerable that we might know
how strong is the power of Love,
A mystery so deep it is impossible to grasp,
A mystery so beautiful it is impossible to ignore.
https://www.faithandworship.com/Harvest_Thanksgiving_Resources_and_Prayers.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Thanks and Praise’, by Philippa Hanna, Rich DiCas & Lucy Grimble, and Songs From The Soil 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8vBK1pra1w
*******************
UPDATE October 8, 2023

Forgive Our Ingratitude
Creator God, forgive our moments of ingratitude,
the spiritual blindness that prevents us
from appreciating the wonder that is this world,
the endless cycle of nature,
of life and death and rebirth.
Forgive us for taking without giving
reaping without sowing.
Open our eyes to see
our lips to praise
our hands to share
May our feet tread lightly on the path we tread
and our footsteps be worthy of following
for they lead to you.
https://www.faithandworship.com/Harvest_Thanksgiving_Resources_and_Prayers.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Thank God I Do’, by Lauren Daigle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfR6XLXRNy0

******************
UPDATE October 7, 2023

Giving Thanks
For the expanding grandeur of creation, worlds known and unknown, galaxies beyond galaxies, filling us with awe and challenging our imaginations:
We give thanks this day.
For this fragile planet earth, its times and tides, its sunsets and seasons:
We give thanks this day.
For the joy of human life, its wonders and surprises, its hopes and achievements:
We give thanks this day.
For our human community, our common past and future hope, our oneness transcending all separation, our capacity to work for peace and justice in the midst of hostility and oppression:
We give thanks this day.
For high hopes and noble causes, for faith without fanaticism, for understanding of views not shared:
We give thanks this day.
For all who have labored and suffered for a fairer world, who have lived so that others might live in dignity and freedom:
We give thanks this day.
For human liberty and sacred rites; for opportunities to change and grow, to affirm and choose:
We give thanks this day.
We pray that we may live not by our fears but by our hopes, not by our words but by our deeds.
We give thanks this day.

- O. Eugene Pickett
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/thanksgiving-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Holy Forever’, by CeCe Winans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xcFM9CBiOE
*********************
UPDATE October 6, 2023

Crowded With Gratitude
Lord God,
Our hearts are crowded with gratitude
as we celebrate the feast of Thanksgiving.
We have come to this our feasting table
with great joy and eagerness,
for we are truly grateful to you, our God,
for all that we have been given.
We pause now and, in silent prayer,
do thank you for the great generosity of Your gifts.

We also thank one another for gifts -
especially for the gifts of love and affection
that we have freely shared.
We are thankful
for all who are present at this our feast
as well as for all those who have labored in love
in order to bring this dinner to our table.

May You, our God, bless this Thanksgiving feast
and all of us who shall share it
in your holy name.

- Hays, Edward, Prayers for the Domestic Church: A Handbook for Worship in the Home (Kansas: Forest of Peace Books, 1979), 122.
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/thanksgiving-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Gifts from God’, by Chris Tomlin ft Chris Lane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfLGfuINnG4
*******************
UPDATE October 5, 2023

Upon This Rock
When the going gets tough
the tough get going.
It is easy to say 'No'
to take the easy way out,
easy to play safe
and live to fight another day.
Like Peter, who loved you
with such a passion, Lord,
filled with such energy,
so impetuous,
ready to speak first
and ask questions, later.
Except when asked
if he was with you, Lord,
except when his faith
was seriously challenged
when the road to the cross
became dangerous.
You knew Peter,
knew the calibre of the man,
what would happen
before the cock crowed twice.
But it didn't stop you choosing him
the rock upon which
your Church would be built.
There is comfort for us, Lord,
in Peter's frailty,
reassurance that your love
and confidence extends
to both strong and frail,
as you look to our potential,
and in your love forget
our momentary weakness
https://www.faithandworship.com/prayers_Discipleship.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Upon This Rock’, by Covenant Choirs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIFgjHLhFc0
*****************
UPDATE October 4, 2023

Our Walk With God
Our walk with God
is never a lonely walk,
it is a family occasion,
if taken in the company
of God's children.
If we lag behind,
there are those who will turn
and offer words of encouragement,
hold out a hand and offer assistance
over stiles and other obstacles,
share refreshment,
help us from our knees
when we stumble.
Our walk with God
is never a lonely walk,
it is a joyful experience
as along the path others join us,
attracted by the company
of God's children,
singing the same songs of praise
that angels sing,
following a path
worn down by tears and joy
and sacrifice.
Our walk with God
is never a lonely walk,
for he walks with us,
on a track that leads
to a glorious
destination
https://www.faithandworship.com/prayers_Discipleship.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘We’ve Come A Long Way, Lord’, by Oasis Chorale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7bqvkbU8HQ
******************
UPDATE October 3, 2023

Blessed are you who are tired of feeling grateful all of the time.
who feel more comfortable with moments of rage
and negativity and venting all that you lost.

Blessed are you when you say, hand on your heart,
That there are truths you wish you could unlearn
Riches you wish you could get back
The innocence, hope, the sweet fearless of never having lost.
You are resilient… but I wish you never had to be.

Your survival cost you.
And it’s okay to name it.
To be grateful AND outraged.

You might never get the apologies you’re owed.

We long to hear them say it.
I’m sorry. I should have believed you. I should have sheltered you. This never should have happened.

The almost truths are difficult to swallow.
Yes we learned so much.
Yes we overcame.
We grew.
But this perspective….we would give it back.
In a heartbeat.

Bless us God, in our gratitude. In our anger. In our survival.
And may you, my dear, be met today with gentleness

And stillness and peace,
Energy, momentum, or rest.
Whatever it takes to carry the weight
of all this resilience.

--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/
Inspired by my conversation with the wonderful Emi Nietfeld.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Psalm 139 Far Too Wonderful’, by Shane & Shane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmsgYY-INf8
******************
UPDATE October 2, 2023

A Prayer for those that Never Came Home

Great and Heavenly Spirit,

God of compassion, healing and comfort,

We lift up in prayer the sacred lives of the children, some now known to us, all known to you, who died in residential schools.

We lift up in prayer the sacred lives of the children who went missing from these schools and whose fates are unknown to those who held them most dear.

We grieve the loss of so many thousands of these little ones, and we grieve especially their loss so far away from home.

We grieve the loss of youth with so much potential. These were children of this place, children of our land. The loss of their giftedness is our collective loss.

We lament how long their families have had to live with unanswered questions. Hear our prayers:

for those who were not informed of their children’s deaths at all, or on a timely basis; for those who were not told of where their daughters and sons had been buried;

for those who have long hoped that a child who went missing somehow survived and had a good life—even as they may have also feared the worst.

We lament our complicity in the loss of these children. As members of a church which ran residential schools, we seek your help as we look to redress the many ways in which our church failed these Indigenous children, their families, and their communities. We pray that your reconciling love will teach us how to create true bonds of community and understanding as Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples today.

We lift up with gratitude the efforts of all those who are seeking to honour the lives of the children who died, as well as the children whose fates are unknown, through ongoing research and acts of remembrance.

We ask for your continued guidance of them as they work to uncover the stories of the lost. We understand how precious this information is, and how vital it is to the healing of so many families and communities.

Bless those who are preparing to honour the children with sacred ceremonies and those who work to protect burial sites, in keeping with the traditions of Indigenous peoples across this land.

We pray for the families of these children and for all who loved them. Envelop them in the warmth of your infinite care and give them peace.

Inspire all of us with energy, wisdom, and commitment to the loving pursuit of the truth which will heal all of us in our brokenness and lead to reconciliation with our neighbours across this land.

Amen.
https://www.wcdsb.ca/programs-and-services/fnmi/truth-and-reconciliation-day/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘We Won’t Forget You’, by Sk'elep School of Excellence, B.C. (N'we Jinan Artists)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0YYkvIWbng
*******************
UPDATE October 1, 2023

Praying for healing and reconciliation
By Darcie Lich – Oblate Associate

Creator God of love and justice, comforter of those who mourn, we turn to you acknowledging the actions of our Church and our nation. We have asked forgiveness and committed to work for healing and reconciliation. But we are painfully aware that for some, that change came too late.

We offer you our sorrow for the wrongs committed against the people of this land, our First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children in Canada’s Indian Residential Schools.
We offer you our contrition for what was allowed to happen, and for what will never be.
We offer you our repentance for the injustices borne of arrogance and the harm done through indifference.

We pray for comfort for the families and communities whose children, siblings, family, and friends were taken from home but did not return.
We pray for consolation of hearts wounded through separation and trauma.
We pray for healing of bodies, minds, and spirits wounded through abuse and oppression.

We ask for clear eyes, that we may face the story of our nation and our Church with honesty.
We ask for open hearts, that we may hear the stories of Indigenous Peoples with humility.
We ask for courage, that we may once again ask our brothers and sisters for forgiveness.

We declare our desire to be a people who pursue peace.
We declare our resolve to be a people who remember.
We declare our commitment to be a people of truth and reconciliation.

Holy One, Creator of all that is, seen and unseen, of story and of song, of heartbeat and of tears, of bodies, souls, voices and all relations: you are the God of all truth and the way of all reconciliation. Come upon us, O Divine Healer, and open our eyes to the injustices brought against the Indigenous peoples of this land, their languages and cultures. May you be known for healing and wholeness, rather than being blamed for abuses that were brought about by human weakness and hostility. Make us people of integrity and bearers of hope, that we may commit to restoring relationships and to journeying together, as Non-Indigenous and Indigenous brothers and sisters, to a place of peace in you, where every tear will be wiped away, and every sorrow turned to joy. Give us one heart and one mind to walk together in the love and strength of your Spirit, in truth, reconciliation, and peace.

We ask this through Jesus Christ, your Son, our brother, our Lord, and our hope.

Amen. St. Paul, pray for us.
https://omilacombe.ca/praying-healing-reconciliation/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘215 (A Lament)’, by Brian Doerksen & Cheryl Bear
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7ksfOd8yH0
********************
UPDATE September 30, 2023

Prayer for Reconciliation
Holy One, Creator of all that is, seen and unseen,
of story and of song, of heartbeat and of tears
of bodies, souls, voices and all relations:
you are the God of all truth and the way of all reconciliation.
Uphold with your love and compassion all who open their lives
in the sacred sharing of their stories
breathe in us the grace to trust in your loving forgiveness,
that we may face our histories with courage;
touch us through the holy gift of story
that those who speak and those who listen may
behold your own redeeming presence;
guide us with holy wisdom to enter through the gates of remorse
that our feet may walk gently and firmly on the way of justice
and healing. Amen.
From the Anglican Church of Canada

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Residential School Song’, by Cheryl Bear
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoVERQn0YV0
*******************
UPDATE September 29, 2023

RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL PRAYER

"For the children who died in residential schools throughout Canada and for all those who continue on a journey through the darkness, that there may be healing founded on truth and that the Spirit will inspire our ongoing commitment to reconciliation.

God, through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, continue to offer us correction so that your grace might change and transform us in our weakness and repentance.

Give us humility to listen when others reveal how we have failed and courage to love others as ourselves, mindful of your love for the weakest and most vulnerable among us. Amen.”

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, pray for us.
https://stpatrick.on.ca/healing-and-reconciliation-resources

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Healing in Our Land’, by Jonathan Maracle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8LfAyymfxA
*******************
UPDATE September 28, 2023

Be Still
In the quiet of a moment,
snatched from the busyness
of this day, I shall be still.
Listening to the sounds
of the world around me.
Listening to the voices
of its people passing by.
Listening to my soul
and the prayers within.
Listening, and knowing
You are listening also,
that unbreakable bond
between Heavenly Father
and me, your earthly child.
In the quiet of a moment,
in the presence of my God,
I shall listen, and be still.
https://www.faithandworship.com/prayers_times_of_quietness.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Promise’, by The Martins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8hS3IMJOKI
***************
UPDATE September 27, 2023

Bless the Lord, O My Soul
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
be still and remember
all the Lord has done;
in our darkness when
his word was our light,
in our gladness when
his joy was our song,
in our weakness when
his touch was our strength,
in our coldness when
his love was our warmth.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
be still, be still and remember.
Amen
https://www.faithandworship.com/prayers_times_of_quietness.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord O My Soul)’, by Matt Redman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3K3roEF36k
********************
UPDATE September 26, 2023

Bless you who love a teenager

Bless you who love a teenager.
You whose worries about them keep you up at night.
wondering if you’re doing it right,
if they’re going to be okay,
if you over-reacted or under-reacted.
If you’re going to make it through tomorrow without losing it.
Or how you’re going to have that hard conversation without them shutting down or shutting you out.

Bless you in this hard, beautiful work.

In those moments of big feelings,
may you remember to take a beat and offer a:
“If I was in your shoes, I’d feel the same way.”
(Even when you’re tempted to give them advice
or to solve their problem for them.
Or to offer how they could have avoided the problem in the first place.)

Bless you in your restraint.

May you know when to intervene and
when to stay that steady, calm presence
that will offer them the grounding
to grow and change their mind and make mistakes.
May you have the patience to affirm their normal
(sometimes very big) feelings
and may your constant love relieve their fears (and yours).
May laughter and joy fill your home,
fueling even the hardest of moments or most difficult of conversations.

And bless all of you who wish you would have gotten this kind of parenting.
And bless you who want to do it differently,
even when it’s imperfect.

Bless you my dears.
Inspired by my conversation with the brilliant Lisa Damour.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘My Tribute (To God Be The Glory)’, by Natalie Grant & CeCe Winans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC_OjOGuv28
*******************
UPDATE September 25, 2023

A Prayer for a New Week
As we make our way,
often wearily, to work,
or hop into the car
and do the weekly shop,
we think of those
who through the night
while we were asleep
have stacked the shelves,
made safe the roads,
transported goods,
kept factories running,
cared for the sick and dying.
Bless them with the rest
that they deserve and need,
and may we be thankful
for the work they do
that makes our lives
each day a little easier.
https://www.faithandworship.com/prayers_start_of_a_week.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I Will Wait for You’ (Psalm 130)’, by Keith & Kristyn Getty, Jordan Kauflin, Matt Merker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QCcwgb817s
********************
UPDATE September 24, 2023

The Church is All of Us

The Church is full of people
in the Autumn of their years.
Some have led colourful lives
leaves bronzed and golden
through exposure to the elements
their appearance the centre of attention.
Others have been exposed
to more extreme conditions
branches bowed and scarred.
Some go unnoticed,
yet stand tall and steadfast
against wind and rain.
All have a story to tell
all can offer support and shelter
for saplings which grow beneath
their leafy canopy.
https://www.faithandworship.com/Prayers_Autumn.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Jesus is Mine’, by Jordan Kauflin & Matt Merker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeUII5l0gTI
****************
UPDATE September 23, 2023

A Prayer as We Welcome Autumn
We see signs of summer's passing in golden leaves,
shortening days, misty mornings, autumn glow.
We sense its passing in rain that dampens,
winds that chill, Harvest's bounty placed on show.
Creator God, who brings forth
both green shoot and hoar frost,
sunrise and sunset,
we bring our thanks
for seeds that have grown,
harvests gathered,
storehouses filled,
mouths fed.
And, as your good earth rests
through winter's cold embrace,
we look forward to its re-awakening
when kissed by Spring's first touch.
https://www.faithandworship.com/Prayers_Autumn.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Looking for God’, by Blessing Offor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnB6XjIxt74
****************
UPDATE September 22, 2023

Your Love
Your love,
flowing within us,
living water,
purifying
in that cleansing flow;
and our worship,
in sweet harmony,
echoing
through the air as birdsong
at the dawning of this day.
Stream meets stream
and river flows,
emptying into Ocean's store.

Your grace,
offering to us
forgiveness,
liberty
from all that binds us;
and our prayers,
joining together,
rising
as a fragrant offering
to the heart of the divine.
Stream meets stream
and river flows,
emptying into Ocean's store.

Your call,
whispering to us,
offering
encouragement
on our journeying;
and our service,
the only response
we can give,
a willing sacrifice
to the Godhead, Three in One.
Stream meets stream
and river flows,
emptying into Ocean's store.
https://www.faithandworship.com/prayers_Love.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Won’t Be Long Now’, by Blessing Offor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXSB3a_ynN4
********************
UPDATE September 21, 2023

Show Me Lord
Show me Lord, how to love
my neighbour. Not the one
I get on really well with,
go for a drink and enjoy
time out with. Not the one
I see at church each week,
and sees the world as I do,
generally. Not the one
who lives along the street
with whom I share my thoughts
about the weather with.
Show me Lord, how to love
the neighbour I avoid, the one
I struggle with, whose views
and outlook on life I disagree
with, whose lifestyle seems
so different to mine. Show me
Lord, how, as you loved others,
including even one such as me,
so I can hold out these hands
of friendship and love to all
who in your eyes are neighbours,
your children, truly loved by you.
https://www.faithandworship.com/prayers_Love.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Same Clouds’, by Blessing Offor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEZJkCCwKNs
******************
UPDATE September 20, 2023

Blessing When the World Is Ending
Look, the world
is always ending
somewhere.

Somewhere
the sun has come
crashing down.

Somewhere
it has gone
completely dark.

Somewhere
it has ended
with the gun,
the knife,
the fist.

Somewhere
it has ended
with the slammed door,
the shattered hope.

Somewhere
it has ended
with the utter quiet
that follows the news
from the phone,
the television,
the hospital room.

Somewhere
it has ended
with a tenderness
that will break
your heart.

But, listen,
this blessing means
to be anything
but morose.
It has not come
to cause despair.

It is simply here
because there is nothing
a blessing
is better suited for
than an ending,
nothing that cries out more
for a blessing
than when a world
is falling apart.

This blessing
will not fix you,
will not mend you,
will not give you
false comfort;
it will not talk to you
about one door opening
when another one closes.

It will simply
sit itself beside you
among the shards
and gently turn your face
toward the direction
from which the light
will come,
gathering itself
about you
as the world begins
again.

—Jan Richardson
from Circle of Grace: A Book of Blessings for the Seasons

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Brighter Days’, by Blessing Offor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6lp1Oxb9L4
********************
UPDATE September 19, 2023

A blessing for when you've lost someone far too soon

God, this. This is impossible.

This grief is too much to bear.

If there was a tight order
to the world that you made,
it’s come unspooled
and no one will wind it up again.

God, I feel it coming,
that ache for the stories that will never be told.
And an anger rising
when i remember
what never should have been.

Worst of all – God, could anything be worse? –
it is so beautiful
the way this grief is a language of love.

I am lovesick with this much sorrow.
Teach me to speak this new mother tongue.
Show me how to memorize
what I can never forget
what they gave and what is gone,
and what we were owed
by a world robbed of their presence.

Hold me by the edges
for I am coming apart.
And nothing but love
will find me.
--Kate Bowler
From The Lives We Actually Have
https://katebowler.com/books/the-lives-we-actually-have/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Lord Almighty Reigns’, by Keith & Kristyn Getty ft Blessing Offor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLPUYk1W1AE
*****************
UPDATE September 18, 2023

Everything Is Yours
This world is yours, planned in eternity,
created in a moment of sheer exuberance,
permeated with love,
well made.

This place is yours, in its simplicity,
blue sky and countryside, pure creativity,
painted with care,
well made.

This day is yours, pure generosity,
given for moments of gentle reflection,
in the bustle of a day,
well made.

This moment is yours in its entirety,
a drop of time in an ocean of history,
gifted with joy,
well made.
https://www.faithandworship.com/prayers_Praise.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Behold Our God’, by Keith & Kristyn Getty, Bob Kauflin, Jordan Kauflin, Sovereign Grace Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXRO7n4s8Rc
******************
UPDATE September 17, 2023

We Give You Thanks
Light of light,
Lord of Lords,
God of this world
and the next,
We give you thanks
for the promise of this day,
We give you thanks
for the challenge of this day,
We give you thanks
for the blessings of this day.
Light of light,
Lord of Lords,
God of this world
and the next,
We give you thanks
https://www.faithandworship.com/prayers_Praise.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Christ the True and Better’, by Keith & Kristyn Getty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBkoMxg1h2o
*********************
Here is the YouTube link for the service from last Sunday, September 10th, 2023: https://youtu.be/Zzob1rFdaeY
………………………
UPDATE September 16, 2023

A Prayer of Praise
For the love you have shown us
as sometimes reluctant disciples,
your patience in being with us
when we decide to go our way,
your hand that is there for us
as we stumble or are anxious,
your gentle whisper reminding us
that you will never let us go,
for all of this and more besides
what can we do but offer you
the worship of our hearts and lives.
https://www.faithandworship.com/prayers_Praise.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘His Love Can Never Fail’, by Kenwood Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfAZhvMG2Ew
****************
UPDATE September 15, 2023
A Prayer for This Day
In our moments of doubt
and unbelief,
when worldly pressure
or circumstance
become the distance
between us,
draw near, we pray.
Remind us of the grace
that we first knew,
your healing touch,
the Father’s love,
the Spirit’s breath.
Grant us courage,
a faith that endures
and the sure knowledge
that you are with us
in our journeying,
now and always.
https://www.faithandworship.com/Friday.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Hold Me Fast (Psalm 139)’, by Aaron Shust
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmog7XnUa7M
************************
UPDATE September 14, 2023

Today and All Days

Today
and all days
embrace us in a love that knows no end.
Today
and all days
fill us with a power that overcomes.
Today
and all days
encourage us with a word that nourishes.
Today
and all days
inspire us with a hope that sustains.
Today
and all days
comfort us with a peace that endures.
Today
and all days
bring wholeness of body, mind and spirit
Today
and all days
https://www.faithandworship.com/healing_prayers.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Look to Christ’, by Cameron Keith
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcqMR16OG40
*********************
UPDATE September 13, 2023

Your Call To Us

Your call us to feed the hungry;
those who hunger for food,
those who hunger for faith,
that both may be strengthened
and know they are valued
as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Through our words, actions
and generosity may needs be met
and your kingdom on earth
grow in faithfulness and strength,
loving, generous God, we pray.
Amen.
https://www.faithandworship.com/prayers_Christian_calling.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Grateful for Another Day’, by Brian Doerksen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzHnhh4NujU
*********************
Here is a link to an article on the local CBC website that featured our very own Jesus Garden in their story about food insecurity and community gardens. Thanks to Heide Emrich for speaking with the radio station!
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/community-gardens-rules-waterloo-region-1.6942596
************************
UPDATE September 12, 2023

The 9/11 Prayer of Remembrance and Hope:

Dear God, we remember before you today those whose lives were lost in the catastrophic events of September 11, 2001, and for all those whom we love but no longer see. We give thanks to you for the selfless courage of those brave souls who ran into burning buildings and who labored in the rubble; may their courage be to us a witness of what is possible when we are guided by love and dedication to our fellow human beings.

We pray today for the continued healing of all those suffering emotional and physical scars. May your spirit breathe new breath into clouded lungs, new life into troubled minds, and new warmth into broken hearts, so that all may feel wrapped in your loving embrace. May we move from suffering to hope, from brokenness to wholeness, from anxiety to courage, from death to life, from fear to love, and from despair to hope.

Guide our feet into the way of peace. Inspire us with hope in the gift of shalom and salaam. May we receive this gift, so that we might become instruments of your peace in this world, knowing all people as equally loved, lovingly created, children of God.

Amen.

Found at: https://06880danwoog.com/2011/09/09/a-prayer-for-911/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’If I Should Lose My Way’, by Linda Eder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRBm2o8kpn4
*********************
UPDATE September 11, 2023

Prayer for the Anniversary of 9/11

O God, our hope and refuge,
in our distress we come quickly to you.
Shock and horror of that tragic day have subsided,
replaced now with an emptiness,
a longing for an innocence lost.

We come remembering those who lost their lives
in New York, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania.

We are mindful of the sacrifice of public servants
who demonstrated the greatest love of all
by laying down their lives for friends.
We commit their souls to your eternal care
and celebrate their gifts to a fallen humanity.

We come remembering
and we come in hope,
not in ourselves, but in you.

As foundations we once thought secure have been shaken,
we are reminded of the illusion of security.
In commemorating this tragedy,
we give you thanks for your presence
in our time of need
and we seek to worship you in Spirit and in truth,
our guide and our guardian.
Amen.
- Rev. Jeremy Pridgeon
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’If I Had My Way’, by Linda Eder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y32XCriC-rI
********************
UPDATE September 10, 2023

By Faith

By faith
I gaze up to the heavens
and know
within its vastness
that this is your creation
planned and effected within eternity

By faith
I pluck an ear of corn
and know
within its symmetry
lies the chemistry of life
the potential of creation within my hand

By faith
I listen for your voice
and know
the whisper that I hear
breathed a world into existence
yet listens to the prayer within my soul

By faith
I strive to do your will
and know
the door that I approach
may lead me to shadows
where my roll is to become your light

By faith
I cling to your word
and know
the strength that I receive
has it’s source within the love
that is at the centre of all things
https://www.faithandworship.com/prayers_Faith.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Our God Will Go Before Us’, by Keith & Kristyn Getty, Matt Boswell, Matt Papa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry9GHKc6P6g
********************
Here is the YouTube link for the service from last Sunday, September 3rd, 2023: https://youtu.be/vZWEK5uz7iI
…………………………………….
UPDATE September 9, 2023

A Prayer for Strength to Just Be Yourself
For all who struggle
to find their identity
in a world that tries,
often without success,
to find a suitable box
in which to fit them,
grant them courage
to become the people
you want them to be,
not constrained
by this world’s wisdom
but allowed to grow
and become themselves
in your Spirit’s power.
https://www.faithandworship.com/prayers_strugggling_life_faith.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Where Thou Leadest Me’, by Keith & Kristyn Getty, Bryan Fowler
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEeA0JJxKZI
******************
UPDATE September 8, 2023

A Prayer in Times of Struggle

May we know you well enough
to be able to express
within our prayers
the doubts and uncertainties
that often trouble us,
and those distractions
that get between us,
and be confident
in the knowledge
that you understand,
having walked this path before,
and so walk alongside us,
never more than a heartbeat away,
eternally available
to draw us closer, once more, to you.
Amen.
https://www.faithandworship.com/prayers_strugggling_life_faith.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’I Set My Hope’, by Keith & Kristyn Getty, Matt Boswell & Matt Papa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-dWxto9-XQ
********************
UPDATE September 7, 2023

A Prayer to Follow

We have heard your glorious whisper,
Almost silent, yet insistent,
Breaking through the chatter
Of many voices,
The clatter
Of background noises,
The wind,
The rain,
Storm and hurricane,
Through all of this
Your voice remains,
Unchangeable,
Cuts through to heart
And soul,
Unmissable.
'Come follow me
Pick up the Cross…
My burden is no burden at all,
It is simply love,
Poured out for you
And through you,
Sustaining,
Empowering …
Come follow me'
https://www.faithandworship.com/prayers_Christian_calling.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Creation Calls’, by Brian Doerksen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucpjN_KtC7c
*******************
UPDATE September 6, 2023

Back to School Prayer for Grace

God, as the new school year starts, we thank you for your immeasurable grace and mercy. We ask for your blessings upon our children as they step into new experiences and opportunities at school. Help them to be kind and respectful to everyone in their class so that we can all learn and grow together in peace.

Introduce them to the beauty of diversity, while still instilling values of integrity, hard work, and perseverance in each one of them. Ignite an inner fire within their hearts to reach higher and to aim for excellence. Shower them Lord with Your unfailing grace. In the name of Jesus, amen.
https://thinkaboutsuchthings.com/back-to-school-prayers/#google_vignette

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Faithful One’, by Brian Doerksen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8MMvzv5bQ8
**********************
UPDATE September 5, 2023

A Prayer for Students to Study Well
Lord, bless our students with the kind of study habits that help them do their best.
Teach them how to manage their time and energy as good stewards of all You have given them.
Show them how to develop their talents, to find the path You have set before them, and to be courageous and adventurous to try new things and learn new skills.
Place our students in the kind of classroom atmosphere that will both challenge them and encourage them, but still be conducive to their particular abilities.
Show them the importance of learning, remembering that You are always with them, leading them as they acknowledge You daily.
Eliminate the distractions in their lives that keep them from excellence.
Give them persistence and the desire to follow through with each assignment.
When things seem difficult, provide the help they need.
Help them to be excited about their studies, to be creative in their endeavors, and to remember Who and Whose they are at all times.
Amen.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Your Faithfulness’, by Brian Doerksen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNoLZpfCmrQ
*******************
UPDATE September 4, 2023

On this Labour Day we honour those who expend so much of their energies doing the work that needs to be done in our society. We thank you, Lord for those who work in offices, in factories, and in fields. We thank you for the efforts of those who shower after work as well as those who shower before work. We pray for the ones with too much work that their burden may be lightened. We pray for those without enough work that they might find enough suitable employment to meet their needs and those of their families. We pray for those without work that employers might recognize that everyone has something to offer our communities and that most folks just want an opportunity to contribute to society in a meaningful way. We pray for honest and sincere work by the employed and for fair work practices by employers. May we all do work that is meaningful, either for ourselves or by what we do for others. Help us to recognize that those who do work that is seen as thankless or menial is no less blessed than work deemed as important or valuable. We pray this today and always. Amen.

A Hand Blessing
Blessed be the work of our hands.
Blessed be these hands that touch life.
Blessed be these hands that nurture creativity.
Blessed be these hands that hold pain.
Blessed be these hands that embrace with passion.
Blessed be these hands that tend gardens.
Blessed bed these hands that close in anger.
Blessed be these hands that plant new seeds.
Blessed be these hands that harvest ripe fields.
Blessed be these hands that clean, wash, mop, scrub.
Blessed be these hands that become knotty with age.
Blessed be these hands that wrinkle and scar from doing justice.
Blessed are these hands that reach out and are received.
Blessed are these hands that hold the promise of the future.
Blessed be the works of our hands and hearts.
--Diann L. Neu, from the Book ‘Earth Prayers’

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

On this last long weekend of the summer, we continue to feature a few of the late Jimmy Buffett’s songs, just because they’re fun. Rest in peace, Jimmy, and thank you for the music.

‘It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere’, by Alan Jackson & Jimmy Buffett
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPCjC543llU
*****************
UPDATE September 3, 2023

Blessing for When You Want to Change
(but not become a self-help perfectibility monster)

God, I carry around this incompleteness, this drive for fulfillment that always seems just around the corner. If only I could get it together and find my true calling, my real passion, or the right plan.

God, help me, guide me. What am I missing?

Blessed are we who strive earnestly to change ourselves and the world around us, but feel the drag and pull of what won’t budge, the weight of all our limited and frail humanity. We carry it with us.

Blessed are we, the hungry, in lives that are both too much and not enough, willing to tell the truth to ourselves and to each other, that we languish here…

in “what is perhaps the central paradox of our condition—that what we hunger for more than anything else, is to be known in our full humanness, and yet that is often just what we also fear more than anything else.” —Frederick Buechner

To be fully known, and fully loved, in all our humanity. And that is a God-sized project.

Blessed are we, thankful that we can live our human-sized lives in the glad company of the vulnerable and the broken, the imperfect made whole in the love of God, through Jesus Christ.

Maybe it’s right to be hungry. And stay that way.

“You have made us and drawn us to yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” —Augustine of Hippo
--Kate Bowler
** This blessing can be found in Good Enough: 40ish Devotionals for a Life of Imperfection
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

On this last long weekend of the summer, we continue to feature a few of the late Jimmy Buffett’s songs, just because they’re fun. Rest in peace, Jimmy, and thank you for the music.

‘Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On’, by Jimmy Buffett, ft Caroline Jones
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo9jAOx6Pdw
*****************
Here is the YouTube link for the service from last Sunday, August 27th, 2023: https://youtu.be/pQe2bJccjkE
……………………….
UPDATE Sept 2, 2023

Singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett died yesterday at the age of 76.
From Wikipedia:
“James William Buffett was an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, and businessman. He was best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett recorded hit songs including "Margaritaville" (ranked 234th on the Recording Industry Association of America's list of "Songs of the Century") and "Come Monday". He has a devoted base of fans known as "Parrotheads". Aside from his career in music, Buffett was also a bestselling author and was involved in two restaurant chains named after two of his best-known songs; he owned the Margaritaville Cafe restaurant chain and co-developed the now defunct Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant chain.“

Most of Buffett’s biggest hits were songs of fun, in what became known as Tropical Rock, or Trop Rock, Gulf and Western, a mixture of Caribbean, country, rock, folk, and pop music which blended into a good-natured concoction of sound. And so on this last long weekend of the summer, we will feature a few of the late Jimmy Buffett’s songs, just because they’re fun.

Rest in peace, Jimmy, and thank you for the music.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Margaritaville’, by Jimmy Buffett
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIMbt4oKETw
**********************
UPDATE September 1, 2023

For Our Children's Light to Shine

God, there is a reason You tell us to have faith like that of a child. They are bursting with curiosity and full of love. Protect their innocence and preserve the spark in their eyes from the darkness of the world. Let them be little lights to their parents and teachers. Allow them to grow and have a fair opportunity to learn. May they be kind on the playground and quiet in the hallways. Protect our children from gossip and bullying. May they know and hear Your voice louder than all the others. Godly friends are important, and we pray that You bless our children with those friends today. May their friendships be innocent and light and filled with kindness, understanding, and compassionate consideration for one another. Amen.
https://www.christianity.com/wiki/prayer/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Purify My Heart’, by Brian Doerksen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wB_gCVjoNpI
*******************
UPDATE August 31, 2023

A blessing for the start of a new school year

The year is tilting
toward the start of school again,
but truth be told,
we’re not ready.

We’re still hanging on to summer,
to the promise it held
for long-awaited connections and celebrations,
for refreshment for our bodies and souls
in water and sky and color and sunlight,
and all those little moments given to us
where we could linger just a little longer.

Now that it’s almost over,
we don’t want to let it go.
The beauty. The freedom.
All that was life-giving.

God, could you help us stretch it,
extend it,
and maybe even blend it
into this coming school year?

Parents, students, teachers, all,
may your newly-structured days
breathe with creativity,
your new duties be infused with delight.

As you write on those
fresh new calendars
may you trust that your plans
are a lot like magic ink.

Much may seem to
disappear into obscurity,
but whatever is done in love
will remain.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’I Lift My Eyes Up’, by Brian Doerksen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veXyN37AgMU
**********************
UPDATE August 30, 2023

In the Storm

A prayer in the time of an approaching hurricane
God of the Universe, at the dawn of creation, your Spirit breathed on the waters, making them the wellspring of all holiness. You created the oceans and rivers, and all that dwell within them, and at your word the wind and the waves were born.

The seasons follow your plan, and the tides rise and fall on your command. In both calm and storm, you are with us.

On the Sea of Galilee, even when the disciples began to fear, Jesus showed that he was Lord over the waters by rebuking the storms, so that all would know that even the wind and the waves obey him.

Creator God, we ask you to calm the wind and the waves of the approaching hurricane, and spare those in its path from harm. Help those who are in its way to reach safety. Open our hearts in generosity to all who need help in the coming days.

In all things and in all times, help us to remember that even when life seems dark and stormy, you are in the boat with us, guiding us to safety.

By Fr James Martin SJ
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Praise You in This Storm’, by Casting Crowns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgpaULjZOl8
*********************
UPDATE August 29, 2023

Prayer For Today

O God:
Give me strength to live another day;
Let me not turn coward before its difficulties or prove recreant to its duties;
Let me not lose faith in other people;
Keep me sweet and sound of heart, in spite of ingratitude, treachery, or meanness;
Preserve me from minding little stings or giving them;
Help me to keep my heart clean, and to live so honestly and fearlessly that no outward failure can dishearten me or take away the joy of conscious integrity;
Open wide the eyes of my soul that I may see good in all things;
Grant me this day some new vision of thy truth;
Inspire me with the spirit of joy and gladness;
and make me the cup of strength to suffering souls;
in the name of the strong Deliverer, our only Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
https://prayer.forwardmovement.org/prayers-and-thanksgivings

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Wait’, by Phil Wickham
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VicH_ic_hZI

************************
UPDATE August 28, 2023

This is the final portion of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech from the March on Washington for Freedom and Jobs, sixty years ago today, August 28, 1963.

“Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

So even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day down in Alabama with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, one day right down in Alabama little Black boys and Black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning: My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrims' pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania. Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California. But not only that, let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee. Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, Black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last. Free at last. Thank God almighty, we are free at last.”

You can read the transcript of the speech in its entirety at this link:
https://www.npr.org/2010/01/18/122701268/i-have-a-dream-speech-in-its-entirety

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Long Walk to DC’, by The Staple Singers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DgWQG-zlAY
*****************
UPDATE August 27, 2023

A Prayer for This Day
You have work for us to do
today, Lord. Getting hands
dirty kind of work. Being
there when needed, ready
to get stuck in kind of work.
Being your hands comforting,
healing, embracing but also
exposing injustice and wrong.
Being your feet, walking
alongside the marginalised,
the struggling and the weak.
Being your voice encouraging
those who stumble in the dark
to reach out, embrace the light.
You have work for us to do.
Grant strength and wisdom, Lord.
https://www.faithandworship.com/Prayers_for_every_day.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’House of the Lord’, by Phil Wickham
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqfV0zeEvT8
*********************
Here is the YouTube link for the service from last Sunday, August 20th, 2023: https://youtu.be/m5bRcPAzK_U
**************************
UPDATE August 26, 2023

A Prayer of Hope
These lives of ours,
small as they are
in this, your world,
we live by the Spirit,
in whose strength
we step out each day,
by whose wisdom
decisions we make,
in whose power
we pray for the sick,
in whose name
our needs are met;
that our small lives
might, joined as one,
bring glory to you
and hope, love, peace
and joy to this world.
https://www.faithandworship.com/prayers_Hope.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Your Name is Holy’, by Phil Wickham
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtZLG626ezY
*******************
UPDATE August 25, 2023

I think that somehow, nearly every blessing is about hope and about drawing us a little closer to home, even in those times when, by choice or by accident, we find ourselves far beyond what is familiar to us. Wherever you are, this is for you.—Jan Richardson

BLESSING THE HOUSE OF THE HEART
If you could see
how this blessing
shimmers inside you,
you would never wonder
whether there will be
light enough,
time enough,
room enough for you.

If you could see
the way this blessing
has inscribed itself
on every wall
of your heart,
writing its shining line
across every doorway,
tracing the edge
of every window
and table
and hall—

if you could see this,
you would never question
where home is
or whether it has
a welcome for you.

This blessing wishes
to give you
a glimpse.

It will not tell you
it has been waiting.
It will not tell you
it has been keeping watch.
It would not
want you to know
just how long
it has been holding
this quiet vigil
for you.

It simply wants you
to see what it sees,
wants you to know
what it knows—
how this blessing
already blazes in you,
shining in every corner
of your broken
and beautiful heart.

—Jan Richardson
from The Cure for Sorrow: A Book of Blessings for Times of Grief

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Sunday is Coming’, by Phil Wickham
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbDTXuuTpO4
******************
UPDATE August 24, 2023

A Prayer to Follow God’s Calling
We have heard your glorious whisper,
Almost silent, yet insistent,
Breaking through the chatter
Of many voices,
The clatter
Of background noises,
The wind,
The rain,
Storm and hurricane,
Through all of this
Your voice remains,
Unchangeable,
Cuts through to heart
And soul,
Unmissable.
'Come follow me
Pick up the Cross…
My burden is no burden at all,
It is simply love,
Poured out for you
And through you,
Sustaining,
Empowering …
Come follow me'
https://www.faithandworship.com/prayers_Christian_calling.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Psalm 23’, by Phil Wickham ft Tiffany Hudson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RzGnpvUFFw
********************
UPDATE August 23, 2023

Open my eyes and ears

O Lord, open my eyes that I may see the needs of others
Open my ears that I may hear their cries;
Open my heart so that they need not be without succor;
Let me not be afraid to defend the weak because of the anger of the strong,
Nor afraid to defend the poor because of the anger of the rich.
Show me where love and hope and faith are needed,
And use me to bring them to those places.
And so open my eyes and my ears
That I may this coming day be able to do some work of peace for thee.

Amen.

– Alan Paton (1903-1988)
https://franciscanaction.org/prayers/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Creator’, by Phil Wickham
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egEpsrPY6rQ
******************
UPDATE August 22, 2023

A Prayer For Oneness

I rest in you, Spirit of Life.
I place in you my feet, my legs, my torso, my arms, my shoulders, my head and allow you to support all that I am.
I rest in you, Spirit of Life, and give to you my worries, my fears, my doubts, my hopes, my joys, my pains, my anger, my love, my hate, and allow you to take in all that I am.
And as I give all that I am, I find the place of truth, stillness, still, eternal where you and I are one.
I breathe in, deep, deeply, down, up, all that we are, as I stand on my toe at the edge of the universe, in oneness.
And all that we are expands, until forever.

- Karem Barratt
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Exodus 15: Who Is Like You’, by Kenwood Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9XzzRLsc3g
********************
UPDATE August 21, 2023

Give Me Discerning Eyes

Almighty God,
author of my life,
help me learn to read what you have written on my heart.
Give me discerning eyes
and an untiring spirit
to look within me
in order to understand how to reach outside of me.
And once I have begun to read you aright,
give me the generosity to help others to read you,
to sound you out one letter,
one word of radical giving at a time.

- Author Unknown
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Christ Our Shepherd’, by Kenwood Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdFGIZKgftA
********************
UPDATE August 20, 2023

What the Light Shines Through
A Healing Blessing

For Joe

Where pain
does not touch you.
Where hurt
does not make its home.
Where despair
does not haunt you.
Where sorrow
does not dwell.

Where disease
does not possess you.
Where death
does not abide.
Where horror
does not hold you.
Where fear
does not raise its head.

Where your wounds
become doorways.
Where your scars
become sacred maps.
Where tears
become pools of gladness.
Where delight
attends your way.

Where every kindness
you have offered
returns to you.
Where each blessing
you have given
makes its way back
to you.
Where every grace
gathers around you.
Where the face of love
mirrors your gaze.

Where you are
what the light
shines through.
—Jan Richardson
The Cure for Sorrow: A Book of Blessings for Times of Grief

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Christ Victorious’, by Kenwood Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYuBqmxZDC4
**********************
Here is the YouTube link for the service from last Sunday, August 13th, 2023: https://youtu.be/jiNpoZnnecc
……………………….
The bulletin today and the flowers on the altar are being sponsored by Don and Virginia Davidson in celebration of their 72nd wedding anniversary which took place on August 18th. St. Peter’s wishes God’s richest blessings to Don and Virginia!
…………………………………..
UPDATE August 19, 2023

A Prayer in a Time of Distress

Almighty and everlasting God, You are strength to those who suffer and comfort to those who grieve. Let the prayers of your children who are in trouble rise to you.

Hear our prayer.

We claim your promises of wholeness as we pray for those who are ill or are suffering loss and long for your healing touch.

Hear our prayer.

Make the weak strong, the sick healthy, the broken whole, and confirm those who serve them as agents of your love.

Hear our prayer.

To everyone in distress, grant mercy, grant relief, grant refreshment.

Hear our prayer.

As we begin to rebuild, we commend our neighborhoods to your care. Give us strength of purpose and concern for others, that we may create a community where your will may be done.

Hear our prayer.

God of compassion, you watch our ways, and weave out of terrible happenings wonders of goodness and grace.

Hear our prayer.

Surround those who have been shaken by tragedy with a sense of your present love, and hold them in faith. Though they are lost in grief, may they find you and be comforted;

Through Jesus Christ who was dead, but lives and rules this world with you. Amen.
www.pcusa.org/site_media/media/uploads/pda/pdfs/prayersintimesoftroubleanddisaster.pdf

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘In My Place’, by Kenwood Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohS-y4i17V8

*******************
UPDATE August 18, 2023

In Our Hearts

Compassionate Lord, we pray for those who have been devastated by recent natural disasters. We remember those who have lost their lives so suddenly. We hold in our hearts the families forever changed by grief and loss. Bring them consolation and comfort. Surround them with our prayer for strength. Bless those who have survived and heal their memories of trauma and devastation. May they have the courage to face the long road of rebuilding ahead.

We ask your blessing on all those who have lost their homes, their livelihoods, their security and their hope. Bless the work of relief agencies and those proving emergency assistance. May their work be guided by the grace and strength that comes from You alone.

Help us to respond with generosity in prayer, in assistance, in aid to the best of our abilities. Keep our hearts focused on the needs of those affected, even after the crisis is over. We ask this in Jesus' name.

https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Jesus Lover of My Soul’, by Kenwood Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOCGLLKiBOw
*********************
UPDATE August 17, 2023

A Prayer for Resting in God's Love

God of Goodness, I come into your presence so aware of my human frailty and yet overwhelmed by your love for me.
I thank you that there is no human experience that I might walk through where your love cannot reach me.
If I climb the highest mountain you are there and yet if I find myself in the darkest valley of my life, you are there.
Teach me today to love you more.
Help me to rest in that love that asks nothing more than the simple trusting heart of a child.

- Author Unknown
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Here I Sojourn’, by Kenwood Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYPWWrr5Ed8
*********************
UPDATE August 16, 2023

Being Present

Always-present God,
help me to be present to all who need me.
Help me be present
to those I know too well to actually see
and to those who are unseen strangers to me.
Give me the ability to model your attentive, loving gaze
when I view my world,
my family
and my friends,
who are seen and loved by you first.
Finally, may my availability be marked by a desire
to be like your Son:
open to being sent,
open to being loved,
open to becoming love in the world.

- Author Unknown
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Keep Me’, by Kenwood Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC1becJbKQM
*******************
UPDATE August 15, 2023

Your Heart Today

Where there is fear I can allay,
Where there is pain I can heal,
Where there are wounds I can bind,
And hunger I can fill:
Lord, grant me courage,
Lord, grant me strength,
Grant me compassion
That I may be your heart today.
Where there is hate I can confront,
Where there are yokes I can release,
Where there are captives I can free
And anger I can appease:
Lord, grant me courage,
Lord, grant me strength,
Grant me compassion
That I may be your heart today.
When comes the day I dread
To see our broken world,
Protect me from myself grown cold
That your people I may behold.
And when I've done all that I could,
Yet, there are hearts I cannot move,
Lord, give me hope,
That I may be your heart today.

- Fr. Manoling Francisco, SJ
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Every Word’, by Kenwood Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N236NZo0QBM
**********************
UPDATE August 14, 2023

Give Me Strength

Oh God, I ask not for easier tasks.
I ask for stronger aptitudes and greater talents
to meet any tasks which may come my way.

Help me to help others
so that their lives may be made easier and happier.
Strengthen my confidence in my fellow men
in spite of what they may do or say.

Give me strength to live according to the Golden Rule,
enthusiasm to inspire those around me,
sympathy to help lighten the burdens of those who suffer,
and a spirit of joy and gladness to share with others.

-attributed to Harry Bullis, former chairman of General Mills
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Your Grace is Enough’, by Alisa Childers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnYjoQLEFk8
**************
UPDATE August 13, 2023

a blessing for when your parents are aging

The people I look up to
are growing older—the
ones I don’t want to have to learn
to live without.
I need their wisdom
and their courage now,
more than ever,
when time or illness or disease
is unrelenting.
Or they never became
the person they hoped to be.
And all I want to do is stop the clock. Of course, I knew this would happen,
but find myself surprised
when I notice them
grayer, more delicate
than in my mind’s eye.
I guess I thought they’d be around
forever.
The adults in the room.
The ones who would always be
on my team,
or know the right answer
or what to do in an emergency.
But how our roles have changed.

Blessed are we with hearts
that desire to love well
through the difficulties to come,
the scary, the tedious, the sad
amid the long, slow transition
that is weighted with anticipatory grief,and yet is so full of promise for new
chances,
for new forgivenesses
and acknowledgments of past hurts,
for new graces that may slip into the
day.

How blessed are we in difficult
relationships,
we who seek to bind up the frayed
places,
to give comfort and receive it,
to reach out a hand, wordlessly,
and find peace.

Blessed are we who can even laugh
at the new strangeness of feeling
so human together,
and how the heat of old battles
(what were they about again?)
are almost cooling with time.

Blessed are we together
sharing one long look
that says: What we have is
irreplaceable.
It is a “we” that will remain,
no matter what.

From page 82 of The Lives We Actually Have
https://katebowler.com/books/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’All Because of Mercy’, by Casting Crowns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOagHp9vnA4
*******************
Here is the YouTube link for the service from last Sunday, August 6th, 2023:
https://youtu.be/tX0kyb9whZs

UPDATE August 12, 2023

A Franciscan Blessing for Justice and Peace

May God bless you with discomfort…
at easy answers, hard hearts, half-truths, and superficial relationships.
May God bless you so that you may live from deep within your heart where God’s Spirit
dwells.

May God bless you with anger…
at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people.
May God bless you so that you may
work for justice, freedom, and peace.

May God bless you with tears…
to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection,
starvation and war.
May God bless you so that you may reach out your hand
to comfort them and turn their pain into joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness
to believe that you can make a difference in this world, in
your neighborhood, so that you will courageously try
what you don’t think you can do, but, in Jesus Christ you’ll
have all the strength necessary.

May God bless you to fearlessly speak out about injustice,
Unjust laws, corrupt politicians, unjust and cruel treatment
of prisoners, and senseless wars,
genocides, starvations, and poverty that is so pervasive.

May God bless you that you remember we are all called to
continue God’s redemptive work of love and healing in
God’s place, in and through God’s name, in God’s Spirit,
continually creating and breathing new life and grace into
everything and everyone we touch.
https://franciscanaction.org/prayers/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘The Lord is By My Side’, by CityAlight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S_4TJJOvAk
******************
UPDATE August 11, 2023

Celtic Evening Prayer
I lay my head to rest,
and in doing so,
lay at your feet
the faces I have seen,
the voices I have heard,
the words I have spoken,
the hands I have shaken,
the service I have given,
the joys I have shared,
the sorrows revealed,
I lay them at your feet,
and in doing so
lay my head to rest.
https://www.faithandworship.com/Celtic_Blessings_and_Prayers.htm

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’God of Every Grace’, by Keith & Kristyn Getty, Matt Boswell, Matt Papa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5SARNm0M8A
********************
UPDATE August 10, 2023

Drenched in Holiness

Dear God, Spirit, Divine Mother,
On this day I ask you to grant this request,
May I know who I am and what I am,
Every moment of every day.
May I be a catalyst for light and love,
And bring inspiration to those whose eyes I meet.
May I have the strength to stand tall in the face of conflict,
And the courage to speak my voice, even when I'm scared.
May I have the humility to follow my heart,
And the passion to live my soul's desires.
May I seek to know the highest truth
And dismiss the gravitational pull of my lower self.
May I embrace and love the totality of myself,
My darkness as well as my light.
May I be brave enough to hear my heart,
To let it soften so that I may gracefully
Choose faith over fear.
Today is my day to surrender anything that stands
Between the sacredness of my humanity and my divinity.
May I be drenched in my Holiness
And engulfed by Your love.
May all else melt away.
And so it is.

- Debbie Ford
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

Today we share another song by one of Pastor Neil’s favourite artists.

’In This Life’ by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr5aWs9gErk
********************
UPDATE August 9, 2023

Only For a Short While

Oh, only for so short a while you
have loaned us to each other,
because we take form in your act of drawing us,
and we take life in your painting us,
and we breathe in your singing us.

So, we too, because only for a short while

have you loaned us to each other.

- Aztec Indian Prayer
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Here are the details for the visitation and funeral services for our former pastor, Capt. the Rev. Neil C. Thomsen. Please continue to keep Pastor Neil's family in your ongoing prayers.
https://www.henrywalser.com/memorials/capt-the-rev-neil-thomsen/5246033/index.php

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

Today we share another one of Pastor Neil’s favourite songs.

’White Sandy Beach’, by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoRpWEE-E0Q
********************
UPDATE August 8, 2023

Blessing for the Brokenhearted

There is no remedy for love but to love more.
—Henry David Thoreau

Let us agree
for now
that we will not say
the breaking
makes us stronger
or that it is better
to have this pain
than to have done
without this love.

Let us promise
we will not
tell ourselves
time will heal
the wound,
when every day
our waking
opens it anew.

Perhaps for now
it can be enough
to simply marvel
at the mystery
of how a heart
so broken
can go on beating,
as if it were made
for precisely this—

as if it knows
the only cure for love
is more of it,

as if it sees
the heart’s sole remedy
for breaking
is to love still,

as if it trusts
that its own
persistent pulse
is the rhythm
of a blessing
we cannot
begin to fathom
but will save us
nonetheless.

—Jan Richardson
The Cure for Sorrow: A Book of Blessings for Times of Grief

Here are the details for the visitation and funeral services for our former pastor, Capt. the Rev. Neil C. Thomsen. Please continue to keep Pastor Neil's family in your ongoing prayers.
https://www.henrywalser.com/memorials/capt-the-rev-neil-thomsen/5246033/index.php

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

Today we share one of Pastor Neil’s favourite songs.

’Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World’, by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z26BvHOD_sg
***************************
UPDATE August 7, 2023

Summer Activities

Take time to claim your strength; they are gifts of God.
Take time to have fun; it's God's way of teaching you your strengths.
Take time to grow yourself; only you can grow you.
Take time to trust yourself; God trusts you.
Take time to be self-reliant; it is better than being dependent.
Take time to share with others; they will bless you, and you will bless them.
Take time to have hope, you are a child of God.

Let's put ourselves into the hands of the Lord, and pray that God will bless us and our families during the wonderful months of summer. May we all help make our home a place of relaxation, joy, love, peace and safety. May we be generous and considerate, not thinking only about ourselves, but helping others enjoy the blessings of summertime. Lord God, Creator of all things, guide our steps and strengthen our hearts, during these months of summer and vacation days. Grant us refreshment of mind and body. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

- Found on: catholicdoors.com
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’No Turning Back’, by Steffany Gretzinger ft Leeland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubHnKFASAqg
***********************
UPDATE August 6, 2023

blessed are we
for whom the call to loving action is still strong,
whose every urge is to keep going, keep working,
and not to count the cost.

and yet blessed are we,
beginning to notice that we are slowing down, inexplicably,
or just pausing, staring for no reason,
or starting something,
but then quickly turning to another demand.

blessed are we,
realizing that we are beginning to lose the thread.

blessed are we who say
I really can’t keep going like this,
at this pace, under this weight,
and also, the momentum is so strong, I can’t stop.

God, come and be the hands that sit me down
and keep me there long enough
for me to really feel what I feel,
and know what I know.

come and be the wisdom
to find the support system that is broad enough,
kind enough, effective enough to meet the needs that are here
– both mine and theirs.

come and be the peace that frees me
to let my hands lie gently open awhile,
the grace to just receive.

seek the rest you need, and a little bit more.
it is a sacred space.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/blessings/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Until All Are Fed’, by Bryan Field McFarland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLwmYIzkb78
*******************
Here is the YouTube link for the service from last Sunday, July 30th, 2023:
https://youtu.be/R2O-4q81xIs
………………………………
UPDATE August 5, 2023

Your Heart Today
Where there is fear I can allay,
Where there is pain I can heal,
Where there are wounds I can bind,
And hunger I can fill:
Lord, grant me courage,
Lord, grant me strength,
Grant me compassion
That I may be your heart today.
Where there is hate I can confront,
Where there are yokes I can release,
Where there are captives I can free
And anger I can appease:
Lord, grant me courage,
Lord, grant me strength,
Grant me compassion
That I may be your heart today.
When comes the day I dread
To see our broken world,
Protect me from myself grown cold
That your people I may behold.
And when I've done all that I could,
Yet, there are hearts I cannot move,
Lord, give me hope,
That I may be your heart today.

- Fr. Manoling Francisco, SJ
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘In the Shadow of Shaddai’, by Steffany Gretzinger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKeQmM2SG64

*****************
UPDATE August 4, 2023

A Prayer for Inner Peace

Lord, please put Your peace in my heart.
I'm worried and anxious.
My mind races and obsesses.
I can't help thinking about my problems.
And the more I think about them,
the more depressed I become.
I feel like I'm sinking down in quicksand
and can't get out.
Calm me, Lord.
Slow me down, put Your peace in my heart.

No matter what problem I have, Lord,
You are bigger,
You are more powerful than it is.
So I bring my problem to You.
I know what I want.
I know my will.
I do not know Yours.
I do not know how You will use this problem for my salvation.
I do not know what good You will workout from this evil.
But I trust You.
I trust Your goodness and Your wisdom.
So I place myself in Your hands.
Please fill my heart with peace.

- Author Unknown
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Music to My Ears’, by Tiffany Hudson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysM0qS5jrUg
*****************
UPDATE August 3, 2023

Prayer to Celebrate our Differences as Uniqueness

God has made all of us alike, yet different in so many ways.
People in our place of work, and in our school, come from different backgrounds.
Many of us have different customs and speak different languages.
Each and every one of us has a different way of reacting to any given situation.
We should show respect for all those who have entered our lives
and accept them for who they really are--Children of God.

- Author Unknown
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’The Greatest Commandment’, by The Porter’s Gate’ ft Paul Zach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pElUWTNsYXU

**************************
UPDATE August 2, 2023

This Brightness That You Bear
A Blessing for My Family

This blessing
hardly knows what to say,
speechless as it is
not simply
from grief
but from the gratitude
that has come with it—

the thankfulness that sits
among the sorrow
and can barely begin
to tell you
what it means
not to be alone.

This blessing
knows the distances
you crossed
in person
in prayer
to enter into
days of waiting,
nights of long vigil.

It knows the paths
you traveled
to be here
in the dark.

Even in the shadows
this blessing
sees more than it can say
and has simply
come to show you
the light
that you have given

not to return it
to you
not to reflect it
back to you
but only to ask you
to open your eyes
and see
the grace of it,
the gift that shines
in this brightness
that you bear.

The Cure for Sorrow: A Book of Blessings for Times of Grief
https://www.janrichardson.com/books

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

We continue to share some of Sinead O’Connor’s music over the next few days. Rest in Peace, Sinead. No more pain.

’I Don’t Know How to Love Him’, by Sinead O’Connor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kPgo3lPxSQ
*******************
UPDATE August 1, 2023

Blessing of Hope

So may we know
the hope
that is not just
for someday
but for this day—
here, now,
in this moment
that opens to us:

hope not made
of wishes
but of substance,

hope made of sinew
and muscle
and bone,

hope that has breath
and a beating heart,

hope that will not
keep quiet
and be polite,

hope that knows
how to holler
when it is called for,

hope that knows
how to sing
when there seems
little cause,

hope that raises us
from the dead—

not someday
but this day,
every day,
again and
again and
again.

—Jan Richardson
The Cure for Sorrow: A Book of Blessings for Times of Grief
https://www.janrichardson.com/books

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

We continue to share some of Sinead O’Connor’s music over the next few days. Rest in Peace, Sinead. No more pain.

’Out of the Depths’, by Sinead O’Connor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m920jYP002c
**********************
UPDATE July 31, 2023

God our Creator,
you give breath to each person you made.
You treasure the gifts of each unique person.
But when life becomes a burden rather than a gift,
God of life, hold us.
When darkness strangles the will to live, when days become endless nights,
God of light, shine on us.
When no one seems to understand, when we walk and wait alone,
God of love, embrace us with your presence.
Where there is despair, bring hope; where there is shame, give value and worth; where there is emptiness, bring fulfilment; where there is suffering in mind and body, bring healing. God of hope, hear our prayer for life.

Contributed by Cindy Holtrop, Pathways to Promise
https://theactionalliance.org/sites/default/files/sample_prayers_v3_sm.pdf

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

We continue to share some of Sinead O’Connor’s music over the next few days. Rest in Peace, Sinead. No more pain.

‘Danny Boy’, by Sinead O’Connor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PweUGhCZNiM
*******************
UPDATE July 30, 2023

A Blessing for Who You Might Become

God, I’m haunted by the shadows
of the old me.
The one who’s tried every
promised elixir, every five-step
plan,
every guru’s solution to what ails me.
But nothing seems to stick.

I’m the same me
with the same problems
and the same quiet hopes.
Is it my lack of discipline?
Or am I just a lost cause?
What new beginnings are possible?

Blessed are we, the incomplete,
standing at the edge of what could be,
in this perpetual season of waiting
and looking and longing
for the fulfillment of hope.

Blessed are we, the restless,
grieving what’s over, but isn’t done,
what is gone, but isn’t finished.

Blessed are we,
in our midnight struggle with past
and future,
while the present has already arrived
outside our door
like flat-packed
furniture
with missing parts.

God, what can we do
with what we have now?
And who we are?
And who might we become?

Blessed are we in the place
where desire and will
are beginning a conversation
about what this day,
this moment is for,
and for whose glory.

Blessed are we who suddenly find
that while we weren’t looking,
the Lord appeared saying,
“Peace, be still.”

This is the clearing
where the light shines through,
where the new can begin.

Never doubt it.
God is writing you into the story
of the world’s healing.
And your own.

--Pg 190 from The Lives We Actually Have
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

We continue to share some of Sinead O’Connor’s music over the next few days. Rest in Peace, Sinead. No more pain.

’Don’t Cry for Me Argentina’, by Sinead O’Connor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwS66Xq811o
******************
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 30th, 2023:

Here is the YouTube link for the service from last Sunday, July 23rd, 2023:
https://youtu.be/vKM13QJ3xwk
……………………….
PASTORAL VISITS: Pastor Laura is available for visits by appointment by calling the church office, 519-653-4721. Whether you have a particular pastoral concern or would just like some one-to-one time to get to know Pastor Laura, she would love to meet with you.

Please note: Pastor Laura will be on vacation from July 10 – August 6, 2023 inclusive. Pastoral emergency coverage has been arranged, and to that end, if needed, please call the church office at 519-653-4721.
…………………………….
You can order your own Maple Syrup from St. Peter’s, Preston. Our partner is a 5th generation Woolwich Township farm that has been producing maple syrup for over 100 years. They adhere to the production guidelines issued by the Ontario Maple Syrup Association, which state the number of taps per tree (max. of 2) for best forest management practices. Handling of the sap and syrup is minimized to reduce the chance of contamination. Their syrup is pure with nothing added, only the water has been removed. As of 2018 their maple syrup is certified organic.
1 litre Mason Jars of maple syrup are $23.00.
Send an email to or alexblack@sympatico.ca or call the church office at 519-653-4721 to order your own locally produced fresh Maple Syrup.
………………………………
Help us support the Cambridge Food Bank by bringing a canned good or non-perishable item to church with you. We have a collection basket in the narthex, and every donation helps enable the food bank to ensure that no one in our community goes hungry. We appreciate and thank you for your help in filling the basket as there is a very real and urgent need.
…………………………….
This Fall you are invited to join as a singer in the Mennonite Mass Choir in a performance of Handel’s Messiah with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony at Centre in the Square on Sunday, December 10th (afternoon). Monday evening rehearsals begin on September 25th at First Mennonite Church (800 King St E, Kitchener) from 7:30-9:30pm. For more information and to register go to www.mennosingers.com
…………………………..
Summer Services - Historic Ellis Pioneer Chapel
6705 Ellis Road, Puslinch Township

August 20, 2023 at 2:30 p.m.
Guest speaker: Rev. Don McCallum
from Duff’s Presbyterian Church, Puslinch

September 24, 2023 at 2:30 p.m.
Concert of Barbershop and Gospel music
by Bakers Dozen, Guelph

Refreshments and fellowship in the garden to follow each of the services
…………………………………..
Coffee + Connect with Pastor Laura!
Over the summer, Pastor Laura will be hosting the following coffee hours in the parlour:

Tuesday August 15 at 10:30AM

This is a chance for you to get to know her and to (re)connect with one another. No need to RSVP but if you’d like to bring goodies to share, please contact the office.
Everyone is welcome, so bring along a friend or neighbour!
………………………………
AN EASTERN SYNOD TWO RIVERS and GRAND RIVER MINISTRY AREA GATHERING
Thinking Forward – Saturday, September 16, 2023
ST. MATTHEWS LUTHERAN CHURCH, 54 BENTON STREET, KITCHENER

Checking In 9:30 am – 10:00 am Gather and Refreshments
10:00 am – 12:00 noon Conversation

An invitation to all Active Rostered, Congregational Lay Leaders and Members of Churches in the Grand River and Two Rivers Ministry Areas in the Waterloo and Wellington Regions

Part 2 - Let’s continue the conversation from May to think about possible pathways forward and discern the Spirit’s calling into God’s future.

QUESTIONS?
Rev. David Malina – dmalinachurch@gmail.com
Rev. Heike Toeller – pastor.heike@gmail.com
…………………………..
Yard Sale

Saturday, August 26, 2023 8 am – 2:00 pm
We’re looking for good, gently used, clean items of all kinds, and clothing. Please – no very large mirrors, no complete dining room suites, no large old television sets. If you’re unsure of whether what you have is suitable or not, leave a message at the church office.
We’d love to re-purpose your goods and make a new owner happy. Items may be dropped off at church; just let us know when we can meet with you.
August 18th is the last day to drop off items!
………………………………
50th Anniversary
Celebration Organ Series
Saturday September 23, 2023
featuring Martin Jongsma

Save the Date!
………………………
UPDATE July 29, 2023

A Prayer for Inner Peace

We continue to share some of Sinead O’Connor’s music over the next few days. Rest in Peace, Sinead. No more pain.

’Thank You for Hearing Me’, by Sinead O’Connor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7mwZ27WWzY
********************
UPDATE July 28, 2023

a blessing for those struggling with mental health

o God it is terrifying to feel threatened within — by something invisible,
changeable, yet immovable as stone.

God, come help me. I want peace but I never find it.

God have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Spirit have mercy.

“o Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning.” —Psalm 5:1

God have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Spirit have mercy.

“lead me to the rock that is higher than i, for You have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.” —Psalm 61:2-3

blessed are we, overwhelmed by our own minds,
amid layers of pandemic isolation and untold loss,
who cry out to You:
o God, You know the chemistry in body and brain,
and all the efforts that have gone before.
the beginnings that trailed away,
the self-forgetting, the pain and struggle,
the echoing clamour of rising fear,
the help that felt like judgment,
and the collateral damage.

blessed are we who say:
God, You hear the vicious storm that rages within
the silent buffeting that tears away at the very fabric of being,
the accusations and attacks
that are more real than a glimpsed reflection in the mirror.

blessed are we, o God, stuck, hemmed in, overwhelmed
yet who still cry out:
o God be the lifting up of my hands!
be the strengthening of heart and intention,
the restorer of what lies broken,
the healer that has gentle new thoughts,
the welcoming eyes that speak peace
that is fulsome, lovely, and lasting.

be, o God, the life for me that still could be!

God have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Spirit have mercy.

come. it’s okay. just come.

“and Jesus took the children in his arms and blessed them, laying his
hands upon them.” —Mark 10:16
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

We will share some of Sinead O’Connor’s music over the next few days. Rest in Peace, Sinead. No more pain.

‘Make Me a Channel of Your Peace’, by Sinead O’Connor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnhhLWOKUeA
*******************
UPDATE July 27, 2023

More sad news from the world of music. Well-known singer/songwriter Sinead O’Connor, died yesterday at the age of 56.

From the Huffington Post:
”Singer-songwriter Sinéad O’Connor has died at 56, according to her family. Her death, first reported by The Irish Times on Wednesday, follows the death of her 17-year-old son, Shane O’Connor, early last year.

O’Connor, best known for her hit cover version of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” and her trademark shaved head, was born Sinéad Marie-Bernadette O’Connor on Dec. 8, 1966, in Ireland. She more recently began going by the name Shuhada Sadaqat after converting to Islam in 2018, though she continued to perform under the name Sinéad O’Connor. The singer came from a troubled home with an abusive mother, who died in a car crash when O’Connor was just 19.

O’Connor found solace in music and was soon discovered by Irish band In Tua Nua. She helped co-write the band’s hit song “Take My Hand.” Soon after, O’Connor began performing in pubs and signed with Ensign Records in 1985. In 1987, the singer released her debut album, “The Lion and the Cobra,” to critical acclaim.

The singer followed up her first album with “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got” in 1990, featuring the smash hit “Nothing Compares 2 U.” The song, originally written by Prince for the group The Family, earned O’Connor worldwide success and the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. Just before filming her iconic video, the singer said she shaved off most of her hair (the start of her trademark look) as a response to male executives within the music industry. “They wanted me to grow my hair really long and wear miniskirts and all that kind of stuff because they reckoned I’d look much prettier, so I went straight around to the barber and shaved the rest of my hair off.”

The singer struggled with mental illness in her later years, which she openly spoke about and received treatment for. O’Connor said it was after she underwent a hysterectomy in late 2015 that her mental health took a real dive, resulting in her hospitalization at St. Patrick’s in Dublin in 2016. “Nobody had explained to me or my family that she’s going to be a crazy bitch because we took her ovaries for no reason. So the children were terrified of me,” she recalled to The Irish Examiner.

She ended up spending around six years there and dedicated her 2021 memoir, “Rememberings,” to the hospital’s staff and patients. The same year of her memoir’s release, she announced that she was retiring from touring and recording. “I’ve gotten older and I’m tired. So it’s time for me to hang up my nipple tassels, having truly given my all,” she posted on social media.

She retracted this announcement shortly after, with plans to release what would have been her 11th album, “No Veteran Dies Alone,” in late 2021. This album’s release was delayed indefinitely following the sudden death of her son Shane. His death led to a string of troubling posts on her social media account and her hospitalization again. “I’m sorry I upset everyone. I am lost without my kid and I hate myself. Hospital will help a while,” she later told her online followers. Her turbulent life was chronicled in last year’s Showtime documentary “Nothing Compares,” which earned multiple film festival awards.”

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

We will share some of Sinead O’Connor’s music over the next few days. Rest in Peace, Sinead. No more pain.

’Sacrifce’, by Sinead O’Connor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWa-aMiqQKE
********************
UPDATE July 26, 2023

a blessing when you realize everyone is struggling

blessed are you who have realized that life is hard. and it’s hard for everyone. your awareness came at a cost. you lost something you can’t get back. you were diagnosed with chronic pain or a degenerative disease. your family fell apart and things have never been the same.

blessed are you who gave up the myth that the good life is one of happiness, success, perfection. the life that looks beautiful on Facebook, but isn’t real. you who realize it is okay to not be okay. To not have a shiny life, because no one does.

blessed are you who see things clearly, where struggle is everyone’s normal. you walk among the fellowship of the afflicted, a club no one wants to join.

and while this life isn’t shiny, it does come with superpowers. superpowers of ever-widening empathy and existential courage that get you back up after another fall

and a deepened awe at the beauty and love that can be found amid life’s rubble. like flowers that grow from the cracks in the sidewalk. these virtues blossom in you. and thank God for you.

blessed are all of us who struggle, for we are in good company, and we’ll never walk alone.

** This blessing can be found in Good Enough: 40ish Devotionals for a Life of Imperfection
https://katebowler.com/books/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

We will continue to feature some of Tony Bennett’s music. Rest in Peace, Tony, and Thank You for the music!

’How Do You Keep the Music Playing?’, by Tony Bennett & Aretha Franklin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4_Fatuvp68
********************
UPDATE July 25, 2023

Lightening the Load

The first thing we have to do
is to notice
that we've loaded down this camel
with so much baggage
we'll never get through the desert alive
Something has to go.

Then we can begin to dump
the thousand things
we've brought along
until even the camel has to go
and we're walking barefoot
on the desert sand.

There's no telling what will happen then.
But I've heard that someone,
walking in this way,
has seen a burning bush.

-Francis Dorff, O. Praem.
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

We will continue to feature some of Tony Bennett’s music. Rest in Peace, Tony, and Thank You for the music!

’I’ve Got You Under My Skin’, by Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyTa_gJkYwI
*****************
UPDATE July 24, 2023

Letting Go

Dear Jesus,

Please hear my prayer. I go along each day, trying to run my life my own way. I forget to let go and give you control.

I wonder why things aren't going the way I want them to go. I forget to stop and ask what you want, Lord. Please help me to give you control, Jesus. I want to follow you. I want what you desire for me.

Help me to realize that when you close one door, you open the one you want me to walk through. Help me also to realize that what I desire may not be what is meant for me, or what is best for me. Maybe it will lead me away from what your great plan is for me.

Lord, let me accept each day as a gift. Let me follow the path you choose for me. Help me to be thankful for what you give me and not to worry about my needs. I trust you will take care of all my needs. Remind me that my role is to care for those around me and focus on those who need my help.

Help me not to be judgmental, as we are all equal in God's eyes. Help me to see the good in all of your creations. Let me leave the judging to you, dear Jesus. Instead, I will concentrate on living to please you!

Help me, dear Jesus, be who and what you want me to be. Give me strength, faith and hope, and most of all, give me guidance each and every day. I let go and give you control.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

-Mary Fairchild
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

We will continue to feature some of Tony Bennett’s music. Rest in Peace, Tony, and Thank You for the music!

’It Had to Be You’, by Tony Bennett & Carrie Underwood
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kpu4mYrbQg
*****************
UPDATE July 23, 2023

a blessing when you realize everyone is struggling

blessed are you who see things clearly, where struggle is everyone’s normal. you walk among the fellowship of the afflicted, a club no one wants to join.

and while this life isn’t shiny, it does come with superpowers. superpowers of ever-widening empathy and existential courage that get you back up after another fall

and a deepened awe at the beauty and love that can be found amid life’s rubble. like flowers that grow from the cracks in the sidewalk. these virtues blossom in you. and thank God for you.

blessed are all of us who struggle, for we are in good company, and we’ll never walk alone.

** This blessing can be found in Good Enough: 40ish Devotionals for a Life of Imperfection
https://katebowler.com/books/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

We will continue to feature some of Tony Bennett’s music. Rest in Peace, Tony, and Thank You for the music!

’God Bless the Child’, by Tony Bennett & Billie Holiday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5Ysa4yajsk
********************
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 23rd, 2023:

Here is the YouTube link for the service from last Sunday, July 16th, 2023: https://youtu.be/X9nSXyCZ2qA
……………………….

UPDATE July 22, 2023

Give Us Hearts

God of love and compassion: may we always recognize your spirit:

in the refugee family, seeking safety from violence;
in the migrant worker, bringing food to our tables;
in the asylum-seekers, seeking justice for their families;
in the unaccompanied child, traveling in a dangerous world.

Give us hearts that break open whenever our brothers and sisters turn to us.
Give us hearts that no longer turn deaf to their voices in times of need;

Give us eyes to recognize a moment for grace instead of a threat.
Give us voices that fail to remain silent but which decide instead to advocate prophetically.
Give us hands that reach out in welcome, but also in work, for a world of justice until all homelands are safe and secure.
Bless us, O Lord...

- Fr. Dan Hartnett S.J.
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

We will feature some of Tony Bennett’s music over the next several days. Rest in Peace, Tony, and Thank You for the music!

’What a Wonderful World’, by Tony Bennett & kd lang
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1vyZqNGcEs
**********************
UPDATE July 21, 2023

Another music icon has passed away. Tony Bennett died today at the age of 96.

From The Huffington Post:
Tony Bennett, the eminent and timeless stylist whose devotion to classic American songs and knack for creating new standards such as “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” graced a decades long career that brought him admirers from Frank Sinatra to Lady Gaga, died Friday. He was 96, just two weeks short of his birthday.

The last of the great saloon singers of the mid-20th century, Bennett often said his lifelong ambition was to create “a hit catalog rather than hit records.” He released more than 70 albums, bringing him 19 competitive Grammys — all but two after he reached his 60s — and enjoyed deep and lasting affection from fans and fellow artists.

Bennett didn’t tell his own story when performing; he let the music speak instead — the Gershwins and Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and Jerome Kern. Unlike his friend and mentor Sinatra, he would interpret a song rather than embody it. If his singing and public life lacked the high drama of Sinatra’s, Bennett appealed with an easy, courtly manner and an uncommonly rich and durable voice — “A tenor who sings like a baritone,” he called himself — that made him a master of caressing a ballad or brightening an up-tempo number.

“I enjoy entertaining the audience, making them forget their problems,” he told The Associated Press in 2006. “I think people ... are touched if they hear something that’s sincere and honest and maybe has a little sense of humor. ... I just like to make people feel good when I perform.”

Bennett was praised often by his peers, but never more meaningfully than by what Sinatra said in a 1965 Life magazine interview: “For my money, Tony Bennett is the best singer in the business. He excites me when I watch him. He moves me. He’s the singer who gets across what the composer has in mind, and probably a little more.”

He not only survived the rise of rock music but endured so long and so well that he gained new fans and collaborators, some young enough to be his grandchildren. In 2014, at age 88, Bennett broke his own record as the oldest living performer with a No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart for “Cheek to Cheek,” his duets project with Lady Gaga. Three years earlier, he topped the charts with “Duets II,” featuring such contemporary stars as Gaga, Carrie Underwood and Amy Winehouse, in her last studio recording. His rapport with Winehouse was captured in the Oscar-nominated documentary “Amy,” which showed Bennett patiently encouraging the insecure young singer through a performance of “Body and Soul.”

His final album, the 2021 release “Love for Sale,” featured duets with Lady Gaga on the title track, “Night and Day” and other Porter songs.

For Bennett, one of the few performers to move easily between pop and jazz, such collaborations were part of his crusade to expose new audiences to what he called the Great American Songbook.

“No country has given the world such great music,” Bennett said in a 2015 interview with Downbeat Magazine. “Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern. Those songs will never die.”
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/obit-tony-bennett_n_64ba79b2e4b08cd259dbf8c7

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

We will feature some of Tony Bennett’s music over the next several days. Rest in Peace, Tony, and Thank You for the music!

’Dream a Little Dream of Me’, by Tony Bennett & kd lang
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVQb6KQIobE
**********************
UPDATE July 20, 2023

The Living Spirit
by Ghana

Morning has risen;
Sleep is still in our eyes,
but at once on our lips
shall be your praise.
We glorify, praise and adore you.
We, that is, the earth,
the water, and the sky;
that is, the people here on earth.
Everything that you have created
enjoys your sun and your grace.
Dawn glistens on the grasses.
Mist is still hanging on the trees.
And a soft wind promises a fine day.
Should we not enjoy everything
that you have created?
We are meant to.
That is why we are so joyful this dawn.
O, Lord, Grant that the hours and
minutes do not slip away in our hands,
but that we may live in your time.
Amen.

Ghana

Hallelujah for The Day: an African prayer book
Ed. Anthony Gittins CSSp
(Darton, Longman and Todd, 2002)
https://greenchurches.ca/tools/spirituality/prayers/the-living-spirit/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’All My Boast is in Jesus’, Keith & Kristyn Getty with Matt Boswell & Matt Papa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHFavEvdYBI
*****************
UPDATE July 19, 2023

Let all Thy Creatures Bless Thee
by Thomas Traherne (1637-74)

Let all Thy creatures bless Thee O Lord, and my soul praise and bless Thee for them all.

I give Thee thanks for the being Thou givest unto the heavens, sun, moon, stars, and elements; to beasts, plants, and all other bodies of the earth; to the fowls of the air, the fishes of the sea.

I give Thee thanks for the beauty of colours, for the harmony of sounds, for the pleasantness of odours, for the sweetness of meats, for the warmth and softness of our raiment, and for all my five senses, and all the pores of my body, so curiously made…, and for the preservation as well as use of all my limbs and senses…

Above all, I praise Thee for manifesting Thyself unto me, whereby I am made capable of praise and magnify Thy name for evermore. Amen.
https://greenchurches.ca/tools/spirituality/prayers/let-creatures-bless-thee/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Every Breath’, by Nicole Richards
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxPjP7jWoDI
*********************
UPDATE July 18, 2023

Peace Prayer

Before me peaceful,

Behind me peaceful,

Under me peaceful,

Over me peaceful,

Around me peaceful.

God of vision, help us to look upon the days before us with peace and calmness. Let us know that your wisdom will guide our time and work; that your presence will bless us with peace, courage, strength, vision and hope for the days before us.

Before me peaceful…

God of knowledge, you have blessed us with the gifts and the know-how to live well. While days of preparation and work seem to overwhelm at times, we feel your calming presence and guiding hand. You have brought peace to light so that we might be prepared for time together.

Behind me peaceful…

God of grace, let us not forget that it is your earth on which we tread. You guide our feet on safe ground. You protect us as we strive to walk the path of your wondrous Son. You walk next to us, peacefully, as we walk toward a world of peace and justice.

Under me peaceful…

God you have blessed our sky with the rain of justice. You have blessed our world with your heavenly light. Let us be embraced in the warmth shining over us and remember that you are here, with us. You are showering us with the peace of each new day.

Over me peaceful…

God of wonder you have blessed us with family & friends as well as people that lead, teach and welcome us. You guide us all to a place where we can work together as one human body. The peace of your presence shapes our hearts and vision on our journey. Good and gracious God, it is your peace that surrounds us, that protects us, that blesses us with the ability live each new day. Let us always remember your peaceful presence.

Around me peaceful…

—School Sisters of Notre Dame
https://socialjusticeresourcecenter.org/prayers/peace/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Windows Down’, by CAIN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qrMMS7bFSk
*******************
UPDATE July 17, 2023

Prayer for Justice

Father, you have given all peoples one common origin.
It is your will that they be gathered together
as one family in yourself.
Fill the hearts of mankind with the fire of your love
and with the desire to ensure justice for all.
By sharing the good things you give us,
may we secure an equality for all
our brothers and sisters throughout the world.
May there be an end to division, strife and war.
May there be a dawning of a truly human society
built on love and peace.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord.
Amen.

Catholic Online
https://socialjusticeresourcecenter.org/prayers/justice/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’I Trust Jesus’, by Matthew West & Jenn Johnson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taLDKHfpHsE
***************
UPDATE July 16, 2023

A Blessing for The Good Already Come (And Gone)
from THE LIVES WE ACTUALLY HAVE

People like to say, “The best is yet to come,”
as some sort of guarantee.
Could we say, perhaps, lovingly
(or angrily, if we feel like it):

“Sometimes the best isn’t ahead”?
We lose things, jobs, abilities . . . people.
Sometimes we have crescendoed.
Sometimes the best has already come.

Blessed are you who have finished humming
the tune of parenthood,
because you didn’t have that baby
or they’ve grown up and out.
You who are playing the closing notes
of a parent’s life,
or a friend’s, or a child’s.
You who are retiring or
moving out of the home you loved
or from the place that made you you.

Blessed are you who still have
much to sing about new hobbies and loves and friends and hopes.
You who wonder how best
to spend your time, efforts, resources, and gifts
exactly because they are in short supply.

You who know to keep the end in mind.

Blessed are we, who see with such crisp clarity
the gift that was, and that is,
and that might yet be.
Knowing—really
knowing—that
someday,
the last note will be sung.

So let’s sing our songs about our beautiful,
ridiculous lives.
We will peak and crescendo and
approach the finale,
hoping for a pretty damn good finish.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’I Want to Know You’, by CityAlight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY3EGQvyl5M
******************
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 16th, 2023:

Here is the YouTube link for the service from last Sunday, July 9th, 2023: https://youtu.be/ZiAJKihDzHU
………………………………
UPDATE July 15, 2023

A Sabbath Prayer

We cannot merely pray to you, O God, to end war;

For we know that You have made the world in a way that people must find their own path to peace within themselves and with their neighbors.

We cannot merely pray to You, O God, to end starvation;

For You have already given us the resources with which to feed the entire world, if we would only use them wisely.

We cannot merely pray to You, O God, to root out prejudice;

For You have already given us eyes with which to see the good in all people, if we would only use them rightly.

We cannot merely pray to You, O God, to end despair;

For You have already given us the power to clear away slums and to give hope, if we would only use our power justly.

We cannot merely pray to You, O God, to end disease;

For You have already given us great minds with which to search out cures and healing, if we would only use them constructively.

Therefore we pray to You instead, O God, for strength, determination and will power,
To do instead of just pray,
To become instead of merely to wish.

https://socialjusticeresourcecenter.org/prayers/justice/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’There is Hope, by CityAlight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QeF2rhMr6U
*******************
UPDATE July 14, 2023

Magnificat (A prayer for reconciliation)

My soul comes in the darkness of unknowing to the secret room of Yahweh.
My spirit seeks understanding in the happenings of these days,
Because God looks upon the people in a new way.
Yes, from this day forward
All generations will speak of these strange events as wonderful,
And those of us who walk blindly trusting, will be called blessed. For the presence of the Almighty, the most loving One, is felt in our land.
Holy is the name of the One who is eternally new.

God’s guiding hand reaches from age to age
For those who grope and stumble in search of the saving way.
We are shown the power of being present to one another,
While our proud expectations for our chosen nation are shattered.
The warrior-king we expected to establish us on earth as the righteous power
Has not come.
And we see instead the promised messenger as a common man.
The hungry of heart are fed with enabling love.
In places where there was need.
People now give to others from their abundance.
The rich are troubled and stripped of their power.

Glory to You: Source of all Being, Eternal Word and Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be.

Australian Catholic Social Justice Council
https://socialjusticeresourcecenter.org/prayers/forgiveness/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘He Calls Me Friend’, by CityAlight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PpiezP6xRM
********************
UPDATE July 13, 2023

A Prayer for Peace

O Loving God,

We so often, and for so long, hear the guns and rockets, drones and bombs and we see the pictures of death.

Wrap all and each of these your people in your love.
Let them hear: “Come to me you who suffer and are burdened and I will give you rest.”

In the last few months, we have heard the weapons and seen the blood of mass shootings and gang violence…in many of the cities, towns and villages across our nation.

Wrap all and each of these your people in your love. Let them hear: “Come to me you who suffer and are burdened and I will give you rest.”

The bombs are exploding again in war zones around the world.

Wrap all and each of these your people in your love. Let them hear: “Come to me you who suffer and are burdened and I will give you rest.”

Violence continues hidden in so many homes and families around the world – and the abuse of innocent children….

Wrap all and each of these your people in your love. Let them hear: “Come to me you who suffer and are burdened and I will give you rest.”

In so many parts of the world today, the air is tense  with waiting, uncertainty, insecurity. From ravaged lands, destroyed by war, Your people lift their hands to you. We pray for stillness, for justice, and for peace to come and to last.  We fear that they will not.

Wrap all and each of these your people in your love. Let them hear: “Come to me you who suffer and are burdened and I will give you rest.”

O God, our maker, God of Abraham and Sarah, from which three great religions stemmed. We pray for peace. We pray for peaceful existence between Israelis and Palestinians, Sunnis and Shiites, Muslims, Jews and Christians. We pray negotiations which can reach the roots of historical conflicts. We pray for a commitment to human rights by all sides and the protection of all lives. We pray for effective international intervention to ensure justice for all sides. We pray for humanitarian aid and rebuilding where destruction has occurred. We pray for peace and for justice in our homes and on our city streets.

Wrap all and each of these your people in your love. Let them hear: “Come to me you who suffer and are burdened and I will give you rest.”

We pray for an end to violence, war and death. Grant us this, peaceful God. Grant us a peaceful world.

Amen.

Ignatian Solidarity
https://socialjusticeresourcecenter.org/prayers/peace/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Take it Easy’, by The Porter’s Gate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onbg33ehfOA
*************
UPDATE July 12, 2023

A Prayer for Reconciliation

In the midst of conflict and division,
We know it is you,
Who turns our minds to thoughts of peace.

Your Spirit changes our hearts:
Enemies begin to speak to one another,
Those who were estranged join hands in friendship,
And nations seek the way of peace together.

Let Your Spirit be at work in us.
Give us understanding and put an end to strife,
Fill us with mercy and overcome our denial.

Grant us wisdom and teach us to learn,
From the people of the land.

Call us to justice.

Australian Catholic Social Justice Council
https://socialjusticeresourcecenter.org/prayers/forgiveness/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘God of the Movements and Martyrs’, by The Many (A Hymn by David LaMotte)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4sCalkzZOo
*****************
UPDATE July 11, 2023

A Blessing for When Faith Breaks Your Heart

Blessed are you standing among the ruins of a faith
that once felt so sturdy,
now turned to dust under your feet.

The certainty you once had, gone.
The community you loved, dissipated.
The hope you held dear, hard to find.

Instead, what’s taken up residence
is the very stuff that seems counter
to what you imagined:
Disappointment. Doubt. Disillusionment. Despair.

In this new landscape, may you practice the courage to find the others
who make space for your questions without easy answers,

who celebrate doubt when it makes room for more faith,
who search high and low for a defiant hope born amidst despair.

Bless you, dear one. You who don’t give up wrestling.
who have eyes to see something new being rebuilt on top of what was.

Blessed are you who walk away wounded, yes. But changed.

This blessing was inspired by my conversation with Randall Balmer on the Everything Happens podcast.
https://katebowler.com/
https://katebowler.com/podcast/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’These Bodies’, by The Many
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch1QvyvlWgQ
*********************
UPDATE July 10, 2023

Litany of Non-Violence

Provident God, aware of our own brokenness, we ask the gift of courage to identify how and where we are in need of conversion in order to live in solidarity with Earth and all creation.

Deliver us from the violence of superiority and disdain. Grant us the desire, and the humility, to listen with special care to those whose experiences and attitudes are different from our own.

Deliver us from the silence that gives consent to abuse, war and evil. Grant us the desire, and the courage, to risk speaking and acting for the common good.

Deliver us from the violence of irreverence, exploitation and control. Grant us the desire, and the strength, to act responsibly with the cycle of creation.

God of love, mercy and justice, acknowledging our complicity in those attitudes, actions and words which perpetuate violence, we beg the grace of a non-violent heart. Amen.

--Sisters of Providence
https://socialjusticeresourcecenter.org/prayers/peace/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Yet Not I, But Through Christ in Me’, by CityAlight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwc2d1Xt8gM
******************
UPDATE July 9, 2023

A Prayer for the Journey of Healing

We who have come from every land give thanks for Canada and the USA
This earth that feeds us;
The shores that bind us;
The skies that envelop us in freedom.

We stand together, united as one people: Proud of our ability to work together;
Grateful for our gifts;
Nourished by our diversity and our harmony.

Yet we turn to the original owners of our land and see, too, what we have taken.
We weep for their loss of freedom, of country, of children –
Even of their very lives.
We stand in awe at their survival, and in debt for their land.

We have shadows in our history which if unfaced diminish us.
We have taken without asking;
Our nation has taken without asking;
Lives are wounded. We see the pain, feel the sorrow and seek forgiveness.

Let us look back with courage; see the truth and speak it.
Let us look around with compassion; see the cost and share it.
Let us look forward with hope; see what can be and create it.

Give us courage to face the truth;
Compassion to share the burden –
Strength to play our part in the healing –
And hope to walk forward to a place of justice.

With courage, compassion, strength and hope, we will walk together on the journey of healing.

—Australian Catholic Social Justice Council
https://socialjusticeresourcecenter.org/prayers/forgiveness/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Praise God’, by Matt Redman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pTe6gJYN88
***************
Here is the YouTube link for the service from last Sunday, July 2nd, 2023: https://youtu.be/88NKVqczhV8

UPDATE July 8, 2023

Heavenly Father,
you want us to be generous people offering
our time, our skills and abilities
and our money to your service.
Guard us from holding tight
when we should be letting go
and honouring you as Lord of all we have.
In your name we pray. Amen.
https://dioceseofyork.org.uk/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Build My Life’ by Pat Barrett ft Chris Tomlin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z32HiCoFzlU
********************
UPDATE July 7, 2023

Abundant God,
you made us in your image
and breathed in us a spirit of generosity
that is both gift and response.
Move us, we pray, to give as we have received -
abundantly, generously, and joyfully,
that our common ministry my ever bear
witness to your unfailing grace.
In the name of the three in whom we are one.
Amen.
Episcopal Diocese of Washington
https://dioceseofyork.org.uk/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’We Labour Unto Glory’, The Porter’s Gate ft. Liz Vice, Josh Garrels, & Madison Cunningham
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRuPZCXShg4
*******************

UPDATE July 6, 2023

We Are One With You
O God, we are one with you. You have made us one with you.
You have taught us that if we are open to one another, you dwell in us.
Help us to preserve this openness and to fight for it with all our hearts. Help us to realize that there can be no understanding where there is mutual rejection.

O God, in accepting one another wholeheartedly, fully, completely, we accept you, and we thank you, and we adore you, and we love you with our whole being, because our being is your being, our spirit is rooted in your spirit. Fill us then with love, and let us be bound together with love as we go our diverse ways, united in this one spirit which makes you present in the world, and which makes you witness to the ultimate reality that is love. Love has overcome. Love is victorious.

- Thomas Merton (1915-1968)
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/prayers-for-peace

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Always With Me’, by The Porter’s Gate ft DOE, IAmSon, Paul Zach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmqZoFJURcI
*****************
UPDATE July 5, 2023

A Blessing for When You Need a Second to Think It Over
(From THE LIVES WE ACTUALLY HAVE)

Blessed are you who don’t have
all the right answers.
You who realize that “I don’t know”
is the best response and posture for now.
You who lean in, unafraid to learn
and change and be wrong along the way.

Blessed are you,
stretched and pressed and pulled
by the uncertainty,
deciding to not stay the same
because we are not who we were.

We have been pulled into the unknown
without our permission.
But the challenge is the same:
reveal truth in love in the midst of seeming chaos.

Blessed are you who realize that
community can help see truth more fully
even if your chin has to be turned gently toward it.

Being fragile amid a world of hammers
takes courage
to be wrong,
to learn something new,
to choose humility and kindness
over being right.

May we be a people who don’t have it all together
(and who are done posturing).
Curious, hopeful, courageous.
Amen.

--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/
Pg 94 from The Lives We Actually Have

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Slow Me Down’, by The Porter’s Gate ft Jon Guerra & Sandra McCracken
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06kxfswbA8A
*********************
UPDATE July 4, 2023

A Blessing For The Life You Didn't Choose

Blessed are you when the shock subsides,
when vaguely, you see a line appear that divides before and after.

You didn’t draw it, and can barely even make it out.
But as surely as minutes add up to hours and days,
here you are,
forced into a story you never would have written.

Blessed are you in the tender place of wonder and dread,
Wondering how to be whole when dreams have disappeared and part of you with them,
where mastery, control, determination, bootstrapping, and grit,
are consigned to the realm of before (where most of the world lives),
in the fever dream that promises infinite choices, unlimited progress, best life now.

Blessed are we in the after, loudly shouting: is there anybody here?
We hear the echo, the shuffle of feet, the murmur of others
asking the same question, together in the knowledge
that we are far beyond what we know.

Show us a glimmer of possibility in this new constraint,
that small truths will be given back to us.

We are held.
We are safe.
We are loved.
We are loved.
We are loved.

And best of all: We are not alone.

--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Ancient of Days’, by Shane & Shane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUp02T4gvm0
****************
UPDATE July 3, 2023

A Blessing For You Who Feel Like The Bad Thing

You are everyone’s reminder of frailty, of life’s cruelty. Your chronic pain or depression or regular scans remind those around you that life isn’t as fair or easy as they had hoped.

But, dear one, blessed are you because you are not the bad thing. Your illness or grief or despair or addiction is not too much. It’s just your humanity showing.

You, blessed one, remind us that life is so beautiful and life is so hard. And we feel lucky for the privilege to do life with you — no matter how difficult, no matter how messy.

You are not the bad thing. You are a gift. And we love every bit of you.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

My God is All I Need/My God is So Big’, by CityAlight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fBeckPieds
********************
UPDATE July 2, 2023

A Blessing for Waking up to Summer

Blessed are we,
beginning to feel some release
from pandemic constraints,
from the long sad season of anxious vigilance,
the boredom and frustration of plans deferred.

There is new ground appearing,
and paths we didn’t know were there.

Blessed are we who say, okay!
but God, you’re going to need
to help me wake up, the music,
the movement and the color of living,

The wonder of the lily,
the mystery and power of the tiniest seed,
cracked open, doing what it was always destined to do.

Bloom.

Blessed are we who say, wake me too God, I’m awake.

“Wonder is the heaviest element on the periodic table.
Even a tiny fleck of it stops time.” ―Diane Ackerman

Put yourself where love and beauty can reach you.
That’s the summer for you.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Finlandia (This Is My Song)’, by VOCES8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXooDIWVRZs
***********************
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 2nd, 2023:

Here is the YouTube link for the service from last Sunday, June 25th, 2023: https://youtu.be/RJtt-pXsTB0
………………………………
UPDATE July 1, 2023

Canada Day Prayer

Thank you, God, for this piece of the world called Canada,
a slice of land broad and wide,
blessed with rivers and great lakes,
wide skies and great forests,
high mountains and gracious plains,
beautiful from sea to sea to sea.

Thank you for letting us live in this land,
even though we do not own it;
this land is your land,
which we use in trust for future generations.
Thank you for its rich history,
which includes the Inuit and Aboriginal and Metis peoples.
We pray for justice and wisdom as we work on difficult
and abusive relationships with First Peoples.

Thank you for our system of government,
for the right to speak freely, and to elect our leaders.
Thank you for the freedom of religion and conscience that we enjoy.
Thank you for universal health care,
and a social safety net, even though not all are caught by it,
and not all dwell in safety.

We want a country that is the best it can be,
a home for all, welcoming refugees and newcomers,
sharing this wealthy country with the world.
Bless our leaders, our Prime Minister and all members of parliament;
guide their steps, and empower us to use our voice to help them
as they make difficult and far-reaching decisions.
We thank you today for our home and native land--
thank you for giving us a home here, where we live in peace and security.
God keep our land, Canada, keep it strong and free,
keep it safe and beautiful for future generations.
Amen.
Copyright Carol Penner www.leadinginworship.com

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’O Canada’, by Various Canadians in 11 Different Languages
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jROsqdrLdk
**********************
UPDATE June 30, 2023

Today’s Pride Month Resource

The Out List (Documentary)
Interviews by Sam McConnell
Director: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders
Producers: Sam McConnell, Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, Tommy Walker
2013; Running Time: 1 Hr

From the Letterboxd website:
“Through the voices of Americans from all walks of life, The Out List explores the identities of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community in America. In this series of intimate interviews, a diverse group of LGBTQ personalities bring color and depth to their experiences of gender and sexuality. With wit and wisdom, this set of trailblazing individuals weaves universal themes of love, loss, trial, and triumph into the determined struggle for full equality.”

Interviews include Neil Patrick Harris, Ellen DeGeneres, Christine Quinn, Cynthia Nixon, Wade Davis, Wanda Sykes, and many others.

You can watch this video for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GoRyzZpDfc

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Younger Me’, by Brothers Osborne
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc5j50Xbvqs

Bonus Content

How does God feel about Queer People? We asked ministers from denominations all over Canada to find out. Here's what they said: God loves Queer People. The idea that all Canadian churches are hostile to the queer community is simply false, as these ministers and Moderators of the major denominations make clear. So what can you do? Contact your local politicians and let them know you do not condone hatred against queer people. Share it on social media and post this video to your church website. Let the world know that God is love, and God loves people of all sexualities and genders.

**********************
UPDATE June 29, 2023

Today’s Indigenous History Month Resource

Our People Will Be Healed
Written and Directed by Alanis Obomsawin
Narration by Alanis Obomsawin
Produced by Alanis Obomsawin
2017; 1 hr 36 min

From the National Film Board website:
Our People Will Be Healed, Alanis Obomsawin’s 50th film, reveals how a Cree community in Manitoba has been enriched through the power of education. The Helen Betty Osborne Ininiw Education Resource Centre in Norway House, north of Winnipeg, receives a level of funding that few other Indigenous institutions enjoy. Its teachers help their students to develop their abilities and their sense of pride.

This video is available for you to watch for free at the following link:
https://www.nfb.ca/film/our-people-will-be-healed/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Broken Walls’, by Jonathan Maracle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mIBck7ZCl0
………………

Bonus Indigenous History Month Film Suggestion-Coming This Fall

‘Bones of Crows’

Based on true events, Bones of Crows is an epic story of resilience told through the eyes of Cree matriarch Aline Spears. As a young child, she and her siblings are taken from their home in Manitoba and forced into Canada's residential school system.

Aline is a musical prodigy but her talents don't shield her from the cruelty of residential school: she's robbed of the use of her hand in a violent incident. And when the siblings make a desperate attempt to escape, their efforts end in tragedy.

Looking toward a new future and fluent in Cree, Aline is working as a code talker during the Second World War when she meets her husband Adam, an infantry soldier. Together they face their troubled past and imagine a world where they can protect their children from danger.

Over 100 years, Aline and her descendants fight against a reign of terror including starvation, sexual abuse and poverty as they struggle together toward reconciliation and a brighter future.

This sweeping five-part miniseries is the Roots for generations of Indigenous peoples in Canada.

Directed, produced and written by Métis/Dene filmmaker Marie Clements, Bones of Crows fictionalizes real-life events and chapters of Canadian history that have been overlooked, including the Indigenous contributions to WW2, the ongoing cases of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

"Bones of Crows is epic in scope and it is meant to be," says Clements. "It is inherently connected in its telling to blood memory: the idea that we are living in the present but are affected by the lives and trauma of not only our own personal battles of survival, but those of our ancestors."

The feature film Bones of Crows debuted at Toronto International Film Festival in September 2022 and is now playing in theatres across Canada. The miniseries delves more deeply into Aline's story and those of her extended family members.

Watch the trailer for the movie here:
https://www.bonesofcrowsmovie.com/videos/

When can you watch the series?
The series will premiere on Wednesday, September 20 at 9 p.m. (9:30 N.L.) on CBC and CBC Gem. Download the CBC Gem app from iTunes or Google Play, or watch it in your web browser.
***********************
UPDATE June 28, 2023

Today’s Pride Month Resource

Outside the Lines: How Embracing Queerness Will Transform Your Faith (Book)
By Mihee Kim-Kort, Foreword by Rachel Held Evans
Published by Fortress Press
2018

From Goodreads:
“Mihee Kim-Kort is a wife, a mom, and a Presbyterian minister. And she's queer. As she became aware of her queer sexuality, Mihee wondered what that meant for her spirituality. But instead of pushing her away from God, her queerness has brought her closer to Jesus and taught her how to love better.

In Outside the Lines, Mihee shows us how God, in Jesus, is oriented toward us in a queer and radical way. Through the life, work, and witness of Jesus, we see a God who loves us with a queer love. And our faith in that God becomes a queer spirituality--a spirituality that crashes through definitions and moves us outside of the categories of our making. Whenever we love ourselves and our neighbors with the boundary-breaking love of God, we live out this queer spirituality in the world.

With a captivating mix of personal story and biblical analysis, Outside the Lines shows us how each of our bodies fits into the body of Christ. Outside the lines and without exceptions.”

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I’ve Been There’, by Justin Ryan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m98LBBINJGA
*******************
UPDATE June 27, 2023

Today’s Indigenous History Month Resource

Reel Injun (Documentary)
Director: Neil Diamond
Production companies: Rezolution Pictures, NFB
Producers: Catherine Bainbridge, Christina Fon, Linda Ludwick
2009; 1hr 28 min

From the National Film Board website:
“In this feature-length documentary, Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond takes an entertaining and insightful look at the portrayal of North American Indigenous people throughout a century of cinema. Featuring hundreds of clips from old classics as well as recent releases, the film traces the evolution of the “Hollywood Indian.” Diamond guides the audience on a journey across America to some of cinema’s most iconic landscapes and conducts candid interviews with celebrities like Clint Eastwood, Robbie Robertson and Jim Jarmusch. The film is a loving look at cinema through the eyes of the people who appeared in its very first flickering images and have survived to tell their stories in their own way.”

You can watch this film for free at the following link:
https://gem.cbc.ca/reel-injun/s01e01?autoplay=1

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Charlie Wenjack’, by Willie Dunn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1Sd9TDhPoU
*******************
UPDATE June 26, 2023

Today’s Pride Month Resource

The Laramie Project (Movie)
Based on The Laramie Project by Moisés Kaufman Tectonic Theater Project
Screenplay by: Moisés Kaufman
Directed by; Moisés Kaufman
Starring: Nestor Carbonell, Christina Ricci, Dylan Baker, Terry Kinney, Lou Ann Wright
2002; Running Time: 97 Min

This film contains some strong language. Viewer discretion advised.

From Wikipedia
“The Laramie Project is a 2002 drama film written and directed by Moisés Kaufman and starring Nestor Carbonell, Christina Ricci, Dylan Baker, Terry Kinney, and Lou Ann Wright. Based on the play of the same name, the film tells the story of the aftermath of the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming. It premiered at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival and was first broadcast on HBO in March 2002.”

You can watch this video for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1qiTmF0p4A

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Don’t Tell Me Who to Love’, by Ray Boltz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjqQySbj0N8
*************
UPDATE June 25, 2023

Today’s Indigenous History Month Resource

This Land (Podcast)
Executive Producer: Crooked Media
Written and Hosted by: Rebecca Nagle
Two Seasons, 16 Episodes
Episode Running Time 30 min -1 Hr (varies)

From Wikipedia and the Crooked Media website:
“This Land is an American political podcast produced and distributed by Crooked Media and Cadence13, and hosted by Rebecca Nagle. The podcast debuted on June 3, 2019 and follows the United States Supreme Court case Sharp v. Murphy (previously known as Carpenter v. Murphy).In addition, the podcast discusses various native issues such as land rights, sovereignty issues, and the Indian Child Welfare Act.”

Season 1:
“In 1999, Patrick Dwayne Murphy stabbed George Jacobs and left him to die on the side of the road. Both men were members of the Muscogee Nation. Murphy's public defender, Lisa McCalmont, argued that the murder took place on Muscogee land, which meant that the State of Oklahoma did not have jurisdiction over the case. The State argued that the reservation no longer existed due to allotment. The case is now awaiting a decision in the Supreme Court that will determine if the reservation still exists, and if so, it would be the largest restoration of tribal land in United States history. The land in dispute is 19 million acres and is approximately half of the state of Oklahoma. In addition to the Muscogee Nation, the land in dispute impacts the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Seminole nations.”

Season 2:
“ALM – as referred to in court documents – is a Navajo and Cherokee toddler. When he was a baby, a white couple from the suburbs of Dallas wanted to adopt him, but a federal law said they couldn’t. The Brackeens’ case would have been a normal adoption dispute, but then one of the most powerful corporate law firms in the United States took it on and helped the couple launch a federal lawsuit. Today, the lawsuit doesn’t just impact the future of one child, or even the future of one law. It threatens the entire legal structure defending Native American rights. The second season of This Land is a timely exposé about how the far right is using Native children to quietly dismantle American Indian tribes and advance a conservative agenda.”

You can listen to this podcast for free in various places, but here are a few:
Crooked Media website: https://crooked.com/podcast-series/this-land/
Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zaW1wbGVjYXN0LmNvbS9IZmNUNVpPeA
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/this-land/id1464954218
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/00cW96nTcbQSq5EOfRsFcB

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Son of the Sun’, by Willie Dunn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gqC2YO9dkg
*******************

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE 25th, 2023:

Here is the YouTube link for the service from last Sunday, June 18th, 2023: https://youtu.be/GzcpAXg9Q54
……………………….
PASTORAL VISITS: Pastor Laura Sauder is available for safe visits with social distancing requirements in place, and also for telephone visits. Please reach out to her by calling the church office at 519-653-4721 to arrange a visit.
Please note: Pastor Laura will be on vacation from July 10 – August 6, 2023 inclusive.
…………………………….
Bible Study will be in the Art Room on Mondays at 3:00PM.
Please join us – all are welcome!
…………………………..
You can order your own Maple Syrup from St. Peter’s, Preston. Our partner is a 5th generation Woolwich Township farm that has been producing maple syrup for over 100 years. They adhere to the production guidelines issued by the Ontario Maple Syrup Association, which state the number of taps per tree (max. of 2) for best forest management practices. Handling of the sap and syrup is minimized to reduce the chance of contamination. Their syrup is pure with nothing added, only the water has been removed. As of 2018 their maple syrup is certified organic.
1 litre Mason Jars of maple syrup are $23.00.
Send an email to or alexblack@sympatico.ca or call the church office at 519-653-4721 to order your own locally produced fresh Maple Syrup.
………………………………
Greenhorizons BigYellowBag - Give & Grow Program
This fundraiser is open to all and enables each one of us to raise funds for St. Peters. If you don’t have a lawn or garden, you can still help by spreading the word to your neighbours, friends and relatives.
Each time that an order is placed at Greenhorizons Sod at 519.653.7494 for a BigYellowBag of soil using the code SPLCC23 you will save $5.00, and the church will receive $10.00.
Spread the word, and the soil!
……………………………
Yard Sale - Dates are July 7 and 8, 2023. We’re looking for good, gently used, clean items of all kinds, and clothing. Please – no very large mirrors, no complete dining room suites, no large old television sets. If you’re unsure of whether what you have is suitable or not, leave a message at the church office. So – start your spring clear out and think of St. Peter’s. We’d love to re-purpose your goods and make a new owner happy. Items may be dropped off at church; just let us know when we can meet with you.
………………………………..
Help us support the Cambridge Food Bank by bringing a canned good or non-perishable item to church with you. We have a collection basket in the narthex, and every donation helps enable the food bank to ensure that no one in our community goes hungry. We appreciate and thank you for your help in filling the basket as there is a very real and urgent need.
…………………………….
This Fall you are invited to join as a singer in the Mennonite Mass Choir in a performance of Handel’s Messiah with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony at Centre in the Square on Sunday, December 10th (afternoon). Monday evening rehearsals begin on September 25th at First Mennonite Church (800 King St E, Kitchener) from 7:30-9:30pm. For more information and to register go to www.mennosingers.com
…………………………..
Summer Services - Historic Ellis Pioneer Chapel
6705 Ellis Road, Puslinch Township

July 16, 2023 at 2:30 p.m.
Guest speaker: Rev. Kate Ballagh-Steeper
from Harcourt United Church, Guelph

August 20, 2023 at 2:30 p.m.
Guest speaker: Rev. Don McCallum
from Duff’s Presbyterian Church, Puslinch

September 24, 2023 at 2:30 p.m.
Concert of Barbershop and Gospel music
by Bakers Dozen, Guelph

Refreshments and fellowship in the garden to follow each of the services
…………………………………..
GET READY FOR SUMMER - With Summer Sausage from Atwood Heritage (Formerly N.S. Martin). $25.00 / Chubb. Please contact Alex Black alexblack@sympatico.ca or the church office at 519.653.4721 to place your order(s)!
………………………………….
The June Lamplighter is now available! If you would like a paper copy, please pick one up in the narthex! Thank you to our Editor Lorre for putting together this most informative newsletter!
……………………………….
UPDATE June 24, 2023

Today’s Pride Month Resource

The Fruit Machine (Documentary)
Directed by: Sarah Fodey
Written by: Sarah Fodey
Produced by: Han Nguyen, Derek Diorio, Sarah Fodey
2018; Running Time: 81 Min

From YouTube
“The homosexual witch-hunt of public servants and military personnel in Canada from the 1950s through the early 1990s and its effects on the people whose lives and careers were disrupted or destroyed by it.

Through interviews with academics, historians, journalists and victims, some of the stories behind the Canadian government's purge of homosexuals from the civil service from the late 1940s to the end of the century are presented, the effect not only being a purge, but also a persecution in the victims asked to provide "names" in the process. That purge was despite many of those victims having exemplary service records otherwise, and the authorities largely not having any proof that who they were letting go was indeed a homosexual. The misguided rationale for the purge - what many of those historians view as a convenient excuse of the times - is told, where homosexuality was largely not an issue in the hiring or firing within the civil service before that. Two sub-issues are discussed in further detail. The first is the development of a program centered on what was coined "the fruit machine", a machine that could purportedly determine if one was indeed a homosexual, in the government's want for "scientific proof". The second is the ramping up of that purge in the Canadian military, especially within the female ranks, starting in the early 1970s following the decriminalization of homosexuality. As an epilogue, many of the victim interviewees discuss what they would like to see happen in light of their victimization, and what they would do now if they had the option of that career again. In addition, what happened to those victim interviewees both professionally and personally following their "firing" is shown.”

You can watch this video for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Go4AeT3zrc

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Who Would Jesus Love?”, by Ray Boltz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VphGujbbLY
****************
UPDATE June 23, 2023

Today’s Indigenous History Month Resource

We Will Be Free-Aboriginal Peoples in Canada (Documentary)
Directed by: Max Fabian Meis; Larry Morrissette
2011; Running Time 60 Min

From YouTube:
The indigenous people in Canada are survivors. Survivors of a long history of oppression. Their culture and language were once questioned by the new 'owners' of their world. This documentary is looking for the sources of suffering within the indigenous population of Winnipeg in Canada. Their stories tell about a long battle for the right to simply exist and about a machinery that was designed to erase their people from planet earth. Many generations of indigenous people have suffered this cultural genocide enforced by the Canadian government. What we see today is the aftermath of this history of colonization and the first steps to pick up the pieces and heal. There is a long journey ahead but a start is made.

This video is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXT2JXe8mnA

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Children of the World’, by Willie Dunn, ft. Susan Aglukark, Fara, Willie Dunn, Don Ross, Shingoose
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-r56pnfZ5E
********************
UPDATE June 22, 2023

Today’s Pride Month Resource

Before Stonewall: The Making of a Gay and Lesbian Community (Documentary)
Directed by: Greta Schiller, Robert Rosenberg
Produced by: John Scagliotti, Robert Rosenberg, Greta Schiller
Narrated by: Rita Mae Brown
1984; Running Time: 1 Hr 26 Min

From Wikipedia
Before Stonewall: The Making of a Gay and Lesbian Community is a 1984 American documentary film about the LGBT community prior to the 1969 Stonewall riots. It was narrated by author Rita Mae Brown, directed by Greta Schiller, co-directed by Robert Rosenberg, and co-produced by John Scagliotti and Rosenberg, and Schiller. It premiered at the 1984 Toronto International Film Festival and was released in the United States on June 27, 1985. In 1999, producer Scagliotti directed a companion piece, After Stonewall. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Teddy Awards, the film was shown at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival in February 2016. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots in 2019, the film was restored and re-released by First Run Features in June 2019. Later in 2019, the film was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

You can watch this video for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYddtKw3NlY

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘I Will Choose to Love’, by Ray Boltz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjKkO5e6QmM
*********************
UPDATE June 21, 2023

National Indigenous Peoples Day

Today’s Indigenous History Month Resource

8th Fire (Documentary Series)
CBC Documentary Series
Hosted by: Wab Kinew
2012; Episode Length: 43 Min

From Wikipedia:
”8th Fire: Aboriginal Peoples, Canada & the Way Forward is a Canadian broadcast documentary series, which aired in 2012. Featuring television, radio and web broadcasting components, the series focused on the changing nature of Canada's relationship with its First Nations communities.

The television component aired as a four-part documentary hosted by Wab Kinew as part of CBC Television's Doc Zone, while radio programming devoted to First Nations themes aired on a variety of CBC Radio series and the web component included content from a variety of contributors, including news coverage by CBC News reporters and a series of short films by 20 First Nations, Inuit and Métis reporters and filmmakers. The soundtrack for the documentary series was composed by Cris Derksen.

The series was a shortlisted nominee for the Donald Brittain Award for Best Social/Political Documentary Program, and for Best Cross-Platform Project, Non-Fiction, at the 1st Canadian Screen Awards.”

This series is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:

Episode 1-Indigenous in the City
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELUs4pM_xUY

Episode 2-It’s Time
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMmEcZa0ZQM

Episode 3-Who’s Land Is It Anyway?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROOyjGCxhys

Episode 4-At the Crossroads
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1PIGOsaer0

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘We Are Circling’, by Buffy Sainte-Marie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oO8BMg1DW1U
****************
UPDATE June 20, 2023

Today’s Pride Month Resource

Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin (Documentary)
Directed by: Nancy Kates, Bennett Singer
Produced by: Nancy Kates, Bennett Singer
2003; Running Time: 1 Hr 24 Min

From Wikipedia
“Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin is a 2003 American biographical documentary film co-produced and co-directed by Nancy Kates and Bennett Singer. The documentary recounts the life of Bayard Rustin, the African-American civil rights activist, notable for his activism for racial equality, gay rights, socialist issues, and organizing the 1963 March on Washington. Appearing in footage and interviews are Rustin, A.J. Muste, David McReynolds, Bob Dylan, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Stokely Carmichael, Lyndon B. Johnson and Robert F. Kennedy. The film premiered January 17, 2003 at the Sundance Film Festival and two days later on POV. The film earned numerous accolades at various festivals.

The film relies on interviews, archival film footage, still photographs, and Rustin's own recordings from the 1970s. The film documents his high school days, his move to Harlem in 1937 where he joined Josh White and His Carolinians to support himself, his arrest in 1940 for being a conscientious objector, his association with the Communist Party, and his history as a homosexual, for which he was once arrested on suspicion of being a sexual pervert. It also highlights his time as an advisor to Martin Luther King, Jr., the 1963 March on Washington, and footage of civil rights debates featuring Rustin, Malcolm X and Stokely Carmichael.”

You can watch this video for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWIu7jz4bJ8

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’So Small’, by Ty Herndon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGpcuspZK6U
******************
UPDATE June 19, 2023

Today’s Indigenous History Month Resource

Go Show the World (Children’s Book)
By Wab Kinew
Pictures by: Joe Morse
Published by: Tundra Books
2018

From GoodMinds.com
Go Show the World: A Celebration of Indigenous Heroes is a much anticipated children’s picture book by musician, reporter, and politician Wab Kinew. The brightly illustrated picture book celebrates fourteen historical and contemporary men and women from Canadian and American Indigenous heroes who have made outstanding contributions to their communities as well as their respective Nations. Kinew is a hip-hop artist and uses his rhyming talents to acknowledge the various achievements of Sacagawea, Waneek Horn-Miller, Carey Price, Ted Nolan, John Herrington, Beatrice Culleton Mosionier, Jim Thorpe, Francis Pegahmagabow, Dr. Evan Adams, Net-no-kwa, Te-Wau-Zee, Susan LaFlesche Picotte, Tecumseh, and Crazy Horse. With brief biographical highlights Kinew uses the repeating refrain, “You are people who matter. / Yes, it’s true. / Now go show the world what people who matter can do.” Illustrator Joe Morse combines digitally coloured watercolour and collage in the portraits of each individual shown excelling in their chosen fields. These bright images will engage younger readers to find out more about each hero. Additional details about these men and women can be found at the end of the book. The images and text paint celebratory accounts of role models Kinew found fascinating. The author’s note will assist teachers, librarians and students in demonstrating that Indigenous men and women have made and continue to make outstanding contributions to North America. Highly recommended. To assist educators and parents the publisher includes a discussion guide at https://tundrabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/go-show-the-world_discussion-guide.pdf

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Gospel First Nation’, by William Prince
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU2iejDT7eQ
********************
UPDATE June 18, 2023

Today’s Pride Month Resource

Stonewall at 50 (Documentary)
Directed by: Elisa Guarino
Produced by: Kendall Boyda
2019; Running time: 28 Min

From FilmFreeway.com
“In the early hours of June 28, 1969, only blocks from NYU’s Washington Square campus, the Stonewall riots began, proving to be a turning point in the modern LGBTQ+ movement over the ensuing five decades. NYU faculty, students, administrators, and alumni have engaged with this movement, contributing to groundbreaking change, but at times experiencing heartbreaking loss. Watch them tell their stories as they reflect on the remarkable social, political, cultural, medical, and legal transformations that followed Stonewall and continue to shape our community and our University.

The documentary features people from the NYU Community who contributed to the Gay Rights Movement including Karla Jay, Tom Kirdahy, and Ted Allen.”

You can watch this video for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31CX1Y0cen8

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’God or the Gun’, by Ty Herndon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov5Kw6_iPgs
******************
Here is the YouTube link for the service from last Sunday, June 11th, 2023: https://youtu.be/tOjS3S6QuTE

Here is the YouTube link for the Service of Thanksgiving for the Life of Robert William ‘Bob’ Schauber from Saturday June 10, 2023: https://youtu.be/HxgYADAqh0E

**********************
UPDATE June 17, 2023

Today’s Indigenous History Month Resource

Finding Dawn (Documentary)
Directed by Christine Welsh
Produced by The National Film Board of Canada
2006; Running Time: 73 Min

From Wikipedia:
’Finding Dawn is a 2006 documentary film by Métis filmmaker Christine Welsh looking into the fate of an estimated 500 Canadian Aboriginal women who have been murdered or have gone missing over the past 30 years.

The film begins with the story of Dawn Crey: one of 60 women, a third of them Aboriginal, who have disappeared from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside over a 20-year period. Crey's remains were among those found on the property of British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton. However, not enough of Dawn's DNA was found to list her as one of the murder victims at the trial. The film introduces viewers to Dawn's sister and brother, and their involvement in the annual Women's Memorial March in Vancouver.

The film then focuses on BC's Highway 16, known as the Highway of Tears, which runs between Prince Rupert, British Columbia and Prince George, British Columbia, looking at the fate of Ramona Wilson. Wilson was one of nine women – all but one of them Native – who have gone missing or been murdered on that stretch of road since the 1990s.

Welsh also filmed in Saskatoon, where a woman named Daleen Kay Bosse disappeared in 2004. She went missing in May but a criminal investigation didn't begin until the following January. In the film, Daleen’s parents and friends talk about their difficulty in getting Saskatoon police to take Daleen’s disappearance seriously.’

This film is available for you to watch for free on the NFB website
https://www.nfb.ca/film/finding_dawn/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Remember Me’, by Fawn Wilson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-UKIhCQ-C4
*********************
UPDATE June 16, 2023

Today’s Pride Month Resource

Evangelist Pat Robertson died a few days ago, and for people in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community this brings a myriad of mixed feelings. His words and his media platform allowed him to give voice to a lot of hate toward those who did not, and do not, identify as heterosexual. He held those in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community responsible for everything from natural disasters to the 911 terrorist attacks. He used Christianity and the bible as a club with which to beat up anyone who didn’t fit gender norms. Too many to count not only left the church, but left the faith. And we who call ourselves people of faith are much the poorer for their absence. I saw this poem on Facebook a few days ago and felt it was too good not to share in these days of increasing hate toward the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.—LC

Ruminations on the death of Pat Robertson

I don’t like to think
About Pat Robertson going to hell.
That lets him off too easy.
I like to think about
Pat Robertson finding himself
In a heaven he never believed
Would exist.

Where Divine is reading in drag
To the children murdered at
Sandy Hook and Ulvalde.
While Edie Windsor
And Gertrude Stein drink coffee
In the breakfast nook
talking politics with Harvey Milk.
Where Matthew Shepard relaxes by
A stream, reading poetry to
A nameless young man whose family
Never claimed his body
when he died
Of AIDS.

Where the music plays loudly
Welcoming dancers from the Pulse
And Club Q to the floor where they
Twirl and vogue with
All the murdered trans women of color
Whose names we never knew.
Where Jesus puts his arm around
Pat Robertson’s shoulders and
Drapes them with a rainbow feather boa.
And, gesturing around him says
Come, meet my disciples.
—Written by ‘KC’
Used with permission

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’What Mattered Most’, by Ty Herndon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSnGDePzppE
****************
UPDATE June 15, 2023

Today’s Indigenous History Month Resource

Vanished: Canada’s Missing Women (Documentary)
SBS Dateline
Produced by: Laura Murphy-Oates & Kylie Grey
2019; Running Time: 36 Min

From YouTube”
Canada and Australia share a dark secret: in recent decades thousands of Indigenous women have been murdered or gone missing. What can Australia learn from Canada’s attempts to address the problem?

Dateline reporters scour the globe to bring you a world of daring stories. Our reputation is for fearless and provocative reporting. Australia's beloved, award winning and longest running international current affairs program.

This video is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2Cen4GyFjE

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’O Siem’, by Susan Aglukark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nS7e3A4Z8bE
********************
UPDATE June 14, 2023

Today’s Pride Month Resource

Breaking Through (Documentary)
Produced By: Cindy L. Abel, April Ayers, Ken Britt, Michael Bruno, Diedra Dierks, Michael D. McAllister, & Barbara Rubin
Directed By: Cindy L. Abel
Written By: Cindy L. Abel, Jesse Freeman
2013; Running Time: 56 Min

From IMDB
“In BREAKING THROUGH, openly LGBT elected officials - including the first openly gay US Senator, Tammy Baldwin - share their stories of self-doubt and triumph over multiple barriers, revealing a deeply personal, rarely-seen side of politicians and gay people. As they show what is possible, they give hope to struggling people from all walks of life.”

You can watch this video for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjpVX8K5Wmc

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Orphans of God’, by Ty Herndon & Kristin Chenoweth, ft Paul Cardall
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFmobwkQMfs
**********************
UPDATE June 13, 2023

Today’s Indigenous History Month Resource

Highway of Tears (Book)
Written By: Jessica McDiarmid
Published By: Penguin Random House
2020

From the GoodMinds website:
“Highway of Tears by Jessica McDiarmid (paperback ed.) is an account of Indigenous women and girls who have gone missing or have been found murdered through stories of their lives. The 725-kilometre stretch of highway in British Columbia known as Highway of Tears or Highway 16, includes the River Skeena, and has sparked a national crisis of tragedy and travesty for the missing and murdered women and girls who are associated with it. Highway of Tears recognizes that we can try to understand what has happened, where we went wrong, address the myriad factors that make Indigenous women and girls vulnerable to ensure it doesn’t happen again and to remember them and which is the focus of this book. Mary Teegee, Maaxsw Gibuu (White Wolf), child and family service and childcare advocate says in the foreword that this book is a tribute to all our warriors who demand justice for those who no longer have a voice. Statistics show that Indigenous women and girls have higher rates of vulnerability within an already higher rate of violence towards Indigenous peoples compared to non-Indigenous peoples in Canada. Too often forgotten is that behind every death or disappearance is a human being and those who love them, a web of family and community and friendship – bonds that we form to make us strong and when broken tear us apart. Highway of Tears is comprised of 15 telling chapters: A Bright Light, A Brick Wall, Part Of You Is Missing, Falling Through the Cracks, The Not Knowing, An Inch Shy Of A Mile, Blatant Failures, It Depends Who’s Bleeding, Rising Tides, Breaking A Spirit, This We Have To Live With Every Day, Where Were you Twenty Years Ago?, Canada’s Dirtiest Secret, Winding Down, and The Last Walk. The Epilogue: A Safer Place, A Note on Sources, Notes, Photo Credits, Index and

Acknowledgements complete this work. This book was a finalist for the 2020 RBC Taylor Prize, Finalist for the 2020 Hubert Evan Non-Fiction Prize, a national bestseller, A Hill Times Best Book of the Year.”

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Drum Doxology’, by Cheryl Bear
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_AAMwpOfbg
***************
UPDATE June 12, 2023

Today’s Pride Month Resource

Wish Me Away (Documentary)
Directed by: Bobbie Birleffi & Beverly Kopf
Produced by: Bobbie Birleffi & Beverly Kopf
2011; Running time: 96 minutes

From Wikipedia
“Wish Me Away is a 2011 documentary film directed by Bobbie Birleffi and Beverly Kopf. Winner of 12 film festival awards, it is about the coming out of the country music singer and gay rights activist Chely Wright. In May 2010, she had become the first major country music performer to publicly come out as gay.

The feature-length documentary is being screened at various venues and festivals between May and July 2012. The film opens in New York on June 1, 2012, in Los Angeles and other big American cities on June 15. The documentary is a personal and intimate look at Wright, who after a lifetime of hiding, shatters cultural and religious stereotypes within Nashville, her conservative heartland family, and most importantly, herself. It was filmed over a period of 3 years, portraying her struggle, private video diaries, plans to come out publicly. Using interviews with Chely, her family, key players in Nashville and her management team, the film goes deep into Chely's story, her relationship with Brad Paisley and their break-up. It also chronicles her coming out and the aftermath of her decision to come out on Nashville, her small hometown and the LGBT community.

The film opened in New York City at the Quad Cinema in June 2012 where it played for two weeks. Wish Me Away made its national television premiere on Nov. 15, 2012 on Showtime. The film reached as high as #2 on iTunes Movie Rental Chart and has been one of the top rented films played on Netflix in 2012.

Besides Chely Wright, characters appearing in documentary include Stan Wright, Jennifer Wright, Russell Carter, Rodney Crowell, Victoria Wilson, Rev.C. Welton Gaddy, Don Cusic, Howard Bragman, Richard Sterban, Charlene Daniels, Chuck D. Walter, Rosie O'Donnell, Meredith Vieira, Natalie Morales.

The theme song from the film is "Shine a Light", recorded by Chely Wright for the film, & produced by Linda Perry. All music in the film, was recorded by Chely Wright.”

You can watch this video for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD_dnIGvGtk

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Like Me’, by Chely Wright
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZzRjrT_ong
********************
UPDATE June 11, 2023

Today’s Indigenous History Month Resource

Our Sisters in Spirit (Documentary)
Written, Directed, Produced, Narrated, and Sound Mixed by: Nick Printup
Producer: Ashley Fava
Running Time 35 Min; 2018

From YouTube:
A short documentary that explores the question of calling a national public inquiry into the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women & girls in Canada or whether there may be a better approach.

This video is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdzM6krfaKY

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Missing and Gone’, by Connie Kaldor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NthxuUKAVQ
*******************
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE 11th, 2023:

Here is the YouTube link for the service from last Sunday, June 4th, 2023: https://youtu.be/eGyBeXuE-tg
……………………………..

UPDATE June 10, 2023

Today’s Pride Month Resource

Like Me: Confessions of a Heartland Country Singer (Book)
By Chely Wright
Published by Pantheon, 2010

Chely Wright, singer, songwriter, country music star, writes in this moving, telling memoir about her life and her career; about growing up in America’s heartland, the youngest of three children; about barely remembering a time when she didn’t know she was different.

She writes about her parents, putting down roots in their twenties in the farming town of Wellsville, Kansas, Old Glory flying atop the poles on the town’s manicured lawns, and being raised to believe that hard work, honesty, and determination would take her far.

She writes of making up her mind at a young age to become a country music star, knowing then that her feelings and crushes on girls were “sinful” and hoping and praying that she would somehow be “fixed.” (“Dear God, please don’t let me be gay. I promise not to lie. I promise not to steal. I promise to always believe in you . . . Please take it away.”)

She describes writing and singing her own songs for producers who’d discovered and recorded the likes of Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, and Toby Keith, who heard in her music something special and signed her to a record contract, releasing her first album and sending her out on the road on her first bus tour .

She writes about the friends she made along the way—Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, and others—writing songs, recording and touring together, some of the friendships developing into romantic attachments that did not end happily . . . Keeping the truth of who she was clutched deep inside, trying to ignore it in a world she longed to be a part of—and now was—a world in which country music stars had never been, could not be, openly gay . . .She writes of the very real prospect of losing everything she’d worked so hard to create . . . doing her best to have a real life—her best not good enough . . .

And in the face of everything she did to keep herself afloat, she writes about how the vortex of success and hiding who she was took its her life, a tangled mess she didn’t see coming, didn’t want to; and, finally, finding the guts to untangle herself from the image of the country music star she’d become, an image steeped in long-standing ideals and notions about who—and what—a country artist is, and what their fans expect them to be . . .

I am a songwriter,” she writes. “I am a singer of my songs—and I have a story to tell. As I’ve traveled this path that has delivered me to where I am today, my monument of thanks, paying honor to God, remains. I will do all I can with what I have been given . . .”

Like Me is fearless, inspiring, true.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Tomorrow is a Long Time’, by Chely Wright
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHjZEBbCRgk
*********************
UPDATE June 9, 2023

Today’s Indigenous History Month Resource

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants (Book)
By: Robin Wall Kimmerer
Published by: Milkweed Editions
2015

From the GoodMinds website
“Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants is poised to be a classic of traditional knowledge writing. As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer asks questions of nature with the tools of science. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Kimmerer draws on her life as an Indigenous scientist, a mother, and a woman, and shows how other living beings such as asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass, offer readers gifts and lessons, even if we've forgotten how to hear their voices. In a rich braid of reflections that range from the creation of Turtle Island to the forces that threaten its flourishing today, she circles toward a central argument: that the awakening of a wider ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgement and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. For only when we can hear the languages of other beings will we be capable of understanding the generosity of the earth, and learn to give our own gifts in return. Robin Wall Kimmerer is a plant ecologist, mother, writer, and professor at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.”

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’I Need Angels’, by Midnight Shine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2VWNONdnbY
********************
UPDATE June 8, 2023

Today’s Pride Month Resource

State of Pride (Documentary)
Directed By: Jeffrey Friedman, Rob Epstein
Distributed by: YouTube
Production Company: Portal A Interactive
2019; Running Time: 1 Hr 11 Min

From YouTube
”Fifty years after the Stonewall uprising, Oscar®-winning filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman and host Raymond Braun travel to three diverse communities – Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and Tuscaloosa, Alabama – for an unflinching look at LGBTQ Pride, from the perspective of a younger generation for whom it still has personal urgency.”

This film contains some strong language. Viewer discretion advised.

You can watch this video for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J48BIRaG7A

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’How We Love’, by Justin Ryan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV_2jhkHQV0
****************
UPDATE June 7, 2023

Today’s Indigenous History Month Resource

Native: Identity, Belonging, and Rediscovering God (Book)
by Kaitlin B. Curtice
Published by Brazos Press; 2020

From the Goodreads website:
“Native is about identity, soul-searching, and being on the never-ending journey of finding ourselves and finding God. As both a member of the Potawatomi Nation and a Christian, Kaitlin Curtice offers a unique perspective on these topics. In this book, she shows how reconnecting with her Native American roots both informs and challenges her Christian faith.

Drawing on the narrative of her personal journey and the poetry, imagery, and stories of the Potawatomi people, Curtice addresses themes at the forefront of today's discussions of faith and culture in a positive and constructive way. She encourages us to embrace our own origins and to share and listen to each other's stories so we can build a more inclusive and diverse future for the church. Each of our stories matters for the church to be truly whole. As Curtice shares what it means to experience her faith through the lens of her Indigenous heritage, she reveals that a vibrant spirituality has its origins in identity, belonging, and a sense of place.”

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’The Path’, by Indian City, ft Jeremy Koz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI6THq3678U
********************
UPDATE June 6, 2023

Today’s Pride Month Resource

‘Common Threads: Stories From The Quilt’ (Documentary)
Directed by: Rob Epstein & Jeffrey Friedman
Written by: Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman, & Cindy Ruskin
Produced by: Bill Couturié, Rob Epstein, & Jeffrey Friedman
Narrated by: Dustin Hoffman
1989; Running Time: 79 Min

From Wikipedia
”Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt is a 1989 American documentary film that tells the story of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. Narrated by Dustin Hoffman with a musical score written and performed by Bobby McFerrin, the film focuses on several people who are represented by panels in the Quilt, combining personal reminiscences with archive footage of the subjects, along with footage of various politicians, health professionals and other people with AIDS. Each section of the film is punctuated with statistics detailing the number of Americans diagnosed with and dead of AIDS through the early years of the epidemic. The film ends with the first display of the complete (to date) Quilt at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. during the 1987 Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. The film, made for HBO, was based in part on the book The Quilt: Stories From The NAMES Project by Cindy Ruskin (writer), Matt Herron (photographs) and Deborah Zemke (design).”

You can watch this video for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCpf5vRrhM4

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’We Rise Again’, by The Boston Gay Men’s Chorus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCBibvsHzxo
*********************
UPDATE June 5, 2023

Today’s Indigenous History Month Resource

Every Child Matters: Parts 1 & 2- Residential School Documentary - N.C.T.R. (Documentary)
Executive Producers NTRC: Ry Moran, Stephanie Scott
Executive Producers Insight Productions: Lindsay Cox, John Brunton
2020; Running Time: 1Hr 35min

From the JustWatch website:
“Every Child Matters: Reconciliation Through Education is a powerful 90-minute special created by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) produced in collaboration with Insight Productions and supported by Canadian Heritage. The special, airing on APTN and CBC, honours Residential School Survivors and their families through storytelling and performance by Youth, Leaders, Knowledge Keepers, and Elders from a diverse group of Indigenous Nations, communities, and cultures.”

This video is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKwTBojyzjQ

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Star People’, by Indian City, ft Jim Cuddy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM39SvuWPFU
*********************
UPDATE June 4, 2023

Today’s Pride Month Resource

Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity (Book)
By Fr. James Martin, SJ
Published by HarperOne; 2017

From the Goodreads website:
“The New York Times bestselling author of ‘The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything’ and 'Jesus: A Pilgrimage’ turns his attention to the relationship between LGBT Catholics and the Church in this loving, inclusive, and revolutionary book.

On the day after the Orlando nightclub shooting, James Martin S.J. posted a video on Facebook in which he called for solidarity with our LGBT brothers and sisters. "The largest mass shooting in US history took place at a gay club and the LGBT community has been profoundly affected," he began. He then implored his fellow Catholics—and people everywhere—to "stand not only with the people of Orlando but also with their LGBT brothers and sisters." A powerful call for tolerance, acceptance, and support—and a reminder of Jesus' message for us to love one another—Father Martin's post went viral and was viewed more than 1.6 million times.

Now, Martin expands on his reflections in this moving and inspiring book, offering a powerful, loving, and much-needed voice in a time marked by anger, prejudice, and divisiveness. Adapted from an address he gave to New Ways Ministry, a group that ministers to and advocates for LGBT Catholics, Building a Bridge provides a roadmap for repairing and strengthening the bonds that unite all of us as God's children. Martin uses the image of a two-way bridge to enable LGBT Catholics and the Church to come together in a call to end the "us" versus "them" mentality. Turning to the Catechism, he draws on the three criteria at the heart of the Christian ministry—"respect, compassion, and sensitivity"—as a model for how the Catholic Church should relate to the LGBT community.”

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Harmony’s Never Too Late’, by The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHM8U8EAe0k
*******************
UPDATE June 3, 2023

Today’s Indigenous History Month Resource

Journey Towards Reconciliation (Documentary)
2016; Running Time: 55min
Directed by Paige L'Hirondelle, Sharon Somer

From the IMDB website:
‘In 2014, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada held seven national events across the country to gather testimony from Indian Residential School Survivors. This nation-wide acknowledgement of the atrocities that took place in these schools was a difficult, but important step towards healing in a journey of reconciliation in Canada. Miyo Pimatisiwin Productions supported a group of Indigenous youth in their personal journeys as they learned about the history of the residential schools and their personal connection to the legacy. Through the lens of a camera, these young people explore intergenerational trauma, Indigenous resistance and resilience. The youth engaged in an act of reclamation in Edmonton's Grandin LRT Station, under the mentorship of artists Aaron Paquette and Sylvia Nadeau, the handprints of Indigenous youth are immortalized in the station to remind citizens that they are still here. ‘

This video is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XYHoeTieUU

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’You Got To Run (Spirit of the Wind')’, by Buffy Sainte-Marie & Tanya Tagaq
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5zb0WTSLsY
****************
Here is the YouTube link for the service from last Sunday, May 28th, 2023: https://youtu.be/9X4t3LGLe6w
……………………………..
UPDATE June 2, 2023

Today’s Pride Month Resource

‘Does Jesus Really Love Me?: A Gay Christian's Pilgrimage in Search of God in America’ (Book)
By Jeff Chu
Published by Harper; 2013

From the Goodreads website:
“Does Jesus Really Love Me?: A Gay Christian's Pilgrimage in Search of God in America is part memoir and part investigative analysis that explores the explosive and confusing intersection of faith, politics, and sexuality in Christian America. The quest to find an answer is at the heart of Does Jesus Really Love Me? —a personal journey of belief, an investigation, and a portrait of a faith and a nation at odds by award-winning reporter Jeff Chu. From Brooklyn to Nashville to California, from Westboro Baptist Church and their “God Hates Fags” protest signs, to the pioneering Episcopalian bishop Mary Glasspool—who proclaims a message of liberation and divine love, Chu captures spiritual snapshots of Christian America at a remarkable moment, when tensions between both sides in the culture wars have rarely been higher. Funny and heartbreaking, perplexing and wise, Does Jesus Really Love Me? is an intellectual, emotional, and spiritual pilgrimage that reveals a nation in crisis.”

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’True Colours (It Gets Better)’, by Gay Men’s Chorus of Lost Angeles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnYa9R4N-8c
******************

UPDATE June 1, 2023

Today’s Indigenous History Month Resource

‘Our Home And Treaty Land: Walking Our Creation Story’ (Book)
by Matthew Anderson & Raymond Aldred
Published by Wood Lake Publishing, 2022

From: https://goodminds.com/
“Co-authors Reverend Doctor Matthew Anderson who was born and raised on Treaty 4 territory and is an Affiliate Professor in Theological Studies at Concordia University, Tio’tiá:ke (Montréal) and Reverend Doctor Raymond Aldred who was first ordained with the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada and is now ordained with the Anglican Church of Canada has Cree status from Swan River Band, Treaty 8. Born in Northern Alberta.

The words “Treaty means that your identity is bigger than just you” are used both literally and metaphorically.

“It’s tempting to start the story of a long journey, even a journey of realization, with the arrival rather than the first, uncertain, steps. But it’s really those first steps that prepare for everything else.”

“First steps are what this book is about,” writes Matthew Anderson in his preface, and understanding Treaty is an essential first step.

Treaty – what it meant to the First Nations and to the Newcomers who originally entered into it, and what it could and should mean for all of us today – lies at the heart of this book. Treaty is key to the shared narrative, shared spirituality, and shared respect for the land that Ray Aldred says are necessary for our peoples – Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike – to walk well, to live well together on the land because Treaty still is, or should be, a lived reality. Treaty doesn’t refer to a onetime, historical event, but to a lasting, daily way of “living well,” in right relation to each other, to the land, and to the Creator.”

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Sing Our Own Song’, by Buffy Sainte-Marie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q37vnofij4w
*************
UPDATE May 31, 2023

Prayer In Time of Wildfires

God of all creation, all the elements belong to you.

The earth, air, water and fire are yours to command.

You guarded your people Israel by night with a pillar of flame.
You sanctified the early church with tongues of fire at Pentecost.
You appeared to Moses in the burning bush, which was engulfed but not consumed.

God of wind and flame, extinguish the fires engulfing land, communities, and homes.
Guard those who must flee because of the blaze, give them safety and wholeness.
Bring those who have perished home to you, grant them your perpetual peace.
Protect those who battle the flames, sanctify their service and send them your Spirit.

Restore our land, our homes, our faith in your goodness,
And show us again how you bring life out of ash and dust
Give us the resources and strength, we ask, to rebuild and replant
And show us that you are the loving Creator and Savior.
Amen.
https://www.chausa.org/prayers/cha-prayer-library

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’God is Love’, by Katy Nichole
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQ-B7YTpJLo
********************
UPDATE May 30, 2023

A Blessing for When You're Sick But Have No Answers
from THE LIVES WE ACTUALLY HAVE

Yours is the body that bears the burden,
the heart that carries the disappointment
when operations are unsuccessful
when medications cause side effects,
—or don’t work at all.

Yours is the life being dominated by an illness
that shouts so loudly, but in a language no one seems to understand.
Yours is the arrival that causes the consternation of experts,
the discomfort of friends, and the heartache of family.

Blessed are you, dear one,
for you are not the problem nor the cause.
You are everyone’s reminder that terrible things do happen,
and can keep on happening, with no end in sight.

You who are trying to hold it all—
the pain and grief and disappointments that keep coming—
when you try to protect others from their own worst fears,
to spare them the hard truths.
Blessed are you, dear heart, for you can set that burden down.
For it is ours too and we embrace it.

For we are the ones who are blessed
to receive the privilege of being with you in it,
of knowing you, seeing you, loving you, and saying with you,
Yes, life is exactly this hard,
exactly this uncertain, this fragile, this precious.
This is real.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’’Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus’, by Shane & Shane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srZ9IGsFy4o
**************
UPDATE May 29, 2023

Blessing That Undoes Us

On the day
you are wearing
your certainty
like a cloak
and your sureness
goes before you
like a shield
or like a sword,

may the sound
of God's name
spill from your lips
as you have never
heard it before.

May your knowing
be undone.
May mystery
confound your
understanding.

May the Divine
rain down
in strange syllables
yet with
an ancient familiarity,
a knowing borne
in the blood,
the ear,
the tongue,
bringing clarity
that comes
not in stone
or in steel
but in fire,
in flame.

May there come
one searing word--
enough to bare you
to the bone,,
enough to set
your heart ablaze,
enough to make you
whole again.

--Jan Richardson
from Circle of Grace: A Book of Blessings for the Seasons

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Yet’, by The King Will Come
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVz6yimuTgU
*******************
UPDATE May 28, 2023

Pentecost Prayer
by Joan Chittister, OSB
The Holy Spirit embodies the life force of the universe, the power of God, the animating energy present in all things and captured by none. On this great feast of Pentecost, the coming of the Spirit of God, I invite you to pray with me:

May the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
bring fire to the earth
so that the presence of God
may be seen
in a new light,
in new places,
in new ways.

May our own hearts
burst into flame
so that no obstacle,
no matter how great,
ever obstructs the message
of the God within each of us.

May we come to trust
the Word of God in our heart,
to speak it with courage,
to follow it faithfully
and to fan it to flame in others.

May the Jesus
who filled women
with his Holy Spirit
fill the world and the church
with new respect
for women’s power and presence.

Give me, Great God,
a sense of the Breath of Spirit
within me as I…
(State the intention in your own life at this time for which you are praying.)
Amen.
https://buildfaith.org/come-holy-spirit/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’My Portion’, by Shane & Shane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s4MiqQSWZk
*************************
UPDATE May 27, 2023

Prayer to Walk as Children of the Light
Joy of Heaven, we are so blessed that You came to dwell in each of us on Pentecost, when Your church was born. Surely, through Your Spirit, we have died to sin and are alive to holiness. May we serve You faithfully, in praise, prayer, and loving service to others, as we are changed from glory to glory. May we walk as children of the light, in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. Amen.
https://connectusfund.org/6-good-prayers-for-pentecost-sunday

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery’, by Shane & Shane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bak3JSuSg3Y
**********************
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 28, 2023:

Here is the YouTube link for the service from last Sunday, May 21st, 2023: https://youtu.be/GkxlqSfCGQw

UPDATE May 26, 2023

The Living Spirit
by Ghana

Morining has risen;
Sleep is still in our eyes,
but at once on our lips
shall be your priase.
We glorify, praise and adore you.
We, that is, the earth,
the wate, and the sky;
that is, the people here on earth.
Everything that you have created
enjoys your sun and your grace.
Dawn glistens on the grasses.
Mist is still hanging on the trees.
And a soft wind promises a fine day.
Should we not enjoy everything
that you have created?
We are meant to.
That is why we are so joyful this dawn.
O, Lord, Grant that the hours and
minutes do not slip away in our hands,
but that we may live in your time.
Amen.

Ghana
Hallellujah for The Day: an African prayer book
Ed. ANthony Gittins CSSp
(Darton, Longman and Todd, 2002)
https://greenchurches.ca/tools/spirituality/prayers/the-living-spirit/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

Some gospel music from the late music icon Tina Turner. Thanks for the music, Tina. Rest in Peace.

’Our Lord Will Make a Way’, by Tina Turner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3hiEE6jzFs
*************
UPDATE May 25, 2023

Thanksgiving for the Beauty of the Earth

We give you thanks, most gracious God,
for the beauty of earth and sky and sea;
for the richness of mountains, plains, and
rivers; for the songs of birds and the loveliness
of flowers. We praise you for these good gifts,
and pray that we may safeguard them for our
posterity. Grant that we may continue to grow
in our grateful enjoyment of your abundant creation,
to the honor and glory of your Name, now and for ever.
Amen.

Book of Common Prayer, Episcopal Church (1983)
https://greenchurches.ca/tools/spirituality/prayers/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

Some gospel music from the late music icon Tina Turner. Thanks for the music, Tina. Rest in Peace.

’Glory, Glory’, by Tina Turner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUuCQv5EJhM
********************
UPDATE May 24, 2023

Thanks for solar energy

Blessed are you, Lord our God, our
loving Father and creator of all things:
we praise you for creating the sun,
for giving us its light, heat, and energy,
and for bringing us life and growth.
Help us to use all the goods of creation
for your honor and for the benefit of others.
Teach us to use all our resources wisely,
and to take care of the world you have given us.
Blessed are you, heavenly Father, for ever. Amen.

A Book of Blessings (1981), Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
https://greenchurches.ca/tools/spirituality/prayers/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

Some gospel music from the late music icon Tina Turner. Thanks for the music, Tina. Rest in Peace.

’What A Friend We Have in Jesus’, by Tina Turner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay1lUmnaZfA
*******************
UPDATE May 23, 2023

Environmental Sabbath

Gracious God, who made the covenant promise with our ancestors, we gather here today a
rebellious people. We want to act out your intentions for us, but we keep getting mixed
up by all the glitter of the world around us.

You tell us to honor creation, and we use other people and animals and plant life only to meet
our wants. You offer daily bread to every living creature, and we steal that bread from our
brothers and sisters in the name of our greed.

You promise us new life, and we shrink back from it in fear. Heal us, God, lest we destroy
ourselves. We need your presence among us.
Amen.

U.N. Environmental Sabbath
https://greenchurches.ca/tools/spirituality/prayers/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Unto Him (Jude 24-25)’, by Shane & Shane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVwZLnXstPY
**********************
UPDATE May 22, 2023

for the courage to do something difficult
from THE LIVES WE ACTUALLY HAVE

God, I am struggling to face the difficult thing I know I should do.
The conversation I’ve been avoiding.
The help I should have asked for months ago.
The symptom I have long ignored.

Oh God, help me.
I am afraid to act
but afraid to admit my inaction
might be making things worse.

Blessed are we who recognize that
we are struggling under the weight
of the nothing that has happened
but needs to.

Blessed we who say honestly, God,
this is so hard, and I don’t know why.
The longer I leave it, the worse it gets.

God, help me begin—or even begin to begin—
though I can’t know how this will go.
Fill into that inner space
where I am quietly overwhelmed
and stuck in mud. Or maybe it's quicksand.

I hear you say “I will strengthen you and help you” (Isaiah 41:10).
You go before me
and you are right here with me. Even now.
In my panicking, in my anxieties, in my master-avoidance.
Your love never fails.

Okay, my dears. Now’s the time. Do the thing you’ve been putting off. Right now. Take the first small step. Make the appointment. Schedule the meeting. Check your bank account. Tell a friend you are struggling.

Then ask for what you need next.

Bless you.

--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/books/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’All Sufficient Merit’, by Shane & Shane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFwC9v9NYQM
**********************
UPDATE May 21, 2023

Blessing the Distance
For Ascension Day/Easter 7

It is a mystery to me
how as the distance
between us grows,
the larger this blessing
becomes,

as if the shape of it
depends on absence,
as if it finds its form
not by what
it can cling to
but by the space
that arcs
between us.

As this blessing
makes its way,
first it will cease
to measure itself
by time.

Then it will release
how attached it has become
to this place
where we have lived,
where we have learned
to know one another
in proximity and
presence.

Next this blessing
will abandon
the patterns
in which it moved,
the habits that helped it
recognize itself,
the familiar pathways
it traced.

Finally this blessing
will touch its fingers
to your brow,
your eyes,
your mouth;
it will hold
your beloved face
in both its hands,

and then
it will let you go;
it will loose you
into your life;
it will leave
each hindering thing

until all that breathes
between us
is blessing
and all that beats
between us
is grace.

—Jan Richardson
from Circle of Grace: A Book of Blessings for the Seasons

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Tell the Story (Psalm 8)’, by Shane & Shane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MSHbiJCKzg
*********************
Here is the YouTube link for the service from last Sunday, May 14th, 2023:
https://youtu.be/aC5-vHZQS6c
………………………………..
UPDATE May 20, 2023

Our Father, Earth-maker
by the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia

Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,
Source of all that is and that shall be,
Father and Mother of us all, Loving God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world!
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and for ever. Amen.
—The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia
https://greenchurches.ca/tools/spirituality/prayers/our-father-earth-maker/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’To Not Worship You’, by MercyMe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah7qLbD9QR8
*****************
UPDATE May 19, 2023

The Earth is Miraculous
by Dunscore Parish Church (Scotland)

Creator God, this earth is
miraculous and beautiful.
Forgive our confusion and
inaction as we confront the
challenges of climate change.

In the light of your truth,
seen so clearly in the life
and teaching of Jesus,
help us to re-examine ourselves and
our lifestyle choices and see clearly
the implications of how we live
on all that sustains life on
this earth.

May we follow your leading in caring
for every aspect of this precious world,
which you made and love.

Throughout history you have moved people
to do amazing things
for the sake of their neighbours.

Inspire us now to work together,
as your people, to change
priorities in the way we live,
so that we build a fair and safe world
for all your creation;
a world where your will is done as it is in heaven.
Amen
Dunscore Parish Church (Scotland) wrote this prayer for Earth Hour.
https://greenchurches.ca/tools/spirituality/prayers/the-earth-miraculous/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Thank You Jesus for the Blood’, by Charity Gayle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhU-Omwg2rU
******************
UPDATE May 18, 2023

Blessing of seed

Eternal Father,
maker of heaven and earth,
we bless you and give you glory.
Bless + this seed, and make It fruitful.
Look upon our work this season,
and grant that the seeds we plant
will produce plentiful crops,
providing food and work for many.
In your love, give us favorable weather
throughout this growing season.
Make us truly grateful for all our gifts,
and willing to share our goods and talents with others,
especially those without adequate food.
All praise and glory are yours, almighty Father,
through your Son Jesus Christ,
In the unity of the Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Excerpt from “Prayers for Good Harvest”, A Book of Blessings (1981), Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
https://greenchurches.ca/tools/spirituality/prayers/a-prayer-for-planting-rogations/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Never Walk Alone’, by Hope Darst
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlBKx8hlFp4
******************
UPDATE May 17, 2023

God of Creation, of Love, of Justice

Compassionate and loving God, you created
the world for us all to share, a world of
beauty and plenty. Create in us a desire to
live simply, so that our lives may reflect
your generosity.
Creator God, You gave us responsibility
for the earth, a world of riches and delight.
Create in us a desire to live sustainably,
so that those who follow after us may
enjoy the fruits of your creation.
God of peace and justice,
You give us the capacity to change,
to bring about a world that mirrors your
wisdom. Create in us a desire to act in
solidarity, so that the pillars of injustice
crumble and those now crushed are set free.
Amen.

Linda Jones / CAFOD
https://greenchurches.ca/tools/spirituality/prayers/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’The Spirit and the Bride (In Hebrew and English)’, by Joshua Aaron (ft Christy-Lyn)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dybcGCLJetQ
********************
UPDATE May 16, 2023

Spirit & Verse: A Prayer for Living "Fratelli Tutti"

When our lofty words of love have been emptied of their meaning,
When our borders and computer screens have erected impenetrable walls,
When our minds are so quick to conflate "other" with "enemy,"
How will we find our common humanity?
It's never too late to make an earnest and tender start.
May we remove from our pockets the stones we intended to throw
And cement them together to build a home that welcomes all.
May we repent of our indifference and move into genuine encounter.
Instead of drawing battle lines,
May we draw our chairs up to a communal table,
Where we can feast in the knowledge of our shared dignity.
May God grant us the holy vision
To see every human being a sacred mystery,
And may we love each mystery not abstractly, but concretely.
Just as Thomas touched the wounds of Jesus,
May we be unafraid to touch the wounds of our suffering neighbor.
May we lay down our arms and offer our outstretched hands,
Until there is no "them," but only "us,"
Until we are at last, sisters and brothers, all.

Amen.

- Cameron Bellm
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Return (Oh My Soul)’, by Jason Upton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tv2suG6rt6w
*******************
UPDATE May 15, 2023

A Tribute Prayer for Mother’s Day (by Amy Young)

To those who gave birth this year to their first child—we celebrate with you
To those who lost a child this year – we mourn with you
To those who are in the trenches with little ones every day and wear the badge of food stains – we appreciate you
To those who experienced loss through miscarriage, failed adoptions, or running away—we mourn with you
To those who walk the hard path of infertility, fraught with pokes, prods, tears, and disappointment – we walk with you. Forgive us when we say foolish things. We don’t mean to make this harder than it is.
To those who are foster moms, mentor moms, and spiritual moms – we need you
To those who have warm and close relationships with your children – we celebrate with you
To those who have disappointment, heart ache, and distance with your children – we sit with you
To those who lost their mothers this year – we grieve with you
To those who experienced abuse at the hands of your own mother – we acknowledge your experience
To those who lived through driving tests, medical tests, and the overall testing of motherhood – we are better for having you in our midst
To those who have aborted children – we remember them and you on this day
To those who are single and long to be married and mothering your own children – we mourn that life has not turned out the way you longed for it to be
To those who step-parent – we walk with you on these complex paths
To those who envisioned lavishing love on grandchildren -yet that dream is not to be, we grieve with you
To those who will have emptier nests in the upcoming year – we grieve and rejoice with you
To those who placed children up for adoption — we commend you for your selflessness and remember how you hold that child in your heart
And to those who are pregnant with new life, both expected and surprising –we anticipate with you
This Mother’s Day, we walk with you. Mothering is not for the faint of heart and we have real warriors in our midst.

We remember you.
—Amy Young
https://www.messymiddle.com/an-open-letter-to-pastors-a-non-mom-speaks-about-mothers-day/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’I Am a Child of God’, by Gladys Knight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdpmAPvgaps
********************
UPDATE May 14, 2023

Mother's Day is complicated- and for many painful for a variety of reasons.
This is a thoughtful, heartfelt prayer Mothers Day, for all circumstances.

“I want you to know I'm praying for you if you are like Tamar, struggling with infertility, or a miscarriage.

I want you to know that I'm praying for you if you are like Rachel, counting the women among your family and friends who year by year and month by month get pregnant, while you wait.

I want you to know I'm praying for you if you are like Naomi, and have known the bitter sting of a child's death.

I want you to know I am praying for you if you are like Joseph and Benjamin, and your Mom has died.

I want you to know that I am praying for you if your relationship with your Mom was marked by trauma, abuse, or abandonment, or she just couldn't parent you the way you needed.

I want you to know I am praying for you if you've been like Moses' mother and put a child up for adoption, trusting another family to love your child into adulthood.

I want you to know I am praying for you if you've been like Pharaoh's daughter, called to love children who are not yours by birth (and thus the mother who brought that child into your life, even if it is complicated).

I want you to know I am praying for you if you, like many, are watching (or have watched) your mother age, and disappear into the long goodbye of dementia.

I want you to know that I am praying for you if you, like Mary, are pregnant for the very first time and waiting breathlessly for the miracle of your first child.

I want you to know that I am praying for you if your children have turned away from you, painfully closing the door on relationship, leaving you holding your broken heart in your hands. And like Hagar, now you are mothering alone.

I want you to know that I am praying for you if motherhood is your greatest joy and toughest struggle all rolled into one.

I want you to know that I am praying for you if you are watching your child battle substance abuse, a public legal situation, mental illness, or another situation which you can merely watch unfold.

I want you to know that I am praying for you if you like so many women before you do not wish to be a mother, are not married, or in so many other ways do not fit into societal norms.

I want you to know that I am praying for you if you see yourself reflected in all, or none of these stories.

This mother's day, wherever and whoever you are, we walk with you. You are loved. You are seen. You are worthy.

And may you know the deep love without end of our big, wild, beautiful God who is the very best example of a parent that we know.”

Amen.
Amy Young, adapted by Heidi Carrington Heath

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’I Look to You’, by Whitney Houston
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Pze_mdbOK8
*******************
UPDATE May 13, 2023

To the Moms Who Are

To the Moms who are struggling, to those filled with incandescent joy.
To the Moms who are remembering children who have died, and pregnancies that miscarried.
To the Moms who decided other parents were the best choice for their babies, to the Moms who adopted those kids and loved them fierce.
To those experiencing frustration or desperation in infertility.
To those who knew they never wanted kids, and the ways they have contributed to our shared world.
To those who mothered colleagues, mentees, neighborhood kids, and anyone who needed it.
To those remembering Moms no longer with us.
To those moving forward from Moms who did not show love, or hurt those they should have cared for.
Today is a day to honor the unyielding love and care for others we call 'Motherhood,' wherever we have found it and in whatever ways we have found to cultivate it within ourselves.
- Hannah Kardon, Pastor at Elston Avenue United Methodist Church
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

More music today from the late Gordon Lightfoot.

’Farewell Nova Scotia’, by Gordon Lightfoot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaE9vlrhX-k
****************
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 14, 2023:

Here is the YouTube link for the service from last Sunday, May 7th, 2023:
https://youtu.be/pFdPJex8Mn4
………………………………
UPDATE May 12, 2023

A Paean of Praise for Animals

O Lord, what a variety of things you have made!
    In wisdom you have made them all.
    The earth is full of your creatures.
Here is the ocean, vast and wide,
    teeming with life of every kind,
    both large and small….
They all depend on you
    to give them food as they need it.
When you supply it, they gather it.
    You open your hand to feed them,
    and they are richly satisfied….
When you give them your breath, life is created,
    and you renew the face of the earth.
May the glory of the Lord continue forever!
    The Lord takes pleasure in all he has made! (Psalm 67:24-25, 27-28, 30-31, NLT).
https://guideposts.org/prayer/prayers-for-loved-ones/5-prayers-and-blessings-for-animals-and-pets/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

More music today from the late Gordon Lightfoot.

’Return Into Dust’, by Gordon Lightfoot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR3peyxpmQ8
**********************
UPDATE May 11, 2023

Saint Francis of Assisi, Prayer for our Animal Friends
Heavenly Father, our human ties with our friends of other species is wonderful and special gift from You. We now ask You to grant our special animal companions your Fatherly care and healing power to take away any suffering they have. Give us, their human friends, new understanding of our responsibilities to these creatures of Yours. They have trust in us as we have in You; our souls and theirs are on this earth together to give one another friendship, affection, and caring. Take our heartfelt prayers and fill Your ill or suffering animals with healing Light and strength to overcome whatever weakness of body they have.

Your goodness is turned upon every living thing and Your grace flows to all Your creatures. From our souls to theirs goodness flows, touching each of us with the reflection of Your love. Grant to our special animal companions long and healthy lives. Give them good relationships with us, and if You see fit to take them from us, help us to understand that they are not gone from us, but only drawing closer to You. Grant our prayer through the intercession of good St. Francis of Assisi, who honoured You through all Your creatures. Give him the power to watch over our animal friends until they are safely with You in eternity, where we someday hope to join them in giving You honour forever. Amen.
https://www.heavenlydivinecustomrosary.com/st-francis-of-assisis-prayers-for-pets.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

More music today from the late Gordon Lightfoot.

’Alberta Bound’, by Gordon Lightfoot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPVgm6RscJg
********************
UPDATE May 10, 2023

We Give Thanks For Birds

Dear God,
We give thanks for birds. All types of birds.
Small birds and large birds.
Domestic fowl, migratory birds and birds of prey,
hooting birds, whistling birds, shrikes,
coloured parrots and dark darting wrens.
Birds too numerous to mention.
We pray for them all.

We mourn the loss of certain species
and pray for the deliverance of endangered ones.
We pray, too, for farm birds,
that they may be released from cruelty and suffering.

We give thanks for eggs and feathers,
for brave, cheerful songs in the morning
and the wonderful haunting, night prayers of owls,
mopokes, frogmouths and all nocturnal fowl.

We praise the character of birds, their constancy,
their desire for freedom, their flair for music and talent for flying.
May we always marvel at the ability to fly.

Especially we praise their disregard for human hierarchy
and the ease with which they leave their droppings
on the heads of commoners or kings regardless.

Grant them fair weather, fresh food and abundant materials
for building their nests in spring.
Provide them too with perches and roosts with pleasant aspects.

Dear God, guide our thoughts to the joy and beauty of birds.
Feathered angels.
May they always be above us.

Amen.
https://pilgrimchurchprayers.wordpress.com/2016/06/18/leunig-we-give-thanks-for-birds/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

More music today from the late Gordon Lightfoot.

’Ribbon of Darkness’, by Gordon Lightfoot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzHBEphItgU
*****************
UPDATE May 9, 2023

Making Our Souls Great

To pray is to regain a sense of the mystery that animates all beings,
the divine margin in all attainments.
Prayer is our humble answer to the inconceivable surprise of living.
It is all we can offer in return.
Who is worthy to be present at the constant unfolding of time?
Here we are admist the meditation of the land, the songs of the water, the humility of the flowers,
flowers wiser than all alphabets -
Suddenly we feel embarrassed,
ashamed of our complaints and clashes in the face of tacit glory.
How strange we are in the world!
Only one response can maintain us:
gratefulness for the gift of our unearned chance to serve, to wonder, to love life and each other.
It is gratefulness which makes our small souls great.

By Abraham Joshua Heschel, the rabbi, scholar, and philosopher
Offered by Becky Cull
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

More music today from the late Gordon Lightfoot.

’Steel Rail Blues’, by Gordon Lightfoot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLKYkkAN4MU
********************
UPDATE May 8, 2023

A blessing for your great, big, dumb heart
from THE LIVES WE ACTUALLY HAVE (page 170)

Love can break your heart. It’s probably in the fine print.
Didn’t you click the box at the bottom of the terms and conditions?

Blessed are you when your kids are ungrateful,
when your parents are unbearable,
or when they would have been if they were still around.
When you help an unfixable friend,
listen much longer than a normal person should,
or give selflessly out of meager resources.

Blessed is your terrible evaluation of who is worth it.
Your cost-benefit analysis would be the laughingstock of any economist.

You ignored the signs: Will this make you richer? Happier? Well rested?
Probably not.

You have been noticing for a while
how these small moments—the privilege of wrapping a blanket
around this love, that friendship, this stranger—are impossible to quantify. Love is adding up to so much more, somehow.

Because blessed are you whose heart has grown three sizes.

Regardless.
You who push through
the fear of intimacy,
the fear of loss,
the fear of all the unknowns,
and choose to love still.

Blessed are we,
loving beyond our limits,
loving when it doesn’t make sense,
loving without any lifetime guarantees,
loving when it might break our hearts.

That is, of course, the best thing about us: our great, big, dumb hearts.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/books/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

More music today from the late Gordon Lightfoot.

’Pussy Willows, Cattails’, by Gordon Lightfoot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWqK4ecpsn0
******************
UPDATE May 7, 2023

Blessing with Many Rooms

As you step inside
this blessing
we wish to tell you
it is large enough
for you to lie down in.

Or
(though it may not look it,
small as it is upon this page)
you can curl up
in this blessing
with a cup of tea
and a good book
beside the window—
here, just behind you—
that faces east.

Likewise it is true,
though you might not have
paused long enough
to notice,
that this blessing
is big enough
for a table—
quite a sizable one
can be accommodated—
where your guests
will want to linger
far into the night.

And if they desire to stay,
you will find that
through this door—
you did not see it before?—
there are rooms in plenty
where they can
lay their heads
and stretch out with abandon
in their dreaming sleep.

One room,
many rooms—
in this blessing
it is all the same.
The point is that
there is space
enough.

Enough to make
a life, a home;
enough to make
a world.

Enough to make
your way toward
the One who has made
this way for you.

—Jan Richardson
https://paintedprayerbook.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

More music today from the late Gordon Lightfoot.

’Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald’, by Gordon Lightfoot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tV9PoWQVga0
********************
UPDATE May 6, 2023

A Prayer for Spring: Daffodils

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills.
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a boy:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance
The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay
In such a jocund company;
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils

- William Wordsworth
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

More music today from the late Gordon Lightfoot.

’Song for a Winter’s Night’ by Gordon Lightfoot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfyDs6uXww0
********************
Here is the YouTube link for the service from last Sunday, April 30th, 2023:
https://youtu.be/yBEytFp5n6c
………………………………..
UPDATE May 5, 2023

Today, May 5, we lift up Red Dress Day, a day of remembrance for the 1,200+ missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit individuals across the country.

We honour the memory of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls #MMIWG

Let us pray…

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

The Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women, by Antone George for the West Shore Canoe Family
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KMYi-2BMsI
**********************
UPDATE May 4, 2023

Here are a few quotes from the late Rachel Held Evans, beloved theologian, writer, blogger, wife, mother, and sister who died unexpectedly following a short illness four years ago today, May 4, 2019.

“What I love about the ministry of Jesus is that he identified the poor as blessed and the rich as needy...and then he went and ministered to them both. This, I think, is the difference between charity and justice. Justice means moving beyond the dichotomy between those who need and those who supply and confronting the frightening and beautiful reality that we desperately need one another.”
― Rachel Held Evans, A Year of Biblical Womanhood

“They reminded me that Christianity isn’t meant to simply be believed; it’s meant to be lived, shared, eaten, spoken, and enacted in the presence of other people. They reminded me that, try as I may, I can’t be a Christian on my own. I need a community. I need the church.”
― Rachel Held Evans, Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church

“Baptism reminds us that there’s no ladder to holiness to climb, no self-improvement plan to follow. It’s just death and resurrection, over and over again, day after day, as God reaches down into our deepest graves and with the same power that raised Jesus from the dead wrests us from our pride, our apathy, our fear, our prejudice, our anger, our hurt, and our despair.”
― Rachel Held Evans, Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church

“Dignified or not, believable or not, ours is a God perpetually on bended knee, doing everything it takes to convince stubborn and petulant children that they are seen and loved. It is no more beneath God to speak to us using poetry, proverb, letters, and legend than it is for a mother to read storybooks to her daughter at bedtime. This is who God is. This is what God does.”
― Rachel Held Evans, Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

More music today from the late Gordon Lightfoot.

’Early Morning Rain’, by Gordon Lightfoot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhFP5l71PRE
**********************
UPDATE May 3, 2023

Here are a few quotes from the late Rachel Held Evans who died unexpectedly following a short illness four years ago tomorrow, May 4, 2019.

“I told them we’re tired of the culture wars, tired of Christianity getting entangled with party politics and power. Millennials want to be known by what we’re for, I said, not just what we’re against. We don’t want to choose between science and religion or between our intellectual integrity and our faith. Instead, we long for our churches to be safe places to doubt, to ask questions, and to tell the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable. We want to talk about the tough stuff—biblical interpretation, religious pluralism, sexuality, racial reconciliation, and social justice—but without predetermined conclusions or simplistic answers. We want to bring our whole selves through the church doors, without leaving our hearts and minds behind, without wearing a mask.”
― Rachel Held Evans, Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church

“I explained that when our gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender friends aren’t welcome at the table, then we don’t feel welcome either, and that not every young adult gets married or has children, so we need to stop building our churches around categories and start building them around people.”
― Rachel Held Evans, Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church

“...faith isn't about having everything figured out ahead of time; faith is about following the quiet voice of God without having everything figured out ahead of time.”
― Rachel Held Evans, A Year of Biblical Womanhood

“Two thousand years later, John’s call remains a wilderness call, a cry from the margins. Because we religious types are really good at building walls and retreating to temples. We’re good at making mountains out of our ideologies, obstructions out of our theologies, and hills out of our screwed-up notions of who’s in and who’s out, who’s worthy and who’s unworthy. We’re good at getting in the way. Perhaps we’re afraid that if we move, God might use people and methods we don’t approve of, that rules will be broken and theologies questioned. Perhaps we’re afraid that if we get out of the way, this grace thing might get out of hand. Well, guess what? It already has. Grace got out of hand the moment the God of the universe hung on a Roman cross and with outstretched hands looked out upon those who had hung him there and declared, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
― Rachel Held Evans, Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

More music today from the late Gordon Lightfoot.

’Christian Island’, by Gordon Lightfoot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkZJkGdBVeo
***********************
UPDATE May 2, 2023

Canadian music icon Gordon Lightfoot died Monday evening at the age of 84. Lightfoot was a prolific singer/songwriter whose work was recorded not only by himself, but by many, many other famous musical artists such as Anne Murray, Peter, Paul, & Mary, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, Judy Collins, Ian & Sylvia Tyson, Olivia Newton-John, and Elvis Presley, and the list goes on. He wasn’t flashy or the most showy of performers, but stood onstage with his 12-string guitar and delivered hit after hit, show after show. The catalogue of his music covers Canadian folklore, lost love, melancholy, and realistic relationships. Those who loved his music and recall it as the soundtrack of their lives will ensure that Gordon Lightfoot’s music will live on for lifetimes to come. Godspeed and Rest in Peace Gordon. Thank you for the music.—LC

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

We will feature some of Gordon Lightfoot’s music over the next few days.

’If You Could Read My Mind’, by Gordon Lightfoot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b35XdQxvVJ0
*******************
UPDATE May 1, 2023

A blessing for those who care about strangers
Inspired from my conversation with nurse and writer Christie Watson.

What a waste.
That wasn’t going to get you a nicer apartment.
Bless those who give their health in service of patients who might not even deserve it.
What if that patient took unnecessary risks or was selfish or was never going to say thank you? You could have been protecting yourself or God forbid, sleeping through the night.

Bless those who listen to long, winding stories from lonely hearts.
Instead of rushing off to more interesting friends.
You picked boredom or patience instead of the warmth of being known.
That was your time and you’re never going to get it back.

Bless those who loved people who weren’t grateful.
The sick who endangered your health,
The deeply boring, who know you have things to do.

Loving people can be the most meaningful thing in the world, but it can also be hard and scary and boring and disgusting or sad or anxiety inducing with zero overtime.

Thank you to all those who make these bad investments.
Those acts of love that are not going to add up to success in the way that the world sees it.
You, my darling, are the definition of love.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Psalm 90 (Satisfy Us With Your Love)’, by Shane & Shane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpoOkHT-gz0
******************
UPDATE April 30, 2023

Blessing of the Gate

Press your hand
to this blessing,
here along
the side
where you can feel
its seam.

Follow the seam
and you will find
the hinges
on which
this blessing turns.

Feel how
your fingers
catch on them—
top,
bottom,
the slightest pressure
sending the gate
gliding open
in a glad welcome.

Wait, did I say
press your hand
to this blessing?

What I meant was
press your hand
to your heart.

Rest it over that
place in your chest
that has grown
closed and tight,
where the rust,
with its talent
for making decay
look artful,
has bitten into
what you once
held dear.

Breathe deep.
Press on the knot
and feel how it
begins to give way,
turning upon
the hinge
of your heart.

Notice how it
opens wide
and wider still
as you exhale,

spilling you out
into a realm
where you never dreamed
to go
but cannot now imagine
living this life
without.

— Jan Richardson
The Cure for Sorrow: A Book of Blessings for Times of Grief

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Psalm 8 (How Majestic Is Your Name), by Shane & Shane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCHawLzdGJE
*********************************
UPDATE April 29, 2023

Here is the YouTube link for the service from last Sunday, April 23rd:
https://youtu.be/7ausK82YDjg
…………………..
Push My Buttons Prayer

Lord, it's likely that sometime today
someone will push my buttons
challenge my good will
misread my intentions
tick me off
try my patience
rattle my cage
judge me in haste
test my kindness
or do all of the above...

Give me the grace I'll need at such times
to respond with patience
to trust and accept
to listen carefully
to reach out in peace
to be fair and just
to anticipate goodness
in all my words and deeds...

I know this is a lot to ask, Lord,
but I need your help
to do for others
as I'd have them do for me...

Amen.
- Rev. Austin Fleming
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/calmness-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Psalm 42 (Loudest Praise)’, by Shane & Shane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk3D3bDaRco
**********************
UPDATE April 28, 2023

The Beauty of Nature

- Walter Rauschenbusch
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/sustainability-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Only There' by Shane & Shane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vevnEvoZkko
***********************
UPDATE April 27, 2023

The Sheltering Tree

Hey! Learn to hear my feeble voice.
At the center of the sacred hoop
You have said that I should make the tree to bloom.

With tears running, O Great Spirit, my Grandfather,
With running eyes I must say
The tree has never bloomed

Here I stand, and the tree is withered.
Again, I recall the great vision you gave me.

It may be that some little root of the sacred tree still lives.
Nourish it then
That it may leaf
And bloom
And fill with singing birds!

Hear me, that the people may once again
Find the good road
And the shielding tree.

- Black Elk
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/sustainability-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Miracle Time’, by Matthew West
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJLWqA20fgY
*******************
UPDATE April 26, 2023

An End to Waste

Let us pray for an end to the
Waste and desecration of God's creation
For access to the fruits of creation
To be shared equally among all people
And for communities and nations to find sustenance
In the fruits of the earth and the water God has given us.

Almighty God, you created the world and gave it
Into our care so that, in obedience to you,
We might serve all people:
Inspire us to use the riches of creation with wisdom,
and to ensure that their blessings are shared by all;
That, trusting in your bounty, all people may be
Empowered to seek freedom from poverty, famine, and oppression.
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/sustainability-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Me On Your Mind’, by Matthew West
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sNbahy6UCc
********************
UPDATE April 25, 2023

For Leaders Impacting Climate Change

God of blessings,
the universe sings of your glory.

Deepen our gratitude for all you have made
and awaken in us a renewed commitment
to care for the earth and each other.

Inspire leaders with openness to listen to those most affected by climate change
and with courage to act urgently and wisely,
so that our common home may be healed and restored
and all people, and generations to come, may delight in it.

-Adapted from the COP27 Climate Summit prayer from the EcoJesuits
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/sustainability-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Hammer and Nails’, by The Staple Singers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmCKR_P84hU
*********************
UPDATE April 24, 2023

A blessing for when you might not know how to pray (or want to)
from my conversation with Father Fr. James Martin, SJ.

Blessed are you in this terrible, wonderful now.
Fumbling around for the right words.
You need so much and it seems impossible to say at all.

Blessed are you for whom prayer feels hopeless, disappointing, futile.
Blessed are you in your radical honesty, in the ways you speak of your grief.

The long, sleepless nights in a still-empty bed.
Or the physical pain you feel, the joints that don’t work like they used to, the brain fog or chronic migraines, who speak of your loneliness, the empty home or nest or womb.

Blessed are you who have the audacity to ask for the miracles you need, the healing or a new friend or a redeemed family.

Blessed are you as you learn to trust, trust a God who hears, who listens, who hasn’t left your side, who prays on your behalf, interpreting those deep groans you can’t quite put into syllables or sounds.

Blessed are you, as you settle into acceptance.

And blessed are we who live here in the someday, but not now.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Which Way the Wind Blows’, by 2nd Chapter of Acts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SdeeinkrHo
***********************
UPDATE April 23, 2023

Emmaus Blessing

Already a blessing
in the walking

already a blessing
on the road

already a blessing
drawing near

already a blessing
in the listening

already a blessing
in the burning hearts

already a blessing
in the almost evening

already a blessing
in the staying

already a blessing
at the table

already a blessing
in the bread

already a blessing
in the breaking

already a blessing
finally known

already a blessing
give us eyes

already a blessing
let us see.
—Jan Richardson
https://paintedprayerbook.com/2011/05/05/easter-3-known/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

God of Wonders (Agnus Dei)’, by Mac Powell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOKaL3bee6I
***************
UPDATE April 22, 2023

Here is the YouTube link for the service from last Sunday, April 16th:
https://youtu.be/eFHe9WpTUs4
……………………….
Earth Day - April 22

Each April 22 we celebrate Earth Day. We thank God for this beautiful creation. May we commit to being the good stewards God calls us to be. May we be aware of our carelessness and our wastefulness. May we commit to the changes that need to be made.

Let us pray. Holy God, earth and air and water are your creation, and every living thing belongs to you: have mercy on us as climate change confronts us. Give us the will and the courage to simplify the way we live, to reduce the energy we use, to share the resources you provide, and to bear the cost of change. Forgive our past mistakes and send us your Spirit, with wisdom in present controversies and vision for the future to which you call us in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen (The Anglican Church of Australia).

Let us act. Find ways to do your part: check out the top ten things we all can do at: https://davidsuzuki.org/what-you-do/top-10-ways-can-stop-climate-change.
Prayer and link can be found at: https://www.ontario.anglican.ca/mission/creation-care/pages/earth-day-prayer

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Trees We’ll Never See’, by Amy Grant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYzGMsBwU8c
******************
UPDATE April 21, 2023

The Beauty of Nature

O God, we thank you for this earth, our home;
For the wide sky and the blessed sun,
For the salt sea and the running water,
For the everlasting hills
And the never-resting winds,
For trees and the common grass underfoot.
We thank you for our senses
By which we hear the songs of birds,
And see the splendor of the summer fields,
And taste of the autumn fruits,
And rejoice in the feel of the snow,
And smell the breath of the spring.
Grant us a heart wide open to all this beauty;
And save our souls from being so blind
That we pass unseeing
When even the common thorn bush
Is aflame with your glory,
O God our creator,
Who lives and reigns forever and ever.
- Walter Rauschenbusch
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/sustainability-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Healing Time on Earth’, by John Denver
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wrDc8lx3_I
****************
UPDATE April 20, 2023

The Earth is the Lord's

This we know: the earth does not belong to us.
The earth is the Lord’s and so are all its people.

This we know: we did not weave the web of life.
The earth is the Lord’s and so is all that breathes on it.

This we know: we are called to till and work the earth.
The earth is the Lord’s and so are all who work the land.

This we know: that we are called to take care of creation.
The earth is the Lord’s yet we have polluted and abused it.

This we know: that whatever befalls the earth, Befalls the sons and daughters of the earth
This we know: that the earth is the Lord’s. And so we will serve Him in it.

Amen.
-Bishop Eric Pike
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/creation-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Find Our Way to Love (Earth Version)’, by The Many
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4R2-kA000s
*******************
UPDATE April 19, 2023

Creation Prayer
God our Father,
you created the world and sent your own Son to live among us,
made of the same stuff, breathing the same air,
marveling at sunrise and sunset just as we do.

Help us to participate in the life around and within us as your life,
as you living in us and we living in you and in each other.

God of love and life, restore us to your peace,
renew us through your power and teach us to love all that you have created and to care for the earth as your gift and our home.

- The Earth Community: In Christ through the Integrity of Creation
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/creation-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Is This How the World Ends?, by The Many
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXEkYG-JXuY
***************
UPDATE April 18, 2023

As we remember the tragic shooting spree that took place in Nova Scotia three years ago today and tomorrow, we pray for those who were killed, the loved ones left behind to mourn their loss, the police officers and first responders who cared for the wounded and the community that felt this tragedy most intimately. The loss was indeed great, but the loving response to the senselessness of the tragedy and the resolve to rise above the violence was far greater. We pray for the province of Nova Scotia and for our nation that we might find ways to deal with our problems beyond reaching for guns to solve them. Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kryie eleison.

A Prayer for Peace After Gun Violence

“Thus says Yahweh: a voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and bitter weeping. Rachel, weeping for her children, refuses to be comforted, for her children are no more.”

Jeremiah 31:15

God, comforter of the broken and disheartened, We come to you plagued with an agonized grief after yet one more outbreak of senseless gun violence.

We come to you, from the East to the West, from the North to the South, people of all ages, ethnicities, and walks of life.

We represent one voice, the voice of bitter weeping echoing throughout our cities and resounding in communities throughout the world.

As violence abounds, we sit in the darkness, sitting alongside the suffering on the mourner’s bench.

We are Rachel, mourning with wordless sobs, the lives of those sacrificed on the altar of violence.

We are Rachel, weeping for the wounded, for those whose minds and bodies are etched with painful memories of men’s unjustifiable rage.

We are Rachel, lamenting with the families who have lost loved ones whose cries of despair join with those from tragedies of gun violence.

We are Rachel, perplexed with troubled souls, and searching for answers, seeking to understand what would cause humans to inflict pain on their fellow sisters and brothers.

We are Rachel, exasperated, grasping—crying out, “How long, O God?” How long will this wave of violence consume your people?
https://www.blessed-midland.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Prayers.pdf

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’The Victor’, by Jamie Owens-Collins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9r9VfoEw28
******************
UPDATE April 17, 2023

A Prayer In Response to Gun Violence

Let us lament with all those who are touched by gun violence
Let us lament the shooter’s choice for violence
Let us lament laws that allow violent men easy access to guns
Let us lament our politicians’ unwillingness to work for change
Let us lament with the hearts broken by loss today
Let us lament all the lives cut short today
Let us lament, O God, and then let us rise from our knees to work for change
In the name of Christ, the prince of peace. Amen.
—The Rev. Dr. Ellen Clark-King, Executive Pastor and Canon for Social Justice
https://www.blessed-midland.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Prayers.pdf

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Again and Again’, by The Many
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIhZRsaXPB4
****************
UPDATE April 16, 2023

A Blessing for Aging Gracefully
from THE LIVES WE ACTUALLY HAVE: 100 BLESSINGS FOR IMPERFECT DAYS

Blessed are you who have reached a new age—
even if it doesn’t seem to fit.
It may feel too big. Too reductive. Too limiting.
It may be marked by a life you barely recognize.

The kids who have all moved out or settled somewhere far away.
Or they have never left and you’re wondering if you’ll ever get that home office…

The work that no longer sets the daily hum.
The life-partner who is gone and friends you’ve outlived.
The body which doesn’t allow for the hobby you loved anymore.
The monthly check that doesn’t provide the flexibility you’d hoped for.

Wasn’t I young just a second ago?
Will I ever recognize the person staring back in the mirror?
What’s left to do that really counts?
How do I know if I am, or ever was… enough?

God, give us eyes to notice the ways
life can still be beautiful and rich and full
in the midst of so much that has been lost.
Remind us that you are not done with us yet.
For the God who spoke us into being, calls us even now.
Not to an ideal or a role, but to a moment. This one.

In a world that equates age with liability,
it’s time for a reminder that you are a gift.

You give advice.
You hold onto family recipes.
You remember that thing that happened and honestly, we shouldn’t have forgotten.
You think our kids are beautiful and our bad partners should be soundly dumped.
You kept the photo album.
You hold our stories.
Thank you.

Even when the world isn’t paying attention,
May you get a glimmer of a reminder that these little things add up
to something that is and always will be
beautiful.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/books/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Seasons of the Soul’, by Jamie Owens-Collins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ku7CMlMyasM
*********************
UPDATE April 15, 2023

Here are the YouTube links for the Holy Week and Easter Services:

Maundy Thursday; https://youtu.be/6bAucmN9Pjs

Good Friday: https://youtu.be/QETjSv1LpOc

Easter Sunday: https://youtu.be/XFUuWO7jh4I
……………………….
Let Us Have Hearts of Thankfulness
Lord God,
You loved this world so much,
That you gave your one and only Son,
That we might be called your children too.
Lord, help us to live in the gladness and grace
Of Easter Sunday, everyday.
Let us have hearts of thankfulness
For your sacrifice.
Help us to walk in that mighty grace
And tell your good news to the world.
All for your glory do we pray, Lord,
Let us have eyes that look upon
Amen.
— Rachel Marie Stone
https://www.countryliving.com/life/g30679333/easter-prayers/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’I See The Lord’, by Matthew Ward
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOAz9cOxh0s
*******************
UPDATE April 14, 2023

Easter Morning

As the world sings triumphant cries to heaven over death that you conquered, help us, Lord, tomorrow as well, when the dresses are put away and the candy is all eaten and on with life we go let us not forget.

The celebration of your resurrection over death is a celebration of life that should continue well beyond the sunrise service and the music, rehearsed for days prior; it is beyond the sign of spring, beyond the lily, beyond new lambs grazing in open fields.

Resurrection is a daily celebration over fear; man's greatest and most powerful enemy. Fear of tomorrow, fear of our yesterdays, fear of what shall become of our young our old our unborn. Resurrection is replacing fear with physical action.

This alone, the most touching and profound of your signs that fear is dead and belief in you brings, not just hope but life.
What better living parable could You have brought? All fear death. All. Even in the garden, You took on our fear if for only moments, it was as real as our fears can be real and You knew then that this single enemy must be destroyed.

And, You sacrificed your life, leaving those who had been comfort, and follower; You left them behind, to conquer fear.

I shall cling to this now, and the tomorrows given me.
Peace and thanksgiving lifted unto you.

Amen.
- Author Unknown
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/easter-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’You Are My Refuge’, by Matthew Ward
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Bsinetc43g
********************
UPDATE April 13, 2023

Joyous Time of Year

May the glory
and the promise
of this joyous time of year
bring peace
and happiness to you
and those you hold most dear.

And may Christ,
Our Risen Saviour,
always be there by your side
to bless you
most abundantly
and be your loving guide.

- Author Unknown
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/easter-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’I Will Worship You’, by Matthew Ward
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhJYN2Hk_FQ
*******************
UPDATE April 12, 2023

An Easter Prayer

Good and gracious God,
Our most glorious Creator,
As we greet the signs in nature around us:
Of Spring once again regaling us in bloom,
In the songs of returning birds and fields soon to be planted,
We give you praise for an even greater sign of new life: the resurrection of your Son,
Our Lord Jesus Christ, that we especially celebrate at this time.
The sadness and despair of his death has given way to the bright promise of immortality.
For the Resurrection is our guarantee that justice will triumph over treason, Light will overcome darkness, and love will conquer death.
As we celebrate, we also dare to ask for your grace that we may live the promise given to us,
By imitating the life of Jesus in reaching out to the poor, the marginalized, the least among us,
As we strive to be neighbor to all those we meet,
We ask your special blessings each and every day on our President.
Working with him may we strive to make this great country of ours a beacon of hope and justice in a world hungry for peace and so in need of your love.
We praise you in this Easter season. Change our lives, change our hearts to be messengers of Easter joy and hope.
We make our prayer through Jesus Christ, our risen Lord forever.

Amen.
- Fr. Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA, offered at the fourth annual White House Easter Prayer Breakfast on April 8, 2013
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/easter-prayers

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Agnus Dei’, by Ukranian Easter Choir
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-2CVjPgPoI
*********************
UPDATE April 11, 2023

Seen
A Blessing for Easter Day

You had not imagined
that something so empty
could fill you
to overflowing,

and now you carry
the knowledge
like an awful treasure
or like a child
that roots itself
beneath your heart:

how the emptiness
will bear forth
a new world
that you cannot fathom
but on whose edge
you stand.

So why do you linger?
You have seen,
and so you are
already blessed.
You have been seen,
and so you are
the blessing.

There is no other word
you need.
There is simply
to go
and tell.
There is simply
to begin.

—Jan Richardson
from: Circle of Grace: A Book of Blessings for the Seasons.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Teach Us Your Ways’, by The Porter’s Gate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utS6aP1jPZs
*******************
UPDATE April 10, 2023

The Magdalene’s Blessing

You hardly imagined
standing here,
everything you ever loved
suddenly returned to you,
looking you in the eye
and calling your name.

And now
you do not know
how to abide this ache
in the center
of your chest,
where a door
slams shut
and swings open
at the same time,
turning on the hinge
of your aching
and hopeful heart.

I tell you,
this is not a banishment
from the garden.

This is an invitation,
a choice,
a threshold,
a gate.

This is your life
calling to you
from a place
you could never
have dreamed,
but now that you
have glimpsed its edge,
you cannot imagine
choosing any other way.

So let the tears come
as anointing,
as consecration,
and then
let them go.

Let this blessing
gather itself around you.

Let it give you
what you will need
for this journey.

You will not remember
the words—
they do not matter.

All you need to remember
is how it sounded
when you stood
in the place of death
and heard the living
call your name.

—Jan Richardson
Circle of Grace: A Book of Blessings for the Seasons.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Glory in the Highest’, by Annie Herring
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQXv6FYnB8g
********************
UPDATE April 9, 2023

Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
Christ is Risen indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia!

A Blessing for Easter Sunday
(Adapted from The Lives We Actually Have, page 210)

“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week… Jesus came and stood among
them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
—John 20:19, ESV

Oh God, we stretch out our hands to you in this early Easter darkness.
We need you to pull us up and set us on our feet again,
for we are weak and tired.

God, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Spirit, have mercy.

God, on that first Easter morning
while it was still dark,
one woman went alone to the tomb
to do what could be done to honor you,
though hope had drained away.
Two bright angels met her there, and then – how is it possible? –
you were there. fully alive, beyond belief.

Blessed are we who stretch out our hands to you
in doubt and grief,
in sickness of body and mind and spirit,
our prayers not fully realized,
rejoicing… anyway.

For that is what makes us Easter people:
carrying forth the realized hope of the Resurrected One,
singing our alleluias great and small,
while it is still dark.

Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Easter Song (Live)’, by 2nd Chapter of Acts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-ljFTNuM_E
********************
UPDATE April 8, 2023

Here is the YouTube link for the sermon from this past Sunday’s (April 2nd) service: https://youtu.be/qRYNEo5GROc
……………………….
A Prayer to Find Refuge in Hope

Lord God,
on the Sabbath, Jesus rested.
He was in the grave. He had finished his work.
To most people’s eyes, it looked as if it were all over.
He was dead and buried.
But only as a seed dies when it is planted in the earth,
not to decay, but to spring to new life.
Teach us to take refuge in you when we are afraid
Teach us that death is not our end
Teach us to hope always in you and in the resurrection,
the making of all things New.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
– Maria Miriam
https://www.ibelieve.com/faith/beautiful-holy-saturday-prayers-to-prepare-for-easter.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Ave Verum Corpus’, by Beth Nielsen Chapman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMsvu5dmqNQ
******************
UPDATE April 7, 2023

Holy Week
Friday

My Lord,
your son has suffered so much, shed so much blood.
I was born with so many faults
and my nature is so full of weakness,
and yet your son Jesus has died on the cross.
For me.
I know your grace has the power
to cleanse me of my many sins
and to make me more like your Son.
Thank you for your goodness and love for me.
I ask you, Father, to watch over me - always. Amen.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/Daily-prayers-06.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?’, by Johnny Cash and the Carter Family
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvmM6zoPGGI
*****************
UPDATE April 6, 2023

Holy Week
Thursday

Loving Provider,
you gather me in this upper room with your son,
to be fed by your love.
At that supper, Jesus told us to "love one another"
and I know that is the heart of his gift,
his sacrifice for me.
I ask that I might find the source of my own heart,
the meaning for my own life,
in that Eucharist.
Guide me to the fullness of your love and life. Amen.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/Daily-prayers-06.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Wood and Nails’, by The Porter’s Gate ft Audrey Assad & Josh Garrels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIyr1PIMWgw
*****************
UPDATE April 5, 2023

Holy Week
Wednesday

My savior,
do you invite me to share
in the glory of the resurrection?
Please stay with me
as I struggle to see
how accepting the crosses of my life
will free me from the power
of the one who wants only
to destroy my love and trust in you.
Help me to be humble and accepting
like your son, Jesus.
I want to turn to you
with the same trust he had in your love.
Save me, Lord. Only you can save me. Amen.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/Daily-prayers-06.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Jerusalem’, by CityAlight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX4ZCHRksBA
*******************
UPDATE April 4, 2023

Holy Week
Tuesday

God of such unwavering love,
how do I "celebrate"
the passion and death of Jesus?
I often want to look the other way
and not watch,
not stay with Jesus in his suffering.
Give me the strength
to see his love with honesty and compassion
and to feel deeply
your own forgiveness and mercy for me.
Help me to understand
how to "celebrate" this week.
I want to be able to bring
my weaknesses and imperfections with me
as I journey with Jesus this week,
so aware of his love. Amen.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/Daily-prayers-06.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Communion Song (Take This Bread)’, by Barry McGuire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Sl-yZzCFvo
*********************
UPDATE April 3, 2023

Holy Week
Monday

God of love,
My prayer is simple:
Your son, Jesus, suffered and died for me.
I know only
that I cannot have real strength
unless I rely on you.
I cannot feel protected
from my many weaknesses
until I turn to you
for forgiveness and your unalterable love.
Help me to share this
strength, protection and love with others. Amen.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/Daily-prayers-06.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Blessed are the Merciful’, by The Porter’s Gate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2el5YwegO0M
*******************
UPDATE April 2, 2023

A Blessing for Palm Sunday
(Adapted for a communal setting from The Lives We Actually Have, page 202)
“Blessed are those who have learned to walk in the light of your presence.” —Psalm 89:15,

Oh God, you are interrupting us with eternity once again.
Open our hearts and minds and eyes and ears to hear what you have to teach us.

On this Palm Sunday, time is marked as one small donkey
plods toward Jerusalem,
One with a face set like flint, feet almost grazing the ground, walks forward
toward the eastering of all sorrow
—not in the power of horses and swift victory,
but in small, steady steps.
toward the mystery
that through suffering, healing comes,
that through shame, dignity is restored,
that through the cross that powers are disarmed,
and death done away with forever.

Blessed are all those walking forward
into the great, small work they do:
in hospitals, homes, grocery stores,
classrooms, churches, and cubicles.

And blessed are we joining the crowds
waving palm branches
to shout ourselves hoarse:
“Hosanna! Save us! Save our world.”
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Hosanna’, by Selah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMweebqVtNE

*********************
UPDATE April 1, 2023

Here is the YouTube link for the sermon from this past Sunday’s (March 26th) service: https://youtu.be/mTJbkwRhBWw
……………………….
The Fifth Week of Lent
Saturday

Loving God,
Your eternal watchfulness keeps me safe from harm.
I am filled with a great happiness
when I feel your endless love for me.
Thank you for your care for me, one of your children.
I ask you to protect from harm
those who will soon be your children,
joined in the joy of your church.
Please continue to pour out your blessings
on all of us who have been given
the lifegiving waters of baptism. Amen.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/Daily-prayers-05.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Maker’, by Matthew West and David Leonard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwRCbKXqFqY
*******************
UPDATE March 31, 2023

The Fifth Week of Lent
Friday

Most forgiving Lord,
again and again you welcome me back into your loving arms.
Grant me freedom from the heavy burdens of sin
that weigh me down
and keep me so far from you. Amen.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/Daily-prayers-05.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Lord Have Mercy’, by Keith & Kristyn Getty, Matt Boswell, Matt Papa, Sandra McCracken
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rJtEmn56cQ
**********************
UPDATE March 30, 2023

The Fifth Week of Lent
Thursday

Lord,
all I want is to be faithful to you in my life,
but so often I fail.
Free me from my many sins
and guide me to the life I will share with you.
I wait for your promise to be fulfilled
with great hope in my heart
and your praise on my lips. Amen.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/Daily-prayers-05.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’My Soul Finds Rest (Psalm 62)’, by Sandra McCracken
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0bw1U59liE
*******************
UPDATE March 29, 2023

A Prayer after Gun Violence

Christ, you wept over a city. We are in deepest despair. As we weep over the dead and injured killed by guns, in anguish, we recognize the blood stains of hatred. We hear the sounds of fear, the echoes of gunshots — once again, once again.

Christ, you came to bring us peace. We turn to you in overwhelming sorrow. How can we end this nightmare of violence? How can we build a world of inclusion, of solidarity? Give us the grace to reflect deeply and to work ceaselessly to heal the hearts; to stop the guns; to cherish all God’s children.

Christ, you endured violent suffering to bring us light. We pray for the dead, may they rest in peace. We pray for the wounded, may they find healing. We pray for our nation, may we end the hate. We pray for our global family, may we learn we are one.

Amen.
https://socialjusticeresourcecenter.org/prayers/gun-violence/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Lord, From Sorrows Deep I Call (Psalm 42)’, by Keith & Kristyn Getty, Matt Boswell & Matt Papa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYGhnbXtqbU
******************
UPDATE March 28, 2023

Sad, Tired and Angry: A Prayer in the Face of Gun Violence

Almighty God,

I come before you,
once again,
after another shooting.

I am sad, God.

So I ask you
to receive into your loving care the souls of those who were killed,
to care for those who were wounded or hurt in any way,
to console the family members and friends of those who died or were wounded,
to strengthen the hands of the rescue workers, medical professionals and caregivers

I pray too for the shooter, as I must as a Christian.

All this makes me inexpressibly sad, God.
But I know that the sadness I feel is your sadness.
It is the same sadness your son expressed
when he wept over the death of
his friend Lazarus.

I know that the sadness I feel is your sadness.

I am tired, God.
I’m tired of the unwillingness to see this as an important issue.
I’m tired of those in power who work to prevent any real change.
I’m tired of those who say that gun violence can’t be reduced.

All this makes me tired.
But I know that the tiredness I feel is your tiredness.
It’s the same tiredness that Jesus felt after his own struggles against injustice
that led him to fall asleep on the boat with his disciples.

I am angry, God.
I’m angry at the seeming powerlessness of our community to prevent this.
I’m angry at the selfish financial interests who block change.
I’m angry that these shootings happen at all.

But I know that this anger is your anger
It’s the same anger Jesus felt when he overturned the tables in the Temple,
angry that anyone would be taken advantage of in any way.

Help me see in these feelings as the way that you move me to act.

Help me see in these emotions your own desire for change.
Help me see in these feelings your moving me to act.
Help me see in these reactions your pushing me to do something.

Because I know this is the way you move people to action.
And I know that you desire action.
For Jesus did not stand by while people were being hurt.
He plunged into their lives.

So help me to answer these questions:
How can I help?
How can I fight against gun violence?
How can I urge my political leaders to enact change?
How can I help people understand that this is
an issue about life?

I am sad over the loss of life,
tired of excuses for the loss of life,
and angry that we are paralyzed by the loss of life.

Turn my sadness into compassion. Turn my tiredness into advocacy.

So
Turn my sadness into compassion.
Turn my tiredness into advocacy.
Turn my paralysis into the freedom to act.

Help me
to be compassionate,
to advocate
and to act,
as your son did,
Almighty God.

James Martin S.J.
https://socialjusticeresourcecenter.org/prayers/gun-violence/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’How Long, O Lord, How Long? (Psalm 13)’ by Sovereign Grace Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdUnNIktxxI
**********************
UPDATE March 27, 2023

A Blessing for Life After a Loss
(Adapted for a communal setting from The Lives We Actually Have, page 86)

Blessed are we, who feel the wound of fresh loss.
Or of a loss... no matter how fresh... that still makes our voices crack all these years later.
We who are stuck in the impossibility of it. Frozen in disbelief.
How can this be? It wasn’t supposed to be this way.

Blessed are we, fumbling around for easy answers or quick truths
to try to make this go down easier.
We who are dissatisfied with the shallow theology and trite platitudes.

Blessed are we, who, instead, demand a blessing.
Because we have wrestled with God and are here.
Wounded. Broken. Changed.

Blessed are we,
who keep our relationships and friendships and jobs afloat,
and who stock the pantry…

because… what choice do we have
but to move forward with a life we didn’t choose
with a loss we thought we couldn’t live without?

One small step. One small act of hope at a time.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Lovely, Needy People’, by The Many
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_6gxdeJ_LY
*******************
UPDATE March 26, 2023

Lazarus Blessing

The secret
of this blessing
is that it is written
on the back
of what binds you.

To read
this blessing,
you must take hold
of the end
of what
confines you,
must begin to tug
at the edge
of what wraps
you round.

It may take long
and long
for its length
to fall away,
for the words
of this blessing
to unwind
in folds
about your feet.

By then
you will no longer
need them.

By then this blessing
will have pressed itself
into your waking flesh,
will have passed
into your bones,
will have traveled
every vein

until it comes to rest
inside the chambers
of your heart
that beats to
the rhythm
of benediction

and the cadence
of release.

—Jan Richardson
from Circle of Grace: A Book of Blessings for the Seasons

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Come As You Are’, by The Many
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLQsfto8LyE
********************
UPDATE March 25, 2023

Here is the YouTube link for the sermon from this past Sunday’s (March 19th) service: https://youtu.be/JwiA_j2_Cjs
……………………….
The Fourth Week of Lent
Saturday

Lord,
what you ask of my life seems so right.
It is how I want to live,
following your Son, Jesus, so closely.
And yet I fail so often to stay on that path.
I cannot do it alone, loving Lord.
I need your help and guidance.
I need to remember your love for me
and I want to remember
how very much I need you in my life. Amen.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/Daily-prayers-04.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’You Hold it All’, by The Porter’s Gate, ft Leslie Jordan & Jon Guerra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmjw5279DwY
*************
UPDATE March 24, 2023

The Fourth Week of Lent
Friday

Loving God of forgiveness,
I come before you humbled and sad
in the face of my own repeated failings.
I hold out my hands as a petitioner would,
asking for mercy.
It is then that I feel you reach out and take my hand
in your loving grasp.
Thank you for the love you pour out on me
so lavishly.
Help me to follow more closely
in the path you have set for me,
the path of your Son. Amen.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/Daily-prayers-04.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

Little Things With Great Love ft. Madison Cunningham
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pm5VQAxdMrc
************************
UPDATE March 23, 2023

The Fourth Week of Lent
Thursday

Merciful Father/ Loving Mother,
I know that the tiny sacrifices I make this Lent
can never serve as a real penance in my life.
But help me to make my whole life
one of following your Son.
I am filled with your love.
Let your love shine out from within me
and guide my life in this sacred journey
toward the Easter joy you offer me. Amen.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/Daily-prayers-04.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Drive Out The Darkness’, by The Porter’s Gate ft Latifah Alattas & Paul Zach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpGu359wRjE
*******************
UPDATE March 22, 2023

The Fourth Week of Lent
Wednesday

Loving and merciful God,
I am so aware of my sins and weaknesses.
But as painfully aware of my faults as I am,
Let me also remember your tender love,
your gentle and limitless forgiveness.
I come before you filled with pain and guilt
but look into your eyes and see the forgiving love
I so long for in my life.
Help me to forgive the same way.
Teach me to love as you love. Amen.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/Daily-prayers-04.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Out of My Hands’, by Jeremy Camp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6B_iXPaoTD4
********************
UPDATE March 21, 2023

The Fourth Week of Lent
Tuesday

Joyful praise in Lent?
I'm not sure I always feel that.
I ask you to help me prepare to understand
and embrace the paschal mystery in my life.
I don't always see the beauty and mystery
of this season
and often I run from the pain.
Help me to see how your saving grace
and your loving touch in my life
can fill me with joyful praise of the salvation
you have sent to me. Amen.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/Daily-prayers-04.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Love Moved First’, by Casting Crowns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8fWD_JpIFg
********************
UPDATE March 20, 2023

The Fourth Week of Lent
Monday

God who created me,
You offer me new life through your Son
and through the gift of your sacraments.
While I see new life all around me,
I don't always recognize the new life you offer me.
Help me to grow this Lent in an awareness
of the gifts you place in my life
and in a greater appreciation for your care.
Give me the courage to ask for help. Amen.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/Daily-prayers-04.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Is He Worthy?’, by Chris Tomlin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-c6pl6CaiD0
*******************
UPDATE March 19, 2023

The Fourth Week of Lent
Sunday

Loving Creator of mine,
I feel the pace quicken, the time draw near.
I am filled with joy as I move toward Easter
and the promised reconciliation with you.
Teach me to follow the example of your Son,
to be worthy of being called one his people:
a Christ-ian.
Help me to live each day as he did
turning hatred to love and conflict to peace.
I await the new life with eagerness, faith
and a deep gratitude. Amen.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/Daily-prayers-04.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’You Will Be Found’, by Natalie Grant ft Cory Asbury
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHC7P4YJ9KY
*******************
UPDATE March 18, 2023

Here is the YouTube link for the sermon from this past Sunday’s (March 12th) service: https://youtu.be/3mYRQ8zrVnY

The Third Week of Lent
Saturday

God of Mercy and Understanding,
I know that with help
I can open my heart more fully
to the mysteries of the suffering and death
of your son.
Help me to be humble in this journey
and remember that any mercy and compassion I feel
is a gift from you.
I await the joy of Easter with new longing and patience. Amen.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/Daily-prayers-03.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’We Are Not Alone’, by New West Symphony & Chorus, Alberta, and the Symphony NY Chorus of New York
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEzzbLSkozY
*****************
UPDATE March 17, 2023

The Third Week of Lent
Friday

God of Mercy,
I feel my heart overflowing with your tenderness.
I sense your loving touch deep within my soul.
I ask for your help in my weakness
that I might be faithful to your word
and I am so grateful
that your mercy for my failings
is as strong as your unbounded love for me. Amen.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/Daily-prayers-03.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’O Jerusalem’, by The Porter’s Gate ft Greg Thompson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsyP7zqkV0c
***********************
UPDATE March 16, 2023

The Third Week of Lent
Thursday

Loving God,
I hear your invitation, "Come back to me"
and I am filled with such a longing to return to you.
Show me the way to return.
Lead me this day in good works I do in your name
and send your Spirit to guide me and strengthen my faith.
I ask only to feel your love in my life today. Amen.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/Daily-prayers-03.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’How Long’, by The Porter’s Gate, ft Latifah Alattas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk7VMmK8wJE
*********************
UPDATE March 15, 2023

The Third Week of Lent
Wednesday

God, you love me as your own child.
May I bend my life and will toward you
so that I might accept your teaching and guidance.
I am so grateful for your support in my life,
now and in the eternal life you are preparing for me.
I beg for your help and Spirit in my life today. Amen.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/Daily-prayers-03.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Rock of Ages’, by Amy Grant, ft Vince Gill
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W47dBIJ22uk
******************
UPDATE March 14, 2023

The Third Week of Lent
Tuesday

God of infinite love,
I thank you for this reminder of your love
and your call that we be more patient,
gentle and compassionate with others.
Here in the middle of Lent,
I turn to you to beg for your help.
Please soften my heart.
Help me to let go of judging others.
I ask you this, in Jesus' name. Amen.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/Daily-prayers-03.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Sweet Will of God’, by Amy Grant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGaea0BBKDk
********************
UPDATE March 13, 2023

The Third Week of Lent
Monday

Merciful God,
Free your Church from the sins of this world
and protect us from evil we see
and the evil we prefer to ignore.
We need your guidance, Lord
for we cannot do this alone.
Only with your help can we be saved.
Thank you for your desire to save us and love us. Amen.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/Daily-prayers-03.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Carry You’, by Amy Grant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbQ58sq1e9w
*******************
UPDATE March 12, 2023

A Blessing for When It’s Too Much To Handle
(Adapted for a communal setting from The Lives We Actually Have, page 108).

God, our bodies remember the sleepless nights and cold sweats and unrelenting stress.
Show us how to process all that we suffer.

“How frail is humanity!
How short is life, How full of trouble!”
—Job 14:1, NLT

Blessed are we, when we decide to make room for all of it,
the fear and the gratitude, the complexity and the suffering.

Blessed are we who pour out to you the whole of it—
unedited, all the terrible truths and fears and what-ifs.
The gratitude for those beautiful hearts in action who came willingly,
into the strange and awkward space that is my need.

Blessed are we, learning as humans together that pain is inevitable,
nurses are wonderful, hospitals are loud, people are brave,
and we grow and we hurt and we heal, and then we will do it all over again.
Because this beautiful paradox is what it means to be human.
—Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Anywhere with Jesus’, by Amy Grant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWFAsqxIZKI
*******************
UPDATE March 11, 2023

Here is the YouTube link for the sermon from this past Sunday’s (March 5th) service: https://youtu.be/zrHuHT-H3yU
……………………….

…………….
The Second Week of Lent
Saturday

God of infinite love,
you shower me with limitless gifts in my life.
In my every thought and action today
guide me to the bright and loving light of your kingdom.
Help me to be aware of
the many ways you allow me
to share in your life so intimately today.
Thank you for the gifts you have placed in my life.
Let me be grateful every moment of this day. Amen.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/Daily-prayers-02.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’If I Could See (What the Angels See)’, by Amy Grant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_3NXD4cKJY
********************
UPDATE March 10, 2023

The Second Week of Lent
Friday

Loving God, Caring parent,
I am a child who so often turns my back
on your love.
Please accept my small acts of sorrow today
and help to release me from the self-absorption
that closes my heart to you.
As I journey through Lent,
let me remember the feast you have prepared for me
in the resurrection
and let me be filled with thanks to you. Amen.
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/Daily-prayers-02.html

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Show Me the Way’, by Dionne Warwick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AvoKxKEJMs
*************
UPDATE March 9, 2023

A BLESSING FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL, LIMITED DAY

Blessed are we who see the impossibility
of solving today.
It can’t be done.

God, there are lists on lists
and errands on errands
and a taste, like tin in our mouths,
of the unfinishedness—the imperfectability—of our lives.

Are we counting items instead of knowing what counts?

God, help us live here,
seeing the whole truth of what is.

Blessed are we who walk toward the discomfort,
bringing what gifts we have, and our sufferings too,
whether of illness or loss,
grief or betrayal,
confusion or powerlessness.

Blessed are we who scoot up close
so we can whisper our loves, our fears,
all that feels too heavy to carry alone,
and all that we wish we could hold onto for longer.

Show us what we love.
Show us what we never want to lose.
And show us what we no longer need
here in this beautiful, limited day,
as we place our trust and hope in you.
Amen.

From our new book of blessings, THE LIVES WE ACTUALLY HAVE

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Humbly I Pray’, by Dionne Warwick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM9HsdOrdtM
*******************
UPDATE March 8, 2023

On this International Women’s Day, we lift up all the women in our lives: our mothers, sisters, daughters, mentors, pastors, and grandmothers who have gone before us, walk with us now, and who will come after us. We bless their lives and their journeys as they forge paths for the rest of us to follow and to beckon to others as we move toward full equality and equity among all of God’s people.

A prayer from the Lutheran World Federation

Stir our souls, boundless Creator.
Wherever we are,
Help us live deeply into our responsibility to the stewardship of community rooted in love.
Whoever we are,
Remind us that we are each beloved and created in your image and likeness.
When-ever we are,
Accompany all generations as we pass on traditions of peacebuilding and peace-waging.
On this International Women’s Day,
Be with your people, God who is like a mother hen.
Divinity is our heritage,
Empowerment is our right,
And community is our vehicle.
Because you have created it to be so. Amen.
—Mx Kayla Zopfi
https://www.lutheranworld.org/blog/international-womens-day-fury-love-curiosity

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Blessed Be the Name of the Lord’, by Dionne Warwick & The Drinkard Singers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npRJAq60b-w
********************
UPDATE March 7, 2023

Where the Breath Begins

Dry
and dry
and dry
in each direction.

Dust dry.
Desert dry.
Bone dry.

And here
in your own heart:
dry,
the center of your chest
a bare valley
stretching out
every way you turn.

Did you think
this was where
you had come to die?

It’s true that
you may need
to do some crumbling,
yes.
That some things
you have protected
may want to be
laid bare,
yes.
That you will be asked
to let go
and let go,
yes.

But listen.
This is what
a desert is for.

If you have come here
desolate,
if you have come here
deflated,
then thank your lucky stars
the desert is where
you have landed—
here where it is hard
to hide,
here where it is unwise
to rely on your own devices,
here where you will
have to look
and look again
and look close
to find what refreshment waits
to reveal itself to you.

I tell you,
though it may be hard
to see it now,
this is where
your greatest blessing
will find you.

I tell you,
this is where
you will receive
your life again.

I tell you,
this is where
the breath begins.

—Jan Richardson
from Circle of Grace

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’The World Needs Jesus’, by Dionne Warwick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgd2O27m_rw
********************
UPDATE March 6, 2023

Blessing of the Well

If you stand
at the edge
of this blessing
and call down
into it,
you will hear
your words
return to you.

If you lean in
and listen close,
you will hear
this blessing
give the story
of your life
back to you.

Quiet your voice.
Quiet your judgment.
Quiet the way
you always tell
your story
to yourself.

Quiet all these
and you will hear
the whole of it
and the hollows of it:
the spaces
in the telling,
the gaps
where you hesitate
to go.

Sit at the rim
of this blessing.
Press your ear
to its lip,
its sides,
its curves
that were carved out
long ago
by those whose thirst
drove them deep,
those who dug
into the layers
with only their hands
and hope.

Rest yourself
beside this blessing
and you will
begin to hear
the sound of water
entering the gaps.

Still yourself
and you will feel it
rising up within you,
filling every emptiness,
springing forth
anew.

—Jan Richardson
from Circle of Grace

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Old Landmark’, by Dionne Warwick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfsMOMBemg4
*******************
UPDATE March 5, 2023

A Blessing for The Lives We Didn’t Choose
(Adapted for a communal setting from The Lives We Actually Have, page 188)

Blessed are we in the tender place between curiosity and dread,
We who wonder how to be whole,
when dreams have disappeared and part of us with them,
where mastery, control, determination, bootstrapping, and grit,
are consigned to the realm of before (where most of the world lives),
in the fever dream that promises infinite choices, unlimited progress, best life now.

Blessed are we in the after,
forced into stories we never would have written.
Far outside of answers to questions we even know to ask.

God, show us a glimmer of possibility in this new constraint,
that small truths will be given back to us.
We are held.
We are safe.
We are loved.
We are loved.
We are loved.

--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Nothing But the Blood of Jesus’, by Amy Grant & Vince Gill
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRO4KoLOd1k
********************
UPDATE March 4, 2023

Here is the YouTube link for the sermon from this past Sunday’s (February 26th) service: https://youtu.be/OVoI5YZLvRI
…………………..
Rend Your Heart

To receive this blessing,
all you have to do
is let your heart break.
Let it crack open.
Let it fall apart
so that you can see
its secret chambers,
the hidden spaces
where you have hesitated
to go.

Your entire life
is here, inscribed whole
upon your heart’s walls:
every path taken
or left behind,
every face you turned toward
or turned away,
every word spoken in love
or in rage,
every line of your life
you would prefer to leave
in shadow,
every story that shimmers
with treasures known
and those you have yet
to find.

It could take you days
to wander these rooms.
Forty, at least.

And so let this be
a season for wandering,
for trusting the breaking,
for tracing the rupture
that will return you

to the One who waits,
who watches,
who works within
the rending
to make your heart
whole.

—Jan Richardson
From: Circle of Grace: A Book of Blessings for the Seasons

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Here’, by Amy Grant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6vP71MOPj8
*******************
UPDATE March 3, 2023

Prayer for the Second Friday in Lent

Creator of my life,
renew me: bring me to new life in you.
Touch me and make me feel whole again.
Help me to see your love
in the passion, death and resurrection of your son.
Help me to observe Lent
in a way that allows me to celebrate that love.
Prepare me for these weeks of Lent
as I feel both deep sorrows for my sins
and your undying love for me.
Amen
https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/1st-week.html#fri

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Thy Word’, by Amy Grant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuJF_wpYXqU
**********************
UPDATE March 2, 2023

Will You Meet Us?
A Blessing for Ash Wednesday

Will you meet us
in the ashes,
will you meet us
in the ache
and show your face
within our sorrow
and offer us
your word of grace:

That you are life
within the dying,
that you abide
within the dust,
that you are what
survives the burning,
that you arise
to make us new.

And in our aching,
you are breathing;
and in our weeping,
you are here
within the hands
that bear your blessing,
enfolding us
within your love.

Blessed are we, living in this small space,
in these bodies we now inhabit,
within the walls of circumstance,
in these short years and finite strength,
and with these eyes that see only so far.

We are fragile, contingent beings.

Yet blessed are we,
recognizing that it is our limits as well as our gifts
that can shape the natural contours of what is possible,
that guide us to what is ours to do.

Blessed are we when it is not our greatness that speaks, but our littleness.
For it is our vulnerability that is the truest thing about us,
the place where mutual connection is possible,
where competition ends and community begins.

And oh how blessed are we in our fragility and dependence and brokenness,
knowing that You, O God, hold all things together.

There is no cure for being human…but for each other, we are all good medicine.

Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/blessings/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Peace Like a River’, by Dolly Parton & Dionne Warwick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlWWmCKrTu4
*******************
UPDATE February 28, 2023

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise (Documentary)
American Masters Production
Directed by: Rita Coburn Whack & Bob Hercules
Produced by: Rita Coburn Whack, Bob Hercules, Jay Alix
2016; Running Time: 1Hr 32min

From YouTube
Documentary portrait of the trail-blazing activist, poet and writer Maya Angelou. Born in 1928, she enthused generations with her bold and inspirational championing of the African-American experience that pushed boundaries and redefined the way people think about race and culture.

Maya Angelou was captured on film just before she died in 2014, and this documentary celebrates her life and work, weaving her words with rare and intimate archival photographs and videos. It reveals hidden episodes of her exuberant life during some of America's defining moments, from her upbringing in the Depression-era south to her work with Malcolm X in Ghana and her inaugural speech for President Bill Clinton, the film takes us on an incredible journey through the life of a true American icon.

Contributors include Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Quincy Jones, Hillary Clinton and Maya Angelou's son Guy Johnson.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVadwe7utuA

This concluded our month-long focus on Black History. The resources we have offered for you for the last four weeks will be compiled into a master document and made available for you to access at any time. As white people, we must do better to understand Black History and the Black experience. We don’t have to learn it all, but we must begin the journey and do whatever we can to bring about truer equity with people of colour everywhere. If you haven’t already, take that first step to learning.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Phenomenal Woman’, by Ruthie Foster
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkYh2BYONms
******************

L to R: Bishop William Huras, Bishop Susan Johnson; Bishop Michael Pryse.

UPDATE February 27, 2023

Sad News From Eastern Synod Bishop Michael J. Pryse:
Our dear colleague Rev. Dr. William David Huras, Bishop (retired) has died. I invite prayers for his beloved family and all who will mourn his passing most deeply. May he rest in peace and rise in glory!

Details will follow as they become available.

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Sidney Poitier-Biography (Documentary)
Produced by Morgan Neville, Peter Jones, Peter Rainer
Written by Peter Rainer
Narrated by Peter Graves
1996; Running Time: 43min

From Wikipedia:
Sidney Poitier KBE (February 20, 1927 – January 6, 2022) was a Bahamian and American actor, film director, and diplomat. In 1964, he was the first black actor and first Bahamian to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. He received two competitive Golden Globe Awards, a competitive British Academy of Film and Television Arts award (BAFTA), and a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album. Poitier was one of the last major stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood cinema.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsH5f4FCBRg

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Amazing Grace’, by Jessye Norman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5jZe32DEYI
***********************
UPDATE February 26, 2023

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Legends of Opera-Jessye Norman (Documentary)
Produced & Directed by Lyndy Saville
2018; Running Time 44min

From Wikipedia:
Jessye Mae Norman (September 15, 1945 – September 30, 2019) was an American opera singer and recitalist. She was able to perform dramatic soprano roles, but refused to be limited to that voice type. A commanding presence on operatic, concert and recital stages, Norman was associated with roles including Beethoven's Leonore, Wagner's Sieglinde and Kundry, Cassandre and Didon by Berlioz and Bartók's Judith. The New York Times music critic Edward Rothstein described her voice as a "grand mansion of sound", and wrote that "it has enormous dimensions, reaching backward and upward. It opens onto unexpected vistas. It contains sunlit rooms, narrow passageways, cavernous halls."

She sang at the second inauguration of Ronald Reagan, at Queen Elizabeth II's 60th birthday celebration in 1986, and performed the La Marseillaise to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution on July 14, 1989. She sang at the 1996 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in Atlanta and for the second inauguration of Bill Clinton in 1997.

Norman sang and recorded recitals of music by Franz Schubert, Johannes Brahms, Richard Strauss, Gustav Mahler, Ernest Chausson and Francis Poulenc, among others. In 1984, she won the Grammy Award for Best Classical Vocal Solo, the first of five Grammy Awards that she would collect during her career. Apart from several honorary doctorates and other awards, she received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Medal of Arts, the Légion d'honneur, and was named a member of the British Royal Academy of Music. In 1990, UN Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar named her Honorary Ambassador to the United Nations.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCwZLMD_WFA

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’You’ll Never Walk Alone’, by Jessye Norman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=709TjFmoKAs
***********************
UPDATE February 25, 2023

Here is the YouTube link for the sermon from this past Sunday’s (February 19th) service: https://youtu.be/nkoqBkqMvGE
……………..……….

…………………………
Today’s Black History Month Resource

Mahalia Jackson: The Power and the Glory (Documentary)
Director by Jeff Scheftel; Written by Michael Singh
1997; Running Time: 1Hr 25min

From IMDB
Documentary narrated by Paul Winfield, this documentary follows the course of Mahalia Jackson's extraordinary life - from her humble beginnings as a sickly child singing in New Orleans churches to her breakthrough with Columbia Records and her ascendancy to Carnegie Hall and Europe's great stages. Her story's told through archival footage and interviews with those who knew her best.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0tKEpJFYYI

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Summertime/Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child’, by Mahalia Jackson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gx00XwzJp0c
*****************************
UPDATE February 24, 2023

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Nat King Cole: The World of Nat King Cole (Documentary)
PBS American Masters Production
2006; Running Time: 56min

From PBS
Nat King Cole crowns a very short list of the most identifiable and memorable voices in American music. This ground breaking American icon’s impact continues to cross the world’s cultural and political boundaries. The story of his life is a study in success in the face of adversity and the triumph of talent over the ignorance of prejudice.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdsKiSlivJs

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’In The Sweet By and By’, by Nat King Cole
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk7wDMuHe6I
***************
UPDATE February 23, 2023

Today’s Black History Month Resource

The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (TV Movie)
Directed by John Korty
Starring: Cicely Tyson, Barbara Cheney, Richard Dysart, Katherine Helmond, Michael Murphy, Odetta, Thalmus Rasulala
1974; Running Time: 1Hr 50min

From Wikipedia
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman is an American television film based on the novel of the same name by Ernest J. Gaines. The film was broadcast on CBS on Thursday, January 31, 1974.

Directed by John Korty, the screenplay was written by Tracy Keenan Wynn and executive produced by Roger Gimbel. It stars Cicely Tyson in the lead role, as well as Michael Murphy, Richard Dysart, Katherine Helmond, and Odetta. The film was shot in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and was notable for its use of very realistic special effects makeup by Stan Winston and Rick Baker for the lead character, who is shown from ages 23 to 110.

The time is the early 1960s Civil Rights Movement. Jane, a former slave, is celebrating her 110th birthday. Two men tell her that a little girl is going to a segregated water fountain; she gets arrested because she is black. The next day Jane is interviewed by a journalist and she tells the story of her life. The climax of the story shows Jane going to the water fountain to desegregate it; her lifespan has bridged the time of slavery and the Civil Rights Movement.

This movie is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpmTZ5NyBw0

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Sweet Hour of Prayer’, by Nat King Cole
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dmmt8_CltfM
******************
UPDATE February 22, 2023

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Journey to Justice (Documentary)
Directed by Roger McTair; Produced by Karen King-Chigbo
2000 | 47 min

From the National Film Board website:
This documentary pays tribute to a group of Canadians who took racism to court. They are Canada's unsung heroes in the fight for Black civil rights. Focusing on the 1930s to the 1950s, this film documents the struggleof 6 people who refused to accept inequality. Featured here, among others, are Viola Desmond, a woman who insisted on keeping her seat at the Roseland movie theatre in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia in 1946 rather than moving to the section normally reserved for the city's Black population, and Fred Christie, who took his case to the Supreme Court after being denied service at a Montreal tavern in 1936. These brave pioneers helped secure justice for all Canadians. Their stories deserve to be told.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free at the National Film Board website:
https://www.nfb.ca/film/journey_to_justice/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Don’t Knock’, by The Staple Singers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47SSmx0IJEI
******************
UPDATE February 21, 2023

Here is the YouTube link for the sermon from this past Sunday’s (February 19th) service: https://youtu.be/nkoqBkqMvGE
……………..……….
Today’s Black History Month Resource

Carry On: The Life and Legacy of Maggie Lena Walker (Documentary)
Written & Directed by Ethan P. Bullard, Museum Curator, Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site
2017; Running Time: 20min

From YouTube
This orientation film from the Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site traces the trials and triumphs of Richmond's pioneering banker and civil rights activist. Combining the latest scholarship with rarely seen archival images, this narrated documentary chronicles Walker's unique leadership and her enduring influence on the struggle for social justice. Narrated by Zeke Alton with Daphne Maxwell Reid as the voice of Maggie L. Walker.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR3CexPZXEk

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’How I Got Over’, by Mahalia Jackson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_v7Myv0K8M
*****************
UPDATE February 20, 2023

Today’s Black History Month Resource

A Duke Named Ellington (Documentary)
American Masters Production
Produced & Directed by Terry Carter
1988; Running Time: 1Hr 50min

From American Archive of Public Broadcasting:
A musical portrait featuring 'the Duke' himself, reminiscing about his career and performing with his orchestra. The program features rare archival footage of his seldom-heard works as well as unusual renditions of Ellington classics. The anecdotes and recollections of Willie 'the Lion' Smith, Teddy Wilson, Ben Webster, Charlie Mingus, Cootie Williams, Alvin Ailey, Herbie Hancock and others provide the audience with unique insights into the Ellington phenomenon. 'A Duke Named Ellington' is a musical retrospective of Ellington's half-century career, capturing his genius and charisma, and focusing on his accomplishments as a protagonist in the development of modern music.' A masterly portrait of a master.' (Politiken, Denmark). 'In a class by itself' -- a triumph of film and tape research -- what can you say but that it is achingly good' (Los Angeles Times). 'Can't be beat - a superb two-parter - the perfect example of just how an in-depth profile of an artist should be done' (New York Daily News). 'Much more than a documentary about the Duke - an essential testimony about the music of our century.' (Jazz Magazine, France). --1989 Peabody Awards entry form.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YHOQZuGvXc (Part 1 & Part 2)

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Come Sunday’, by Duke Ellington ft Mahalia Jackson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cInnyr5hlhE
********************
UPDATE February 19, 2023

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Oscar Peterson-In the Key of Oscar (Documentary)
National Film Board of Canada
Produced by Sylvia Sweeney & Michael Allder
1992; Running Time: 1Hr 31min

From YouTube:
The legacy of jazz pianist and composer Oscar Peterson is chronicled in this riveting documentary spanning five decades of Peterson's unforgettable music. Considered to have been one of the world’s greatest jazz pianists, Peterson released more than 200 recordings and won eight Grammy Awards. Music In the Key of Oscar traces the history of Peterson’s roots from his early days as Montreal's teenage boogie-woogie sensation through his meteoric rise to international celebrity. In-depth interviews with jazz greats like Ella Fitzgerald, Quincy Jones and Dizzy Gillespie are paired with must-see concert footage featuring Nat King Cole with Jazz at the Philharmonic and the Oscar Peterson Trio Wall reunion. Jazz fans won’t want to miss this music-filled doc celebrating one of Canada’s most prominent musicians.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRJYcLWNXfc

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’God On The Mountain’, by Lynda Randle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCTl4tUYIAg
********************
UPDATE February 18, 2023

Here is the YouTube link for Pastor Claudine Carlson’s sermon from this past Sunday’s (February 12th) service: https://youtu.be/wkZe_7AozFI
……………..……….
Today’s Black History Month Resource

Pride and Perseverance: The Story of the Negro Leagues (Documentary)
Produced by Major League Baseball Productions
Narrated by Dave Winfield
2009; Running Time: 49min

From the JustWatch website:
The history of the Negro Leagues is often a forgotten part of baseball history. Despite its popularity and wealth of talent, the era was not well documented. Pride and Perseverance sheds light on this period and shows how it laid the groundwork for today's African-American players in Major League Baseball. With rarely seen footage from the 1920s through 1950s, these extraordinary stories illustrate the birth of the Negro Leagues and depict both the struggles endured and milestones achieved by its players. The film also highlights Negro League innovations that helped shape modern day baseball, such as the Leagues' usage of portable light towers to enable games to be played after dusk for the first time ever

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvROnTC_7CU

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Wonderful, Counsellor’, by Whitney Houston, Cissy Houston Gary Garland (Houston)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z_EsWkcs5w
********************
UPDATE February 17, 2023

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Sam Cooke Life (Documentary)
Produced by Mary Wharton
Written by Peter Guralnick
2003; Running Time: 1Hr 6min

From Wikipedia
Samuel Cook (January 22, 1931 – December 11, 1964), known professionally as Sam Cooke, was an American singer and songwriter. Considered to be a pioneer and one of the most influential soul artists of all time, Cooke is commonly referred to as the "King of Soul" for his distinctive vocals, notable contributions to the genre and significance in popular music.

Cooke was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and later relocated to Chicago with his family at a young age, where he began singing as a child and joined the Soul Stirrers as lead singer in the 1950s. Going solo in 1957, Cooke released a string of hit songs, including "You Send Me", "A Change Is Gonna Come", "Cupid", "Wonderful World", "Chain Gang", "Twistin' the Night Away", "Bring It On Home to Me", and "Good Times". During his eight-year career, Cooke released 29 singles that charted in the Top 40 of the Billboard Pop Singles chart, as well as 20 singles in the Top Ten of Billboard's Black Singles chart.

In 1964, Cooke was shot and killed by the manager of a motel in Los Angeles. After an inquest and investigation, the courts ruled Cooke's death to be a justifiable homicide. His family has since questioned the circumstances of his death.

Cooke's pioneering contributions to soul music contributed to the rise of Aretha Franklin, Bobby Womack, Al Green, Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Billy Preston, and popularized the work of Otis Redding and James Brown. AllMusic biographer Bruce Eder wrote that Cooke was "the inventor of soul music", and possessed "an incredible natural singing voice and a smooth, effortless delivery that has never been surpassed".

Cooke was also a central part of the civil rights movement, using his influence and popularity with the White and Black populations to fight for the cause. He was friends with boxer Muhammad Ali, activist Malcolm X and football player Jim Brown, who together campaigned for racial equality.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSHUajv92JU

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’A Change is Gonna Come’, by Sam Cooke
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEBlaMOmKV4
************************
UPDATE February 16, 2023

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Soundtrack for a Revolution (Documentary)
Written & directed by Bill Guttentag & Dan Sturman
2009; Running Time: 1Hr 23m

From the PBS website:
Taking a fresh approach to the story of the American Civil Rights Movement, Soundtrack for a Revolution features the powerful music from the movement. Focusing on the freedom songs sung by protesters on picket lines, in mass meetings, in paddy wagons and in jail cells, this film celebrates the vitality of the music and the infectious energy that it provided.

Freedom songs evolved from slave chants, the labor movement, and from the Black church, and were a vital tool as protestors stood up against adversity. They energized and empowered them, enabled them to sing the things they couldn’t say, and allowed them to meet aggression with dignity and non-violence. Written and directed by Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman, this 2009 documentary brings songs of the movement back to life again through new performances by top artists, including John Legend, Joss Stone, Wyclef Jean, and The Roots.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free
https://vimeo.com/87053287

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Freedom Highway’, by the Staple Singers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7_b_jyRVRc
******************
UPDATE February 15, 2023

Today’s Black History Month Resource

The Little Rock Nine
Directed by Fern Levitt
Turning Points of History-The History Channel
2011; Running Time: 47min

From YouTube:
The story of a group of African American high-school students in the 1950's who challenged racial segregation in the public schools of Little Rock, Arkansas. Directed by Fern Levitt, as part of the History Channel's, Turning Points of History series.

From the Globe and Mail:
Not many Canadian documentary filmmakers get an interview with Bill Clinton but Fern Levitt got him and he's got a lot to say in The Little Rock Nine, a good documentary about the bitter desegregation of an Arkansas school in 1957. That's when nine students attempted to attend an all-white school in Little Rock, a right they were guaranteed by the courts. The Governor of Arkansas sent the National Guard to stop them and President Eisenhower sent the army to protect them. Footage from those days is still shocking, revealing as it does a level of racism, bigotry and hatred that is unfathomable.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7-30dDOlHc

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Lift Every Voice and Sing’, by The Spelman College Glee Club
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRF9FOPgLpw
************************
UPDATE February 14, 2023

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Home Feeling: Struggle for a Community (Documentary)
Written & Directed by Jennifer Hodge
Additional Direction by Roger McTair
1983 | Running Time: 57 min

From the National Film Board of Canada Website
This feature documentary takes us to the heart of the Jane-Finch "Corridor" in the early 1980s. Covering six square blocks in Toronto's North York, the area readily evokes images of vandalism, high-density subsidized housing, racial tension, despair and crime. By focusing on the lives of several of the residents, many of them black or members of other visible minorities, the film provides a powerful view of a community that, contrary to its popular image, is working towards a more positive future.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free at the NFB website:
https://www.nfb.ca/film/home_feeling_struggle_for_a_community/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’On My Way’, by Mavis Staples
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKZi9Nytx7Q
********************
UPDATE February 13, 2023

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Charles Houston: The Man Who Killed Jim Crow (Documentary)
1990; Produced by William Elwood and Mykola Kulish
Directed by Mykola Kulish
Running Time: 57m

From YouTube
This video is about how Charles Hamilton Houston laid the foundations for the historic 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education Topeka, KS decision. Everyone remembers Thurgood Marshall and his pivotal legal work to win this important decision, but hardly no one knows about this man, who did almost all the documentation BEFORE the Supreme Court case.

Unfortunately, Dr. Houston died in 1950, four years before the case was decided by the Supreme Court, which unanimously declared that segregated schools are unconstitutional. Because of his death, his recognition has been left out of the mainstream history books.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwscFd2aUO4

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’We Shall Not Be Moved' (Live)’ by Mavis Staples
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcDpmzQh3YU
******************
UPDATE February 12, 2023

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Black Mother Black Daughter (Documentary)
Directed by Sylvia Hamilton & Claire Prieto
Produced by Shelagh Mackenzie
1989 | 29 min

From the National Film Board of Canada Website
Black Mother Black Daughter explores the lives and experiences of black women in Nova Scotia, their contributions to the home, the church and the community and the strengths they pass on to their daughters.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free at the NFB website:
https://www.nfb.ca/film/black_mother_black_daughter/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Goodness of God’, by CeCe Winans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sE5kEnitqE
*******************
UPDATE February 11, 2023

Here is the YouTube link for Pastor Laura’s sermon from this past Sunday’s (February 5th) service: https://youtu.be/CdUm7komr90
…………………..
Today’s Black History Month Resource

King in The Wilderness (Documentary)
2018; Directed by Peter Kunhardt; Produced by George & Teddy Kunhardt
HBO Documentary Films and Kunhardt Film Foundation
Running Time: 1Hr51m

From YouTube
King in the Wilderness chronicles the final chapters of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life, revealing a conflicted leader who faced an onslaught of criticism from both sides of the political spectrum. While the Black Power movement saw his nonviolence as weakness, and President Lyndon B. Johnson saw his anti-Vietnam War speeches as irresponsible, Dr. King’s unyielding belief in peaceful protest became a testing point for a nation on the brink of chaos.

Dr. King’s leadership during the bus boycotts, the sit-ins and the historic Selma to Montgomery marches is now legendary, but much of what happened afterward – during the last three years of his life – is rarely discussed. It’s a time when Dr. King said his dream “turned into a nightmare.” From the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 to his assassination in 1968, King remained unshakably committed to nonviolence in the face of an increasingly unstable country.

The documentary debuted at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and is directed by Peter Kunhardt (HBO’s Emmy-winning Jim: The James Foley Story). Drawing on conversations with those who knew Dr. King well, including many fellow members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), King in the Wilderness reveals stirring new perspectives on Dr. King’s character, his radical doctrine of nonviolence and his internal philosophical struggles prior to his assassination in 1968. The documentary also features archival footage, behind-the-scenes video of Dr. King’s private moments, intimate archival photographs and phone conversations recorded by President Johnson, who was both ally and adversary in King’s fight for civil rights.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eQXD_44Kso

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Worthy of It All’, by CeCe Winans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUjCBGwJHcE
**********************
UPDATE February 10, 2023

Today’s Black History Month Resource

The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow (Documentary Series, 2002)
PBS Production
Narrated by Richard Roundtree

From the PBS website
‘The landmark four-part series The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow explores segregation from the end of the Civil War to the dawn of the modern civil rights movement. It was a brutal and oppressive era in American history, but during this time, large numbers of African Americans and a corps of influential black leaders bravely fought against the status quo, amazingly acquiring for African Americans the opportunities of education, business, land ownership, and a true spirit of community.’

This documentary series is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3IxWEK0uJA Part 1 Promises Betrayed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utwE5ZPd7Gk Part 2 Fighting Back
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWEbqU9CfyI Part 3 Don’t Shoot Too Soon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vadRcW_r-SE Part 4 Terror and Triumph

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’It’s Gonna Rain’, by The Ingram Singers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaYoVZujmzA
**************
UPDATE February 9, 2023

Today’s Black History Month Resource

The Art of the Possible: The Life and Legacy of Mary McLeod Bethune (Documentary)
2022; Produced by The Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Statuary Fund, Inc
Written by Len Lempel
Running Time: 1Hr 18min

From YouTube:
Mary McLeod Bethune was born on a farm near Mayesville, South Carolina, in 1875, the fifteenth child of former slaves. She rose from those humble beginnings to become a world-renowned educator, civil rights and human rights leader, champion for women and young people, and advisor to five U.S. presidents.

The Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Statuary Project is a proud moment for the entire state of Florida and our nation. Learn more about Dr. Bethune and the statue that was erected in her honor in this compelling feature length documentary.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGFaYP76-cw

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Down in My Soul’, by The Ingram Singers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIbVx7KaJOE
********************
UPDATE February 8, 2023

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Two Dollars and a Dream: The Story of Madame C. J. Walker (Documentary)
1989; Produced and Directed by Stanley Nelson
Running Time: 51min

From the World Channel Website:
Two Dollars And A Dream is the biography of Madame C.J. Walker, America's first self-made millionairess. Mrs. Walker's fortune was built on skin and hair care products, parlaying a homemade beauty formula into a prosperous business from coast to coast. By interweaving social, economic and political history, the film also offers a view of black America from 1867 to the 1930s.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrpVozNIHds

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Wade in the Water’, by Sweet Honey in the Rock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRpzEnq14Hs
************************
UPDATE February 7, 2023

Today’s Black History Month Resource

The Birth of Gospel-Chicago Stories (Documentary)
2022; Produced and Written by Stacy Robinson
Running Time: 56min

From YouTube:
This episode of Chicago Stories traces the birth and growth of gospel music in Chicago in the 1930s. The story follows "The Father of Gospel", Thomas A. Dorsey, who wrote one of gospel’s early hits while coping with his grief over the death of his wife and child. It explores the roots of gospel from southern spirituals during slavery, through gospel’s early years.

From WTTW Chicago’s website:
For generations, Black music has been one of the foundational sources for liberation, survival, salvation, and entertainment. Gospel music has been one of the most integral and sacred forms of that music. It birthed a generation of storytellers, influential musicians, and agents of social change, such as Mahalia Jackson, Shirley Caesar, Kirk Franklin, and many others. The origins of gospel music lie in the transatlantic slave trade, as African musical traditions blended with new forms born out of the horrors of slavery. The rich lineage of gospel music began in earnest as a young man named Thomas Dorsey came to Chicago during the Great Migration. His own spiritual rebirth at Pilgrim Baptist Church in Chicago created a form of music that married blues influences with religious themes. Dorsey’s legacy ushered in a generation of Black artists who broke new ground by turning their voices of joy and pain into something powerful.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNbMYuwxceo

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Precious Lord, Take My Hand’, by Mahalia Jackson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=as1rsZenwNc
****************
UPDATE February 6, 2023

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Reputations-Billie Holliday (Documentary)
2001; Produced and Directed by David F. Turnbull
Running Time: 57m

Please note: This film contains explicit language. Viewer discretion is advised.

From YouTube:
Billie Holiday was a jazz diva who became the stereotypical victim - unlucky in life, unlucky in love and dead from drink and drugs at the age of only 44. Reputations re-examines Billie Holiday's life and career. Was life hard on Billie, or was she always a tragedy waiting to happen?

Holiday was born in Baltimore in 1915, the illegitimate daughter of a 16-year-old jazz musician and an 18-year-old cleaner. She was raped by a neighbour at the age of 11, and began work as a prostitute in Harlem at the age of 14.

However, she was already listening to jazz -- Louis Armstrong records on a wind-up Victrola -- and started to think about a career which would take her out of the brothel where she worked. She began singing in Harlem's night spots and was soon noticed as something different. She cut her first record at the age of 18 and, by the time she was 23, she had recorded with most of the great names in jazz - including Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Artie Shaw.

Reputations includes interviews with many of the people who knew Billie best - including Bobby Tucker, who played piano for her and visited her in prison, William Duffdey, who co-wrote Billie's autobiography, and close friend Annie Ross. Writers Maya Angelou and Alice Walker talk of their respect for her. The film also includes rare footage of Billie Holiday in performance, some of it unseen for nearly 50 years. These add up to a portrait that looks beyond the legend of Billie as the stereotypical victim. Instead, the program reveals a determined woman with a great appetite for life, who lived it on her terms.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG_cxm_19OE

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’God Bless the Child’, by Billie Holliday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mp349H8G0XQ
***********************
UPDATE February 5, 2023

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Olympic Pride, American Prejudice (Documentary)
Written and Directed by Deborah Riley Draper
Narrated by Blair Underwood
2016; Running Time: 1Hr 20 min

From YouTube:
Narrated by Blair Underwood, ‘Olympic Pride, American Prejudice’ is set in the strained and turbulent atmosphere of a racially divided 1930's America, torn between boycotting Hitler's Olympics or participating in the Third Reich's grandest affair.

The film follows 16 men and two women through their heroic turn at the Summer Olympic Games in Berlin, 1936. The athletes represented a country that considered them second-class citizens and competed in a country that rolled out the red carpet in spite of an undercurrent of Aryan superiority and Anti-Semitism.

18 athletes carried the weight of a race on their shoulders and stood tall in the middle of a political firestorm. They made the team, travelled to Berlin and did the unexpected with grace and dignity. Their presence on the world stage is a seminal precursor to the Civil Rights Movement.

History forgot all except one. This is the story of the other 17.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ch9QT25LvAo

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Deep River’, by Paul Robeson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_v_rxITXNw
******************
UPDATE February 4, 2023

Here is the YouTube link for Pastor Laura’s sermon from this past Sunday’s (January 29th) service: https://youtu.be/uSnfxDsuuaU
……………..……….
Thanks to Judith Douglas for playing the French Horn today!
………………………...
Today’s Black History Month Resource

Ida B. Wells: A Chicago Stories Special (Documentary)
2021; Written and Produced by Stacy Robinson
Running Time: 1 Hr

From YouTube
There are few Chicago historical figures whose life and work speak to the current moment more than Ida B. Wells, the 19th century investigative journalist, civil rights leader, and passionate suffragist. WTTW (PBS Chicago) brings you a new CHICAGO STORIES special that tells her story as never before.

Freed from slavery just six months after she was born, Ida B. Wells once described her childhood with her parents and siblings in Holly Springs, Mississippi as “happy.” But a tragedy would alter the course of Wells’ youth. As a young woman and teacher, she refused to give up her seat on a train car that she was told was reserved white women. That incident launched the young Wells into her first public fight for justice.

Through writing, Ida B. Wells found her “real” self. As she put pen to paper, her words became an important tool to analyze, debate, and persuade readers on the issues of the day, particularly when it came to race and gender. But after the lynching of her close friend in Memphis, Wells found a new kind of power in her pen.

This documentary is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML8XiKVStWQ

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to Be Free’, by Nina Simone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inNBpizpZkE
*******************
UPDATE February 3, 2023

Today’s Black History Month Resource

A Woman Called Moses (TV Mini-Series)
Starring: Cicely Tyson, Will Geer, Robert Hooks; Narrated by Orson Welles
1978; Directed by Paul Wendkos;
Running Time:
Part 1-1Hr 38m
Part 2-1Hr 38m

From Wikipedia:
A Woman Called Moses is a 1978 American television miniseries based on the life of Harriet Tubman, the escaped African American slave who helped to organize the Underground Railroad, and who led dozens of African Americans from enslavement in the Southern United States to freedom in the Northern states and Canada. Narrated by Orson Welles, the production was broadcast on the NBC television network on December 11 and 12, 1978. Tubman was portrayed by Cicely Tyson.

This film is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gul2G0zoi2A
Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCrbnpMZHr8

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Hold On (trad)’, by The Kuumba Singers & Bobby McFerrin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWEB64ewzzc
************************
UPDATE February 2, 2023

Today’s Black History Month Resource

The Long Walk Home (Feature Film)
Starring: Whoopi Goldberg, Sissy Spacek, Dwight Schultz, Ving Rhames
1990; Directed by Richard Pearce; Running Time: 1Hr 35m

From Google:
The Long Walk Home is a 1990 American historical drama. Set in Alabama, it is based on a screenplay about the Montgomery bus boycott (1955–1956) by John Cork and a short film by the same name, produced by students at the University of Southern California (USC) in 1988.

While USC selected Cork's script for production, the department assigned Beverlyn E. Fray, another student, to direct it. The scenario on which the film is based, actually happened to Cork and his maid, Elizabeth Gregory Taylor, in his hometown of Montgomery, Alabama. The short film won several awards, including first place at the Black American Cinema Society. Cork, however, was unhappy with the finished project and unsuccessfully tried to block screenings of the short film.

The film was expanded as a feature. Set in Montgomery, Alabama, during the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott, it follows Odessa Cotter (Whoopi Goldberg), an African-American woman who works as a maid/nanny for Miriam Thompson (Sissy Spacek). Odessa and her family confront typical issues faced by African Americans in the South at the time: poverty, racism, segregation, and violence. The black community has begun a widespread boycott of the city-owned buses to end segregation; Odessa is forced to take long walks both ways to work.

This film is available for you to watch for free on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FJSosGKclM

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Down in Mississippi’, by Mavis Staples
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeZmZ1Pt6C0
*********************
UPDATE February 1, 2023

February is Black History Month. It is hard to know how those of us who are not people of colour should mark the importance of this yearly observance. One way is by educating ourselves and increasing our awareness of the issues faced by our siblings who are of African descent. We can read, we can take advantage of documentary films, and we can listen to the lived experiences of people of colour in our churches, in our communities, in our lives.

This year, in order to aid in our collective and individual learning experience, each day we will feature a book, movie, documentary, feature film, podcast, speaker, or a person in public life. We may also share some writings of prominent people of colour who lift up the Black experience, struggles, and successes. We will post a brief description of each day’s featured item and encourage you to choose somewhere to begin your own education about black history. If you have any suggestions of books, movies, or persons if interest that you think should be passed along, please send them to lorre.calder@sympatico.ca. At the end of the month, these resources will be compiled into a document which will available for you to access at any time. The resource created in 2022 is still available for you along the left side of this Home Page, entitled ‘Black History and Black Stories Resources’.

Today’s Black History Month Resource

Book
This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories That Make Us
By Cole Arthur Riley

"From the womb, we must repeat with regularity that to love ourselves is to survive. I believe that is what my father wanted for me and knew I would so desperately need: a tool for survival, the truth of my dignity named like a mercy new each morning."

So writes Cole Arthur Riley in her unforgettable book of stories and reflections on discovering the sacred in her skin. In these deeply transporting pages, Arthur Riley reflects on the stories of her grandmother and father, and how they revealed to her an embodied, dignity-affirming spirituality, not only in what they believed but in the act of living itself. Writing memorably of her own childhood and coming to self, Arthur Riley boldly explores some of the most urgent questions of life and faith: How can spirituality not silence the body, but instead allow it to come alive? How do we honor, lament, and heal from the stories we inherit? How can we find peace in a world overtaken with dislocation, noise, and unrest? In this indelible work of contemplative storytelling, Arthur Riley invites us to descend into our own stories, examine our capacity to rest, wonder, joy, rage, and repair, and find that our humanity is not an enemy to faith but evidence of it.

At once a compelling spiritual meditation, a powerful intergenerational account, and a tender coming-of-age narrative, This Here Flesh speaks potently to anyone who suspects that our stories might have something to say to us.
--https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/58214330-this-here-flesh

This book is available for you to purchase wherever you buy your books. If it is not in the store, they can definitely order it for you.

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Oh Freedom’, by The Golden Gospel Singers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veiJLhXdwn8
*****************
UPDATE January 31, 2023

Jericho Road
A true revolution of values will soon cause us to question the fairness and justice of many of our past and present policies. We are called to play the Good Samaritan on life's road side, but that will be only an initial act. One day we must come to see that the whole Jericho road must be transformed so that men and women will not be constantly beaten and robbed as they make their journey on life's highway. True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it is not haphazard and superficial. Compassion sees that an edifice that produces beggars needs restructuring. A true revolution of values will soon look uneasily on the glaring contrast of poverty and wealth.

Let us pray:
Ever present God, you called us to be in relationship with one another and promised to dwell wherever two or three are gathered. In our community, we are many different people; we come from many different places, have many different cultures. Open our hearts that we may be bold in finding the riches of inclusion and the treasures of diversity among us. We pray in faith.
- Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Word of God Speak’, by MercyMe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqsnGE3_dsg
*********************
UPDATE January 30, 2023

I Dream a World

I dream a world where man
No other man will scorn,
Where love will bless the earth
And peace its paths adorn
I dream a world where all
Will know sweet freedom's way,
Where greed no longer saps the soul
Nor avarice blights our day.
A world I dream where black or white,
Whatever race you be,
Will share the bounties of the earth
And every man is free,
Where wretchedness will hang its head
And joy, like a pearl,
Attends the needs of all mankind-
Of such I dream, my world!

- Langston Hughes
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Trouble of the World’, by Mahalia Jackson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHOgs5jxG-w
*********************
UPDATE January 29, 2023

We shake our heads in grief and disbelief at yet another murder of a young black man by police officers during a traffic stop in Memphis, TN. Tyre Nichols was stopped for allegedly driving recklessly while on his way to his mother’s home for his dinner break during his work shift. He was brutally beaten by five officers and died from his injuries three days later. He called for his mother as he was being beaten. He was twenty-nine years old. He was a son. He was a father. He was an artist. His life mattered.

We ask ourselves, ‘How long, O Lord, how long?’ We say something must be done, and then look to others to do that ‘something’. We must finally decide that this demonizing of people of colour must stop, and stop now. Our voices can speak loudly…in protest of systemic abuse, of racial inequity, of lack of equal opportunities for people of colour. We can vote. We can demand answers and systemic change from our elected leaders. Our leaders won’t make something a priority if we don’t make it a priority. We all have a voice. We must use it.

As we pray for his family and the unspeakable loss they must be feeling, we must turn our prayers into action so that no one else must feel this type of pain again. As we pray for this young man, say his name…Tyre Nichols. May God bless his memory.

Shake Us From Our Slumber

When our eyes do not see the gravity of racial justice,
Shake us from our slumber and open our eyes, O Lord.

When out of fear we are frozen into inaction,
Give us a spirit of bravery, O Lord.

When we try our best but say the wrong things,
Give us a spirit of humility, O Lord.

When the chaos of this dies down,
Give us a lasting spirit of solidarity, O Lord.

When it becomes easier to point fingers outwards,
Help us to examine our own hearts, O Lord.

God of truth, in your wisdom, Enlighten Us.
God of hope in your kindness, Heal Us.
Creator of All People, in your generosity, Guide Us.

Racism breaks your heart,
break our hearts for what breaks yours, O Lord.

Ever present God, you called us to be in relationship with one another and promised to dwell wherever two or three are gathered. In our community, we are many different people; we come from many different places, have many different cultures. Open our hearts that we may be bold in finding the riches of inclusion and the treasures of diversity among us. We pray in faith.
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/index

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’We Shall Overcome’, by Mahalia Jackson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIylhoElPQo
************
UPDATE January 28, 2023

Here is the YouTube link for Pastor Laura’s sermon from this past Sunday’s (January 22nd) service: https://youtu.be/ulA497PCP_8
……………..……….

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

‘Flying for Me’, by John Denver (A tribute to the 1986 crew of Space Shuttle Challenger)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4DBpW-hSns
******************
UPDATE January 27, 2023

This is Holocaust Remembrance Day. If you are looking for something to connect you to the magnitude of this historical event, you are encouraged to watch the documentary ‘Six Million Paperclips’. Twenty-five years ago, after reading the story of Anne Frank in class, the students at Whitwell Middle School in Tennessee set upon a project to collect six million paperclips to represent the Jews killed during the Holocaust. The project took on a life of its own and became an international movement to teach children about the tolerance, hate, prejudice, and awareness. It may only be available on a streaming service but there is also a book about the project (Six Million Paper Clips: The Making Of A Children's Holocaust Memorial) that would be well worth reading. On this Holocaust Memorial Day we offer the following prayer.

Prayer

Loving God, you care for each
and every human life. All people
are cherished as your beloved
children, no matter how ordinary or
extraordinary their stories are.
Today we come before you to
remember the victims of the
Holocaust.

We lament the loss of the six
million Jews who were killed in the
Holocaust, the millions of other
victims of Nazi persecution, and
victims of all genocides.

May our minds be clear and attentive
to their memory, and our hearts be
moved to bear witness to their lives.

Help us all to turn away from hatred
and division, and to build a world
where genocide is no more.

Strengthen us so that we, in our
own ordinary ways, may show
extraordinary love in the world
today.

Amen

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Al Shlosha D'Varim ’, by Teachers College Community Choir
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBF1njT0Hgw
*********************
UPDATE January 26, 2023

It’s true that this is a blessing for the morning and at the time of this posting we are seeing the dark of evening approach, but perhaps you could re-visit this tomorrow morning and use this blessing the to begin the new day.—LC

A Blessing For A Little Boost In The Morning

Today is new, oh God,
The light is gathering and spilling onto everything. The sleeping and the sleepy.
The trees brushing the window.
Even the unwashed dishes know it’s time.

What a gift.
Unopened.

Lord, you know the obstacle course ahead.
The intractability of most of my problems.
The irritations I will need to smile through.
The forgetfulness that will undo my best efforts. And the fights I will need to pick because someone really should.

But bring me back to this moment, God.
The gratitude that rises up within me
lifts my eyes and settles my soul.
Resurrection has happened again today—
you made the sun rise,
and brought love to the world already,
in the shape of a cross.

The hardest work is already done.
The work that remains is simply more of it: more love, more trust,
more faith in the unseen pleasure you take just gazing at us, sitting here.
We look ahead at a day that we can’t control but will be, somehow, already yours.
--Kate Bowler and Jessica Ritchie https://katebowler.com/blessings/
From our new book of blessings, THE LIVES WE ACTUALLY HAVE (2/14/23)

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’All Because of Mercy’, by Casting Crowns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOagHp9vnA4
*************
UPDATE January 25, 2023

The Praises of God

You are holy, the only God,
And your deeds are wonderful.
You are strong.
You are great.
You are the Most High.
You are Almighty.
You, Holy Father are King of heaven and earth.
You are Three and One, Lord God, All Good.
You are Good, all Good, supreme Good,
Lord God, living and true.
You are love.
You are wisdom.
You are humility.
You are endurance.
You are rest.
You are peace.
You are joy and gladness.
You are justice and moderation.
You are all our riches, and You suffice for us.
You are beauty.
You are gentleness.
You are our protector.
You are our guardian and defender.
You are our courage.
You are our haven and our hope.
You are our faith, our great consolation.
You are our eternal life, Great and Wonderful
Lord, God Almighty, Merciful Savior.
Amen

-St. Francis of Asissi
https://franciscanaction.org/prayers/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Desert Road’, by Casting Crowns, ft CAIN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeBvzBSNjTQ
******************
UPDATE January 24, 2023

A Franciscan Prayer for Peace and Reconciliation

We submit ourselves and our prayer to
the Lord God.

God most holy, you have given all
creatures salvation and forgiveness;
look upon us, who have been
consecrated in the name of your prophets
and of those you have called us to
follow.

In a world often restless and violent,
may we be messengers of glad tidings to
the poor, heralds of mercy and
reconciliation
instruments of
Peace.

Let us not harden our hearts
as our ancestors did in the desert,
but may we welcome your grace and
truth, with the courage of Abraham and
Moses, Sarah and Miriam, and of
countless other witnesses of
faith,
symbols of your eternal offer of
Shalom.

May your word enter the marrow of our
bones; may it illuminate the paths of
mutual forgiveness;
may it teach us to build communities of
faith open to ever greater
communion;
May it teach us the way of
Salaam.

To You, Most High, all Powerful, Good
Lord. Amen.
—https://franciscanaction.org/prayers/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’The Power of the Cross’, by Casting Crowns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6LhbNTsDgo
********************
UPDATE January 23, 2023

Franciscan Reflection on the Prayer for Peace

Make me a channel of your peace.
-May I offer compassion to the families of the victims of violence.
Where there is hatred, let me bring your love.
-May I offer compassion to the perpetrators of violence.
Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord.
-May I ask forgiveness from those I may have hurt.
And where there’s doubt, true faith in you.
-May I have faith that we can create places that are safe for all people.

Make me a channel of your peace.
-May words of peace be in my heart and on my lips.
Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope.
-May I work with others to eradicate the despair that births violence.
Where there is darkness, only light,
-May I become a point of light that shatters the darkness of hopelessness.
And where there’s sadness, ever joy.
-May I embrace all who have lost loved ones to violence.

Oh, Master, grant that I may never seek
-To respond with anger instead of compassion.
So much to be consoled as to console.
-To judge another instead of working to eradicate the causes of violence.
To be understood as to understand.
-To use weapons instead of dialogue.
To be loved as to love with all my soul.
-To be so self-absorbed that I neglect to love my neighbor.

Make me a channel of your peace.
-Help me to see your face in every person.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.
-Help us to forgive those who have hurt us.
It is in giving of ourselves that we receive.
-Help us to humbly serve the least, last and lost among us.
It is in dying that we’re born to eternal life
-It is in dying to ourselves, that we are able to see all as brother and sister.

-Reflection created by Lee Ann Niebuhr, OFS, June 1, 2022
https://franciscanaction.org/prayers/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me), by Casting Crowns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7en3AgjbKs
*********************
UPDATE January 22, 2023

We lift up to the Lord all those who were victims of the mass shooting in Monterey Park, California last night at a dance club as they celebrated the Lunar New Year. We pray for those who lost their lives, those who were injured, the families of the victims, the first responders who cared for the wounded and the deceased, law enforcement, and community leaders. The aftermath of these types of incidents is always confusing, filled with fear, rumours, misinformation, and uncertainty. May God bring calm and healing to this community and all who were affected by this senseless act of violence. Kyrie Eleison. Christe Eleison. Kyrie Eleison.—LC

Prayer for After Mass Shootings

God of healing and grief,

We know that light dawns in a weary world,
but we are too numb to notice it today.
Regardless, we pray mightily,
during this time when no words san salve our ache.
Protect our hearts,
we are to broken and exhausted.
Sit with us when we are overwhelmed
help us to endure
the waiting,
the media,
the investigating,
those eavesdropping on our tragedy,
those making this tragedy about themselves,
those who say offensive things trying to help
and everything else that will bug us.
help us to care for ourselves
mind, body, spirit and psyche,
to remember to eat,
to sleep when we can,
to make the healthiest choices available,
to accept help when we need it
and to say ‘no’ when we need to
help us to lean into hope, light, and love,
To cherish our life and live it fully,
to advocate for other who are vulnerable,
to eventually transform anger into medicine
and to prevent days like this
from ever happening again

We are angry that Your healing hand
was unable to prevent this tragedy.
We demand Your unending streams of justice come again,
quickly,
to repair what was broken

Provide wisdom, safety and love to all the first responders.
Guide the hands of nurses, doctors and coroners
who are caring for those who were injured or died.

Mend our community,
knit us together into a kin-dom of loving kindness,
unite us in mutual support of one another
and help us to breathe together
when there is nothing else we can do.

Above all, be with us today and every day
Amen
—Rev. Dr. Megan D. Rohrer
https://www.revrohrer.com/books

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Let Justice Rain’, by The Many
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RORyLr9y2Y0
*********************
UPDATE January 21, 2023

Here is the YouTube link for Pastor Laura’s sermon from this past Sunday’s (January 15th) service: https://youtu.be/4iFwulr5KvY

A Prayer for the Poor

Who is Jesus to me?
Jesus is the Word made Flesh.
Jesus is the Victim, offered for our sins on the Cross.
Jesus is the Bread of Life – to be eaten.
Jesus is the Hungry – to be fed.
Jesus is the Thirsty – to be satiated.
Jesus is the Naked – to be clothed.
Jesus is the Homeless – to be taken in.
Jesus is the Drunkard – to listen to him.
Jesus is the Sick – to be healed.
Jesus is the Beggar – to give him a smile.
Jesus is the Old – to be served.
Jesus is the Lonely – to be loved.
Jesus is the Way – to be walked.

– Mother Teresa
https://franciscanaction.org/prayers/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Christ Our Hope in Life and Death’, Keith & Kristyn Getty, Matt Boswell Jordan Kauflin, Matt Merker & Matt Papa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvwlwL1FUEg
****************
UPDATE January 20, 2023

A Prayer for the End of Violence

God of life, source of hope,
the violence within our world, our communities, our families, in our very selves
is destroying your creation.

Make still the restless spirit with me that is self-seeking.

Stir within my heart a renewed Spirit of reverence, respect, and reconciliation.

Give me strength to break the cycle of violence by realizing that peace begins with me.

God of reconciliation, passionate for your whole creation,
impel us to seek your guiding hand in leading us to forgiveness, pardon, and peace.
Give us the courage to hear every story of every person with dignity and respect.

Help us that we might work to remove every structure that provokes, promotes, and
sustains violence.

Give us the heart that holds a place for all those who oppose us or who call us enemy.
Help us by your grace in the ministry of reconciliation you have given us to do;
to heal and make whole.

Let the word of reconciliation be in our mouths and in our hearts
that your peace might be present to all. Amen.

https://franciscanaction.org/prayers/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Facing a Task Unfinished’, by Keith & Kristyn Getty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EJyj63TXMI
******************
UPDATE January 19, 2023

A Prayer for Peace
Gracious God,
We join our cries today with all people who suffer violence, both around the
world and in our own country,
With those who have seen too much violence, too much war, displacement,
mourning,
We cry out for peace, stability, and healing.
We cry out that neighbors may live as neighbors, as we were meant to live.
For whatever our religion, race or culture,
When we take up arms against our neighbor, or curse our neighbor,
We shame ourselves before you.
So, we turn in prayer toward our neighbors who are in great need.
In solidarity with these sisters and brothers, we cry out to you:
Let there be joy where there is mourning.
Let there be hope where there is fear.
Let there be stillness where there is violence.
And let there be peace.
A just and lasting peace.
Lord, your grace abounds.
May it rest upon us all,
Today and always.

Amen
--author unknown
https://franciscanaction.org/prayers/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Move In Power’, by Planetshakers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grsWTP00b3g
******************
UPDATE January 18, 2023

A New Serenity Prayer

God, grant me the serenity
to accept the people I cannot change,
which is pretty much everyone,
since I’m clearly not you, God.
At least not the last time I checked.

And while you’re at it, God,
please give me the courage
to change what I need to change about myself,
which is frankly a lot, since, once again,
I’m not you, which means I’m not perfect.
It’s better for me to focus on changing myself
than to worry about changing other people,
who, as you’ll no doubt remember me saying,
I can’t change anyway.

Finally, give me the wisdom to just shut up
whenever I think that I’m clearly smarter
than everyone else in the room,
that no one knows what they’re talking about except me,
or that I alone have all the answers.

Basically, God,
grant me the wisdom
to remember that I’m
not you.

Amen.

--Fr. James Martin, SJ,
Father James Martin is a Jesuit priest, editor at large of America, consultor to the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication and the author of many books, including the New York Times bestsellers “The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything,” “Jesus: A Pilgrimage,” “Building A Bridge” and “Learning to Pray.”

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’His Love’, by Nathan Pacheco
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdrd0MIXlaU
****************
UPDATE January 17, 2023

a blessing for a little boost in the morning

Today is new, oh God,
The light is gathering and spilling onto everything. The sleeping and the sleepy.
The trees brushing the window.
Even the unwashed dishes know it’s time.

What a gift.
Unopened.

—Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie
From our new book of blessings, THE LIVES WE ACTUALLY HAVE (2/14/23)

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Unto the Almighty’, by Matt Boswell & Matt Papa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHt9bcqZYsw
*****************
UPDATE January 16, 2023

As we continue to remember the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., here are some of his famous quotes and the speeches from which they are taken.

"Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral question of our time." — Martin Luther King Jr., Nobel Peace Prize 1964 acceptance speech

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” — Martin Luther King Jr., “Strength to Love”

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” — Martin Luther King Jr., "Letter from Birmingham Jail"

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” — Martin Luther King Jr., Address in Washington D.C.

“If we will but make the right choice, we will be able to speed up the day, all over America and all over the world, when justice will roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.” — Martin Luther King Jr., “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence”

“I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality, and freedom for their spirits.” — Martin Luther King Jr., Nobel Peace Prize 1964 acceptance speech

“It is not enough to say ‘We must not wage war.’ It is necessary to love peace and sacrifice for it. We must concentrate not merely on the negative expulsion of war, but the positive affirmation of peace.” — Martin Luther King Jr., "The Quest for Peace and Justice"

“The battle is in our hands. And we can answer with creative nonviolence the call to higher ground to which the new directions of our struggle summons us.” — Martin Luther King Jr., “Our God is Marching On!”

"Sooner or later all the people of the world will have to discover a way to live together in peace, and thereby transform this pending cosmic elegy into a creative psalm of brotherhood." — Martin Luther King Jr., Nobel Peace Prize 1964 acceptance speech

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Up To The Mountain’, by Patty Griffin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WA6Q5-Ap3o8
**********************
UPDATE January 15, 2023

HAPPY BIRTHDAY REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

Excerpt from ‘I Have a Dream’, by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of your trials and tribulations. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by storms of persecutions and staggered by the winds of police brutality.

You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our modern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. I say to you, my friends, we have the difficulties of today and tomorrow.

I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.

I have a dream that one day out in the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; that one day right down in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be engulfed, every hill shall be exalted and every mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plains and the crooked places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I will go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope.

With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood.

With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to climb up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning “My country ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my father’s died, land of the Pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring!”

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. So let freedom ring from the hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that, let freedom, ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi and every mountainside.

When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every tenement and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old spiritual, “Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty, we are free at last.””

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Hymn to Freedom’ by Oliver Jones, The Faith Chorale, and Dione Taylor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-YcO9sR_WA
****************
UPDATE January 14, 2023

Here is the YouTube link for this past Sunday’s (January 8th) service: https://youtu.be/fHKCKB8B29g
……………..……….
Late Thursday, Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of music icon Elvis Presley passed away of a cardiac arrest, just a few weeks shy of her 55th birthday. Lisa Marie was only nine years old when her father died. She did pursue a music career, putting out three albums over the years. She was also the steward of his legacy and promoted events at the Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee, which was her childhood home, and around the world. Through the wonders of modern technology, she was able to ‘sing’ with her famous father on several songs recorded by him decades earlier, much as Natalie Cole did with her father, Nat King Cole. We will feature a few of those songs over the next couple of days. As we cling to the sure and certain hope of the resurrection, we believe Lisa Marie is once again reunited with her father and they are no doubt singing together now as they were not able to do in life. The sudden and unexpected passing of Lisa Marie reminds each of us to cherish each and every day with our own loved ones. Life is a precious gift to be treasured. Godspeed Lisa Marie. Rest in peace.—LC

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’In The Ghetto’, by Elvis Presely & LIsa Marie Presley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaYbwbkeC4w
****************
UPDATE January 13, 2023

Yesterday, Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of music icon Elvis Presley passed away of a cardiac arrest, just a few weeks shy of her 55th birthday. Lisa Marie was only nine years old when her father died. She did pursue a music career, putting out three albums over the years. She was also the steward of his legacy and promoted events at the Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee, which was her childhood home, and around the world. Through the wonders of modern technology, she was able to ‘sing’ with her famous father on several songs recorded by him decades earlier, much as Natalie Cole did with her father, Nat King Cole. We will feature a few of those songs over the next couple of days. As we cling to the sure and certain hope of the resurrection, we believe Lisa Marie is once again reunited with her father and they are no doubt singing together now as they were not able to do in life. The sudden and unexpected passing of Lisa Marie reminds each of us to cherish each and every day with our own loved ones. Life is a precious gift to be treasured. Godspeed Lisa Marie. Rest in peace.—LC

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Where No One Stands Alone’, by Elvis Presley & Lisa Marie Presley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaRaUjzD-as
*********************
UPDATE January 12, 2023

The Reverse St. Francis Prayer

Dear Lord, make me a channel of disturbance.
Where there is apathy, let me provoke,
where there is compliance, let me bring questioning,
where there is silence, may I be a voice.

Where there is too much comfort
and too little action, grant disruption.
Where there are doors closed and hearts locked,
grant me the willingness to listen.

When laws dictate and pain is overlooked..
when tradition speaks louder than need…
grant that I may seek rather to do justice
than to talk about it.

Disturb us, O Lord,
to be with, as well as for the alienated;
to love the unlovable as well as the lovely,
Lord make me a channel of disturbance.
-Author unknown
https://franciscanaction.org/prayers/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’How Great Thou Art’, by Nathan Pacheco
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8B3eiwv8G3c
*******************
UPDATE January 11, 2023

A BLESSING FOR BEING HUMAN

Yet blessed are we,
recognizing that it is our limits as well as our gifts
that can shape the natural contours of what is possible,
that guide us to what is ours to do.

And oh how blessed are we in our fragility and dependence and brokenness,
knowing that You, O God, hold all things together.

There is no cure for being human…but for each other, we are all good medicine.
—Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/blessings/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’In Christ Alone’, by Nathan Pacheco
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnJpUAMf7sM
********************
UPDATE January 10, 2023

A BLESSING FOR WHEN YOU WANT TO CHANGE

God, help me, guide me. What am I missing?

Blessed are we, the hungry,
in lives that are both too much and not enough,
willing to tell the truth to ourselves and to each other,
that we languish here…

To be fully known, and fully loved, in all our humanity.
And that is a God-sized project.

Blessed are we, thankful that we can live
our human-sized lives in the glad company of the vulnerable and the broken,
the imperfect made whole in the love of God, through Jesus Christ.

Maybe it’s right to be hungry. And stay that way.
—Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie
From our new book of blessings, THE LIVES WE ACTUALLY HAVE (2/14/23)

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Tears From Heaven’, by Nathan Pacheco
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5DXKz0iXOo
**********************
UPDATE January 9, 2023

A blessing for around the table
from our NEW book of blessings, The Lives We Actually Have
(releases on 2/14/23)

God, awaken us to the everyday miracle of a simple meal.
Whether it is take-out that took a phone call,
a recipe that took an entire afternoon,
or the cereal-for-dinner again feeling this meal creates,
bless it all.

So blessed are we, sharing a meal today.

May we recognize God’s goodness
in the thoughtful preparation,
in the delivering,
in the eating together,
savoring something that tastes like love.

May our time around the table be a gift.

May we be present to one another
engaging all our senses
as an act of thankful worship
to the nourishment that’s before us
with the people we love. Or are trying to.

God, bless the hands that prepared this,
those with us now,
and the ones we wish were.
Bless us, oh God.
in all of our eating and cooking and gathering and sharing,
our jokes, talking-with-our-mouths full,
and elbows on the table,
may we taste and see the love that multiplies.

Amen.

The Lives We Actually Have:
katebowler.com/blessingsbook
Jessica Richie Random House

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Rejoice’, by Keith & Kristyn Getty ft Shane & Shane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyFfwcd4PVc
**********************
UPDATE January 8, 2023

How the Light Comes

I cannot tell you
how the light comes.

What I know
is that it is more ancient
than imagining.

That it travels
across an astounding expanse
to reach us.

That it loves
searching out
what is hidden,
what is lost,
what is forgotten
or in peril
or in pain.

That it has a fondness
for the body,
for finding its way
toward flesh,
for tracing the edges
of form,
for shining forth
through the eye,
the hand,
the heart.

And so
may we this day
turn ourselves toward it.
May we lift our faces
to let it find us.
May we bend our bodies
to follow the arc it makes.
May we open
and open more
and open still

to the blessed light
that comes.
—Jan Richardson
From: Circle of Grace: A Book of Blessings for the Seasons

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Love is Greater Than Fear’, by The Many
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l23Dkmyy1Cw
********************
UPDATE January 7, 2023

Here is the YouTube link for this past Sunday’s service (January 1st) : https://youtu.be/SqPfoF-kZ8M
……………..……….
EVERY GIVEN LIGHT
A Blessing

There are days
we think
only so much
is given—
a glint,
a gleam,
a light so small
we could carry it
in the palm of
our hand,
just enough
to let us see
the next step,
perhaps,
into the mystery.

There are days
grace comes
but in shadow,
days it gathers itself
into the corners,
days it seems
to turn its gaze
sidelong
as if distracted,
or pondering,
or paused.

Let it be said
this is not
that day.
This is the day
when grace
gives out
its radiance,
declaring itself
to everything
in sight.

This is the day
when every given light
bears forth
like a star,
turning its face
toward us with
the brilliance
that was there
all along,
that it had saved
just for us,
just for the joy
of seeing us
shine.
—Jan Richardson

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Christ Be Our Light’, by Bernadette Farrell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8ahCOxazsQ
****************
UPDATE January 6, 2023

As our journey through the twelve days of Christmas comes to a close, Author and Theologian Kate Bowler has offered some suggestions about how to celebrate and mark each day, along with some musical suggestions. We hope these daily offerings have given you some ideas about how to observe the twelve days of Christmas in a new and unique way.

Epiphany

Light all the candles in the house. Bring the Wise Men into the manger. Enjoy the Christmas lights one more time. Rest.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

The Map You Make Yourself
An Epiphany Blessing by Jan Richardson

You have looked
at so many doors
with longing,
wondering if your life
lay on the other side.

For today,
choose the door
that opens
to the inside.

Travel the most ancient way
of all:
the path that leads you
to the center
of your life.

No map
but the one
you make yourself.

No provision
but what you already carry
and the grace that comes
to those who walk
the pilgrim’s way.

Speak this blessing
as you set out
and watch how
your rhythm slows,
the cadence of the road
drawing you into the pace
that is your own.

Eat when hungry.
Rest when tired.
Listen to your dreaming.
Welcome detours
as doors deeper in.

Pray for protection.
Ask for guidance.
Offer gladness
for the gifts that come
and then
let them go.

Do not expect
to return
by the same road.
Home is always
by another way
and you will know it
not by the light
that waits for you

but by the star
that blazes inside you
telling you
where you are
is holy
and you are welcome
here.
—Jan Richardson
http://janrichardson.com/bookcircleofgrace

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’As With Gladness Men of Old’, by The Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN3Gxrf6vfM
******************
UPDATE January 5, 2023

As we live into the twelve days of Christmas, Author and Theologian Kate Bowler has some suggestions about how to celebrate and mark each day. We will share those with you until Epiphany. She also offers musical suggestions which we will also share here.

Twelfth Day of Christmas
Eve of Epiphany

Open any leftover gifts from Christmas or distribute any gifts you have been unable to give out. Or, find a way to gift a stranger…pay for the order behind you in the drive through, make a donation to a local charity that works with marginalized people. (The possibilities are endless.)
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’We Three Kings of Orient Are’, by Mediaeval Babes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TrZB74DALs
************************

UPDATE January 4, 2023

As we live into the twelve days of Christmas, Author and Theologian Kate Bowler has some suggestions about how to celebrate and mark each day. We will share those with you until Epiphany. She also offers musical suggestions which we will also share here.

Eleventh Day of Christmas

Preferably do something fun that involves delicious food or a yummy cocktail.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Children Go Where I Send Thee’, by Peter, Paul, & Mary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2kYfVQ5A5E
******************
UPDATE January 3, 2023

As we live into the twelve days of Christmas, Author and Theologian Kate Bowler has some suggestions about how to celebrate and mark each day. We will share those with you until Epiphany. She also offers musical suggestions which we will also share here.

Tenth Day of Christmas
Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus

Say the name of Jesus reverently throughout the day as an internal ‘Yes’ to the light coming into the world, or pray the Jesus prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, be merciful to me, a sinner’.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Huron Carol’, by Tom Jackson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCa6BM6-F24
******************
UPDATE January 2, 2023

As we live into the twelve days of Christmas, Author and Theologian Kate Bowler has some suggestions about how to celebrate and mark each day. We will share those with you until Epiphany. She also offers musical suggestions which we will also share here.

Ninth Day of Christmas
St. Basil’s Day

Think ahead to the year and write in your calendar reminders of the blessings you have been given. Write yourself a little thank you note for something you did this year that makes you glad you did it.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Infant Holy, Infant Lowly’, by King’s College Choir
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaqoeCl_jR0
******************
UPDATE January 1, 2023

As we live into the twelve days of Christmas, Author and Theologian Kate Bowler has some suggestions about how to celebrate and mark each day. We will share those with you until Epiphany. She also offers musical suggestions which we will also share here.

Eighth Day of Christmas
New Year’s Day

Set aside time to come together with family or friends virtually or in person, bless the year and each other, sharing your blessings or cards or messages you wrote. Then write a blessing for yourself.
--Kate Bowler
https://katebowler.com/

Remember you are loved and you are missed!
Stay safe, and keep in touch.
Blessings and peace to you all,
The Leadership Team of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

’Jesus Christ, The Apple Tree’, by Ensemble Altera
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qATg4xk9oSY
******************

St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Cambridge, ON

daily updates about Activities and Events at St. Peter’s

ZOOM INFORMATION FOR SUNDAY DECEMBER 22ND 2024-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT

daily updates about Activities and Events
at St. Peter’s