Newsletter | Monday, 5 June 2023
Peace In Pictures
The last several weeks have been quite active, which is a fantastic indicator that the Spirit is at work within the Peace Lutheran faith community. Thanks to the hard work of the volunteers who gave up their Saturday to staff our booth at Charles County's inaugural PRIDE festival, we were able to talk to more than 300 members of the local community. Several groups reached out to us at the PRIDE event hoping to form partnerships in addition to the community outreach we did there. This week, Pastor Eric has scheduled meetings with two of those organizations, and he look forward to future talks with the others.
The new cross in the sanctuary was consecrated on Pentecost Day, through a legacy gift from Carl Wennberg's estate. Will Derr wonderfully transformed the Worship & Music team's design into a magnificent addition to the sanctuary. Will, Stephen Foster, and Pastor Eric hung out for an entire day before erecting the cross. Pentecost Sunday, five youth were confirmed, and we celebrated their confirmation and the Holy Spirit by making s'mores in the fellowship hall.
The annual assembly of the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America was held on Saturday, June 3, 2023, in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Andi Eberly and Jennifer Tallman voted for Peace Lutheran. This year's assembly was only one day long, but it was packed with crucial church business. Resolutions were passed at the assembly that updated the Synod's welcome statement in response to Reconciling Works recommendations, as well as a resolution that called for the formation of a Youth & Family committee (table) to help foster greater communication and involvement in the synod's youth and family ministry. Pastor Eric served as the synod chaplain and was elected to a two-year term on synod council.
To learn more about the synod assembly and the business before the assembly, visit https://metrodcelca.org/2023assembly/
Pride Bible Study
Pastor Eric has assembled a group of LGBTQIA+ and straight-ally clergy-peers for a three-week virtual Bible study focused on the 'clobber' passages that are frequently used against the LGBTQIA+ community. These passages, such as those in Genesis and Leviticus, have caused immense harm because they have been misinterpreted and used in oppressive ways. The clergy panel is multi-ethnic and multi-denominational, with a wide range of experiences. Everyone is welcome to attend one or more online sessions, and please spread the word widely, including on social media. To register, go to www.myplc.org/pride.
Pride Picnics Begin Sunday, June 11, Christ Church La Plata
Christ Church La Plata, St. Paul's Church Waldorf and Peace Lutheran Church have partnered to host a series of PRIDE picnics open to LGBTQIA+ family, friends, and neighbors this summer. The inaugural picnic will be held Sunday, June 11 at Christ Church in La Plata, MD beginning at 5:00 p.m. Come our for food, fun, and fellowship.
To RSVP for the June 11 picnic at Christ Church, visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScMASXhWrJGGh__czGWypLLCqVPFRJyDsp8LbUNo6mLL9d-rw/viewform
Sign up for the Synod Newsletter
Take a moment to sign up for the Synod newsletter at https://metrodcelca.org. The sign-up form is located at the bottom of the home page.
This Sunday at Peace Lutheran!
This Sunday Peace Lutheran welcomes to the pulpit a clergy-speaker from Food From the Poor.
Summer Order of Worship
For the summer months of the Season after Pentecost, through 24 September 2023, the order of worship will be scaled back some. Beginning June 18, Pastor Eric will begin a sermon series titled "Summer Mixtape." This six-week series is built from one message each from six of the Pauline epistles. Mixtapes are made for specific people and usually carry a specific theme, as do the letters Paul wrote to those he loved. This series touches on the topics of freedom, doing good works, growing in grace and peace, steadfastness, knowing our identity in Christ, transformation, living counter-culturally, and making a positive change in our society.
The order of worship, including confession/forgiveness, eucharistic prayers, and other parts of the liturgy, follow the pattern set by the Church of Sweden. We'll continue to use the Mass of St. Kilian's for the sung portions of the liturgy.
Order of Worship
Prelude Welcome & Announcements
Gathering Song
Introduction (an invitation to confession) Prayer of Forgiveness Words of Forgiveness Song of Praise ("Gloria") Prayer of the Day
Children's Message
Hymn (based on the day's appointed psalm or other reading)
Lesson(s) (sermon series readings)
Sermon
Hymn
Creed
Prayers of the People (Prayers of Intercession)
Invitation to the Offering
Music at the Offering ("Special Music")
Holy Communion (Preface/Dialogue, "Holy, Holy, Holy", prayers, and "Great Amen") Lord's Prayer
Peace
Invitation to the Table
Lamb of God
Communion Hymn(s)
Prayer after Communion
Brief Hymn of Praise
Blessing
Dismissal
Sending Hymn
Postlude
Sermon Series Schedule
June 18 – Week 1
Psalm 18:19-24; Galatians 3:1-7, 5:1
Topic: Freedom, Law, Heirs of God, Doing Good
June 25 – Week 2
Matthew 5:9; John 14:27; Ephesians 4:1-7
Topic: Grace, Peace, Love
July 2 – Week 3
Philippians 2:6-8; 4:1-9
Topics: Philippians, Steadfastness, Rejoice, Serve
July 9 – Week 4
Psalm 23:1-6; Colossians 2:6-10, 3:1-3
Topics: Identity in Christ
July 16 – Week 5
Proverbs 3:3-8; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-7 Topics: Keep Going, Holiness, Work Hard
July 23 – Week 6
Romans 12:2; Corinthians 5:17-17; Philemon 1:15-16
Forgiveness, Putting Other’s First, Countercultural Living