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Peace OfferingsThe Newsletter of Peace Lutheran ChurchJanuary 2018Peace Lutheran Church Rev. Terry L. McKee, Pastor Office: 352.489.58817201 South Highway 41 Pastor’s cell: 352.817.8161Dunnellon, Florida 34432 Email: terrymckee1957@Our Mission: We are a family of Christians called, equipped and empowered by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed through God’s holy Word and Sacraments. To my Peace family As we begin the new year, we pause to look back at how richly we have been blessed both as individuals and as the Peace family. We continue to welcome brothers and sisters into our family and at the same time celebrate loved ones who have transferred to the Church Triumphant. God is always good! God is in charge!In the church, we remember that God alone has the power while granting authority to His servants to do His kingdom work. We have been blessed with a group of people who lovingly serve God and His Church. Let us continually keep them in our prayers. And together let us trust not in ourselves but in the authority of God’s Word remembering that, He alone is in charge. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote that we do not build the Church, but Christ builds the Church by the authority of His Word. He also wrote; We shall confess – He shall build. We shall preach – He shall build. We shall pray to Him – He shall build. We do not know His plan. We do not see whether He builds or tears down. It may be that the times, which by human standards are times of collapse, are for Him the times of great building. It may be that the times, which by human standards are times of great success, are for Him the times to tear down. It is a great comfort that Christ gives to His Church: confess, preach, and bear witness to me. I alone will build as it please me. Don’t give me orders. Do your job – then you have done enough. You are all right. Don’t seek out reasons and opinions. Don’t keep judging. Don’t keep checking again and again to see if you are secure. Church, remain a church! But, you church – confess, confess, confess! You have only one Lord – Christ alone. By His grace alone you live. Christ builds.It’s easy to get distracted and lose focus why God has called and gathered us here. We come to be fed with His Word and Sacraments, to be refreshed so that we can do His Kingdom work, to share the Gospel, to love and care for one another, to be His hands, His feet and His voice. And we do it all to His glory out of thankfulness. So in the new year let us continue to walk together as God wills; loving one another, supporting one another and encouraging one another. To God be the glory! God bless!Pastor********************Peace Lutheran Church Annual Voter`s Congregation MeetingNovember 26th 2017Following the worship service on Sunday, November 26th 2017, President Garry Kurth called the meeting to order and Pastor McKee opened with prayer.Attendance: 48Correspondence: NoneAcceptance of Previous Minutes: Hope Kurth made a motion to accept the May 21st 2017 minutes. Rita Cowan seconded the motion. The minutes were accepted.President`s Comments: Garry Kurth stated that it has been a good year, but advised that it has been hard to get volunteers. However, the Lord will help us where we need it. Reports: Financial Secretary: Becky Williams provided the Fund Summary. Becky Williams explained that the Bottom Line includes the $30,407.83 balance of the Kapitske Education Fund which has been deposited into Cadence bank which is an interest bearing account. This account will be used for educational purposes. Treasurers Report: Ken Buschman stated that as per the Constitution, the congregation should receive monthly, quarterly and annual financial reports including all funds coming in, and all funds going out. Ken Buschman made a motion that until the congregation is provided with all the above stated reports, that we should table any financial decisions, including the spending guide. Bill Langstaff seconded the motion. Much discussion followed. It was noted that the Constitution states that the Treasurer and Financial Secretary are to present financial reports at the Church Council and Voters Assembly, which has been done at each meeting of these bodies. Pastor Terry called the congregation to prayer. Pastor then advised that the congregation voted over 2 years ago, not to publish the complete financial reports in the monthly newsletter since it could be posted on the internet. As Church members, all are entitled to the full financial reports, but need to ask the treasurer and financial secretary for them. The motion was denied by majority ruling. SCRIP: Barbara Meisen reported that Novembers order totaled $2,690 with a profit of $137.75. The balance in the account is $1,815.91.LWML: Sheryl Lutz advised that the LWML will be making cookie plates on Dec 4th 2017. Sheryl then thanked Linda Williams for serving as the President of LWML and advised that her term is up and we will need a new President. She then thanked Pastor Terry for being so supportive of LWML. Elders: Doug O`Hara said that we have blessed in the last year. We are growing. We have accepted the following new members: Jerry and Janice Robertson, Trudy Kruezer, Linda Reidel, and Ken and Beverly West.New Business:Peace Spending Guide 2018: Don Dow made a motion to accept the 2018 Church Spending Guide. Doug O`Hara seconded the motion. Discussion followed. It was noted by Becky Williams that the spending guide has been reduced by $4,000. Bill Langstaff noted the reduction in health insurance by $8,000. This is due to Sam McKee not being eligible for coverage and Cindy McKee shopping around for a lower rate. Rita Cowan noted the increase in liability Insurance. The Church has been notified that our insurance premium will be higher due to the hurricane that came through, but we are not sure of the amount of increase at this time. The motion to accept the spending guide passed.Election of New Officers: Hope Kurth advised that we have the following suggestions as the new officers: Trustees: Don and Yvonne ConnorSecretary: Linda RyunTreasurer: Rita CowanElder: Jerry RobertsonBob Sullivan made a motion to accept the officers as stated above. Sheryl Lutz seconded the motion. The motion passed. Hope Kurth welcomed the new council members. Fifth Sunday, Dec 31st 2017: Becky Williams will be coordinating a luncheon after church on our last Sunday of the church year for all of us to sit down as a church family. The Church will provide ham and drinks and she asked for the congregation to provide a side dish. The meeting closed with prayer by Pastor McKee.Respectfully submitted, Jan Barker, Secretary. Peace Lutheran Church Council MeetingDecember 11th 2017Present: Garry Kurth, Hope Kurth, Jan Barker, Rita Cowan, Rebekah Williams, Steve Cassan, Ron Cowan, Rev. Terry McKee. Guests: Jerry Robertson, Janice Robertson and Dennis Witzgall. President Garry Kurth called the meeting to order and Pastor McKee opened the meeting with prayer.Correspondence: NoneThe minutes from the November meeting were accepted.President`s Comments: Garry Kurth welcomed the new council members. Jerry Robertson as Elder, Linda Ryun as Secretary. Don and Yvonne Connor as trustees, and Dennis Witzgall as Elder. Reports:Financial Secretary: Hope Kurth made a motion to move $2,490.50 (profits from the Pancake Supper and the Spaghetti Supper) from the General Fund to the Dinner Fund. Steve Cassan seconded the motion. Discussion followed. The motion was passed. Becky Williams noted that the new envelopes are in. The Financial Secretary report was accepted.Treasurer: The treasurer`s report was accepted.Trustees: Steve Cassan has replaced the water meter. He provided the old one. There was discussion about trying to fix the old meter. It was decided to keep the old meter, but not fix it at this time.SCRIP: The December order totaled $5,770 with a profit of $238.34. The total order for 2017 was $24,365. The total profit was $974.45. Rita Cowan stated that $500 was withdrawn from the SCRIP account to give to Toys for Tots. The remaining balance is $1554.25.Elders: No report.Pastor`s Report: Pastor appreciated the opportunity to hand out gift cards to the families that have come to the church in need of assistance. Old Business: December 31st Dinner: Becky Williams advised that the Church will provide the ham and the church members can bring side dishes. Dave Ramsey Finance Class: This class will be held Tuesday nights at 6:30 from January 9th 2018 through March 6th 2018. We need someone to co-host this class with Dunnellon Community Church. No one as of yet has volunteered to do this.Use of Mission Funds: Rita Cowan noted that $2,000 has already been used to purchase the gift cards for the needy families. New Business: Purchase of New Office Safe: Ron Cowan stated that our old safe's lock failed and we needed to break into it. We need to purchase a new one. Ron provided information on three different safes. Discussion followed. Ron Cowan made a motion to purchase the Century Safe with Digital combination and additional key entry. It is 3.4 cubic feet and costs $329.00. Hope Kurth seconded the motion. The motion passed. President Garry Kurth appointed Dennis Witzgall as Elder. Pastor Terry advised that the new officers will be installed on January 7th 2018.Steve Cassan brought up a concern regarding conducting Church Business via Email. Discussion followed.Hope Kurth made a motion to adjourn. Becky Williams seconded. The meeting was adjourned with prayer and the singing of the Doxology.Respectfully Submitted,Jan Barker, SecretaryScrip CardsThe 2017 Scrip program has come to the end of the year with our largest order to date – $5,770.00 The total orders in 2016 were $19549, with a profit to our church of $778.16. Total orders for 2017 were $24,365 with a profit to our church of $944.45. The total for 2017 reflected no Scrip orders for the month of September. With that in mind, I believe the Scrip Program was very beneficial to our church this year. Respectfully Submitted,Barbara MiesenScrip Coordinator********************From the Financial SecretaryHappy New Year, everyone!? As we head into 2018, there are a few items to consider regarding our offerings for the Lord's Work here at Peace.Envelope sets for 2018 are issued to each giving unit.? These sets contain several special envelopes in addition to those for Sundays and other worship services throughout the year.? Envelopes for altar flowers, improvements or designated special gifts may be used at any time during the year. There are three envelopes which are included to defray the cost of the envelope sets themselves, pay for a bulk subscription for the Portals of Prayer devotionals, and to order personal copies of the Lutheran Witness.? The actual cost to provide envelopes is $3 per giving unit; the bulk subscription price for the quarterly devotionals is $16 a year; and a bulk subscription for eleven issues of the Lutheran Witness is $12. ?For several years, only five or six members have subscribed to the Lutheran Witness at a cost of $20 to them; however, a member has paid for a bulk subscription and copies will be placed in mail slots as each new issue is received.? Please prayerfully considering using the specially designated envelopes to defray the cost of providing these materials.? If you choose not to at this time, you may certainly make a contribution at any time during 2018.Please do not use any unused 2017 envelopes to make contributions in 2018 as most numbers assigned to giving units have changed.Year-end 2017 statements of contributions will be provided to each giving unit early in January.? If you have any questions about your personal information, please ask me to check our records.? A duplicate or corrected statement can be provided.Because our newsletter is posted online and otherwise available to non-members and the minutes of our Church Council and Voters Assembly are displayed on a bulletin board, financial reports which are produced monthly are not provided through these means.? The Council has directed the Treasurer, Rita Cowan, and me, as Financial Secretary, to print copies of the Spending Guide month/year-to-date comparison and monthly Fund Summary (offering income) for any member wishing to review them.? They can be found in a designated mail slot.? Please do not leave copies where they can be accessed by anyone other than our members.? And, if you happen to take the last one, please let one of us know so that we can print more, as needed.The response for volunteers to count and deposit our offerings has been tremendous and I was able to schedule eight teams this year!? My thanks to each of you for your willingness to serve.? If you'd be willing to be a substitute, that would be terrific!? Just let me know. ?Have a blessed New Year!Becky Williams, Financial SecretaryAltar FlowersA new chart has been posted on the bulletin board for signing up to place Altar bouquets during 2018. ?With the exception of the weeks during the Lenten season, two bouquets will be ordered. ?The cost per bouquet is $20. ?If you would like to request a specific flower or color, please let me know so that A Floral Occasion can make every effort to honor your request. ?Please indicate whether you wish to purchase one or both bouquets and any specific reason for their placement, i.e., a birthday or anniversary, in remembrance or thanksgiving, to the glory of God. ?Pastor will note this in the service folder. ?Thank you for providing this visual reminder of the glories of God's creation!Becky Williams********************Best wishes on your Special DayTo:Birthdays Pat Doan01.08Beverly West01.23Eileen Nuce01.29Stephen CassanAnniversaries01.05.1957Ken & Peggy Buschman01.11.1964Tom & Lu Ann Cooke01.14.1956Robert & Thelma Grams********************The ladies of Peace L.W.M.L. January 2018DORCAS CIRCLE (LWML)Hello, Ladies of Peace! First, we still need a president! Please pray on this, and think about stepping up. Having served as president for 6 years, I really enjoyed it, but it’s time for new blood. Linda Williams also served us well for 2 years, and can’t continue at this time, so we need someone new. Can’t believe it’s time for 2018 already! This year has been very busy with “normal” LWML events, but we also had our 75th Anniversary Jubilee National Convention this past June in Albuquerque, NM; our Retreat at Jekyll Island was held after a “hurry up” clean up following Hurricane Irma, and between Jose and Maria. Also, outside of LWML, many of us became Grandmas (new & again) in the past year, adding other busyness- and excitement- to our lives (2017 seemed to be “the year of the babies”- at least for our Peace family!) There were vacations and other trips taken by many of us in all of that, and then in October we celebrated the 500th year of the Reformation, which led right into Thanksgiving, Advent, Christmas and the New Year- wow! In December, we continued with our new Bible study from “Sip, Savor and Drink Deeply”. Becky does such a great job leading us, and, although we usually have 12-15 ladies every month, we’d love to have more of you join us! Thank you to all who helped to make this year’s “Cookie Day” a success again! Thanks to all who baked, “plated” and/or delivered to those on our list and those you thought of in your neighborhoods. (We also took care of the broken ones by passing the poor, unwanted pieces around to all who would “take them in”). Our Annual Zone Prayer Service will be on Saturday, January 27th at 10am at Trinity Lutheran in Summerfield. We will be carpooling that day, so let me know if you’d like to go. This is a service led by the ladies, and lasts about an hour. They will have goodies before the service. Our Zone Spring Rally will be on Saturday, April 21st at Good Shepherd in Chiefland. Please think about going with us!FYI: Our national LWML President rides on the Lutheran Hour Ministries Float in the Rose Parade. Our Biennial FLGA District LWML Convention will be in Orlando, September 28th-30th. We need at least one other lady to go along as a Delegate to vote for the grant choices we at Peace LWML have selected (each church gets 2 votes). You will receive ballots and info on the choices sometime next summer. I always have a great time there- I have been to 4 already, and looking forward to my 5th!Peace Lutheran is “up” for hosting the Fall LWML Zone Rally, and we have chosen Saturday, October 13th. We will need help that day beginning with registration (4 or 5 ladies), and we will serve a continental breakfast plus lunch (maybe some gentlemen to serve?), just for starters. Once we choose a theme, we will also need favors for about 80 ladies and eight or nine table centerpieces. There will be more specifics as we go along. If you’d like to see what to expect, go with us to the Spring Rally at Good Shepherd, Chiefland- love to take you along! The Rallies are fun to attend!God`s Blessings to all! Sheryl Lutz, Secretary ********************READY, SET, RECYCLE!Hello, everyone that Santa visited:If you received a new computer, cell phone, tablet, etc. for Christmas, please recycle your old ones to the LWML if you don’t intend on keeping them- we can get money for them toward our 2019 National Convention in Mobile, Alabama our District is co-chairing. Please bring them to me, and I will remove the old hard drive and either return it to you, or destroy it myself before passing it on.We are collecting empty inkjet printer cartridges, empty laser printer cartridges, used cell phones, laptops, digital cameras, e-Readers, tablets, GPS systems, and Scientific Calculators (please include power cords for everything if possible) See me if you have any questions. We (as a church) also collect can tabs & used eyeglasses (also on back table), aluminum cans (outside back door) and paper (dumpster in parking lot). Everything we collect brings in money for us, and helps the environment, too. Thanks!Sheryl Lutz, LWML Society Facilitator********************635635PEACE CHOIR NOTESThe busy season of Advent and Christmas is over, but our beat goes on. The beginning of January will feature a baptism song in recognition of Jesus's baptism. We will follow that up with praise songs to bring us to Lent.Our music is always based on the church calendar. Still plenty of room for more voices, especially men. Come and join us on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 p.m. Questions or concerns, please contact me at 352-794-3366 or email: bluann@tampabay.."Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."?Colossians 3:16In Christ’s Service,Lu Ann Cooke********************Peace OfferingsThe Official NewsletterOfPeace Lutheran ChurchDunnellon, Fl. 34432EditorBob SullivanPublisherJackie Hucker********************Those Serving January 2018Sunday, January 7, 2018Ushers: Garry & Hope KurthCommunion assistant: James SpiegelbergGreeters: Jae Ann & Dennis WitzgallLay reader: Alan RiedelCounting team: Sheryl Lutz & Jean MethlieSunday, January 14, 2018Ushers: Sharon Zavertnik & Linda WilliamsCommunion assistant: James SpiegelbergGreeters: Bunnie Daniels & Rita CookLay reader: Lu Ann CookeCounting team: Steve & Sharon CassanSunday, January 21, 2018Ushers: Doug O’Hara & Rita CookCommunion assistant: Samuel McKeeGreeters: Jackie Hucker & Bill LangstaffLay reader: Barbara SadlerCounting team: Jerry & Janice RobertsonSunday, January 28, 2018Ushers: Ron & Rita CowanCommunion assistant: Jerry RobertsonGreeters: Virginia & Bob SullivanLay reader: Becky WilliamsCounting team: Linda Ryun & Rita CookAltar Guild January 2018Carla, Tricia, & Trina Ruttinger ................
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