News
Thank You to Pastor and Carol Janke
We thank God that Pastor and Carol Janke are able to join us this morning for our 40th anniversary celebration. Pastor Janke, now pastor at St. Martin’s Lutheran Church in Watertown, South Dakota, served St. Peter as pastor during the years 1994-2010, and Carol served as a teacher in St. Peter Lutheran School during the school years of 1999-2010. We thank Pastor Janke for sharing God’s Word with us this morning, and we pray that they have safe travels back to South Dakota on Monday.
Taste of Modesto
Ladies, our next gathering is going to be at Pastas Pronto in downtown Modesto, Tuesday September 26 at 6:30 pm. Please text Linka if you will be attending so she can make reservations. All ladies 21 and older are invited to join in the fellowship!
Hurricane Harvey Help
WELS Christian Aid and Relief (CAR) asks that the people of WELS keep those affected by Hurricane Harvey in their thoughts and prayers as they deal with the aftermath of this catastrophic storm. A staging area is in the process of being set up in Austin, TX., with Pastor Daron Lindemann coordinating the effort. Two of the CAR relief trailers were to be deployed to the staging area this past week. Both trailers are equipped with chainsaws, generators, gasoline, and various tools that can be used to aid the volunteers in the cleanup. If you’d like to donate to the relief effort through the WELS Christian Aid and Relief, you can do so through the website or call them at 800-827-5482.
Reformation 500th Anniversary
Want to know more about the anniversary year of the Reformation? about Martin Luther and what an impact the Reformation had on the world even up to today? about what is happening around our Wisconsin Synod church body with observances of the Reformation? Check out the Reformation website and the information and resources to grow in your understanding about Luther, being a Lutheran, and this world-wide-impacting event called the Reformation. Visit the website.
Vote for your Favorite Hymns!
Our annual Festival of Favorite hymns is on Sunday October 8th. This is a Sunday when we sing the hymns that receive the most votes from the congregation members. You can find ballots on the table in the entryway. Please fill one out and place your ballots in the model church.
Oktoberfest – Saturday, October 28
Mark your calendars as Oktoberfest will be on Saturday, October 28, from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm. Oktoberfest is a fun event with food, games, and prizes! The event is for people of all ages so invite family, friends and neighbors! We will have a gift basket raffle as part of this year’s Oktoberfest and are looking to give gift baskets with the themes like Football Fanatic, Cozy Night In, and Family Fun. If you would be willing to make and donate a basket, please contact Deacon Schroeder. Serving Circle #2 is in charge of the event but we will have many other volunteer opportunities available as we will need extra help with food, set-up, take down, and clean-up.
Oktoberfest Follow-up Team
We are looking for volunteers to help with follow-up for visitors that come to Oktoberfest. We need volunteers that are willing to personally drop off a gift at the homes of non-members that attend our big Oktoberfest event. Please see our Evangelism Elder Jerry Baggett or Deacon Schroeder if you would like to help.
Care Packages for Students and Military
The Pioneers and Youth Groups would like to put together care packages to send to members of St. Peter that are away at high school, college or in the military. If you have a family member that is away at school or in the military, please give us their name and address and we will put a package together for them. Also let Deacon Schroeder know what kind of items they would like to receive.
If anyone would like to make a donation to help offset the cost of the packages, please write a check to St. Peter Lutheran Church and mark “Care Package” in the memo section. The packages cost $25 each with $10 for mailing and $15 for the care items.
If anyone would like to make a donation to help offset the cost of the packages, please write a check to St. Peter Lutheran Church and mark “Care Package” in the memo section. The packages cost $25 each with $10 for mailing and $15 for the care items.
Serving Circles
Starting with the 40th Anniversary Celebration of our church, we will make use of Serving Circles. All the members of the church will divided up into teams called Serving Circles and those teams will be responsible for organizing, decorating, setup, food, take-down, and clean-up for major events at St. Peter. These teams will be led by captains who will help organize the team and the events. The goal with Serving Circles is to get everybody involved with helping serve their Lord and increase fellowship through service. The Serving Circles Captains will be contacting you soon about helping out.
New Men’s Breakfast Bible Study Topic
Today Lutherans around the world are awaiting the arrival of October 31, 2017, the 500th Anniversary of Martin Luther posting the 95 Theses. These theses, or statements, have become the symbol of the Reformation itself. To understand and appreciate the 95 Theses in this anniversary year, our Men’s Breakfast Bible Study will be studying the history around the Theses and what they say. Join us for breakfast and our new study, “The 95 Theses: The Little Spark that Grew into a Reforming Fire,” at Perkos Restaurant at 3500 Oakdale Road in Modesto, every Tuesday morning, 6:30-7:30 am.
Military/Veteran Pictures
For our church photo directory, we will have a page dedicated to members of St. Peter that are serving or have served in the military. We are asking for help in submitting pictures of those people in their military uniforms. You may submit a photo via e-mail to Deacon, or put the picture in an envelope with the name written on the back of the picture and on the envelope. If you have any questions, please ask Deacon Schroeder or Renda Barnett.
40th Anniversary Celebration – September 24
On Sunday, September 24, St. Peter will celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the congregation. Former pastor, Pastor Paul Janke will be the preacher for the special service that morning. Following the service we will have a fellowship meal. We hope to see everyone there to help celebrate our 40 years of blessings.
Pioneers and Youth Group – Pinecrest Day Hike
On Saturday, September 30, we will meet at church at 8:45 to load up vehicles and leave church at 9:00 am. We will head to Pinecrest Lake for a day hike. Put on your favorite hiking shoes, pack a lunch and join us for a fun day in the great outdoors.
Biking in Yosemite – Saturday, October 14
This event is open to everyone that has a bike and wants to see Yosemite. We will have a trailer to carry bikes and will meet at church. (Time to be determined.) Please bring a lunch for yourself and $5 to help cover gas and the park entrance fee.
Holy Land Tour – April 16-25, 2018
Visit the Old Jerusalem (in Israel) before you go to the New Jerusalem (heaven)! A number people from St. Peter have expressed interest in taking a tour of the Holy Land. A trip is being planned for April 16-25, 2018. The itinerary includes a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, visiting the Jordan River, the village of Bethlehem, the city of Jerusalem and all its sites, the Garden of Gethsemane, other biblical sites, tour guide and private bus, 4-star hotel stays, and outstanding breakfast and supper buffet meals. Information sheets with itinerary and pricing are on the table in front of the church office. A digital copy can be seen at the website. Feel free to pass along this info to others who may be interested in going. If you’d like a visual glimpse of what it’s like to go on a tour of the Holy Land, check out the video.
Share-a-Meal Program
The Care Committee is starting a Share-a-Meal Program to help members from our church that may be experiencing temporary setbacks. The program would provide meals to these members and their families. If you would like to support this program, you can donate a meal, money to be used for the meals or restaurant gift cards. Please contact Deacon Schroeder if you would like more information.
