Thank you to everyone who supported our successful stewardship campaign!
Our final budget for 2022 (made up of revenue from commitments, estimates, and anticipated rental) shows anticipated revenue that is slightly higher than anticipated expenses.
Family Ministries Christmas Party
A few photos from the December 5 Family Ministries event:
Peace Online Advent Calendar 2021
Just a few more doors to open!
Join us on Christmas Eve either online or in-person
December 24 – watch your morning email for a video link (see below)and/or attend a live service at 9 pm in our sanctuary
Christmas Eve at Peace is typically the traditional Festival of Lessons and Carols, developed in 1880 and celebrated at Kings College in Cambridge, England, since 1918. Last year was an exceptional year because it was not safe for us to gather in-person as a faith community on Christmas Eve. This year, we are lucky to be able to celebrate together live, but we recognize that not everyone is ready to attend an in-person worship yet. So we want to provide an online option, but since it’s impractical for us to record a 9 pm service and get it posted in an acceptable amount of time, we decided to do this instead: we are sending out last year’s Festival of Lessons and Carols again, on Friday morning, but it’s preceded by an updated introduction that follows the theme we have been observing the past four Sundays of Advent. You will no doubt notice some inconsistencies in setting and attire, but we hope it does not diminish the significance of the experience for those of you watching the video.
You may recall that the service traces humanity’s relationship with God from Creation through the birth of Jesus. This is told in nine short Bible readings from Genesis, the prophetic books, and the Gospels, interspersed with short reflections and the singing of Christmas hymns.
Poinsettia Donations
Jean and Mark Briggs
in honor of our families
Pam and Tom Jacobson
in memory of our parents and in honor of our children and granddaughter
Jim, Marni, and Karissa Kaufer
in memory of Ryan Kaufer and
Gordy and Mickey Kaufer
Bette and Bruce Larson
in memory of our parents
Good Neighbor Meal on Christmas
December 25
Hunger is hunger, even on holidays. We have two opportunities for you to help. Click on the dates below for their SignUp Genius links.
On Friday morning, the 24th, we need people to help Pam bake donated (unbaked) pumpkin pies at the Good Neighbor Center.
On Saturday morning, the 25th, ten volunteers are needed to help prepare and distribute a bag lunch with a hot entrée and vegetable, fresh fruit, bread and butter, and a bottle of water.
Contact Pam Jacobson (651-214-7701 or pjjacobson22@gmail.com) with questions.
Special Worship Opportunities
Sunday, December 26
The Minnesota Conference of the United Methodist Church has provided a special online video worship experience, “Divine Interruption.” It features various voices from across the Minnesota Conference sharing their own personal experiences of divine interruption interspersed with stories from the first Christmas. There will be NO in-person worship at Peace on the 26th.
Sunday, January 2
Before the onset of the COVID 19 pandemic, it had been customary for the Celebration Chorale to present a special seasonal music presentation as part of one of the Advent worship services. 2021 marks the second Advent season that the pandemic has made such a live presentation inadvisable. In 2020, with no in-person worship experiences, this musical presentation was done in video format and sent out to the congregation through the church website. With in-person worship taking place this year and the addition to our sanctuary of our new large monitors, we are pleased to bring this seasonal music presentation to you live, though still in video format, as part of our worship experience on the second Sunday of Christmas, January 2nd.
The musical presentation, by gifted contemporary composer/arranger Joel Raney, entitled simply, Peace, uses arrangements of many favorite carols of the season, along with short narrations reflecting on various aspects of the gospel birth stories, to help us to reflect on the birth of Jesus, particularly as we consider him during this season as Prince of Peace.
Tornado disaster response
Donations may be channeled through the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) to help provide food, emergency shelter and other necessities following the string of devastation wrought recently in the south: https://advance.umcor.org/p-620-umcor-us-disaster-response-and-recovery.aspx (Advance #901670).
Joint Religious Legislative Coalition Housing Webinar
January 6 at 6:30 pm
JRLC’s next housing webinar focuses on “Special Challenges and Opportunities for Inclusion.” Further information at https://jrlc.orgor jmiltenberger@jrlc.org or 612-230-3232.