This Week's Pete's Epistle

8th February, 2024

"Invite, Support, Encounter"

From the Rector...

Note: Pastor James is at the diocesan pastor conference this week.

For pastoral emergencies please contact Deacons Patrice or Gary.

For urgent church business, contact Business Manager and Choir Director Diane Woodyard.

He will return to work on Saturday Feb 10th.

Dear Ones,

The presbyters this week on retreat considered both the emotional cost of ordained ministry and its spiritual replenishment and benefits. We are all called to help promote healing and encourage one another. Our new vestry is also feeling this call to connect with and encourage people.

With prayer and love we find healing in lives.

See you on Ash Wednesday at 1045 am or 6pm!

In Christ’s love for all people,

Pastor James

Warden’s Corner

Your new Vestry met 3 times over the weekend to get to know each other better, discuss strengths and challenges, and work on developing goals for 2024. We have a good group making up the 2024 Vestry and I look forward to working with them to make our Church flourish. Our goals include working on financial transparency including completing an audit and on sharing the welcoming atmosphere of St. Peter’s with the surrounding community to attract new members and welcome back members who may have grown distant over time.

Some events are coming up as we enter the season of Lent. Mark your calendars for the pancake feast on Tuesday February 13 and the picnic at Estrella Mountain Park on the afternoon of Sunday the 18th. I hope to see many of you at the Ash Wednesday services at 10:45am with the Montessori School and at 6:00pm for the traditional service. Look for the sanctuary to be transformed as the Altar Guild arranges for the traditional Lenten color of purple to adorn the crosses, altar, and banners. Purple can symbolize both the pain and suffering leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus as well as the suffering of humanity and the world under sin.

I took the new Junior Warden – Mike Bingham – on a little tour of our campus and facilities last week to give him an idea of the size of our facilities and the possible maintenance needs he may need to coordinate. John Bradley is helping Mike by providing a list of key personnel and some insights into maintenance needs including John’s latest challenge – gopher control! Steve replaced a toilet in one of the Montessori classrooms Sunday – an item that Mike can check off on his list! If you have a skill set in a maintenance discipline (think landscaping, plumbing, carpentry, etc.) and would like to help just let Mike know and we will put your skills to work!

Finally – I want to thank Claudine Pease-Wingenter for starting the Young Adult Group and to a new member - Jen Colome - for stepping up to help in the coordination and implementation of events for this group. This group is destined to do great things at St. Peter’s under their guidance and leadership. Be sure to thank them if you see them and support them when possible!

Ash Wednesday

Please join us for one of our Ash Wednesday services on February 14^th.

10:45am – Intergenerational service with our Montessori School
6:00pm – Traditional Book of Common Prayer Ash Wednesday service

Young Adult Group Game Night on February 17th @ 6:30pm

Our next Young Adult Group event will be on February 17th at 6:30pm We'll gather in the church library for a game night. Feel free to bring a snack to share and/or a game you would like to play. Note Celebration Hall will be used by another ministry that night, so we are not meeting in our "regular" spot. Everyone between ages 18-39 is welcome!

If you have questions, please contact Claudine Pease-Wingenter at [email protected] or 623-237-1080.

Young Adult Group on Social Media

As our new Young Adult Group begins to get established, we are developing a social media presence! Jossie Schultz, who grew up at SP's, kindly volunteered to be our social media coordinator and is doing a great job. When you get a chance, check us out on Instagram. Make sure to follow us at St. Peter's AZ Young Adult Group: https://www.instagram.com/spyagroup/. The Young Adult Group is a welcoming group for anyone ages 18-39. There is no need to be a member of SP's or to attend services at our parish. Please feel free to invite your young adult children, grandchildren, neighbors or friends to follow us on Instagram.

Volunteers Needed at Rainbow Festival March 23rd & 24th

Because of our harsh desert climate, Phoenix celebrates Pride in October, while it is generally celebrated around the world in June as a commemoration of the Stonewall Uprising in 1969. Since we get a late start to festivities, Phoenix also has a smaller annual festival in the spring to tide us over.

The Phoenix Rainbow Festival will take place this year at Heritage Square Park from 10:00am to 6:00pm on March 23rd and 24th. The Episcopal Diocese of Arizona will sponsor a booth to support the LGBTQ+ community and let festival goers know that we are an affirming denomination for all God's children.

The diocese needs volunteers to work 3-hour shifts at the booth. Admission to the Rainbow Festival is free. The diocesan booth will provide volunteers with water, snacks and chairs. If you are interested, please sign up here.

West Valley NAACP Youth Council

The NAACP is a 100+ year old civil rights organization and their West Valley branch launched its Youth Council last fall. They needed a central place for monthly meetings and SP's was pleased to be able to offer them space. If you are on campus in the morning on the fourth Saturday of the month, you may run into this awesome group of teens and their adult facilitators, Fallon and Asha. The Youth Council is open to youth in middle and high school. The group focuses on positive fellowship, as well as learning about an array of topics from career planning, healthy living, financial planning, civic engagement and community service. If you know of youth who may be interested, reach out to Claudine Pease-Wingenter (623-237-1080) and she can put you in touch.

Tax Credit Opportunities

It's tax season! You can support St. Peter's Montessori School by making a tax credit donation to Arizona Episcopal Schools Foundation. You can receive a dollar-for-dollar reduction on your Arizona State tax liability--up to $2,609 ($1,307 for Individuals) --even if you’re receiving a refund. Donations made until April 15, 2024, can be applied to your 2023 taxes! These donations provide needed scholarships to St. Peter's students. Talk to your tax professional or visit www.az-esf.org/donate to donate directly.

Be sure to specify St. Peter's as the recipient school.

Also, a donation to Bridges Reentry, Inc. provides safety, sanctuary, and new pathways to justice involved women seeking a new start. When you donate, you can earn an Arizona tax credit! Thanks to the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit, taxpayers can donate up to $841 and get it back on their Arizona tax return. Here’s how it works:

· Step 1: Make your 2023 donation to Bridges Reentry of up to $421 for single filers and $841 for married joint filers.

· Step 2: File your Arizona taxes and claim the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit using Form 321. Bridges Reentry QCO (Qualifying Charitable Organization) Code is 22242.

· Step 3: Receive your dollar-for-dollar tax credit!

To learn more about this unique tax incentive, please visit the Arizona Department of Revenue.

Please note: This notification does not constitute tax advice. Please consult your tax advisor for details that may apply to you.

Bi-weekly Bible Study Every Other Saturday at 3:30 pm

The bi-weekly Bible Study meeting time has changed and now meets every other Saturday 3:30 pm in the Conference Room. Our next meeting is February 10th. This will still track with the same week that Men's Group meets, until such time as enough participants want to go to "weekly." We are currently studying the Epistle to the Romans, the most influential theological writing of all time, and also looking at the readings for weekend worship services. Join Pastor James in this great learning group! This will facilitate his involvement in Prison Ministry on Saturday Mornings.

Save the Date...

Men's Group Fellowship Breakfast - February 10th @ 7:30am

Men’s Group is meeting Saturday at 7:30am in Celebration Hall for fellowship and breakfast. Group 3 is providing our meal this week.

Our speaker will be Kristie Myer who will talk about "Paws for Vets."

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner - February 13 @ 5:15 PM

St. Peter's Youth Group will be serving our annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Feast from 5:15 - 6:45 PM.

Shrove Tuesday is celebrated on the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent. It is traditionally a day of feasting and indulgence (think Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday) before the fasting period of Lent. Pancakes are a popular food on Shrove Tuesday because they are a way to use up rich foods such as eggs, milk, and sugar before the fasting period.

Gigantic Used Book Sale! - February 10th & 11th

The 67th annual Volunteer Nonprofit Service Association (VNSA) Used Book Sale will be this weekend at the Arizona State Fairgrounds. Angela Cade volunteers for this organization and can attest to the volume and variety of books available for purchase. Proceeds benefit the Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation and Literacy Volunteers of Maricopa County, Inc.

The hours are Saturday, 8am - 6pm and Sunday, 8am - 4pm.

Most books will be half-price on Sunday!

For more information and a link to the online bookstore, please go to www.vnsabooksale.org.

Faure's Requiem - February 13 @ 7:30 PM

Come and hear Pastor James and Diane Woodyard sing in an all French choral works program with the Phoenix Symphony Chorus and two ASU Graduate Conductors, featuring works by Gabriel Faure (including his great Requiem) and Lili Boulanger!

This should be a night to remember. The concert is free to the public and will be held in the Evelyn Smith Music Theatre at Arizona State University - 50 E. Gammage Parkway here on February 13th at 7:30pm.

Save the Date: 6 week Learning Group - Starts February 17 @ 3:30 PM

In Lent & Easter Season, Pastor James is offering a six session learning group on Being Followers of Jesus in the Episcopal Church, every other Saturday starting Feb 17^th at 3:30-4:45 pm. Everyone is welcome! These six sessions will allow those who may wish to be Confirmed, Received, or Reaffirm their commitment to living out their faith in the Episcopal Church to be so blessed by Bishop Reddall on May 5^th when she visits St Peter’s. You can join the class to grow in understanding and contribute to the Episcopal/Anglican way of being followers of Jesus, whether or not you may receive one of the three blessings of the bishop in May mentioned above.

We will use a brief and engaging book by Eric Law & Stephanie Spellers called The Episcopal Way, and have a spiritual delving on one of six themes each week in a concise “bonus book” by the greatest living Christian thinker, Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury, called Being Disciples.

I hope you will pray for those who gather to grow together, and consider joining us yourself.

Save the Date: Annual Parish Picnic - February 18th @ 2pm

Join us at Estrella Mountain Regional Park for the annual parish picnic! We will gather at Ramada #12, which has parking and is near the restrooms. The Men's Group will be grilling burgers and hot dogs. Beverages will be provided. If you are able, please bring a nonperishable side dish or dessert to share potluck style. The fee to enter the park is $7 per car, so carpooling is encouraged!

The address of the park is 14805 W Vineyard Ave, Goodyear, AZ 85338.

An Additional Lenten Study Opportunity…

… is starting Feb 20, exploring the Historical Jesus for our time. Watch the five lectures and stream Q&A segments at home on your own schedule; we’ll gather for an optional in-person (or Zoom) discussion on Sundays at 6pm in the Conference room, starting Feb 25. For more details see the description at http://www.crossanclass.com/. Let Rich Wittig know your interest.

[email protected] or 845-642-3062

We Invite you to Support the Community Outreach Ministries of St Peter’s so we may Encounter God’s love and care together.

Contact: [email protected]

Community Outreach Ministry Advisory Panel (COMAP)

Facilitator: Carolyn Beougher

Volunteer Coordinator: Martie Polk

St Peter’s Outreach Opportunities

St Peter’s will be hosting several Springtime events and ministry opportunities for those with Time, Talent or Treasure. We Invite you to prayerfully consider what gifts God has blessed you with that will Support St. Peter’s Outreach Ministry for others to Encounter God in our community this year.

March: Kid’s Clothing & New Sock drive for Family Promise

Telecare Ministry training

April: “Undies for All” Native American Ministries

Telecare Ministry

Ongoing: I- Help “grab & go” Breakfast Items

Veteran’s Ministry helping hands

Details to come in the coming weeks!

Contact: [email protected]

Community Outreach Ministry Advisory Panel (COMAP)

Facilitator: Carolyn Beougher

Volunteer Coordinator: Martie Polk

Bridges Reentry

Join us on a transformative journey! One of the most significant obstacles faced by women released from incarceration is the negative societal perception and limited opportunities encountered upon reentry. To address this issue head-on, the Raising My Voice program (RMV) through Bridges Reentry, focuses on fostering self-confidence, improving communication skills, and encouraging active civic engagement, which will not only improve their lives but also the entire community.

We are seeking individuals to serve as Coaches for the RMV program. As a Coach, you will offer support, guidance, and positive feedback as women craft their stories. As a Coach you can help individuals overcome society's judgment and achieve ongoing success.

Coaches are asked for a commitment of six Zoom sessions taking place on Wednesday evenings from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. If you are interested, please contact Khadijia White-Thomas, New Growth Program Coordinator with Bridges Reentry, at [email protected]. For more information about RMV check out: wwwbridgesreentry.org/programs. This is an excellent opportunity to make a real change in the lives of women who desire a second chance!

Diocesan Cycle of Prayer

This week we pray for Saint Matthew’s Episcopal Church, Chandler

We also pray for our companion Diocese: The Diocese of Western Mexico, Bishop Ricardo Gomez Osnaya.

Read the weekly email newsletter for the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona here. This newsletter includes reflections from The Rt. Rev. Bishop Jennifer Reddall, news, events, and updates throughout the diocese.