Prince of Peace
Weekly Update
May 22-28 2020
"Jesus is still not confined to our expectations, to our whims,
to our wishes--our needs for signs and wonders.
Jesus is alive and at work in the world.
We ought to share that good news."
 
The Rev. Theodore Schroeder

Out of an abundance of caution and following Gov. Ned Lamont's injunction to 
"Stay Safe. Stay at Home."
The Prince of Peace building is closed for the foreseeable future (but not the people) .
 
In the meantime, we are 
being the "church" (God's people) in the world.
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Eternal God, we give thanks for all those who have shown the greatest love by laying down their lives for others. We especially thank you for those in our military throughout history who have sacrificed their lives for their fellow citizens and for us who came after. As we remember their service, keep us mindful of all those for whom this day is a burden, and send your spirit of comfort to them. Be present with all the women and men who are serving in the military today. Let them live for the peace known only from you. Help us to be worthy of their legacy, and keep us mindful of their service, that in all things we may live our lives in praise and thanksgiving to you; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
 
The following people are the veterans who fought in our wars and together protected this great nation of ours. We would like to honor these men and women who are buried at Prince of Peace Cemetery on this Memorial Day weekend.


Albert Abele Sr.
Paul Beaulieu
Eugene Bieber 
Herman Bizer
William Buchta
Richard Carroll
Paul Chauvin
Joseph Clark
John Enright
Leopoldo Esteves
William Evans
Louis Futie, Sr.
Jerome Gisondi
Edward Guman
Donald Guth
John Harrison
Howard Hess
John Hroziencik
Lawrence Krauss
Arthur Kuebler
Victor Lambert
Victor E. Lambert
Joseph Lamendola
John Lawrence
John Lawrenia
Leonard Lehmann
Warren Lundquist
William Madden
Floyd Malmborg
Peter Malmborg
Emil Manka Sr.
Carl Matula
Otto Matula
John McNeill
John McNeill Sr.
Ronald Miller
Walter Molles
Ferdinand Muller
Jeannette Muller
Robert Newman
John Omasta
Harold Owen
Alfred Parente
Erich Petsch
David Riley
Cornelius Reilly Raymond Richter
Robert Ross
Eugene Rottenberk
Thomas Russell
William Russell
Sven Sathre
Alfred Silvaggi
Guy Simmons
David Smerglio
James Stahley
Alois Stammel
Robert Stockman
Otto Stuhrke
Joseph Swift
Ernest Tilford
Andrew Uraco
The council met on May 20, 2020 on Zoom. Here is a summary of what they considered:

  • Reviewed current financial situation

  • Heard from the newly established Re-formation Teams. (See elsewhere for purpose of teams, ministry areas and team members)

  • Agreed to follow the New England Synod, ELCA, Bishop's request to abstain from inside, in person worship until July and possibly longer

  • Approved the following students to be Confirmed (when and where to be determined):

  1. Cassandra Buzzell
  2. Emma Cable
  3. Ava Cantone
  4. Andrew Confortini
  5. Morgen Kleppin
  6. Chris Mattera
  7. Riley Rokvoid

  • Determined the current Council terms and vacancies for the Nominating Committee's work.

  • Selected Sunday, June 28th, for a Congregational Meeting to vote on sale of Misty Hollow and election of new council members. (Location and format of meeting to be determined.)

  • Approved a congregational short survey to gather positive stories about why PoP matters to our members.  
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Camp Calumet News:

Resident Camp for Kids and all other programs we offer for children will not take place this summer.

This is a huge disappointment for campers and staff who look forward to spending part of their summer at camp. We — Calumet Nation as a whole — share this sorrow. For over 60 years, Calumet has been a place that is chock full of happy splashing, worshipful singing, and relationship building. It’s been about loud cheers and the constant, holy noise of goodness. The idea that Luther Hall, Johnson Hall, and the ODC will be quiet this summer is simply unfathomable.

Calumet’s leaders will continue to monitor options and possibilities regarding our ministry related to the Family Campground and the Conference Center.

Pray for Calumet’s leaders who are working hard to determine what’s best for the summer ahead. On their behalf, I want to thank you for your support. Be well, be smart, be safe, be healthy, and make good choices.

Karl Ogren
Executive Director
Calumet Lutheran Ministries
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MULCH IS HERE!
 
If you can help with weeding before the mulch is spread (around the front door, by the sign on the front lawn, and around the stone pillars at the bottom of the driveway.) and/or spreading the mulch, please let Steve Kleppin know ( steven.kleppin3@gmail.com or 475.283.5294 ) ASAP . "Many hands make light the work."
FM Transmitter

Prince of Peace Church is looking to borrow, rent or buy a FM transmitter. Any leads?
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Searching for all Graduates
 
If you or a family member is graduating from preschool, elementary, middle, high school, college, or grad school, let us know Who, from What and What's next?
 
Gracious and Loving God, we ask, now, for your almighty hand to be upon our graduates as they and their families celebrate this grand milestone. May they find comfort from our community's continued embrace and support as they journey through life. Bless their lives from this day on with goodness and success. Enable them: to stay true to their dreams for your greater glory, to discern what is right, good and just, and to use their gifts wisely and in service to others. Empower them to walk into the future with faith, hope, and great love guided by your light so that they may use their talents to "Go forth and set the world on fire." Grace be to them, grace be to us all.

Also, consider the following resource as a way to help make it even more memorable.  
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DAILY BREAD
FOOD PANTRY IS SEEKING DONATIONS
 
Please consider a food or monetary donation to the DAILY BREAD FOOD PANTRY during this pandemic. 

Your food-insecure neighbors will benefit from your donations of:

  • Black beans or any kind of canned or bagged beans
  • Rice in 1,2 or 3 lb. bags
  • Pasta - any kind
  • Cereal - Cheerios, Corn Flakes. Rice Krispies (no sweet cereals)
  • Tomato sauce in cans
  • Tuna
  • Chicken in cans
  • Peanut butter
  • Pork & beans or meals in cans
  • Canned vegetables (especially corn)

Drop off your food items or checks (payable to DAILY BREAD FOOD PANTRY) to the church's freshly painted front door anytime between now and Tuesday morning.

Your neighbors thank you. 
Meal Train Plus

The Danbury High School baseball team wanted to help take care of those on the front lines of the coronavirus, not only by social distancing and staying home but also by coming together to both support our local restaurants, doctors, nurses and other personnel at Danbury Hospital.

They are working hard to make sure everyone can get through these trying times and what better way to help them accomplish that then to keep their energy up, and most importantly - boost morale. By ordering food (any cuisine) we'll help local restaurants' bottom line. Restaurants will prepare the food and drop it off at the hospital - and we'll help fund this important task!
Update on Summer 2020 VBS
 
There will be no Brookfield Ecumenical Vacation Bible School this year due to the COVID19 virus.
Offering,Tithes and
Special Donations 

Please help us stay current with our financial obligations
during this difficult time.
We say "Thank you" to all who have mailed in their offerings.

We are now able to offer online giving here.

Now you can give a one time gift or a reoccurring gift through a checking account or a debit/credit card.  
HOW TO BE A STEWARD IN TODAY'S ECONOMY:
MONEY FROM THE GOVERNMENT

I want to give you something to consider. It is looking as many citizens will receive a check from the government sometime in the near future. Like with all of your income, I invite you to join with me in considering a tithe.

A tithe is the giving of a percentage (typically 10%) of salary, financial gifts, interest, winnings or other income to others out of Christian concern. Jesus taught that "tithing must be done in conjunction with a deep concern for justice, mercy and faithfulness" (Matthew 23:23).

I invite you to consider any payment from our government as subject to tithing. There are many worthy organizations, small businesses, and efforts that would benefit from your generosity. Supporting “Brookfield Recovers”, the Dorothy Day House, your favorite local business, restaurant, coffee house, or favorite charity, to name a few. (See the list of local open business below).

To be clear, this is not a request to send money to Prince of Peace. This is an invitation to see this government payment as an opportunity to practice tithing. I am encouraging you to continue to be the church in the world by helping others in need with an act of justice, mercy, and faithfulness.

Let me know where your tithe goes. I will pray for the business.

Easter Blessings,
Pastor Paul Lutz
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How to Reach
the Pastor

And as always, Pastor Lutz is easily accessible. You can email him (poppastorpaul@ sbcglobal.net) call him on his cell (609.578.7921) or post on his Facebook page ( https://www.facebook.com/plutznj ). Although there will be no regular office hours, the church phone is checked every couple of days for messages.
Re-forming the Church - What happens next?

During a recent zoom special council meeting, it was decided to organize four teams to create a phased approach to "re-forming" at PoP.

The four teams are worship, faith formation, social ministry, and fellowship.

The council is suggesting the following members on the
"Re-forming Teams":

Worship
Convenor: Jerry Nabozny
(Council), Susi Lehmann (Altar Guild), Kevin Fay (Music Staff), Nan Carlson (Forward Leadership/Accountability Team) and Nancy Tolmoff.

Faith Formation
Convenor: Heather Pontonio
 (Forward Leadership/
Accountability Team/Sunday School teacher), Deb Nobes (Preschool), Alison Cantone (Council/Confirmation Guide) and Liz Davies (Council/Confirmation Guide)

Fellowship
Convenor: Andrew Confortini (Council/Oktoberfest Chef), Joan Manka (Council/Committee member), Casey Johansen (Council/Forward Leadership/Accountability Team/Fellowship Host) and Paul Adam.

Social Ministry
Convenor: Monica Walsh (Forward Leadership/ Accountability Team), Julie Parker (Council/Forward Leadership/Accountability Team), Steve Davies, and Janet Lutz  

Pastor Lutz will be an
ex-officio member of all four teams. 

All of the teams have met once. At that meeting, they reviewed all the congregational activity in their ministry area with an eye for Phase 1 preparations (What's most in need of attention in our area?) as suggested by the New England Synod, ELCA. Then they began to create a list of suggestions and questions to share with the Council.

If you have thoughts, suggestions, concerns in any of these ministry areas, please speak with the Council. We want to know both what you need today in this pandemic to continue to experience worship, faith formation, fellowship, and social ministry.
And we would like to know what we need to do before you will feel safe returning to our building.  
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So, what do you say, Prince of Peace? 
(an invitation from Pastor Lutz's sermon on 5.17)
 
"Let’s start a campaign of writing "love letters"; words of encouragement and gratitude to health care workers or to essential workers in food service, elder care, and other industries. Even to families who are struggling at home with schooling or to teachers who have taken their instruction online. Or perhaps you can make your own list of those you feel for? If you don’t want to write, be creative -
call, text, draw a picture, paint a sign to hold or post, write a poem, or a song. Everyone can do something to share the love of Christ with a hurting world.

As Churchill said, “Never let a good crisis go to waste!” I think the Advocate would agree. Love beckons us..."
 
Let me know who you are sending love to. I'll send a letter too.
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 Personal Protective Equipment

Many sewers are still sewing! Masks are a necessary addition to one’s wardrobe when out in public for everyone. We are making masks for children as well as adults so let us know if you need one for your kiddo. We will leave some masks in the tub at church so help yourself and call me if it’s empty. 
Remember to wash them frequently. Drying the mask in the sun is particularly good, if you can.
 
Nursing homes are still happy to have both masks and scrub caps. Residents of nursing homes cannot leave their room without a mask. 

Workers at Regional Hospice have been pleased with our donations. Unfortunately, some of their patients are infected with the virus, The donations are all identified as from Prince of Peace so our name travels with them.
 
Please remember to donate food to Daily Bread or the Food Pantry. Many are without money and food.
 
A word about the Pandemic: 
It’s not over yet. The fact that the state of Connecticut is beginning to reopen does not mean that it is safe to go out and resume normal activity. At this time, there are fewer people in the hospital but people continue to die from Covid-19. More cases will occur because more people are out with others who have the virus. Some of us carry the virus but do not have obvious symptoms. This is allergy season and some people may attribute their early symptoms to allergy.

People who are over 65 or have illnesses like high blood pressure, diabetes or lung and heart disease are at increased risk to get the virus. The disease is more likely to end our lives…so be careful…stay home…avoid contact…and wash your hands. No, scrub your hands after being out.

Don’t take any chances.

  ~ Nan Carlson
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VIRTUAL WORSHIP

Please join us whenever convenient for your household for virtual worship. Each Sunday service is posted by 8 a.m. on our website. The abbreviated virtual worship experience including hymns you can sing along with, a gospel story worth telling, a sermon that speaks to our current reality, prayers for the community and world and community announcements about what's happening at PoP. Check your email for the link or go our website ( http://princeofpeacebrookfield.org/ ) and click on the date of the service you would like to experience.   

Virtual Lectors Sought!

If you have a phone you can record yourself reading one of our Sunday scripture passages to be included in our virtual worship.

Starting on Pentecost worship (5.31) we will include all four of the Sunday readings.

Speak to Pastor Lutz if you'd like to serve as a "virtual" lector.
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Faith Formation
 at Home

Parents of Sunday School children, we are supplying several options for faith formation at home. Download the Taking Faith Home insert from our website for daily family prayers, rituals and traditions. In addition there is on the web page Sunday School readings, questions, and activities that correspond to the bible story presented in the worship clip.

Parents of Confirmands, we have moved to a Zoom class every Tuesday. Let me know if you have any questions

Adult learners, I would like to also create an Adult Faith Formation blog to continue our learning. How many would be interested in such an experience? We could also hold the Women's Bible Study online with Zoom. Ladies, are you interested?

As a friend of mine said recently, .... it is also a time to recall that our God is an abundant, enduring and fiercely caring God who responds to our prayers by reminding us we are all ministers capable of serving our neighbors and the common good at ANY time.

Time in worship and study are perhaps more needed than ever before.
New Way to be
the Church 

So, what ideas do you have for new ways to be the church at a time like this? Here are some thoughts that may trigger some ideas for you.

  • Take care of yourself. Read. Try to relax. I’ve rekindled a new music listening habit that had gone away because of a busy life. Restoring the practice has been such a gift. Exercise 30 minutes a day if you can. Taking a walk works.

  • Reach out to others in new ways. Social distancing does not have to mean social absence. Try a Zoom meeting. Stay in touch with PoP friends by cell phone, email or by writing a compassionate note.

  • Renew or energize family relationships and relationships with other friends with whom you’ve lost touch. You may have “forced” free time now to build on relationships that have lagged.

  • Check on your neighbors. You can still knock on a door and give the gift of a smile, showing that you care. (That would be a group of less than 10, right?)

  • Have a grudge against someone? No time like the present to mend fences.

  • Say thanks to a doctor or nurse or EMT volunteer you know who may be having a tough time right now.

  • Keep your offerings to the church going. Thanks to you, the ministry of PoP continues in the hardest of times. Remember PoP, its pastor and faithful staff and leaders in your prayers

  • Others?
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Let us Pray

O God, where hearts are fearful and constricted, grant courage and hope. Where anxiety is infectious and widening, grant peace and reassurance. Where i mpossibilities close every door and window, grant imagination and resistance. Where distrust twists our thinking, grant healing and illumination. Where spirits are daunted and weakened, grant soaring wings and strengthened dreams. All these things we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

(Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Additional Prayers, pg. 72-87)
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“Brookfield Recovers” is a special fund created to assist residents impacted by the Covid19 emergency. Brookfield is an extremely generous town, so it’s not surprising that we’ve been overwhelmed with inquiries from residents about “how can we help?” This is how you can help Brookfield residents. Donations will be administered by the town’s Department of Social Services with 100% of all contributions directly benefiting residents in need. 

Funds will be used to purchase items to resupply our food pantry and to assist clients impacted with basic needs to help them stay in their homes.  Your gift will have a measurable and immediate impact on friends and neighbors. Please consider a donation to Brookfield Recovers.

All donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

You may send a donation via check, payable to:
Town of Brookfield 
(note Brookfield Recovers on the memo line)
Brookfield Social Services
100 Pocono Road
Brookfield CT 06804
Christ in Our Home is available for pick up.

The Gather Magazine is also available for pickup.

Please pick up your copy of this devotion and magazine by driving to the church building and walking up to the front door. Please wear gloves and keep 6 feet away from any others you may find there.

Pastor Lutz is available
to drop Christ in our Home devotion or the Gather Magazine to your home per your request.

You may reach him at 609.578.7921 or
by email or by Facebook.
203-775-9070
popluthernchurch@sbcglobal.net