Prince of Peace
Weekly Update

September 4-10, 2020

"Do your little bit of good where you are; it is those little bits of good put all together that overwhelm the world."

Demond Tutu
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It is time. Are You Ready?
Come worship with us this September. Pick from three venues.

Outdoor worship on Saturday, September 12th and 26th at 5:00 p.m.       
(no rain dates) in the church parking lot. Simply register in advance, bring a mask, some folding chairs and bread and wine for communion. No congregational singing but your bread and wine will be consecrated for eating and drinking as a household.
 
Indoor worship on Sunday, September 20th, 9:30 a.m.  Simply register in advance. (Digital Registration will be in the Friday Weekly Update and Sunday e-mail blasts), bring a mask and plan to sit socially distant with your household. No singing and no communion but we will be in the building together.
 
Virtual worship upload each Sunday morning and available whenever you wish. Simply go to our website, select the Sunday you desire to participate in, and sing along in the  privacy of your home. No communion and no in person gathering but the basics of liturgy conveniently available for your spiritual nourishment.

Registration is required of every household member or individual to participate in any of the three in-person worship services this month. 

Please register below to participate in the outdoor worship service on Saturday, September 12, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. Information about the worship – what to bring, where to sit, when to arrive, etc. is included in the Eventbrite registration.
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There is an Opportunity to Read the Scripture at Worship in September.
 
Live and recorded Lectoring opportunities exist for all of our worship services - outside 9.12, recorded 9.13, in the building 9.20, outside 9.26, recorded 9.27. Please let Pastor Paul know of your availability ASAP. Thank you in advance. 
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Individual Communion is available by Appointment

Time is available during the week when you can come in, hear the words of institution, community prayers, eat and drink the bread and wine, and meditate on this spiritual gift in solitude.

Please contact Pastor Lutz if you would like to receive communion at Prince of Peace.          
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Sunday Virtual Coffee/Fellowship Hour

Join us this Sunday at
11:00 a.m. for our weekly Fellowship/Coffee Hour.

We are collecting stories to better understand the power and influence of Prince of Peace in our membership.

Members of the Forward Leadership Team will be present to share their stories and to capture yours.

Sign into a Virtual Coffee Hour by clicking on the link below.
If prompted

Meeting ID: 988 8813 8373 Password: 735006

It is always helpful to test your ability to join and visual & audio sounds on your computer or tablet prior to the meeting.

See you Sunday at 11:00 a.m.!
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.  
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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.

Your neighbors thank you.
Christ in Our Home (July, August, September) 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.
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SURVEYS. SURVEYS. SURVEYS.
 
We owe you the results of two surveys and one questionnaire - the recent "Four Questions" Survey, the "2019 Worship Survey", and the "Re-Opening Questionnaire".
 
We apologize for the delay in making the results available in a timely fashion - ministry, life, and a pandemic got in the way. 
 
Below is the link to the recent "four-question" survey as well as the 2019 Worship Survey.
 
And right below them, you will see the link to the Re-opening questionnaire.  
 
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, opinions, hopes, and dreams. We are moving in an exciting direction under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  
 
Please speak with Pastor Lutz, a Council member, or a Worship & Music Committee member for any needed clarification.  
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Feeding the Hungry
 
Have you ever been hungry, so hungry that you have a headache and you are noticeably irritable and upset? If so, you know what it means to have those feelings. It happens to adults and children each day in our country. Hunger has been reported as a stimulus for unrest in the streets of some cities. Hungry children can’t learn with empty stomachs.
 
I just read the gracious letter in the September Blueprints from Debbie Landzberg, Board President of Daily Bread Food Pantry. It’s a tribute to those who gave food in the past month and at the Confirmation Service. They love Prince of Peace down in Danbury. They mention our angels, who include Mary Weisensee, Marci Sharp, Betty Horton and John Caraszi, who was the angel who delivered those 12 bags of food before the Hurricane hit last month. There are more, I’m sure, but these are the names which Jill Shore, the manager mentioned.
The mention of Prince of Peace brings smiles and gratitude to the staff there.
 
Could we do more? I think so! Could you remember to drop one or more cans at church every time, or most times that you go near church? There’s a basket outside so you don’t even have to go in for safety. Someone would pick up food at your home or where convenient. Call me if you prefer to have the food delivered.
 
Most of us have full cabinets of canned goods and dry goods and they just sit there. After all, we stocked up for the pandemic but found that we could get fresh food easily enough. Many people with insufficient funds could not stock up. In fact, they finished all their reserves and show up at Daily Bread twice a week. Cars line the streets of Danbury, waiting to get food for their families. The numbers of cars are growing again. We brought two bags of food this week and a bunch of masks for children. The masks were the handiwork of Barbara Bruno and Diane Morey.
 
Nutritious food can help people feel comfortable and safe. Let’s dig into our cabinets and find a can of food for someone who needs it. Use this gift as a thank offering for worship, both outdoors and indoors. Say a prayer for the recipients of the food. Send some love to those less fortunate.
 
A big Thank you and virtual Hug for your generosity to come.
 
Nan Carlson
203-778-1171
PICTURES FOR CHURCH ARCHIVES

I am presently putting together the archives for Prince of Peace and there are no pictures or information about the 50th anniversary celebration. Plus, there are few group photos of Confirmation classes from recent years. If anyone has any information or pictures you are willing to share, please give me a call. Thanks...Marci Sharp (203) 775-4657
"Creating Community" Email Devotions sent on Mondays
 
Creating Community is an email devotion to guide your preparation for worship for the following weekend. 

Imagine how much more clear and relevant God's Word will be if you have had an opportunity to read, reflect, and dwell in the Word prior to worship. You may do this devotion as an individual, with others, as a family, or over Zoom as a small group. 

Each devotion arrives on Monday and can be engaged in anytime before Sunday's worship. 
 
The devotion includes three simple steps:

1. Read through the text (provided)

2. Respond to the questions (select one of the sets of questions from the three possibilities )

3. Offer a Prayer (one is provided)
 
Click below to see devotions for this Sunday.
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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.
203-775-9070
popluthernchurch@sbcglobal.net