THE NET
JANUARY 2015
Dear Sisters and Brothers of St. Peter’s,
Every Christmas Eve I think to myself…. “if only our life of faith could be so alive every day
of the year.”
I imagine I’m not alone. Perhaps you have had the very same hope and dream.
As we begin this New Year together at St. Peter’s, I invite us to reflect upon the ways that the
Word made Flesh becomes manifest and dwells within us, both individually and as a
congregation.
Reflecting the gift of the Christ child in our lives, how can we be bearers of God’s hope and share the
kingdom values of: Generous Hospitality, Grace-Filled Relationships, Growing Discipleship, Grateful
Stewardship, and Christ-like Servant-hood?
As our mission and ministry at St. Peter’s seeks to proclaim the Good News of the Word made Flesh in
this New Year, consider the words of the late Howard Thurman, a prominent African-American pastor,
theologian, author and civil-rights leader.
Work of Christmas Begins
Howard Thurman (adapted)
"When the song of the angels is stilled,
when the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and princes are home,
when the shepherds are back with the flocks,
then the work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost,
to heal those broken in spirit,
to feed the hungry,
to release the oppressed,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among all peoples,
to make a little music with the heart…
And to radiate the Light of Christ, every day, in every way,
in all that we do and in all that we say.
Then the work of Christmas begins.
The message of the Feast of Epiphany announces to all people, everywhere:
Rise up in splendor…your light has come,
The Glory of the Lord shines upon you!
Let the work of Christmas begin, and let it begin with you."
In the Peace & Joy of Christ,
Pr. Gregg
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The women and children I met, by virtue of their
detention and the way the U.S. government is handling
their cases, have little access to justice – and there are
incredible impediments to even having the chance to tell
the story of the violence they fled, their fear of return, their
desperation, and to plead for protection in the United
States of America.
The treatment of families I witnessed is not fair or
just, and certainly does not reflect the values of the
America I love.
We had about 45 minutes to sit and talk with some
women as they were waiting for bond hearings over televideo connections with the immigration judge. I spoke
with two women, awkwardly at first, but before long there
was much to be said. They spoke of their fear and
depression. They spoke a little about the horrific
circumstances in their home country of Honduras that left
them with no choice but to flee for their lives and the lives
of their children. They spoke of their treatment at the
detention facility and how badly they wanted to be
released to live with relatives in the United States while
they waited for their day in immigration court. And they
spoke of their children and hopes for their future. There
was also much that wasn’t said, but was evident in tears
and down-turned eyes.
The most hopeful part of that long and difficult
day was a conversation LIRS hosted in a local Methodist
Church, to which we had invited area pastors and lay
people. It was an opportunity for our delegation to reflect
on what we had seen and experienced, and to hear from
people in the community that hosts this facility. It was a
time to talk about what could be done, and a time to pray.
Several people had driven nearly two hours to come and
meet us. The said, “No one gets inside that place. And no
one knows what is happening to the families who are
there.”
There are some practical next steps that can be
taken in Artesia – and compassionate and faithful people
seemed more than ready to begin visiting the families who
are there, to provide books, to help support the attorneys
who are representing families, and to be a sign of God’s
love in a harsh and isolated place.
LIRS is blessed with amazing supporters all across
this country – people who give generously, who lift up
their voice and speak with elected officials, and who take
hands on action to demonstrate a love of neighbor.
Please continue to join and support us in this work:
 Learn about the detention of families in our
newly released report, “Locking Up Family
Values, Again.”
 Consider participating in visitation ministry at
one of the 240 detention centers where
immigrants are held all across America.
 Tell your elected officials you don’t believe it is
right to lock up immigrant families.
++RESOURCES FROM THE PASTOR ++
MY VISIT TO ARTESIA FAMILY RESIDENTIAL CENTER
By Linda Hartke
President & CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
A few weeks ago I made a long journey to Artesia,
New Mexico. Artesia is located halfway between
Albuquerque and El Paso. It was an important visit to one
of the new immigration detention centers where Central
American mothers and their children are being detained.
The detention center sits on hot, barren land in a
corner of a large installation where U.S. government
personnel are trained in the use of firearms. All of the
agents working there have been instructed to refer to this
place as “the Family Services Center” and those who are
detained as “residents” – but there is nothing about it that
feels safe, family-friendly, or oriented to providing
services.
The day we visited, there were 483 women and
children held there in four dormitory buildings. The night
before, 32 had left on a late night flight from Roswell.
There are many things I found deeply disturbing during
my visit:
 Mothers said their children were losing
weight because of stress and not having
familiar food; the response of U. S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
officials was that mothers should make their
children eat.
 More than 10 weeks after the facility had
opened, classrooms were still being readied so
that the children could receive education.
 Almost all of the government agents staffing
the facility, including those assigned to the
dormitories, are men; they rotate on
assignment to the facility – never staying
more than six weeks – and have no specialized
training to work with women and children
and not all speak Spanish.
 There was little for the mothers and children
to do; few toys and books; no outdoor space to
play, although a soccer field is reportedly
under construction; and many have no
visitors.
 Many mothers and children each have only
two sets of clothes – the clothes they arrived in
after a long and dangerous journey of more
than 1,000 miles and one other set issued to
them by the facility.
While all of these issues are troubling, and women
and children should not be detained under such conditions,
the conditions are not the point. It is our belief that they
should not be detained. Period.
Incarcerating families is wrong and unnecessary.
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 Explore other actions you can take, including
gifts you can give to unaccompanied children
and families through our Christmas Gift
Catalog.
 Remember the mothers and children being held
in Artesia in your prayers.
As we approach Christmas, I remember another
family that had journeyed far, whose child was heralded by
angels yet also under a threat of death. His parents, like
those I met in Artesia, made a difficult and heartbreaking
choice to flee to another land – seeking refuge.
Blessings in your Christmas journey.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was born in Breslau in 1906.
The son of a famous German psychiatrist, he studied in
Berlin and New York City. He left the safety of America
to return to Germany and continue his public repudiation
of the Nazis, which led to his arrest in 1943. Linked to the
group of conspirators whose attempted assassination of
Hitler failed, he was hanged in April 1945.
Copies will be available in the narthex by midJanuary.
Please join us for great conversations!
Hartke, Linda. (2014, December).
My Visit to Artesia Family Residential Center.
Rebuilding Hope (12-04).Retrieved December 19, 2014,
from http://lirs.org/rebuildinghope121806/
News coming in February.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
FOOD PANTRY
Items most needed are: boxed cereal, peanut
butter & small jars of jelly, canned vegetables, individual
cups of fruit(s) and juices, 5-6oz. cans of chicken or tuna,
and cans of tomato or vegetable beef soup.
JANUARY BIBLE LESSONS
Jan. 4
Luke 2:21-40
2nd Sunday after Matthew 2:13-23
Christmas
Jan. 5
Matthew 2:1-12
Epiphany Eve Psalm 96:10-13
Service
Jan. 11
Matthew 3:1-17
1st Sunday after Psalm 2:7-8
Epiphany
Jan. 18
Matthew 4:1-17
2nd Sunday after Psalm 91:9-12
Epiphany
Jan. 25
Matthew 5:1-20
3rd Sunday after Psalm 1:1-3
Epiphany
FELLOWSHIP
by Marti Latchaw
We end this year still going strong! Our numbers
on Wednesday for lunch continues to be over 80. Thanks
to all of you who donate food, money, or gently used
clothing. It is heart warming to see the guests eat their fill
of warm soup, take sandwiches and a bag of groceries
home, wearing a nice warm jacket.
There are a few events coming up, and as I am
sure you know, the sign-ups are in the Narthex. First is the
Twelfth Night Dinner on Jan. 5. Jeannette always prepares
a delicious meal. The Men's Breakfast will be on Jan. 10
at 9:30. Be sure to sign up.
The kitchen was inspected by the Health
Department, and we are quite pleased to report there were
no violations! The inspector was actually quite
complimentary about our cleanliness and organization.
We can't do what we do without your support of
time, money, and especially prayers. Thank you all.
++ST. PETER’S MINISTRY TEAMS++
ADULT SPIRITUAL GROWTH
SPIRITUAL READING GROUP
MEN’S BREAKFAST FELLOWSHIP
by Paul Grahe
In January, we will meet on Saturday, January 17,
2015 at 9:00 a.m. Breakfast will be prepared by Ed Fritz. If
you plan on attending, please call Ed at 410-250-4604 so
the proper amount of food can be prepared. Following
breakfast, Will Hiewsky will be leading our discussion in
Genesis 4 and Psalms 51:1-12,17. If you do not have a
Study Guide, you can prepare for our discussion by
St. Peter’s spiritual readings group will start up
again on February 6th at 10:00 AM. The book that we will
be discussing is Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Life Together: The
Classic Exploration of Faith in Community.
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Luther King Day) we plan to honor Dr. King’s memory in
service to St. Peter’s by beginning the installation of our
new sound baffles for the community life center. Those
willing to help are welcomed! The permitting process for
our solar installation is almost complete. Installation of
panels is scheduled to begin sometime in February!
Upgrades to the vestibule leading into the
columbarium are continuing. Thanks to Barbara Hager
there is now a wall mural to liven up the entry to our
outdoor columbarium.
There is much yet to be done and volunteers are
always needed for grounds maintenance, painting chores,
and general clean-up.
A challenge for 2015 is to restore our marquis sign
out front on coastal highway. Suggestions and assistance
are appreciated for this project.
We look forward to seeing you out there to help
with all our 2015 property needs!
Respectfully submitted in His service.
reading those passages. You can obtain a Study Guide
from Will Hiewsky.
We encourage ALL men of St. Peter's and their
friends to join us for breakfast, our discussion, and
especially the fellowship. We look forward to YOUR
participation and seeing YOU as we study God's Word and
learn from one another.
We want to thank you for your continued donations
to the Veterans Project. We continue our collection of
items using the gray tub in the Narthex area. The following
items are being collected: gently used clothes (men,
women, and children); nice clothes to wear to an interview;
kitchen items and small appliances; bedspreads and
linens. We appreciate your participation and donations.
MEN'S INSPIRATIONAL PRAYER BREAKFAST
by Paul Grahe
Our next meeting will be held at St. Peter's on
Saturday, January 10, 2015 from 9:30 a.m. to Noon. Our
guest speaker will be Mr. Mike Eskow who has been a
member of Gideons International since 2003. Since that
time, he has served as his local camp President and Vice
President and has served as Church Ministry Chairman for
Northern Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. He is presently
serving as Area Director for all the camps from Sussex
County to Accomac-Northhampton counties in Delaware,
Maryland, and Virginia. He speaks many times in area
churches in Caroline County presenting the ministry of
Gideons International by relating the good news that God
is allowing Gideon Ministry to distribute and place over
80,000,000 copies of God's Word in 99 languages in 198
countries of the world.
Mr. Eskow accepted Christ as his Savior in April
1972 and has been active in church ministry all of his
Christian Life as a youth leader, elder, worship leader, and
Sunday school teacher. He will come to us with the
opportunity for our represented churches to be involved in
what God is doing over 230,000 times each day as men’s,
women’s, boys’, and girls’ lives are forever affected by the
power of the Word of God. Mr. Eskow will show a power
point and video presentation sharing personal testimonies
of various people affected by Gideon Ministry as well as
what they do locally, nationally, and internationally.
Wherever there is a crossroad in life that is relevant, that is
where we try to be with the transforming power of the
Word of God.
Look for the sign-up sheet and registration booklet
near the Information Center. We look forward to your
attendance and participation. Deadline to sign-up will be
Saturday, January 3. 2015. So reserve this date in the
New Year and plan to attend and learn about the work of
Gideons International.
SENIOR ADULT MINISTRY (S.A.M.)
by Sue Shoop
The holiday season will have past as you receive
this. We hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas,
and may we begin this New Year with hope for the year
ahead. As we think about the New Year, please join the
SAM group as we make plans for 2015. We will meet on
Thursday, January 8th at 2:00. We will order pizza while
we plan. We look forward to seeing many of you there.
We had 20 members at the December pot-blessed
luncheon. Pastor Biles had planned a wonderful afternoon.
We played games, sang carols, and learned about the
ELCA Good Gifts. A freewill offering was taken for
ELCA Good Gifts, and it was decided to invite the rest of
the congregation to also join in.
.
SON & SAND RETREAT CENTER
by Paul Grahe
For 2015, I have received 11 inquiries for dates in
February, March, April, June, July, September, October,
and November. In January, we were planning to give the
retreat center a fresh coat of paint tentatively scheduled for
January 12th-19th. We will need to postpone this to a later
date due to the use of the retreat center for a Winter
Shelter. I will announce the rescheduled date in the church
bulletin and newsletter. Also, in January, I was asked by
the Synod Office to provide a display for the Youth
Gathering, 'Road Trip,' held at the Clarion Hotel from
January 23rd-25th. An Information Packet about the
retreat center has been prepared to handout to those
participating church groups.
Anyone interested in becoming part of this
ministry as a Son & Sand Greeter, may contact me at
church on Sunday mornings. Training is available anytime
during the year and only takes about one hour to go over
PROPERTY
by Larry Ryan
Happy New Year from the St. Peter’s property
team! This year there are great plans for property upgrades
and improvements. Beginning January 19th, (Martin
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the duties and responsibilities of a greeter. Many thanks to
Larry Ryan and Will Hiewsky for re-staining the entrance
ramp to the retreat center. Also, I would like to thank YOU
for your donations of bath supplies which are greatly
appreciated by our Visiting Church Groups for those who
forget to bring those items.
For additional information, dates available, and if
you would like to become part of this ministry, you may
contact me by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone
at 410-943-1186. I appreciate your words of
encouragement, your continued support, and your prayers
It is said in countless "Witness articles" that visitors
make up their mind about whether they like a church or not
within the first few minutes after they walk through the
door.
After all, our church is friendly isn't it? It says so on
our bulletin. And I know we take time to greet everyone.
Isn't that enough?
Probably not! As I learned at the first job I ever
had, the mundane is important. We spend a lot of time on
the big things, but there is more to being a church than a
glorious anthem and fantastic preaching-- there are also
the small details, for instance –
Every member is a host not a guest. Making
visitors feel welcome is primarily the
responsibility of members.
The most important person for a visitor to talk to
in order to feel at home in a new church is you.
Smile at everyone and offer your hand -- look
people in the eye.
Invite guests to fill out a visitor registration card
or sign the guest book.
Ask people where they are from and if they are
new to the area or just visiting.
Tell them you are glad they are here.
Hospitality is not a given among Christians -- it is a
calling. And we are all called to be hospitable and
welcoming.
What do you think our rating would be on TripAdvisor? Let’s start this New Year with a 5 star rating for
hospitality!!
ST. PETER’S WOMEN OF THE ELCA
by Pam Estes
Our DE-MD Synodical Women’s Organization has
given each Cluster $1,000.00 to donate to areas of concern
within their Cluster. Our DelMarVa Cluster is made up of
19 Lutheran Churches from Ocean City to Wilmington,
DE. For this reason, we have chosen to give $500.00 to
Lutheran Community Services in Wilmington, DE to help
families unable to pay their utility bill during the cold
weather season or possibly lose their home and $500.00 to
the Emergency Cold Weather Homeless Shelter account
which is an ecumenical project which would include the
use of St. Peter’s Retreat Center to house folks on nights
when the homeless in Ocean City could freeze to death.
Thank you to all our women who through their offerings
have made these efforts possible.
The Ruth Circle will return to our Bible Study
series entitled “Transforming Life and Faith” written by
Carol Schersten LaHurd in January and will be meeting at
the home of Millie Starck on January 15th at 7:00 p.m.
Consider turning a new leaf in 2015 and join us in
conversation and study as Ruth Circle meets the third
Thursday of the month in homes at 7:00 p.m. All ladies
are welcome. Contact Pam Estes 410-600-0412 for
additional information or if you need a ride.
++ST. PETER’S NEWS++
COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS
December 9, 2014 – Regular Meeting
MOTION APPROVED:
---(see EMERGENCY COLD WEATHER HOMELESS
SHELTER below)
STEWARDSHIP
Dee Floyd, Charlotte Gustafson,
Ada May Shipley, and Sue Shoop
AVERAGE WEEKLY ATTENDANCE FOR
Thank you for responding to our D0-ITYOURSELF Stewardship Program. Your pledges of
intentional giving make it possible for our Teams to plan
their 2015 Ministries. Our budget is designed to pay staff
and maintain our building so that with OUR HANDS we are
free to do GOD’S WORK.
May you have a blessed New Year filled with
Peace, Joy, and Love.
November 2013: 243 (4 weeks)
November 2014: 179 (5 weeks)
BELLS & CHOIR
Come join us as we ring and sing praises to the Lord!
BELLS: 6-6:45 P
8TH NOTES: 6:45-7:30P
CHANCEL CHOIR: 7:30-9:00P
WITNESS
by Evelyn Houston
What would happen if our church was reviewed on
Trip-Advisor or Yelp?
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CELEBRATE 12TH NIGHT AT ST. PETERS
Columbus have been meeting to plan and organize an
emergency cold weather shelter for people who are
homeless in the Ocean City area. The group has also met
with city officials and received support for their plans from
the mayor, the chief of police, the director of
transportation, directory of emergency services,
Department of Social Services, and the Department of
Health.
At its December meeting, St. Peter’s approved the
use of the retreat center for this purpose (IF the retreat
center has not already been booked by a congregational
group.)
The emergency shelter would be open from 5 pm –
7 am on nights when the temperature is below freezing.
The shelter will be staffed by volunteers from the various
participating congregations and organizations. Volunteer
training will be provided for anyone who is interested. If
you might be interested in serving as an overnight
volunteer, please talk with Pr. Gregg.
Did you know that in many countries… the Last Day of
Christmas (January 5th) is the traditional day of giftgiving and celebration? Join us as we celebrate the 12th
night of Christmas!
5:00 PM – Traditional 12th Night Dinner of Roast
Beef, Potatoes, Vegetables and Three Kings Cake
(Reservations Required for the dinner. Suggested donation
$10 per person).
6:30 PM – Festival Service of the Epiphany:
Procession of the Three Wisemen, Epiphany Lessons,
Carols, Candle-lighting, and Holy Communion
FINANCIAL UPDATE
(Jan 1 – Dec 30, 2014)
Congregational Stewardship:
November 2013
November 2014
Members - $25,967
Members - $33,409
Jan – Nov 2013
Jan – Nov 2014
Members - $281,270
Members - $285,406
EMERGENCY COLD WEATHER
HOMELESS SHELTER VOLUNTEER TRAINING
UPDATE ON PLEDGES TOWARD 2015 BUDGET
To date, we have received a total of 74 pledges
totaling $226,532
Of these 74 pledges, 29 pledges remained the same
as last year; 34 pledges increased over last year, 3 pledges
decreased from last year; and there were 8 new pledges for
2015. However, we also have 30 individuals/families who
pledged in 2014, who have not yet pledged for 2015. If
you have not yet pledged for 2015… it’s not too late!
Please send in your pledge cards as soon as possible.
Thank you!
So far, the average pledge for 2015 has been
$3,061/yr. (or $59/week). This represents an average
increase of $260/yr. (or $5/wk.) per pledge over 2014.
Thank you very much for your faithfulness to God’s
mission and ministry here at St. Peter’s!
Although there was no room for them at the inn…
there WAS room at St. Peter’s Son & Sand Retreat
Center! Thanks be to God!!
There will be a mandatory Volunteer Training for
anyone who is interested in serving as an Overnight
Volunteer for the new Emergency Cold Weather Shelter at
St. Peter’s. Overnight volunteers (at least two per night)
will staff the shelter from 5 pm – 7 am. Your tasks will
include registering guests, serving dinner (dinner will be
provided), socializing with guests throughout the evening,
waking up guests in the morning, and setting out breakfast
(which will also be provided).
Training sessions have been scheduled at St.
Peter’s for Saturday, Jan. 17th from 9 AM – Noon, and for
Monday, Jan. 19th from 2 – 5 PM. This is a wonderful
opportunity to serve our sisters and brothers in need. If
you THINK you might be interested… come to the
training to learn what it’s all about. (Attending the
training does not obligate you to become a volunteer,
however all volunteers must attend a training session
before they may begin.)
EMERGENCY COLD WEATHER
HOMELESS SHELTER
St. Peter’s and other Ocean City congregations
begin planning together to establish an
Emergency Cold Weather Homeless Shelter:
During the past two months, representatives of
Atlantic United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian
Church, Ocean City Baptist Church, St. Peter’s Lutheran
Church, St. Paul’s-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, the
Society of St. Vincent DePaul, and the Knights of
++NEWS OF THE CONGREGATION++
ANSWERS TO POST-CHRISTMAS QUIZ
1-B, 2-F, 3-E, 4-B, 5-F, 6-D, 7-D
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HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
Daniel & Mary Ann Holtzer
Carl & Judy Lemaster
Charle & Mary Lou Erwin
Will & Bonnie Hiewsky
Mr. & Mrs. Cathy Carter
Ronald & Patricia Hartman
Mr. & Mrs. Emma Jerscheid
Bill & Anna Neimiller
Vincent & Herla Lobo
On-Going Needs: Ron Albright, Rebecca Anderson, Beverly
Berry, Savannah Bona, Jane Burke, Kim B., Bill Chaney, Sean
Curtis, Billy C., Angie Deily, Lonnie Dolan, Christine D.,
Carole Evitts, Nora Flohr, Richard Floyd, Ed & Mim Fritz,
Marilyn Gay, Linda Grahe, Adan G., Peggy G., Ron Hartman,
Bonnie Hiewsky, Karen H., Mike H., Larry H., Ron H., Nancy
Jacoby, Emma Jerscheid, Dave Johnstone, Kirsten Jones,
Kardian Family, Carol Kastner, Jeffery Kelso, Gabriel Knepp,
Howard & Elsie Koehler, Fred & Connie Kruelle, Anita
Louizes, Marilyn L., George L., Samara Loss, Karen Miller,
Jason & Ruth Ann Mitchell, Bernie Mostrom, Anna & Bill
Neimiller, Meghan Ochs, Daniel Pfaff, Pat Pfannenstiel, Chuck
Pyle, Pr. John Ranney, Bob R., Jeff Robinson, David Searle,
Ada May S., Nancy Staton, Margie Steinbock, Pat & Larry S.,
Ken S., Trey S., Marvel Wahrman, Bob Werner, Barb W., Jerry
& Ellie Zwick,.
Eldercare Shut-ins: Mary Coleman, George & Carolyn Shoben
Assisted Living: Lisa C., Helen Coe, Al & Nancy Sledge, Pat
Stull
Military: Matthew Carter, Brenden Curran, Matthew Deems,
Grant Dietrich, Vincent Federighi, Erik Gilgenast, Aaron.Hale,
Craig Harmon, Kurt Kastner, Elizabeth Little, Michael Little,
David Leyden, Jill Leyden, Ryan Morrison, Katie Newland,
Alex Partridge, Michael Rausch, James Sidoli, Madeline
Sorrentino, Nicholas Sorrentino, Sean Wilson
01/01
01/11
01/14
01/16
01/19
01/19
01/27
01/27
01/30
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Richard Floyd
William Ellis
Bernie Nelson
Chuck Pyle
Glenn Riley
Vicki Hotz
Rob Robinson
Diane Bogdon
Dayna Feher
Cathy Helmick
Earl Hewitt
Carl Lemaster
Arline Kelso
Ada May Shipley
Kaitlyn Peters
01/01
01/03
01/03
01/05
01/05
01/06
01/06
01/07
01/07
01/08
01/09
01/09
01/10
01/10
01/11
Jean Wheeler
01/12
Amy Wolpert
01/15
Will Hiewsky
01/16
Sharon Sorrentino 01/16
Gregg Knepp
01/17
Lynn Meixner
01/17
Malia Nicholas
01/17
Darlene Shores 01/17
Paul Miller
01/18
Tim Abbott
01/19
Scott Bushnell
01/20
Linda Lee
01/22
Sarah Cooke
01/25
Becky MacKinnis 01/27
++NEWS FROM THE COMMUNITY++
OCEAN PINES YOUTH THEATER
The Ocean Pines Youth Theater is presenting
“Aladdin, Jr.” on Friday, January 9 at 4:00 and 6:30 pm
and Saturday, January 10 at 4:00 and 6:30 pm. The
performances will be held in the Guerrieri Assembly Hall at
Wor-Wic Community College.
Come see the talented youth, including Syan and
Gabriel Knepp, as they take you, through song and dance,
to Agrabah, city of enchantment.
Gifts & Memorials
In Honor of all my Friend at St. Peter’s,
Wishing them a Blessed Christmas season
for the Fellowship Fund by:
Nancy Jacoby
++FROM ST. PETER’S OFFICE++
THANK YOU FROM YOUR STAFF at ST.
PETER’S!
In Honor of Pat Pfannestiel
for the General Memorial Fund by:
Charles Chalmer
The staff of St. Peter’s would like to express our
deepest appreciation to all the members of the
congregation for your cards, Christmas greetings and
congregational gift. Your thoughtfulness and generosity is
greatly appreciated!
It is a joy to serve the Lord with you at St. Peter’s!
Very Sincerely,
Pat Stokes, Office Assistant
Amy Morgan, Office Manager
Elsworth Wheatley, Minister of Music
Harry Biles, Pastor
Gregg Knepp, Sr. Pastor
In Memory of Ted Sobczak
for the Fellowship Fund by:
Charles & Mary Lou Erwin
PRAYER CONCERNS
Permission is needed to use your full name when publishing
your request for prayers in both the bulletin and newsletter. Call
the office.
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David Searle – Mutual Ministry Team
Dex Stannard – Personnel
Larry Ryan – Property
Pr. Harry Biles – Senior Adult Ministry (S.A.M.)
Paul Grahe – Son & Sand
Billy Haynes – Support
Evelyn Houston - Witness
Pam Estes – Women of the ELCA
Ginny Stannard – Worship & Music
CONTACT INFO FOR PASTOR GREGG
For emergencies or after hours
(h) 410-973-1256
(c) 443-397-5970
FROM THE OFFICE:
Please inform the church office of any
changes in your personal information: mailing
address, email address, phone numbers, marriage,
divorce, or new births so we can keep our records upto-date.
EDITOR'S NOTES
th
The deadline for the newsletter articles is the 15 of every
month. You may email, drop them in The Net box, or my
mailbox – Sharon Sorrentino
Email –[email protected]
OFFICE HOURS
Mon. – 9a-3p – Amy & Pat
Tue. – 9a-3p – Amy
Wed. & Thu. – 9a-3p – Amy & Pat
Fri. – 9a-12p – Amy
POST-CHRISTMAS QUIZ
So you think you know all about Christmas? Check out your
Christmas I.Q. with the questions below
2015 COUNCIL
Pastor Knepp
Billy Haynes - President
David Searle – Vice President
Ada May Shipley – Secretary
Bill Shoop – Church Financial Sec.
Corey Rimel – Treasurer
Dee Floyd - Exec. Committee
1. Where did Mary & Joseph live?
A. Bethlehem B. Nazareth C. Jerusalem D. Berlin
Veronica Bona
Crystal Cudnik
Patty Ellis
Pam Estes
Theresa Pyle
Larry Ryan
Leslie Wendorf
2. How did Mary & Joseph get to Bethlehem?
A. Walked B. Camel C. Donkey D. VW Micro-Bus
E. Joseph walked and Mary rode on a donkey
F. the Bible doesn’t tell us
3. What did the innkeeper say to Mary & Joseph?
A. No credit card, no room B. Sorry, No unmarried
couples allowed C. Sorry, there is no room at the
inn D. You can sleep in the stable in the back
E. There is no mention of an innkeeper in the Bible
F. Try the Clarion Hotel across the street
STAFF
The Rev. Gregg Knepp, Senior Pastor
[email protected]
The Rev. Harry Biles, Senior Adult Ministries
[email protected]
Mr. Elsworth Wheatley, Minister of Music
[email protected]
Ms. Amy Morgan, Office Manager
[email protected]
Ms. Pat Stokes, Office Assistant
[email protected]
4. What is a manger?
A. A mattress filled with feathers B. A feeding
trough for animals C. a hammock made from
sheepskin D. none of the above
5. In what country did Mary, Joseph, and the baby
Jesus become refugees?
A. The United States B. Texas C. Mexico D. Syria
E. Iraq F. Egypt G. Germany
6. Who officially banned the celebration of Christmas
in the United States?
A. the Communist in the 1950’s B. the Temperance
Union in the 1920’s C. the Whig Party in the 1840’s
D. Puritan Christians in the 1660’s E. the ACLU in
the 1990’s
MINISTRY TEAM LEADERS
Diaconal Minister Sharey Biles - Adult Spiritual Growth
& Discipleship
Jeannette Latzo – Altar
Pr. Gregg Knepp – Christian Ed.
Mary Lou Tietz – Community Service
Doug Harry – Facebook
Joyce Tillbery – Fellowship
Marti Latchaw – Fellowship
7. How much does the average U.S. adult spend on
Christmas gifts?
A. $200 B. $400 C. $600 D. $800 E. $1000
ANSWERS – See NEWS OF THE CONGREGATION
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St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, ELCA
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage Paid
Permit No. 16
Ocean City, MD
10301 Coastal Highway
Ocean City, Maryland 21842-2501
Phone: (410) 524-7474
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.stpetersoc.com
A FEED ing congregation to the
Spiritually hungry of the world.
DATED MATERIAL PLEASE
DELIVER PROMPTLY
JANUARY 2015
THE NET STAFF
Sharon Sorrentino, Editor
[email protected]
PRODUCTION TEAM
Jeanenne & Don Logan, Gen
Hartline, Will & Arlene Kelso,
Chuck & Mary Lou Erwin, David &
Pat Searle, Joyce Boland, Patty
Ellis, Kate Long, Elaine Gilganast.
The Net is a publication of St.
Peter’s Lutheran Church,
ELCA, Ocean City, MD 21842
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