It is with a full measure of gratitude mixed with sadness that I share with you this note from Peace’s guitarist, Joe Sardo, whose music and good heart blessed us:
Hi Elizabeth and all,
I pray this e-mail finds everyone well and in good spirits. Today the Lord shines on us with new opportunity and new ways to praise Him!
First let’s rejoice in this wonderful basic fact. New journeys for me and for Peace!! I am taking the option generously given to me, to move on from this point and not return. I wish not to say goodbye to you all, but to leave under the radar without a buzz. My time at Peace has been so filled with love and support, I feel that even with me physically not being there, the spirit of the songs I sang and the love shared will be evident in the success of the building of this beautiful church called “Peace”!! I took notice that you included my name on the charter cross picture hung in the hall. It has been an honor and a pleasure. Pray for me as I will pray for you.
To just say “Thank you” is surely an understatement!! But THANKS with all my heart!
God Bless!!
Joe
This is a season of change for Peace — new location for ministry, new financial independence and staff changes, and new growth. Come hear more about Peace and our vision for the future at our congregational meeting this Sunday after worship. The meeting will be finished by 11:15 with a lunch of pizza and salad to follow. Elementary kids will have supervised recreation during the meeting. Preschoolers will be in the nursery.
Grace and peace to you all,
Elizabeth
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
This Week at Peace - - January 21, 2011
This “Jesus calls us in, sends us out, bearing fruit in a world of doubt.” These are words from our lively Caribbean song last Sunday, as Pastor Tricia called us to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We continue the theme of our call to ministry this week as we read Matthew 4:12-23, the story of Jesus calling fishermen to follow him and catch people. We will reflect on how well we are following through with following Jesus.
We will commission a team of Stephen Ministry Leaders, who have attended training conferences to bring this wonderful ministry of Christian caregiving to our congregation and friends. Our plan is to offer classes on Understanding Your Spiritual Gifts this spring, and then to offer Stephen Minister Training in the fall. You will learn more about this on Sunday and in the coming weeks.
All couples who want more peace and joy in their most significant relationship: come to a Wednesday evening short-term (3-4 wks) enrichment course led by Chip Schaaff this Wednesday night from 6:00 to 7:30. Invite your friends and neighbors, especially if you see the stress in their eyes. We all have room to improve our communication skills!
Sisters of Peace, save the date: Thursday, February 24 at Beth Palmer’s house at 6104 Winchester Place, Sarasota (Palm Aire – Mote Ranch). Learn about the program Dining for Women and about women in El Salvador in particular. More info later…
We have a growing group of volunteers stepping forward to help with managing the church office and preparing for worship – many people trying to fill Judi Creneti’s shoes. Do you have three hours to help each week, even if only for several months?
Last reminder, members: Please opt out of nursery duty if you feel you cannot handle it. Write Pastor Tricia. tdthomas@peacepcusa.com Otherwise, you will have the joy of holding baby Wells (no diaper changing) and learning the names of all our preschoolers one Sunday this year. Our certified childcare provider, Damaris Luna, will guide you.
Our annual congregational meeting will be held after worship on January 30th. Each ministry team will prepare a brief written report of their members and purpose, 2010 accomplishments, and 2011 goals. Lively learning (Sunday school) will be replaced by this meeting and the lunch which will follow. We hope you will be part of this important day for Peace!
Peace to you,
Elizabeth
We will commission a team of Stephen Ministry Leaders, who have attended training conferences to bring this wonderful ministry of Christian caregiving to our congregation and friends. Our plan is to offer classes on Understanding Your Spiritual Gifts this spring, and then to offer Stephen Minister Training in the fall. You will learn more about this on Sunday and in the coming weeks.
All couples who want more peace and joy in their most significant relationship: come to a Wednesday evening short-term (3-4 wks) enrichment course led by Chip Schaaff this Wednesday night from 6:00 to 7:30. Invite your friends and neighbors, especially if you see the stress in their eyes. We all have room to improve our communication skills!
Sisters of Peace, save the date: Thursday, February 24 at Beth Palmer’s house at 6104 Winchester Place, Sarasota (Palm Aire – Mote Ranch). Learn about the program Dining for Women and about women in El Salvador in particular. More info later…
We have a growing group of volunteers stepping forward to help with managing the church office and preparing for worship – many people trying to fill Judi Creneti’s shoes. Do you have three hours to help each week, even if only for several months?
Last reminder, members: Please opt out of nursery duty if you feel you cannot handle it. Write Pastor Tricia. tdthomas@peacepcusa.com Otherwise, you will have the joy of holding baby Wells (no diaper changing) and learning the names of all our preschoolers one Sunday this year. Our certified childcare provider, Damaris Luna, will guide you.
Our annual congregational meeting will be held after worship on January 30th. Each ministry team will prepare a brief written report of their members and purpose, 2010 accomplishments, and 2011 goals. Lively learning (Sunday school) will be replaced by this meeting and the lunch which will follow. We hope you will be part of this important day for Peace!
Peace to you,
Elizabeth
Thursday, January 13, 2011
This Week at Peace - January 13, 2011
Dear Friends,
Sometimes God surprises us! I came to Stephen Ministry Training this week out of a sense of obligation to Gretchen Frueh, Barbara Staton, Betty Clough, and Nancy Hughes, Peace’s Stephen Ministry Leaders. I knew this 35 year-old ministry of training church members to provide skilled and compassionate Christian care for people in need was valuable. But I had no idea just how enriching this week could be for me, as I reflect on ALL of Peace’s ministry. More on this in the weeks and months ahead…
The four elders you elected last fall have studied and trained, prayed and shared faith journeys, and in December they were approved by the session for ordination and/or installation this Sunday. Nancy Hughes and Jim Padula will be installed, as they have been previously ordained as PC(USA) elders. Shirley Blair and Drew Jordan will be both ordained and installed. Please keep these new elders for Peace (Class of 2013) in your prayers as they begin their valuable servant leadership.
It brings me great joy to tell you that the Grogan Family — Rick and Janet (Daily) and their son Trevor, along with Bob Stuckey, met with several elders and a pastor last Sunday to commit themselves to membership at Peace. They will reaffirm their faith in worship on Sunday.
I want to thank all of you who are making our fellowship time more enjoyable by participating in the snack rotation. When nearly everyone takes part, no one has the responsibility too often. You received the schedule in last week’s email. If you need to make adjustments or want to add your name, please let Suzi Regulski Shirey know. ikslugers@gmail.com
We want our nursery volunteer system to work the same shared way as snacks. Members, we’d like to add your name to the list to be in the nursery during worship once each year , UNLESS you choose to opt out by writing Pastor Tricia rompandrun@hotmail.com You would be assisting our professional childcare provider, Damaris Luna, to show Christ’s love to our babies and preschoolers by being that extra caring adult in the room (no diaper changing required). Choir members would be assigned in summer and snowbirds in winter. If health or other reasons make this difficult for you, just contact Pastor Tricia at the email address above. Otherwise, consider it your privilege to learn the names of our young ones and to fulfill your baptismal promises to nurture them in faith.
Pastor Tricia is preaching Sunday on John 1:29-42. “We Have Found the Messiah” Don’t miss out!
Grace and peace to you from Orlando,
Elizabeth
Sometimes God surprises us! I came to Stephen Ministry Training this week out of a sense of obligation to Gretchen Frueh, Barbara Staton, Betty Clough, and Nancy Hughes, Peace’s Stephen Ministry Leaders. I knew this 35 year-old ministry of training church members to provide skilled and compassionate Christian care for people in need was valuable. But I had no idea just how enriching this week could be for me, as I reflect on ALL of Peace’s ministry. More on this in the weeks and months ahead…
The four elders you elected last fall have studied and trained, prayed and shared faith journeys, and in December they were approved by the session for ordination and/or installation this Sunday. Nancy Hughes and Jim Padula will be installed, as they have been previously ordained as PC(USA) elders. Shirley Blair and Drew Jordan will be both ordained and installed. Please keep these new elders for Peace (Class of 2013) in your prayers as they begin their valuable servant leadership.
It brings me great joy to tell you that the Grogan Family — Rick and Janet (Daily) and their son Trevor, along with Bob Stuckey, met with several elders and a pastor last Sunday to commit themselves to membership at Peace. They will reaffirm their faith in worship on Sunday.
I want to thank all of you who are making our fellowship time more enjoyable by participating in the snack rotation. When nearly everyone takes part, no one has the responsibility too often. You received the schedule in last week’s email. If you need to make adjustments or want to add your name, please let Suzi Regulski Shirey know. ikslugers@gmail.com
We want our nursery volunteer system to work the same shared way as snacks. Members, we’d like to add your name to the list to be in the nursery during worship once each year , UNLESS you choose to opt out by writing Pastor Tricia rompandrun@hotmail.com You would be assisting our professional childcare provider, Damaris Luna, to show Christ’s love to our babies and preschoolers by being that extra caring adult in the room (no diaper changing required). Choir members would be assigned in summer and snowbirds in winter. If health or other reasons make this difficult for you, just contact Pastor Tricia at the email address above. Otherwise, consider it your privilege to learn the names of our young ones and to fulfill your baptismal promises to nurture them in faith.
Pastor Tricia is preaching Sunday on John 1:29-42. “We Have Found the Messiah” Don’t miss out!
Grace and peace to you from Orlando,
Elizabeth
Friday, January 7, 2011
This Week at Peace - - January 7, 2011
Dear Peacemakers,
Judi and Frank Creneti were among the first people to sit around a table and imagine a church, later to be named Peace. Judi has worked diligently and with great care as pastors’ assistant for five years. She brought her artistic ability and worship sensibilities to the preparation of visual arts each week, including the powerpoint and the printed bulletin. She has served as master administrator of our communication website CCB, along with maintaining other administrative and worship records.
For the last six months, she has prayerfully considered whether God might be calling her to devote more time to creative activities, both in and beyond Peace’s congregational life. She enjoys operating out of her home and does not feel called to “manage” Peace’s new office. So she has decided to resign, effective the end of February. She has met with me and with the Admin Team to discuss the transition.
The good news is Judi and Frank will continue to be a blessing to Peace in so many ways. The challenging news is that we must find a way to parcel out some of Judi’s responsibilities, as we prepare for a new position to be developed at Peace. Please consider whether God is calling you to be involved in the church office (we already have two mornings covered). There are a wide variety of tasks to be taken up by volunteers in the transition time – some which need to happen at church and others which you might do from home.
It is a new year and time for all of us to consider what new things God might be calling us to do. Sunday’s service will focus on our baptismal identity and the impartiality of God’s love. Pick up a Bible and read Acts chapter 10, especially verses 34-48.
One of the new things Peace is doing this year is Stephen Ministry, a system of congregational caregiving. You will hear more about it on Sunday from Gretchen Frueh, as you send Betty Clough, Nancy Hughes, and me off to do the training that Barbara Staton did last summer.
Let’s expand our ministries, expand our reach, expand our love to include all the people God loves.
Copies of the new directory of participants are available this Sunday, along with offering envelopes. Help us to get all your info correct.
Peace,
Elizabeth
Judi and Frank Creneti were among the first people to sit around a table and imagine a church, later to be named Peace. Judi has worked diligently and with great care as pastors’ assistant for five years. She brought her artistic ability and worship sensibilities to the preparation of visual arts each week, including the powerpoint and the printed bulletin. She has served as master administrator of our communication website CCB, along with maintaining other administrative and worship records.
For the last six months, she has prayerfully considered whether God might be calling her to devote more time to creative activities, both in and beyond Peace’s congregational life. She enjoys operating out of her home and does not feel called to “manage” Peace’s new office. So she has decided to resign, effective the end of February. She has met with me and with the Admin Team to discuss the transition.
The good news is Judi and Frank will continue to be a blessing to Peace in so many ways. The challenging news is that we must find a way to parcel out some of Judi’s responsibilities, as we prepare for a new position to be developed at Peace. Please consider whether God is calling you to be involved in the church office (we already have two mornings covered). There are a wide variety of tasks to be taken up by volunteers in the transition time – some which need to happen at church and others which you might do from home.
It is a new year and time for all of us to consider what new things God might be calling us to do. Sunday’s service will focus on our baptismal identity and the impartiality of God’s love. Pick up a Bible and read Acts chapter 10, especially verses 34-48.
One of the new things Peace is doing this year is Stephen Ministry, a system of congregational caregiving. You will hear more about it on Sunday from Gretchen Frueh, as you send Betty Clough, Nancy Hughes, and me off to do the training that Barbara Staton did last summer.
Let’s expand our ministries, expand our reach, expand our love to include all the people God loves.
Copies of the new directory of participants are available this Sunday, along with offering envelopes. Help us to get all your info correct.
Peace,
Elizabeth
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