Peace-makers,
What a wonderful time we had together last week-end! Great Movie Night on Friday, Delicious Dinner and Talent Show on Saturday, and meaningful Confirmation Day on Sunday!
This week our focus is on the Church – what it means to be the household of God, living stones, built into a spiritual house, with Christ as our cornerstone. Put a rock in your pocket (something we’ve been doing at Peace as a reminder to be grateful for God’s gifts) and remember that you are a living stone – part of God’s house.
Please remember to bring non-perishable food for the hungry people of Manatee County, and/or easier, write a check this Sunday to Peace with Food Bank in memo. Think of the sacrifices that others have made for your freedom, your protection, your dignity, and make the effort to care for those who do not have enough food on their tables.
Coming events in June:
It’s Hurricane Season and you’ve seen what havoc can be made by tornadoes. Learn about disaster preparedness and relief efforts from Peace’s friend Kathy Broyard on June 5 at 11:30.
Pentecost Offering to help Youth & Children. The Mission Team has decided that our portion will go to Family Promise of Manatee , the wonderful ministry of hospitality to homeless families in our area.
Stories and Sweets on June 15th at 7:22. Summer is a great time for building relationships. If you have a short story (3-5 minutes) to tell (funny, serious, inspirational) or if you just want to spend time relaxing with Peace friends. Bring desserts of all kinds to share.
Finally, I encourage to read the Session Highlights from May to hear exciting news about the work of the Building Vision Team and to see that nametag options will be available for you soon, thanks to the Fellowship Team.
No matter what kind of nametag you wear, just remember that the purpose of nametags is to build relationships, ones that enrich life. Our goals at Peace: Inspiring Worship, Authentic Relationships, Nurturing Discipleship, Compassionate Outreach, and Responsive Stewardship.
Peace to all of you,
Elizabeth
Friday, May 27, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
This Week at Peace - - May 18, 2011
Dear Peace-full Family,
We Deiberts had a wonderful time at daughter Emily’s graduation from Davidson College in N. Carolina. I hear you had a great Sunday with Morgan’s sermon, and Tricia’s and Gia’s usual strength, Memorial Day food drive info, and all the fellowship, worship, service, and learning that make Peace a such a meaningful church.
This is a wonderful week-end at Peace:
Movie Night at church on Friday. Come at 7ish and the highly recommended film for all ages “Millions” will start at 7:30.
Italian Dinner and Talent Show at First Presbyterian, Sarasota on Oak Street at 5:00 Saturday night. Door prizes will be part of the fun offered by Fellowship Team. If you have a prize to contribute, just bring it. (call Peggy D for more info 907-3924) And don’t forget your checkbooks!
Sunday morning we will confirm the baptism of four of our teens – Amanda Aungst, Rebecca Deibert, Liz Shirey, and Tim Tuite. Pray for them, and come be part of this big moment in their lives, as they promise to be disciples of Jesus Christ. The choirs have some beautiful music planned. Thanks to Pastor Tricia and the confirmands' mentors and parents for their commitment to working with the teens toward this day!
Peace to all of you!
Elizabeth
We Deiberts had a wonderful time at daughter Emily’s graduation from Davidson College in N. Carolina. I hear you had a great Sunday with Morgan’s sermon, and Tricia’s and Gia’s usual strength, Memorial Day food drive info, and all the fellowship, worship, service, and learning that make Peace a such a meaningful church.
This is a wonderful week-end at Peace:
Movie Night at church on Friday. Come at 7ish and the highly recommended film for all ages “Millions” will start at 7:30.
Italian Dinner and Talent Show at First Presbyterian, Sarasota on Oak Street at 5:00 Saturday night. Door prizes will be part of the fun offered by Fellowship Team. If you have a prize to contribute, just bring it. (call Peggy D for more info 907-3924) And don’t forget your checkbooks!
Sunday morning we will confirm the baptism of four of our teens – Amanda Aungst, Rebecca Deibert, Liz Shirey, and Tim Tuite. Pray for them, and come be part of this big moment in their lives, as they promise to be disciples of Jesus Christ. The choirs have some beautiful music planned. Thanks to Pastor Tricia and the confirmands' mentors and parents for their commitment to working with the teens toward this day!
Peace to all of you!
Elizabeth
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
This Week at Peace - - May 11, 2011
Dear Peacemakers,
Don’t miss hearing Rev. Dr. Morgan Roberts preach this Sunday! We Deiberts will be in NC attending daughter Emily’s graduation from Davidson College. Pastor Tricia will be leading a confirmation retreat most of the week-end, preparing our confirmands to share their faith with the session over lunch on Sunday.
Don’t miss the Peace Italian Dinner and Talent Show – this year on Saturday, May 21st, at First Presbyterian, Sarasota because we outgrew Northminster’s fellowship hall. If you are planning to share your talent, speak to Gia Sunday after worship, or better, email her now. diapason08@verizon.net We need a head count for the dinner, so please sign up on Sunday, or email Peggy at Pdonald2@hotmail.com and tell her what you’d like to bring (salads with dressing, bread, and desserts) and whether you can help with set up or clean up or both. The evening begins at 5:00.
The Mission Team will share with you Sunday about their Memorial Day Food Drive and their educational opportunity on June 6 to learn about disaster preparedness.
You may hear in the news that a majority of presbyteries in the PC(USA) have voted in favor of the changed language for ordination standards, amendment 10-A. This is joyful, long-awaited news for some of us, and grievous, worrisome news for others of us. I pray that we Presbyterian Christians will hold together in our common ground in the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Peace and love to all,
Elizabeth
Don’t miss hearing Rev. Dr. Morgan Roberts preach this Sunday! We Deiberts will be in NC attending daughter Emily’s graduation from Davidson College. Pastor Tricia will be leading a confirmation retreat most of the week-end, preparing our confirmands to share their faith with the session over lunch on Sunday.
Don’t miss the Peace Italian Dinner and Talent Show – this year on Saturday, May 21st, at First Presbyterian, Sarasota because we outgrew Northminster’s fellowship hall. If you are planning to share your talent, speak to Gia Sunday after worship, or better, email her now. diapason08@verizon.net We need a head count for the dinner, so please sign up on Sunday, or email Peggy at Pdonald2@hotmail.com and tell her what you’d like to bring (salads with dressing, bread, and desserts) and whether you can help with set up or clean up or both. The evening begins at 5:00.
The Mission Team will share with you Sunday about their Memorial Day Food Drive and their educational opportunity on June 6 to learn about disaster preparedness.
You may hear in the news that a majority of presbyteries in the PC(USA) have voted in favor of the changed language for ordination standards, amendment 10-A. This is joyful, long-awaited news for some of us, and grievous, worrisome news for others of us. I pray that we Presbyterian Christians will hold together in our common ground in the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Peace and love to all,
Elizabeth
Thursday, May 5, 2011
"Faith Column" in Bradenton/LWR Herald
Below is the first offering from Peace for the faith column in Bradenton/LWR Herald. Tricia and I are in the rota now.
Like many, we have experienced mixed emotions as the details of bin Laden’s death emerge. We are relieved that the person who master-minded 9/11 and other mass murders is no longer available to direct acts of terror. Yet when we see Americans cheering on the streets outside the White House, and when we hear interviewees gushing, “I hope to God he rots in hell!” we are disturbed that so many Americans are allowing bin Laden’s hatred to justify their own hate.
All major world faiths place singular value on the dignity of human life, even when that dignity becomes distorted by evil. Our Christian faith tells us clearly that every human being is created in the image of God, no matter how grave their sins. While we believe that all vengeance belongs to the Lord (Romans 12), we do not think that it was unethical for our government, not bound by the theological ethics of Christianity, to decide that the safety of humanity required the death of this human being. The lesser evil of bin Laden’s assassination was justified when compared with the greater evil of his continuance as a living symbol for terrorism.
Our grave concern is that we, the American people, cease gloating in his death. Be relieved, yes. Be glad for justice, yes. But do not celebrate the tragedy of a necessary assassination. To do so is not only wrong, according the beliefs of all major faith groups, but profoundly unwise. If we truly want terrorism to decline, then we need to concern ourselves with the humanity of all people, even our enemies. We need to rise above the demonizing behavior of playground children, who behave according to a simplistic view of good and evil – “us” and “them.” We need to exercise self-control (Galatians 5) and work tirelessly on developing the spirit of mercy and peacemaking, especially with those whose distorted image of God seeks to solve injustice with acts of hatred. Yes, it is the tragedy of the human condition that protecting the world from modern terrorism will sometimes mean shooting an unarmed human being in front of his teen daughter. But let us remember the humanity of that girl and let us weep over the horrifically diminished humanity of her father.
We close with the reflection of a Presbyterian friend, not too far from Abbottabad, Pakistan, who recalls the words of Martin Luther King, Jr: “‘I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.’ It is not the funeral of Osama Bin Laden, which will solve the world’s troubles or bring ultimate peace. It is the funeral that we remembered on Good Friday of Jesus Christ that gives us hope for the world. He willingly died for each of us because of His great love for us!”
Rev. Elizabeth M. Deibert, Pastor of Peace Presbyterian Church
Rev. Dr. Richard I Deibert, physician and theologian
Like many, we have experienced mixed emotions as the details of bin Laden’s death emerge. We are relieved that the person who master-minded 9/11 and other mass murders is no longer available to direct acts of terror. Yet when we see Americans cheering on the streets outside the White House, and when we hear interviewees gushing, “I hope to God he rots in hell!” we are disturbed that so many Americans are allowing bin Laden’s hatred to justify their own hate.
All major world faiths place singular value on the dignity of human life, even when that dignity becomes distorted by evil. Our Christian faith tells us clearly that every human being is created in the image of God, no matter how grave their sins. While we believe that all vengeance belongs to the Lord (Romans 12), we do not think that it was unethical for our government, not bound by the theological ethics of Christianity, to decide that the safety of humanity required the death of this human being. The lesser evil of bin Laden’s assassination was justified when compared with the greater evil of his continuance as a living symbol for terrorism.
Our grave concern is that we, the American people, cease gloating in his death. Be relieved, yes. Be glad for justice, yes. But do not celebrate the tragedy of a necessary assassination. To do so is not only wrong, according the beliefs of all major faith groups, but profoundly unwise. If we truly want terrorism to decline, then we need to concern ourselves with the humanity of all people, even our enemies. We need to rise above the demonizing behavior of playground children, who behave according to a simplistic view of good and evil – “us” and “them.” We need to exercise self-control (Galatians 5) and work tirelessly on developing the spirit of mercy and peacemaking, especially with those whose distorted image of God seeks to solve injustice with acts of hatred. Yes, it is the tragedy of the human condition that protecting the world from modern terrorism will sometimes mean shooting an unarmed human being in front of his teen daughter. But let us remember the humanity of that girl and let us weep over the horrifically diminished humanity of her father.
We close with the reflection of a Presbyterian friend, not too far from Abbottabad, Pakistan, who recalls the words of Martin Luther King, Jr: “‘I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.’ It is not the funeral of Osama Bin Laden, which will solve the world’s troubles or bring ultimate peace. It is the funeral that we remembered on Good Friday of Jesus Christ that gives us hope for the world. He willingly died for each of us because of His great love for us!”
Rev. Elizabeth M. Deibert, Pastor of Peace Presbyterian Church
Rev. Dr. Richard I Deibert, physician and theologian
This Week at Peace - - May 5, 2011
This Saturday, Peace is offering two exciting fellowship activities: Peace will gather at Lido Beach at 5:00. Bring some food and drink and enjoy watching the amazing Florida sunset while building authentic relationships with your church family. (Peggy at 907-3924) Or for Cedarkirk fans, there’s a great 7:00 concert celebrating Cedarkirk’s 40 years of ministry. Tickets to hear Denver & the Mile-High Orchestra at Newsome High School are $15. (Suzi at 355-5928)
On Sunday we will journey with Jesus’ Mother Mary, giving thanks for her faithfulness, a model for all of us, male and female. The Sisters of Peace have invited you to wear a hat in celebration of Mother’s Day, but I am confident they will understand if you don’t have one, or if yours is ugly. (This is not a replay of the Royal Wedding, so girlfriends, you do not need to go shopping unless you want.)
It’s time to get excited about the May 21st Italian Dinner (delicious food prepared by our resident Italian Musician) and Talent Show. The food and the fun get better every year! And the venue will be much more spacious at First Presbyterian, Sarasota on Oak Street, even if we have to drive further. We will begin at 5:00 according to Pastor Tricia, so get your acts of all kinds together (speak to Gia ASAP because the talent slots are filling) and save your dollars, so we can raise big bucks for our teens to travel to Montreat for the best youth conference around.
Pray for our 8thand 9thgrader confirmands who are preparing to confirm their baptisms and commit to a life of discipleship on May 22nd. This is the beginning of their journey and not the end. Support them, be good models of faith for them. Encourage one another and be grateful for the gifts of every single person at Peace. “They’ll know we are Christians by our love … Love is patient and kind ... not envious, boastful, arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way…”
The Ministry Team Leaders and Session have a new challenge for all at Peace – that we dedicate the 15 minutes prior to worship and the 15 minutes after worship to doing two things exclusively:
1. rejoicing in the goodness of God and expressing gratitude and affection for our church family
2. welcoming our guests at Peace with great warmth and interest
Gotta tall metal filing cabinet you don't want? Peace music department in need.
With gratitude for each of you,
Elizabeth
On Sunday we will journey with Jesus’ Mother Mary, giving thanks for her faithfulness, a model for all of us, male and female. The Sisters of Peace have invited you to wear a hat in celebration of Mother’s Day, but I am confident they will understand if you don’t have one, or if yours is ugly. (This is not a replay of the Royal Wedding, so girlfriends, you do not need to go shopping unless you want.)
It’s time to get excited about the May 21st Italian Dinner (delicious food prepared by our resident Italian Musician) and Talent Show. The food and the fun get better every year! And the venue will be much more spacious at First Presbyterian, Sarasota on Oak Street, even if we have to drive further. We will begin at 5:00 according to Pastor Tricia, so get your acts of all kinds together (speak to Gia ASAP because the talent slots are filling) and save your dollars, so we can raise big bucks for our teens to travel to Montreat for the best youth conference around.
Pray for our 8thand 9thgrader confirmands who are preparing to confirm their baptisms and commit to a life of discipleship on May 22nd. This is the beginning of their journey and not the end. Support them, be good models of faith for them. Encourage one another and be grateful for the gifts of every single person at Peace. “They’ll know we are Christians by our love … Love is patient and kind ... not envious, boastful, arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way…”
The Ministry Team Leaders and Session have a new challenge for all at Peace – that we dedicate the 15 minutes prior to worship and the 15 minutes after worship to doing two things exclusively:
1. rejoicing in the goodness of God and expressing gratitude and affection for our church family
2. welcoming our guests at Peace with great warmth and interest
Gotta tall metal filing cabinet you don't want? Peace music department in need.
With gratitude for each of you,
Elizabeth
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