St. Peter Press February-April 2025

DARKNESS ON OUR ROAD:  MENTAL ILLNESS IN LIGHT OF THE CROSS

During my days at seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the winter months were dark and dreary.  Because of that, I remember most winters the Dean of Students would usually talk to us about depression.  We were encouraged to keep a watch on each other, especially our friends.  If someone stopped coming to class, or we noticed we hadn’t seen someone leave their room for a while, we should check up on them.   And not only check up on them, but if struggling ourselves, seek help. Many resources were made available to us, and not only those of a pastoral nature, but also professional counseling.

Mental illness is something alive and well among us Christians today.  Like all diseases, it has its root in sin.  Original sin. It’s why we face all kinds of diseases, pains, and evils in this life.  There is no part of us that original sin has not corrupted, and that includes our minds as well.

And I need to be clear when I speak about those words, mental illness.   I’m not talking about the person who gets triggered from seeing a video on social media, and thinks they are a victim who needs a mental health day. No, I’m talking about the member in the pew who has been a victim of physical or mental abuse, and is dealing with the fallout. I’m talking about the family whose child suffers from schizophrenia, a bipolar disorder, or some similar diagnosis.  I’m talking about a close friend of mine whose anxiety was once so bad he would wash his hands in the sink until they bled.  I’m talking about the person whose depression is so great, suicide doesn’t sound like a horrifying thing, but like a peaceful release from the darkness.

Now, that sounds like serious stuff.  And it is. Real stuff.  Research shows one in five adults, and one in six children, will experience some form of mental illness in any given year.  When you share the peace on Sunday with those in your pew, think of how many sitting close to you are dealing with something like that.

So how do we as Christians understand mental illness?  We do so under the cross, in the cross, and through the cross.  To see mental illness under the cross is to say that following Jesus on this earth does not mean we will be free from all suffering, temptation, and effects of sin. And that includes mental illness. Jesus said “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24) 

To see mental illness in the cross is to see that if I face suffering, that does not mean God does not love me, or is punishing me with it.  Once Jesus was asked why a man was born blind, if he or his parents sinned. But Jesus said “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” (John 9:3)   In the cross, God displayed His love is not based upon what we go through in life, good or bad, but in what Jesus has done for us. 

 Finally, to see mental illness through the cross is to live in hope: hope for now, and hope for what is to come. Because what lay through the cross is the empty tomb.  Satan doesn’t get the victory over us.  Even when we feel defeated, Jesus is alive. He is alive to forgive us, strengthen us, and bear us up, no matter what we face in life. As Jesus promised, “behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

Therefore, we should face mental illness with hope, and godly compassion for those who experience it. We should not stigmatize, but encourage those who are suffering to seek help. Spiritual help, physical help, and mental help.  Good pastors, doctors, and counselors are gifts from God.  When struggling with any form of mental illness, having a strong support group, that is, loved ones, a faithful pastor, a good doctor, and a good counselor, is the best thing that can happen.

No matter how dark our road in life, there is hope.  Hope for us now, and hope to come.  Hope under the cross, in the cross, and through the cross.   

 

Written by Pastor Lawson Short.

 

 

 

LITTLE LAMB PRESCHOOL

By Martha Short

We have entered the second half of the school year! After a wonderful Christmas program and break, we came back in the New Year diving into all things winter and snow. We have also been learning about the five senses and have begun to learn about Jesus' ministry and miracles that he performed on earth. In February, we will focus on our big community helpers unit where we will learn about various jobs in our community and will even have a few visitors come in to share with the class.

 

Registration for the 2025-2026 school year opened up to members of St. Peter on January 19 and then to the public on January 27. In less than two days after opening up to the public, we completely filled up all twenty spots! That is a record! We are excited for another year full of eager, curious preschoolers!

 

  (The pictures show the kids playing with "snow" (shaving cream)).

 

In case you missed it, we had 32 children participate in the Children’s Christmas Program last year.

 

 

CONFIRMATION CLASS

In confirmation class, we’ve hit the ground running this new year!  At the current time, we have finished looking at the Apostles Creed, and will begin to learn how Jesus taught us to pray in the Lord’s Prayer.

Last year, the youth went to a custom retreat at Camp Luther just for our youth because of scheduling issues with Camp Luther’s Fall Retreat.  Because of this, we are hoping to attend Camp Luther with other churches in the area this spring for Camp Luther’s Confirmation Retreat. The retreat will be March 7-8th, starting that Friday at 7pm and going through Saturday at 4pm. 

Also, this year, instead of holding confirmation questioning in church throughout the year, the confirmands are writing confimation essays over their chosen confirmation verses.  This is a wonderful way for them to internalize their faith, put it into words, and share it with others.  They will be sharing their essays with the congregation during our Lent Midweek Services this year.  Please come and join us in supporting them as they confess their faith!                       

CONFIRMATION VERSE ESSAYS - SCHEDULE:

March 12: Hadley Karnatz and Collins Hild

March 19: Ava Halladay and Tatum Hanis

March 26: Megan Williams and Macey Mueller

April 2: Brooklyn Kaiser, Tristyn Feala, and Bennit Smeal

April 9: Lane Taylor, Knox Baehr, Brecken Frana

Confirmation will take place this coming year on Sunday, May 4th. Those being confirmed: Tristyn Feala, Brecken Frana, Hadley Karnatz, Lane Taylor, and Bennitt Smeal (Member of St. Matthew’s, Cedar Bluffs).

KIDS FOLLOWING CHRIST

The picture above is from the “Fun Fourth” on January 29th. We were blessed with an unusually warm January day where many games were played. Additional pictures can be found on the Facebook page. Thank you to Katie Tank for the pictures.

Last KFC of the school year is April 30th.

 

YOUTH GROUP

By Amanda Reznicek

In December we held our annual Christmas party with the United Presbyterian Church of North Bend. This year's theme was gingerbread houses! Much fun and fellowship were had by all. January has been busy with plans for the upcoming Gathering conference in New Orleans. Many thanks to our church family and community for the abundance of blessings of donations for the trip. The conference, hotel and travel have been booked for the upcoming trip in July. Meetings are in progress with the adult volunteers who will be attending as well. The youth are working on plans for future fundraising events and our annual Easter breakfast held at St. Peters. Thank you again each year for your support, prayers and blessings to our youth! Happy New Year and many blessings to you in 2025!

PIECEMAKERS QUILTERS

The Piecemakers Quilt Group continues to meet weekly and put the finishing touches on 3 to 4 quilts each time they meet. Members include Lenora Schuetz, Laurie Neemann, Karan Legler, Gloria Westerman and Lavonne Ladehoff (and Megan Williams in the summer). Jan Schindler assists in binding and Jan Vopalensky also helps with sewing. No sewing or quilting skills needed. All are welcome to join in helping in our mission by doing God’s work. Please join us any Thursday afternoon, here at the church. 

VBS 2025

 

We have our theme and looking forward to another week of VBS. Mark your calendars for June 2-6. We are looking for a new decorator for VBS this year. If you would love to put your talent to use or help, please talk to Pastor. More information to come, including sign up. We are looking for a music leader as well!

 

TREASURER’S REPORT

End of 2024

Income & Offerings:	$148,966.77
Expenses	$148,069.50

Difference of $897.27

 

General fund balance as of 2/5/25: $32,239.70

SISTERS IN FAITH & LWML

The belated Epiphany party was held at St. Peter’s on February 2nd.  We had fifteen sisters present to enjoy a wonderful dessert charcuterie and get to know one another better. Thank you for everyone that attended. 

Valentine treats will be provided by all circles and will be served following the service on February 16th.

We will be doing our church cleaning earlier this year with a wedding planned the last weekend in March. Starting the week of March 17th, members are welcome and encouraged to come look at the cleaning lists and help in any way possible. We will be meeting March 22nd at 9am to finish the remainder of the lists to make our church sparkle and shine. 

Our next meeting for the Sisters in Faith will be held May 5th at 7pm.

 

THRIVENT CHOICE DOLLARS:

(For Thrivent Members)

It is that time of year again, IF you have not already done so, there is still time to direct 2024 Thrivent Choice dollars to a cause of your choice by March 31st.  Reach out to Thrivent to direct your money. Both the church and preschool could be recipients, but there are other options as well such as Camp Luther. 

If you have a Thrivent account, you are eligible for 2 action team cards up to $250 each per year. We often have a need within the church for the money and try to fully fund VBS and other activities with the cards. If you are looking for a project to support or have questions, please contact Heidi Widick.

FELLOWSHIP/EVANGELISM COMMITTEE

By Jules Emmons

The Fellowship/Evangelism Committee put together Share God’s Love Valentines and will deliver them to 17 members of our St. Peter family the week of Feb. 10.

 

On Sunday, March 30, we will again host a Fifth Sunday Potluck Brunch immediately following the worship service. Watch the bulletin for more specific details as we move closer to that date.

 

Alleluia Baskets will again be prepared and given to our St. Peter Seniors as well as those who regularly gather to share meals at the Gathering Place (previously the North Bend Senior Center). Last year 48 baskets were filled with Easter eggs, baked goods, grocery items and small gifts. The number for this year has not yet been determined.

 

Our committee is moving away from sponsoring entire congregation family activities. The first game day was well received but last year much effort was put into the game day “Shenanigans” before St. Patrick’s Day. It was very poorly attended. The same waning interest is evident with the Family Fun Day in late summer. It is recommended that the Preschool Board assume that and make it a celebration to gather all incoming preschool families together for fun as well as becoming acquainted.

 

For achieving our goals of fellowship and evangelism it seems that a better way to connect people would be to encourage and facilitate smaller groups sharing a common interest and EXTEND INVITATIONS to others beyond just our membership.  A great way to reach out and welcome others. Let’s face it. Walking into a church as a newcomer is intimidating at best. These outings could serve as great ways for people to “get a look at who we are” at St. Peter. People are more often than not the determiners in whether a guest returns.  An example being the group who gathered at the Wahoo Steakhouse on Feb.1 for dinner. We will be working to gather ideas from the congregation for more of these kinds of outings. Blessings! 

 

~CONGREGATIONAL PRAYERS ~

Prayers for Healing & Comfort:

Our Church Family: Sue Dodge, Laurie Neeman, Anna Stuehmer, Betty Mylander, Rick Elofson, Jim Novak, Joe Murphy, Ed Slavik, Bernard Larson, Karan Legler, Bonnie Wennekamp, Kelly Spath, Lenora Schuetz

Friends, Family, and Loved Ones: Renate’ Scheuermann (Carroll Wiebold’s niece), Kim Creighton (Emily Taylor’s mother), Margorie Benzel (Brad Benzel’s mother),  Kim Pearson (Extended family of Diane Larson), Royce Wilkens (Friend of Bev & Dave Saalfeld)

(NOTE: If you would like to add someone to our prayer list, please fill out a prayer request form near Pastor’s office, speak to Pastor, call the church office or email. Names will remain on the list for 4 weeks.)

Prayers for Members & Loved Ones Serving in the Military:  Justin Chadwick, Mike Elofson, Lauren Kohl, Seth Saalfeld, Matthew Schuetz, Chris Tank, Theo Tauber, Trevor Widick, Kobe Wilkins, Wyatt Olson, Owen Wynia, Kaylee Boyle

CHURCH CALENDAR

(Sunday services will all be live-streamed.)

Sunday worship at 9am, Lenten Services at 7pm

Men’s Breakfast Bible Study: Men’s Breakfast Bible Study is always on the second Tuesday of the month at 6:30am, with the exception of March this year. 

Monday Night Bible Study: :“A Man Named Martin” is being studied about Martin Luther. No need to watch or study anything on your own, a video clip will be watched and discussed during the study. All are welcome to join in anytime when we meet at 6pm. 

Women’s Bible Study: Tuesday nights at 6:30pm. Reach out to Eileen Chvatal with any questions. Currently studying the Women of the New Testament. When finished, the new lesson is titled, “I Am”.

Wednesday Youth Events: 

KFC 3:30-4:45pm

            Confirmation class 5:30-6:45pm

            Youth Group 6:15-7:15pm

February

2- Mites, Worship with Holy Communion 

-Sisters in Faith Epiphany Party & Quarterly 

Meeting 5:30pm

5- Council Meeting 7pm

9- Worship

10- Material Girls Quilting Guild 7pm

11- Men’s Breakfast Bible Study 6:30 am

12- Preschool Valentine’s Day Party (M/W)

13- Preschool Valentine’s Day Party (T/TH)

16- Worship with Holy Communion 

23- Worship 

24- No Preschool (M/W)

March

2- Mites, Worship with Holy Communion

4- Men’s Breakfast Bible Study 6:30am

5- Ash Wednesday Service with Choir

7-8 Confirmation Class to Camp Luther

9- Worship, Voters Meeting 

10- Material Girls Quilting Guild 7pm

10-11 Pastor to Spring Pastor’s Conference

12- NO YOUTH CLASSES- SPRING BREAK

      Lenten Service

16- Worship with Holy Communion

17- No Preschool (M/W)

18- No Preschool (T/TH)

19- Lenten Service

23- Worship with guitars and piano

26- Lenten Service

29- Munderloh-Schnoor Wedding

30- Worship

April

2- Lenten Service

6- Mites, Worship with Holy Communion

8- Men’s Breakfast Bible Study 6:30am

9- Lenten Service

13- Palm Sunday Service with Holy Communion 

& Choir

14- Material Girls Quilting Guild 7pm 

17- Maundy Thursday Service at 7pm

18- Good Friday Service at 7pm

20- Easter Sunrise Service at 7am

            Youth Group Breakfast

            Easter Late Service 9:30am

27- Worship with guitars and piano

29- No Preschool (T/TH)

30- Last day for all Youth classes 

 

Birthdays/Anniversaries

 

February Birthdays

2- Montana Mueller

3- Ryan Fittje

5- Breck Reznicek, Betty Stuehmer

6-Sara Jensen, Tristan Munderloh

7- Sam Post

9- Anthony Dodge, Jim Emmons

11- Leigh Feala

12- Jeffrey Kaiser, Heidi Widick, Blake Wilberding

13- Sherri Schuetz

14- Chasity Mueller, Elsie Taylor

15- Marilyn Beck

19- Ray Wesch

20- Kelly Liekhus

21- Knox Baehr

22- Brecken Frana, Hazen Olson, Jack Post

23- Diane Larson, D.J. Mottl

25- Samantha McDonald, Betty Mylander

26 Cristy Bloom, Lyn Elofson, Jace Hanis

27- Kaitlynn Bjorklund

March Birthdays

1- Ryan Gaughen

4- Chris Dolezal, Holly Hild, Laurie Neemann

5- Dean Bloom, Warren Renner

6- Jim Dodge

9- Kiley Frana, Macey Mueller, Steven Nielsen

12- Terry Mylander, Todd Mylander, Kelly Spath

15- Everett Harrell

16- Bonnie Wennekamp

18- Mel Harrell, Kris Kavan

20- Violet Elofson, Dave Saalfeld

21- Marlyce Franzluebbers, Sam Settles

23- Bart Bosco, Angela Tauber

26- Miranda Dolezal

27- Deb Leftwich

30- Vicki Tank

31- JT Lewis

March Anniversaries

1- Dean & Cristy Bloom

8- Jim & Kathy Lewis

21- Greg & Kris Kavan

April Birthdays

1-Donell Simanek

2-Dalton Kelberlau, Mary Spath

3- Mary Lewis

6- Justin Allen Jr, Ashely Classen, Braxton Kaiser, Leta Wiebold

7-Leonard Westerman

11- Gene Simanek

12- Revel Chapman, Kristan Harris

15- Darren Siebels

16- Madelyn Gaughen, Brett Stuehmer

17- Anna Lewis

19- Lawson Short

20 Corbin Penlerick

23- Jason Robinson

24- Bev Grueber

25- Kevin Harris

27- James Short

28- Kierra Wardman

30- Melissa Poessnecker

April Anniversaries

3-Gordon & Martha Settles

5-Merlin & Sharon Metschke

10- Steve & Bev Grueber

21- Ken & Julie Kelberlau

23- Eddie & Heidi Widick

26- Bernard & Diane Larson

     Gene & Donell Simanek

27- Tim & Revel Chapman

28- Randy & Wendy Dodge