Celebrating the Season of Epiphany

The Rev. Sarah Scherschligt Pastor pastorsarah@sharingpeace.org

Dr. Adela Peeva Music Director Adela_peeva@yahoo.com

Paul Sticha Director, Bell Choirs psticha@cox.net

Jim Nice Creative Worship Leader jnice116@gmail.com

Natalie Cain Council President natrcain@gmail.com

Nadia Fitzcharles Children, Youth and Family Ministry Community Engagement nadia@sharingpeace.org

Kris Rinnert Parish Administrator info@sharingpeace.org

Words of Peace January / February 2019

Fellowship Events

Join in the fun!!

See page 7!

The Words inside:

From Pastor Sarah Page 2

From Nadia Fitzcharles Page 3

A Place for You at Peace Page 5

Thank You Page 7

Fellowship Events Page 8

Galleries Pages 9 - 15

January/February 2019 Page 2

From Pastor Sarah Scherschligt

Senior Pastor

Arise, your light has come!

Epiphany is the church season that follows Christmas. It lasts from the day of Epiphany, January 6th, until Ash Wednesday. This year, that means Epiphany is more than eight weeks. Epiphany, which means “manifestation,” is about stars and revelations. It starts with the story of the wise men. They’re often included in the Christmas narrative but they probably came to visit when Jesus was about two. The star over Bethlehem led the wise men to realize there was a new king in the world. They went to Herod to ask about this king and Herod, frightened by a new power, sent them to find him. The wise men brought their treasure and their homage to Jesus and they were “overwhelmed with joy.” They honored him as a king, even though it meant they became enemies of King Herod, who demanded ulti-mate loyalty. Warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went home “by another way.” In the familiar story of the wise men, we see a pattern for our lives. God’s light shines. It shows us where Jesus has come into this world! The act of worshipping Jesus brings us great joy. It also rearranges our lives. During Epiphany at Peace, our theme will be “Arise, your light has come.” We will focus on how we are like the wise men. We are drawn by Christ’s light to find God in the world. We honor God with the gifts we have, as meager as they may be. In so doing, we proclaim that there is no power in this world greater than the self-giving love of Jesus. The beautiful cycle grows. The light shines...it reveals God... we go to it and find surprising joy...we give what we have and rearrange our lives...the light spreads...God’s love is real. Each Sunday in worship during Epiphany, we will focus on a different outreach ministry of Peace. You’ll hear about the ministry and how through it, we follow God’s light shining in the world. You’ll also have new oppor-tunities to participate in some of the ministries, including the homework club for refugee children and a casse-role drive (stay tuned). My hope is that adult education opportunities on Sunday mornings will also echo this theme but I won’t know until Jan 6th so please stay tuned for that too. As the prophet Isaiah says, Arise, your light has come! With gratitude that God’s love is being made real through you,

Pastor Sarah

January/February 2019 Page 3

From Nadia Children, Youth and Family Ministry

Community Engagement

Update on the Children, Youth, and Family Ministry

In November, Emma Solem, Chris Matthey, and Chris Weller participated in the annual Annandale Christian Community for Action Ecumenical Thanksgiving service at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church – they read a powerful prayer together and were a highlight of the service!

Just before the start of Advent, Jenn Short led an Advent Wreath workshop and we came away with not only some beautiful wreaths, but also having shared some time in fellowship together.

The Christmas pageant on December 16th was a lot of fun, as always! Chris Matthey was a phenomenal narra-tor and we had a host of angels, wise people, shepherds, the holy family and the animals in the manger telling the Christmas story together. It was extra special because everyone in the congregation was invited to partici-pate!

Sunday school and education classes, including in the nursery, are in full swing – please let your child(ren)’s teacher(s) know that they are appreciated!

Looking ahead

Coming soon…Youth Pizza and Paint Party: All confirmation and high school youth are invited to Part I of a pizza and paint party to happen soon – we will be repainting the Lauxman House basement to give it a more fresh and friendly feel. Part II of the pizza and paint party will take place in February and we will paint the youth room in the main church building. Stay tuned for details!

Faithful Families: On January 27 from 5-6:30 pm, we will resume our time of fellowship, faith formation and monthly potlucks that are geared towards families with kids age 12 and under. Sign up here to bring a dish; even if you can’t swing the food, come for the fellowship! The next few dates for Faithful Families: 2/24, 3/31, 4/28, 5/19

Souperbowl Sunday: On the big game-day of February 3, kids and youth will be collecting non-perishable food items and loose change/cash as part of a noisy offering during service! Food that is collected will go to the An-nandale Christian Community for Action food pantry and money will go to the Capital Area Foodbank.

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner happens on March 5, 2019, at 6 pm: Shrove Tuesday is the celebration that takes place before Lent begins. We need youth and parent volunteers to help with getting ingredients, cook-ing, and with setup/cleanup for the big pancake bash (everyone helping needs to arrive by 5 pm, please!). The event is a fundraiser for youth programs and activities. An online signup is coming soon!

Update on Community Engagement:

We are excitedly preparing to initiate a couple of programs at Peace that will begin in January. One is the Good Neighbor Homework Club, a 1.5 hour event that will happen twice a month on Saturday mornings (10 – 11:30 am). The goal of the homework clubs is to engage with resettled refugee and Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) families by helping school-aged kids with homework, working with parents to meet their specific goals, and en-couraging interactions, culture-sharing, and friendships to grow.

Continued...

January/February 2019 Page 4

Lutheran Social Services will also be hosting a women’s sewing and ESL class called “Threads to Success” on a Sunday afternoon once a month. The aim of the program is to help women develop professional-level sew-ing skills and learn how to market their services to potential employers and customers. At least five volunteers are still needed for this program; expertise in sewing is not necessary but helpful. Help with transportation, setup/cleanup, and practicing English is needed; we are also gratefully accepting sewing machines in working or-der and fabric (2 yards or longer) for the class.

Volunteering for either or both programs requires a background check for anyone over the age of 18, and youth need a parental consent form. Families are welcome to volunteer together! There will be a training for the homework club before the first event on January 12, from 8:30-9:30 (the event starts at 10 am), including a youth-oriented training. For questions or to start the background check process, please talk to or email Nadia (nadia@sharingpeace.org).

Another part of my work in community engagement has been in connecting with the communities around Peace, including in the Parklawn Neighborhood surrounding our church. To that end, I have been volunteering at Parklawn Elementary School in an effort to get to know kids, parents, community members, and teachers/staff there. So far, I have been volunteering in the cafeteria and have had the chance to meet and connect with both the kids and lunchroom staff, as well as other community members who volunteer there. It has truly been a joyful and enriching experience so far and, God willing, I look forward to continuing to build relationships at Parklawn Elementary and the neighborhood in 2019.

New Members Sophia Katamba, Mafuru Mayuki, Anna

Mmassy, and Paul Routson

Baptisms West Alan Lingaraju, 11/4/18

Weddings Mafuru Mayuki and Anna Mmassy, 11/3/18

Deaths

Former member of Peace, Elaine Rowly, died in August from lung cancer.

FAMILY MEETING SCHEDULED

Sunday, January 27, 2019, after the 10:30 am service

The minutes of past family meetings will be available in January on the Peace website: https://sharingpeace.org/documents/.

If you would like to have a printed copy of minutes mailed to you, please contact Kris in the office (info@sharingpeace.org or 703-354-5233).

Sincerely, Natalie Cain Council President

January/February 2019 Page 5

There’s a place for you at Peace!

Brothers of Peace

Meets January 9 and

February 6

Lunch at Greensprings

12:00 pm January 7 and February 4

Tuesday Morning Bible Study 10:00 am with Pastor Sarah in her office.

Quilting Thursday mornings

9:30 am — 12:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall

Beading for Haiti 9:30 am — 12:00 pm Mondays—Sunday School Class-room

Boomerang Project 1:00 pm —3:00 pm Wednesdays— Sunday School Classroom

Prayer Shawlers 1:00 am - 3:00 pm Fridays at the Barcroft Starbucks. (Last

Friday of the month at Peace.)

Adult Forum 9:15 am- 10:15 am Sundays - Fellowship Hall Watch the Peace E-news and bulletins for schedule.

We need you!!! Start the new year out by signing up to help with worship. We use a program called Sign Up Genius to make it easy. All the sign ups at church can be found on our website page, Sign Up Central . When you sign up you'll get a reminder a few days before you are scheduled. Take a minute to sign up today by clicking one of the links below: Lector: Lectors read the lessons from the pulpit. The lessons are sent to you the Thursday before so you'll know ahead of time what you will be reading. Communion Assistant: Communion assistants help the pastor serve the bread and wine during communion. Acolyte: Acolytes light the candles, assist with offering and communion. Usher: Ushers pass out bulletins, assist with offering and direct people during communion.

January/February 2019 Page 6

A Thank You from Bethany House

Thank you so very much for again allowing us to use your church for our Christmas shop and Christmas party. Both were well at-tended by our current and aftercare clients. Your fellowship hall is the perfect size for our shop, where we can set up several ta-bles and spread items out so it looks festive and inviting and is easy for the women to stroll through as they pick out gifts for their kids and themselves. Plus, the decorations you put up (the

lights, the trees, and I especially love the stars in the windows) made the shop really beautiful and cheerful.

And thanks for donating the Baby Einstein item that came via Amazon's mix-up, that was quickly snapped up by one of our clients with a baby--and I'm sure that is going to be one delighted baby!

The Christmas party also turned out wonderfully -- we had a good crowd, and the children were espe-cially excited.

I so appreciate your generosity and faithfulness in supporting our work. I know you are motivated out of a love for our Lord, who has given you a heart of love for our families.

I hope we can continue to work together for many years to come! :-)

Blessings, Becky Beane Counselor in Residence Bethany House of Northern Virginia

The Prayer Shawlers at Peace, who meet every week to knit prayer shawls and baby blankets to give away, took on another task this Christmas. They collected and deliv-ered socks, underwear, hats, mittens and scarves, along with a cash donation to Bailey’s shelter. Nadine Krutzky-Mitchell dropped off the donations at Bailey’s with Peace member, Jon Nerdig who was working at the front desk. Thank you to all the faithful Prayer Shawlers for their gen-erosity!

January/February 2019 Page 7

Fellowship Events Nothing is better than pizza and a movie!

Thursday, January 3rd at 6:30 pm join us for pizza and a movie at church. Our own Lucy Gebre-Egziabher, professor of film at Northern Virginia Com-munity College, offers movie night at Peace, complete with pizza. Who can resist? Email the office at info@sharingpeace.org with your favorite film title. Watch the E-news for the title of the film Lucy selects. So we'll be sure to have plenty of pizza, a sign up can be found here or look for it on the “Sign Up Central” page of our website, sharingpeace.org. Relax and enjoy, come from work or home.

Valentine’s Potluck Dinner – February 16, 2019, 7:00 pm

Avoid the restaurant crush. Come to the Peace Valentine potluck dinner on Friday, February 16th in the beautiful fellowship hall. Reservations are re-quired. Bring a date, bring a buddy, bring your life long love, but be there. Child care available. Sign up here to RSVP and to bring a dish to share. Punch and coffee will be provided. You are welcome to bring your own wine or sparkling cider. You can also sign up by calling the church office or going to sharingpeace.org/event-sign-up/.

Bunko Night—March 2, 2019 at 6:30 pm

Everyone is invited for some serious fun and prizes. There’s no talent or skill required. You can look forward to meeting new people and having a good time. Bring a snack or dessert to share. Look for a sign up sheet on the Fellowship Hall bulletin board or sign up online. If you have a square card table you can bring that evening, contact Ray or Debbie Marquardt at info@sharingpeace.org.

January/February 2019 Page 8

Nadia Fitzcharles Children, Youth and Family Coordinator nadia@sharingpeace.org

High school This year, all high schoolers are invited to join Nadia in Coffee & Conversation on Sunday mornings from 9:30-10:15 in a Sunday school classroom. Join us for discussion on various topics and get a chance to share highs and lows.

Nursery The nursery doors are open from 9:30 am - 12 pm on Sunday school mornings; from 9:30-10:15 am, parents are welcome to hang out in the nursery and get to know each other over coffee and conversation (coffee provided). On non-Sunday school mornings the nursery opens at 10:15 am. Nursery care is geared towards 0-3 year olds.

Sunday School Sunday School is at 9:30 am. We follow the Spark curriculum that includes crafts and stories following the church lectionary. All children in Sunday school must have a registration form on file. Please find the registration form online and return it to Nadia in person or by emailing nadia.

Kid’s Church Kid’s Church is a time of worship and fellowship designed for kids ages 4 - 6 years old that happens during the ser-mon (kids are invited out of the sanctuary following the Time With Children). Before and after the sermon, kids are with their families in worship; there are kid’s bulletins and “quiet bags” in the corner of the sanctuary under the large cross.

Confirmation Confirmation is a three-year process for 6th - 8th graders designed to help students understand their faith. The years are broken down into Old Testament, New Testament, and Small Catechism. This year we are on New Tes-tament. Confirmation culminates in the ritual of Confirmation, where students give their faith testimonies and pledge to live out (aka confirm) the faith in which they were baptized.

January/February 2019 Page 9

Advent Carol Festival

Our Christmas concert on December 4th really rang in the Christmas season with some familiar favorites and new carols that we were humming and singing for days afterward. Our Voices of Peace Choir gave the Mormon Tabernacle Choir a run for its money when they sang the Messiah chorus, “O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings to Zion,” and our Messengers of Peace choir inspired the congregation to join in the fun, clapping and swaying to some soulful spirituals and singing boldly to classic carols. Our bell choirs—Bells of Peace and Bells con Brio—were an impressive bunch! Our ringers jug-gled upwards of four bells a-piece while performing the crowd favorite, Carol of the Bells. We also heard a delightful performance of “Let It Snow” by our piano soloist, Emma, who tickled the ivories of our new grand piano with ease. It was a fun event for all ages, and through a free-will offering we raised some funding for two great causes—the Peace Community Ministry Fund and the Peace Music Program. We hope you’ll join us for our spring concert in the New Year!

Interested in joining one of our voice choirs for the 2019 season, just come to a re-hearsal. We are seeking new members for both choirs (bonus points if you are a bari-tone or tenor!) to join us in praising the Lord through song! Join Voices of Peace for practices Monday nights from 7:00-8:00pm in the choir loft, or sing with the Messengers of Peace on Tues-days at 8:15 pm in the sanctuary. Can’t de-cide which to join? Several of our members sing for both, and so could you! You’ll be glad you joined!

January/February 2019 Page 10

Advent Carol Festival

January/February 2019 Page 11

Advent Wreath

Making December 1, 2018

A family tradition!

January/February 2019 Page 12

Christmas Pageant - December 16, 2018

January/February 2019 Page 13

Christmas Pageant December 16, 2018

January/February 2019 Page 14

Christmas Eve Worship

January/February 2019 Page 15

Home for Christmas

Pastor Sarah and Nadia treated the college students to lunch. We remember them when they are away at school

and want to make sure they know they are always a part of Peace! Pictured Left to right: Warner, Ronal, Meskel,

Nadia, Brena and Pastor Sarah.

Place

Stamp

Here

Address Correction Requested

Peace Lutheran Church

6362 Lincolnia Road

Alexandria, VA 22312

Contact Information: info@sharingpeace.org Phone: 703-354-5233

Fax: 703-750-6773 Web: www.sharingpeace.org

facebook.com/PeaceLutheranAlexandriaVa instagram.com/pelcalexandria

Sunday Services 8:00 a.m. Informal Worship and Holy

Communion 10:30 a.m. Traditional Worship

Nursery Care Provided from 10:15am - 12pm

Editor: Kris Rinnert Contributors: Pastor Sarah Scherschligt, Nadia

Fitzcharles, Sarah Schill

www.facebook.comPeaceLutheranAlexandriaVa twitter.com/PELCAlexandria

https://www.instagram.com/pelcalexandria/

THE NEXT DEADLINE FOR “WORDS OF PEACE” ~ JANUARY 20, 2019

(Articles should be emailed to: info@sharingpeace.org or leave in Kris’ mailbox)

Electronic giving is now at Peace! To make an online gift through our secure site, scan the code with your smart phone.