Top News for the Week - St. Peter Lutheran Church

Top News for the Week
March 26 –April 1, 2015
Big Days of Serving
Wow. We’re just five weeks away from Big Days of Serving. Here are some of last
fall’s volunteers helping out at a Youth for Christ fund-raising run. Don’t miss out on
the great serving projects May 1-3 at Walcamp, Community Threads, and more.
Invite family and friends to serve with you. Check it out at
http://fulllifeinchrist.org/get-involved/big-days/.
Seed Money for Serving
If you’re a benefit member of Thrivent (you own one of their financial products) you can get $250 in
seed money to kick-start a serving project of your choice. See Karen Kogler,
kkogler@FullLifeinChrist.org for more info. What a great way to fund a Big Day of Serving project!
Easter Breakfast – Expanded Times!
Breakfast will be served from 6:30 am until 12:15 pm on Easter Sunday in the cafeteria.
Pancakes, eggs, sausage, and more will be served. Cost is $5 if you prepay, and $6 at the door. All
proceeds go towards the 8th Grade Washington Trip. If you have questions, please contact the school
office. We look forward to seeing you there!
Potted Plants for Our Shut-in Friends
Interested in making someone smile Palm Sunday weekend? Social Ministry Committee continues its
tradition of putting together pretty potted flowers for delivery to our shut-in friends, folks who can't
easily get out and about. On Palm Sunday weekend (March 28 & 29) you'll see plenty of flowers in
the narthex ready to be delivered, with names, maps and directions attached! Why not pick up one,
two or more flower pots and make someone's Easter by making the delivery? Children especially love
presenting the flowers! Social Ministry will be grateful to all who lend a hand.
Senior Care Callers
On Tuesday, March 31, at 11:30 am in the Life Center the Senior Care Callers will be meeting.
Please bring your books “Christian Caregiving – A Way of Life” by Kenneth Haugk.
Five Wishes Week
Coming soon at St. Peter in collaboration with area Arlington Heights’ Churches are Five Wishes Days.
St. Peter will have its day on Saturday, April 25 at 10 am and 2 pm in Bartz Hall. These two 45
minute sessions will help participants answer questions like: “Who will speak for me if I’m unable?”
“What kind of medical treatments do I want?” and/or “What do I want my loved ones to know as the
Lord calls me to my heavenly home?” Five Wishes is a gift to those who you love. This document will
allow you to think about, document, and express your wishes for the care and life sustaining measures
you want in an emergency. Please make plans on attending St. Peter Five Wishes Day on April 25.
Come one, come all –adults 18 years and older!
(Sponsored by Arlington Heights Ministerial Association and made available through St. Peter Senior
Ministry Team)
Thrivent Financial Advocate Training Session
This training session will be held on Wednesday, April 22, 2015 from 6:30-8:00 pm at Immanuel
Lutheran Church, Palatine. This meeting is being held to help Thrivent members learn about new
funding sources. All Thrivent members are invited. You may RSVP to Linda Stammer at 847-359-1990
x184 or lstammer@ilcp.org – a meal is included.
Job Openings Here at St. Peter School
Open School Positions for 2015-16
The school is accepting resumes for the following positions next year: elementary teacher, part –
time Spanish, and part-time band. Please send resumes to the attention of Bruce Rudi at
brudi@FullLifeinChrist.org Our openings are due to the retirement of Linda Kueker, the marriage of
Bethany Stellwagen, the positioning of Lexi Schmidt to have more school counseling time, and the
restructuring of our school music program. Continue to keep the needed staff and our current staff in
prayer for God’s providence and guidance.
Upcoming Events
Seniors – Topkcul – Potluck
No Matter how you write it, it means the same delicious food and happy memories with your friends.
Everyone is welcome at our Spring Potluck on Friday, April 10 at 11:30am in the Life Center. Guest
speaker, Elli Bach will share some Russian Ministry experiences. It’s really too good to miss, so call
Carol (847) 259-5781 to reserve your spot.
Community Threads
Donation Drive - Spring is just around the corner! If you have been meaning to do some organizing,
sorting, decluttering... please mark your calendar for the weekend of April 11. Our upscale thrift
store's Donation Drive is coming up! This is a great way to bless our neighbors in need and contribute
to our school scholarship program. More than $55,000 per year so far and growing! Every donation in
St. Peters name will be credited to our next grant from the store. Please spread the word and get
creative - there are all kinds of ways to contribute. Contact mary@cthreads.org for more info.
Allstate Employees - If you work at Allstate or know someone who does, please encourage them to
sign up for our St. Peter School Sort Night at Community Threads April 20. It's part of their
Helping Hands program where employees donate time serving in the community. If they choose this
day we will get credit and may even receive a grant from them - Go Allstate!
New Dates for Pastor Klopke's Bible Studies
Pastor Klopke will continue to lead a Bible Study based on St Peter's sermon series "The Story". The
group will be meeting on Monday evening at 7:00 pm, March 30, and Wednesdays evenings at
7:00 pm April 15, 22, 28, and May 6 in Bartz Hall. (May 6 will be our last class and then we will
break for the summer). This is an open meeting for first time participants or regular attendees. Please
come and join in on the discussion and study.
Opportunities to Serve
Governing Board Nominations
The nominating process for the Governing Board elections is underway. There are three open seats.
We encourage all to pray that God will deliver up leaders to serve in this vital role. Nomination forms
can be found in the church office. A description of the qualifications can be found in the Governing
Board Policy Manual (GBPM) posted on our web site or in the church office. We seek people who have
leadership experience, who are voting members of the congregation and who are able to serve in
accordance with the qualifications and expectations listed in the GBPM. Nominations close April 12.
Marketing Volunteers Needed!
St. Peter is looking for volunteers that are interested in serving in a short term marketing opportunity
for the next 8-10 weeks to develop communications and promote a new contemporary service. Be
part of some exciting changes at St. Peter! We have several roles including:
Marketing communications lead: Develop communication assets for the new service, refine
communications plan and lead team to execute
Social media manager: Execute social media programs
Lapsed member/school parent program manager: Execute program to reach lapsed member
and school families
Digital manager: Develop plans for other digital opportunities, such as apps
Insights and feedback lead: Develop plan and execute on feedback programs, must have
expertise in survey monkey or a similar program
If you are interested or have questions, please contact Kathy Relias asap at (847)-477-4429 or
krelias@att.net or krelias@radius-global.com
Opportunities to Be Generous
Use Your Thrivent Choice Dollars!
Do you have Thrivent products? If so, you are eligible to designate dollars for St. Peter Lutheran
School or for St. Peter Church. The Choice Dollars that come to the school are used for our
scholarship program. It is simple to do. Just go online at Thrivent.com/thriventchoice and register. If
it is your first time, calling might be easier, so please call (800) 847-4836 and ask for Thrivent Choice
and follow the prompts for a representative. You may designate your choice dollars several times
during the year. Remember, there is no cost to you! It is Thrivent’s way of giving back. Will you
please consider registering today and be a regular contributor or make a note to do it every 3 months!
Your money is waiting to be used……..please designate it today!
Market Day Pick-Up Alternatives
If you forgot to order your Market Day, or if you can’t pick up Market Day at our set delivery times, you
have an alternative! You can place your order over the phone with Market Day and schedule your pick
up at any GFS store. Ordering time is typically 1 week. They will hold your order for as long as you
need. The closest GFS stores are Schaumburg and Palatine. St Peter will receive the same profit from
the sale.
Another Way to Support Our School
Do you shop at Gordon Food Services (GFS)? If so, next time you shop there, at checkout, ask for
credit from your order to go to Market Day- St Peter Lutheran Church and School in Arlington
Heights. 1% of your total order will come back to our school. If you purchase Market Day items at
GFS, 5% of those items will come back to our school! Tell your friends and family too!
Charitable Gift Annuities
Has your fixed income dropped? You may be interested to learn more about a Charitable Gift
Annuity—a gift that “gives twice”! A gift annuity will help provide for the ministries you care about
while you receive cash payments and save on taxes. You will receive a regular fixed income while you
are living, and when you or your spouse or loved one is called home to the Lord, a portion of your
original gift will go to your selected ministries. You receive an income tax deduction and part of your
payments can be income tax free. Our LCMS Foundation manages this program for the benefit of our
members and our congregation. If you want to learn more about how a Charitable Gift Annuity could
work for you, contact Ray Pagels, our Christian Gift Planning Counselor at (224) 387-3857 or
rpagels@stpeter-ah.org.