Our culture often elevates individuality so much so that we are fooled into thinking we are completely free to choose our own destiny. But the truth is that we are connected to something bigger whether we realize it or not.

Jesus is making the point to his disciples that they are connected to him. And by being connected to the true vine, the branches (them) grow. When we try and disconnect our lives from the root source and strive for our own personal aspirations, without realizing it, we wither over time because that’s not why we were created. We were created to be in relationship with the vine (Jesus).

Join us on Sunday in a special outdoor worship @ the Comal County Fairgrounds as we connect with the vine and each other discovering God’s love and purpose for us.

10 am, April 28, Comal County Fairgrounds Food Court
701 E. Common St. New Braunfels, TX 78130
Enter at the Grant Ave./Commerce St gate.

We are so excited! This year’s Outdoor Worship Service and picnic has been moved to the Comal County Fairgrounds. Our new location has plenty of parking and is in a covered area that will be great no matter the weather.

Invite a friend and come celebrate God’s goodness!

The meat and drinks will be provided, just bring a dessert or a side dish.
Thank you, Thrivent, for graciously donating the meat for our picnic.

We are less than a month from synod assembly, which means voting members are receiving a lot of synod assembly details. If you have not yet registered, please do so as soon as possible at https://www.swtsynod.org/registration.

Business materials including the Bulletin of Reports, Nominations and Bishop Election Pre-Identified Potential Nominees have been posted on our website. Please visit https://www.swtsynod.org/business.

One Saturday morning in March, a small group of Peach members met in our kitchen, prepared a full breakfast and took it to our neighbors at First Footing. We served 40 of the most grateful, friendly and interesting people. Read our full story in the May Newsletter.

They were so thankful and appreciative that we would like to continue to do this monthly. To do this, we are looking for volunteers and donations. If you would like to help, either monthly or occasionally, contact Kathi Anderson at 210-643-8855 with a call or text. If you would like to donate for supplies, you can make it to Peace Lutheran and specify for First Footing Breakfast.

A special Thank you to the wonderful people who participated in this inaugural breakfast, Carol and Martin Franz, Becky and Wil Voges, Vicki Hillmer, Karen and Bobby Laughlin, and Kathi Anderson.

The Cibolo Creek Conference Women of the ELCA will hold their annual spring gathering on Saturday, April 27^th at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Universal City, 1129 Pat Booker Road.  A flyer about the gathering and the registration form are attached.  Please share this information with the women in your congregation.  Whether you have an active WELCA Unit or not doesn’t matter.  We would love to see you and spend time in Bible study and fellowship with you.  The deadline for registration is April 22 and the cost for the registration is $20.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me.  I will be more than happy to visit with you.  You can call me any time on my cell, (210) 413-6121 or email me at dawnyoung113@gmail.com. 

Dawn Young
Conference Coordinator, Cibolo Creek Conference
Women of the ELCA

We will be having acolyte training on Sunday, May 5th after church. This training is open all age including the children of the congregation. If you have any questions please contact Shannon Johnson at 830-481-7431 or sprocknowjohnson@gmail.com. 

We are super excited to extend an invitation to you for your kid(s) to join us at Peace for our VBS Day Camp this summer! The dates for this year’s VBS are June 24^th – 28^th from 8:30 am – 3:30 pm. We look forward to welcoming the counselors from Lutherhill who will be leading our program. This year’s theme is “REAL Wonder”, focusing on the wide range of emotions and experiences we all have in our lives, and how Jesus experienced so many of those same things, too.

This year we have a total of 40 available slots. We will not open registration to the general public until May based on availability, so all of you get priority right now. The cost for this year’s VBS Day Camp is $50 per child. Once you sign up, Deacon Andrew will send you the registration consent form, instructions about payment, as well as all future emails regarding schedule, things to bring, etc.   

You all know the story of Saul who became Paul from the Book of Acts.  On the road to Damascus his way of thinking, being, and doing was transformed.

The Southwestern Texas Synod invites you to join others in our synod on a similar transformative road of Damascus: Lifelong Learning. 

Whether you are:

1. Yearning to grow in your lifelong journey of faith and leadership,
2. Discerning a call to rostered ministry,
3. Interested in earning a certificate for Lay Ministry to be invited to serve as a SAM (Synod Authorized Minister),

Damascus: Lifelong Learning may be for you regardless of your age, level of expertise, or learning style.

The Southwestern Texas Synod is offering two opportunities for a FREE pilot course with cohort groups that begin April 1 and run through May.

• Crash Course: Bible will be offered with Deacon Darcy Mittelstaedt as the cohort facilitator. (Participants will meet weekly for 6 weeks)
• Embodying Thoughts and Prayers: Providing Spiritual Care and Comfort will be offered with Amy Buechler Steubing and Rebecca Guengerich as cohort facilitators. (Participants will alternate between one week completing the assignments and one week in community with the cohort group for four weeks.)

We are also offering a FREE individualized online class without a Cohort group:

• Exploring Your Gifts and Talents

For more information visit www.swtsynod.org/learning or contact Deacon Darcy Mittelstaedt or Rebecca Guengerich

We look forward to joining you on the Road to Damascus.

Register HERE

Yoga (ALL levels) - Tuesdays @ 5:30pm, Peace Lutheran
Chair & Gentle Mat Yoga - Thursdays @ 11:00am, Peace Lutheran

Classes have begun! New students are always welcome. Scan the QR code or follow the link to RSVP. You will need to RSVP for each individual class at least 30 minutes before the class. Classes will be donation based ($10 recommended).
OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY!

---

What is Yoga? Yoga is a practice for healthy living.
Yoga is a mind, body, and spirit practice that can build strength, flexibility, balance, resilience, and community. Using breathwork and asana (Sanskrit word for “poses”) an entire yoga practice allows the individual to develop a mind-body awareness that can help manage pain, reduce stress, increases mobility, prevent and
recover from injuries.

These classes will be beginner friendly -
for ALL ages and abilities.

If you would like to support this cause financially, please make checks out to Peace Lutheran Church. Giving online is available as well by clicking the link or scanning the code below. Regardless of your method of support, please be sure to include "Mission Spotlight" in the memo.

Fifth Sunday in Easter, April 28, 2024
I John 4:7 – Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
Steward-disciples know that God intends us to live in community, helping and relying on one another. We are stewards of community when we practice love for one another. What does that mean for you? How can we love people we may not like?

All Pre-K through Elementary grade children are invited each Sunday to join us for “God's Story”. This is our way of connecting God’s big story to their own stories at a level appropriate for young children. Together we dive into the scripture for the day using a variety of teaching resources. Our goal is to create a safe space for children to have meaningful conversations about God, Jesus, faith, and our everyday lives.

“God’s Story” takes place during the scripture and sermon portion of our worship service (about 20-25 minutes). We meet in our Fellowship Hall, which is in visible proximity to our sanctuary and restrooms. The children are led by our wonderful team of trained and background checked adults from our congregation. If you’d like to help or have any questions, please reach out to Deacon Andrew.

No class Sunday April 28 due to Annual Outdoor Worship Service and Picnic

Starting Tuesday, January 9, 6:30pm
The Sermon On The Mount

Featuring videos and study materials from our friends at the
Bible Project.

They have a wonderful new series on Jesus' Sermon on the Mount that you can explore at your own pace. We will also be using this material for our Tuesday Zoom Bible study, Tuesdays at 6:30 pm.
We'd love for you to join us!

Here's the Bible Project link to get you started:

Bible Project Sermon on the Mount Playlist

Tuesday Zoom Bible Study link

SEEKERS AND SPONGES:  Sunday mornings @ 8:30AM in-person and ZOOM  

 No class Sunday April 28 due to Annual Outdoor Worship Service and Picnic

Short Stories by Jesus
The Enigmatic Parables of a  Controversial Rabbi by Amy-Jill Levine Book / DVD series

In our class, everyone in our group becomes a teacher for one another, sharing experiences and perspectives that facilitates a respectful, enlightening approach to adult learning.      

NEW STUDY STARTING MAY 5TH, 2024
"Living the Questions"offers a variety of faith-based guides introducing progressive Christianity in 20-minute DVD sessions with leading voices of faith.  "Seekers & Sponges" was so stirred many years ago that we are bringing it back Sunday, May 5. at 8:30 am. In person and Zoom.
Life abounds with questions. We ask for answers. You're invited to check it out!

Click HERE to join by Zoom. 

Sunday mornings from 8:45 am—9:30 am
In the Fellowship Room
All ages welcome

No class Sunday April 28 due to Annual Outdoor Worship Service and Picnic

Bring your coffee & snacks and join us for a time of weekly conversation together. Our focus will be learning basics about Christian faith, belief, and practice through a Lutheran lens. We want this to be an open time for questions and conversation—all questions are allowed and encouraged! Think of it like “Christianity 101”, designed both for folks who are newer to learning about the Christian faith, as well as for anyone who would like to deepen their understanding of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus in the world today. We look forward to seeing you!

Mission (Why do we exist?)
To love like Jesus so that each person experiences God’s Way.
 
Vision (What kind of community is God calling us to be?)
A world made whole through love.

Core Values (What guides our daily actions and decisions?)
Shalom – Actively pursuing reconciliation and wholeness. [John 14:27]
Compassion – Recognizing and entering into our shared humanity. [Luke 10:25-37]
Service – Responding to the needs of others. [Matthew 25:31-40]
Grace – Sharing the love that God first gives us. [I John 4:7-10]

Perspectives (Which parts of our church will we focus on?)
Stewardship (Time, Talents, Treasure) (e.g., Healthy Fund Balance)
Loving Our Neighbors (e.g., Family Promise Program)
Ministry/Processes (e.g., Dynamic Worship)
Discipleship (Learning and Growth) (e.g., Life of Faith Initiative)
 
Objectives (goals) (What do we want to accomplish?)
Measures (metrics) – How will we measure progress?
Targets – What are our targets for the next year? Two years? Five years?
Initiatives – What can we do so that we reach our targets?

PEACE PRAYER MINISTRY:

Did you make any resolutions for the New Year? Many of us have a desire to have a more intimate prayer life, so might I suggest carving out more time for prayer and reflection? Peace Lutheran Church has an active Prayer Ministry. We have an Email Prayer Chain, we have a Zoom “Sweet Hour of Prayer” Group that meets every Monday morning at 9:00 a.m. and we have a Prayer loom that is included in our Sunday morning prayers. I would like to welcome new members to join our email Prayer Chain and our Monday morning Prayer Group. We have experienced some amazing, answered prayers this year and we have given comfort to many of our members in their times of distress. Please consider being a part of our Prayer Ministry in this new year. You can email me at beckyvoges@yahoo.com for more information.

Our weekly Prayer Group Zooms every Monday at 9:00 am  via Zoom only.   Click HERE to join by Zoom.  We have a devotion, share prayer requests and pray over each request. The group is led by Becky Voges.  If you would like to be a part of the group, please email Becky (beckyvoges@yahoo.com).  All prayer requests will be kept confidential. 

Prayer Chain Requests - email Becky (beckyvoges@yahoo.com).

PASTOR'S VIRTUAL CONVERSATION:   
Every Monday from 3 pm - 3:30 pm; Come join Pastor Jake on Zoom to ask questions, check-in, and lift up prayers. Join HERE - Meeting ID: 991 3660 5065; Password: 015347

TECH SUPPORT:
Need some technical support? Trying to stay connected in a virtual world can be frustrating when things don't work or the technological learning curve seems steep. If you need some help, contact: Patti Kassel @ kasselpatti@gmail.com 

We are part of one church body organized in three expressions — congregations, synods, and the churchwide organization. Each expression has its particular functions but all three together share a common mission of doing God’s work in the world and proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ. Together, they ensure a solid foundation of leadership, active involvement in communities, opportunities for dialogue and diverse perspectives, creative partnerships, and support for members and ministries of the ELCA.