Spring 2019

Peace 

Offering 

BI-ANNUAL REPORT 

SPRING 2019 

SPRING 2019 | PRINCE OF PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH 1

THE HEART OF 

MASTERPIECE 

We’ve just wrapped up a powerful 

Masterpiece series where we 

discovered how God uniquely 

wires each one of us for service 

and where we committed to use 

those gifts to make a difference. 

Over the next two and a half years, we’ve set 

big goals to love our neighbors: 

• l Share 50,000 hours of our time 

in service. 

• l Invest $500,000 to meet critical 

social needs and spread the gospel 

in our community. 

I’m so thankful God laid these goals on our 

hearts and that we courageously pursue them 

together! 

With ambitious numerical goals, it might be 

tempting to think all we care about is doing 

more and more. That’s simply not true. 

More is not necessarily better. I’m far more 

interested in seeing you, as God’s people, give 

God your “best yes.” This might mean saying 

“no” to more things, even good things, in order 

to focus on the one thing that is necessary. 

The spirit of our Masterpiece series is captured 

in this incredible quote from Bob Goff: “Don’t 

just do what you are able to do; figure out what 

you were made to do, then do lots of that.” Our 

theme verse for the series was Ephesians 2:10: 

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created 

us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good 

things he planned for us long ago.” 

Here’s a brief recap of what we explored during 

the series: 

• l God doesn’t make junk. You are a 

one-of-a-kind masterpiece! You were 

created to make a difference. 

• l The first clue to your unique 

contribution is your passions. What do 

you love? What brings you joy? 

• l The next clue is your gifts. What do you 

have to share? 

• l A third clue is their needs. What needs 

break your heart the most? 

• l At the intersection of your passions, 

your gifts, and their needs is your 

serving sweet spot. Frederick Buechner 

said it this way: “The place God calls 

you to is the place where your deep 

gladness and the world’s deep hunger 

meet.” This is where you discover your 

“best yes,” your unique part to play, 

your greatest contribution. 

When a whole community of people prayerfully 

steps into a space like this, watch out! On Palm 

Sunday weekend, we made commitments 

and took those next steps together. Because 

together we can make a far greater impact than 

any of us could do individually! I look forward to 

celebrating how God is at work in your lives and 

in our midst! 

If you need help discerning your serving sweet 

spot, I and other members of our ministry 

staff would be glad to guide you. Reach out 

to office@pop.church or email a staff member 

directly to request an appointment. 

God’s blessings as you discover the 

Masterpiece He has made you and as you seek 

to use your unique gifts to make a difference! 

Rev. Karl Fay, Senior Pastor 

2 PRINCE OF PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH | SPRING 2019

SANCTUARY UPDATE 

Before 

After 

As Prince of Peace members and friends 

took individual journeys of transformation 

into the masterpieces God designed us to 

be, our sanctuary was also transformed. The 

much-needed replacement of projectors and 

screens brought the opportunity to update 

more than just technology. 

We will celebrate Easter with full enjoyment 

of new equipment, freshly colored walls, 

and beautiful furnishings. Thank you to the 

small army of artisans volunteers, vendors, 

and staff, who contributed their God-given 

time and talents to make this metamorphosis 

possible. 


Spotlight 

AL HAAK and 

TANYA BERGMAN 

Voices of Peace 

Singers 

Marta Rees, Prince of Peace 

Communications Manager, sat 

down with Al and Tanya to talk about 

their love of music and involvement 

in Voices of Peace. 

15 

New 

Members 

welcomed 

in 2019* 

*as of 

April 2019 

Worship Arts Director, Alex Falls, conducts Voices of Peace 

as they lead the congregation 

Marta Rees: How long have you 

been singing? 

Tanya Bergman: I sang in my high 

school and church choirs, but I took a 

long break until almost 25 years ago 

when I joined Al’s church, Lutheran 

Church of the Cross in Arlington 

Heights. I was looking for ways to get 

involved and sat in front of Al at choir 

rehearsal. The rest is history. I joined 

Voices of Peace when I became a 

member at POP two years ago. I am 

also involved with the Ringing Saints. 

I love singing AND ringing. Music is 

part of our relationship, part of our 

social life. The fact that we can be in 

a choir together is kind of neat. That’s 

how we met, and now we have been 

married 21 years! 

Al Haak: I’ve been singing since 

elementary school. Just like Tanya, 

I was involved in a church choir at 

Trinity Lutheran in Chicago. I also 

belong to the Rejoice Singers, a 

Christian outreach music ministry. 

We sing mainly in retirement homes. 

A few POP members belong to this 

ministry, which supports one of POP’s 

mission partners, the Ladishes. I 

joined Voices of Peace last fall. 


TB & AH: Choir has always been an 

entry point for us. It’s been a neat 

way to associate ourselves in the 

POP family. In our previous church, 

the entire music program was very 

social. On Thursday nights, we often 

had wine and cheese parties after 

rehearsal. We’d like to establish that 

here. [Laughter] 

MR: What do you enjoy most about 

being in a choir? 

TB: I get the message from music. 

I get the Word through music. If I’m 

hearing the music, if I’m singing 

the words, it’s reinforcing what the 

sermon is about. This is how I grow 

in my faith. Music helps me get more 

meaning from the worship service 

than just listening to the sermon. 

AH: Over the years, I have had an 

opportunity to sing some really nice 

pieces. There were times I had a hard 

time finishing the song because it was 

so powerful and moving. 

TB: We feel that’s how we serve. Let 

me read you Psalm 104:33. [Tanya 

pulls out a piece of paper and reads 

teary-eyed.] “I will sing to the Lord 

as long as I live; I will praise my God 

while I have my being.” That’s what 

I believe. I believe my gift to others 

is singing. Even though I don’t have 

Alan & Tanya at 

Voices of Peace 

choir rehearsal 

as good of a voice 

as he (Al) does, I just 

love to sing. But Al, 

he’s a soloist! I came 

to POP at the end of 

Martha’s tenure; now 

we have Alex. I don’t 

really know what the 

customs or traditions 

have been here. We 

are hoping to be part 

of new traditions. Al 

is committed now. 

We are stuck here! 

[Laughter] 

“Don’t just do 

what you are 

able to do; 

figure out what 

you were made 

to do, then do 

lots of that.” 

— Bob Goff 

MR: Do you have a favorite piece 

that you have sung? 

TB: It has to be The Lord’s My 

Shepherd “Brother James’ Air” tune. 

Al sang it to me in our wedding. 

AH: The Rejoice Singers introduced 

me to musical pieces different than 

the typical. We sang a lot of cantatas 

and long pieces for Christmas and 

Easter. My favorite would probably 

be What a Friend We Have in Jesus. 

When my mom was in a nursing 

home, she never really spoke much 

in her later years, but when she heard 

this hymn, she would always join in. 

TB: We love the old-fashioned hymns, 

singing four-part harmony all the time. 

Christmas carols are so special. This 

is the only chance you get now in 

churches to sing the old favorites and 

sing them in four-part harmony. 

AH: Two years ago, a friend called 

me and asked, “How would you like 

to participate in something really 

cool?” I said, “Sure.” I went to his 

choir rehearsal at Southminster 

Presbyterian in Arlington Heights. 

They were teaming up with another 

Presbyterian church to perform John 

Rutter’s Requiem, which is a very 

difficult piece by this contemporary 

composer. We rehearsed for four 

months and sang with a 26-piece 

orchestra! It was just a wonderful 

thing to be a part of. 

TB: I started rehearsing but it was 

way too difficult for me (laughter). 

TB & AH: We just love music! 

MR: What would you say to 

someone who is considering 

joining choir at Prince of Peace? 

TB: Look at us! We are two extremes 

of this choir! You can be a beautiful 

voice or a trained voice, or you can be 

someone who just loves to sing and 

wants to be a part of it. That’s me! As 

long as you have the enthusiasm and 

passion, it’s enough. 

AH: Tanya sings and reads notes very 

well. She is a very good alto! 

TB: It’s a very welcoming group! I 

wish our choir sang more. There’s 

some fabulous talent in this choir. 

We can talk to the congregation 

more with music. 


Adults 

215+ 

People participated 

in an Explore God 

group at POP 

30+ 

New people, 

previously not in a 

P.E.A.C.E. Group, 

joined an Explore 

God group. 

POPTeens 

20 

People 

attending 

the LCMS 

Youth 

Gathering 

in July 2019 

(14 Youth, 

6 Adults)* 

*as of 3/15/19 

POPKids 

80 

Children 

involved in 

POPKids 

6 

POPKids 

Explore God 

Groups 

First Communion 

On February 2, nine students and their 

parents spent the morning strengthening 

their faith and understanding the gifts that 

God provides through the Sacrament of 

Holy Communion. They uncovered the 

connection between the first Passover 

with Moses to the meal we celebrate 

today through hands-on activities, family 

discussions, and a taste of a Seder Meal. 

The students celebrated on Sunday, 

February 3 by participating in Holy 

Communion with their parents at the 

10:30am service. 

12 

Confirmed 

in 2018 

20 

Youth Registered 

for Confirmation 

in 2019 


Explore God: Stories from Adults 

Connect with Neighbors 

on a Deeper Level 

After developing friendships with neighbors, 

one POP member walked to neighbors’ homes 

with Explore God invitations in hand. She 

explained how we all have questions and invited 

them to attend a casual group discussion in her 

home with simple snacks and thought-provoking 

conversation. Three neighbors attended! It was a 

great way to get to know each other on a deeper 

level! 

New Leaders Step Up to Give 

of Their Time and Talents 

Eight new adult group leaders/co-leaders 

stepped up to lead a group during the Explore 

God study. Some offered their time because of 

their own faith journeys and how they previously 

wrestled through these questions. Others 

wondered if someone might be looking for a 

group at the exact day and time that they could 

lead one. 

Explore God by the numbers: 

They simply put it out there to see who would 

join them. A few leaders had specific individuals 

whom God placed on their hearts to contact 

personally and encourage to attend a group! 

Share Personal Faith Stories 

The seven-week study led to in-depth 

discussions and sharing of personal faith stories. 

What do I know about God when I am facing 

cancer? How would I explain that Jesus really 

is God? The study helped us live out 1 Peter 

3:15: “Always be prepared to give an answer to 

everyone who asks you to give the reason for the 

hope that you have. But do this with gentleness 

and respect.” 

Resources for Digging Deeper 

Articles, white papers, and recommended books 

describing what the Bible says about each of the 

seven Explore God questions were available in 

the lobby. Articles in high demand were: “Does 

Life Have a Purpose?” and “Why Does God 

Allow Pain and Suffering?” Check out the POP 

Resource Center for books on all the topics. 

8 

New adult group 

leaders/co-leaders 

25 

Explore God 

groups 

150 

Car magnets 

distributed 

260 

Participant guides 

used 

320 

Invitation 

postcards 

circulated 


Connect in a Group: Adults 

WHY NEW TYPES OF GROUPS? 

Have you heard about missional communities or huddles? 

POP is responding to God’s prompting, cultural shifts, and group 

evaluation. 

We reviewed… 

…what other churches were doing to address 

similar concerns, asked our P.E.A.C.E. Group 

leaders to anonymously rank their groups on 

various attributes, and sent staff members to 

conferences to learn more. 

We found… 

1. The culture continues to shift. Simply 

inviting people to worship or a Bible 

study is more difficult. Yet, people outside 

of the church are hungry for Jesus and 

hope to see the humility and authenticity in 

the lives of Christ-followers. They want to 

make a difference in the world around 

them. Building authentic relationships 

with people outside of church is the best 

first step. 

2. People increasingly value life-on-life 

discipleship (making disciples who can 

make disciples). 

3. P.E.A.C.E. Groups experience success 

in many areas: sharing of life, safe 

place to share struggles, learning 

from God’s Word, seeing tangible signs 

of the Holy Spirit changing lives, group 

members using their gifts, and showing 

care for one another. Praise God! 

4. Current P.E.A.C.E. Group challenges 

include outreach and leadership 

development. New people are not coming 

in, and new leaders are not being 

cultivated. 

We will… 

...continue to provide quality P.E.A.C.E. Group 

experiences while looking for ways to invite 

people and develop new leaders. To do this, 

we will experiment with new types of groups! 

Missional Communities are mid-sized 

groups of 20-40 people which focus on 

fellowship and service with a missional 

purpose. They provide an easy first step for 

people outside the church to join a group. 

Huddles are small groups of 3-8 people with 

a concentration in life-on-life discipleship. 

Participants are invited in and directed by 

a leader for approximately 18 months. They 

learn what it means to be a disciple and how 

to disciple others. Huddle participants may 

begin their own huddles after their training, 

multiplying huddles over time. 

Keep an eye out for more information as 

these groups develop! 


Connect in a Group: POPTeens 

During our Explore God series last 

winter, the youth raised many 

questions and doubts about God 

and about God in their lives. What 

does all this mean to me? Why 

should I believe in this? I know all this, but I’m 

not sure it’s real. 

Many small group conversations became 

one-on-one discussions. After a group 

meeting one night, Pastor Matt chatted with a 

participant named Dylan* about who God is, 

what God did, why the Bible is true, and what 

Jesus’ death and resurrection means. Part of 

the conversation went like this: 

Dylan: How do God and faith become 

personal to me? 

Pastor Matt: Did He die for you? 

Dylan: Yes! 

Pastor Matt: How do you know that? 

Dylan (laughing): ‘Cause the Bible tells me 

so. It’s a song! 

Pastor Matt: And the song is right; it does. 

Dylan: But how do I know the Bible is 

right? 

[Pastor Matt shared how all of Scripture 

is proven with other writings while Dylan 

nodded and thought about what he said.] 

“How do God and 

faith become 

personal for me?” 

Pastor Matt: That is why faith has to move 

from your head to your heart. That is faith. It 

is heart knowledge of what Jesus has done 

for you and how much he loves you. 

Dylan (with tears running down): I know, 

but that’s tough. 

Pastor Matt (teary-eyed): That’s why we 

work at it each day through prayer, reading 

Scripture, daily devotions, and so much 

more. 

Hours had passed. Pastor Matt and Dylan 

prayed about walking with Jesus and growing 

a life of faith. 

One general question may lead to personal 

questions, which will lead youth (and adults) 

to a deeper, more intimate relationship 

with Jesus. That is what develops heart 

knowledge. What a beautiful thing! 

*Some names and identifying details have been changed 

to protect the privacy of individuals. 


Connect in a Group: Explore God Kids 

1. Why am I here? 

2. What is God like? 

3. Will God always be there for me? 

4. What does God say about other gods? 

5. Who is Jesus? 

6. Is the Bible true? 

7. How can I know God? 

Our Younger Kids 

Early childhood groups have been growing in 

their knowledge of the Bible and learning how 

much God loves them. These amazing, energetic 

children turn any learning into a party! At the same 

time, they’re building skills of listening, asking 

questions, showing their faith in action, and praying 

together. If you want to see the spirit of God in action on 

a Sunday morning, join us in our early childhood rooms! 

We asked these 

seven questions 

as we Explore(d) 

God together. 

First through fifth 

graders gathered to tackle these 

foundational questions of faith 

from a child’s point of view. 

Great conversations occurred 

every week as leaders and kids 

participated in small groups 

for most of the Sunday school 

hour. Having the time to slow 

down and listen, ask, and learn 

was essential as we processed 

these questions…which often 

led to more questions! What a 

blessing to have focused time 

to grow both in our faith and our 

relationships with one another. 


Guide: One Who Follows Jesus 

and Leads Others to Do the Same 

This story is a beautiful example 

of growing as a guide and 

helping others Journey with 

Jesus. 

Janet Guiding Kendis... 

Janet met Kendis through a mutual 

friend in the neighborhood. After 

getting to know her better, Janet 

invited Kendis to her P.E.A.C.E. 

Group. Kendis wasn’t sure she 

believed the same things as others 

in the group, but she felt welcome 

and wanted to learn about Jesus 

and the Christian walk. Years 

passed and Kendis grew in her faith, 

participated in the P.E.A.C.E. Group, 

attended church, and connected in 

additional Bible studies. Everyone 

celebrated the day Kendis was 

baptized! 

Kendis Guiding Bob... 

Along her journey, Kendis became 

a caregiver for Bob. As Kendis 

told him about reading her Bible, 

Bob reluctantly listened about her 

faith. He would ask her all kinds of 

questions and slowly his interest 

grew. He learned the truth of the 

gospel and wanted to know Jesus 

and have a relationship with Him. 

Bob began attending church with 

Kendis and met her circle of friends. 

Bob was now surrounded by a 

group of Christian women! 

Bob With Jesus... 

Bob was diagnosed with cancer. 

In his last days, Bob relied heavily 

on the Holy Spirit to hold him up 

and bring him peace. Bob’s voice 

became thin and weak. One day, 

he spoke with a strong, clear voice, 

“Kendis, Jesus loves me. He loves 

you, too, and I’m going to be with 

Jesus.” Then, he quoted Scripture, 

something he generally did not do. 

“See, I am sending an angel ahead 

of you to guard you along the way 

and to bring you to the place I have 

prepared.” (Exodus 23:20) The 

next day when Kendis arrived, he 

was surprised to hear her walk in. 

“Weren’t you just here sitting with a 

hand on my shoulder?” Kendis knew 

it was God’s angels comforting 

Bob and giving him peace as he 

prepared to go be with Jesus. The 

morning after Bob passed away, 

Kendis had a vision. It was Bob 

saying, “Kendis, thank you so much! 

I’m so happy, and this place is even 

better than we talked about! 

Who could you 

guide today? 

Each small step you take could have 

eternal rewards! Get to know your 

neighbors better. Invite someone to 

your P.E.A.C.E. Group. Allow others 

to ask you questions as you learn 

and study your Bible. Walk with 

someone going through a difficult 

situation. We can all be guides in 

small ways as we follow Jesus. In 

God’s perfect plan, He will use us 

for His big purposes! 


Progress Update: 

50,000 Hours Serving Goal 

7,800+ 

Serving hours 

from POP members 

since October 2018. 

Our 3x50 campaign includes a goal to share 

one of life’s most precious resources: time! 

We hope to contribute at least 50,000 hours 

of service from October 2018 through 

October 2021, both within our congregation 

and where we live, work, and play. 

Since October 1, 2018, we received 95 submissions 

totaling 1,616 hours of people serving outside of 

Prince of Peace sponsored activities. We collect these 

submissions (and encourage stories!) through two 

sources. Paper forms are available at the Connection 

Center and a reporting link is posted on our website: 

pop.church/teams. 

In addition, we logged 6,200 hours through serving 

activities organized by Prince of Peace both within and 

outside our walls. That brings our grand total to 7,816 

hours so far. Let’s celebrate that progress! 

Why record and report serving hours? While 50,000 

hours represents a numeric goal, it also speaks to our 

storyteller and servant measures. We share stories of 

how we put others first, guide others, and love one 

another. This is not intended as bragging! Sharing 

your serving stories with us gives insight into how and 

where you are serving. That, in turn, helps us connect 

people with similar passions and interests and consider 

potential new mission partners (one of our other vision 

projects). 


Serving Stories: 

Be Encouraged! 

Here are some stories that have been 

shared. 

“I love having the opportunity to serve 

with my kids. I want to model for them 

what a life of service looks like and to 

have that lifestyle be a part of who they 

are from a young age.” 

This mom served with her daughter at 

the Palatine Township Christmas gift 

distribution. 

Values: Put Others First 

Measures: I am growing as a Guide 

“We have had people from all ages, 

countries, religions and political views. 

God showed up each time, and people 

left with a sense of belonging and being 

cared for. The children have asked 

to come back because it became their 

tradition. I have felt blessed that we were 

able to create family when our family 

has been so far away.” 

This family has hosted a Thanksgiving 

meal for the past six years for local 

residents who do not have family 

nearby. 

Values: Journey With Jesus, 

Love One Another 

“Palatine High School recently had 

Young Hearts 4 Life at the school to run 

EKGs for all students who had parental 

permission. It was a wonderful day where 

volunteers from all over the community 

were able to interact with the teens at the 

school. It was refreshing to see the future 

of our community. The kids were polite, 

considerate, and fun to be around. We 

were able to calm fears and talk with 

each student. It was an amazing day.” 

POP member, Steff Woell, volunteered 

at this school event. 

Values: Invest With Courage, 

Put Others First 

“I was excited to have this opportunity 

because it allowed me to use my art skills 

to benefit the school and other students. 

POP member, Maggie Walsh, used her 

art to meet a need in her community by 

entering a painted bench into an auction 

to benefit the Palatine High School 

Booster Club. What a great example 

of serving in your sweet spot like we 

explored in the Masterpiece series. 

Values: Imagine The Possibilites 

Invest With Courage 

Keep serving and keep sharing your stories of encouragement! Email Susan Klemstein, 

Director of Outreach, at susank@pop.church if you have any questions about the 

reporting process. 


Palatine High School staff thanks POP and other area congregations 

for gift card donations. 

Comfort dogs from mission 

partner Lutheran Church 

Charities were new additions to 

our Palatine Township Christmas 

gift distribution event. 

Serve on a Team: 

Thank You for Investing with Courage! 

During November and December, our congregation made an amazing 

impact in our local community by going over and above regular offerings 

and sharing our resources. 

70 

meals 

52 

baskets 

267 

gifts 

4,740 

dollars 

Dinners 

provided 

over two 

nights for the 

PADS Shelter 

Program 

Thanksgiving 

Baskets and 

56 grocery 

gift cards 

for Palatine 

Township 

Tree of 

Giving Gifts 

for Grace 

Christian 

Academy 

and Palatine 

Township 

Gift Cards 

for Homeless 

Students and 

Struggling 

Families 

The total value of these donations was nearly $25,000! THANK YOU 

for investing with courage and sharing the love and peace of Jesus 

in our local community! 


OUTREACH 

Volunteers distributed Christmas gifts to families from 

Grace Christian Academy and Palatine Township. 

We prayed over the gifts that decorated 

our sanctuary and were then distributed 

to mission partners Grace Christian 

Academy and Palatine Township. 

29,592 

Meals packed for 

Malawi and Ukraine by 

POP Family & Friends 

on December 28 at 

FMSC 


Serve on a Team: POPCare 

Reporting YOUR Care Needs 

We need to hear from you! When 

you are hurting in any way or 

experiencing a life challenge, 

our pastoral and volunteer 

team want to provide care in a 

timely fashion. As much as we would like to, 

we can’t respond if we don’t know what your 

needs are. 

The quickest way to reach out and get help is 

to call the church office at 847-359-3451. 

Any time. During office hours, POP staff 

will address your concern. Outside of office 

hours, listen carefully to the message and 

prompts for two options: 

❶ 

a non-urgent request, if the response 

can wait until office hours, or 

➋ 

an urgent message. 

Shortly after leaving an urgent message, 

a volunteer or staff member will call you to 

discuss your situation and determine the next 

step. 

For less urgent needs for care and prayer, 

you may also: 

✓ Submit a request online at 

pop.church/care; look for the green 

“REQUEST CARE NOW” button. This 

one-stop, entry form is for all care 

ministry requests. 

REQUEST CARE NOW 

✓ Complete a Prayer and Care card 

during a worship service. 

✓ Talk to the pastors or a staff member. 

A member recently asked, “What kind of 

help is available for someone who needs 

immediate spiritual help during a crisis?” 

What a great question! The short and simple 

answer is “let us know” the need. Our goal is 

to connect a trained volunteer, staff member, 

or pastor with the person quickly to offer 

support. You might consider this “spiritual 

and emotional” first aid. After the initial crisis, 

we will establish ongoing care appropriate for 

the situation. 


CARE 

POPCare Workshop 

The POPCare Ministry team held the 

first Care Workshop on February 16 

with the theme “Eyes of a Caregiver 

– Seeing Needs.” Since caregivers 

often serve in an individual role, 

the workshop provided opportunities to 

connect with others and to consider broader 

perspectives. While building community, 

participants learned about the Care Ministry 

offerings and opportunities to serve. Time for 

praise and prayer was followed by sharing 

circumstances which break our hearts and 

stories celebrating God’s work among us. 

Watch for future workshops and join in the 

discussion! 

19 

GriefShare sessions 

since 2010 

135 

Lives touched through 

GriefShare since 2010 

(94 non-members) 

Mental Illness 

Awareness 

On February 11, POP hosted an 

event presented by National 

Alliance of Mental Illness 

(NAMI) with 42 people from the 

community in attendance. During 

the program, “In Their Own Voice,” two 

presenters shared their personal experiences 

and struggles with mental illness. Participants 

learned about the journey through different 

stages of mental health recovery. In addition 

to professional treatment, the presenters 

emphasized the need for a supportive 

community and hope through a strong faith. 

Prince of Peace is a participant in the 

Interfaith Mental Health Coalition, an 

association of churches in the Chicago 

area which brings awareness and provides 

a supportive environment for those 

experiencing mental illness and their families. 

If you are interested in talking more about 

mental health and how we could offer 

support as a congregation, please contact 

Dave Penner, Director of Care at 

dave@pop.church. 


BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

NOMINATIONS 

Todd Perryman 

Director, Market Strategy 

for the Eastern Operation 

at Walgreen Co. 

Bachelor’s degree from 

Valparaiso University 

and Master’s degree 

in Public Policy from 

Georgetown University 

Prince of Peace member 

for 12 years. 

Reader and Communion 

Assistant. 

Spends time in personal 

growth through daily 

prayer, attending/serving 

at church, and working to 

be a strong Christian 

example for his family. 

Married to Nikki for 17 

years, a Sunday school 

teacher at POP, with three 

children. 

Richard (Rick) 

Schindler 

Structural Engineer for 

McCluskey Engineering. 

Graduate of Purdue 

University. 


for 13 years. 

Sunday school teacher, 

family P.E.A.C.E. group 

leader (with wife, Lisa), 

POPTeens IGNITE leader 

(2009-2011). 


growth through time 

with family, working to 

raise respectful, capable, 

and honest children, and 

constantly looking to 

Jesus’ example of 

leadership. 

Married to Lisa for 12 years 

with two children. 

Tim Stoub 

Firefighter/paramedic 

with the Village of 

Hoffman Estates. 

Graduate (cum laude) 

of Gustavus Adolphus 

College (St. Peter, MN). 


for six years. 

Coffee host, active 

P.E.A.C.E. group member. 


growth through daily 

prayer and devotionals, 

being involved in 

P.E.A.C.E. group, and 

attending weekly Bible 

study with a friend. 

Married to Sarah for 

13 years, a Sunday school 

teacher at POP, with two 

children. 


POP 

Financials 

Prince of Peace’s recent Masterpiece 

series provided a chance to discover 

the gifts God grants us. We hope and 

pray that God showed you new and 

exciting things about who you are in 

Christ and where He wants you to use those 

gifts! Please continue to ponder how God 

would have you invest with courage as you 

use His great gifts for the glory of His kingdom! 

Looking back to 2018, we give thanks for 

all God’s people who have supported the 

impactful POP missions and ministries 

described in this publication. The year 2018 

was a time of redirecting and rebuilding as 

we planned deficit spending (budgeted net 

income of -$36,117) in order to fully staff POP 

and Crosspoint and move forward proactively 

with a new vision for the future. While income 

fell short of our goal by 7%, our spending was 

held to 5% below budget, and the year ended 

with net income of $46,022 below our budget 

target. 

The year 2019 started at a similar pace. 

Income through February 2019 is 8% below 

budget (or -$25,379), which includes year-todate 

contributions of $8,270 to POP’s 3x50 

goal. On the expense side, spending is 5% 

below budget (or -$16,305) due to timing of 

various expenses. Therefore, our net income 

through February is $9,074 below our budget 

target. Additionally, our general fund cash 

balance remains in a solid position, which is in 

line with expectations. 

Please note that the sanctuary update 

expenses are provided for in our large 

equipment replacement fund and, as such, are 

included in our annual budget plans. We were 

excited to unveil these sanctuary updates on 

Palm Sunday and pray that they enrich the 

worship experience and bring honor and glory 

to God for years to come! 

Thank you again for your continued support 

of God’s work in and through POP and 

Crosspoint as we look forward to what God 

will do through us all for His glory in 2019. 

Year-To-Date (YTD) POP/Crosspoint 

Income through February 2019 

350,000 

300,000 

250,000 

200,000 

150,000 

100,000 

50,000 

0 

Budget 

È 8% 

È $25.3K 

Actual 

Other Ways 

to Give to POP 

Budget: 

$306,109 

Actual: 

$280,730 

Whether you’re looking for simplicity or tax 

efficiency, or both, there are ways to give to 

POP that might make your life easier while 

helping you reach your goals! 

Online/Text Gifts 

Did you know that you can give to POP online 

or via text? One-time or recurring gifts can 

be made through secure credit card or bank 

transfer with the help of Prince of Peace’s 

online giving program. Online giving is a great 

way to simplify your life or assure your gifts 

make it to church regularly even if you can’t! 

Visit pop.church/give to learn more. 

Appreciated Securities Donations 

Do you have stocks or bonds you’d really 

like to sell and lock in your gains? Did you 

know that if you make a gift of appreciated 

securities directly to POP, you receive the 

charitable deduction and avoid capital gains 

tax? Curious? Discuss your options with your 

tax or financial advisor, then contact Julie 

Wettermann (julie@pop.church) for POPspecific 

details. 

IRA Charitable Rollovers 

New laws provide seniors with some taxefficient 

options for managing their IRAs! 

If you are 70½ years old, some or all of 

your Required Minimum Distribution may 

be contributed directly to a charitable 

organization like POP. You will avoid income 

taxes on all or part of the donated amount 

(subject to IRS rules). Contact your tax or 

financial advisor to learn more and see if an 

IRA charitable gift is appropriate for you. 


19 

POPEvents 

Mark Your Calendars 

April 18 

April 19 

April 20 

April 21 

April 27/28 

April 28 

May 5 

May 25-26 

June 2 

July 11-15 

July 22-26 

Maundy Thursday 

Worship at 7:00pm 

Good Friday 

Worship at noon, 

5:00pm & 7:00pm 

Easter Vigil/Baptismal 

Remembrance 

Worship at 5:00pm 

Easter Sunday 

Worship with choir 

at 8:00am & 9:30am 

Easter Praise 

at 11:00am 

Enjoy Free Easter 

Breakfast! 

Confirmation Weekend 

Spring Voters 

Informational Meeting 

Spring Voters Meeting 

Memorial Day Weekend 

Here2Serve 

(after the late service) 

LCMS National 

Youth Gathering 

Vacation Bible School 

(VBS) 

Check Out Our New Website 

We are excited to introduce you 

to our brand new website 

www.pop.church 

What’s new? 

Fresh and clean design to enhance your experience. 

New features such as a monthly calendar view. 

Optimized for mobile devices, making it easy to use whether 

you’re at your desk or on the move. 

discover peace. together. 

1190 N. Hicks Road | Palatine, Illinois 60067 

www.pop.church 

POPLC 

POP 

TechArts 

POP 

TechArts 

Ministry 

847-359-3451 office@pop.church

Spring 2019

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