Peace Notes Winter 2019/20 - Word of Peace Lutheran Church

The Dirt on Christmas
This Christmas is a bit different for me.
My daughter, Anna, is in Bethlehem this
year away from our family. She is serving
there for one year at a Palestinian Lutheran
school and church through Young
Adults in Global Mission.
I want to romanticize what it must be like
for her to be in Bethlehem for Christmas,
after all, this is the birthplace of Jesus. But
then she shares with her mother and me
about the hardships that the Palestinian
people endure there, and conflicts between
the Israeli and Arab people.
I am reminded of a pastor friend of mine who once told me of a
visit that he made to the Holy Land of Israel. He said it really wasn’t
all that holy. There were customs, guards, congestion, crowds
and vendors everywhere they went.
He especially remembers going to the church in Nazareth, which is
said to be built over the site where Mary and Joseph’s house once
stood. Once inside the church, he told me that he almost passed
out from all of the dust, and the heat, and the throngs of pushy
tourists. And then as he was trudging up some stairs, pushing his
way through tourist after tourist, his eyes fell upon a quote chiseled
in the wall. It was in Latin, but they were words so familiar
that anyone could read it: And the Word became flesh and dwelt
among us.
And then it hit him—there is no holy land, not even some sort of
little town of Bethlehem that lies still. There is only Nazareth—
dust, congestion, hardship—just the way it was when Jesus came
to it. He realized then that Nazareth could be anywhere.
Life today can be just like the day Jesus was born--full of dust,
congestion, and hardship. This is the life that the Word became
flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus Christ dwells among the dust,
congestion, and hardship of every day life. Jesus Christ dwells in
Nazareth, in Bethlehem, and in your life and mine.
Thanks be to God!
Rick Skare
Lead Pastor
Rick Skare
Lead Pastor
Kristin Skare
Pastor of Spiritual Care
Tyler Strom
Pastor of Faith in Action
21705 129th Ave. N.
Rogers, MN 55374
(763) 496-2400
(press 3 to leave an emergency
message for a pastor)
Office Hours
Mon-Thurs 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Our Vision Statement
Our vision is to be a community
where everyone knows Christ’s
Love and shares Christ’s Love
with all people.
Our Mission Statement
Christ works through us as we:
Welcome all people to grow
in faith, love and devotion,
Share Christ through word
and deed,
Care for others and the world
God made, and
Work for justice and peace.
NEWSLETTER SUBMISSIONS
Contact Jennie Priebe at
(763) 496-2401 or
jpriebe@wordofpeace.org
wordofpeace.org
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Festival of Carols Worship
Sunday, December 15 | 8:30, 9:45 & 11 AM
(See Page 7)
Promises of Hope
Christmas Worship for Those Experiencing Loss
Tuesday, December 17 | 6:30 PM
(See Page 5)
Travelers Christmas Eve
Candlelight Worship
Monday, December 23 | 6:30 PM*
Christmas Eve Worship
Tuesday, December 24
Family Candlelight Worship
10 AM* & 12 Noon*
Candlelight Worship
2:00*, 3:30, 4:45, 6:00* & 11:00 PM*
*Holy Communion is served
NOTE: There will be no Christmas Day worship.

Sermon Series Begins January 19
This January as we kick-off a new year, we celebrate the
new life that Jesus’ birth brings to the world. How do we
live in this new life? Beginning January 19, we will explore
five key things that spiritually vibrant people have in
common. Come discover what you can do to live with a
vibrant faith.
Join Pastor Tyler for an exploration of how faith connects
with film. We will meet at the St. Michael Cinema for an
afternoon showing of a new movie followed by discussion
at Le Bar (on the second level of the cinema). Bring a
friend, get some popcorn, and watch for Christ to show up
on the big screen!
December 8 – “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”
After a jaded magazine writer is assigned a profile of Fred
Rogers, he overcomes his skepticism, learning about
empathy, kindness, and decency from America's most
beloved neighbor. Wear your favorite cardigan!
January 19 – “Just Mercy”
A powerful and thought-provoking true story, "Just Mercy"
follows young lawyer Bryan Stevenson and his historymaking
battle for justice in the face of racism and a system
stacked against him.
VISION & MISSION
FORUM 2020
Sunday, January 26 at 12:15 PM
Thanking God for the Ministry in 2019
and Looking Forward to the Future!
Come and celebrate Word of Peace’s vision
and mission at all worship services on January
26 & 27. There will be a special Vision &
Mission Forum on January 26 following the 11
AM worship hour, which will include a celebration
of Word of Peace’s ministry, the election
of church leadership, and the approval of
the 2020 vision and ministry resources. All
Word of Peace members are encouraged to
attend.
Year-End Financial Update
and Budget Discussion
Sunday, January 19 at 9:45 & 11 AM
You are invited to review the 2019 finances
and learn more about the proposed budget
for 2020.
Get all your questions answered prior to the
Vision & Mission Forum so you are prepared
in advance when it comes to voting on the
budget.
If you have questions in the meantime,
please feel free to contact Linda Thomas, Director
of Administration, at (763) 496-2407 or
lthomas@wordofpeace.org.
Look for exact showtimes in your bulletin or online at
wordofpeace.org/christ-in-cinema.

Battling the
Christmas Blues
by Pastor Kristin Skare
While images of joy and love fill storefronts and Christmas cards, the holidays are not merry for everyone. The
Christmas Blues are very real for people who are living with loss, suffering from depression, experiencing the
end of a relationship, grieving the death of someone they love, living with illness, or struggling with financial
stress. Changes to our schedule, our self-care routines, and to our expectations may compound this difficult
season.
What can we do to keep from being overwhelmed by the
Christmas Blues?
Be honest with your feelings. Don’t keep them bottled
up. Share your feelings with someone you trust or write
them down in a journal.
Be gentle with yourself. It’s okay to say “no” to holiday
parties and activities in order to maintain self-care.
Eat well, exercise, and get enough sleep. By caring for
your body you care for your soul.
Spend time in prayer.
If you or someone you know is experiencing the Christmas
Blues, we invite you to Promises of Hope on Tuesday, December
17. This worship service is designed especially for
people who are experiencing loss or heartache of any kind.
It is a way for you to be surrounded by people who know
how you feel because they are feeling the same way. You
won’t be asked to do anything. You’re invited to just come
and receive the reassuring promise that you are not alone,
God is with you, and your congregation is praying for you.
Questions? Contact Pastor Kristin Skare at (763) 496-2404 or
kskare@wordofpeace.org.
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Engaging the Whole Person through
Adult Faith Formation
By Deacon Lydia Svenulski, Director of Adult Ministry
Earlier this year, Word of Peace began transition of
understanding the programming we offer for adults as
Adult Education and instead began to understand it as
Adult Faith Formation. This transition was inspired by
various different avenues of research, and comes for a
desire for Word of Peace to recognize itself as a
learning community of faith where everyone is a
learner and a mentor. Over the past several decades,
many people involved in Christian education have
been moving forward with using words such as
formation, discipleship, mentoring, and practice instead
of education. You most likely recognize these words
that have been used at Word of Peace as well.
These words are considered process-oriented; they
are words that suggest the idea of learning as a journey
or pilgrimage. As Dr. Diana Butler Bass writes, “Too
often the word, ‘education,’ carries the connotation of
information or expertise. Adult formation does educate,
but it also engages the whole person—intellect,
passions, and spirit—in a process and practice of
Christian maturity. It seeks to form or shape a
meaningful way of being Christian and putting Christian
faith into practice in the world.”
At Word of Peace, we are continuing to work towards
providing a variety of opportunities for adults to
experience faith formation because we understand
that everyone experiences education, passion and
spirit differently. These include things such as Sunday
morning educational forums, Thursday morning Bible
studies, retreats, Topics on Tap, Christ in the Cinema,
and more.
Offering these different opportunities enables all of us
to experience formation in a way that helps us continue
to grow and develop faith that goes with us into our
daily lives.
Advent Spiritual Practices
Thursdays at 7 PM | December 5, 12 & 19 in the Brekke Room
The phrase “spiritual but not religious” seems to float around our everyday conversations more now
than ever. So, what is spirituality? Think of it as your connection to the things you consider meaningful
and holy. For many of us, that means praying, observing rituals, studying texts and attending religious
services. For others, it means nontraditional structures or notions of God.
Connecting with a higher power offers more than just hope. It strengthens our emotional health too.
Regular spiritual practice offers many proven health benefits, especially when it comes to our mental
health.
During the busy season of Advent, you are invited to slow down and come do spiritual practices. Each
week we will explore one of the following practices: prayer, music, and meditation. During our time
together, you are encouraged to participate with these practices in ways that fit your needs and
comfort.
For more information, contact Deacon Lydia Svenulski at
lsvenulski@wordofpeace.org or (763) 496-2421.
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Book Study: White Awake
January 26, February 2, February 9 | 6:30 PM
Pastor Tyler will lead a 3-week study on Sunday evenings of the book,
“White Awake” by Daniel Hill. Hill is a pastor in Chicago who shares his
own “blindness to sight” journey in life and ministry and how an
awareness of racial issues is directly linked to our understanding of the
gospel. Our time together will be a safe place to lean in, listen, learn, and
share our own experiences.
Please register for this class at wordofpeace.org/classes. “White Awake”
is available on Amazon.com, ivpress.com, and at Barnes & Noble.
Topics on Tap meets the 2nd Thursday
of Each Month at 6:30 PM at Clive’s
Roadhouse in Rogers. Topics on Tap is
an opportunity to talk about how our
faith life intersects with our everyday
life. Conversation topics range from
different ways to experience church to
social issues, and a wide variety of
topics of interest to those who show up.
Visit wordofpeace.org/topics-on-tap for
dates, locations and topics
Questions? contact Deacon Lydia
Svenulski at (763) 496-2421 or
lsvenulski@wordofpeace.org.
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Word of Peace Gala 2019:
Winter Wonderland
In November, the Word of Peace community gathered together at The Crown Room at The Wellstead of
Rogers for the third annual Word of Peace Gala. This special evening made a strong impact to strengthen our
mission of welcoming all people, sharing Christ through our words and actions, caring for others, and working
for justice and peace. Our Gala committee created a beautiful evening of fun, fellowship, dinner, games and
entertainment.
This year’s gala raised over $43,000, including $10,00 for Word of Peace educational ministry scholarships
and local benevolence. We would like to thank the amazing Gala committee, our generous sponsors,
our host for the evening, Jamie Guse, the church staff, and everyone who donated money and items for the
silent auction. And, most importantly, we thank all of you who attended the gala and supported the event.
Through your overwhelming generosity, we are able to continue to develop the mission and ministries of
Word of Peace.
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If you want to joyfully give your time, talent and money to your church this Christmas,
there are many ways to do so. Here are just a few:
Volunteer
Local Christmas Relief
Adopt-A-Family
God’s Global Barnyard
CROSS
Fair Trade Fair
Christmas Care
Thank you for spreading the joy of our Savior’s birth by Giving BIG this holiday season!
For more information, visit
wordofpeace.org/TheBigGive

The Christmas Care program is back
this year to help support the community
that Word of Peace serves
through its Mission Jamaica ministry.
Faith in Action
Christmas Care Bags for Mission Jamaica
The items collected through the
Christmas Care program will support
the mission of Westhaven Children’s
Home and the care provided for the
girls and boys who live there. It will
also provide tools and materials to
build a home for a family in need
through J’Abode, and and it will provide
much needed medical supplies to
meet the needs of the community
through Mission Jamaica’s on-site
medical clinics.
In February 2020, eighteen members
on the Word of Peace Mission Jamaica
team will travel to Montego Bay, Jamaica
to run a mobile medical clinic,
build a home for a local family, and
visit children at the Westhaven Children’s
Home.
Since we already have an existing relationship
with these ministries in Jamaica,
we can be assured that the
items we are collecting are meeting
real needs and do not come with any
strings attached. Because members of
our church have interacted with these
people face-to-face, we know exactly
how our giving will be utilized and
when the Mission Jamaica team travels
to Jamaica in February, we will be
able to bring these Christmas Care
packages ourselves.
Please pick up a Christmas Care shopping
bag in the Gathering Area and fill
it with items on the provided shopping
list. Return the filled bag to church by
December 15.
Questions? Contact Pastor Tyler at
tstrom@wordofpeace.org.
CROSS CORNER
The warehouse at CROSS has been going through
some fun changes. SuperShelf is an initiative with the
University of Minnesota that will improve the client
shopping experience. Shopping space is being updated
to support healthy choices and provide clients with
a more pleasant shopping environment. Shelves and
walls are being painted, food categories are being reorganized,
and better food presentation equipment
(endcap showcases, nicer bins, etc.) is being installed.
are between the ages of
birth through 18.
The mature population,
starting at 56 years of age,
make up 13% of individuals
served.
Approximately 60% of the households served at
CROSS are working at least one job.
CROSS serves all ages, ethnicities and genders.
Good To Know:
The average age of a CROSS client is 31.4 years of
age.
More that 50% of the individuals served by CROSS
Word of Peace is an active food contributor to CROSS
and it is greatly appreciated and much needed. Thank
you for helping feed people in this community!

Amy Haag
Amy Haag and her family have been passionately
involved with the community at Word of
Peace, and for Amy, her family is incredibly important.
“I was raised to believe that family are
the most important people in the world. In our
family there is always someone to lean on, walk
with, give a hand to, and most importantly, hug.”
Amy and her husband, Pete, have two children,
Josie and Nic.
While Amy remembers coming to Word of
Peace as a child, it was not until after Josie was
born that she started regularly attending the
8:30 service. They started attending this service
because her grandmother, Ruth Twito, was attending
it, and “Ruth loved being able to attend
worship with her oldest great-granddaughter.”
Amy is thankful for this tradition because it has
created an even larger family for them and
“Word of Peace is our home and that includes a
kind, supportive family.”
While she has many passions that include reading,
sewing, teaching, biking and knitting, she is
most passionate about her work with children.
As a teacher at a small Montessori homeschool
co-op, Amy has “the pleasure of helping children
to grow and mature, learn, and ask and
answer questions.”
As a result of her passion for teaching and guiding
children, Amy has become very active in
Word of Peace’s Children, Youth and Family
ministry. While she was nervous when she first
began volunteering, Amy has gone from helping
with Vacation Bible School and Church
Amy Haag and her family: Husband, Peter, daughter, Josie and son, Nic
School to now being involved with Confirmation, the Children,
Youth and Family Ministry Team, and helping with the
Grace Choir spring musicals .
Her passion leads Amy to believe that Word of Peace’s ministry
for children is important because “guiding and watching
[children] grow is a joy and a care, full of love and anxiety.
Children are the foundation of any society and teaching them
to grow up to be kind, loving, functional human beings is
something that is a worthy life work.”
“I love showing each child that they are worthy of God’s love
and that their church is a building that belongs to them. I love
bringing the littlest ones into each corner of the church to
show them that this is their church and their home. I want
them to feel comfortable and confident while they are here.
Amy, thank you for your passion and blessing to the Word of
Peace community and for sharing about your sense of call to
serve the body of Christ and God’s love with everyone!
PUT YOUR FAITH INTO ACTION!
For opportunities to serve, visit wordofpeace.org/faith-in-action
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From the
Financial Office
End of the year contributions should
be received in the church office by 12
Noon on December 31 or postmarked
December 31. These contributions will
be included in your 2019 contribution
record. Donations received January 1,
2020 or later will be a part of your
2020 contribution record.
Consider Giving a Gift of Stock—If
you have appreciated stocks that you
Linda Thomas
Director of Administration
have held for at least one year and a day, you can deduct the
full, fair market value. By giving appreciated stock to the
church, you avoid paying capital gains tax as well as ordinary
income tax, and Word of Peace can sell the stock tax-free.
If you wish to give stock gifts to Word of Peace by electronic
transfer, please give our Edward Jones Account #9211482816
to your Financial Advisor. For further assistance, please contact
Linda Thomas, Director of Administration, at (763) 496-
2407 or lthomas@wordofpeace.org.
Thrivent Choice Dollars—We thank those who designate
Word of Peace with their Thrivent Choice Dollars. Thrivent
members with products are given Choice Dollars and can direct
those dollars to the congregations of their choice. These
gifts have been used for things like Kids of Peace scholarships,
Adult Ed speakers, worship enhancements, etc. For
more information, visit thrivent.com/thriventchoice.
Technology for Giving—Please consider setting up a recurring
gift through Pushpay, Word of Peace’s online and mobile
giving option. Pushpay is a fast and budget-friendly way to
manage your contributions. Visit wordofpeace.org/give for details.
Word of Peace also has a credit/debit card reader onsite
to offer a more convenient payment option for our congregation
to make donations, purchases, and payments. Of
course, cash and checks are accepted as well, and blank envelopes
are available at all the Sanctuary doors and at the
Welcome Center for your convenience
As always, we thank you for your
continued support and commitment
to Word of Peace.
Thank you for your continued giving and
support of all the ministry at Word of Peace,
especially in this busy season of sharing the
good news in word and deed of Emmanuel,
God with us.
We are making our year-end financial push
to finish the year with all of our ministry
expenses paid and we need your help. As
with every year, a large percentage of the
church’s annual giving is received in
December and this year is no different.
Please remember your church in your
holiday giving and for those who are behind
with your 2019 pledge, please fulfill your
pledge by the end of the year.
Word of Peace has exciting ministry plans
for 2020! As part of the “gofundchurch” 2020
Ministry Appeal, you are invited to consider
increasing your offering in the coming year if
you have not done so already. Please pray
about this request and do your best to
respond generously as the Lord leads you.
You are welcome to submit your Statement
of Intent online. For more information, visit
wordofpeace.org/gofundchurch.
2020 MINISTRY APPEAL GOAL: $120,000
INCREASE IN OFFERINGS TO:
Offer an additional session of Vacation
Bible School
Produce a weekly livestream of worship
services
Provide a community meal once a month
Increase giving beyond the walls of the
church
Provide appropriate support for the
overall ministry of the congregation
Develop youth leadership scholarships
In Christ,
Pastor Rick Skare and
The Word of Peace Stewardship Team
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Children, Youth & Family
You’ve heard it before: “My goodness,
kids are so busy.” “They can’t sit still
anymore!” “They just keep talking and
talking and talking!”
Kari Osmek
Director of Children, Youth
& Family Ministry
But is it any wonder? We live in a fastpaced,
high-demand, instant gratification
society. And it’s not just the kids—
it’s the adults, too. We don’t stop, don’t
turn off the noise, don’t spend time in
the silence. Just this afternoon, I was
racing to get out of the house and get
to work because I had so much to do.
It was 11:45 AM and I was hungry, so I
packed my lunch to bring to eat in my
office.
Wait, what? I was at home. I could eat
my lunch there, enjoy some time with my puppies, and take a
deep breath. I was so conditioned to keep moving that it was an
afterthought to stop and eat at home.
God calls us to take breaks. There is a reason God included Sabbath
time as one of the commandments. We need that time for
our mental health, our physical health and our spiritual health. Yet
here we are, rushing into the holiday season, full steam ahead.
Take a break. Take a deep breath. Enjoy the season; enjoy your
families and your relationships and your children. Take time to eat
a meal together, or to worship together, or to play with your puppies.
Take time to listen to what God will share with you during this
busy, holy season.
Preschool Registration
Opens January 13
Kids of Peace Preschool is a vibrant, faithbased
preschool that serves preschoolers
ages 33 months through 5 years. Kids of
Peace teachers joyfully walk alongside preschoolers
as they develop social, emotional
and academic skills that prepare them for
kindergarten and for life. We invite you and
your child to be a part of Kids of Peace Preschool!
Registration for the 2020/21 school year
opens on January 13, 2020 for all currently
enrolled preschool families and Word of
Peace Lutheran Church congregation members.
Registration opens to the public on
January 21. For more information visit
wordofpeace.org/kidsofpeace or contact Julie
Picconatto, Preschool Director, at jpicconatto@wordofpeace.org
or (763)496-2419.
107 Young People Affirm their Faith in January
After three years of learning, serving and growing in confirmation, 107 young people will affirm their faith on January
11 and 12 at Word of Peace. It is a beautiful and powerful testament to who they are now and to whom they
strive to become as adults. During the service, these young people will make the following promises:
To live among God’s faithful people,
To hear the word of God and share in the Lord’s supper,
To proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed,
To serve all people, following the example of Jesus,
And to strive for justice and peace in all the earth?”
Can you still make these promises? Parents initially make them on behalf of their children as the child is baptized;
the young person claims these promises as their own during their Affirmation of Baptism service. Look
again at that first promise: to live among God’s faithful people. That’s YOU, Church. You have played an important
part in the faith story of all of these young men and women. Please pray for them and continue to support them
as they make this public profession of their faith.
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CYF Summer Kick Off!
January 19, 20 & 22
Children, Youth & Family
Please join us the week of Sunday, January 19 to hear what the Children, Youth & Family Ministry
has cooking for next summer at Word of Peace! We are so excited to bring you information
and registration for Vacation Bible School, Summer Stretch, Lake Wapogasset Lutheran Bible
Camp and Luther Crest Bible Camp. While these summer events are no doubt full of FUN and
SUN, we also know these events are full of Jesus and his word for our lives. They are an opportunity
to create authentic relationships with friends and caring adult leaders. Here’s a sneak
peek at some of the themes.:
Vacation Bible School’s theme is “Rocky Railway” where Jesus’ Power Pulls us Through!
We will read Bible stories that focus on different ways we may struggle or wonder about God,
but in the end knowing that Jesus’ power will pull through! What a wonderful promise.
Christina Verbick
Director of Youth Ministry
Camp Wapo’s theme of “HopeFULL,” found in the book of Romans, will focus on God’s unwavering promise in our lives.
Life can throw all sorts of unexpected circumstances at us that cause us fear and pain, but we are reminded of God’s unwavering
love for us. We remain HopeFULL!
Luther Crest’s theme is centered on Jesus’s command to “Go Make Disciples,” where youth will be encouraged to live
out their faith and encourage others to do the same by their example.
We are so excited for what summer ministries means in the lives of the young people in our congregation. We hope you
jump on the TRAIN and ride this faith journey with us!
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Non-Profit Org.
US Postage
PAID
ROGERS, MN
PERMIT NO. 9
CHANGE SERVICE
REQUESTED
WORSHIP SCHEDULE
Sundays at 8:30, 9:45 & 11 AM
Mondays at 6:30 PM
Christmas Schedule on Page 3
Join Us for Worship at
Noon, 5:30 and 7 PM