News Letters:

Create a New Year's Resolution for Your Church
By Brian Mavis

The top 10 most common New Year's resolutions people make are:

1. Lose weight
2. Stop smoking
3. Stick to a budget
4. Save or earn more money
5. Find a better job
6. Become more organized
7. Exercise more
8. Be more patient with others
9. Eat better
10. Become a better person

Are any of those on your list for next year? More than half could apply to me. Some people don't like making New Year's resolutions, but I like taking the time to take personal inventory of where I need to imporve or chang course. And I enjoy working out a plan on how to achieve my new resolution. In fact, I've already started my plan for 2006.

But all this resolution stuff got me thinking about you. I wondered, "What if every pastor who got this newsletter made a resolution for his or her church in 2006?" What would your resolution be for the church God has called you to lead? Or better yet, what is Jesus' resolution for your church?

In Revelation chapters 2 & 3 Jesus takes inventory of seven churches in Asia. The seven churches receive seven different instructions from Jesus. But in spite of their differences, they also all receive the identical command. Jesus says to them all "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the church." This command isn't just for seven churches in Asia two-thousand years ago. It's a command for every church leader. What is the Spirit saying to your church? Are you taking the time to listen?

As 2006 approaches take the time to ask and listen to what Jesus wants to do in and through your church this year.

Sunday School:

Susan Engstrom

Sunday School News January 2006

Sunday school classes are offered from 9:30 - 10:30a.m. for all ages:

• 0-3 year olds Nersery ---------- Alecia Ray
• 2-3 year olds ---------- Susan Engstrom & Jessica Haddon
• Pre K4-Kindergarten ---------- Kathy Jacob & Jennifer Drake
• 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Grade ---------- Linda Hughes, Jenni Gerard, & Bill Drake
• 4th & 5th Grade ---------- Rhonda Case
• Middle School ---------- Frank Kunz
• High School ---------- Ronald Curtis
• Beyond Belief to Convictions------- Melvin Deal : Young Couples Class
• Seeking Him ---------- Juvanna Escher : Adult Class
• The Man God Uses ---------- Mark Escher : Men's Class
• Pastor's Choice ---------- Pastor Rob : Adult Class

Sunday School opening is each Sunday at 9:30a.m. in the Sanctuary for children ages 4 - Middle School. We collect offerings and stickers are given for all children who bring their Bibles. After a short devotion, songs, and prayer the childern go to their classrooms with their teachers.

The lessons for the month of January include:

Jesus Came for Everyone - The children will learn about how John the Baptist helped people see Jesus in a new way - as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of all people.

Jesus Calls His Disiples - The children will learn how Jesus chose His disciples.

Jesus Teaches about the Kingdom of God - In this lesson, the children will stdy some things in the Bible the Jesus taught to people when He was on earth.

Jesus Frees Us from the Slavery of Sin - We'll learn how Jesus frees a man from his life of sin and gives him the joy of forgiveness.

Children in the 2 & 3 year old class will be studying a unit called "God Made My Family".

Volunteering in the United States, 2005

About 65.4 million people volunteered through or for an organization at least once between September 2004 and September 2005, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The proportion of the population who volunteered was 28.8 percent, the same as in each of the prior 2 years.

Volunteering Among Demographic Groups.

One-fourth of men and about one-third of women did volunteer work in the year ended in September 2005, about the same proportions as in the 2 prior years. Women volunteered at a higher rate than men across age groups, educational levels, and other major characteristics.

By age, persons age 35 to 44 were the most likely to volunteer (34.5 percent), closely followed by 45 to 54 year olds (32.7 percent). Teenagers also had a relatively high volunteer rate, 30.4 percent, perhaps reflecting an emphasis on volunteer activities in schools.

Volunteer rates were lowest among persons in their early twenties (19.5 percent) and among those age 65 and over (24.8 percent). Within the latter group, volunteer rates decreased as age increased.

Whites volunteered at a higher rate (30.4 percent) than did blacks (22.1 percent) and Asians (20.7 percent). Among Hispanics or Latinos, 15.4 percent volunteered.

Married persons volunteered at at higher rate (34.1 percent) that never-married persons (23.0 percent) and persons of othere marital statuses (23.1 percent). Parents with children under age 18 were more likely to volunteer than persons without children of that age, 37.0 percent compared with 25.5 percent.

Among employed persons, 31.3 percent had volunteered during the year ended in September 2005. By comparison, the volunteer rates of persons who were unemployed (26.4 percent) or not in the labor force (24.4 percent) were lower.

Among the employed, part-time workers were more likely than full-time workers to have participated in volunteer activities, 38.2 versus 29.8 percent.

U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics

Praise, Prayer & Pasta

Saturday, January 14th

5:00 p.m.
Pitch in Pasta Dinner
In the Fellowship Hall

6:00 p.m.
Praise & Prayer
In the Sanctuary

Bring a pasta dish to share and a friend to share in with, and join us for Food, Fun, Fellowship and a whole lot of Praise & Prayer.

We will also be learning new songs that will be sung at the Joyful Praise Service on Sundays.

See you there!!!!

Announcements:

In order to make the best use of time and streamline the announcements, please give an y announcement in written form to Pastor. He will make them before the service begins. Remember, the bulletin and Newsletter are excellent areas for communication to the entire congregation. Please give or email announcements to Holly at:

peace582@bellsouth.net

or leave them in the secretary's box before WEDNESDAY.

A Letter From: Evangelist Bafel Paul Deng, Sudanese Evangelical Lutheran Church.

A note of thanks to Prince of Peace and Thrivent for their generous donation of $585.00 on Wednesday, November 16. Please pray for us as we travel in Sudan over Christmas. God Bless.

Read the entire letter on the bulletin board in the Commons area.

Ink Cartridge Recycling

Keep bringing in those empty ink cartridges. We just received a check for $91.85 for our recycling! There is nothing better than getting money for things that we would usually just throw in the TRASH!

Not JUST Campbell's labels are MMM... Good

We also accept the following brands: Pace, Pepperidge Farm, Prego, Swanson, & V8. Total collected: 622+. Keep sending them in. Our goal is 1.5 million!!!

Prince of Peace Learning Center and Thrivent team up.

Thrivent will match donations $1 for every $2 up to $300 for members of Thrivent. You can become a member of Thrivent for only $10/year. Make checks payable to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church re: preschool matching funds. Our preschool desperately needs a computer and printer. These funds will help to greatly offset the cost of these items.

PS We are 15 students strong!!!

Would you like to be a Guardian Angel?

There is sometimes a need for gasoline or grocery certificates.

If you would like to participate, the next time you get gas, think about a $15.00 gas gift certificate or perhaps when you are buying groceries you could get a gift certificate for $25.00.

...Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Matthew 25:40

But by the grace of God I am what I am... 1 Corintians 10:15

See Charlene Shanks or Pastor Rob for details.

New Members Class

8 weeks of...

• Fellowship
• Dinners and dessert
• Growing in your faith
• Learning God's Word
• Lutheran Beliefs
• Getting to know others
• & more!!!

Begins...

Tuesday, January 3, 2006 7-9 PM

Family Life Center (Room #4)

Come, grow with us!!!

Update from Feff Morgan:

I am stationed in western Baghdad in the Abu Ghraib area. This district is mostly poverty stricken and folds here will do anything for money, in order to take care of their families, including suicide bombing and placing road side bombs.

I am fortunate to get to work in this area. My new job is more along the lines of civil affairs. I get to focus on non-lethal targets, (IE targets that will benefit the Iraqi people and the Coalition forces).

I get to focus on helping schools, fixing basic services such as sewer, trash, power etc. ... I got to see the ancient city of Ur, where Abraham Lived.

Tell evereyone I send my love.

Jeff

(Note: Since this time Jeff has been moved to an undisclosed locale. You may contact him by e-mail only)

Thanks!

To our Prince of Peace Family for the many cards, gifts, and other goodies. May God give you a blessed 2006!!!

Love,

Rob, Linda, and Gianna

Thanks!

From the entire Staff of Princee of Peace for your generosity ot Christmas.

Love,

Jenni A., Mike, Marianne, Holly, Alecia, Steve & Barbara

Outreach Summit 2006

Partnering in Christ

February 23-25 at Faith Lutheran, Marietta, GA.

This summit will equip you and your team with ideas, training and resources to help you understand your role in Christ's mission and the partnership to which He calls you.

Thousand-Fold Workshop

February 24 at Faith Lutheran Church, Marrietta, GA.

Multiplying ministry and those who accomplish it in your congregation.

How great is the Love the Father has given to us - that we might be called children of God - and that is what we are!! (1 John 3:1)

Serving God this month:

Acolytes:

• 1/1 Christina Revelle
• 1/8 Katherine Grieser & Gregory Gerard
• 1/15 Anna Curtis & Matt Mintz
• 1/22 Katherine Curtis & Daniel Drake
• 1/29 Frank Kunz & Zack Panse

Lay Readers:

• 1/1 Melvin Deal
• 1/8 Rickey Reyelts & Jim Wildt
• 1/15 Frank Kunz & Juvanna Escher
• 1/22 Joy Haddon & Vickie Hecht
• 1/29 Charlene Shanks & Jenny Gerard

Hospitality:

• 1/1 Rhonda Case & Monica Lara
• 1/8 Ruth Curtis & Stephanie Panse
• 1/15 Marilee Kelley & Debbie Clark
• 1/22 Vickie Hecht & Frank Kunz
• 1/29 Kelly Anderson & Alma Benson

Ushers:

• 1/1 Stu Drake & Bill Drake
  Jim Wildt & Leon Wilkins
• 1/8 Jerry Balkcom & Jake Jacob
  Paul Wilson & Chuck Engstrom
• 1/15 Ron Curtis & Tom Clark
  Tom Fern & Jim Benson
• 1/22 Stu Drake & Bill Drake
  Ernie Lara & Paul Lambert
• 1/29 Jerry Balkcom & Bob Renner
  Jim Wildt & Tommy Clark

Greeters:

• 1/1 Rhonda Case
• 1/8 Susan Engstrom
• 1/15 Monica Lara
• 1/22 Kathy Jacob
• 1/29 Gerard & Vickie Olszewski

Altar Care:

• Jenny Gerard

This Month:

Birthstone:

There are many myths and legends surrounding the garnet. One Biblical legend is that Noah hung this gem on the ark to light his way through the dark and stormy nights of God's wrath. A Greek myth linkied to the garnet is the story of the young goddess of sunshine, Persephone, who was abducted by Hades, god of the underworld. Hades eventually released Persephone, but not before he offered her some pomegranate seeds, which guaranteed her return to him.

Flower:

Narcissus

Birthdays:

• 3 Richard Bilstrom
• 6 Josephine Jourdan
• 16 Jake Jacob
• 21 Niki Clark
• 23 Sarah Stubbs
• 26 Maxine Wilson
• 27 Daniel Drake
• 28 Chris Boatwright
• 31 Marvin Franklin
• 31 Jody Grantham

Anniversaries:

• 10 Tom & Janet Fern
• 12 Frank & Shady Patton

Altar Flowers:

• 1
• 8 Gerard Olszewski
• 15
• 22 Runge Family
• 29

Cost: $25.00. Sign up on Bulletin Board in Commons Area.

Prayer Chain

Need immediate, concentrated prayer? Call the Prayer Chain and have over 30 people praying for you.
Call Rickie (770)489-2650
or Charlene (770)949-8380
or e-mail Rhonda: case@co.douglas.ga.us

The Deadline is...Sunday January 20th for the next edition of the newsletter. Articles and comments can be sent to Holly Wilson at hollywilson@charter.net or peace582@bellsouth.net. They can also be in written form and placed in the secretary's mailbox.