Jon Cook; Millie Mutka, Zima family friends Stefan Sladek, Dave Butschli, Mick, Steven and Marilyn Hummel; Gregory Bowens; Laurie Nelson; Amber Ross’s daughter Linda; Randy & Diane Niemczyk’s niece Sarah Joda, and their dear friend Denise Hazel; Valeria Hesselberg; Chris Markussen; Anne Verona’s sister/brother-in-law Pat & Woody Woodworth; Dawn Gonitzke’s brother Scott Premo; Pastor Grant’s friends Jane Trasosech and Wendie Libert; the Eberts friends Patricia Kulzick and John Oliver; the Waggoner’s sister-in-law Cheryl Busse; Karen Engels’ niece Lisa and friends Bob and Dawn and Gail Wogsland; Ann Carlson’s people Enid, Carolina, Curt, and Troy; and the people of Israel, Russia, Palestine and Ukraine. Prayers for California and all of those impacted by the wildfires.
PRAYER LIST PROCEDURE – Submit your prayer requests to the office in writing, by phone, by email or in person. If requesting prayers for someone other than yourself or an immediate family member, please obtain permission – unless the circumstances are public in nature.
WORSHIP ON FACEBOOK – Live on Facebook on Sundays at 9:00 & posted later for viewing.
GUESTS – if you are visiting us today, please sign our book at the entrance to the sanctuary.
ANNUAL REPORTS – We have copies of the 2024 Annual Report in the Narthex for your reading pleasure prior to next weeks, Jan 19th, Annual Meeting after Worship. Be there or be square.
PRINCE OF PEACE WOMEN’S CHRISTMAS! The dinner is this evening (SUNDAY JAN 12th). Please enter via the Sanctuary doors. From 5 – 8p.
FLAT LUTHER – Flat Luther has been traveling! Check out his adventures on the window to the Fellowship Hall! More adventures have been documented. AND we now have several Flat Luthers available to go out in the world.
FUN FACTS: Although he considered preaching as his principal vocation, in 1864 Robert Lowry wrote and composed what became perhaps his best-known hymn, “Shall We Gather at the River”. He wrote this during a heatwave which accompanied an epidemic in the city which claimed many lives. Almost overcome by the heat, he suddenly envisaged the passage in the Book of Revelation, chapter 22: “And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb”. Despite its popularity, Lowry did not regard the hymn highly: “It is brass band music, has a march movement, and for that reason has become popular, though for myself I do not think much of it.”
He then had the following experience. A lesson to us all – we don’t always get to know the impact of our existence – what acts we may think of as minor, may be more impactful than we believe.
“I was in London, and had gone to meeting in the Old Bailey … I was preparing to leave, when the chairman of the meeting announced that the author of ‘Shall We Gather at the River?’ was present, and I was requested by name to come forward. Men applauded and women waved their handkerchiefs as I went to the platform. It was a tribute to the hymn; but I felt, when it was over, that, after all, I had perhaps done some little good in the world, and I felt more than ever content to die when God called.”
Robert Lowry, quoted in “Robert Lowry: Baptist Preacher and Hymn Writer” by J.H.Hall.
It may not be a hymn, it could be a note, a smile or a hug – keep on leaving your mark in the world. It does make a difference.
NOTES: I’ve been daydreaming a bit today – its been hard to stay focused. I have to get the Annual Report out. It’s a bit of a – a – let’s call it an opportunity to utilize my organizational skills and hopefully fine tune my attention to detail.
I was having a rough time figuring out my note for today. A bunch of things were running through my head: today is President Jimmy Carter’s funeral. He didn’t have the greatest presidency, but boy oh boy – did he have a great life. It is an article about his Naval career. And that was just the beginning. He was painfully honest. He was a man of deep faith. He lived a modest life, continually giving back. He did not seek the limelight. He did what was right and just and he didn’t care about the repercussions.
Article about President Jimmy Carter
Then I was thinking about the fires in California. One of my brothers had to evacuate. So far it appears as though his home will be okay. Too many others have lost everything. There is a lot of finger pointing and blame going around. Budgets, lack of controlled burns, and bad management are some of the targets.
What I came back to was something a bit more personal. A friend, who is more of a sister to me, is at the brink of a journey I (and many of you) have already taken. Her journey will be different, but it is definitely beginning. It is a journey of loss as the health of her parents is in a decline. She has been standing on the edge, with a great deal of hope, knowing full well the edge is starting to crumble beneath her feet. How can I prepare her for the grief? The loss? The overwhelming sadness? The guilt where there really isn’t a place for guilt? The reality of questions that can no longer be answered?
I can do it by holding space. Heather Plett gave a good definition of ‘holding space’ – “What does it mean to hold space for someone else? It means that we are willing to walk alongside another person in whatever journey they’re on without judging them, making them feel inadequate, trying to fix them, or trying to impact the outcome. When we hold space for other people, we open our hearts, offer unconditional support, and let go of judgement and control.”
Wow – that was a bit heavy. Let’s end this with some fun and good news!
Packers are still in the playoffs! GO PACK GO! This Sunday.
If you haven’t tried – it is a goofy dish that is stupid good. Served Wed and Thur at Club Denoyer (just down the street from PoP), I give to you – pizza casserole. It is the top of a pizza served on macaroni elbows. I had mushrooms, tomatoes and green olives.
Then a picture confirming what we already knew – it is good that we all are here!
Finally – great news from the Eagle River Fire Department – the 2025 Ice Castle is underway! If you can’t help out – try and swing by and watch the going-ons. It is neat to see the castle come together!
