peacelutheranchurch

Peace Lutheran Church

Changing The Community One Prayer at a Time!

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Come Worship With Us!
5229 North 51st Boulevard
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53218
Pastor Earnest E. Tate Phone: 414-461-2763

Peace Lutheran Church’s Annual Progress Report 2011

The sowing of seeds continues to be challenging and spiritually motivating. During the past 12 months, the context of our congregation has changed. We are seeing a physical growth in children, single family household, and unemployed head of the household. Our mission at Peace Lutheran church is to be a Sanctuary that ministers with and for all people through the Holy Spirit. We "get our hands dirty" when we reach out to others. Sometimes it is unpleasant. Our mission often forces us out of our comfort zones. It reminds us that we are to associate with the outcast, undesirables, and the marginalized. Our mission, praying, teaching, our response to the Gospel, and the Holy Spirit are leading us in a path of forgiveness, compassion, and reconciliation to those who that have not worshiped at peace recently and to those who are part of our fellowship. We have a strong desire to grow spiritually, physically, and financially. Although we are moving in a positive direction, we are a long distance from sustainability. Christ Temple is leasing worship space at Peace on Sundays at 11:45 a.m. Manchild Ministries also leased space in our church, April to October 2011. We are grateful for all members, active and non-active who continue to support our Ministry Plan. We have accomplished a tremendous amount in a short period of time.

We are continuously emphasizing Missions and Stewardship during our Worship Service. We have a Stewardship folder that contains bi-monthly pamphlets from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, displayed on one of several boards in the Narthex of our church. Our boards are updated weekly with ELCA, Synod, Peace, and community activities. In 2011, 32 people were received into membership and 16 were baptized. Prior to becoming members, each individual attends an orientation of Lutheran doctrine, theology, infrastructure of the ELCA, Greater Milwaukee Synod, and Peace Lutheran Church. We held a retreat at the Radisson Hotel in Glendale, Wisconsin during the weekend, September 30 and October 1, 2011. Our focus was on unity, assessment, and conflict resolution. We invited pastors from our partnering Lutheran congregations, St. Marks, Mt. Olive, St. Matthew, Fox Point, and St. Luke along with Manchild Ministries and Christ Temple (congregations who lease space in our facility). All age groups of our congregation were represented.

During the Spring and Summer, the Pastor and several members of our congregation delivered more than 400 flyers throughout the neighborhood listing Peace Lutheran's weekly activities including the Seibert Summer Camp and Year Round Tutoring Program. On the 4th Sundays, we receive individuals into full membership at Peace. Peace has a Bible Study on Wednesdays at 5:00 p.m. with an attendance of 10-15 members. In the Winter 2011, we began studying the Gospel of John. The Book of Leviticus was studied in the Fall of 2011. We also have a Community Meal during our Bible Study. As many as 20 individuals participate in our Bible study and/or having a meal. Our Food Pantry is open on two days during the week, Wednesdays, 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturdays, 10:00 a.m.to 12:00 p.m. We are receiving catered meals donated by areal restaurants through St. Matthew Lutheran Church. If we placed a value on each meal at $5.00 and multiplied the amount times 20 people served during our Bible Study on Wednesdays and Activity Night on Thursdays along with the 48 served after our Worship Service on Sunday, St. Matthew has enabled more than $25,000 of meals to be shared with members of our congregation and neighbors.

Our congregation is rejoicing over the 8 youth that were confirmed on Christmas Day 2011. The youth represent 4 families in our congregation. They studied 150 lessons within four units of "Here We Stand"; The Catechism, Luther's Theology and Doctrine, Old Testament, and New Testament. Four of the youths were in an accelerated program (one year) that required them to complete weekly assignments in each of the units. The remaining students completed 2 of the 4 units weekly (two years); Luther Theology/Doctrine and Old Testament or Catechism and New Testament. We are committed to the mission at Peace Lutheran Church, Greater Milwaukee Synod, the ELCA and faithfully support our church wide endeavors. Once a quarter, a layperson delivers a message during our Worship. On the 5th Sunday, our youths are in charge of the Worship Service. A youth from our Confirmation Class delivers the message. Weekly, Peace has an attendance of: Food pantry – 30; Community Meal – 20; Activity Night – 20; Bible Study – 10; Community Choir Practice – 15; Summer Camp – 50; Tutoring – 10; Additional Volunteers – 10; Sunday School – 15; Confirmation Class - 5

With the guidance the Pastor and the Council, committees that have been refocused and reenergized are: Finance, Worship, Alter Guild, Usher and Greeting, Building and Maintenance, Grant Writing, Pastoral Advisory, and Support Committees. The Council and committees have agreed to participate in a Rekindle Workshop. This workshop emphasizes the gift of giving, sponsored by the ELCA. Our congregation is partnering with several congregations to leverage our resources in order to have an impact on our congregation and community. Pastor's sermon is broadcasted on JOY 1340 AM on Mondays at 11:00 p.m. If listening through the internet, type: JOY1340.com.

Our goal is to be sustainable by 2014. Work in progress: Men and Women's Faith affirmation groups, Men's Group, Young Adults Group, Correctional Facility Ministry. Our challenges are present along with the Holy Spirit. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. We are growing spiritually, physically, and financially. Our work is a testimony to God’s Grace. The summer months were a challenge for us. Because many of our members were on vacation, tithes and offering decreased. We are continually seeking an organist/pianist to assist us during our Worship Service. We are encouraging each other to share our gifts spiritually, physically, and financially. We are having difficulty meeting our financial obligations with the loss of revenue from several members and 7% decrease in EOCM funding, present tithes, and offerings. We are committed to the mission at Peace Lutheran Church, Greater Milwaukee Synod, the ELCA and faithfully support our church wide endeavors.