Congregation Meetings Sunday, February 12th And 19th
Please plan to attend both!
This coming Sunday, February 12 - Special Meeting to Approve the Call of a New Pastor
Next Sunday, February 19 - Annual Meeting
Both congregation meetings will be held in the Worship Center immediately following the 9:00 a.m. Worship Service. Opportunities for kids in the Nursery and Fellowship Hall will be offered.
Learn About Pastor Mike Vinson And The Call Process
If you haven’t yet been introduced to Pastor Mike Vinson in more detail than the bio below, please plan to attend Thursday’s (February 9) Zoom-only gathering (use Worship Zoom link) at 7:00 p.m.
Questions? Email the Call Team at callteam@stplc.org.
Meet Pastor Mike
Pastor Mike was born in Queens, New York, and grew up in Orlando, Florida. He is the grandson of a Lutheran pastor. Pastor Mike served as a Firefighter/EMT with Orange County Fire and Rescue before and during his college years. He has a Bachelor's in Christian Education, a certificate in Youth and Family Ministries from Wartburg Seminary and a Master of Divinity from Luther Seminary.
Pastor Mike also holds certifications in crisis intervention, suicide prevention and safety management. In addition, Pastor Mike serves as a Chaplain providing moral and spiritual support for members of the City of Denver Fire Department and the City of Englewood Police Department. Pastor Mike currently lives in Englewood with his wife, Holly. He has 3 children ages 25, 21 and 13. Aside from his ministry, he LOVES football, baseball (Rockies), Chevy muscle cars and heavy metal music.
StPLC Council Member Additions
There will be changes to the StPLC Congregation come later in February, after the Annual Meeting on February 19, including the addition of three new council members. Thank you to Cathy, Steve and Jerry for agreeing to participate on the council!
CATHY DUNDON grew up Lutheran in Omaha, Nebraska, and moved to Minneapolis/St. Paul for graduate school, where she met her husband, John. Their family moved from Minnesota in 2008 and joined Saint Peter in 2011. Currently, she is a biotechnology patent agent and a co-owner of a tax and bookkeeping business (Taxpayer Advocacy Services, Inc.) with John. They have two children, Hank (a 2nd-year student at CSU in the College of Agriculture) and Amelia (a senior at Cherry Creek High School). Cathy has previously served on the Saint Peter Congregational Council as the Congregational Secretary and as a member-at-large. She has also participated on the Stewardship committee during several Stewardship Appeals.
STEVE LEIGHTON is a lifelong Lutheran and Financial Systems Manager for the First Advantage Corporation. He met his lovely wife, Mrs. Leighton (Denise), in 1986 and they were married four years later. Steve and Denise have two wonderful children, Kyle and Stephanie, and have a new grandchild, Clara Lee Crews, who was just born in October last year. Steve and Denise moved to Colorado in 2016 to be closer to Mom and Dad (Ron and Verna Leighton) and became members of Saint Peter in late 2016 or early '17. Steve sings in the church choir and loves to play the guitar in the church band when he can. His favorite thing about Saint Peter is the love that binds this community together and the incredible ways Saint Peter reaches out to share that love and serve our community and the world.
JERRY PAUL and his wife, Deb, have been members since moving here from Chicago in 1994. High school sweethearts, they will celebrate their 49th anniversary this August. Jerry and Deb have two adult children and five grandchildren including, Mila and Ava, who you’ve likely seen around Saint Peter. Deb and Jerry have always thought of the people of Saint Peter as extended family, and they are excited as the congregation takes these next steps forward.
Contemplative Ministries’ Zoom Meditations
Join us on Monday mornings at 7:30 for a time of prayer, meditation, reflection and community. Whether you have been practicing meditation for a while or are just getting started, StPLC’s Monday Morning Meditation is for everyone!
The Zoom link is the same one used last fall. Click here or find the Zoom link on the StPLC.org home page.
Blood Donors In Great Demand
Saint Peter partners with multiple area churches to host regular community blood drives. However, as you’ve probably noticed, for the last couple of years those were put on hold due to COVID-19. However, Vitalant is still hosting blood drives.
Donors are in GREAT demand. Please try to find time to donate whole blood or plates; it won't take too much time out of your day. Visit https://www.vitalant.org/ to see what’s coming up. AND….Keep an eye out for a big blood drive in 2023...someone will be celebrating a BIG (60th) birthday and will be calling on ALL of Saint Peter’s able adults to participate in her celebration!
How Might You Get Involved At Covenant Cupboard This Year?
Covenant Cupboard Food Pantry continues to serve many families experiencing food insecurity in the metro Denver area with the help of numerous volunteers from StPLC. We added 210 new families to our rolls. In all, our services provided food for 24,174 individuals in 2022.
Ways to help:
Friday morning or afternoon shifts for our distribution day. Sign up on Signup Genius.
Thursdays to set up desserts and bread received with donations
Weekly or occasional pickups from grocery stores or restaurants
Assist with grant writing or setting up a 501 (c) 3 organization (currently under the Presbyterian Church) Contact Laura Guthals with questions.
More info at covcupboard.org.
Current Family Ministries Offerings
You are invited to take a “Blessing Bag” home to mark your front door for Epiphany. You can find the bags with chalk and instructions for blessing your doorway near the Family Ministries info board in the Narthex or in the bin outside the doors on the east side of the building.
In the same spots, look for the “star words.” Choose a star without looking. Take it home and put it in a prominent spot for you to see often. Decorate it and/or write notes on it, whatever you like to reinforce the practice. Pay attention to how this word shows up in your life.
Keep bringing your used grocery bags to church. Saint Peter is in competition with area church youth groups to collect the most! The youth will gather to weave sleeping mats soon.
This Sunday there will be a kids-only LIFT in the Fellowship Hall while the adults meet in the Worship Center. Confirmation meets, too.
Worship Servants Needed
Please consider being a Worship Servant during Sunday morning Worship Services. Whether you attend onsite or online, there are ways you can get involved during our time together.
All you have to do is follow this link and sign up by adding your name to the date slots you are available. If you are new to serving, the church office will provide all you need to prepare.
2023 Rainbow Trail Day Camp At StPLC
Calling all 3-year-olds through 5th graders! Come join your friends and make new ones at Saint Peter's Rainbow Trail Day Camp 2023. We are already thinking about the fun we'll have right here at Saint Peter July 10-13! Please let Ms. Mary or Mr. Andy know if you have questions or would like to be part of the planning and execution teams. You don't want to miss it!