********************************************

Sunday School @ 9:00am.

Worship Service @ 10:30am.

********************************************

From the Desk of Pastor David Zemke:

 

I’ve never seen the old Christmas tune “Deck the Halls” in the hymnal. This is probably because it isn’t about Jesus. In a season that is so drenched with Christ and with the gospel, it comes as an odd realization that Christmas is also a cultural phenomenon! I shouldn’t be surprised, I know, after growing up seeing Santa and watching television specials. But after several years inside seminary and working in churches, the cultural part of Christmas is becoming more and more lost on me.

 

            It’s probably a good thing that “Deck the Halls” isn’t in the hymnal. On the one hand, it’s full of imagery from Victorian celebrations, and that would make us all hungry. On the other hand, all those “la las” tie up my tongue. If we wanted to include the song in the next hymnal, which I’m sure will be some shade of red, we might need to take the hymn in a different direction.

 

            I enjoy decorating the house for Christmas. While it may be some work and there is definitely a domestic touch that is lost on me, a decorated house is critical to my enjoyment. In the same way that a tree and some lights are important, actually putting up the other decorations sets the right tone.

 

            So what about decorating ourselves? No, I’m not talking about that festive sweater you have just waiting for Christmas Eve. I’m talking about something deeper. No amount of decorating your outside will help. Our Lord Jesus mentions this in Mark 7. No, I’m looking deeper. We need to deck the halls of our hearts. For those of you who have had bypass surgery or stents, that’s not what I’m talking about either.

 

            Advent offers us a chance to deck the halls of our hearts and ready them for the coming of our Lord Jesus. Returning to God’s word with an eye toward the coming of our king is a good way to start. Attending the services of God’s house brightens our hearts as well. Turning in repentance to our loving God decorates our hearts with the gospel. All of this is in anticipation of our Lord Jesus.

 

            Our culture may be busy taking the Christ out of Christmas but you don’t have to! I encourage you to prepare yourself as the birth of our Lord draws near.

 

********************************************

 

Christmas Eve Services!

 

 

Join us, Friday, December 24^th 2021 for
our candlelit Christmas Eve Worship Services
@ 4:30 pm and 7:00 pm

 

********************************************

 

Prince of Peace

would once again, like to adorn the altar with poinsettias! 

If you would like to purchase a poinsettia for the worship area, in memory of a loved one, in celebration of a family event, for the glory of God’s blessings or just because, please complete a form (located on the table in the Narthex) and place in the basket.

Please bring your Poinsettia to the church on December 20^th, 2021 and place on the table in the narthex.

Thank you!

********************************************

Come one, come all!

Join Pastor Zemke for Men’s Breakfast,
the first Saturday of the month,
December 4^th at 8am!

 

Please join us for Breakfast and Bible Study!

********************************************

 

Youth & Family

Hearth and Armory - Join us every Monday night from 6-8 pm in Vancouver as we study God's Word, grow in Spiritual maturity, and enjoy a time of fellowship! We are currently in the book of Romans! Please contact Rachel Neuberger for details!

 

********************************************

Prince of Peace Preschool/Kindergarten - December 2021

 

We are thankful for November!

November brought many things to be thankful for including our Thanksgiving Feasts. We had countless hours of fun, creating crafts, feast wear, plus lots of reading and learning! We also earned many food items to be given to the North County Community Food Bank. With Thanksgiving as our theme, the children focused on “what they are thankful for”. They also learned to thank others for the good that they do.

 

Come One, Come All!

Our Christmas Program is on December 12 @ 3:00pm. It will be a celebration of the birth of our Lord, with the program followed by wonderful treats and a special visitor. Please have your child here for costuming at 2:30pm.

Drive on In: 

November was our Food Drive month. Many thanks to the families for their donations! Thanks for helping us teach the children about giving and leading your child to “earn” their donations with chores and special help at home.

 

 Thanksgiving Feasts!

In celebration of Thanksgiving, each class held a Thanksgiving Feast. Many thanks to the families who participated and helped in the kitchen! See our Facebook page for photos of these events.

 

“Our ‘Ohana”

We have begun planning for our annual Preschool/Kindergarten Auction! We will hold it on March 12. Our next planning meeting is on Jan. 6 @ 1:30pm. Please come and share your ideas and talents for this fun event! This is a large event and our primary fundraiser. It requires lots of parent help! Please let me know if there is any area in which you would like to serve for this event.

 

Registration 2022- 23!! 

Registration for the Preschool and Kindergarten classes will begin on January 3, 2022. We will again offer exclusive registration to all of our Preschool/Kindergarten families and Prince of Peace members for the month of January. On February 1, we will open up Registration to the community. You may pick up a packet from your teacher at drop-off or pick-up the last week of school in December, if you want to take one home over the Christmas Break.

 

Christmas Parties:

Our Christmas Parties are held from 10:00a-11:30am, with the exception of Kindergarten classes will be 12:00pm-1:30pm. If your child’s class is having its Christmas Party, they will not have regular class times. During the week of the Christmas parties, all classes not holding a party will have regular class schedules.

 

 

Policy Reminder:

Each month I will restate a policy or policies from our Parent Handbook, as needed. These are issues that either have come up during the previous month or have importance for this particular month.

 

Illness/Health Screening: 

Here are the School Entry Health Screening questions. If your child is showing any of the following symptoms of cold, flu, or any other communicable disease, please keep him/her home until no fever for 24 hours and symptoms are gone or improved. If your child has been diagnosed with COVID-19 please follow the return recommendations and inform the school. See Diane for more details if needed.

  

Does your child have any of the following symptoms that are not attributable to another condition? (including the past 3 days).

 *Cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

 *A fever of 100.4*F or higher

 *A sore throat, chills, or new loss of taste or smell

 *Muscle or body aches

 *Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

 *Congestion/running nose, not related to seasonal allergies; frequent “wet” sneezing and/or coughing; thick or green drainage from nose

 *Unusual fatigue

 *Does anyone in your household have any of the above symptoms?

 *Has your child been in close contact with anyone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19? 

*Has your child had any medication to reduce a fever before coming here?

 

Weather Policy:

We follow the Battle Ground School District’s inclement weather policies and procedures. To reach their weather hotline, call: 885-5343 or go to their website: battlegroundps.org. If BGPS has no school, we won’t either. If they have a one, two or three hour late start for any part of the district, we will cancel all of our classes. If any of their preschool and/or kindergarten classes are cancelled, ours are cancelled as well.

  

What’s up at POP?

Prince of Peace Lutheran Church has many activities for all ages. Please join us at any or all of these events! 

Sunday Worship Services:

10:30am Worship Service        

Christmas Services:

Dec. 24 - 4:30 & 7:00pm Christmas Eve Services

 

Upcoming Events: 

Dec. 12 @ 3:00pm   Christmas Program

 Dec. 14-17 Christmas Parties (NOT regular class times!) 10:00-11:30a all parties, except Kam/pm is 12:00p-1:30pm

             Dec. 14: TTh4

             Dec. 15: MW3

             Dec. 16: TTh3

             Dec. 17: Toddler; MWF4; Kam/pm

 Dec. 20 - Jan. 2: Christmas Break

 Jan. 3:   School Resumes

  

Contact Us:

Please feel free to contact me with any questions, comments or concerns 

at either: (360)687-2448 or preschool@princeofpeacebg.com

Have a Merry Christmas! 

Diane Bradseth, Director

 

********************************************

Come join in the fun and the fellowship!
We hope to see you soon!