Garden Of Hope
These are pictures of the new Garden of Hope at St. Paul's Lutheran Church.
It was built this summer for people who have lost children by miscarriage, abortion, SIDS, etc.
It's a place for people to come, sit and pray. This is the dedication ceremony.
Ministry
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Water Filtration Project
Water filtering kits were assembled over Christmastime by St. Paul's Lutheran Church friends to complete a project introduced by Thrivent. Here Bill and Sue Beavers show completed kits for Wine to Water, a global nonprofit preserving life and dignity through the power of clean water. Wine to Water Disaster Response teams respond to victims of floods, earthquakes, hurricanes with lifesaving water and relief. Filter Build events engage participants in meaningful experience that leads to empowerment of communities around the globe (including recently folks in North Carolina!) through the power of clean water. To learn more about Wine to Water visit www.WTW.ORG
Installation of Church Officers
Baskets For Veterans Project
Eight members of a Thrivent Action Team joined with three members of The American Legion of Three Rivers Maundy Thursday to fill nearly 50 Easter baskets for area U.S. military veterans. Some baskets were delivered by members of St. Paul's, but most were delivered by Legion or Veterans Bureau. Pictured from left are Lila Lutz, Judy Snook, Ed Denney, Legion representative, and Mary Craaybeek. This was third year for the project.
From left is Norm Stutesman, Three Rivers American Legion, and Melanie Bontrager, who managed the Baskets for Veterans Project
EASTER 2024
MONDAY IS PIZZA DAY
Covered Bridge Fest 2024
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Breakfast at St. Paul's Lutheran Church as a fundraiser during Covered Bridge Fest drew a significant number of enthusiasts for pancakes, sausages, hashbrowns, biscuits and sausage gravy. Thank you, all who participated!! Here our nextdoor neighbor, Christine Sheteron of Christine's Early Learning Center, dines with her family members. Our workers had very little time to sit down, but Deb Bohm, right, catches a break with her granddaughter Stella Tinsley.
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Bill Beavers devoted all his chef's skills to tending cooking of hashbrowns at the Pancake Breakfast fundraiser, coordinated with Covered Bridge days in Centreville. Proceeds will be directed to a fund to completely redesign/restore the front entrance of St. Paul's Lutheran Church. Thanks, all who participated, whether to work, donate, or purchase a fabulous meal organized by Bill Balk.
GARDEN OF HOPE
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In case you missed getting to visit the Garden of Hope Memorial to the Unborn at St. Paul's Lutheran Church while the giant lilies were prime, there are plenty of other beautiful blossoms appearing on the Rose of Sharon bushes and other lilies. Come early mornings to sit on the bench at the southwest corner of our lawn, to devote contemplation to the value of every life, worthy of "liberty and justice", whether born or unborn.
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Holiday Light Parade 2024
St. Paul's Lutheran Church honored their beloved Pastor Roger L. Sassaman with an entry in the Centreville Hometown with Christmas lights parade Saturday, December 7th. The parade entry was facilitated through the chairmanship of Marlene Marshall and her family, husband Gale and son Travis. A number of children of the congregation rode on the Marshalls' lights-adorned trailer on a route through downtown Centreville. Pastor Sassaman, sorely missed by church members, had died September 29th, 2024. St. Paul's Church is now being pastored by Rev. Phil Rittner, through God's gracious provision.
Sanctity of Life
Present at St. Paul's for a commemoration service on Sanctity of Human Life Sunday were representatives (from left) Pam Minor of Pregnancy Helpline Center of Three Rivers and Cindy Corbin of Pregnancy Helpline of Sturgis. Pastor Roger Sassaman delivered a message of encouragement to value all human life at any age or size. Ms. Minor related that parenting classes at Pregnancy Helpline Center of Three Rivers teach clients how to be Godly moms and dads. Four local men serve as "Dad the Man" mentors. With the new ultrasound 3-D capability moms are more likely to choose life for their babies. Attendees gathered educational materials provided by Right to Life of St. Joseph County.
Some 44 persons enjoyed an opportunity to express their esteem of babies when they overflowed an entire corner of the Fellowship room at St. Clare Catholic Church with gifts which they had brought for Pregnancy Helplines of Sturgis and Three Rivers, MI.
Intent on learning, friends at the baby shower co-hosted by St. Clare Catholic Church and St. Paul's Lutheran Church listen to how far-reaching may be their generosity when they express care about the needs of young families. Attendees realized literacy development begins from earliest babyhood. Speaking was Amanda Johnson, Great Start Collaborative.
Babies and children were the topic at a baby shower at St. Clare Catholic Church, co-hosted by Ladies' ACTION/LWML of St. Paul's Lutheran Church Sunday, April 28, 2024.
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Friends of St. Paul's Lutheran Church joined to collaborate with friends of St. Clare Catholic Church to celebrate babies at a shower benefiting two Pregnancy Helpline Centers.
Meals From Michiana
Several of us of St. Paul's Lutheran Church joined with hundreds of other folks from around the area to fill food packages as "Meals from Michiana" at Michiana Event Center, Shipshewana. From left in photo are Mary Craaybeek, Marlene Marshall, Judy Gross, Lila Lutz. Our particular group prepared and packed 85,536 equivalent meals of rice, soy, dried vegetables, and vitamin/flavored packets to feed for one year 234 children! If you would like to join us next year to "Feed my Starving Children" plan for latter part of August, 2025.