News

Starting on Saturday, June 27, a change is being made to the services offered on Saturday.   Services will be reduced to only one service at 5:00 pm.  As we work back toward our former schedule, we are eliminating the 3:15 service on Saturday.  Services on Sunday will continue as before with an early service at 7:45 am, Bible Class at 9:15 am, and a late service at 10:30 am.

Bible Class has worked well outdoors on the patio.  For those who wish to be especially cautious of gathering, Sunday morning Bible Class at 9:15 am is a great option.  We’re outdoors and can spread out on the lawn and patio while still delighting in the opportunity for catechesis.

Chapel services continue at 8am weekdays, followed by a brief communion service for those who wish to receive.  Chapel runs through July 10, after which there will be a break.  Regular chapel services (without the Lord’s Supper) will resume August 17, the week before school starts.  

Sunday services have been full.  Please continue to phone or email the office to reserve a spot so that we can ensure adequate distance between families: 262-246-3200 or [email protected].  Because we want to make room for as many people as possible on Sunday, please pay attention to where you choose to sit so that there is room for others.  For families smaller than 5, we can easily fit four per pew (two couples; or a group of three people on one end, with one on the other end).  

Remember that the Gerhardt Room is available for those who have a need to be in a space that is more separated.  Pastor will commune those in Gerhardt Room first.  

Current Schedule

Divine Service (with common cup)
     Sat 5:00 pm, limit of 70 people
     Sun 7:45 am, limit of 70 people
     Sun 10:30 am, limit of 70 people

Bible Class (Outdoors on the Patio)
     Sun 9:15 am, limit of 600 people or so

Divine Service (with individual cups)
     Mon 7:00 pm, limit of 25 people
     Wed 6:45 pm, limit of 50 people

Chapel (with Lord’s Supper afterwards)
     Mon – Fri 8:00 am, through July 10

Services continue Saturday through Tuesday, as planned.  Please come to the service you signed up for.  More information should be available Wednesday for next weekend’s schedule.  If you will be attending an Ascension service, please call the office to reserve a spot.  Wednesday at 6:45 will have individual cups; Thursday’s 6:45 service will have the chalice.

Holy Week Service Schedule 2020

Remember to call the church office to reserve seating.

Note services with live streaming.

Recordings will also be available upon request.

Saturday and Palm Sunday

Current Schedule of Services and Service Times

Saturday at 3:30, 4:30 (with live streaming), 5:30, and 6:30

Sunday at 7:45, 9:15, 10:30 (with live streaming), and 11:45

Holy Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday

8:00 (Congregation at Prayer)

11:00 (Palm Sunday’s Sermon)

Noon (Congregation at Prayer)

Maundy Thursday

Noon, 6:00, and 7:00 (with live streaming)

Good Friday (without Holy Communion)

            Noon, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 (with live streaming)

Holy Saturday Vigil (Confirmations will be celebrated on Pentecost)

6:00 (with live streaming; limited seating)

Easter Sunday

7:45, 9:15, 10:30 (with live streaming), and 11:45

Easter Monday (with Easter Sunday sermon)

8:00, 11:00, Noon, and 6:30

• Call the church office (262-246-3200) and reserve a spot at one of the small group Divine Services for you and your family.

• The Bulletin, Congregation at Prayer, and Sermon are available from the home page of the website: www.peacesussex.org .

• Additional recordings are available at:
  • Peace website, home page, then navigate to Downloads > Additional Recordings:    http://peacesussex.org/downloads/additional-recordings/
  • Full length recordings of select services are available at the Peace Podcast site:   https://anchor.fm/peacesussex

• Live Stream and Video Playback of select services are available at the Peace YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgGHTC8apZp-9ZVgy7nk74Q

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, many of us have been grieved over the events of recent days concerning the outbreak and spread of the Coronavirus and its effect on our society.  The civil government has issued orders closing “non-essential facilities” and/or limiting the numbers of people gathered in one room to no more than ten.  According to the statement of the Department of Health Services, “This order may include…places of worship and religious gatherings.”  On the one hand, we desire to do all we can under God to follow the mandates of the civil realm; on the other hand, for us, as Christians, Christ’s Word and Sacraments are the one thing needful. Through these gifts Christ imparts to us forgiveness, life, salvation, and the strength to face uncertain times with courage and hope.  By these gifts He prepares us for the day in which we will leave this vale of tears.  Now more than ever, when there is so much fear and uncertainty in the world, we need to receive Christ’s Word and Sacraments.

If you are sick, stay at home.  If you are in a high-risk group (compromised immune system, other health problems, or elderly) we will do everything we can to provide you with Christ’s Word and Sacraments. 

The following schedule of services and opportunities to receive Christ’s Word and Sacraments is intended to meet the needs of all, based on your circumstance and level of comfort:

Weekend Divine Services: (Open seating in the nave; limit of 10 in the Gerhardt Room)

5:30 Saturday afternoon

7:45 Sunday morning

10:30 Sunday morning

No Bible Class, Sunday School, coffee or treats

No choirs until further notice

Wednesday Divine Services: (Open seating in the nave; limit of 10 in the Gerhardt Room)

6:30 a.m.,  8:00 a.m.,  2:30 p.m.,  and 6:45 p.m

Daily Chapel Monday through Friday at 8:00 a.m.

Communion will be offered at the conclusion of the chapel service for those who request it.

Monday through Friday “Sign-up Communion Services” at 11:00 a.m.

5 opportunities will be available each week to receive the Lord’s Supper in a group of no more than 10 people utilizing individual cups.

Call the church office 262-246-3200 to reserve a spot on a first-come, first-serve basis.

In home communion for shut-ins and those who request it.

Pastor Bender or one of the other pastors in the congregation will bring the Lord’s Word and Sacrament to you in your home.  Call the church office at 262-246-3200 to request a visit and Pastor will reply.

Note about Recordings Available online:

We will now offer recordings of the entire Sunday morning Divine Service as well as midweek Lenten sermons at https://anchor.fm/peacesussex.

You may also navigate to this link from the Peace website www.peacesussex.org.   To navigate to the link, select the Downloads >  Additional Recordings option, then click on the link under Divine Service for the Peace Lutheran Church and Academy Podcast. 

Note about Recordings Available on a CD:

Those preferring a CD of any service may call the church office to request copies.  

Other Information:

All choirs, Coffee Break Bible Study, and business gatherings of the congregations of greater than 10 people are cancelled until further notice.

Each week, in consultation with Pastor Gehlbach and the Board of Elders, the schedule listed above will be evaluated and adjusted as needed.  If you have specific needs, please contact Pastor.

On Sunday, January 26, at the 10:30 service at Peace, Archbiship Ekong will ordain three men into the Office of the Holy Ministry: Elijah Essang, David Ukpong, and Kufre-Abasi Etim.  “How beautiful are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who proclaims glad tidings of good, who proclaims salvation!”  The pericopes for the 7:45 service will be Epiphany 3; the pericopes for the 10:30 service will be the feast of St Titus.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad!

Pastors Essang, Ukpong, and Etim are spending a year at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, along with their brothers Pastor Luke and Bishop Willie, as they each study further in their area of specialty.  These men will return to Nigeria next winter to serve as faculty at Ekong Memorial Seminary.