St. Peter Lutheran Church, Spokane, WA. - Visitor

The Masai Creed

The Masai Creed was composed in 1960 by the Masai people, an indigenous African tribe of semi-nomads located primarily in Kenya and northern Tanzania of East Africa, in collaboration with Roman Catholic missionaries. The creed seeks to confess the promise at the core of the Christian faith within the daily life of Masai culture.

We believe in the one High God, who out of love created the beautiful world and everything good in it. He created man and wanted man to be happy in the world. God loves the world and every nation and tribe on the earth. We have known this High God in the darkness, and now we know him in the light. God promised in the book of his word, the Bible, that he would save the world and all nations and tribes.

We believe that God made good his promise by sending his son, Jesus Christ, a man in the flesh, a Jew by tribe, born poor in a little village, who left his home and was always on safari doing good, curing people by the power of God, teaching about God and man, showing that the meaning of religion is love. He was rejected by his people, tortured and nailed hands and feet to a cross, and died. He was buried in the grave, but the hyenas did not touch him, and on the third day, he rose from that grave. He ascended to the skies. He is the Lord.

We believe that all our sins are forgiven through him. All who have faith in him must be sorry for their sins, be baptized in the Holy Spirit of God, live the rules of love, and share the bread together in love, to announce the good news to others until Jesus comes again. We are waiting for him. He is alive. He lives. This we believe.

AMEN

---------------------------------------

ASH WEDNESDAY AND LENT

On February 25, we will enter the most important time in our life as a community of faith as we journey with Jesus to the cross and tomb in Jerusalem. This season, Lent and Easter, begins on Ash Wednesday. We are mortal. But we often spend a lot of time doing what we can in order not to face our mortality. Plastic surgery, Botox, anti-aging creams and other options promote youth and try to keep mortality at bay. But it is ever out there, despite the denials.

Because Christ is risen, we can face the fact that we are mortal. We receive the palm ashes of our commitments and hopes on our foreheads and hear the words, “You are dust and to dust you shall return.”

This year our Lenten devotions will focus on forgiveness. What does it mean to forgive? Is there a limit to forgiveness? Does the person who hurt you have to ask for forgiveness in order for you to forgive them? We will look at forgiveness in the context of the Holocaust, 911, and the Nickel Mines shooting. We will see a video and have a discussion time followed by Holy Communion.

If you would like to explore the Amish understanding of forgiveness further, copies of the book, Amish Grace will be available.

WORSHIP TIMES FOR LENT AND EASTER
Wednesday, February 25: 12:15 pm and 6:30 pm
Wednesday, March 4: 6:30 pm (dinner at 5:30 pm)
Wednesday, March 11: 6:30 pm (dinner at 5:30 pm)
Wednesday, March 18: 6:30 pm (dinner at 5:30 pm)
Wednesday, March 25: 6:30 pm (dinner at 5:30 pm)
Wednesday, April 1: 6:30 pm (dinner at 5:30 pm)
HOLY WEEK
Thursday, April 9: 6:30 pm (Maundy Thursday)
Friday, April 10: 12:15 pm and 6:30 pm
Saturday, April 11: 6:30 pm
EASTER SUNDAY: Worship with Holy Communion: 10 am

---------------------------------------

MISSION SUNDAY - MARCH 15

Our congregation of St. Peter is not alone. We are part of the Eastern Washington-Idaho Synod in mission together with congregations in Wenatchee and Walla Walla, Boise and Coeur d’Alene (and even Jackson, WY!). We are part of a national church and have special ties with our national companion synod, the Greater Milwaukee Synod. And we have ties with congregations all over the world.

Our global companion synod is in Tanzania: the Ulanga Kilombero Diocese which is located not very far from the largest city in Tanzania, Dar es Salaam. The purpose of the companionship program is to strengthen one another for life and mission within the body of Christ. It offers us the privilege of participating in the life of another church through prayer, study, communication and the exchange of persons and resources. Our relationship with Ulanga Kilombero serves to open our eyes to the global challenge that Christ offers us today and calls us to deepen our commitment and discipleship as individual persons and as a community of faith.

Marj Nishek, Chair of the Companion Synod Task Force Committee will be our guest on Sunday, March 15. After worship, we will share a meal and Marj will tell us about our companion synod and about her trip there. If you just can’t wait, Heidi Cryer, Associate in Ministry at Lord of Life in Kennewick is serving 3 months there and has her own blog, heidinafrica.wordpress.com.