Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Dress Rehearsal For "Eternal Peace"

A reminder to the Chancel Choir - dress rehearsal for the "Eternal Peace" service is at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3.

Thank You, and an Extended Opportunity

Thank you to worshipers who brought food with them this last weekend for the New Hope Food Pantry as part of our "Fish and Crackers" appeal. The food will go directly to people in need, and is greatly appreciated.

Pastor Gary has announced (see posting below) that this special appeal has been extended to this weekend. Please participate - let's see if we can fill the cart past overflowing!

From Our Pastor: "Eternal Peace" This Sunday Evening; Fish & Crackers Collection Extended; Spiritual Journeys; Change Your Clocks!

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

WORSHIP THEME for this weekend:
In Saturday and Sunday morning worship, our Gospel lesson is the very familiar story of Jesus meeting Zacchaeus, and inviting himself into the tax collector's home. It is a story of undeserved grace(!), which is at the core of the Good News of God in Jesus. I am reminded of the old Sunday School song many of us learned about Jesus calling the little man out of the Sycamore tree. My confirmation classmates (in Brecksville, Ohio) and I had way too much fun driving our pastor around the bend as we sang our own words to that song! It was only by grace that we made it through "every-Saturday" confirmation!

ETERNAL PEACE: A SERVICE OF HOPE AND REMEMBRANCE
Led by our Chancel Choir and special musicians, we will celebrate the Festival of All Saints this Sunday night, 7:00 p.m., in our main sanctuary. Traditionally a time to give thanks and praise to God for the gift of family and friends who died during the last 12 months, our gathering on this night will also celebrate God's gift of healing our grief and the promise that we will one day be reunited with those no longer with us. I hope that you will carve out time in your weekend to gather together for this special Service of Hope and Remembrance.

FISH AND CRACKERS
In case you forgot to bring your fish (or any canned meat) and crackers last weekend, you are invited to do so this weekend – let's fill the grocery cart for our monthly delivery to the New Hope Food Pantry.

SPIRITUAL JOURNEY
This Friday, November 2, 10:00 p.m., is the next Spiritual Journey gathering. We will either be in the chapel or the prayer labyrinth, depending on the temperature! You are invited to journey with others as we venture to deepen our faith.

2008 FLOWER CALENDAR IS UP!
The new year is just two months away, and you are invited to sign up to provide flowers on the altar for worship in the new year. The calendar is in the narthex: sign up on the line by your chosen date, and then complete the information page in the accompanying book. The cost is $30 per vase, and you will be billed directly by the florist.

HELP NEEDED!
We are seeking individuals, couples, and/or families to serve as USHERS and GREETERS during 10:30 a.m. Sunday worship. If you are interested in serving in either or both capacities, please contact Terri Balsom (Church Office Manager) at the church. Thank you!

CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS
That's right! It's time to reserve your Christmas poinsettias, which will be delivered on December 22 for our Christmas Eve services. This year, the Worship Planning Team has ordered white poinsettias to create a "sea of white" (the church color for Christmas and also the color used to symbolize peace, our church-wide theme for this year and next) to enhance worship. "Reservation Forms" begin appearing as inserts in this weekend's worship bulletin. Cost remains $7.00/plant (4-6 blooms), and you are asked to submit $ with your reservation form.

REMEMBER TO CHANGE YOUR CLOCKS THIS SATURDAY NIGHT!!!!
It's the best Saturday night of the year – get your extra hour of sleep, and I'll see you in worship on Sunday!

In Christ's peace,
Gary

Monday, October 29, 2007

Thank You

Thanks to everybody who helped make yesterday's Reformation Sunday service special-choir members, guest musicians, and those who helped decorate. Special thanks to our Music Director Ginger Minneman for all of the extra work involved and to our organist Rachel Spry for pulling together music for the brass players to play with the hymns.

Friday, October 26, 2007

The Color Red

The liturgical color for Reformation Sunday is red, the color used for Pentecost and for remembrance of martyrs. For more information on the use and meaning of liturgical colors, click on this link for a discussion on the ELCA web site.

Reformation Sunday Festival Service - October 28

If you are looking for a festival service to attend in the Dayton area on Reformation Sunday, October 28, consider worshiping with us at the Lutheran Church of Our Savior. At our 10:30 a.m. service, brass and timpani players will join with the pipe organ and the Chancel Choir (Ginger Minneman, Director) to lead the music for the day, including a festival setting of the liturgy (ELW Setting Five, which was originally LBW Setting II). This is a traditional service, with sung and chanted liturgy.

Please join us as we celebrate the Reformation not just as a historical event, but as a call for the continual renewal of the Church.

As a reminder, we are making a special appeal to collect food for the New Hope Food Pantry in conjunction with the services this weekend. There is a posting below this one that gives more details.

Chancel Choir Special Rehearsals for "Eternal Peace"

This is a reminder to members of the Chancel Choir. Ginger will be holding two special rehearsals for the "Eternal Peace" Service. (See posting below for details of this evening service on November 4.) The rehearsals are at 10:00 a.m. on both Saturday, October 27 and Saturday, November 3. The November 3rd rehearsal will be the dress rehearsal, including the guest insturmentalists and singers.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Special Collection for the New Hope Food Pantry - Fish and Crackers

This weekend, the Social Ministry Committee is sponsoring a special food collection for the New Hope Food Pantry. While all food items are welcome, the committee is encouraging us to bring donations of canned fish (and/or other non-perishable meats) and crackers (including saltines and packs of cheese and crackers/peanut butter and crackers). The grocery cart will once again be in the narthex for collection before and after all three worship services this weekend.

At the end of each worship service, we are sent back out into the world to serve. Contributing to the New Hope Food Pantry in an organized way is one of the many ways we seek to serve. We deliver food to the pantry every month during the year, and we've held several special collections this year. The New Hope Food Pantry is located at New Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church, which is in Dayton on Catalpa Drive. If you click the tab "Social Ministry Projects" below, you'll read about our other special collections this year and seem some pictures of the results - "Souper Bowl Sunday," "Cereal Sunday," and "Pasta Sunday." All of them have been successful. Let's see if we can fill the cart past overflowing again!

"Eternal Peace" - A Service of Hope and Rememberance - All Saints Sunday - November 4th at 7:00 PM

On Sunday November 4th at 7:00 pm the Chancel Choir (Ginger Minneman, Director) will lead "Eternal Peace," a special service in observance of All Saints Sunday. They will be assisted by organist Rachel Spry as well as instrumentalists and vocalists from the Wright State University Music Department.

Please plan to attend this beautiful and meaningful service as we remember with thanksgiving those whom God has taken home and we celebrate the hope of the resurrection for all of God’s children. The service will include several movements from the Fauré Requiem, as well as other inspirational music, hymns, and readings.

As always, visitors are welcome. Please invite your friends and neighbors to join us for this special event.

Friday, October 19, 2007

A Message From Our Pastor

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

We have lots going on this weekend, so I'll try to make this brief but informative:

FRIDAY
Spiritual Journey – 10:00 p.m. around the fire pit in the prayer labyrinth at the church (or in the chapel if it rains)

SATURDAY
Congregational Hayride and Worship – sponsored by the Holy Terrors at JD Hooks Farm (Rt. 48 south, about 14 miles from the church, on the left at the bottom of the hill)
4:00 p.m. Hayrides ($5/person)
5:30 p.m. Bonfire started and Wiener roast
6:30 p.m. Worship around the fire

Saturday Worship in the Prayer Labyrinth – 5:30 p.m., a brief Taize' Prayer service with Holy Communion

SUNDAY
Worship and Sunday School - at the usual times: worship at 8:15 and 10:30 a.m., and Sunday School classes at 9:15 and 9:30 a.m., with Children's Choirs meeting at 9:00 a.m.
Prayers for Healing and Anointing – at the 10:30 a.m. worship service – you are invited to come forward to the altar railing during the communion celebration
Confirmation – the Dayton Confirmation Cluster meets at North Riverdale Lutheran Church, 5:00 – 6:15 p.m.

WORSHIP THEME
This weekend, our lessons all deal with the need for persistence in faith, especially in our prayer life.

THANKS, JIM!
Tomorrow night, Friday, October 19, our own Jim Uphoff will be honored by the Oakwood Board of Education and the school administrators, after serving on the Oakwood School Board for more than 18 years. A dessert reception will be held at the south lawn of the Oakwood Junior High School (across from the stadium) from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. The public is invited. Jim will also be honored during halftime at the Oakwood football game.

RETURNING HOME
Tomorrow the 50 Lutherans from the Miami Valley who have been rehabbing homes in the New Orleans/Slidell, Louisiana area will be heading home. Included in the group are our own Terry Bruns, Don Hartman, and Karen Tyson. Please keep them in your prayers as they travel home.

May the Holy Spirit gather us all in worship this weekend, and may we raise our voices in praise and thanksgiving for all God gives us!

In Christ's peace,
Gary

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

A Message from Our Pastor

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Finally – it's fall . . . praise God!

This weekend in worship, our LESSONS lift up the importance of our faith being grounded in Jesus the miracle worker, not in miracles themselves, as we hear the Old Testament story of God, through the prophet Elisha, cleansing Naaman of his leprosy, and Luke's gospel account of Jesus healing ten lepers. The Health Ministry Team will be offering free, confidential blood pressure screenings after all three worship services.

This weekend, we will also have with us in worship the Rev. Bruce Rill, who is director of church relations with our mission partner WE CARE ARTS. Bruce will present a brief temple talk, as well as be available to share information and answer questions before and after all three worship services.

This Saturday, some 50+ Lutherans from 15 Dayton Conference congregations will depart from the LCOS parking lot for the third Conference Mission Trip to Slidell, Louisiana. Two of our own member-disciples, Karen Tyson and Don Hartman, will be on the bus. The group will return on October 20. Please keep Karen, Don, and all the other Lutherans in your prayers in the coming week as they represent us in tangibly sharing God's love with our sisters and brothers in need.

WE BEEN CHALLENGED!
One of our member families has challenged our congregation to raise $5000 by December 31, and the family will match our donations dollar-for-dollar (up to $5000). This family has already donated an initial $5000 for three ministries, and will donate another $5000 when we match it. The money will be dispersed for following ministries: 20% for Lutheran World Federation; 30% for Jeremiah's Letter; and 50% for the HVAC Project (new pledged $ only). In other words, half of the money will go to ministry projects that have faces (directly assisting people beyond ourselves), and half will stay here for "bricks and mortar" (our facility). How about it – are we up to the challenge? Watch this weekly update and the posters throughout the church for updates on our progress in meeting this challenge. Remember – make checks out to Lutheran Church of Our Savior, with the notation "LCOS Challenge."

LOOKING AHEAD
+ Worship and a Hayride
– Saturday, October 20, JD Hooks Farm, on Rt. 48, south of Spring Valley, on the left (about 20 minutes from Oakwood). The event, hosted by the Holy Terrors, is open to the congregation. The hayrides begin at 4:00 p.m. The bonfire and wiener roast will begin at 5:30 p.m., with worship starting around the campfire at 6:30 p.m. If you plan to attend the dinner, please contact the church office (293-1147) or respond to this email. A brief service with communion will be held at the church at 5:30 p.m. for those unable to attend worship at Hooks Farm.

+ New Member-Disciples Received – during worship on Saturday and Sunday, October 27/28, we will receive new member-disciples into our fellowship.

+ Fish and Crackers Weekend – also on the last weekend of October (27/28), the Social Ministry Committee will sponsor a special food collection for the New Hope Food Pantry. While all food items are welcome, the committee is encouraging us to bring donations of canned fish (and/or other non-perishable meats) and crackers. Start collecting now!

+ All Saints Festival Service – Sunday, November 4, 7:00 p.m., the Worship Planning Team, along with the Chancel Choir, will host a special All Saints Festival Service for the congregation and community. This will be a time to remember with thanksgiving to God those loved ones who touched our lives and are now celebrating eternal life with God.

May God richly bless you with the peace of our Lord this week. See you in worship!

Yours, in Christ's peace,
Gary

Thursday, October 04, 2007

God's Peace Flowing Through Us Event - All Saint's Sunday

Our Music Director Ginger Minneman has announced that as part of our series of events based on the theme "God's Peace Flowing Through Us," we will hold a special service in the evening of All Saint's Sunday, November 4, at 7:00 p.m. The Chancel Choir and guest musicians will present special music at this service, including parts of the Faure Requiem. I'll post more details here in the days to come.

Music for Sunday, October 7 - Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

The music for this coming Sunday:
  • ELW Setting Nine
  • Prelude - Toccatinas and Tidbits, Kevin Norris
  • Entrance Hymn - All People That on Earth Do Dwell, ELW 883
  • Hymn of the Day - We Walk by Faith and Not by Sight
  • Offertory - 8:15 a.m. service, Psalm 37; 10:30 a.m. service, Chancel Choir, The Eyes of All Wait Upon Thee, Jean Berger
  • Hymns During Communion - Build Us Up, Lord, ELW 670; Let Us Break Bread Together, ELW 471; O Spirit of Life, ELW 405
  • Sending Hymn - Lord, Dismiss Us, ELW 545
  • Postlude - Postlude on Old Hundredth, Fred Bock

Monday, October 01, 2007

Saturday Worship on October 20 to be Held Both Off Site and On Site

On Saturday, October 20, we will hold a service off-site in conjunction with the Holy Terrors' annual hayride and cookout. (The Holy Terrors is our group for children and their parents). The location is the JDHooks Farm on Rt. 48 near Lebanon. See Pastor Gary's posting below for more details.

The regular Saturday evening 5:30 p.m. service WILL also be held on site at the church. (This is different from earlier announcements.)