Friday, November 30, 2007

Still Time Left to Join the Chancel Choir for Christmas Eve

Christmas is coming up quickly, but there is still time to join the Chancel Choir to sing at the Christmas Eve Service. If you sing and would like to join us for this special festival service, contact our Music Director, Ginger Minneman. Rehearsals are on the following days:
  • Saturday, December 1 at 10:00 a.m.
  • Thursday, December 6 at 7:00 p.m.
  • Thursday, December 13 at 7:00 p.m.
  • Saturday, December 15 at 10:00 a.m.
  • Thursday, December 20 at 7:00 p.m.

Ginger has once again chosen beautiful music for us to sing at this candlelight service. I'll post a list of the music in the next day or two.

Chancel Choir - Special Rehearsals December 1 and 15

A reminder to members of the Chancel Choir - this year's special rehearsals to prepare for Christmas Eve are Saturday, December 1 and Saturday, December 15. Both rehearsals are at 10:00 a.m.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

A Message From Our Pastor

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

The late musical storyteller Harry Chapin wrote and sang: "All my life's a circle, sunrise and sundown. . . . The season's spinnin' 'round again, the years keep rollin' by."

We have come full-circle in the life of the church year, and this weekend, we start the story all over again. This Sunday is the First Sunday in Advent; the color for the season is blue (hope); and the worship theme as embodied in our lessons is KEEP ALERT AND AWAKE! For we begin the new year watching and preparing for the daily and final coming of Christ.

This Sunday:

+ Christmas Pageant Rehearsal – 11:45 a.m., in the sanctuary; lunch will be provided. Please RSVP to Rachel Spry by this Saturday. If you forget to reply or discover at the last minute your youth is able to attend, there will be enough food for all.
+ Adopt-A-Family Tag Tree – there are still gift tags on the tree in the narthex, and this is the final week! Make sure you pull a tag this weekend.
+ St. Olaf Choir Simulcast – the world-renown St. Olaf (Lutheran) University Choir will present its Christmas Fest Concert this Sunday, and it is being simulcast in two local movie theaters: Hollywood (Farifield Commons) and Dayton South Showcase. Cost is $20/ticket. Elyse Fenstermacher, a junior at St. Olaf, is a member of the Choir.

New Sunday (Dec. 9)

+ Congregational Meeting – we will be "called to order" immediately following the late service to elect 5 new congregation council members. The five nominees are:

Chris Becker (2008-2009)
Wes Boord (2008-2010)
Sonia Davila (2008-2010)
Michelle Jackson Haun (2008-2010)
Nancy Henry (2008-2010)

+ ADVENTure Awaiting – our annual Advent Festival will be held in the fellowship hall after the congregational meeting. Youth are preparing food, and the silent auction and Advent/Christmas workshop will be held. Proceeds from the silent auction will benefit our Adopt-A-Family program; donations for the food will go toward the 2008 Youth Mission Trip to the Dominican Republic.
+ Chrismon Trees – anyone who can spare an extra 30-40 minutes after ADVENTure Awaiting is invited to help erect the new, pre-lit Chrismon trees in the sanctuary.

Deadlines
Christmas Eve Bulletin Drawings – Sunday, December 9 is the deadline to submit your artwork (children and youth) to the church office. Forms are available on the tables in the narthex or in the office.
Christmas Poinsettias – Sunday, December 9 is the deadline to submit your green reservation form and $7/plant to the church office. Forms are also on tables in the narthex or in the office.

Christmas Caroling
Saturday, December 8, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. – join the Holy Terrors children's group as we share the Good News of God in Christ in musical form with some of our homebound members. Then, at 3:00 p.m., we'll invade a local ice cream store for ice cream! All ages are invited to join us for this event.

Join me in faithfully starting the New Church Year by gathering in worship this Saturday or Sunday!

In Christ's Peace,
Gary

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Advent Begins this Sunday

A new church year begins this Sunday, December 2. That day is the first Sunday of Advent. The liturgical color for Advent is blue, which is used to symbolize hope. (For more information on the use of liturgical colors, visit the ELCA's web site.) During Advent, the background color of this blog will be blue.

During Advent this year, we will use Setting Five of the Communion Service from ELW. This setting is based on plain chant, and is largely the same as Setting III in the LBW and one of the settings in the old "red book." In this setting, the Lord's Prayer is chanted by the congregation and the pastor. We haven't chanted the Lord's Prayer before, so this will be a new experience for some of the people attending our services. Some members have, however, visited other churches where the Lord's Prayer is chanted, and found the practice meaningful. The tune that is used is simple and beautiful.

Prayer Vigil for Peace Set for the Weekend of Epiphany; Including Taize Music, Prayers and Readings

At the end of what can often be a hectic holiday season, join us at the Lutheran Church of our Savior for an event focusing on the peace that only God can bring about in our lives and world. As part of our "God's Peace Flowing Through Us" initiative, we will be holding a prayer vigil for peace during the weekend of Epiphany. The vigil will be held on Saturday, January 5 in the chapel from noon through 9:00 p.m. All members of the Dayton area community are invited to attend.

During the hour from 7:30 p.m. through 8:30 p.m., our Director of Music Ginger Minneman and a group of instrumentalists will lead those present in singing Taize music, interspersed with prayers and readings. If you haven't experienced music and prayers in this kind of setting, perform a Google search on the word "Taize," and you'll find lots of information about it. The chapel will be lit by candlelight.

We'll have a sign-up sheet in the narthex for several weeks before the vigil so that people can volunteer to participate during particular time slots. We're doing this just to make sure that someone will be taking part in the prayer vigil during its entire time. People should feel to come at any time during the vigil, however. At the prayer vigil in September, there were often many people praying at the same time. Visitors are welcome.

FYI, the regular Saturday 5:30 p.m. evening service will be held in the main sanctuary on January 5 - the prayer vigil and Taize music and prayers are in addition to our regular weekend worship schedule.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

A Message From Our Pastor - Thanksgiving Eve, the Festival of Christ the King, and Other Matters

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

As we celebrate the American holiday of Thanksgiving this week, we also gather as a community of faith tonight to sing our praises to the God who gives us life, and gives it abundantly! If you are not traveling, join us in the parish house blue room at 6:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving Eve (Wed., Nov. 21), as we gather with members of St. Paul Lutheran Church (Wayne Ave.) for a soup dinner (vegetable beef). At 7:00 p.m., we will retire to the sanctuary for a service of lessons, prayers, song and sharing of memories.

For those of you who will be traveling, be safe, and have a wonderful celebration!

We have come to the end of the church year cycle. This weekend we celebrate the Festival of Christ the King. The following weekend is the beginning of Advent, the start of a new church year. This year, most of the Gospel lessons in worship have been from the Gospel According to Luke. When we begin a new church year, most of our Gospel lessons will be from the Gospel According to Matthew. This weekend, the Festival of Christ the King, we celebrate the victory over sin, death, and evil we have in Jesus as our eternal Lord and King, and the everlasting promise that we are God's children FOREVER!

The 2008 Offering Envelopes will be available for you to pick up this weekend in the narthex. Please take home your pack of envelopes this weekend, or when you return to town.

And, for those who were unable to be in worship last weekend, the 2008 Estimate of Giving Cards are available in the narthex. Please take one home. In prayer, ask God what God wants you to do with your financial gifts in 2008, then complete the form, place it in the addressed envelope, and return it to the church by December 2.

$5825 AND COUNTING! That's right. We've met the challenge with over one month to go! In response to your generosity, a family in our congregation who has already donated $5000 for HVAC, Jeremiah's Letter, and Lutheran World Relief, will donate another $5000. Way to go!

"It doesn't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing." (Duke Ellington and Irving Mills) May the Holy Spirit breathe that "swing" into your lives and give you meaning that can only come from knowing the Lord! See you in worship.

In Christ's peace,
Gary

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Chancel Choir Rehearsal on Thanksgiving Eve

A reminder to members of the Chancel Choir: we will rehearse after the Thanksgiving Eve Service on Wednesday, November 21. (Details of the service below.) We will not hold our normal Thursday evening service this week, since Thursday is Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Eve Service and Dinner to be Held Jointly With St. Paul Lutheran Church

If you're looking for a Thanksgiving service to attend in the Dayton area, please consider joining us at the Lutheran Church of Our Savior at 7:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving Eve, Wednesday, November 21.

This year, our Thanksgiving Eve worship service will be a joint celebration of praise to God with the members of St. Paul Lutheran Church (downtown Dayton). The service will be a casual one, with the pastors and musicians from both churches participating.

Beginning at 6:00 p.m., dinner will be held for those attending the service. We look forward to spending time with our sisters and brothers from St. Paul Lutheran Church in worship and fellowship, and invite anyone else who reads this to join us.

Visitors are always welcome!

Friday, November 09, 2007

A Message From Our Pastor

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

God has richly blessed our community of faith with many gifted people. If you attended last Sunday night's Service of Hope and Remembrance as we observed the Festival of All Saints, you were in the presence of those who shared their diverse gifts. WOW! A number of attendees commented on the blessing of having the time to reflect on those special people from their past who had been lost in the shuffle of busy schedules. Ginger Minneman, Rachel Spry, and members of the Chancel Choir and orchestra shared God's blessings with us in a very moving service. And thanks to Dick Freudenberger, the sanctuary was perfect for the evening.

This weekend in worship:
Worship Theme: Our lessons all deal with God's promise of the resurrection of the dead and God's eternal presence in our lives
Blood Pressure: The Health Ministry Team (HMT) will offer confidential blood pressure screenings following all three worship services
"Donor Sabbath": The HMT will also provide a brief temple talk during all three worship services, lifting up the importance of organ donation, which is strongly supported by the ELCA
Veterans Day: We will give thanks to God for all men and women who have served in the military

SOUP CHEFS NEEDED
If you would like to help create the soup for our November 21 Thanksgiving Eve Service, respond to this email. Supplies will be purchased and delivered to the church.

STEWARDSHIP CHALLENGE
To date, we have received $1,595.00 toward the $5,000.00 challenge that has been presented to us from a family in the congregation. Having already donated $5,000.00, the family will donate another $5,000 if we can raise $5,000 by December 31. The money collected will be disbursed in the following manner: 50% - HVAC project; 30% - Jeremiah's Letter; 20% - Lutheran World Federation. Checks can be made out to "Lutheran Church of Our Savior", and all donations must be newly pledged money.

CHRISTMAS POINSETTIA ORDERS
Place your orders now for Christmas poinsettias, which will be in place for Christmas Eve worship. Color: white (a fitting color for our "God's Peace Flowing Through Us" emphasis); cost: $7.00. Money should accompany completed reservation forms, which are available in the narthex and the church office. Reservation deadline is Sunday, December 9.

May God bless your weekend, may your favorite football team win (unless you are a Notre Dame fan, 'cause you know that's not happening!), and may you follow God's call to gather in worship with your sisters and brothers in the faith!

In Christ's peace,
Gary

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Worship Committee Meeting this Saturday Postponed to Nov. 17

The Worship Committee scheduled for this Saturday has been postponed to Saturday, November 17 at 10:00 a.m., because several people could not attend this week.

Thanks to "Eternal Peace" Participants

The "Eternal Peace" service last Sunday turned out wonderfully. It was a fitting commemoration of All Saints' Sunday. Thank you to everybody who participated - Chancel Choir members, guest choir members, instrumentalists, readers, Bell Choir members, and communion assistants. It's a real treat to be accompanied by a group of string and brass instruments, and the harp was beautiful.

A number of people also worked behind the scenes, and we also appreciate their work. Thanks to those who helped assemble bulletins, decorate the sanctuary, prepare and serve the reception, open and close the building, and (the least glamorous job) clean up.

Special thanks to Ginger Minneman, our Music Director and the Dirctor of the Chancel Choir. The service was Ginger's conception. She chose and arranged the sequence of all of the readings, hymns, and anthems. Her creativity and talents are greatly appreciated.

No Chancel Choir Rehearsal This Thursday

There will be no Chancel Choir rehearsal on Thursday, November 8. We will sing at the 10:30 a.m. service on Sunday, November 11. We'll be singing "Crossing the Bar" at this service - please come for the normal 10:00 a.m. warm up.

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Thanksgiving Eve Service and Dinner to Be Held Jointly with St. Paul Lutheran Church - All Visitors Welcome!

This year, our Thanksgiving Eve worship service will be a joint celebration of praise to God with the members of St. Paul Lutheran Church (downtown Dayton). The service will be held at Luthern Church of Our Savior at 7:00 p.m. in the chapel. Thanksgiving Eve this year is November 21.

A dinner will be held for those attending the service, beginning 6:00 p.m.

We look forward to spending time with our sisters and brothers from St. Paul Lutheran Church in worship and fellowship, and invite anyone else who reads this to join us. Visitors are always welcome!

More details will be announced soon.