Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Chancel Choir Get-Together

The Chancel Choir will have a preseason get-together on Thursday, August 21 at the Whitakers. Directions are available on the bulletin board in the cloister hallway and in the choir room. We will gather at 6:00 p.m. Please bring a covered dish - meat and beverages will be provided.

New members are always welcome!

Regular rehearsals will begin on thursday, August 28, 7:00 p.m. at church.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

A Message From Our Pastor: "Time to Grow" Harvest Celebration and Other Matters

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

You can feel the groundswell of excitement growing in this place! We are just three weeks out from our “Time To Grow” Harvest Celebration, and people are talking about how they are growing their $50 blessing, and looking forward to learning how much we will be able to give away! Last Sunday’s Music Missionary Brunch for John Buechele raised over $700, with more donations coming in, and some sent directly to Youth Encounter. Also, Vacation Bible School was a tremendously uplifting experience as people from St. Paul’s and LCOS worked together to creatively proclaim the love of God in Jesus. I am so very proud to serve as your pastor and to tell others of the wonderful people in our congregation!

WORSHIP THEME THIS WEEKEND
This weekend, our lessons lift up God’s love of all people, and call us as a community of faith to work diligently to ensure that everyone is welcome in our midst. At the 9:45 a.m. Sunday service, the Youth will present their experiences from their mission trip to the Dominican Republic. And during the celebration of Holy Communion, we will offer prayers and anointing for healing.

JOHN BUECHELE UPDATE
John heads to Minneapolis this Sunday morning for his commissioning and training with Youth Encounter before he is sent out into the world for his year-long music missionary work. He learned yesterday that he will be serving on the west coast of the U.S., but will keep us informed of his work and journeys.

HARVEST CELEBRATION – Saturday, September 6 – Sunday, September 7
Saturday
9:00 a.m. – 24-Hour Prayer Vigil begins in the Parish House Chapel
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Craft Bazaar at the church – the community is invited to help support our “Time To Grow” ministries
7:00 p.m. – Campfire and “Campout” at the church for anyone wishing to participate
7:30-8:30 p.m. - Taize Prayers in the Chapel, as part of the Prayer Vigil, lead by Ginger Minneman. Everybody invited.
Sunday
9:00 a.m. – 24-Hour Prayer Vigil concludes
9:15 a.m. – Sunday Church School “Rally Day” Activities
10:30 a.m. – Worship
11:45 a.m. – Celebration Luncheon

May the Holy Spirit bless your ministry this week! See you in worship.

In Christ’s peace,
Gary

Thursday, August 07, 2008

A Message From Our Pastor

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

This weekend, our worship theme is centered around silence and trust, as our Old Testament lesson is the account of Elijah experiencing the Lord in the "still, small voice", and the Gospel tells of Peter walking on the water after Jesus calms the storm. Silence seems to be in such short supply in our daily lives, which is why it is so important to carve out times each day to spend with God in prayer and study of Scripture.

After worship this Sunday, we will hold our Music Missionary Brunch, with is a fundraiser for our own John Buechele, as he prepares to embark on his new calling to spend the next year sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ through music with Youth Encounter. John will be on hand with a fellow musician to share some of the music they will be playing throughout the country, and I hope you can be on hand to wish him well. If you cannot attend the brunch, which is also a Thrivent Financial for Lutherans "matching funds event", I invite you to make a donation to his ministry – make the check out to Lutheran Church of Our Savior, and mark it "John Buechele". It will be sent to Youth Encounter and credited to John's missionary account.

Next Sunday, August 17, members of the Youth Group will present the message in multi-media form, as they share their experiences from their Mission Trip to the Dominican Republic. I hope you will be on hand hear/see their "missionary" activities with the children of the Noestros equenos Hermanos orphanage.

Time To Grow Activities
+ "Growing Our Suds" Car Wash – Saturday, August 9, 1 – 4 p.m. in the church parking lot. All donations of any size are welcome. This event is sponsored by Tristin Smith and Alexa Coon, two of our youth.
+ "Piano and Organ Benefit Concert" – Sunday, August 24, Lutheran Church of Our Savior sanctuary. $10.00 suggested donation. This event is presented by Rachel Spry Lammi and Wilma Meckstroth.
+ "Harvest Celebration Weekend" – September 6/7
24-hour prayer vigil
Holy Terrors campout on the church grounds
SCS Rally Day activities, Sunday, 9:00 a.m.
ONE weekend worship service, Sunday, 10:30 a.m.
Celebration Luncheon after worship, 11:45 a.m.

Please Keep In Prayer
- Family of Caryl Rader, upon his death this past Wednesday
- Kurt Lammi, as he preaches for a call committee in his journey through the ELCA call process
- the congregation of St. John Lutheran Church, Dayton, upon the tragic death of their organist, David Weingartner

I look forward to gathering with you in worship this weekend to lift our praises to the God who makes all things new!

In Christ s peace,
Gary

Friday, August 01, 2008

Taize at the Prayer Vigil

As mentioned in a post below, LCOS will be holding a 24-hour prayer vigil as part of the "Harvest Weekend." The prayer vigil will be held from 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 6 through 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, September 7. Individuals and groups will be encouraged to sign up to cover one-hour time slots, so that we can make sure that all the slots are filled. (Multiple people can come at any time.)

During the hour from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday evening, you are invited to participate in the singing of Taize music, along with readings and prayers. This hour will be lead by our Director of Music, Ginger Minneman. Musicians are currently being lined up, and will include flute, guitar, and piano. Afterward, the group may go out to eat - we'll plan that in a little while when we know better how many people may be attending. Please join us. As always, visitors are welcome!

Bell Choir

Bell Choir rehearsals will resume on Sunday, August 10, after the 10:30 a.m. service.

Chancel Choir

It's only the first of August, but it's time to start thinking about starting back up for the fall. The Chancel Choir will have it's annual kick-off party on Thursday, August 21. I'll post more soon regarding the time and place. Our first regular rehearsal at the church will be on August 28.

A Message From Our Pastor

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Abundance
and scarcity – we live with those images on a daily basis, and they are images that are lifted up in our appointed lessons for worship this weekend. At the communion table, we are fed with the endless abundance of the Bread of Life, and we are called to give away ourselves as bread for the hungry.

VACATION
BIBLE SCHOOL
IS HERE!
That's right – Monday to Friday, August 4-8, 5:30 – 8:15 p.m. Our facility will be transformed into a "rainforest" as children, youth, and adults come together to learn that as God's people, we are called to Share, Give, Grow, Love, and Praise. Stewardship for all of God's creation is an important theme of this year's VBS, and on Wednesday, the children will be planting a tree on the church grounds. Don't forget to sign up for the Adult Class – "What Does It Mean To Be A Lutheran?" – taught by Pastor Bob Miller and myself. Where else could you drop real eggs off the sanctuary balcony?

NEEDED FOR VBS:
  • Potted plants and greenery (live or fake)
  • Bean bags (for games – to throw)
  • Be sure to mark your names on the items you loan VBS
MISSIONARY BRUNCH – AUGUST 10
Following worship on Sunday, August 10, we will hold a special "missionary brunch" in the fellowship hall to raise money for John Buechele, as he prepares to embark on a year-long music ministry "gig". John has accepted a call to play guitar with "Captive Free", the musical group from Youth Encounter (youth ministry organization) that brings the good news of God in Jesus to youth all across the country. Like most missionaries, John has to raise funds for his living/travel expenses ($10,000), and we are one of many congregations in the Southern Ohio Synod which are raising funds for John. Plan to join us on August 10; John will be on hand, and hopes to have with him so me fellow musicians who will share their gifts with us during the brunch. This event is a Thrivent Financial for Lutherans "matching funds" event.

"TIME TO GROW" UPDATE
In just over a month, we will be gathering the harvest of our "Time To Grow" ministry project, and it is fun to experience the excitement among those of you who are participating. Suzanne Bruns reported Sunday that she has baked 34 pecan pies so far – and she's still going! Rising eighth grade student Tristin Smith is hitting the pavement in the community, selling lemonade, icee-pops, and washing cars – and her $50 blessing is growing like Spanish Moss! And on Saturday, August 9, Tristin and Alexa Coon are holding a car wash at the church (1-4 p.m.) to grow their blessing.

"TIME TO GROW" UPDATE
And there's news about our Harvest Celebration, which will be held on Saturday and Sunday, September 9-10:
  • 24-hour prayer vigil in the chapel from 9 a.m. Saturday – 9 a.m. Sunday
  • Sign up on the poster in the narthex for a 30 minute slot and pray that God bless our harvest and those who will receive it
  • Holy Terrors overnight camp out at the church
  • Rally Day festivities with guest entertainer, at 9:15 a.m.
  • ONE weekend worship service at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, September 7
  • "Harvest Celebration" luncheon following worship in the fellowship hall
Be bold this week, and share with someone else how God has helped you get to where you are today! See you in worship this weekend.
In Christ's peace,
Gary