Epiphany Prayer Vigil for Peace with Taize and Other Matters: A Message from Our Pastor

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Happy New Year! What a way to begin another year – snow as far as the eye can see!!

This weekend, we celebrate the Festival of the Epiphany, one of the oldest festivals in Christianity (January 6). It is a celebration of God revealing ("epiphany" = to reveal) Jesus to the non-Jewish (Gentile) world through the visit of the magi. The season after the Epiphany is often called an "accordion" season, because the magi loved polka music. Not really – actually the length of the season expands or contracts from one year to the next depending upon when Easter occurs in the calendar. This year, it is a short season (5 weeks) because Easter is observed on March 23! The lessons associated with the season after the Epiphany all help the worshipper come to know who Jesus is – the Son of God.

On Saturday, January 5, the Worship Planning Team is hosting an Epiphany Prayer Vigil for Peace. Held in the chapel from 12 noon to 9:00 p.m., prayers will be offered by many throughout the day – prayers for peace in our lives, our homes, communities, nation, and throughout the world. From 7:30 – 8:30 p.m., Ginger Minneman and some musicians will be leading Taize music interspersed with prayers and readings in the chapel. You are invited to come by the chapel at any time from noon to 9 p.m., offer prayers, and light candles. A book of prayers will be available for your use, or you may create your own.

Weekend Activities

Friday There will be NO Spiritual Journey gathering
Saturday

Noon Start of Epiphany Prayer Vigil (chapel)
5:30 p.m. Worship (sanctuary)
7:30 p.m. Taize' Prayer Service (chapel)

Sunday

8:15 a.m. worship (sanctuary)
9:00 a.m. Children's Choirs rehearse
9:15/9:30 a.m. Sunday School classes
10:30 a.m. worship (sanctuary)
3:00 p.m. MUSICA! concert – this is the holiday concert that was postponed due to snow in December; it will be held in our sanctuary – tickets will be available at the door
3:15 p.m. Confirmation youth meet at St. Paul Lutheran
Church on Wayne Ave. for the bus trip to Columbus

FLOWER CALENDAR HAS 7 SPOTS

The following spots remain on the 2008 altar flower calendar:
2/3, 3/30, 4/20, 8/17, 8/24, 11/2, 12/28
If you would like to place flowers on the altar on one of these dates, please respond to this email or call Terri at the church office (293-1147). Cost of each vase is $30, and the florist will bill you directly.

LOOKING AHEAD

Sunday, January 27 - Birthday Party for all members
Sunday, February 3 - Annual Meeting to receive 2007 ministry reports and act on the 2008 proposed budget
Wednesday, February 6 - Ash Wednesday – the start of the season of Lent, with worship opportunities at noon and 6:45 p.m.

May the God who makes all things new, including this new year, breathe into you new passion for ministry this week. I hope to see you in worship this weekend!

In Christ's peace,

Gary

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.

A Message From Our Pastor

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

As we prepare for worship this weekend, please know that the parking lot is plowed and walkways are shoveled, and we are now good to go!

Due to the projected cold temperatures for tomorrow (Friday), the church office will be OPEN – it was originally scheduled to be closed due to planned electrical work that would shut off the boiler for the day. We'll let you know when the new date is set.

This weekend is the final weekend during the season of Epiphany (Festival of the Transfiguration), and the children/youth SCS classes created banner panels depicting the various names given to Jesus in Scripture. The panels are being sewn into two large banners which will enhance our "season-ending celebration" this weekend. Pictures of two of the panels are in a posting below.

Ash Wednesday is next week, February 21, which signals the beginning of the season of Lent. Literally translated, Lent means "lengthening of days", referring to the transition time between the end of Winter and the beginning of Spring, when the period of daylight grows longer each day.

From a faith development standpoint, the season of Lent is a time for prayerful discernment on the part of believers, attempting to answer the question, "What difference does it make in my life that Jesus is my Lord?" Throughout Lent, this question is lifted up for us in a variety of ways, as we seek the Holy Spirit's guidance in looking for ways to use our Baptismal identity and gifts so as to make a difference in someone else's life. To help, we will again provide mid-week worship experiences every Wednesday during Lent, using the same schedule as that of Ash Wednesday: 12:00 noon – worship; 12:45 a.m. – lunch; 6:00 p.m. – dinner; 6:45 p.m. – worship. I hope you will plan to join us. Activities for children will be available during worship.

I attended the annual summer confirmation camp planning retreat at Lutheran Memorial Camp this past Sunday afternoon through Tuesday noon. It's been many years since I have walked out onto a frozen lake! While I love the camp, especially at this time of year with snow on the ground, it is great to be home – Tuesday's drive to Dayton was an adventure, to say the least!

Thought for the week . . . "Imagination is more important than knowledge." – Albert Einstein

Hey . . . snow or no snow this weekend, let's meet in worship!

In Christ,
Gary

A Message From Our Pastor

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,

The worship theme this weekend celebrates God’ coming to us through everyday experiences (the wedding at Cana), and call us to share God’'s gifts with others as we meet them in our everyday schedules.

During the season of Epiphany, we are keeping up the lighted trees in the sanctuary as a reminder of the light of God that leads our lives to the Source of all life.

Special thanks to all the Saturday night worshipers (kids, youth, and adults) who stayed after our Epiphany worship last week, for they removed all the candles from the pews, all of the votives from the windows, and all the poinsettias from the chancel!!

Last Sunday, we celebrated the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, and we used the new Baptismal Bowl. This Sunday, again at the 10:30 service, we will dedicate the new Baptismal Bowl to the glory of God during the prayers.

REMINDERS: our Annual Meeting will be held on Sunday, February 4, 11:30 a.m. in the fellowship hall. Lunch will be served first: – fried chicken, drinks and place settings are provided; please bring a food dish to share. Activities are planned for children. The purpose of the meeting is to: receive 2006 ministry reports, act upon the 2007 budget proposal, and act upon the HVAC proposal.

LOOKING AHEAD: The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday (Feb. 21), which will kick-off our mid-week Lenten services and soup meals. We need Soup Chefs. If you are interested in helping to prepare one or more of the Wednesday soup meals during Lent, please let me know by responding to this email. Thank you.

As we continue our journey into the new year, let’s meet in worship to praise the One who leads us on our journey!

In Christ,Gary