A Message From Our Pastor

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

This weekend in worship, we hear the story of Jesus healing the blind man on the Sabbath, which caused quite a stir among the members of the local synagogue, since healing on the Sabbath was considered a sin. At the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service, Mary Jane Fulcher will be with us share a special message about the orphanage to which our youth are traveling this summer in the Dominican Republic. Mary's brother is a missionary on the island. Mary is also the mother of our own Shelly Fulcher.

I invite you all to gather together in worship this weekend and praise the God who is good all the time!

In Christ's peace,

Gary

A Message from Our Pastor: Lenten worship

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Our Wednesday Lenten worship schedule for this week is as follows:

Noon – in the chapel; we will be looking at the faith story of the people of Israel as recorded in the account of the Battle of Jericho; a light lunch will follow in the fellowship hall

6:30 p.m. – at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Wayne Ave. Luis Martinez, from LCOS, will share a portion of his faith story regarding his flight from Cuba years ago; prior to worship, at 6:00 p.m., we gather for fellowship time at the back of the sanctuary

God will bless us all with many opportunities to deepen our relationship with our Lord – may we take advantage of them!

In Christ's peace,

Gary

A Message From Our Pastor

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

It is snowing, as it is supposed to do in February . . . the church lot has been plowed and salted, as well as the walks and steps into the church. Our noon and 6:30 p.m. midweek Lenten services will go on as scheduled today.

And . . . if winter weather ever leaves you wondering if worship (or other ministry activities) are going on as scheduled or cancelled, you can call the church office, watch TV channels 2 and 7, and watch your email for any cancellations. Please know that in the event of snow or ice, our church lot is always plowed/salted in time for mid-week and weekend worship!

This weekend's worship theme is centered on the image of "living water" that Jesus offers a Samaritan woman at "Jacob's well". The ancient Biblical reference to "living water" implies water that is moving, teeming with life, and not stagnant and lifeless. In Baptism, Jesus, the source of this living water, breathes new life into us, and daily fulfills God's promise to be lead us into meaningful life. The flowing fountain in the chancel is an audible reminder of God's living water in Jesus. The series of Lenten banners that present life's contrasts (sin/grace, destruction/redemption, death/life) have been created by a member of the congregation.

Looking Ahead: Holy Week Worship
Maundy Thursday (March 20) – at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Wayne Ave., 7:00 p.m.
Good Friday (March 21) – at LCOS, 7:00 p.m.
Holy Saturday (March 22) – Taize' prayer service w/Holy Communion at LCOS, 5:30 p.m.
Easter (March 23) – one service at 10:30 a.m. celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord

May God's blessings fill your life this week with joy, hope, and the uncontrollable urge to make life better for someone else through your faith!

In Christ's peace,
Gary

Easter Windows

Once again this year, groups and individuals are invited to create a floral arrangement in one of the window bays in the sanctuary for Easter. A sign-up sheet will be in the narthex. Stay tuned for more details.

Today's Services Will Take Place

Our Lenten services today will take place despite the snow. The parking lot has been plowed, and will be again if it snows more before the evening service. See details below on service times.

Lenten Worship - A Message From Our Pastor

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Just a reminder that we continue our midweek Lenten services on Wednesday this week. The noon service will be held in the chapel, followed by a light lunch in the fellowship hall. The faith stories we will focus on will be those of Rachel and Leah, from the Old Testament. The evening service, which we share with St. Paul Lutheran Church, will be held at LCOS this week: 6:00 p.m. – fellowship time (with light refreshments) in the narthex, followed by worship in the sanctuary at 6:30 p.m. using Holden Evening Prayer. A member of St. Paul will share her faith story with us.

Gary

Wednesday Lenten Services; Transportation

Wednesday Lenter Services continue tomorrow, February 13, with a service at LCOS at noon (followed by a simple lunch) and a joint service with St. Paul Lutheran Church (downtown Dayton) at 6:30 p.m.

The evening service at St. Paul will be preceded by a fellowship and refreshments starting at 6:00 p.m. Next week's service will be at LCOS. (Click this link for more details and the schedule for the weeks to come.) Each of the evening services will include the Holden Evening Prayer service, and a member of one of the churches will share with us the member's faith story.

If you do not like to drive after dark, we will be glad to provide transportation for you to the evening Lenten services, both at LCOS and St. Paul – just call the church office and ask to be placed on the list. You will be called by your “driver” prior to being picked up. And for those driving to St. Paul, the congregation has plenty of well-lighted parking. We suggest carpooling from the LCOS parking lot. Direction sheets are available in the office and narthex.

Ash Wednesday Service and Supper; Lenten Wednesday Services; Transportation

In observance of Ash Wednesday, the Lutheran Church of Our Savior will hold a service at 7:00 p.m. tomorrow (February 6), preceded by a soup supper at 6:00 p.m. The service will be the traditional liturgy that appears in Evangelical Lutheran Worship, including the imposition of ashes and Holy Communion. We will be joined by members and clergy from St. Paul Lutheran Church (downtown Dayton), and the combined choirs of St. Paul and LCOS will sing. As always, visitors are welcome - join us for fellowship, food, and worship.

During the rest of Lent, we will hold mid-week Wednesday services at noon and 6:30 p.m. The noon services will all be at LCOS; the evening services will alternate between LCOS and St. Paul. The evening service on Feb. 13 will be held at St. Paul.

If you do not like to drive after dark, we will be glad to provide transportation for you to the evening Lenten services, both at LCOS and St. Paul – just call the church office and ask to be placed on the list. You will be called by your “driver” prior to being picked up. And for those driving to St. Paul, the congregation has plenty of well-lighted parking. We suggest carpooling from the LCOS parking lot. Direction sheets are available in the office and narthex.

Worship Committee Meeting

The Worship Committee will meet this coming Saturday, February 9, at 10:00 a.m.

Souper Bowl of Caring 2008 - The Cart Was Overflowing

At our worship services this last weekend, we collected 253 food items and $29 as part of the Super Bowl of Caring. The food and money will be donated directly to the New Hope Food Pantry. Thanks to everybody who contributed and to the people who stayed late to help report the count. Your generosity is appreciated and will be a great help to the food panty in fulfilling their mission. For the national totals, see the web site for the Souper Bowl of Caring, where groups are beginning to report what they collected.

Souper Bowl of Caring on Super Bowl Weekend

"Lord, even as we enjoy the Super Bowl football game, help us to be mindful of those who are without a bowl of soup to eat." Souper Bowl of Caring Founding Prayer

This coming weekend, those who come to worship at the Lutheran Church of Our Savior will participate in the Souper Bowl of Caring. All proceeds will go directly to the New Hope Food Pantry in Dayton. This is an annual event that started with one church in 1990 and has now grown to over 15,000 churches and civic groups nationwide. Approximately $8,26,191 worth of food and money was raised in 2007, with $826,191 of that coming from ELCA congregations. No money or food is sent to the Souper Bowl of Caring itself - all proceeds go directly a charity chosen by each participating group.

We encourage everybody attending our services this weekend to give generously. We will be collecting both food items and monetary donations.

For more information, see http://www.souperbowl.org/ and www.elca.org/hunger/resources/souperbowl.html. If you click on "Social Ministry Projects" below, you'll see more postings about the New Hope Food Pantry.

Driftwood for Window Displays During Lent

Lent starts very early this year - Ash Wednesday is Feb. 6. If you have any driftwood that can be used in the window displays during the season of Lent (a depiction of a dry creek bed), please let Gary or a member of the Worship Committee know, and bring it in by Feb. 3.

A Message From Our Pastor

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Our worship theme this weekend, grounded in our lessons, deals with our response to God's call to obedience and servanthood. We have the opportunity to reflect on our own responses to God's call as we hear in the Gospel lesson the account of Jesus calling his first disciples to follow him. This is big stuff, and demands that we dream big!

It's here! The "Hearts for the Lord's Will" All-Congregation Birthday Celebration will be held this Sunday, January 23 11:45 a.m. in the fellowship hall. If you have forgotten to make your reservations, not to worry. The Evangelism Team says come on - just bring a covered dish to share (something other desserts, please – from the reservations, it looks like we'll have plenty of sweets!). Not only does this promise to be an exciting event, it also promises to do a great job of "setting the table" for our Annual Meeting, held the following week! We hope you will be with us. Nursery care and activities for children will be provided.

Looking Ahead:

- Annual Meeting - Sunday, February 3, 11:45 a.m. Catered lunch, followed by meeting to act on the proposed budget, celebrate last year's ministries, and act on a Local Benevolence proposal
- Ash Wednesday observance - February 6, 6:00 p.m. dinner; 7:00 p.m. worship (sanctuary). This will be a traditional service using the liturgy for Ash Wednesday from Evangelical Lutheran Worship, including the imposition of ashes.

The volunteers who work at the New Hope Food Pantry have expressed their gratitude to the members of LCOS for their generous support. The food and money you send does make a difference, and is greatly appreciated. Last month, they provided assistance for over 300 people, and they couldn't have done it without us. You've probably read that food pantries and food banks around the country are experiencing shortages of food. While the shelves at the New Hope Food Pantry aren't empty, they are very low. Particular needs right now are for canned fruit and fruit juices (keep in mind that people on blood pressure medication can't eat grapefruit); rice; and high-protein foods such as canned salmon and tuna, beans, prepared dinners, stews, "chunky" soups, etc. The collection point for donations is the kitchen in the parrish house.

Parting thought: the late Episcopal theologian Henri Nouwen once wrote, community is first of all a quality of the heart. It grows from spiritual knowledge that we are alive not for ourselves but for one another. Community is the fruit of our capacity to make the interests of others more important than our own (see Philippians 2:4). The question, therefore, is not, "How can we make community?" but "How can we develop and nurture giving hearts?"

As we prepare to gather for worship and fellowship in our community of faith this weekend, may we come with giving hearts. See you in worship!

In Christ's peace,
Gary

A Message from Our Pastor

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Looking toward this weekend, our lessons for worship remind us that identity is not wrapped up in our answers to the question, "What do you do?", but solely in what God does for us, through Jesus, in baptism - making us children of God. As you prepare to worship together this weekend, I encourage all of us to prayerfully ponder the question "Who am I?", comparing what you "do" with that which God has created you to be.

Tonight (Friday), we will hold another Spiritual Journeys event for anyone who wishes to explore a deeper relationship with God. Meet around the fireplace in the parish house foyer at 10:00 p.m.

Saturday, students in the Confirmation Cluster will gather at First Lutheran Church, downtown, to participate in a service project of feeding the community's poor/homeless.

Looking Ahead:

Next Sunday, January 27, the Evangelism Team is hosting the All-Congregation Members' Birthday Party at 11:45 a.m. in the fellowship hall. Remember to RSVP to your invitations!

Ash Wednesday Service - the start of the Lenten season - February 6. Dinner at 6:00 p.m. followed by the service at 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary. This will be a traditional service using the liturgy for Ash Wednesday from Evangelical Lutheran Worship, including the imposition of ashes. We will be joined by members of St. Paul's Lutheran Church (Downtown Dayton) for this service and dinner. I will write to you more later about the Wednesday night services for the remainder of Lent, which will alternate between LCOS and St. Paul's.

Question: Whose life have you improved this week by libing our your faith?

I look forward to being with you in worship this weekend!

In Christ's peace,

Gary

Chancel Choir Seeking New Members

The Chancel Choir is seeking new members. If you've ever thought about joining, now would be a good time to do so. We'll be starting to work on music for Easter in a couple of weeks. You don't have to make a long-term commitment; we'll be glad to have you sing with us even if you can only come for a while. If you have any questions, contact director Ginger Minneman.

Thanks . . . .

to all the people who have helped take down and store Christmas decorations! Everybody in the Worship Committee appreciates the assistance.

Prayer Vigil

Thanks to those who attended the Prayer Vigil for Peace last Saturday, and to Joyce Long who played flute for the Taize music. Ginger Minneman picked out a particulary nice selection of Taize music and readings for the 7;30-8:30 p.m. hour. We'll plan similar events in the future. Look for announcements here, in the church news letter The Voice and in worship bulletins.

Chancel Choir Rehearsals Resume This Evening

Just a reminder to members of the Chancel Choir - rehearsals resume this evening at 7:00 p.m.

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

A Message From Our Pastor

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope and pray that your Christmas celebration was joyfilled!

As I write this, we have no phone system at the church – it went out Christmas Eve, and we are awaiting service people, which may be a couple days. So, if you have attempted to call, you are sent immediately to voice mail, and can even leave a message. However, we cannot access any messages. So, if you have been awaiting a call back from one of us in the office, please email us instead. I will let you know when we have phones again!

Special thanks to everyone who had a hand in any behind-the-scenes work in preparation for our Christmas Eve services, as well as all the children, youth and adults who helped to lead the two services!

This weekend in worship, our Gospel Lesson confronts with the reality that the birth of Christ does not remove the power of evil in the world – but its light gives us hope as we walk with all the "holy innocents" of past generations and today who have suffered unjustly. In our gathering around Word and Meal, God continues to redeem us, lift us up, and empower us to faithfully live as children of God.

Reminders

Annual Reports are due in the church office by Monday, January 14 (print ready, via email or on disc). If you chair a committee, ministry team, or ministry group, we need you to compile a report for 2007 activities.

There are still some open dates on the 2008 Altar Flower Calendar. Sign up this weekend, or call/email the church office and we'll sign you up. The vases are $30.00 each, and will be billed to you from the florist. If you have not yet picked up your 2008 Offering Envelopes, they are waiting for you in the narthex.

EPIPHANY PRAYER VIGIL FOR PEACE

As part of God's Peace Flowing Through Us initiative, we will be holding a prayer vigil for peace as part of the conclusion of the Christmas season and the start of the Epiphany season. The vigil will be held on Saturday, January 5, noon through 9:00 p.m. in the chapel. From 7:30 – 8:30 p.m., Ginger Minneman and a group of musicians will lead those present in singing Taize music, interspersed with prayers and readings. A sign-up sheet for 30-minute time slots for the prayer vigil is posted in the narthex, and you are invited to "take a time" in the chapel, praying for the peace of our community, our nation, and the world. (Multiple people can sign up for the same time slot, and people should feel free to come at any time even if they did not sign up at all.) Like the September 9 vigil, a book of prayers will be available to use if you wish. Sign up this weekend! Note: the regular Saturday evening worship service will be held, as usual, in the sanctuary, at 5:30 p.m. on this day.

As we come to the conclusion of 2007, we praise God for the fulfilled promise of our Lord being with us each day; as we prepare to walk through the doorway into a new year, we pray that God will continue to walk with us, bringing a fuller sense of peace into our lives, and the lives of all throughout the world. Happy New Year, everybody!

In Christ's peace,
Gary