A Message From Our Pastor

Dear People of God,

 As we gather in worship this weekend, we continue in the Gospel According to John, in which the disciples are still having difficulty fully comprehending the power of the resurrection in their lives. It's a "fishing story" that begs the question: what are we fishing around for in life? Does it really give meaning to our daily lives, or does it just leave us empty and wanting something more?

 Needs for Jeremiah's Letter

Currently, the following items are needed at the Jeremiah's Letter food pantry. I invite you to take this list with you when you go grocery shopping.

Canned Fruit      Canned Meat     Jelly    Broth Based Soups

Juice (regular & child size)   Spaghetti Sauce

Snacks (jello, puddings, pretzels, cookies)

Hotel Toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion)

Disposable Razors    Toothbrush    Toothpaste    Deodorant
Towels   Wash Clothes   Blankets   Laundry Soap   Dish Soap

Paper Towels   Poncho/Rain Gear   Sleeping Bags

Financial support is also welcome; donations can be mailed to:

Jeremiah's Letter, Inc.
P.O. Box 842
Dayton, OH 45401

 

Lutheran Course

We will hold our April class discussion on Tuesday, April 20, at St. Paul (Wayne Ave.). Dinner is offered at 6:00 p.m., and the discussion begins at 6:454 p.m. This month, our topic is: Who are our neighbors, and what does that mean for Lutherans? We hope you can join us.

 

In Christ's joy,

Gary

Holy Week Worship

Dear People of God,

 

Below is the schedule for our worship and fellowship for the next 4 days leading up to and including Easter:

 

Maundy Thursday: 6:30 p.m., at St. Paul's; featuring combined choirs and the celebration of Holy Communion (there is no dinner meal).

 

Good Friday: 6:30 p.m. at LCOS; featuring the Tenebrae service with the drama, "I Was There" (there is no dinner meal).

 

Easter Eve (Saturday): 5:30 p.m. in the chapel; featuring sung/spoken/silent prayer, Scripture, and the celebration of Holy Communion.

 

Easter Sunday: 8:15 and 10:30 a.m. Worship Celebrations of the Resurrection;

                         9:00 a.m. – Pancake Breakfast (fellowship hall)

                         9:30 a.m. – Easter Egg Hunt for children

 

May God bless your Holy Week journey and bring you to a closer relationship with the Holy Spirit.

 

In the Risen Christ,

Gary

Lenten Worship

Just a reminder that our midweek Lenten services will be held tomorrow. Worship theme is "Apostles' Creed", and the times/places are as follows:

 

Noon – LCOS chapel, followed by soup.

6:30 p.m. – St. Paul sanctuary, preceded by chili supper at 6:00 p.m.

 

Hope you can make time tomorrow to attend one of the services.

 

In Christ,

Gary

Midweek Services

Dear People of God,

Tomorrow (Wednesday) we hold our second round of Wednesday Lenten services. Both are at LCOS this week, and both are centered around the theme of the 10 Commandments.

 

Times:             

Noon, in the chapel, followed by soup and crackers in the blue room. 

6:30 p.m. in the sanctuary (Holden Evening Prayer), preceded by sandwiches  at 6:00 p.m. (in the blue room)

 

Hope you can make time to be with us.

 

In Christ's peace,

Gary

Ash Wednesday

Dear People of God,

 

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the start of the season of Lent. We will hold two services tomorrow:

 

Noon - @ LCOS chapel, with simple lunch in parish house meeting room (soup and crackers)

 

6:30 p.m. @ St. Paul, Wayne Ave. (no meal)

 

I hope you can join us.

 

In Christ's renewing love,

Gary

Dear People of God,

 

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the start of the season of Lent. We will hold two services tomorrow:

 

Noon - @ LCOS chapel, with simple lunch in parish house meeting room (soup and crackers)

 

6:30 p.m. @ St. Paul, Wayne Ave. (no meal)

 

I hope you can join us.

 

In Christ's renewing love,

Gary

Themes for Our Wednesday Lenten Services

Dear People of God,

This Wednesday, February 17, we move into a new season of the church year, the season of Lent. It is a time set aside by the church to help us "get back to the basics of our faith." Originally, Lent was that time when new believers were instructed in the faith in preparation for baptism on Easter eve. This is a wonderful time for each of us to "re-instruct" ourselves in matters of the faith. And our mid-week worship schedule is designed to help us do just that. Our Wednesday worship themes are based upon Martin Luther's Small Catechism, a teaching tool that we still use today.

Below is the schedule for the Wednesday services during the season of Lent. 

 

DATE THEME

2/17 "Confession" 

2/24 "10 Commandments" 

3/3 "Creed" 

3/10 "Lord's Prayer" 

3/17 "Baptism 

3/24 "Communion"

As we move into this new season, may we follow the Spirit's leading to stronger conviction in our faith!  You can find the details of the times of our Wednesday services by clicking the link on the right to the church web site.  (Note that our Wednesday evening services are being held in conjunction with St. Paul's Lutheran Church in downtown Dayton.  The schedule indicates which services are held at which church.)

In Christ's hope and peace, 

Gary Eichhorn

SOUPER BOWL

Reminder - We join others throughout the country in celebrating "Souper Bowl Sunday" this weekend – bring your canned soup and other food/money donations to help feed the hungry and homeless in Dayton and beyond.

Worship This Weekend - A Message From Our Pastor

This Weekend in Worship we are challenged to prepare ourselves for the unexpected encounters with God: Isaiah was totally caught off-guard in the temple; Peter was shocked in his fishing boat; and Paul was knocked off his feet. It is tempting to "put God in a box" and then expect the Lord to act the way we think God should act. But, our lessons this weekend remind us that we need to be prepared to be "blown out of the water" in our encounters with God. What are you expecting to happen when you meet God in worship?

News From Our Pastor

Dear People of God,

Just a quick reminder of this Sunday's Congregational Culture workshop, led by Gary Pecuch, synod staff person for Children, Youth, and Family Ministries. Lunch will be served at 11:45 p.m. (hotdogs, brats, slaw, chips, fruit, cookies); the workshop will begin at 12:15 a.m. and run until 3:00 p.m. Nursery Care will be provided and activities for young children will also be available. I hope you can be with us, for however long you can stay – we need your input.

 

In worship this weekend, our Gospel lesson is a follow-up to last week, when Jesus presented a new interpretation of Scripture. This week is the reaction of his listeners to his new interpretation, which is to try to throw Jesus down a hill. Our lesson points to the necessity of wrestling with Scripture to discern what God may be trying to tell us today.

 

No football (that matters) this weekend, NASCAR doesn't officially start until Valentine's Day – as usual, it's a great time to gather to praise God in worship!

 

In Christ's joy and hope,

Gary

Time for Prayer

Dear People of God in this part of the Kingdom,

 

Did you know that during WWII, Winston Churchill had an advisor who organized a group of people who, at a prescribed hour, dropped what they were doing and spent one minute praying for the safety of England, its people, and for peace throughout the world?

 

I encourage and challenge all of us to join many in our nation who are doing the same thing. Every evening at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time (8 p.m. Central Time, 7:00 p.m. Mountain Time, 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time), stop what you are doing and spend one minute in prayer with God. Pray for peace in our homes, schools, cities, and for everyone throughout the world. Pray for the safety of our troops. Pray for our national leaders and for the leaders of the world.

 

If you are in the habit of retiring for the evening before 9:00 p.m., then carve out another minute in your day to participate in this prayer.

 

I look forward to joining you in prayer each night!

 

Your prayer partner,

Gary

 

No Choir Rehearsal Tonight Due To Snow

Epiphany Worship

January 6 is the final day of the 12-day Christmas season.

It is the day of EPIPHANY.

It is the celebration of God proclaiming to the

non-Jewish world that the Word had become flesh and blood

and moved into the world in the person of Jesus.

 

It is "the season of light",

marked, in part, by the star that the Magi followed.

 

Join us for a brief service of light, song, and prayer

on Wednesday, January 6, 6:45 p.m.

 

Following the 30-minute worship, we will dismantle the trees

 (chrismons and lights are already down);

bring any left-over Christmas cookies to share.

 

 

It is a new year!

Come together in worship as we

praise God for the blessings of last year

and ask the Lord to guide us

through 2010.

 

 

News for the New Year

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

 

As we step through the doorway into a new year, we praise God for gifting us with so many blessings and guiding us through our many challenges! How appropriate that our worship theme this weekend, the first of the new year, is the prologue to the Gospel According to John: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . . . It is also the second and final Sunday in the 12 day season of Christmas, so decorations and carols are still the order of the day. If you wish to read ahead, the lessons for worship are:

            Jeremiah 31:7-14

            Psalm 147:12-20

            Ephesians 1:3-14

            John 1:1-18

Following the 10:30 a.m. Sunday worship, for those who can help, we will begin taking down the candles, Chrismons, and trees.

 

 

EPIPHANY WORSHIP

Wednesday, January 6, is the Festival of the Epiphany, the day commemorating the visit of the Magi to the boy Jesus. We will hold a simple prayer service at 6:45 p.m. in the sanctuary, and then finish taking down the decorations. You are invited to bring your left-over Christmas cookies to share.

 

Epiphany Stars

&    Everyone is encouraged to read the complete book of Luke between January 6 and February 16, the season of Epiphany in the church year.  For each of the 24 chapters you read, you can add a gold star to the hanging displays in the sanctuary and chapel.  Let's all read so our worship spaces are filled with glittering gold stars. 

&    Each week there will be questions about the book of Luke in the bulletin.  Answers to the questions will be given in worship during the week after they appear in the bulletin.

&    At the end of Epiphany, youth and adults will face off in a congregational Bible Bowl here at Our Savior.  Watch the newsletter for details of when and where; and start reading Luke now.

 

EPIPHANY PARTY

You are invited to participate in an Epiphany Party at St. Paul Lutheran Church (Wayne Ave.) on Sunday, January 10, 11:45 a.m. Food (pork, sauerkraut, mashed potatoes, rolls, dessert), carol singing, and a gift exchange will be enjoyed. If you wish to join in the gift exchange, bring a wrapped $5.00 gift to place under the tree. There is no charge for lunch, but reservations are required (call 224-0589 or 643-1788).

 

HUMAN SEXUALITY DISCUSSION

On Tuesday, January 12, 7:00 p.m., we will hold an informal discussion about the ELCA adoption of the human sexuality resolutions at last August's national assembly. This discussion will be held in the first floor meeting room in the parish house. All points of view are welcome.

 

EUCHRE, ANYONE?

The next monthly Euchre gathering will be held on Sunday, January 17, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. in the parish house first floor meeting room. Please contact Rachel Lammi if you plan to attend (so enough tables are set up) at ras@oursaviordayton.org.

 

LUTHERAN COURSE

This month, we reconvene our joint educational opportunity with St. Paul Lutheran Church. "The Lutheran Course" will be offered on Tuesday, January 19, at LCOS – a light dinner is served at 6:00 p.m., with discussion to follow at 6:45 p.m. This month's discussion topic is How to receive God's grace/How are we saved?

 

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

We will hold an all-congregation birthday celebration on Sunday, January 24, 11:45 a.m. in the fellowship hall. This festive fellowship event is designed to help us celebrate everyone's birthday for the whole year. Lunch is being prepared by Lacie Sims and Marty Beyer. A cake decorating contest will be just one of the special activities offered. Plan now to attend by responding to this email to make your reservations. A free-will offering will be collected to help with the cost of lunch.

 

It was suggested to me that we have a Church Motto for our congregation for 2010, and that it be the line that Jesus gave his mother when, at the age of 12, he was in the temple while his parents were looking for him: "Didn't you know that I had to be here?" I like that, and I hope and pray that in this new year, all of us will deepen our relationship with God in worship, prayer, study and ministry! Happy New Year!

 

In Christ's peace,

Gary

 

 

 

Fwd: Christmas Eve Worship

Dear People of God,

 

I pray that you all will be filled with God's blessings of joy and hope this Christmastime. Many of you are traveling; may your trips be safe, joy-filled, and restful. For those who are in town, I invite you to join us in worship Thursday:

 

            4:00 p.m. – Family Service, with children's pageant, candle lighting, and celebration of Holy Communion.

          10:00 p.m. – Traditional Candlelighting Service, with much of the service in candlelight, featuring the chancel choir and celebration of Holy Communion.

 

For those who are unable to be out and about on Christmas Eve, I invite you to worship with Mt. Tabor Lutheran Church, in West Columbia, South Carolina (my congregation while I was attending seminary). At 7:00 p.m., they will broadcast their Christmas Eve service on the Web. You can access the service at http://www.WISTV.com. This broadcast is especially intended for military personnel serving overseas, but if you can't be in worship on Christmas Eve, I encourage you to check out this service.

 

Reminder – Our weekend worship schedule remains the same: Saturday, 5:30 p.m. in the chapel; Sunday, 8:15 and 10:30 a.m. in the sanctuary.

 

Merry Christmas!

Gary

 

Happy New Year!

People of God,

 

Happy New Year!! This weekend we begin a new church year as we usher in the Season of Advent. We praise God for faithfully walking with us throughout last year, and we pray that the Lord of new life will guide us in our ministry during this new year. In all three worship services, different families will light the first candle on the Advent Wreath; we will also be joined by members of the East Coast Captive Free Band who will be present to bring us special music in all three services. Captive Free is the "musical ministry arm" of Youth Encounter. Our own John Buechele played with the West Coast band last year. Start off the new year by praising God in worship, whether you are away visiting family or in town!

 

Thanksgiving Soup

Special thanks to everyone who made soup for our Wednesday night Thanksgiving Eve dinner and worship. We were treated to NINE different soups, all delicious. Some diners tried valiantly to taste all 9 soups! What a great holiday treat. Thank you!

 

Chrismon Trees

Next Saturday, December 5, after evening worship (around 6:15 p.m.), we will begin the process of putting up the Chrismon Trees. We will order pizza for all who can stay. On Sunday, December 6, after the second worship service (around 11:45 a.m.), we will finish erecting the trees and hanging the lights. Lunch will also be provided for all who can stay.

 

Did you see?!?!

The first snow flakes of the season fell at noon today as I was cleaning out my gutters – it's almost time to make snow angels!

 

May God bless you and your family during this holiday weekend!

 

In Christ's peace and hope,

Gary

Thanksgiving Eve Service; Theology on Tap - A Message from Our Pastor

Dear People of God,

Just a reminder of two ministry events for your consideration:

1. Theology on Tap – tonight (Tuesday), 6:30 p.m. at Chappy's Tap Room and Grille, 2733 W. Alex Bell Rd. Tonight's discussion topic is:

"Are there any absolute truths, or is it all relative?"

2. Thanksgiving Eve Dinner/Worship – tomorrow (Wednesday): soup dinner @ 6:00 p.m. in the parish house "Blue Room", and worship in the

Chapel @ 7:00 p.m.; dessert and fellowship in the foyer after worship. Thanks to the 8 families who volunteered to

make soup for us!

In Christ's peace and hope,

Gary

A Message From Our Pastor - Fall Schedule Begins

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

 

This weekend, we move into our Fall Worship Schedule:

            Saturday:        worship at 5:30 p.m. (no change)

            Sunday:          8:15 a.m. – worship             

                                    9:15 a.m. – Rally Day festivities

                                  10:30 a.m. – worship

During all three worship services, we will dedicate new pew Bibles, commission teachers, assistants, musicians and choirs. We will also present new SPARK Bibles to students age 2-grade 6, so parents are encouraged to make sure their children are in worship this weekend! Our Rally Day festivities will include refreshments, games, music, a skit, and an opportunity for students to meet their teachers. 

 

College Addresses

It's time to update our mailing lists, so if you have youth in college this year, please send their address(es) to the church office by September 25.

 

Camping Trip

There's still time to reserve your spot for the 2^nd Annual Church Campout, sponsored by the Holy Terrors, Friday-Sunday, September 18-20. Cost is $6 per person per night (tent). Just respond to this email, and pay your camping fee to the church. If you need a tent, let me know; we have people willing to share their extra tents. If you have an RV, and wish to join us, please make your reservations directly with KOA at http://koa.com/where/oh/35102 or 1-800-562-3317.

 

Mission Trip Meeting

An informational meeting for the Dayton Conference Mission Trip will be held next Tuesday, September 15, 7:00 p.m. at our church in the parish house "meeting room". Yu are invited to come and learn more about this servant event, which will be in Lafayette, Indiana, October 4-10. This trip is open to youth and adults, age 16 and older.

 

Blessing of the Animals

On Saturday, October 3, during the 5:30 p.m. outdoor worship, we will hold a special "Blessing of the Animals". You are invited to bring your pet(s) to worship.

 

Church Offices Closed

On Friday, September 25, the church offices will be closed so that the carpets can be cleaned.

 

There is plenty going on this weekend – I hope you can be with us in worship and for Rally Day!

 

In Christ's peace,

Gary

 

News From the Pews

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

 

So, just what is Jesus trying to say in his parable of the mustard seed, because there are parts of this story that make absolutely no sense at all? Find out this weekend in worship – Saturday, 5:30 p.m., and Sunday, 9:45 a.m. I bet it has something to do with God!

 

This Sunday, our Summer Sunday School classes begin. Classes start immediately following the Children's Moment, and this year, the study/activity theme is Parables of Jesus. Summer Sunday School classes are designed for children ages 4 through grade 3.

May the God of renewal and new beginnings breathe the Spirit of New Life in you this week! I hope to worship with you this weekend.

 

In Christ's peace,

Gary

 

News from the Pews

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

This weekend in worship, our lessons lift up the doctrine of the Holy Trinity (God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). We move to our summer worship schedule: Saturday, 5:30 p.m., and Sunday, 9:45 a.m. We are also celebrating "Music Sunday" at the Sunday service, as we praise God for the gift of music in our lives. The Punch Bowl fellowship time after Sunday worship will be hosted by the Youth Group, in honor of our High School graduates.  

Lutheran Study Bible

It's one thing to read God's Word. . . it's another to have a sense of grounding and understanding for what you are reading. Try The Lutheran Study Bible. We just gave copies to our confirmands, and it is a tremendously helpful resource to complement your daily Scripture reading. A copy is on display in the narthex, along with an order form, if you wish to order a copy for yourself. Cost is $18.75 per copy, which is a savings of $6.24. The order will be placed on Monday, June 29. 

 

Prayers

For NCR employees – that their fears be eased as they await word on their future . . . for the many former GM (and affiliated) workers and the many former DHL/ABX employees who are still seeking employment – that doors would soon open for them . . . for parents, that they would remain strong as they strive to rear their children in the faith during such confusing times . . . for Dayton and Montgomery County leaders – that they be given vision and skills to effectively lead in these challenging times. . . for our congregation – that we would always keep God's mission foremost in our minds . . . and praise to God – because despite the junk life throws at us, God is always good all the time!

 

If you are traveling this weekend, may God keep you safe. If you are in town, let's gather in worship to praise God in song!

 

In Christ's peace,

Gary

 

Worship Schedule Change

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

 

This is a reminder – our Sunday worship schedule changes this Sunday, June 7 –

 

One service at 9:45 a.m.

 

 

The Saturday worship schedule remains the same – 5:30 p.m.

 

In Christ's peace,

Gary