O.S.E-news

Dear People of Our Savior, There's no doubt we are in "the season". Each week when we send these "Our Savior E-news" e-mails out, I think of all the folks up north who are receiving them. This time however, many of you who read these "up north" are now down here with us, and it's good to have you back. There's almost a "family reunion" dimension to our Saturday and Sunday gatherings for worship and our Wednesday evening meals, with folks now back and getting caught up on each other's lives.

Since it is "the season" the calendar is also filled with all kinds of opportunities to be together. Let me here share those as the week unfolds:

Wednesday evening: Our mid week dinners continue to be a great success, with over 100 folks gathering each Wednesday for good food and conversation. This week's dinner is a modified "Potluck". A couple of main meat dishes will be provided, and if you can bring a dish to pass to add to that, it would be welcome. The official dinner starting time is 6pm, but often begins a bit before that. All are welcome. (A sneak peak ahead to next week, Feb. 11: the SADD and DARE kids from the Vero Beach High School will be providing a pasta dinner which will run from 5-7pm. Activities for kids will be available throughout that time.) But, back to this week. At 6:30 pm, anyone interested in becoming a member of Our Savior, or just in learning more about Our Savior is invited to join us in room 4 (one of the classrooms) until 7:30. This will be the first of 3 such Wednesday evening gatherings on Feb. 4, 11 and 18. New members will be received into the congregation on the weekend of Feb. 21-22.

On Thursday evening at 7:30pm the St. Olaf Choir will be in concert at the Community Church here in Vero. This is a premier choir from one of our ELCA colleges. Tickets are $30 each and available at the Community Church\

Friday, Feb. 6th, a Beyond Borders dinner with special music and a return of Tony Campolo will be held at the Heritage Center in downtown Vero. Tickets are available in the church office.

This coming weekend, Feb. 7-8 Free dinner! Pastor Paul Summer, ELCA Foundation Regional Gift Planner for the Florida-Bahamas Synod will be our guest at worship and at our first "Loaves and Fishes" dinner on Sunday Feb. 8 immediately following the 11am service. This lunch is a gift from the Endowment Fund and will be an opportunity to thank those who are remembering Our Savior in their wills, to share what the Endowment Fund does at Our Savior, and to help us discover new approaches to provide support for families and ministries of the church. This is an open invitation. Please plan to join us for this first of what we plan to be an annual dinner. Email or call the church office for a reservation.

Capping the week off will be an Ecumenical Choir Festival sponsored by the American Guild of Organists on Sunday Feb. 8 at 4:30pm at Trinity Episcopal Church. Nationally known choir director, Dr. Michael Burkhardt, will be the guest conductor. This approximately hour long program will consist of both old and new hymns interspersed with readings by clergy from various congregations throughout our community.

As this week unfolds:

1) May God bless all of these activities that will take place;

2) Even though winter has returned to Vero Beach, may the Light of Christ warm our days and our lives;

3) May the world be "infected" with God's goodness and grace, beginning with us.

God's work; our hands. + Pastor Jack Diehl www.oursaviorelca.com