We have definitely entered the "Holiday Season", with Thanksgiving and the first Sunday in Advent coming on the same weekend! Many thanks to all who made it such a great Thanksgiving Day here at Our Savior with the Thanksgiving service at 11am and Thanksgiving Dinner at noon. About 140 people were served and all of the "reviews" were great! A special thanks to our chief cook, Colleen Heagy who spent the last days before Thanksgiving here in the church kitchen getting everything going.

And speaking of food, our Wednesday suppers resume this week, with beef pot roast on the menu. These are wonderful opportunities to have a great meal and get to visit with other members of the Our Savior church family. A donation basket is available for you to help cover the cost of the meal. Plan on joining us.

This coming weekend, our Lutheran Men in Mission will be serving some very special refreshments after all 3 services, including Saturday evening. This is a part our annual Christmas gift project in cooperation with Our Savior's Youth Group. Along with the special food, an offering basket will be available for anyone to make a donation which will be used to provide Christmas gifts for a number of families in our community who are in need. At their December 8th meeting, the Youth Group will take the money received from this upcoming weekend, along with information about the families (ages and genders of the children) and go Christmas shopping for them. After the shopping, the gifts are wrapped and the families are notified as to when they can come by and pick up the gifts. This is a wonderful cooperative way so many can work together to be a sign of God's grace at work in this holy season.

So, in the middle of all of the sights, sounds and smells of this season, may they all be reminders of the One who comes to bring us Life and Hope and Peace. May our eyes be open to God's coming, not just at the end of time, but among us now, in this season, in all kinds of ways, great and small. And may we be living examples of God's New Day dawning upon us and all of creation as we "…lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light, and live honorably as in the day..." (Romans 13, this past Sunday). This is what this season is really about!

See you in church!

Pastor A.C. 'Jack' Diehl III

As we head into Thanksgiving, we first need to do a little recap of this past weekend. It was really a wonderful weekend at Our Savior beginning with the Annual Holiday Bazaar and Health Fair Saturday morning. Lots of good food, crafts and health related information and activities. Many thanks to all who participated in so many ways. 

A special thanks also to those who gave blood at the Bloodmobile which was here Saturday morning. Re: the Bloodmobile, I have to pass this along. This morning I saw the man who runs the Bloodmobile and he made a point to tell me what a pleasure it was to be here at Our Savior. He told me that he takes the bloodmobile all over, to other churches and businesses and events, but that the people at Our Savior we're really extra pleasant and good to work with. And that was a totally unsoliceted comment. (Well, he did want to know who made the great lemon squares which he bought from our bake sale!) :-) But his comments really were sincere. You needed to hear that. 

If you weren't able to get your flu shot because your finances are tight, talk to our parish nurse, Bonnie Lanyi. She has some vouchers and information for those who can't afford to get a flu shot. 

This past weekend was also the last weekend of the church year, Christ the King Sunday. In her sermon, Pastor Shelly mentioned a wonderful event that happened at the Macy's store in downtown Philadelphia last month. It was inspiring, uplifting and amazing. For those of you who haven't seen it, you can check it out at the following link. Just click on, watch and listen to the words. Very fitting for Christ the King Sunday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp_RHnQ-jgU

With Thanksgiving around the corner, this coming Wednesday afternoon at 3pm we'll be setting up for our annual Home Alone Thanksgiving Dinner, which will be at noon on Thanksgiving Day, following our Thanksgiving Service at 11am. If you'd like to volunteer helping set up, peeling potatoes, serving or cleaning up, or if you'd just like to join us for dinner, please call the church office (567-2253). There will be a place for you!

Because of this Thanksgiving Weekend the church office will be closed on Friday and there will no Sunday School this Sunday. Worship for this first Sunday in Advent will be at the normal times: Saturday 6pm and Sunday at 8:30 and 11am.

For those of you who are traveling, may your ways be safe and your homecomings joyful, and may you all have a blessed and gratitude filled Thanksgiving. 

Most gratefully yours,
+ Pastor A.C. 'Jack' Diehl III

"Anyone unwilling to work should not eat." (2 Thess. 3:10) "Give to everyone who begs from you." (Luke 6:30) We heard one of these verses a week ago, the other yesterday. Being a Christian isn't simple. It calls for wisdom, compassion, and discernment. And as St. Paul went on to say, "Do not be weary in doing what is right."

I began this morning "living" in a car at the Sexton Plaza here in Vero with others who are taking shifts "living" in a car for a 24 hour period which began yesterday. This is a part of "Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week", reminding the community that there are people who in fact are living out of their cars as a result of these difficult economic times. These are families and individuals who really would rather work and be able to support themselves. What the Homeless Family Center, and other agencies like that, are about, is helping families get over the hump and get to that place where they can get back to work. One statistic that stood out for me this morning is that there are over 41,000 homeless children in the state of Florida! These really are tough times for so many. And the Homeless Family Center is one of the places Our Savior helps support, both with donations and by brininging one meal a month to the center. Along with that, if anyone knows of any work that is available, please contact the center at 567-2766. They are always looking for work for their residents.

As we look ahead to this week and beyond around Our Savior, our Tuesday morning fitness class will be held at 10:30. Gloria Basile will be the teacher. Gloria comes with much experience. We're grateful for her helping out in this way!

Our Wednesday supper at 6pm will feature cheeseburgers and baked beans among other things. These suppers have been so very well received. What a great time to get together for some good food and conversation!

This coming Saturday is our annual Holiday Bazaar and Health Fair from 8:30am-1pm! There will be many beautiful crafts and a bake sale (I know there are some wonderful bakers out there…bring your goodies by on Friday between 9am and 3pm or Saturday morning! I'm already looking forward to Carol Javin's cookies among others!) There is no "garage sale" or "Grandma's attic" component this year. You can bring any of those items to the new Harvest Outreach Center Thrift Store on US1 and 28th Street, or any of many good thrift stores in our area. Or wait until February 26, when our WELCA ladies will host a rummage and book sale. 

But along with our Bazaar, we have a wonderful Health Fair, which includes: "Healthy Eating" by Gwen Turner, registered dietician; blood pressure checks; flu and pneumonia shots; balance screening by a physical therapist who specializes in vertigo; the Blood Mobile will be here for you to donate blood; Fire Safety presentation by firefighter Tob y Turner; and more. This Saturday Our Savior will be the place to be!

If you'd like a special way to get into the Christmas Spirit, Haiti Partners is in need of volunteers to help write Christmas Cards to be sent out during December. If you can offer a couple of hours doing this, it would be much appreciated. Contact Debbie Coleman at the Haiti Partners office for more information (772-539-8521). The Haiti Partners office is on the first floor of the Bank of America building on the corner of 6th Ave. and 21st Street, just down from the church.

Finally, looking ahead to this coming weekend, November 20-21, this is the last weekend of the church year, Christ the King Sunday! This is also the day when we will be receiving "My Estimate of Giving Plan" cards for 2011. Many of you received these cards in the mail in the last week or so, and a number of you have already returned them! Thank you! But if you haven't, these cards will be available this weekend as you come to church and a basket will be in the church to receive these. This is an important and very helpful way for us as individuals to plan our giving for the coming year, and also for us as a congregation to plan our budget for the coming year. Your being a part of this process is most appreciated.

These are only some of the highlights of what is happening at and through Our Savior.  And whatever you do or wherever you go as this week unfolds, may you not grow weary in doing what is right!

See you in church!

Pastor Jack Diehl

Dear Fellow Saints, Yes, that is who God calls us to be! This past weekend that is what we celebrated in worship together, as we remembered the saints who have gone before us, received some new saints into our congregation and were reminded that in our Baptism, we are indeed numbered among God's saints. Now, I know myself and I know many of you pretty well, and it may seem like a stretch to call any of us "saints", but this is all the more evidence of the amazing grace of God at work among us.

Speaking of God at work among us here are some things for you to be aware of and possibly be a part of:

1) Our Wednesday suppers continue at 6pm. If you received the latest issue of "The Lutheran" magazine, be sure to read Peter Marty's article on page 3. While he wasn’t writing about our Wednesday suppers directly, what he had to say certainly fit what we do at those suppers! And if you'd like to help set up, serve, or clean up, your help would be very welcome. Set up is usually underway by around 4:30pm. Thanks!

2) This coming weekend at the 11am service several new Christ Care leaders will be recognized and commissioned. This is a wonderful small group ministry at Our Savior. Information about our Christ Care groups will be available at all services.

3) This Saturday morning, November 13, we will have a team walking in this year's "Walk to Remember". So far we have over 15 signed up to walk and it's not too late to join them! The walk supports the local Alzheimers/Parkinsons organization and begins at 8:30am at Riverside Park. For more information contact Penny Dann at gpdann@att.net.

4) Also this coming Saturday there will be a Harvest Block Party at the new Harvest Thrift Center on the corner of 28th Street and US1 from 11am til 2pm. There will be a Bounce House for the kids, face painting, games, raffle prizes, hamburgers, hot dogs and drinks. This is Free to the public. And if you want to do some pre-holiday cleaning out, you can bring something to donate to the Thrift Store, or you might want to do some shopping there!

5) Looking ahead, our "Annual Holiday Festival and Health Fair" will be taking place Saturday November 20 from 8:30am til 1pm. Our Bake Sale chairlady, Barbara Hauser says, let's make this the best Bake Sale ever! You can drop off your favorite pie, cake, cookies or other sweet treats anytime on Friday November 19 between 9am and 3pm or bring them by Saturday morning. Along with the Bake Sale there will be crafts to buy, lunch will be avialable and our Health Ministry Team will be offering flu and pnemonia shots, blood pressure checks, the Bloodmobile will be here, massages, and many other healthy activities and information. Mark your calendars because there will be something for everyone November 20! Proceeds all go to local charities.

Whew! And that's only part of what's going on here among the saints at Our Savior.  Now as you go about this week, in your comings and goings and contact with others, as one of God's saints, remember, you may be the only Bible someone ever reads.

Have a blessed week.

Pastor Jack Diehl

"Welcome back" has been a common greeting around Our Savior these past few of weeks! And it's good to have so many of our seasonal folks returning…at least for a while. For many, it's back north for the holidays, then back again in January. That all makes for a good rhythm to life here in Vero Beach.

Along with many of our returning friends we also had a number of visiting family and friends at the 11am service as we not only celebrated Reformation Day, but also Confirmation Day for six of our young people. Seeing them, and many of their peers, gathered and celebrating together yesterday and the night before at the Youth Group "Marty Party", was a very real reminder of the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit touching the lives of God's people, young and old, and renewing and reforming the church. It was a humbling, inspiring experience.

As this week unfolds there will be a number of opportunities for God's saints to gather and serve. Our popular Wednesday suppers continue with supper served from 6pm til 6:30pm. This has been a great opportunity for folks to visit and have a good meal together, which fits right into the Four Keys for practicing faith: 1) Caring Conversations, 2) Devotions, 3) Service (the supper is prepared, served and cleaned up after all by volunteers!) and 4) Rituals and Traditions.

Following this week's supper, the Lutheran Men in Mission will be meeting in room 4 at 7pm. All men of the church are welcome. The main topic this week will be the Christmas Gift project in conjunction with the Youth Group which includes special refreshments after worship the first weekend in December. More info to come!

On Thursday from 11:30-1:30, some of Our Savior's saints, headed up by George and Lois McAllan, will be hosting the annual "Soup Bowl" supporting the Samaritan Center here in Vero Beach. Our Savior is one of the sites in the community where you can come and enjoy a wonderful soup lunch with various specialty soups donated by local restaurants. Minimum donation: $5.

On Saturday, Nov. 6, "Every Dream Has a Price" will be hosting a fun family day at Dodgertown with activities for all from 11am til 6pm. For more information call Melissa Tripson at 770-9391.

This coming weekend, Nov. 6-7, will be "All Saints" weekend at Our Savior. We will be receiving new members into our congregation at all three services. This is also the time of the year when we remember those saints who have died since All Saints' Day last year and have gone on before us. Along with naming and ringing a bell for those, worshippers will have the opportunity to light a candle for any loved one who has died in this past year. All Saints Day began many years ago as a way of remembering those unnamed martyrs in the early church, but has become a time to remember all those who have gone on before us and to celebrate our being connected to them by the grace of God and by sharing the faith that they had during their life's journey.

Following each service pictures will be taken of our new members and any members or friends who have not yet had their pictures taken for our in house directory.

As this All Saints week unfolds, may you remember that you are numbered among God's saints. That is both a wonderful blessing and a great responsibility. May God give you the grace to accept both of those gratefully.

See you in church.

Pastor A.C. 'Jack' Diehl III