From the Pastor's Desk

Having come to the mountain top this past weekend (Transfiguration Sunday), we are about to enter our Lenten journey on Ash Wednesday, March 9, with services at 11am and 7pm. In these services we will be brought to Ezekiel's Valley of the Dry Bones, via a chancel drama. The imposition of ashes will also be offered at each service. Child care will be offered at the 7pm service.




There will be no meals offered on Ash Wednesday, but beginning the following Wednesday, March 16, there will be a light lunch served following the 11am Lenten service and a light supper at 6pm preceding the 7pm Lenten service throughout Lent. The setting for the evening service will once again be the much loved Holden Evening Prayer.



Along with these special worship opportunities during Lent, Our Savior has also been invited to be a part of a "Circle of Faith" Habitat Build during March and the first part of April. A number of churches in the community are combining efforts to build a Habitat House in 6 weeks! Work will happen every day (except Sunday) and volunteers are needed to help with the building as well as providing lunches and or snacks for about 20-25 of our volunteers . In particular, lunches are needed early in April (4th-7th and 10th-13th) when there will be some college Spring Breakers down to work. If you can volunteer in any way, call Don Poust at 567-0803 or Jessica Schmitt at Habitat at 562-9860,ext. 212 or email her at: jschmitt@irchabitat.org. The location of this house is 6565 5th Street, on the southwest end of Vero Beach.



And speaking of building, our 50th Anniversary Building Team (Allan Klotsche, Martin Preuss, George Dann, Lynn Silkworth, Mark Davia, Bill Halliday, Nancy Ogonoski, Norm Stevenson and John Banitt) has been working hard and is very encouraged about our expansion and renovation building plans. After many years of planning, visioning and brainstorming, Lynn Silkworth, who was a part of the building team when our present sanctuary was built 28 years ago, and who has been a part of the visioning process over the years, has developed a beautiful and functional design which will maintain the beauty and use of our existing sanctuary, while expanding the "gathering and sending" space, along with providing extra room for other activities, and addressing some basic maintenance issues which come with time. Already some special gifts have begun to come in designated for this project. Within the next couple of weeks a special mailing will go out to members and friends of Our Savior giving a number of ways people can be a part of this project. The overall cost of this 50th Anniversary Building Plan will be in the neighborhood of $700,000, so it will take everyone's participation, be it large or small, to bring it to fruition. Please keep this in your prayers and consider how you might be able to be a part of it.



This is really an amazing journey we are on together. And the world has a great need for places where faith is nurtured and passed along. That is what Our Savior has been about for the past 50 years, and this latest undertaking will be a great step in helping us continue being a "Vibrant Faith" congregation, where AAA (Authentic, Affirming and Available) Christians are grown and nurtured. It's wonderful to be a part of this with you all. God's work; our hands.



Gratefully, Pastor A.C. 'Jack' Diehl III + www.oursaviorelca.com



And for more information about having and growing a Vibrant Faith for you or your family, you might want to check out: www.faithformationlearningexchange.net. This site is for pastors and church workers, but also has some great information for parents and families as well.