"Where in the world...?"

Our “Where in the World?” email this week brings you more community events where members of Our Savior are involved “in the world” sharing their gifts.  In each of the following events listed there is at least one member of Our Savior participating or on the board or volunteering in some way, truly living out being a reflection of the Light of Christ into the world.  Many of these events are posted on our bulletin board outside under the walkway. 

Tonight, Thursday March 29, Atlantic Classical Orchestra, 8pm at the Waxlax Center, St. Edward’s School.

This Saturday, March 31, visit some of Vero’s finest private gardens, (including Ingrid’s and Dawn and Ted’s gardens!):  10am -4pm.  Go to: www.opendaysprogram.org.

Friday April 6, 5-8pm: Opening Reception, Darby Fine Art, 1902 14^th Ave, featuring Marcy Von Kohorn ‘Traditional Chinese Brushwork”.  Artist Talk and Demonstration Saturday, April 7, 11am-2pm.   www.darbyfineart.com

Saturday April 7, Gustavus Wind Ensemble, 7pm, Community Church.  www.gustavus.edu.

Wednesday April 11, noon, Homeless Family Center Spring Luncheon at Bent Pine Golf Club.  www.homelessfamilycenter.com

Monday May 14, Big Brother Big Sister Golf Tournament at Hawk’s Nest.  www.bbbsbigs.org.

Saturday May 12, 7am, 6^th Annual Rotary 10k Run.  For more info email Rotary10K@aol.com or see www.verobeachsunrise.Rotary-clubs.org.

And finally:

 

For Immediate Release

March 27, 2012

 

The Vero Beach High School Music Department presents “Big Composers, Little Pieces” Chamber Concert on Thursday, April 12, 2012 at 7 pm in the Vero Beach High School Performing Arts Center, 1707 16^th Street.

Some musical selections performed will include Holst’s Suite No. 1 in E flat, Gounod’s Petite Symphony, and the Impresario Overture by Mozart.

The concert will also feature traditional military marches by Beethoven and contemporary Japanese Impressions for Percussion.

According to Music Education Advocacy Resources early musical training helps develop brain areas involved in language and reasoning as well as enhancing teamwork skills and discipline. Also, recent studies show that students who study the arts are more successful on standardized tests.

This concert involves nearly 100 student musicians and proceeds go to benefit Indian River County music education programs.

Tickets are $12 for the lower level and $10 for the upper level.  All Seating is reserved.  Please call the Box Office at 772-564-5537.

###

Crystal Corrigan, Auditorium Director

Office        772-564-5497    

Fax             772-564-5546    

To Order Tickets, please call the Box Office at 772-564-5537    

Vero Beach High School  Performing Arts Center

1707 16th Street          

Vero Beach, FL 32960

crystal.corrigan@indianriverschools.org

www.indianriverschools.org/VBHS

How is your light shining out in the world?   J         See you in church!       www.oursaviorelca.com

Last week of Lent: 3/26/12

 

As we enter this last full week of Lent, we come to our last mid week Lenten Services on Wednesday with worship at 11am and 7pm, soup and salad lunch following and soup and salad supper preceding at 6pm.    Also, this Wednesday at 5:30 the “12 disciples” will be gathering to prepare for this year’s Maundy Thursday service, and following worship the Outreach Team will be meeting at 7:45pm.    So, a full Wednesday ahead of us.

 

This coming weekend is Palm Sunday.   All children at worship will be asked to join in the procession with palms at the beginning of worship as we remember Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem and begin Holy Week.    Also, at the Saturday service and the 8:30 Sunday service, a number of our young people will be celebrating their First Communion.  So, this will be a special day in many ways.

 

Looking ahead, our Holy Week worship schedule is as follows:    Maundy Thursday 7pm,  Good Friday 7pm,  there will be no worship service on Holy Saturday, April 7, but at 10am there will be an Easter Egg Hunt for our children and their families.  Always lots of fun and activities for the kids.  And beginning about 9am the Lutheran Men in Mission and members of the Youth Group will be gathering to set up for our Easter Pancake Breakfast and for the Easter Sunrise Service.  If you can join us for this, please come on by.  Many hands make light work!

 

Then on Easter Sunday our Sunrise Service is at 7am in the Memorial Garden followed by Easter services in the church at 8:30 and 11am.   Our Easter Pancake Breakfast runs from 8am til about 10:30am.    A free will offering is received which helps send our kids to camp.  

 

Right after Easter we will be offering 3 gatherings for people who are interested in becoming members of Our Savior or just to learn more about Our Savior.  These gatherings will be on Wednesday April 11 at 6:30, Sunday April 15 at 9:45 during the Sunday School hour and Wednesday April 18 at 6:30pm. 

 

Also, right after Easter the Women of the ELCA will have their annual luncheon at the Half Hour Inn at Vero Beach High School at 11:30 on Thursday April 12.

 

Finally, last Saturday our worshippers received the gift of fresh home grown eggs from Jean Borchers.  If you enjoyed the eggs, you can call Jean at 567-4644 and she can bring more in at a reasonable price.   Also, if you have egg cartons, please bring them to the church and she can put them to use. 

 

For more information about the life and ministry of Our Savior, see our web site at:  www.oursaviorelca.com.      

 

To quote Lana Heinze, as she so often greets me after worship,   “Have a blessed week!”   J      Pastor Jack Diehl +    

 

 

Where in the world...?

 

Dear People of Our Savior,   This is the continuation of a new feature to Our Savior’s emails which we’ll call:  “Where in the world are our members?”  No, this isn’t about people we haven’t seen for a while…in fact this is about the people whom we see all the time and who worship with us regularly, but who are also out there, “in the world”, sharing their gifts and doing good things.  That, after all is what one of our readings from last week said, “For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.” (Ephesians 2:10)  

 

So, here goes….a few more places where our folks are out there in the world!  (For these and other events please see the outside bulletin board under the walkway at church, over the water fountain.)

 

In addition to the SADD/DARE pasta dinner from 11am til about 1pm in the Fellowship Hall this Sunday, March 25,  there will be a “Snow-ball” truck outside (really good sno-cones).  

 

Later on Sunday, the Vero Beach High School Band will be performing their ever popular Red, White and Blue Concert at 2pm, 7pm and again on Monday at 7pm at he Performing Arts Center at Vero Beach High School.

 

On Saturday, March 31, McKee Gardens hosts a “Visit some of Vero’s finest gardens” event.  Go to:  www.opendaysprogram.org for more info.

 

Saturday, April 7 the Gustavus Wind Orchestra will be performing at the Community Church at 7pm.  If you are a Gustavus alum, please reply to this email and let us know.   Some other grads would like to know how many of you are here! 

 

Looking ahead to Monday May 14, there will be a Golf Tournament at Hawk’s Nest to support Big Brothers Big Sisters.   Go to:  www.BBBSbigs.org for more info.

 

Finally, the attached poster is for a Sunday evening hand bell concert in Sebastian. 

 

As mentioned above, these events are all reflective of “where in the world” the people of Our Savior are sharing their gifts and doing good work!   If you are out there “in the world” doing something you’d like shared here, let us know.   And as you are able, your support of these events is most appreciated!

 

See you in church!   Pastor Jack Diehl +

 

 

O.S.E-news: 3/19/12

 

This time of the year certainly brings a lot of folks together here at Our Savior.  “Spring Breakers”, family and friends visiting from all over, and our regular seasonal members from not just “up north” but from all around the world.  We have kids and grandkids visiting their “snowbird” parents and grandparents from MN and other parts north, some of our own college students come home for Spring Break, visiting pastors both retired and on a little R&R, and this past weekend we had 6 “ex-cons” (as they refer to themselves) worship with us.  These are 6 women who all went to the convent together about 50 years ago, who now live all around the country and who gathered here in Vero for a reunion.  What a fun bunch that was!   

One of the blessings of being here at Our Savior in Vero Beach is being reminded of the span and scope of the Body of Christ: young and old, rich and poor, black and white, and with such a wonderful variety of experiences and backgrounds!   What a privilege to journey together through Lent with all of these folks. 

As a part of our Lenten journey together, there are only 2 more Wednesdays where we have our 11am service followed by our soup and salad lunch and our 7pm Holden Evening Prayer service, preceded by our soup and salad supper.  If you haven’t experienced one of these services and the “Sand Art” message, it’s not too late to join us. 

For other events around Our Savior, and our Holy Week and Easter schedule please visit our website at:  www.oursaviorelca.com .

Also at this time of the year, along with the many and various ministries of our congregation, there are many events in the community in which our members are involved and where they live out what our second reading reminded us of yesterday:

 “For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.”     So, here are some of those events:

“The Titanic” at the Theater Guild, running through April 1. 

“SADD/DARE” Pasta Dinner at Our Savior this Sunday, March 25^th, from 11am til around 1:30pm.

“The Atlantic Ringers” Handbell Concert, 7pm at the Sebastian Methodist Church on Main Street in Sebastian.

If you are involved in a community event and would like to share that with the folks at Our Savior, please let us know and we’ll pass the information along. 

 

And finally, a “Concert for World Peace”.

 

See you around the community, and see you in church!     Pastor Jack Diehl +

 

O.S,.E-news: 3/12/12

 

We are about ½ way through the season of Lent,  we’ve “sprung ahead” on our clocks, and it’s beginning to look and feel like Spring!  Ahhh…Spring, the “lengthening of the days” (which is where the term “Lent” comes from.)   As the new lush greenery sprouts up, and the Bougainvilleas and Azaleas and other flowering plants bloom, may these be reminders of the New Life that God offers us in this season of Lent and upcoming season of Easter. 

 

And what is this “New Life”?   Yesterday we began a 3 week “First Communion” course for our youngsters not yet communing.  What we talked about during this first session was mostly Baptism, and how Baptism is like: 

1) Taking a bath: we come out clean, washed from our sins, fresh start.  (New Life!)   

2)  Planting a seed:  how this new seed sprouts up and grows into a fruit bearing plant, the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, etc. (New Life!)

3) Drowning:  as the Old Adam or Old Eve, our fallen nature, is daily drowned and God’s new person is raised up.  (New Life!)

4) Being born:  in our second birth, when we are “born from above” or “born anew”, we have “New Life” and a new destiny, not as a child of the darkness but as a child of the Light and of the Day.

 

During these last weeks of Lent, and as we approach Easter, may we take advantage of the special worship opportunities and other activities around Our Savior, and in our own personal reading or devotions, to nurture the “New Life” that God would breathe into each of us in this season, this “New Life” which we are reminded of in creation all around us at this time of the year. 

 

Our Wednesday Lenten services continue:  11am worship followed by soup and salad lunch, 7pm “Holden Evening Prayer” preceded by soup and salad supper at 6pm.  Following worship men and women are invited to choir practice to prepare for Holy Week and Easter services.  (If you’d like to volunteer to help serve those meals…the food is all prepared and ready…you don’t have to cook…call the church office, or come early and check with whoever is in the kitchen).

 

The Lutheran Men in Mission will also meet following worship, about 7:45 Wednesday evening,  to plan this year’s Easter Breakfast.

 

On Thursday the WELCA ladies will have a “Brown Bag Lunch” meeting at 11:30. 

 

If anyone would like to give this year’s Paschal Candle in honor or in memory of someone (the candle that is lit at the beginning of the Easter service, with the announcement “Christ is Risen!”, and which is lit throughout the Easter season and for all Baptisms and Funerals) the cost is $110.  

 

For other information about life at Our Savior, please visit our website at:   www.oursaviorelca.com.   

 

Have a blessed week!     Pastor Jack Diehl +

O.S.E-news: 3/5/12

 

How great it was to have the Rev. Dr. Shauna Hannan with us this past weekend from our Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia S.C., for our annual “Seminary Weekend”!   Her message (we are not the only proclaimers of God’s glory…we join God’s creation in making that proclamation), her leading our adult Sunday School class (“The Role of the Hearer in the Preaching Event”), and simply her presence with us, graced us in many ways.   This new “seminary weekend” tradition is already proving to be a most valuable part of who we are and what we do here at Our Savior.

 

Now, speaking who we are and what we do:

 

Our Wednesday Lenten services continue with worship at 11am and 7pm (Holden Evening Prayer).  (Childcare in our nursery is available during the evening services!)  At both services the message is via “Sand Art”.  A soup and salad lunch follows the early service and precedes the late service.  If you’re able to volunteer to help with either meal, just show up (no cooking involved…just help set up or serve or clean up) or call the church office (772-567-2253) to let us know when you can help.

 

Beginning next Monday, March 12 and on the following 2 Mondays, the 19^th and 26^th, from 1pm-2:30pm, “How to Write Your Life”!  Dallas Freeman, retired English professor, in these 3 sessions will focus on the “How To’s” of writing your life’s story:  1) How to trigger the mind to recall meaningful events.  2) How to reduce the list of events to a manageable focus (such as steps in one’s spiritual journey).  3) How to write interestingly as well as factually.  As a part of this series, Mr. Freeman will share many examples from his work titled, “Mirth & Misery, A Memoir of a Midwestern Maverick”.  Call or email the church office to sign up.  There is no charge, but knowing how many will attend would be helpful.  Does this sound like fun or what!?

 

Here’s a little post script and some highlights of the recent adult Sunday School class “Duty and Delight”, a video series by Rev. Dr. Mark Allan Powell, of Trinity Seminary, Columbus OH.    

A 10-10-80 model was referenced as a practical and helpful way of looking at money (10% give, 10% save, 80% use as needed.) 

It’s important to encourage the natural generosity of young children. 

Money is such an important and sometimes frightening part of an individual’s life, the church cannot/should not ignore it.

Joy or delight may be enhanced for individuals if they can picture where or to whom the money is going.

Joyful, sacrificial giving was the favorite video topic for some. 

These are just a few of the great things which were shared and learned in this class. (This video series is available for anyone interested in viewing it.)

 

Coming up next will be a study on Bonhoeffer for the 4 Sundays leading up to Easter. 

 

And finally, if you are a Thrivent member (fraternal insurance and investment company for Lutherans), please check out how you can designate “Thrivent Choice Dollars” to Our Savior or any other organization within the greater church, by going to www.thrivent.com and look for “Thrivent Choice Dollars”. 

 

As your journey through Lent continues, may this be a time of growing in faith and having your spirit nurtured.  And how does that happen?   Giving up chocolate or some other goodies alone won’t do it.   Hearing God’s Life giving Word and gathering with God’s people around Word and Sacrament is how God really can nurture your faith and help you grow into the kind of person God truly made you to be.    See you in church!      Pastor Jack Diehl +    www.oursaviorelca.com

  

 

 

 

 

O.S.E-news: 3/5/12

 

How great it was to have the Rev. Dr. Shauna Hannan with us this past weekend from our Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia S.C., for our annual “Seminary Weekend”!   Her message (we are not the only proclaimers of God’s glory…we join God’s creation in making that proclamation), her leading our adult Sunday School class (“The Role of the Hearer in the Preaching Event”), and simply her presence with us, graced us in many ways.   This new “seminary weekend” tradition is already proving to be a most valuable part of who we are and what we do here at Our Savior.

 

Now, speaking who we are and what we do:

 

Our Wednesday Lenten services continue with worship at 11am and 7pm (Holden Evening Prayer).  (Childcare in our nursery is available during the evening services!)  At both services the message is via “Sand Art”.  A soup and salad lunch follows the early service and precedes the late service.  If you’re able to volunteer to help with either meal, just show up (no cooking involved…just help set up or serve or clean up) or call the church office (772-567-2253) to let us know when you can help.

 

Beginning next Monday, March 12 and on the following 2 Mondays, the 19^th and 26^th, from 1pm-2:30pm, “How to Write Your Life”!  Dallas Freeman, retired English professor, in these 3 sessions will focus on the “How To’s” of writing your life’s story:  1) How to trigger the mind to recall meaningful events.  2) How to reduce the list of events to a manageable focus (such as steps in one’s spiritual journey).  3) How to write interestingly as well as factually.  As a part of this series, Mr. Freeman will share many examples from his work titled, “Mirth & Misery, A Memoir of a Midwestern Maverick”.  Call or email the church office to sign up.  There is no charge, but knowing how many will attend would be helpful.  Does this sound like fun or what!?

 

Here’s a little post script and some highlights of the recent adult Sunday School class “Duty and Delight”, a video series by Rev. Dr. Mark Allan Powell, of Trinity Seminary, Columbus OH.    

A 10-10-80 model was referenced as a practical and helpful way of looking at money (10% give, 10% save, 80% use as needed.) 

It’s important to encourage the natural generosity of young children. 

Money is such an important and sometimes frightening part of an individual’s life, the church cannot/should not ignore it.

Joy or delight may be enhanced for individuals if they can picture where or to whom the money is going.

Joyful, sacrificial giving was the favorite video topic for some. 

These are just a few of the great things which were shared and learned in this class. (This video series is available for anyone interested in viewing it.)

 

Coming up next will be a study on Bonhoeffer for the 4 Sundays leading up to Easter. 

 

And finally, if you are a Thrivent member (fraternal insurance and investment company for Lutherans), please check out how you can designate “Thrivent Choice Dollars” to Our Savior or any other organization within the greater church, by going to www.thrivent.com and look for “Thrivent Choice Dollars”. 

 

As your journey through Lent continues, may this be a time of growing in faith and having your spirit nurtured.  And how does that happen?   Giving up chocolate or some other goodies alone won’t do it.   Hearing God’s Life giving Word and gathering with God’s people around Word and Sacrament is how God really can nurture your faith and help you grow into the kind of person God truly made you to be.    See you in church!      Pastor Jack Diehl +    www.oursaviorelca.com

  

 

 

 

 

Your Life's Story!

Last month when Karen Diehl’s Dad passed away (Harry Olmstead), it was so good to find the Bible he carried with him through WW II (with a note inside from Virginia, his then new bride) and the journal that he wrote while at sea.  (Amazing stories! He served on a destroyer.)   Those things offered some wonderful insights into his life, and were so meaningful for us to hear and share.    

 

On 3 successive Mondays:  March 12, 19 and 26, there will be a workshop here at Our Savior to help you tell your life’s story!   Dallas Freeman who will lead the workshops,  was born and raised in DeSmet, South Dakota, home of “Little House on the Prairie.  He retired after a 40 year career as a high school and college instructor of English, Theater and Speech, has conducted numerous workshops on “How to Write Your Life”, to people of all ages, particularly retirees. 

 

The 3 sessions will focus on 3 “How To’s”:  1) How to trigger the mind to recall meaningful events.  2) How to reduce the list of events to a manageable focus (such as steps in one’s spiritual journey).  3) How to write interestingly as well as factually. 

 

Dallas is a delightful man who has been a part of our Men’s Breakfast group for several years, and who says this is a “no threat” workshop that is a rewarding and fun experience.  I’m sure anyone who attends will agree.   Just being around Dallas is delightful experience. 

 

There is no charge.  We thank Dallas very much for this wonderful gift to our congregation. 

 

If you plan on coming it would be helpful if you call or email the church so we can plan on how many will be there.

 

Thanks.