First, it's good to be home! I enjoyed reading Pastor Shelly’s OSE-news updates on the tile project and worshiping in the Fellowship Hall while I was on vacation. Now that I’m back, she’s passed the baton back to me and is off on a much earned vacation. The Sunday morning before we left on vacation I was amazed at how quickly and well everyone worked together to move out of the sanctuary and into the Fellowship Hall in preparation for installing new tile throughout the sanctuary. When I came back last week, it was in and the job is almost complete. And what a beautiful addition it is! As Pastor Shelly mentioned at the beginning of her sermon yesterday, many thanks to all who worked so hard to make it come together and to those who continue to work to bring this all to completion.
As it worked out, our first weekend back in the sanctuary marked the beginning of a 5 week series of what we call "Bread Sundays". Every 3 years in our lectionary, we come to this time of the summer with 5 "Bread Sundays" in a row as we walk through the 6th Chapter of John (beginning with the Feeding of the 5,000) and hear other readings about the manna in the wilderness and other related stories of God feeding his people. For these weeks our liturgy and hymns will reflect this theme. Our thanks to Ryan Hostler, our music minister, for writing some of the beautiful music and liturgy which we used and will be using during these weekends. (By the way, Ryan was featured in the most recent "Seeds for the Parish" ELCA newsletter which goes to all leaders, clergy and lay alike, throughout the ELCA. We're really blessed to have him with us, as any of you who have worshiped with us recently can attest to!)
As this week now unfolds and we look ahead a bit beyond this week, here are a few things coming up. This Wednesday (August 1) during the regular Youth Group meeting time, beginning at 6:30 pm, there will be a "Thank You/Farewell" party for Jimmy Smith, our Youth Director. He has resigned as our Youth Director to go to help another church which presently has no Youth Ministry but would like to build one. We thank Jimmy (and Rhonda) for their 10 years of service in Youth Ministry here at Our Savior and wish him well in this new chapter in his life.
This also means a new chapter in the life of our Youth Ministry here at Our Savior. So, in the middle of grieving a loss and dealing with the anxiety of change, at the same time already some good ideas are surfacing. Next Wednesday (August 8) all Youth, from middle school through High School (and former Youth Group members who are now off to college) are invited, along with any parents, to come and share what's been best about Our Savior’s Youth Ministry, what they'd like to see continue, and what they'd like to see added or tweaked in the future. All of the input from those conversations will be passed along to the new "Youth Ministry Search Team" as we prayerfully consider what this next chapter will be. All input re: Youth Ministry ideas will be welcomed. Feel free to pass along any thoughts or ideas or experiences you’ve have in Youth Ministry to John Banitt, our congregational president or any of the staff or council members. Thanks!
Looking ahead to next Tuesday, August 7, Our Savior Lutheran Church and Temple Beth Shalom are getting together at 6pm for an exciting drumming experience, which will be filled with fun, fellowship and “being in rhythm together”. Under the leadership of Janine Jones, the music teacher at Osceola School, members of both congregations, regardless of musical experience, will connect African drumming with the music of our rich, religious traditions. Sounds like fun! I plan on being there and hope you can join us.
Looking a little farther ahead (and I know this is a welcome thing for some and not so welcome for others) school will be starting the 3rd week in August. So, on the weekend of August 18-19 we will have our annual blessing of the backpacks and blessing of the teachers’ lesson plans! Keep that weekend in mind, as a way of getting the school year off to the right start. Our Social Ministry Team will also be gathering an offering that weekend to purchase backpacks for students in Suriname. Watch for more details to come on both of these things.
As the week unfolds for you, and you take on each new day and each new challenge, may you be filled and nourished by the Bread of Life, Jesus Himself. If I don’t see you before, I’ll see you in church, where we once again can gather around His Table together.
Peace and Joy, Pastor Jack Diehl + www.oursaviorelca.com
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