We're back to our regular schedule with worship at 6pm Saturday and 8:30 and 11am Sunday with Sunday School at 9:45. And you could tell, by the buzz of activity and kids everywhere! In fact, it looks like we might be moving the one adult class from room 4 into one end of the Fellowship Hall, since both that adult class and the next door kid's class were both so crowded. Just watch for signs and announcements next week. In any case, it was a great start to the Sunday School year.
In worship this past weekend we heard about "Insiders" and "Outsiders", and how the world likes to make those distinctions. But we also saw how God's mercy is big enough to break down those kind of barriers and make insiders out of outsiders....insiders of God's New Day, the Kingdom of God unfolding around and among us. In addition to that, our reading from James was about not showing favoritism or making distinctions among ourselves. In that light, the staff and church council are working on a "Welcome statement” to be used in our church brochures, which are placed in local Motels and on our website. This "Welcome statement” is what I shared at the conclusion of yesterday's sermon. We received many favorable comments about it and requests to see it in writing. And we do invite your thoughts and input...be it grammatical or content wise. After all, if this is put in our brochures and on our website, it will be something that comes from YOU, the people of Our Savior, for it begins, "WE welcome you....". So, here it is:
We welcome you to Our Savior Lutheran Church. We extend a special welcome to those who are single, married, divorced, gay, filthy rich, dirt poor, black, brown or white. We extend a special welcome to those who are crying newborns, squirming children, and frazzled moms and dads. We welcome you if you can sing like Andrea Bocelli or like some of us, who can't carry a note in a bucket. You're welcome here if you're "just browsing", just woke up or just got out of jail. We don't care if you're more Lutheran than Martin Luther, or haven't been in church since little Joey's Baptism. We extend a special welcome to those who are over 60 but not grown up yet, and to teenagers who are growing up too fast. We welcome starving artists, tree-huggers, latte-sippers, vegetarians and junk-food eaters. We welcome those who are in recovery or still addicted. We welcome you if you're having problems or you're down in the the dumps or if you don't like "organized religion", we've been there too. We offer a special welcome to those who are left-wing, right-wing, or middle of the road. If you are only here because you are visiting grandma and she wanted you to go to church with her, we welcome you. We welcome those who are inked, pierced or both. We welcome those in flip flops or three piece suits. We offer a special welcome to those who could use a prayer right now. We welcome vacationers, snow-birds, year-rounders, seekers, doubters....and you! We welcome you to Our Savior Lutheran Church, because we are a place of saints and sinners of all kinds who are here by the grace of God.
And speaking of being a place of saints and sinners of all kinds, we're calling all musical saints and sinners to gather this Wednesday evening. Handbell practice begins at 5:30pm and choir practice at 7pm. At both gatherings there will be conversation as to the best meeting times, so come with your thoughts and your musical gift, however big or small it may be. Or, if you have a musical gift that might not fit into a handbell or other choir, give Ryan, our minister of music a call, and see how your gift might be shared. He has a wonderful way of putting all of our musical gifts to use!
On Thursday at 6:30pm our Health Ministry Team will be meeting. If you have any medical background, or would be interested in what that team is about and what they do, please join them. They are always open to new members and ideas.
And speaking of open to ideas, the new adult Sunday School class on Ethics wanted me to ask the question, “How do you live ethically every day?” They would love to have you join them (in the Quiet Room off of the narthex during the Sunday School hour, beginning at 9:45am) or reply to this email and we’ll pass your reply along to the class. Thanks.
For more information about life at Our Savior, please visit our website at www.oursaviorelca.com (and watch for a new website that is presently in the works....coming within the next several weeks.)
Have a blessed week, and be a blessing to someone! Pastor A.C. 'Jack' Diehl III +
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