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OSE NEWS November 26th  2012             If you opened this email last week, you noticed a new look and a new format!  We have just started a new and better way of sending emails to the congregation and other groups within the congregation. Well, "we" is really our minister of music, Ryan Hostler.  Not only is he a wonderfully gifted minister of music, but being in his early 30s he brings a wealth of high tech savvy to us as well.  This new format is but one of those things, along with being able to hear the Sunday sermons on-line via our web site and more.   This is all just amazing to me.  If any time you wish to unsubcribe you can do this yourself at the bottom of the e-mails, and you can subscribe on your own or for others on our website.     As this week unfolds, our Wednesday suppers resume at 6pm.  Hot dogs and hamburgers are on the menu.  Always a good time to be together for some good food and conversation.     On Sunday, December 2, it's Advent Wreath making time!  At 3pm in the Fellowship Hall everyone gathers around the wonderful pine smell of the fresh greenery from which some of the most beautiful Advent wreaths are made.  There is limited space, and the cost is $15 per wreath to cover cost of materials.  Call the office (772-567-2253) for a reservation and to see if there's still room for you.   Sunday evening at 7pm, we are tentatively planning on meeting with members of the Coptic Church (a part of the Easter Orthodox Church in Egypt).  This group of Christians meet in our Fellowship Hall every Sunday evening, and will to down with us this coming Sunday to share some of their story and what is happening in Egypt today.   All are welcome.  This should be a really interesting time together.       Finally, now that another church year has come to a close (yesterday being the last Sunday of the church year, Christ the King Sunday), we are about to enter Advent, a season of hope, promise and anticipation.  The following is a schedule of worship and special events for this time of the year.   Along with our regular worship schedule of Advent services on Saturday 6pm and Sunday, 8:30 and 11am, on Sunday December 9 at 7pm we will have "A Service of Lessons and Carols".  In this Advent season of hope and expectation, the whole world awaits the coming of the Savior.  In this service we hear the words of the prophets.  We sing of God's promises.  We place our hope in God.  The carols in this service will draw from a variety of countries, cultures and traditions.  This special event is open to the community.  So plan on coming and bring a friend!   During worship the weekend of December 15-16, within all 3 services, our Sunday School Children will tell the Christmas Story. The 11am service will have the largest group of Sunday School children involved, but on Saturday night it will be high school kids and at the 8:30 service it will be Sunday School children from the 11am service.  There will also be a real live "baby Jesus" at each service, if our babies are well and able at the time.  J     The weekend of December 22-23, Advent 4,worship will be at the regular times, Saturday 6pm and Sunday 8:30 and 11am.  During those services we think of Mary's role in this miracle of the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us.   On Christmas Eve, Monday December 24: Candlelight Communion Services at 6pm and 9pm.  Christmas Day worship at 11am followed by Home Alone Christmas Dinner at noon.     In light of yesterday's message about us being called to be a part of God's unfolding Kingdom, with Christ as our King, here and now, not just "out there" in the future somewhere, may your eyes and hearts be open to seeing God's kingdom showing itself in small and large ways in your life and in the world around you:  in an unexpected act of kindness or generosity; in knowing God's peace in the middle of a struggle or difficult time; in some unconditional love given or received; in the wonder of God's promise to come and become one of us to bring us his Light and Love.  We are entering a very special season when God has some important, Life giving things to say and do both to us and through us.  Are you ready?  Are you able to be a part of that?  See you in church!    Pastor Jack Diehl +           Our Savior Lutheran Church 772-567-2253 1850 Sixth Ave. Vero Beach, Florida 32960 www.OurSaviorELCA.com

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OSE NEWS - Thanksgiving Week November 19th  2012               What a special time of year this is!   This past weekend not only did we have another great Health Fair and Bazaar at Our Savior on Saturday, but also a number of special musical offerings during worship (something different at each service!)  Many thanks to so many who made all of those things happen.   And in general it was just a beautiful weekend in Vero Beach with other great things happening in our community, in which many of our folks were involved (Rotary Nautical Flea Market, Festival of Trees, Boat Show, concerts and more).  It's so good to see so many of our people out and about, "letting their Light shine" in our community.    Speaking of being involved, here goes:  This Wednesday afternoon at 2pm there will be a gathering of volunteers preparing for our annual Thanksgiving Dinner.   This will include setting tables, decorating, peeling potatoes, carving turkey and whatever else is needed to get ready.   Then on Thanksgiving Day there is a Thanksgiving Service at 11am in the sanctuary followed by our annual Home Alone Thanksgiving Dinner at noon in the Fellowship Hall.   Volunteers to clean up are especially welcome.     Because of Thanksgiving there will be no regular Wednesday supper this week (it will resume next Wednesday) and no "God Pause" this Wednesday.   The Wednesday morning Bible study at 10am will happen though.    This coming weekend is the last weekend of the church year on which we celebrate "Christ the King".  (By the way, since it's Thanksgiving weekend, there will be no Sunday School this weekend.  It will resume again next Sunday.)  Already I'm thinking, as we are being bombarded with 'Black Friday' (and now even, sadly, 'Black Thursday') advertisements, how fitting it will be this coming weekend in worship to think about who, or what, rules in our lives?  Do we all bow at the altar of consumerism, as seems our culture would have us do, and as it tries to get us into some holiday buying frenzy to try to make us feel better about ourselves or others?  Or, do we, as Pastor Shelly spoke of in her sermon this past weekend, recognize God, both in His vastness and nearness, which is both humbling and reassuring, as the one who comes to us in a way the gives Life and Hope and Peace, unlike the many false gods which are always after us...perhaps especially at this time of the year?    Some things to think about!   Looking ahead to next Monday, November 26, the Men's Breakfast is moving to C.J. Cannons Restaurant at the Vero Beach Airport!   Please note, this is a new place, but same time (2nd and 4th Mondays).  We gather at 8am and are on our way by 9am.  All men are welcome and invited to join us for some good food, conversation and a great way to start the week.     Then on Sunday December 2, the first Sunday in Advent, our annual Advent Wreath Making workshop happens at 3pm in the Fellowship Hall.  There is limited space, so reply to this email or call the church office to reserve a place.  Cost is $15 per wreath for materials.    Along those lines, if you'd like to give a poinsettia for Christmas in honor or memory of someone, the cost is $20.   This covers the cost of the poinsettia plus contributes to the Our Savior Scholarship Fund.  You can reply to this email with information for the poinsettia then send your check in or put it in the offering plate next time you're in church.    Oh yes, this is that time of the year!   Lots going on, and lots of opportunities for being connected and being involved.  At the end of this email, there is yet one more opportunity for volunteering in a meaningful, helpful way in our community.   I am forwarding this information from our own Adam Bolinger, who is on the board for the Homeless Family Center here in Vero Beach.  There are a number of ways volunteers can help make a positive difference in people's lives through the ways listed below.   But before that, as this Thanksgiving week unfolds, may it be a safe and happy week, and may your hearts be filled with gratitude for all the blessings we receive from God's gracious hands.     Happy Thanksgiving!       Pr. Jack Diehl +      For More Information visit www.OurSaviorELCA.com    _______________________________________________________________     Now, here is some information on how to help at the Homeless Family Center Thrift Shop "Second Chance"!   Or if you'd like to volunteer in other ways than the Thrift Shop, you can get information about that at 772-567-2766.   Thanks!      WHAT IS A SECOND CHANCE?  A Second Chance Thrift Store and Training Center is a solution created by the Homeless Family Center to help deal with the issues of unemployment and underemployment among the residents of HFC. It is a thrift store and a training center. The Grand Opening is November 10th.  It will be located at 490 Old Dixie Highway, Vero Beach.    WHY A THRIFT STORE AND WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT?  A Second Chance Thrift Store and Training Center will offer the residents of HFC the Retail Apprenticeship Training Program.  WHAT IS THE RETAIL APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING PROGRAM?  The Retail Apprenticeship Training Program is built on a thrift store platform. It was developed in collaboration with IRSC. The Program will teach important values, social and interpersonal skills, self-worth and provide guidance to economic self-sufficiency as well as important hands on experiences.  HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL THIS PROGRAM HELP?  The goal is that 70 homeless teens and adults will be trained at A Second Chance every year. With better training, they will become more employable. Being more employable means they can get jobs sooner, save more money faster and successfully exit the HFC program sooner resulting in more openings for the 55 qualified families currently on the waiting list to enter HFC  HOW CAN I HELP?  There are three very important ways that you can help:   You can donate gently used merchandise to A Second Chance Thrift Store   You can shop at A Second Chance Thrift Store   You can volunteer at A Second Chance Thrift Store  MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE!   You can find more information at www.homelessfamilycenter.com  Facebook at A Second Chance Thrift Store and Training Center   Call and talk to Aggie Sydnor, Store Manager at 772-492-9333

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OSE-news: Nov. 12, Veterans' Day

 

Another wonderful weekend at Our Savior as we remembered our Veterans, sang "Mine Eye's Have Seen the Glory", and along with that had our annual "Commitment Weekend".  We are so blessed and we thank everyone who made a commitment for giving for 2013.   Your generosity and faithfulness is heart warming.  Along with the commitments of our year round members, many thanks also to our seasonal residents who support the work and ministry of Our Savior.  It all makes a great difference and makes it possible for us to reach out into our community, into the world, and provide the kind of programs and ministry that make Our Savior such a great congregation.  

 

Along with your regular offerings, I also want to hold up another way of giving that we don't often think about. An example of this is something we received in the mail this Fall.  Some of you may remember Frank and Lillian Woidka.  These folks were a part of our congregation for years, coming down during the season from the Saginaw Michigan area.  Frank died a few years ago, and this past summer Lillian also died.  Following her passing Our Savior received a very nice bequest from their estate.  How kind and how thoughtful of them!  This was something we didn't know about or expect.  What a kind, generous way to continue to share what God has given, even after you're gone.  Have you considered remembering the church in your will?  

 

Our financial offerings aren't the only ways we get to give and live out our calling to be God's people in the world today.  One of the really unique and fun ways of giving happens on Tuesday mornings at Our Savior.  Beginning around 9am with coffee, the Gardening Angels meet to do some of the light (and not always light) work of keeping our grounds trimmed and tended to.  If you live in a condo or have someone do your yard work, and you'd like to do a little puttering around outside, or would like to just join in on all the good conversation that goes on in the 9am coffee break, this could be for you!  C'mon by and check the group out any Tuesday.  

 

This Tuesday evening at 5pm there will be a special gathering of the Ovarian Cancer Support Group in the Fellowship Hall.  A gynecological oncologist Dr. will be the guest speaker.   Everyone is welcome.  

 

Our Wednesday Supper happens again this week beginning at 6pm. (Not sure of the menu.  You can call the office though if you really want to know, 567-2253.) There will be no Wednesday supper next week, since it will be the night before Thanksgiving!   On that Wednesday (Nov. 21)  at 2pm Thanksgiving dinner helpers (potato peelers, set up crew, turkey carvers, etc.) will meet to get ready for our annual "Home Alone Thanksgiving Dinner", at noon on Thanksgiving Day following an 11am Thanksgiving service in the church.  You can call in for a reservation (567-2253).  There is no charge for this meal.  It's our gift to the community.  If you'd like to help, come by that Wednesday before or call the church office to volunteer to help on Thanksgiving Day.

 

This coming Saturday, November 17 will be our annual Health Fair and Bazaar.  The Holiday Bazaar, with all kinds of gifts, baked goods, lunch, etc. runs from 8:30am til 1:30pm.  The Health Fair, with flu and pneumonia shots, blood pressure checks, the "Bloodmobile", representatives from the Ovarian Cancer support group, the American Cancer Society, the Senior Resource Center, the Alzheimer's/Parkinson's support group, Sunshine Physical Therapy Center and more will be there from 9-11am.  In addition to these things, the Youth Group will be offering face painting and "tatoos"!   So, bring the little ones!    Baked Goods for the Bake sale can be brought by the church anytime on Friday between 9am and 3pm, or even early on Saturday morning.   Hope you can make it!

 

As you can tell, this is a very active time of the year around Our Savior with lots of opportunities to both nurture and live out the life that God intends us to live.   For more information on the events mentioned above and other things not mentioned here check our website:  www.oursaviorelca.com.  

 

Have a blessed week!   See you in church!    Pastor Jack Diehl +

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Post All Saints Sunday: 11/5/12

 

What a wonderful, special weekend this past weekend was.   On Saturday afternoon, Julia Fredrickson (who was baptized and grew up at Our Savior) and Shane Calahan were married, at the Saturday evening service, baby Hudson Bradley Lehman was baptized, Sunday morning new members (over 30 total!) were received at both services, and at all 3 services, we remembered not only the members of Our Savior who died since All Saints Day last year, but lit candles and remembered other loved ones who have gone on before us.   As one of our members said following worship,  "That was just a very holy service....everything about it." That seemed to sum it up best.  

 

All Saints is a very special day in the church year when we not only remember those who have gone before us, but when we are reminded that we too are number among the saints.  That surely doesn't mean everything is going to be happy and easy.   As Pastor Shelly reminded us in her sermon, being numbered among the saints sometimes means tears which come as a result of loving and caring.   But along with the tears, God gives us hope to sustain us.  Her sermon, along with other sermons from past weekends, are available on our website:  www.oursaviorelca.com. 

 

Looking back to last Thursday (All Saints Day), Our Savior was one of the host sites for the annual Samaritan Center Soup Bowl.  Many thanks to George and Lois McAllan for once again heading up a great team for a very successful event at our site.  $770 was raised in soup sales, and $200 in bowl sales.  Congratulations and thanks to all.  

 

Speaking of food, our Wednesday supper this week will be of the potluck variety beginning at 6pm.  Bring something to share, or for those of you who can't bring anything, come anyway, and you can make a donation as usual.  Our food crew will be providing some things for those who can't bring something to pass. There's always enough to go around.   

 

Election day is tomorrow.  Along those lines, a couple of people asked me in church Sunday morning about a quote in Sunday’s  Press Journal which said I am a conservative Republican.  I hadn't seen that article and was wondering where that came from.  As anyone who worships at Our Savior knows, we do not push any political agenda in our congregation.  We have people of all political persuasions as members of Our Savior....right wing, left wing and no wing at all (check out the “welcome statement” on our website:  www.oursaviorelca.com). When I later saw the article I realized that this quote came out of a round table discussion with other faith community leaders which happened at the Scripps offices in St. Lucie West a couple of months ago.  It was a lively, healthy, 2 and ½ hour conversation with a real cross section of clergy and other religious leaders.  At one point in the conversation I said something like,  "Basically I'm a conservation Republican kind of a guy, but...".  And the "but" part in this past Sunday’s paper was left off.  There are positions I hold that would get me kicked out of any "conservative Republican" circle.  But then there are positions I hold that would get me kicked out of any Democrat circles.  Anyone who knows me, probably can figure out that I'm in some ways a pretty conservative guy in many things, but at the same time very open and/or progressive or whatever you want to call it in other things.   The point is, labels usually don't really help much and often do more harm than good.  That, I feel is one of the biggest problems in our culture today.  Instead of honest conversation, sharing ideas and fixing problems, we are more interested in labeling and attacking each other. This whole election cycle has proven that time and time again.  Many of us feel like when it is over we just want to take a long shower.  Yuck.  So, call me what you want.  But the only "label" that I will truly claim is "simul justus et peccator", "at the same time sinner and saint".

 

Finally, as we’ve seen and heard “Commitment 2012” surrounding the election tomorrow, this coming weekend will be “Commitment Weekend” for us at Our Savior.  In the middle of October many of you received a letter with a “Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart” commitment card, with which you can share your plan for giving to support the work and ministry of Our Savior for 2013.   Many of you have already sent those in.  If you haven’t, those cards will be received during worship this coming weekend.  (Those letters and cards will also be available in church this coming weekend for anyone who would like one.)  Along with that we’ll hear in our Scripture readings stories about plenty and want and God providing.  In this historic time of economic crisis, on a worldwide scale, this seems like a fitting topic to have before us as we come to worship, and ask WIGIAT? (“Where is God in all this?”)

 

May God bless us all as this week unfolds, may God bless and direct our country and this whole election process as it unfolds, and may God's peace be with us all.    

 

See you in church.    Pastor Jack Diehl +      www.oursaviorelca.com