Wednesday, March 27, 2013

The Story Continues.......

Holy Week at Our Savior
March 27th 2013
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Story Continues......

 

Join us as we enter into the story of the last week of Jesus' life. The ancient narratives and rituals of these services draw us into a deep experience of the mysteries of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection-and invite our imaginations to see the patterns of life, death, and rebirth all around us.  Worship each evening is at 7:00 p.m. and child care is available. 

   

The command in our gospel to "love one another" is possibly what gives this day its name, "Maundy Thursday." Command is "Mandetum", in Latin. The foot washing in the gospel came to signify this command. Foot washing comes into Easter celebration and Baptism in the 3rd and 4th centuries. By the 600s it becomes associated with the Maundy Thursday liturgy. In recent years the practice of foot washing has served as an interesting ecumenical bridge with churches in a wide variety of denominations recovering the ancient practice of Maundy Thursday foot washing. Even in congregations like ours that does not make use of this custom, this is the time to reflect on how we will be humble servants fulfilling the new command to love in word and deed.

 

As the name indicates, this is a day of paradox.  The day is called "Good Friday" because we assemble as people of the resurrection.  We are not pretending Jesus is dead, but in solemn devotion we acknowledge that the cross is God's gift of life.  We follow the ancient rite of "Tenebrae" on this evening. During the service we hear the Passion from Christ in a form of the Seven Last Words.

 

And finally as we look ahead to Easter, here is a simple three minute video in palindrome style (you have to watch it, to get the palindrome part) about how Easter faith is a perspective, a perspective that changes everything. Click to watch.

 

Come and continue the story in worship,

 

Pastor Jack, Pastor Shelly and Ryan

 

www.oursaviorelca.com
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Monday, March 25, 2013

Holy Week and More........

OSE NEWS 
March 25th 2013
  
  

 

 

 

  

ELCA

 

 

What a wonderful way to have begun Holy Week!  The palms, the Children's Choir at the 11am service, hearing and reading together the Passion story from Luke, several of our younger children celebrating their First Communion, a FULL church with regulars, visitors and Spring Breakers, the "lifting high" of our palm crosses as we boldly sang Lift High the Cross, and more..... awesome worship.  

  

It was all a real blessing as we reflected on the King of Kings, who came not to be served but to serve, and to "bring good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind".  As this Holy Week unfolds, plan to join us on Maundy Thursday at 7pm, then again on Good Friday at 7pm, as we go to the heart of the Passion story.  Child Care is available at both services.

 

Then Saturday becomes our "Day of Preparation" for the Easter celebration. Beginning at 9am, many hands are needed!  And there are jobs for everyone! They will include setting up for the Easter Breakfast, the outside Sunrise Service, the 2 services in the church (8:30 and 11am) which will include bringing more chairs in, setting up the lilies, re-arranging chairs that are already there, etc.  If you are at all available for an hour or two Saturday morning, your help would be greatly appreciated...and it will be fun!  It always is, seeing everything coming together and working together.   

 

Along with that, at 10am is our annual Easter Egg Hunt, which involves games, prizes, snacks, face painting, and lots of eggs to be hunted. Bring a friend!  It really is pure joy with all the kids and their families.  

 

Please note that there is no Saturday service this week.  But for anyone interested in attending an Easter Vigil service on Saturday evening, there will be such a service at Trinity Episcopal at 5:00 p.m. 

 

In addition to the Holy Week/Easter activities, here are a couple of other important things to know about: 

 

First, a big "THANK YOU" to those who helped with the "Circle of Faith" Habitat for Humanity project a couple of weeks back:  Brian Rodgers, Greg Miller, Don Poust and Willard Emch.  And speaking of Habitat, Bill and Nancy Swenson are also regular Habitat volunteers.  

 

And secondly, it's SCHOLARSHIP TIME! All High School seniors, and some returning college students may be eligible for one of Our Savior's several Scholarships.  The application deadline is coming up soon...the Tuesday after Easter, April 2!   So, please get your applications in. Click here to access the online forms.  

 

Below is the schedule of services coming up.  May God bless you all as this Holy Week unfolds.  See you in church!  Pastor Jack Diehl + www.oursaviorelca.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
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Monday, March 18, 2013

What Do You Smell Like?

OSE NEWS 
March 18th 2013
  
  

 

 

 

 ELCA

That's one of the senses we don't talk about much in church...smell.  But as we gathered for worship this past weekend, the smell of incense filled the air.  While that's a bit unusual for Lutherans, it was for a particular purpose.  In our Gospel reading, we heard how "the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume" that Mary anointed Jesus' feet with...an extravagant response of gratitude for the extravagant love she and her brother Lazarus received from Jesus.  But that fragrance wasn't limited to Mary's house. That sweet smell was the smell of the "new thing" God was doing (Isaiah 43:19) in Jesus who died and rose for the sake of the world that we might have hope, forgiveness and new life.  

 

Now, let me digress a little.  This used to happen more regularly years ago, but also occasionally yet today.  After I would come home and greet my wife, she would sometimes say to me, "Have you been around a smoker?"  She could smell the smoke on me.   That made me think...what if someone would say to you, "Have you been around....Jesus?  I smell....forgiveness, truth, hope, peace, love."   

 

The sweet smell of the "new thing" God is doing in Jesus continues to filter it's way into every corner of God's creation yet today.  Do you smell it?  Do you smell like it?

 

And finally, on a personal note, so many thanks for all the kind words and words of congratulations regarding the 37th Anniversary of my ordination yesterday, March 17.  Couldn't think of a better place to be than here with all of you on a wonderful Sunday morning like yesterday.  So grateful.  

 

As we get closer to Holy Week, we have our last mid week Lenten services this Wednesday at 11am and 7pm, with soup and salad meals. Coming up this weekend is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week.   Our children will be in procession with palms and singing in worship, we will hear the beginning of the Passion Story and begin our journey into Holy Week.  See the schedule below for the Holy Week and Easter services and activities.   

 

May these closing days of Lent be days of renewal and faith building for you.   See you in church.    Pastor Jack Diehl +

 

www.OurSaviorELCA.com
This email was sent to oslcvero.godsamazinggrace@blogger.com by oslc@oursaviorelca.comcastbiz.net |  
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Monday, March 11, 2013

"Prodigal Father?"

OSE NEWS
March 11th 2013
  

 

 

 

 

 

Prodigal father?   Wait a minute.  Don't you mean prodigal son?   Well, yes and no.  Yesterday's Gospel was the story commonly referred to as "The Prodigal Son", which is one of the most well known stories in, or outside of, the Bible.  (Luke 11:1-3, 11b-32).  As Pastor Shelly mentioned in her sermon, one of the meanings for the word "prodigal" is simply "extravagant, bordering on reckless".  That surely is how the younger son spent his share of the inheritance...extravagantly!  And not just bordering on reckless, but reckless to the point of loosing everything...which left him shamed, broken, empty, lost.  The only thing that could really save him would be an extravagant (bordering on reckless) kind of mercy and love.  Which is what the father offered.  That is what we see during this season of Lent.  An extravagant kind of love offered by God to his shamed, broken, empty and lost world.  Come, see, this upcoming weekend what kind of extravagance is going on in the readings next. 

 

May you all have a good week, basking in the extravagant love and mercy of God, as you bask in the beauty of this season with new life Springing up all around us.  

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

YALE GLEE CLUB WIFFENPOOFS IN CONCERT THIS TUESDAY

 

March 12th at 7:30p.m.  

 

Tickets are $15.00 and will be available at the door that evening. 

For more information visit our website by clicking this link!

 

 

 
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Our Savior Lutheran Church | 1850 Sixth Ave. | Vero Beach | FL | 32960
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Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Squirrel Update

Mary the Squirrel Update
March 2013

 

 

 

 

 

Some of you were there and have asked about this, so here's a little recap of our squirrel story.  The Saturday evening (cool & windy) before Christmas, a baby squirrel came up to Pastor Shelly, Paula Sample and me as we were out on the sidewalk under the bell tower before worship.  I leaned over and picked her up, and she curled up in my hands.  She had found her rescuers.  I took her home after worship and Karen, the real squirrel whisperer, took over.  (Over the years Karen has raised about 50 squirrels from various stages of babyhood.)  (Picture attached of the recent little church squirrel shortly after we got her home). We made a little bed for her in a cage and Karen fed her by a bottle for a couple weeks.  She ("Mary" the squirrel...named Mary because the Scripture readings for that weekend were about Mary) grew fast and did well. She found a home here with the Diehl's.  (Picture attached of our grandkids, Olivia and Drew holding Mary).   Soon she seemed ready to stretch her legs, so to speak.  We put her cage on a ladder and tied it to the tree in our front yard.  We'd leave the top to the cage open a little during the day so Mary could get out and run around in the tree.  But every night, for about 2 weeks, she'd come "home" and sleep in the cage.  (Picture attached.)   Soon, she decided to sleep somewhere in the trees, so the cage came down.  But in it's place we put a little "feeding platform" where we keep fresh water and meet Mary every morning and every evening (and sometimes in between) to play with her and give her some food. (Picture attached).  So, as of this email, Mary is happy, healthy, enjoying life (and getting a little pudgy...we're going to have to wean her off some of the nuts), and we are enjoying this new little member of our family.  (Picture attached of her at her own little restaurant.)   One of God's precious little creatures.  

 

Pastor Jack

 

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This email was sent to oslcvero.godsamazinggrace@blogger.com by oslc@oursaviorelca.comcastbiz.net |  
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