Bent Over? Weary?

OSE NEWS  August 26, 2013              Bent over?  Weary?  Sometimes that happens by events that happen to us that are out of our control.  Sometimes that happens because of our own bad choices and/or stupidity.  In either case, God can speak to those situations, because God is in the business of lifting up and freeing people to be who they were made to be.   Click here to listen to Pastor Shelly's sermon about this!    Speaking of being lifted up to be who God made us to be, Sunday School will be resuming with classes for all ages beginning Sunday Sept. 15.  In preparation for that, there will be an Open House/Pizza Party this Wednesday beginning at 6pm for all families who have children entering Sunday School this year.  This is a great way to get acquainted with teachers and each other.     Normally the Sunday School year begins the weekend after Labor Day, but this year, on that weekend of September 7-8, we will be a part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's 25th Anniversary celebration by taking part in a congregation wide service project. Throughout the ELCA congregations are doing many and various service projects that weekend.  For us, after worship on Saturday and during the Sunday School hour on Sunday, everyone will have the opportunity to help put together personal hygiene kits to be distributed to local organizations for those in need.  Along with putting the kits together, personal notes of encouragement will be written to be enclosed.     This coming Labor Day weekend we get a glimpse of God's big welcoming banquet table!  (FYI...this is the last weekend of our summer worship schedule: Sat. 6pm, Sunday 9:30am.)  As a part of our worship we will be celebrating the many ways people share their gifts in their daily work.  As has become a tradition here at Our Savior we will have a bulletin board in church for people to put their business cards or a note as to what they do in their daily lives.  We also invite folks to wear to worship what they normally wear to work.  It's a great way to be reminded of how many different gifts are gathered around God's banquet table.     Another way we will get a glimpse of God's great banquet table will be at noon on Saturday of that Labor Day weekend at St. Timothy Roman Catholic Church in Lutz FL as our newly elected bishop of the Florida Bahamas Synod, Bishop Robert Schaefer, will be installed.  (It's at that church, because there is no Lutheran church in the area with a sanctuary big enough for such an event.  We're grateful to St. Timothy for their ecumenical spirit and hospitality of letting us have the installation there.)  Our Minister of Music, Ryan and Pastor Shelly will be there Friday and Saturday, since Ryan is the Chairperson of the installation service and Pastor Shelly is on the committee as well. Needless to say, we can be very proud (in a humble Lutheran way of course) of these two.  :-)     For more info about life at Our Savior, visit www.oursaviorelca.com and keep on scrolling down for other info and to sign-up for Fall Ushering!       Peace and Joy,   Pastor Jack + FALL USHER SIGN-UP NOW ONLINE!      Click Here to sign up for ushering at the 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. services.         Music Ministry Rehearsals Starting Soon!           Sanctuary Choir - September 11, 7:00 p.m.    Children's Choir - September 15, 11:30 a.m.    Handbell Choir - September 18, 5:30 p.m.         For More Information Contact Ryan at Music@oursaviorelca.com    Weekly Devotions and Prayers: Taking Home Faith

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Great Start to the New School Year!

OSE NEWS  August 19, 2013              One of the really fun traditions at Our Savior is "The Blessing of the Backpacks" on the Saturday and Sunday before school starts.  This year was no exception, as over 60 students, teachers and other people involved in education came forward for a blessing this past weekend.  This year the blessing was given not only to our own, but to kids visiting from Ohio, Maryland, and Pennsylvania (that we know of). And one of our teachers said that in her lesson plan book which she brought forward to be blessed, she had a roster of all the students in her school included, so they all got a blessing too! In addition to students and teachers we had a school bus driver and other school administrators and workers come forward for a blessing.  Along with the blessing, everyone received something like a luggage tag which had a picture of our stained glass window over the entrance to the church which says, "Let your light shine" and written next to it a quote from Matthew, "You are the Light of the world", as a reminder to our children and teachers as to who they are as they enter this new school year.  In addition to the "Backpack Blessing" our "Intergenerational Summer Choir" sang and we celebrated the baptism of 10 day old Matthew Joseph Bernier!  What a great way to begin this school year!      Also this past weekend we prayed for our newly elected bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (the largest Lutheran church body in America, of which Our Savior is a part).  Her name is Rev. Elizabeth Eaton and the link below is a great short interview that will introduce her to you.  As Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber "blogged" about this election, "I know that the big story is that a woman was elected, but what is equally remarkable is that the excitement about the new bishop was only matched by the affection for the out-going bishop."  Isn't that a wonderful commentary on the state of the church!  You can "meet the new bishop" on the following link: Time Magazine Interview With Bishop Eaton   With the new school year starting, that means a number of things are coming up that you might want to put on your calendars:  Sunday School get acquainted/registration/pizza night, Wed. Aug. 28;  Florida Bahamas Synod Bishop's installation, Saturday Aug. 31, noon, Lutz, FL; Labor Day weekend (Aug. 31/Sept.1) last weekend of Summer Worship Schedule, (Sat. 6pm, Sunday 9:30am); September 7-8, ELCA wide 25th Anniversary service project following Saturday worship and during the Sunday School hour on Sunday Sept. 8.  Watch for details on these and more in our Sunday bulletins and on our website.  www.oursaviorelca.com.   Finally, as this new school year begins, may all students, teachers, administrators, parents and all involved in educating our children have a safe, healthy, and productive year as they continue to grow in God's grace and discover and develop the gifts God has given them.   As we end each worship service during the summer:  May the Lord go before you to guide you, above you to watch over you, behind you to encourage you, beside you to befriend you, and within you to give you peace.        Pastor Jack +            Weekly Devotions and Prayers: Taking Home Faith

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Who's Your Hero?

OSE NEWS  August 12, 2013              Who's your hero?     Super hero movies are big these days.  They have bigger than life "heroes" who can fly, have super strength, see through walls, or whatever.  But those aren't real heroes.  Beginning this past weekend, and for the next two weekends, we heard and will be hearing about real heroes...heroes of faith...those whose lives were shaped by a living faith in a living God who keeps His promises.  This past weekend we remembered Abraham, a "hero of faith" for Jews, Christians and Muslims.  Who would you consider a "hero of faith" in your life?   As you think about that question, be sure to join us this coming weekend as we hear more about those faithful "heroes" mentioned in Hebrews 11.         Also, this coming weekend will be the "Blessing of the Backpacks".   During worship (both Saturday and Sunday) we ask God's blessing on all students, teachers, administrators, and anyone else working in our school system.   All children are asked to bring their backpacks to be placed in the chancel during worship (and teachers and administrators to bring any symbol of their work).  What a great way to start the new school year!   In addition to the "Blessing of the Backpacks" this coming Sunday our "Inter-generational Choir" will be singing again.  This choir is made up of anyone who would like to sing at our 9:30am service.  Just come at 8:30, learn a new piece (or 2) and sing at the 9:30 service.  This has been hugely popular and a lot of fun, so come join us and give it a try!   Finally, if you've been around church in the past couple weeks, you've noticed that some of our walkways are gone!  We are in the process of upgrading them to match the new walkway around our bell tower.   This is a much needed addition, since they were in need of serious repair.  We also wanted you to know that the cost of the upgrade is in the neighborhood of $80,000 dollars!   Yes, I know that sounds like a lot...and it is.   That's the bad news.  The good news is that this cost is being covered by three bequests from the estates of Carl Hefferon, Tom Nicholson and Allan Klotsche.  These were all unexpected, and so much appreciated!  Special gifts like these are so very welcomed and important in the life of a congregation.  Such generosity helps us to maintain not only our campus, but the wonderful ministry that goes on here on a daily basis.  If you haven't considered remembering Our Savior in your will, we'd certainly appreciate if you would consider it.  If you have, that's wonderful and we are so grateful.  It really does make a difference.  Thanks.   For other information about life at Our Savior, please visit our website at:  www.oursaviorelca.com.    See you in church!     Pastor Jack +      ELCA Churchwide Assembly 2013    The 2013 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, the highest legislative body of this church, convenes on Monday, Aug. 12, in Pittsburgh. This is when the business of this church is conducted - from the election of the presiding bishop and secretary to the consideration of the adoption of a social statement - and you are invited to follow the proceedings.    Follow these specific links for more information:    10 Things You Should Know About Churchwide Assembly   Worship Bulletins and Information   LiveStream of Assembly and Worship    LAST CALL!   Summer Ushers Needed!   Click here to sign up for ushering at the 9:30 a.m. service.       No experience needed, summer is a great time to usher for the first time.  Weekly Devotions and Prayers: Taking Home Faith

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OSE News

OSE NEWS  August 5, 2013              Having heard about a new term ("affluenza") for an old malady ("all kinds of greed"  Luke 12:15) in worship this past weekend, we also heard about the solution to such a "disease" or "dis-ease" if you would.   For "affluenza" is not just an economic, political or social problem.  It's a spiritual problem that can only be "cured" with a new heart and a new and right spirit.  That's what Jesus was about, and what he came to do and to offer: to show us a better way, and give us new hearts and a new spirit.     This coming weekend, our readings take us to a next step in this process as we hear some of Abraham's story and the call to live by faith.  It will also be nice to have Pastor Shelly back with us after her vacation!     But before next weekend, the Youth Group will be meeting at the Vero Bowl (old Luria's plaza behind the Outback restaurant) at 6:30 pm, instead of at church.  See you there!   And looking ahead, the ELCA will be meeting for it's Churchwide Assembly in Pittsburg from Aug. 12-18.  You can follow the meetings and worship services live by going to www.ELCA.org.     Finally, if you were in church this past weekend, you've noticed some construction (or at this point, "destruction") going on!  We will be getting new covered walkways!   Most of the old walkways have been taken down.   Next will be some cement work and shop plans being drawn up for the new walkways.   So, be patient for the next couple months, and watch your step, but this should not get in the way of all that is going on.  We will just be without some shade and shelter from the rain for a while.     To keep up with other things going on around Our Savior, visit our website at:  www.oursaviorelca.com.         Have a blessed week!      Pastor Jack Diehl + Weekly Devotions and Prayers: Taking Home Faith

Forward this email This email was sent to oslcvero.godsamazinggrace@blogger.com by info@oursaviorelca.com |   Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Our Savior Lutheran Church | 1850 Sixth Ave. | Vero Beach | FL | 32960