Today, October 18 is the day set aside in the church calendar to commemorate St. Luke, Evangelist. Since Luke was also a physician, this past weekend's worship took the form of a healing service. Several years ago we began offering this kind of a service. At the time it was a little foreign to some of us Lutherans, but what we realized yesterday was that we have come to appreciate such a focus in our worship and be comfortable with it. It really was a moving service as we gathered, recognized our need for healing in all kinds of ways, prayed for others who need healing in their lives, and looked to God as the Great Physician and the one who truly makes us whole.

At the 11am service we had a special guest, 47 year old Rob Gilbert, one of our members, whom earlier this summer doctors thought would likely be a paraplegic the rest of his life. But he walked into the chancel to share his story and his gratitude to God, to the congregation and others who have prayed for him and supported him and his family through this. While the journey and therapy continues for him, Rob's life and attitude are a very real witness to God's loving presence and healing power at work.

In keeping with the theme of God being at work among us to keep up whole and healthy, our parish nurse, Bonnie Lanyi resumes her very popular exercise class tomorrow, Tuesday October 19 at 10:30am, "Stretch and Pray". This is especially helpful for seniors with various degrees of abilities. "Stretch and Pray" is based on a book by Rev. Murray Finck, bishop of the Pacifica Synod and former classmate of mine! :-) This is good stuff!

Our Wednesday suppers continue this week with supper served at 6pm. (Sorry, I haven't heard the menu as of this writing, but I guarantee it will be good!) These suppers offer a great time to be together and better connected with each other here at Our Savior. There is no set charge, but an offering basket is available to help cover the cost.

A gathering for anyone interested in learning more about Our Savior or becoming a member of Our Savior will take place following the supper at 6:30pm in room 4. This will be the last of 3 of such gatherings, but if you didn't make the first one or two, you're still welcome to this one. New members will be received the first weekend in November, All Saints Sunday.

As this week unfolds, may you find wholeness and healing for whatever your need may be, in body, mind or spirit. And may you know that in all things, God is the Great Physician and a good and loving Father.

See you in church!

Pastor A.C. 'Jack' Diehl III

This news will be coming to you on Tuesday, October 12, but it's being written Sunday evening, 10/10/10, so I couldn't resist dating it as such. :-) You don't see a date like that very often!

As the 10th leper in today's Gospel, and Naaman in today's Old Testament reading had their eyes opened to God's grace at work in their lives, may our eyes be open to God's presence and activity in our lives and in the world around us as we enter another week.

One way to see God active among God's people is to join us Wednesday evening for supper at 6pm. Through an all volunteer staff we get to eat together (pulled pork and all the fixins') and enjoy some good conversation with each other. A donation to cover the cost of the food is all we ask. If you'd like to help with any of the setting up, serving or cleanup, give the office a call, or email us as such. Eating together is so Biblical!

Following the supper, at 6:30, anyone interested in learning more about Our Savior, or in becoming a member of Our Savior is invited to meet in room 4 for about an hour.

Looking ahead to next weekend, as a way of commemorating St. Luke the physician and evangelist, our worship will take the shape of a "Healing Service". There will be opportunity for worshipers to come forward for prayers and anointing with oil, and/or to offer prayers for others. Our parish nurses will be participating in various ways in the service.

As this week unfolds, may God give us clear eyes to see ourselves, our neighbors and God's creation in the light of God's grace and mercy shown to us in Jesus.

Pastor A.C. 'Jack' Diehl III

Today, Monday October 4 is the day set aside to remember Francis of Assisi, who died in 1226. But his influence continues yet today as the order of the Franciscans still share the gift of hospitality in a most gracious way, and his love of nature and God's creatures continues to be reflected in events like we had yesterday in "The Blessing of the Animals". Our Fellowship Hall was jam packed with cats, dogs, a beautiful big Macaw and all of their caring owners and friends. And once again, amazingly, all critters were together in a wonderful kind of harmony…no fights, no bloodshed…reminding me of that Scriptural image of the lion laying down with the lamb…the place to which God would one day bring his creation. It was all a "grace place" for that time together. And once again, the owners of some of the more "rambunctuous" critters were amazed at how they all got along. Francis would have been pleased, and I can't help but think that God was smiling on us all. :-)

That same space (our Fellowship Hall) will be a "grace place" again this Wednesday evening as our Wednesday suppers continue. This week there will be an "Oktober-fest" theme with brats, sauerkraut, German chocolat cake, homemade potato salad, applesauce and rumors of accordion music!?! There is no need to sign up. Just show up. If you'd like to volunteer to help set up or serve or cleanup, please call the church office (or reply to this email) and we'll plan on you helping. A jar for an offering is available at the dinner to help cover the cost.

Looking ahead, since it is October, the Youth Group will be having a "Marty Party" (in honor of Martin Luther) on Saturday evening, October 30, the evening before Reformation Day and Confirmation Day for six of our young people. Lots to celebrate!

As we head into the week, may we go with the grace that Francis both experienced and also shared with God's creatures, and, like we heard in worship yesterday, may we be "Mustard Seed" kinds of Christians, both nurturing the seeds of faith that have planted in us and spreading those good seeds of faith into whatever little corner of God's creation we have been placed.

See you in church!

God's work; our hands.

Pastor A.C. 'Jack' Diehl III

Here at Our Savior we operate out of an understanding of five principles for passing on faith. The first one of those principles is: "Faith is formed by the power of the Holy Spirit through personal trusted relationships--often in our own homes." In subsequent e-mails to come, I will speak of the other 4 principles, but for now, this one. As a way of helping to nurture "personal trusted relationships" and give the Holy Spirit room to work, and so help to pass along the faith, one of the things that is resuming again this coming Wednesday, Sept. 29, are our "Family Night Suppers". The menu this week is: breaded Haddock, home made mac and cheese, stewed tomatoes, cole slaw and cherry cheesecake! Wow! I can't wait! This is an opportunity to come with your family and/or get together with other members of our church family, build relationships, and be a part of the Body of Christ alive and at work here in this place. The whole dinner is put together by volunteers, so if you'd like to be a part of helping with that, whether it be cooking, set up, clean up, shopping or whatever, let us know. Eating together really is a wonderful way to build relationships and get to know each other. Eating together is also a Biblical image of heaven…the wedding banquet, the feast of victory! So, along with Holy Communion being a foretaste of that feast to come, in some ways, our Wednesday church suppers can also be a kind of foretaste of that feast to come. If you'd like to help, call the church office, or put your name on a list in the narthex or let us know Wednesday evening at the supper. There will be a basket available for a donation to help cover the cost of the meal. Your generous support of this will be much appreciated.

And speaking of good fellowship, this coming Sunday, October 3 at 4pm, we will have a "Blessing of the Animals" in the Fellowship Hall. This is always a wonderful event as we come together to ask God's blessing on those very special creatures in our lives. Dr. Linda Aiken will be here to share some words about her calling as a veterinarian in caring for God's creatures. This is a great opportunity to invite a friend, neighbor or fellow animal lover for this special service.

As this week unfolds, in light of yesterday's worship and Gospel reading about the rich man and poor Lazarus, may we especially be aware of anyone "at our gate" who may be in need of a tender touch or a kind word or some reminder of God's grace. Have a blessed week.

God's work; our hands.

Pastor Jack Diehl

Do you know anyone who has had a pig valve put in his or her heart? Do you know anyone who has or has had breast cancer? I'm thinking just about everyone can say yes to either of both of those questions. Both of these topics are directly related to the study and work of genetics. Or how about genetically engineered food? That’s in the news and on our tables more and more everyday.

Because this issue is before us everyday in different ways, our church, the ELCA, prompted by it's members in assembly, is undertaking a study on genetics. Just like there was a study on human sexuality which came before the greater church in the summer of 2009, this study will be coming before the ELCA in assembly in Orlando next summer. Input on this study is welcome and invited. For a copy of the initial statement, there is a hard copy in the church office, or, you can go to either the ELCA website (http://www.elca.org/) or our Florida/Bahamas Synod website (http://www.fbsynod.com/) to find it. Our synod website also has a great power point walking through the study. Your thoughts and input are, as I mentioned above, welcome and invited. And it can all be done on-line. What a world we live in!

Looking ahead, a week from tomorrow, Wednesday September 28, our Wednesday dinners resume! Dinner will be served beginning at 6pm. What a great time to come together with the church family, have a nice meal and share in some good conversation. In our increasingly technological world, as evident above in our genetics study, with all the benefits that brings, one of the downsides is a lack of face to face contact with others. So, come, have a good meal and experience community together in the middle of the joys and sorrows, celebrations and struggles of living in today's world.

Have a blessed week!

Pastor Jack Diehl

Sunday School got off to a wonderful start yesterday. You could feel the buzz (and hear echos of "The Chicken Dance") all morning. It's a wonderful thing to be a part of the learning and growing of faith that goes on in Sunday School for both our children and adults.

And speaking of beginnings, this Wednesday rehearsals begin for both the Handbell Choir and the Chancel Choir. Handbell practice is in the church and meets from 5:30-6:30pm. The chancel choir meets in the choir room, and begins at 7pm. If you are musical in any way, you'd be most welcome to be a part of our music ministry.

Looking ahead, a number of people are interested in becoming members of Our Savior. In October, we will be having some new member gatherings both on Wednesday evenings, around our Wednesday evening suppers which will soon be starting, then again on Sunday mornings. Exact dates will soon be posted. At this time we are planning to receive members into our congregation on All Saint's Weekend, Nov. 6-7. If you have any questions feel welcome to talk to either of the pastors.

Finally, the Space Coast Conference will be having a Fall Gathering at Advent Lutheran Church in Palm Bay on Sunday September 26 at 4pm. We'd like to have some of our members join us for that gathering. A potluck dinner will follow the meeting. This is a great way to get to know other folks in our conference and be a part of the bigger church at work. If you are interested, please contact Pastor Jack.

As this week unfolds, may all we say and do be in the light of God's presence and God's promises to us. Only then can we become the kind of people God made us to be.

Pastor A.C. 'Jack' Diehl III

I hope all had a good Labor Day weekend! As of this past weekend we are now back to our regular worship schedule (Saturday 6pm, Sunday 8:30 and 11am). This coming weekend (Sept. 12) our Sunday School resumes with Sunday School beginning at 9:45am. This first Sunday will be "Rally Day" with all children meeting in the Fellowship Hall for special activities and to learn more about this year's focus and service project. (Did I hear something about the "Chicken Dance"?) Sounds like a great year in the making. As some of the first disciples said to the others, "Come and see!"

Thrivent Members you may have gotten in the mail recently (I just did) a letter entitled ("Help choose where Thrivent Financial gives back". This is about your "Thrivent Choice" options for where you'd like Thrivent to designate some funds. You can choose "Our Savior Luthernan Church" or "Lutheran Outdoor Ministries of Florida" or any of many options. I did mine by a simple, quick phone call. For other Thrivent information you can call our local Thrivent Representative, Sam Lyons at 772-453-5688.

Tomorrow night, Wednesday Sept. 8, Youth Group meets from 6:30-8:30. For part of that time Pastor Jack will be there with his old Geo Tracker to teach any new drivers how to drive a stick shift.

Singers and Musicians! Next Wednesday, September 15 rehearsals begin: Handbells at 5:30pm, Choir at 7pm. Music is such a wonderful gift…it's too good not to share. If you have even a little bit of that gift, come and share it. It's good for the soul…both for those giving and those receiving.

Now, as this short week unfolds, and as we bask in the refreshing rain (I can hear almost our plants and grass say "ahhhh") may all you do, whether resting or working, be done, as Pastor Shelly reminded us yesterday, S.D.G.! (Soli Deo Gloria…to the Glory of God alone!)
S.D. G.!!

See you in church!

Pastor Jack Diehl