Knowing Jesus, Growing in Jesus, Sharing Jesus. February, 2012 Shepherd s Staff LCMC Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ

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1 1 Our Saviour s Lutheran Church February, 2012 Shepherd s Staff LCMC Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ Knowing Jesus, Growing in Jesus, Sharing Jesus OSLC address: 326 Leroy Street, Audubon, Iowa OSLC Telephone: (712) OSLC oslc@iowatelecom.net OSLC Fax #: (712) OSLC Website: oslcauduboniowa.org Pastor Doug s Phone numbers: (home) (cell phone) Pastor Doug s address: pastordoug@iowatelecom.net A heartfelt thank you to those who helped with the Christmas Community Dinner by working, providing food, making a donation, or remembering this dinner in your prayers. Because of your generosity, we were able to share a time of fellowship and food with approximately 190 people from our church and our community. OSLC Mission Ministry Team has three more available opportunities to volunteer at Hope Ministries in Des Moines. May 26th we need eight volunteers to help serve a meal at the Bethel Mission from 10:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. June 26th or July 28th we need volunteers (ten volunteers for each date) to work in the Hope Bargain Center. For more information, questions or to volunteer, contact Norma Nielsen at MISSION MOMENTS with Barb CONCERT If you are desiring to be a part of the "Senders" you will love the opportunity we have on March 11th--at 2:00 p.m.--a concert with Gary Randall. Many of you are acquainted with Gary's sweet spirit-filled music as he has had several concerts in Audubon. His music is often used during communion. Your offerings given at the concert will support any and all mission efforts of Our Saviour's. The concert will be followed with fellowship and refreshments----bring a friend or two!!!! If school is cancelled or let our early on a Wednesday due to bad weather, neither Confirmation or Kid s Choir will be held. Thank you to those who volunteer to be Greeters for worship services. This is an important and vital ministry as you convey a feeling of welcome and hospitality to those who come to worship at Our Saviour s. Name tags will be placed on the entryway table by the double doors for you to use. Please be sure to wear your name tag so those who are visiting or who are not familiar with everyone in the congregation can identify you as a Greeter.

2 Greetings from Pastor Doug It is evident in this day and age that we live in a hurry-up culture. We want fast answers, immediate relief and quick fix-it solutions to our problems and pains of everyday life. It is therefore not unusual for us to get the impression that we don t have time for many important matters, in particular grieving. Unfortunately, our culture is one that goes to great lengths to deny, to hide, and even to camouflage death and its aftermath. But death does indeed reach beyond all boundaries and barriers we might pose. Author Jane Brooks, in her book, Midlife Orphan Facing Life s Changes Now That Your Parents Are Gone, provides an interesting perspective on grief when she stated, Grief is more like the weather itself, unpredictably showering us just when we were certain that the rain had passed. Those who know death first hand, those who feel the sadness and sorrow of the loss of a dear loved one or friend can identify as well with psychologist, Dr. Thomas Golden s remarks when he said, There is no walking away from grief, for it pursues us relentlessly. The only way to deal with grief is to let it happen. I have shared this with you today to let you know that I will be offering a six week grief support group during the Lenten season, beginning Ash Wednesday, February 22nd. The goal of a grief support group is to walk along side you, to befriend you in the journey of grief you may presently be experiencing. Time invested in a support group can help to bring healing and hope. We will gather in the chapel for one hour, either at 10:30 a.m. or at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesdays in Lent through the 28 th of March. The exact time will be announced in mid February based upon what works best for those who are planning to participate. For any who may want to meet at a different time of the day or time of the year, please contact me to help determine other possible options. The six week schedule includes: 1-Recognizing your loss 2-Reacting to your loss 3-Recollecting and re-experiencing your loss 4-Relinquishing the old attachments 5-Readjusting to a new world 6-Reaching out to a new future The study book used in the support group is titled, Death and Grief, Healing through Grief Support. There is a $7.00 fee for each of the study books. Please contact me with any questions you may have. If there are more than twelve participants, a second support group may be needed and scheduled as well. May the Lord grace your life with the peace of God that surpasses all human understanding. Pastor Doug 2

3 OSLC Lenten Series 2012 Voices at the Crossroads-First Person Dramatic Portrayals of Witnesses to Jesus Suffering and Death I am pleased to share with you details of the upcoming Lenten Series at Our Saviour s Lutheran. These first person dramatic portrayals of eye-witnesses during the events of Holy Week will include many from our congregation. Each worship service will begin at 7:00 p.m. During the five weeks following Ash Wednesday, a soup supper will be available each Wednesday in the church basement at 6:00 p.m. for you, for your family, for your friends and your neighbors. I am looking forward to the 40 Days of Lent, where together we can prepare our hearts and minds for the Passion of Christ Jesus and the Resurrection Celebration on Easter Sunday. Please note the following schedule: Wednesday, February 22 The Centurion Kyle Kjergaard (Ash Wednesday with Holy Communion and Imposition of Ashes) Wednesday February 29 Mary Magdalene Teresa Morgan Wednesday March 7 Simon of Cyrene Wes Thygesen Wednesday March 14 Pilate s Wife Traci Irlmeier Wednesday March 21 Joseph of Arimathea Toby Steckler Wednesday March 28 Mary, the Mother of Jesus Barb Jacobsen Thursday April 5 Nicodemus Lee Nielsen Friday April 6 Good Friday Sunday April 8 Easter Sunday The Resurrection Celebration (7:00 a.m. & 9:00 a.m. worship with Easter Breakfast served at 8:00 a.m.) Preschool through 6th Grade Sunday School kids will be singing special music during worship on Sunday, January 29th. Meet in the downstairs social room that morning at 8:40 to rehearse our song. We will sit in the choir loft until we sing, after singing the kids may sit with their parents. The church is in need of an additional volunteer to operate the sound system. Please prayerfully consider if you could help with this vital part of our worship services. If you have questions, please contact the church office or a Worship Committee member. In honor of Scout Week we invite all current and past Boy & Girl Scouts to wear their uniforms to Church February 5th. 3

4 FULFILLING THE GREAT COMMISSION UGANDA, 2012 We are reminded through the Word that God calls His people to either "GO" or "Send". Our Saviour's has the great privilege of being invited to send a team to Jinja, Uganda to serve with the Hesed Team this year---yes, July 12th-22nd are the tentative dates---yes, this year !! "For such a time as this" God is calling us to make a difference, to share the love we have received from Jesus with those just waiting to hear---"go or Send" which will it be for you and me? Prayers have been uttered often for the Spirit's prompting for this event, and so we "wait" and respond--we will "Go or Send"? Pastor Doug and Julie will be making this mission journey---what joy is awaiting all who take that step of faith and join them. Adults from this community and other area faith communities are also invited to join the mission team. On Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 25th-26th our team leader from Dallas, Allison Bennett, will be here to train, encourage and inform us of specific details of the mission. Allison has led a # of groups to Jinja and is grateful to be coming to Audubon again. If you want to hear more about the journey, want to pray with us and are thinking about Going, plan to come together on Saturday, Feb. 25th at Ron and Barb Christensen s at 107 Circle Drive at noon. Allison will then share briefly at worship on Sunday the 26th and be a part of the Sunday School hour, sharing more of what is happening in Jinja---she will bring greetings from Hesed and share the gratitude for Our Saviour's partnership with Hesed. If God is calling you to take this step of faith, please talk with Pastor Doug, Julie Opp or Barb Christensen------or read about Katie Davis who lives near Jinja, having adopted 14 orphan little girls----"kisses from Katie". This book is available in the church library. Always remember "Nothing is impossible with God". Check out the Hesed International website, hesedinternational.org or use the link from oslcauduboniowa.org. I want to let all who were praying for me know that God has healed me completely of fybromyalgia and we are rejoicing in this every day because life can be lived again! If you would like to know the full story please me at marthacopeland@oci.org. We are now living in the Los Angeles area looking for a clear direction in our lives as everything has recently changed for us. Thank you for being so faithful in your praying for our family. We know God hears our prayers! Martha Copeland Installation of all council members and WOW officers will be held on January 29th during worship. 4

5 If worship services, Sunday School, or church activities are cancelled due to bad weather, it will be announced on KSOM 96.5 FM ( or KJAN 1220 AM ( Please use your best judgment for your circumstances regarding attending worship during inclement weather. Worship services will usually only be cancelled if town streets are impassable. T H A N K Y O U to the volunteers who have been overseeing the nursery during Sunday worship. The nursery, located in the chapel is available for infants through 3 years old, is a valuable service to many families in our congregation and guests to OSLC. If you would like to volunteer, there is a sign up sheet on the bulletin board. Please note if you are assisting with communion during worship that there is a hand sanitizer dispenser for your use on wall by lectern. Please apply hand sanitizer on your way to the altar. Thank you for your assistance in helping with communion. The next Parents Night Out is Saturday, February 18 from 5:30-10:00 p.m. for all OSLC children infant through 6th grade. The kids (and adults/youth helpers) have been having a great time and last month we had 17 kids attend, 5 adults and 1 youth helper. Sign up sheets are on the bulletin board at the church or call/ the church office. Don t miss this great opportunity to let your kids come to a safe environment and have a great time with others from our church family for a few hours playing games, play-do, watching movies and having a snack. For more information, contact the church office. Adult/youth volunteers are needed for the February Parents Night Out! Have you checked out the church s website lately? It is updated on a regular basis and is a great source for information on dates and times of worship services, events, activities, Bible studies, etc. We invite and encourage you to visit the site soon! oslcauduboniowa.org 5

6 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 9:30 Caring & Sharing 2:30 Kid s Choir 3:00 Confirmation 7:00 New Member class 7:00 BTC Praise Band practice 2 10:30 Friendship Home Communion 7:00 Men s Bible Study 3 9:30 The Weekly Prayer Cell (Barb Christensen s) 4 5 8:15 Prayer Power 9:00 Holy Communion 10:15 Coffee, Sr. Choir practice, SS, Adult Education class 10:15 Worship Committee Mtg 11:15 Lenten Dramatic Portrayals Meeting 6 9:00 Staff Meeting 2:30 Friendship Home Auxiliary Meeting 7 8 2:30 Kid s Choir 3:00 Confirmation 9 4:00 Bookclub 7:00 Men s Bible Study 10 9:30 The Weekly Prayer Cell (Barb Christensen s) 7:00 a.m.-8:00 a.m. Kid s Choir Fellowship Night :15 Prayer Power 9:00 Worship 10:15 Coffee, Sr. Choir, SS 5:00 Healing Service 13 9:00 Staff Meeting 1:15 Quilting 6:30 Building Committee Mtg. 7:00 Mutual Ministry Mtg. 14 2:00 Naomi Circle 15 2:30 Kid s Choir 3:00 Confirmation 7:00 Church Council 16 9:30 Ruth Circle 9:30 Rachel Circle 1:30 Mary Circle 7:00 Men s Bible Study 17 9:30 The Weekly Prayer Cell (Barb Christensen s) 18 5:30-10:00 Parents Night Out 19 8:15 Prayer Power 9:00 Holy Communion 10:15 Coffee, Sr. Choir practice, SS, Adult Education class 11:15 BTC Praise Band practice 3:30 Exira Vespers 4:00-5:30 The Rock Junior High 5:00-6:30 The Rock High School 20 Shepherd Staff 9:00 Staff Meeting :30 Kid s Choir 10:30 or 3:00 (?) Grief Support Group 7:00 Ash Wednesday Worship 23 7:00 Men s Bible Study 24 9:30 The Weekly Prayer Cell (Barb Christensen s) 25 12:00 Gathering at Ron & Barb Christensen s with Allison Bennett from Hesed Uganda. Everyone welcome! 26 8:15 Prayer Power 9:00 Worship- BTC Praise Band 10:15 Coffee, Sr. Choir, SS, Adult Education class 27 9:00 Staff Meeting 1:15 Quilting 5:00 Lenten Breakfast set up? 28 6:30 Lenten Breakfast at OSLC 229 2:30 Kid s Choir 6:00 Lenten Soup Supper 7:00 Lenten Worship 10:30 or 3:00 (?) Grief Support Group 6 7

7 The Rock is back! Hello, I am Jennifer Fliflet. My husband is David and we have three children; Faith, Jordan and Daniel. I currently work part time at hospital lab and at our home office. I have worked with youth in the past as a High school science teacher. I have been baptized in the Lutheran church and have been involved with the Sunday school program. I experienced and supervised youth group for several years at other Lutheran congregations. I am Sara Slater, one of the youth group leaders. I grew up in Audubon and lived in Louisiana for eight years. I am married to Brad Slater. We have three children; Grace, Ava, and Layne. I currently work at the hospital in the medical records department. I have taught Sunday school off and on since high school, and currently teach kindergarten. I have visited many different churches in my travels and have enjoyed the different experiences from each one. We really look forward to helping your children grow into a strong, centered faith-filled life. Our goal is to have fun activities that bring us closer together in our faith. We have developed an site for communication; anyone is welcome to use it. therockaudubon@gmail.com. We are excited to co-run The Rock. We have planned monthly gatherings, which will have a lesson focus and an activity. We encourage all youth and their friends whom are interested to show up to our first gathering on Feb 19th, so we can have you help us plan those activities. We know that your lives are filled with lots of activities already, we understand. Those activities are things that you have chosen to be involved in because you enjoy them. Well, we are just throwing in one more option that you can choose from. We would love for you to attend, even if you can t attend all of them. Check it out, see if it is something you would enjoy. The Rock will gather Sunday Feb 19th in the church downstairs social room. We would like the JR. High students to come from 4:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m. We would like the SR. High students to come from 5:00 p.m.-6:30 p.m. We will be serving pizza and pop from 5:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m. so that each group will be fed. 8

8 FEBRUARY BIRTHDAY LIST FOR THOSE 65 & OLDER POSTED ON BUL- LETIN BOARD ABOVE THE WATER FOUNTAIN USHERS Bruce Andersen, Captain Chuck Hansen Peter Schwab Lee Nielsen Steve Mathisen Jeff Albertsen Joel Rattenborg Colby Rattenborg Wesley Thygesen TAXI DRIVERS Ron & Barb Christensen ALTAR GUILD Caroline Boeck Betsy Nelsen Carlene Deist VIDEO OPERATORS 5- Jeff Albertsen 12- Roger Larsen 19- Ken Burns 26- Brian Jensen SOUND OPERATORS 5- Curtis Frederiksen 12- Tim Morgan 19- Bob Weber 22- Need volunteer 26- Bob Weber 29- Need volunteer ACOLYTES 5- Kelsi Lange Brandon Hansen 12- Mitchell Nelsen Matthew Smith-Petersen 19- Kyle Polson Katie Worthington 22- Need volunteers 26- Cole Petersen Jordan Fliflet 29- Need volunteers Thrivent Choice Dollars Many of you who have Thrivent policies have directed your Choice Dollars to OSLC and we thank you. If you have not signed up for Choice Dollars, you may do so by going to thrivent.com (set up account by selecting a user name and password, then log in, click on Thrivent Community on the menu bar at the top of the screen, drag down to Thrivent Choice, on the left side of screen click on My Thrivent Choice Activity, on left side of screen click on activity history). You will have a complete listing of the money given to OSLC on your behalf. You may also call Thrivent directly at and ask about Thrivent Choice. For questions or help, contact Janet Smith, , Neal Mesek, or the Audubon Thrivent Advocate, Elayne Sinow, Thank you again to all who have donated their Thrivent Choice dollars. If you do not designate your funds, they are directed to the Thrivent general fund. 9

9 Those sponsoring February altar flowers are: 5-Richard & Janice Hemmingsen 12-Rose Bylund & family 19-Joan Mortensen 26-Lent (no flowers) We are no longer accepting used computers or televisions for the OSLC garage sales. All other garage sale items may be left on the stage in the downstairs social room. Lent, 2012 Schedule February 22 7:00 p.m. Ash Wednesday Service February 29 to March 28 Worship services every Wednesday proceeded by Lenten Suppers at 6:00 p.m. served by the Workcampers. April 1 Palm Sunday 9:00 a.m. worship (Sunday School children are invited to participate in a Palm Processional at the beginning of the service) April 5 7:00 p.m. Maundy Thursday Service April 6 7:00 p.m. Good Friday Service April 8 7:00 a.m. Easter Sunday Sunrise Service 8:00 a.m. Easter Breakfast 9:00 a.m. Easter Sunday Worship Are you looking for a way to help serve at Our Saviour s? The Altar Guild is in need of a chairperson or co-chairs. The duties for this position include helping develop the monthly schedules once a year with the church office, overseeing communion/ baptismal supplies, and being a resource person(s) for altar guild volunteers. The Worship Committee is available to assist the chairperson(s) in regards to recruiting volunteers as needed, address concerns, etc. Please contact the church office or a Worship Committee member if you could help with this need or if you have any questions. Thank you to Betsy Nelsen and Lela Gleason who have stepped down after being the Altar Guild chairpersons for many years. We are blessed to have a wonderful prayer shawl ministry here at OSLC. Yarn is needed to make additional prayer shawls. Please drop off yarn or financial donations towards yarn in the church office. If you would like to become part of this ministry by making prayers shawls, please contact the church office. The daffodil is the American Cancer Society s symbol of hope in the fight against cancer. Daffodil Sunday is February 5 and orders will be taken on February 5th & 12th at the church and delivery will be the week of March 12th. One bunch of daffodils is $10. Last year over $4, was raised through the sale of daffodils in Audubon County to help fight cancer. If you have questions contact Joan Nielsen at or Paula Hansen at

10 Out of consideration for those who may find it harder to walk during inclement weather, please leave the parking spaces closest to our entrances open for those who need them. Also, please leave the parking spaces to the east of the alley open for our brothers and sisters in Christ at the First Presbyterian Church. The next newsletter deadline will be Fri., Feb. 17 at noon. Please remember to get your information into the church office in advance. OSLC important dates to remember Wednesday, February 22 Ash Wednesday Sunday, April 1-Saturday, April 7 Holy Week Sunday, April 8 Easter Sunday Sunday, April 15 First Communion Sunday celebration Sunday, April 22 Church Music Sunday Sunday, April 29 Confirmation Sunday Sunday, May 6 Graduation Recognition & Sunday School Talent Show 5th Quarter date Jan. 27th All 5 th -9 th grade welcome. 8:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. at the Audubon Church of Christ. Parents are invited to help at 5 th Quarter. Stewardship Square Regular offerings 12/25 $9, /01 $7, /08 $15, /15 $4, /22 $3, Average Weekly Worship Attendance 12/24 (5:30) /24 (10:00) 36 12/ / / / / Christmas loose offerings to support OSLC Campship Fund $1, Needed Weekly to meet budget $5,