F e b r u a r y

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1 F e b r u a r y Define: pledge card /plej kärd/ noun. A pledge card is a response to the budget created by Our Savior s Lutheran Church. A pledge is an estimate of how much money you are able to give to the congregation in the coming year. This estimate is discerned after personal budgets are set and prayerful consideration is given to where God is calling you to support the mission of Our Savior s Lutheran Church. We know that with God there is More than Enough! And we are excited to see how all of us can continue to support the ministry that God is calling us too! Please remember to return your pledge card by March 1, 2015 Budget Meeting Congregational Meeting Pledge Card Mailed Stewardship Focus We have had our Annual Congregational Meeting, we have talked budgets, we have mailed out pledge cards and we have heard from a few people about how to support the powerful ministry that takes places in our congregation. We can check stewardship off of our list, right? This is often our attitude toward stewardship. Every fall we hear a theme about how to financially support ministry, we give money and then the church creates a budget and the season of stewardship is done. But stewardship is not just an item to check off the list; stewardship is not just one season. Stewardship is more than a season in the life of the church. Stewardship is the way that we understand the gifts that God has entrusted to us and the way that we manage and use those gifts for the mission that God calls us too. This year our stewardship theme focuses on abundance. We recall the story of Christ feeding the 5,000 and that even in the midst of doubt and uncertainty there was More than Enough! In the same way we remember that with God there is always an abundance of what we need to continue in ministry together. More than Enough will continue to be our stewardship theme for the year as we focus on our talents, stuff, time, and money. As a congregation we will examine all that God has given us and the ways that God calls us to use these gifts in our homes, places of work, in our community and in our congregation. You will see another check-list below. These are the places that we encourage you to check often so that you may participate in our ongoing stewardship focus. Through the year, these places will provide reflection questions, articles and resources on our stewardship monthly themes of talent, stuff, time, and money. Beginning in March we will focus on our personal talents and how we serve God in our daily lives. Together we will see that with God we have More than Enough talents, stuff, time, and money! Thanks be to God! Pastor Ashley Monthly Newsletter Weekly Bulletin Facebook Our Savior s Website Calendar for Special Events! I nside this i ss ue: Pastor Ashley 1 Pastor Sarah 2 Dates & Items to Remember Congregation Life 6 More Information 7 Youth 8 Children s Ministry 9 3-5

2 P a g e 2 A Word from Pr. Sarah Where is the front door at Our Savior s? I have been asked this question countless times as I have begun serving as your pastor. L e n t S c h e d u l e 5 : : 0 0 p m S o u p S u p p e r 6 : : 3 0 p m W o r s h i p w i t h W e d n e s d a y S c h o o l, & C o n f i r m a t i o n S o u p S u p p e r : F e b. 1 8 t h C h i c k e n W i l d R i c e & C h i l i F e b. 2 5 t h L o a d e d B a k e d P o t a t o & C h i l i One of the blessings of the building we have inherited is its spaciousness. There are many beautiful areas here for ministry to happen. On the other hand, this spaciousness also gives rise to a challenge: multiple entrances leading to multiple centers of community life. The front office remains by one main door (the "old" front entrance) and the worship/education area remains by the other main doors (the "new" front entrance). This configuration poses a significant challenge to those who use a wheelchair or struggle with mobility. Neither of our "front" doors is handicap accessible and there is very little handicapped parking in close proximity to the office door. People new to the congregation are also at a disadvantage in this configuration. As they enter the worship/education area, the office location is not immediately identifiable and the path to that area is a circuitous one. This set of facts brings me to a proposal I'd like you to consider: What would the building feel like if we moved the front office from its current location to the office just north of the Fire Work s Room in which Kira Anderson currently works? Such a move could be easily accomplished with very little cost. We could choose to open one wall into a front counter and window, but otherwise, very little disruption would occur to our flooring, electrical systems, plumbing, etc. No walls would be moved, no major construction or remodeling would be necessary. There would be several advantages to making this change: A handicap assisted door could be wired in one location in the building, making our worship, education and office areas all accessible from one entrance. We could relocated our service providers (Lutheran Social Services, Christ Through Hands Ministry) into the current office area, consolidating their presence in the building. Staff members would be located more closely to one another for collaborative work, and visitors to the building would be able to easily locate the front office. AND, we could identify the "official" front door, even if the old one remained forever a favorite. I would appreciate your consideration of this matter. Your council and staff are already in consideration and the staff are excited about the possibilities made available by working in greater proximity to one another. Look for more information in next month's newsletter. In the meantime, give this some thought. As always, feel free to share a conversation with a council member, a pastor, or a staff member! In Christ, Pastor Sarah

3 P a g e 3 Our Savior's Identity: Rooted in Scripture, Lutheran in Tradition During February and March, we will have the opportunity to look more closely at two things that root and ground us here at Our Savior's: Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Tradition. Pr. Ashley and Pr. Sarah share a profound love of scripture as well as an abiding joy in being Lutheran. They would like to share some of these commitments during Bible Study and Lenten Worship in the next two months. Here is a bit more information: Sunday Morning Bible Study begins on Sunday, February first at 9:30 am, with the pastors leading a study that pushes us deep into the study of scripture. The Bible Study, "Beggars before the Living Word", written by the pastors, will explore Christians' deep love of scripture and our faith development as it is shaped by scripture over the course of our lifetimes. The morning topics will include: "Love of Scripture", "Sunday School and Scripture", "What Kind of Book", "Jesus's Use of Scripture", "Hebrew and Greek", "Martin Luther and the Reformation", "Law and Gospel", "Shared Covenant - Covenant Through Jesus Christ" and "The Living Word of God". The study will run through Sunday, March 29th (Palm Sunday). We look forward to seeing you there! As we enter into the Lenten Season at Our Savior's, we will be worshipping at 6:15 pm each Wednesday evening and exploring what it means to be Lutheran. Together, we will look to the dynamic and vibrant identity we have inherited in this theological tradition. We will also seek to reclaim a Lutheran identity for today that can change the shape of our daily lives. Although some characterize Lutheranism as dry and academic, we counter that "Living Lutheran" is a beautiful, engaged way of Relating, Seeing, Hearing, Teaching, Following and Being Church. Lutheran: A Way of Life" will be waiting for YOUR engagement beginning Wednesday, February 18th at 6:15 pm! Lamplighters Meeting Tuesday, February 3rd at Noon Our Savior s Staff will be treating the Lamplighter s to an annual Valentine Linch and program. Pastor Sarah and Pastor Ashley will provide the entertainment, the staff will serve a Lasagna meal. It has been the staff s pleasure to show our appreciation to the Lamplighter s for all they do at Our Savior s by hosting this annual event. Visitors are welcome. Please contact Wendy in the church office if you would like to attend, so we have plenty of food for everyone.

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6 P a g e 6 C o n g r e g a t i o n a l L i f e Our Sympathy to: Denny and Sue Jandro, Ryan and Isaac In the death of their daughter and sister, Jessica Jandro. Rita Fuller Tawnya and Jon Myrick Family In the death of Rita s husband and Tawnya s father, Keith Fuller. To family and friends of Avis Savre. To the family and friends of Paul Hutton. May the promise of the resurrection into eternal life give you much hope and comfort in this time of loss. F a c t s a n d F i g u r e s f o r D e c e m b e r Y e a r C o m p a r i s o n D e c e m b e r O f f e r i n g $ 7 9, $ 8 2, $ 9 4, D e c e m b e r E x p e n s e $ 5 3, $ 5 6, $ 4 9, M a y G o d c o n t i n u e t o n u r t u r e o u r s p i r i t o f g e n e r o s i t y and bless our life-giving ministries L a m p l i g h t e r s Tuesday, February 3 12:00 p.m. Our Savior s Staff Will host a Lunch and program for the Lamplighters. Visitors are always Welcome! S a v e t h e D a t e ***N e w P i c t o r i a l D i r e c t o r y * * * W e w i l l b e p r o d u c i n g a n e w p i c t o r i a l d i r e c t o r y w i t h L i f e t o u c h. O u r p h o t o d a t e s a r e : A p r i l , , , L o o k f o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n t o c o m e. R e m e m b e r o u r d i r e c t o r y w o n t b e c o m p l e t e w i t h o u t y o u!

7 P a g e 7 Attention Our Saviors Book Readers: Our Saviors Book club will meet Monday, February 16th when we will be discussing Marylynne Robinson s book LILA. We meet at 7:30pm in the Library. We would love to have new readers join! About the book: Lila, homeless and alone after years of roaming the countryside, steps inside a small-town Iowa church the only available shelter from the rain and ignites a romance and a debate that will reshape her life. She becomes the wife of a minister, John Ames, and begins a new existence while trying to make sense of the life that preceded her newfound security. Neglected as a toddler, Lila was rescued by Doll, a canny young drifter, and brought up by her in a hardscrabble childhood. Together they crafted a life on the run, living hand to mouth with nothing but their sisterly bond and a ragged blade to protect them. Despite bouts of petty violence and moments of desperation, their shared life was laced with moments of joy and love. When Lila arrives in Gilead, she struggles to reconcile the life of her makeshift family and their days of hardship with the gentle Christian worldview of her husband which paradoxically judges those she loves. Thank you! As a congregation, we would like to thank our Sunday Morning custodians, Mark Zetner and Chris Treblehorn for making coffee for fellowship each week. We appreciate your willingness to serve the congregation in this capacity! Sudanese Ministry at Our Savior's Please mark Sunday, February 22nd on your calendars. We will be celebrating Pr. Wal Reat's last Sunday of Internship with Our Savior's during worship. Pr. Wal is in the midst of a transition between his time with Our Savior's and his return to the people of South Sudan amongst whom he will minister. During this time he will be taking care of some personal business and receiving training that will allow him the possibility of functioning on behalf of a broader Lutheran constituency. On the 22nd, we will look ahead to this shared African Mission with Pr. Wal and we will rejoice in his faithful service to Our Savior's. CALLING ALL THRIVENT MEMBERS Are you a Thrivent member? If so, we in invite you to participation in the "Choice Dollars" program. "Choice Dollars" are a benefit offered to you free of charge, simply for being a policy holder. Once a year, you have the option of calling Thrivent (or going on line) and selecting a charitable organization to whom you would like to give. Giving to Our Savior's is one of your choices. For more information, please contact Lyle Olson or Karen Rassmussen.

8 P a g e 8 Youth Update: Forms Are Ready Don t Miss Out!!! Confirmation Camp Forms Available: The dates for this year s confirmation camp have been set. June 7 th - June 12 th, The camp again this year will take place at Interstate State Park in Taylors Falls, MN. If you are currently a 6 th - 8 th grade student this camp is for you. Don t miss out spending a week in God s beautiful creation doing various outdoor activities and Bible studies. This is a fun and exciting adventure to kick off the summer break. Forms are available outside of the main office, welcome counter or you can access the information on our website. Camp Counselor Applications: Attention high school and college students. If you have completed the 11 th grade you have an opportunity to be a part of Confirmation Camp this year. I am currently taking applications from students who are interested in being a camp leader. As a camp leader you will help to lead small group Bible studies, various activities and arts/crafts. You can pick up a form at the welcome desk or go online to download one. Mission Trip Forms Available: The mission trip is open for students who have completed grades 6 th -12 th. Spots are limited to students due to the space available with housing the youth group from Lawrence, Kansas. Here is a great opportunity to meet people from another state and to serve within the community that you live. During the week students will be busy serving at various work sites, spending time in worship and devotion along with some fun even activities. Forms are located outside of the main office, on the welcome desk and can be downloaded online. For more information please contact me or visit our website. Soup Suppers To Help Support This Year s Mission Effort: Students who have registered for this year s trip will again be running the soup suppers during the Lenten season. Please come in and enjoy a warm cup of soup/bread during these cold months. Money from these dinners goes toward the costs for this year s mission effort here in Faribault. As we continue to look toward the summer and sign ups are now out, if you have any questions please don t hesitate to contact me. I look forward to connecting with you as we begin this Lenten season together. Timmy Slinger Youth Director

9 C h i l d r e n s M i n i s t r y P a g e 9 MOVIE NIGHT Kids Event It has been too long since we have enjoyed a movie on the big screen in the Chapel! On Friday February 20 th at 6:00-7:30pm I would like to invite all kids ages Kindergarten through 5 th Grade to come and watch a movie with me in the Chapel. We will be watching the movie FROZEN. Come in comfy clothes or PJs & please bring your pillow and blanket to lie on while we enjoy our movie! Popcorn & water will be provided. This is a great opportunity for you as a parent or guardian to go out by yourself, as a couple or with friends. The cost is $1 per child at the door. Summer Dates: June 22 nd -26 th : 8:30-11:00am VBS for 3 year olds through graduated kindergarten. June 22 nd -25 th : 6:30-8:00pm VBS for 1 st - 5 th grade (graduated) July 14 th -18 th : 9:00-4:00pm Good Earth Village On the Road (aka Day Camp) graduated Kindergarten through 5 th Grade I understand that sometimes children in the 3, 4 & 5 year old category like to come also! If that is your child, please know that they are invited to attend as well. The only catch is that a parent must stay with them. Please RSVP to me by February 18 th so I know how many bags of popcorn must be popped! Hope to see EVERYONE then! February- PCF Event 3 rd -5 th Graders are invited to your PCF Event on Saturday, February, 28th from 1:00-2:30 at J&J Bowling. Please meet us at the Bowling center and plan on picking your child up at 2:30. We will have a small snack and bowl as much as we can get in. Please sign-up via a phone call or Kira at kira@oursaviorsfbo.org by Wed. February 25 th so I know how many kids to plan for. The cost is $5 at the door. March- Rainbow Connection Event Kindergarten 2 nd Grade students are invited to join Kira Anderson for a Thank You Event on Sunday, March 1 st from 1:00-2:30pm. Today is all about you! We will be making a craft, playing a game, having a snack and watching a little video. Please sign-up via a phone call or Kira at kira@oursaviorsfbo.org by Wednesday Feb 25 th if you would like to attend. The cost is $5 at the door. Lent Wednesday FEBRUARY 18 th marks the first day of lent also known as Ash Wednesday!! I am so excited about lent this year. We will attend worship in the sanctuary at 6:15pm. Parents are encouraged to come and sit with their children. After worship we will break into our Wednesday School group and complete a project, activity or discussion in the Fire Works Room. The teachers will be with us each week incase parents are unable to make it and if parents can come they will be able to assist their child in the activity for the night! Class will get done at 7:30 each week and you may pick your children up in the Fire Works room

10 Volunteers Ushers 8:30 Service 10:30 Service Scott Finstuen Jarid Finstuen Pat Otis Dave Hering Diana Hering Ken Hubert Welcome Center Greeters Paul Quandt Steve Ecker Desta Ecker Dan Rasmussen Karen Rasmussen Don Ward 8:30 10:30 Becky, Eliot and Ethan Krogh February 1 Doug and Nancy Zahn Deb and Andy Broughton February 8 Ginger Myers Jenna and Brad Lombard February 15 Volunteer Needed Volunteer Needed February 22 Volunteer Needed Volunteer Needed Attention Welcome Center Greeters: We would like to place the greeters in the new narthex behind or by the Welcome Counter. This will give the greeters a central place for new people to find them for information and to welcome them to Our Savior s as they enter the church building. Please be at the Welcome Counter 15 min. before service and right after service for about 15 min. Thank you. Communion February 1 & 15 8:30 10:30 Comm. Prep Dennis and Rita Wunderlich Mary Osborne Servers Dennis and Rita Wunderlich Fred and Barb Grote Ray and Linda Wood Larry and Linda Buhr Readers 8:30 10:30 February 1 Ellen Bisping Troy Dunn Tara Dunn Lori Boyle February 8 Denese Bremer Linda Mueller February 15 John Currie Peggy Paulson February 22 Kris Hoysler Mary Zentner Harry and Shari Dell

11 Sound & Tech Team Sound / Media Shout & Lights Sound / Media Shout & Lights 8:30 10:30 February 1 Curt and Georganne Danielson Carol and Troy Caron February 8 Dick Lawson and Mitch Anderson Dick Lawson and Roger Meyer February 15 Volunteer needed for Media Shout Volunteer needed for Media Shout Mark Zentner Sound Mark Zentner Sound February 22 Blake and Chris Trebelhorn Volunteer needed for Media Shout Nursery 8:30 10:30 February 1 Brendan and Krista Cox Alisha Hildebrandt February 8 Volunteer Needed Volunteer Needed February 15 No Nursery Scheduled No Nursery Scheduled February 22 Hannah and Morgan Ryan and Sheryl Borka February 1 February 8 February 15 February 22 8:30 Brad Haugen None Needed Our Savior s Singers None Needed Cantor

12 O u r S a v i o r s L u t h e r a n C h u r c h 1207 Prairie Ave South Faribault, MN Nonprofit Or. Bulk Rate U.S. Postage Paid Faribault, MN Permit No. 81 Change Service Requested V i s i t u s o n t h e w e b! w w w. o u r s a v i o r s f b o. o r g C a f é M i d w e e k F e b r u a r y M e n u February 4 BBQ Pork Sandwiches Serving is from 5:00-6:00pm Cost is $3.00 per person with a family maximum Of $ Come enjoy great food and fellowship with your Our Savior s family! February 11 Tator Tot Hotdish February 18 Lenten Soup Suppers begin Chili and Chicken Wild Rice February 25 Chili and Potato Soup