Blue Christmas Service. Sunday, December 4 5:00pm. Church Office Hours during Holidays

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1 2016 C h r i s t m a s E v e W o r s h i p D e c e m b e r 2 4 In s id e t h i s i s su e : Christmas Eve Schedule 1 Pastor Chris 2 Pastor Ashley 3 3 : 0 0 a n d 5 : 0 0 p m S e r v i c e Window Project Information Congregational Life 5 Advent Worship : 0 0 p m C a n d l e l i g h t S e r v i c e W i t h H o l y C o m m u n i o n I f y o u w o u l d l i k e t o p r o v i d e s p e c i a l m u s i c d u r i n g a n y o f t h e C h r i s t m a s E v e S e r v i c e s, p l e a s e c o n t a c t G e o r g a n n e D a n - i e l s o n b y e m a i l ; g e o u r s a v i o r s f b o. o r g. o r c a l l , e x t Blue Christmas Service Sunday, December 4 5:00pm All are invited to worship with us for our Blue Christmas Service. While Advent and Christmas are a time of great festivity and joy for the majority of people within the Christian community, it must be recognized that Christmas can be a particularly difficult time for people who may be grieving a loss, for those who are living alone, or those who have painful associates with this time of year. As a community we will gather for a service where we will comfort one another and turn to God in prayer. Please join us for our Blue Christmas Worship Service on Sunday, December 4th at 5:oopm in the Chapel. Together we will proclaim Christ s light which shines in all of our lives. May the light and love of Christ bring hope and peace to you this season. Faith Formation 7 Children s Ministry 8 Benson Family Singers 9 Volunteers 10 Café Midweek 12 Church Office Hours during Holidays The church office will close at noon during the Holiday Season beginning Friday, December 23rd. The office will be closed on Monday, December 26 and Monday, January 2 All 2016 contributions must be received by Noon December 30th to be included in 2016 giving records.

2 A Word from Pr. Chris Transition to a New Season of Mission Transition Task Force Forming Soon Transitions are times in between. They happen in the space between what has been and what is going to be. Transitions are times ripe with possibility. If the time is leveraged well, good things, even great things, come from transitions. Many times of transition are recorded in the Bible. Between slavery under Pharaoh and freedom in the Promised Land, there was a 40-year transition as the people of God learned to think, worship, pray and serve in new ways. Much later, Gabriel told Mary that in nine months she was going to give birth to the Savior of the world. Mary retreated to the house of her cousin Elizabeth for much of that ninemonth transition period to prepare herself for her new mission raising the child Jesus to adulthood. The most important transition in history took place between Good Friday and Easter Sunday what the church calls The Three Days. God did God s most important work in that time of transition. And, the most awesome, most blessed thing happened when it was done Jesus rose and nothing could take away life from us ever again. Like the disciples after Good Friday, the Israelites wandering in the wilderness, and the pregnant Mary, people in a time of transition often ask the same question: What s next? Our Savior s Lutheran Church is at the beginning of a time of transition. The church is in this transition not by choice but because of the untimely death of a lead pastor. For many of you, this time naturally feels ambiguous; grief does not give way to clarity quickly enough for our impatient hearts. We all want to know what s next. God has a good record when it comes to times of transition. In fact, when you look at the biblical record, you must conclude that often God does God s best work during times of transition. Because we are the people of God, forgiven and given new life through Jesus, God s promise for us is that something really good is next. You can count on that. My time as an intentional interim pastor at Our Savior s is focused on helping you partner with God in bringing about that next, good and blessed season of mission. To do that well, we the Church Council, the staff, and others church leaders need your help. We need your prayers for discernment and decisions. We need your ideas and input as we gather information to help the church move ahead. We will also soon be forming the Transition Task Force a team that has the job of helping to lead Our Savior s into its next season of mission. If you d like to be considered as a member of the Task Force, your interest in serving to Georganne Danielson or fill out the yellow half-sheet in the worship bulletin and hand it in. The Nominating Committee will be meeting to review names and recommend a team to the Council. The Task Force will begin its work early in I m excited about the work of the Task Force and the support of the whole congregation as we walk together in this time of transition. God has good things in store for Our Savior s.

3 A Word from Pr. Ashley The people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light for a child has been born for us, a son given to us; he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. These words from Isaiah 9 are words that we will hear as we gather on Christmas Eve and declare the Good News: that the Christ Child has been born. The words from Isaiah capture the joy of what happened in a manger many years ago as the long awaited Messiah was born into humanity. But before we hear these words of celebration, we journey through the season of Advent. Advent is the season of the church year before Christmas. Advent is about waiting and preparing. Advent asks us to slow down, to prepare our hearts and our lives for the coming of Christ, and to enter into a time of waiting and watching for Christ to appear. Our lives are always surrounded by an Advent feeling, a feeling of waiting and preparing. This Advent we are especially aware of waiting and preparing as a church community. We have just begun the work that is needed to prepare to call a new Lead Pastor. Interim Pr. Chris Smith will intentionally and faithfully lead us through a season of preparing and waiting; preparing for a new Lead Pastor as we reflect on our identity as a congregation and our hopes for pastoral leadership. This process may feel slow to some, it may feel like a long season of waiting and preparing, but we enter into this time trusting that God is at work in the grief process and the call process. We are in a season of waiting in our country. We are waiting to see how President- elect Trump will lead. We are waiting to see how we will come together as a country that was divided during a contentious presidential election. We are waiting to see how God will continue to be at work in our nation and in our world. My husband Jon and I are in a season of waiting and preparing as well. We are waiting for the birth of our first child due December 27 th and preparing our home and our lives (as best as we can) for this new addition. It seems that all around us we are preparing and waiting. But we wait with hope. We wait knowing what is yet to come; knowing that the baby born many years ago is the same Christ who comes into our lives each and every day. This Christ brings light and love into our darkness and hope for our waiting. What are you waiting for this Advent? In your own waiting, may you trust the promises of Christ; promises that will be declared at Christmas as we remember the Savior born into our world and the promise of a Christ who is with us each and everyday and will come again. May the child born for us bring you peace, comfort, and joy this season of Advent and every season of your life. In Christ, Pr. Ashley Osborn

4 Thank you for your financial gifts this year. In the last year we have been able to accomplish so much because of your generosity. In December 2015 we ran a fundraiser to support Pr. Wal Reat as an ELCA Missionary. Our congregation had made a financial commitment for Pr. Wal Reat totaling $25,000 from September 2015 September Our hope for this fundraiser was to raise half of this money. We raised much more than anticipated. Because of your generosity, this fundraiser brought in $20,000! During 2016 an additional $3,000 was received. Currently, we have $2,000 left to raise for this commitment. Thank you! In April of 2016 we were able to move forward with the installation of our handicap doors because of your financial gifts! We raised over $20,000 for this project. The handicap doors have been a great addition to our congregation as we continue to be a welcoming and accessible church. Thank you! We recently completed our Window Project Fundraiser and raised over $17,000. We raised this money much more quickly than projected and we are grateful for your excitement and support of this project. We hope to have windows installed in early Thank you! We have much to celebrate this year because of your generous gifts. Thank you for your financial support of Our Savior s! Thank you, Pr. Ashley Osborn Merry Christmas and Happy New Year From Our Savior s Staff! Interim Pastor Chris Smith Pastor Ashley Osborn Georganne Danielson Kira Anderson Wendy Smith-Becker Megan Klapperich Tim Becker Chris Trebelhorn Mark Zentner Pam Salveson DeWayne Wee Donn Johnson Curt Danielson Mark Hedenstrom Paula Hildebrandt Windows Into Our Savior s Update I met with a representative of Window World on Thursday, November 17th for final measurements. The windows have been ordered. It will take approximately 6-8 weeks for the windows to be manufactured. Installation will take place the first part of Thank you for your continued support of the life and ministry of Our Savior s. Georganne Danielson, Director of Operations C o n g r e g a t i o n a l A n n u a l M e e t i n g J a n u a r y 2 9 t h 9 : 3 0 a. m. W o r s h i p 1 0 : 3 0 a. m. C o n g r e g a t i o n a l A n n u a l M e e t i n g I n t h e S a n c t u a r y.

5 Page 5 Congregational Life and Financials Our Sympathy to: Fa cts a nd Figures for October 2016 Glen and Shirley Norgaard In the death of Glen s Sister, Violet Norgaard. Sally Kramer In the death of her Mother-in-Law, Hazel Kramer. Dan and Linda Hanegraaf In the of Dan s brother, Tim Hanegraaf. 3 Year Comparison October Offering $57,487 $52,771 $53,763 October Expense $51,041 $51,703 $62,502 May the promise of the resurrection into eternal life give you much hope and comfort in this time of loss. Stewardship Update Thank you for your Financial Commitment to Our Savior s Lutheran Church! Month Net 3 Year Comparison Here is an update on our Stewardship Campaign after Pledge Card Wednesday and Sunday: As of Monday, November 21st, Our Savior s has received: 175 Pledge Cards Total dollars committed for 2017: $438,698 Let us celebrate that we have received 14 pledge cards from households that have never contributed & 85 households have increased their pledge. Year to Date 3 Year Comparison Offering $538,819 $526,615 $504,144 Expenses $520,517 $532,361 $553,473 This means that 47% of our active households have pledged to support Our Savior s is Year to Date Net 3 Year Comparison Thank you for your commitment to Our Savior s Lutheran Church. There is still time to return your pledge card if you have not yet done so. You can mail your pledge to Our Savior s or drop it off at the church office. Together we will continue to Sustain Excellence in Ministry. Thank you, Pr. Chris Smith & Pr. Ashley Osborn $ 6445 $ 1067 ($8738) $18,303 ($ 5746) ($49,328) Thank you for your faithful giving and for being willing to work towards full financial health at Our Savior s!

6 2016 Sunday Advent Worship Schedule 9:30 a.m. 1st Sunday in Advent November 27 Rejoice Presented by Our Savior s Singers 2nd Sunday in Advent December 4 Jesus Came Presented by Proclaim and High School Youth 3nd Sunday in Advent December 11 What God Wants for Christmas Presented by Sunday and Wednesday School children 4th Sunday in Advent December 18 Start At The Manger Presented by Free Spirit

7 Gifts seem to be the theme for this season of the year. Around Christmastime, we hear advertisements for gifts, ask for gift wish lists, and plan to give gifts to those we love. With gift as the theme of the season and gifts on my mind, I am thinking about what the GIFT of the church is. There are countless gifts that the church offers, but one of the strongest is the gift of community that gives people strength and guidance to go out into an uncertain world firmly grounded in the promises of Christ. The promises of Christ are the ultimate GIFT and they are freely given to everyone. As the Director of Faith Formation it is my calling to provide our community space to Gather in Faith Together GIFT. As a congregation member, you will start seeing the word GIFT used more frequently for events around the church. GIFT (Gathering in Faith Together) is a way to describe events that bring us together in both fellowship and God s promises in Scripture. GIFT gives space for a genuine community of faith to grow in relationship with one another. My hope is that through our time everyone finds that they are valued as Christian individuals within the variety of generations that participate in ministry at OSLC. I want all generations to know they are needed and valued: I want elders to know they are needed at an event, to share a perspective of a faith filled life. To be able to share with a family that is just starting out their trials and joys they went through that formed them to the Christian they are today. I want the youngest of our members to get acquainted with the elders of the community so that on a Sunday morning or Wednesday evening they see each other and smile in recognition of the adult that shared a treat, craft or story with them. I want parents to know that the person sitting in the pew behind them knows who they are and genuinely cares about the busy week they had because they have connected in conversation outside of worship. We are a community that has so many GIFTS to share with each other. Please watch for events with the language of GIFT in the description and know that ALL are welcome and invited. Kira Anderson Director of Faith Formation Giving ELCA Good Gifts for Christmas You can make a difference in the lives of others around the world and in this country. The ELCA establishes long-term sustainable solutions to help alleviate hunger and poverty. Giving $10 for ten little chicks can make a big difference. Within months of birth, chickens are already laying eggs. The eggs provide protein-rich meals and something to sell at the market to improve the lives of a family struggling with hunger and poverty. Giving $50 for a goat provides daily nutrition for children and their families. Goats can survive in some of the world's harshest environments. Their offspring can rapidly transform a community when offspring are shared with other families in need. Our family is joining together to give to Good Gifts instead of buying Christmas presents for each other. There are 50 items from which to choose to give. For more information, visit or call Contact Mary Zentner at 507/ with any additional questions.

8 Director of Faith Formation Page 8 Children s Christmas Program DRESS REHEARSAL Wednesday, December 7th 6:15-7:30pm ALL WEDNESDAY & SUNDAY SCHOOL KIDS ARE ASKED TO BE HERE FOR THIS REHEARSAL 1st Grade Stepping Stone Our children often think that money just miraculously appears. How do you start to teach children about managing money, and spending responsibly. This stepping stone will explore how God intends for us to appreciate and use God s gift of money. We will talk about spending, giving, and saving. This Class will meet on Wednesday, January 11th from 6:15-7:30 in the Chapel. All Wednesday and Sunday School families are invited to attend this class. The presentation of the Stepping Stone will be on Sunday, January 15th and Wednesday, January 18th at the Worship services. We look forward to having you all join us for this wonderful stepping stone. We have been practicing our music for the Children s Christmas program which is on Sunday, December 11th at 9:30am!!! All of the children participating in Sunday and Wednesday School are asked to sing in the Program. I understand that 40 minutes might be a long time for the 3 and 4 year old kids, so if you do not want your child to participate in the actual program please let me know, however we do encourage all of the kids to join us. Sunday, December 11 all Actors should be at church by 8:45am. Sunday, December 11 all Singers should be at church by 9:10am. We will have a dress rehearsal on Wednesday, December 7th from 6:15-7:30. All Sunday and Wednesday children must attend this rehearsal. The rehearsal time will be used to have the kids practice going on and off the risers, their songs and also hearing some of the narrations in between songs. It is important for all children that are going to be in the program to be at the rehearsal. Please see Kira if there is a conflict with this time. We are asking all families to please be here at 6:15 for worship, as it will be a shortened worship and we will begin immediately following the service. Class Schedule for December Please note that during Advent all Sunday School classes are done BEFORE worship begins. With the musical groups leading worship there is not a good time for children to enter worship during the service. Please know that you and your families are invited to worship to hear the different musical groups as they prepare for Christmas. Sunday School Wednesday School Dec. 4 Sunday School, 8:45-9:25 Dec. 7th Wednesday Dress Rehearsal 6:15-7:30pm Dec. 11th Children s Program, Dec. 7 Dress Rehearsal 6:15-7:30pm Dec. 11th Children s Program, th (refer to above for timing) Dec. 18th Sunday School 8:45-9:25 Dec. 25th Christmas DayNo Sunday School Jan. 1st No Sunday School (refer to above for timing) Dec. 14th Wednesday School 6:15-7:30 Dec. 21st Wednesday School Party Dec. 28th No Wednesday School Jan 4th Classes Resume 6:15-7:30

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10 December Volunteers Ushers Team 3 Dwight Elthon Larry Hafemeyer Wade Karli Mason Bongers Roger Meyer Fred Grote Mark Miller Ginger Myers Abby Bongers Tammy Meyer Joe Grote Jodi Miller Christmas Eve Ushers 3:00 Service Team 6 Cindy Schuenke and Rick Bartness 5:00 Service Team 1 and Team 2 Larry Buhr, Herb Hickey and Lori Tuff 10:00 Service Volunteers needed please contact Georganne Danielson at geo@oursaviorsfbo.org or by phone , ext. 202 Welcome Center Greeters December 4 December 11 December 18 December 25 Carol Fahrenholtz Sandra Rost Jill Finstuen Volunteer Needed Readers December 4 December 11 December 18 December 25 Proclaim s Advent Program Children s Advent Program Free Spirit s Advent Program Volunteer needed

11 Communion December 4 December 18 Comm. Prep. Beth Moore Comm. Prep. Dave and Shari Augustin Servers Fred and Barb Grote Servers Dennis and Rita Wunderlich Ray and Linda Wood Lori Boyle Troy and Tara Dunn Linda Mueller Harry and Shari Dell Sound & Tech Team December 4 December 11 December 18 December 24 December 25 Dick Lawson and Roger Meyer Curt and Georganne Danielson Troy and Bryn Caron Volunteers Needed Volunteers Needed

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 D e c e m b e r M e n u December 7 Tator Tot Hotdish Serving is from 5:00-6:00pm Café Midweek Cost is $3.00 per person with a family maximum of $ Come enjoy great food and fellowship with your December 14 BBQ Pork Sandwiches December 21 Pizza December 28 No Meal Christmas Break