O U R S A V I O U R S L U T H E R A N C H U R C H - W H I T E H A L L, W I Inside this issue: The Messenger Volume 19, Issue 10 October 2017 Pastor Dorothy Sandahl Blessings in the journey! One of my favorite lines is God loves you and so do I. As I leave this month on the 22nd, I always want you to remember that. You are loved by an awesome God since Abraham no matter what we do. God affirmed that covenant in Jesus. It s a done deal! With a love like that, how could we not love one another? Isn t that what Christ taught us to love one another? At the Congregational meeting we talked about Mission Transition team wrote this statement: Welcoming and supporting people that worship God through scripture and music; this is our purpose. Leading others to God through Baptism, teachings, prayers and sharing Christ the saving grace is our mission. This includes so much but most important is to be welcoming, supporting, leading, to open the space for people to find God through worship, teaching, prayers open the doors to others. How can that look like? Welcoming is Number one. Open your space, your pew, your traditions and let God in along with others to enjoy the environment that was made and blessed by God. Maybe open the doors to the community for a community meal once a month. You don t have to feed them but allow other community groups to sponsor meals, just allow your space to be used. (See Mondovi s model) Supporting; we know that there is a huge addiction problem in the county. Sharing God s Love With All! How can we build up supplies for the children affected, diapers, clothes, winter clothing, clothes for mothers to get jobs? Where are we supporting our neighbors, the people in our community who need help and not judge them? Leading: we can t lead if we don t read Scripture and prayer; every meeting should begin with Scripture. Grab a Bible, open it up and read something. Task fulfilled! Amazing how allowing God to enter the meeting will allow your mission to grow. Grace: in Christ we are not judged but forgiven with that awesome Grace. Accept, love, lift up one another in everything! There is no wrong way, just a different way and that is okay! LOVE it, learn a new way. Become each other s cheer leaders! We all need atta boy, keep up the good work! Tell each other because we forget on our own. Each and everyone of you are responsible to make this happen. No one is too old, or handicapped but all are able to call, pray, follow up and give the cheers needed to keep going. These things are a Mission, are showing Love, are walking with God. We learned that Luther said Christians are always Transforming keep being Lutheran. Continue to transform into a great community of believers, welcoming, supporting, leading with Grace. God loves you...and so do I. Members 2 Missionary News 3 Youth Group 4 Upcoming Events 5 WELCA Corner 6 October Calendar 7 OSLC Finances 8 Birthdays 9
Pigeon Falls Assisted Living/ Nursing Care Center Francis Foss, Margaret Steinke, Patricia Giebel, Jeanette Gilbertson, Ervin Thompson Riverway North - Pigeon Falls Roy Arneson Adult Day Care - Pigeon Falls Marlys Giese, Joyce Lyga Tri-County Memorial - Whitehall Marie Lee, Iva Gabriel, Ronald Fields Sunrise Manor - Whitehall Clinton Larson, Helen Kleven, Lorraine Nehring Crystal Lake Manor - Strum Lorraine Narva, Marian Miller, Janice Stendahl Norseland Nursing Home - Westby L. Muriel Herman Altar Guild: Mary Speerstra, Sharon Foss, Dawn Coburn Altar Flowers: Barbara Johnson Ushers: Ben & Sharon Ringstad Communion Servers: Bob & Carol Byington and Harriet Witt Organist: Nancy Martinovici, Sue Kohnert Videographer:?? Power Point: Confirmation Class Altar Guild: Nancy Lyngen, Darcy Goplin, Altar Flowers: Nancy Lyngen, Melanie Sygulla Ushers: Richard & Bev Waldera Communion Servers: Nancy Lyngen, Donna Fernholz Organist: Nancy Martinovici, Sue Kohnert, Sarah Toraason Videographer: Tom Richter Power Point:???? PAGE 2
Thank-you and Farewell WELCA will serve coffee & cake after the service on Sunday, October 22, in honor of Pastor Dorothy Sandahl's last Sunday of her Interim at Our Saviour's and Grace Lutheran churches. Grace Lutheran is invited to join us at 10:15 or so, for this Social hour. Please join us as we thank Pastor Dee & Harvey for their time with us. News from Steve & Bethany Friberg, our missionaries in Tanzania Naapok Bead Project artisans celebrated their new constitution and registration as a Community Based Organization. These documents represent important steps in protecting the rights of each member and their property. Since most are illiterate, a community development officer was brought in to guide the group through a series of meetings where all were encouraged to discuss, question, and give input in the writing of the constitution. >The Uhuru Torch ( Mwenge ) is one of Tanzania s national icons. It was originally lit on Mt. Kilimajaro at the time of independence in 1961. The Mwenge symbolizes freedom, hope, love, respect and unity. Each year, the torch is carried throughout a different region of the country. This month Naapok Bead Project was proud to be chosen as a local organization to receive the Mwenge. >We are in the peak of the dry season. Pray the October short rains will bring relief to trees, grasslands, livestock, and people. >The work of the church keeps growing because Africans understand their need for God in all aspects of life. Because of a shortage of pastors in Tanzania most small congregations are led by mature Christians who are trained as evangelists to lead services and do outreach under tough conditions. The Holy Spirit blesses their efforts. >Our sons started their junior year at University of Minnesota. Nyika is studying biology and Zaka environmental sciences. Our daughter Shalai thoroughly enjoys Rift Valley Academy. We thank God for this mission school. >This month Dr. Pedro from Spain is doing plastic, orthopedic, and reconstructive surgery for patients in our area. The patients come with burn scars, bone infections, and limb deformities. He volunteers his services twice a year and gives free service. We are excited to have the next generation of doctors working in the clinics. Thank you for partnering with us in so many different ways. Steve & Bethany Friberg, Ketumbeine, Tanzania PAGE 3
Helping Hand Fundraiser: Do you need help raking the leaves up? Washing windows? Anything else? If you or someone you know has a task that the youth could help with, please let Melissa Frank, Peggy Kneifl, or Patti Zimmerman know. Thank you, Ladies!! Thank you to the women of OSLC for their donations to Luther Park camperships and to the Houston trip! The youth greatly appreciates your support! Youth Quilting Night In April, 2017, we hosted a quilting bee for the Our Saviour s confirmation Youth for them to witness our quilting mission at Our Saviour s. They were able to participate in our quilting process. They started a quilt which they will donate to their selected cause when it is completed. Everyone seemed to have a good time and the few hours went by really fast. Our youth were very polite and attentive to what we had them do. There are pictures posted on the bulletin board in the Quilting room. Stop in and take a look at our youth participation in our mission. The Youth Group decided to donate their quilt to Western Dairyland Birthday Box for 1 12 years of age. The RSVP volunteers organize the Birthday Boxes. Thank you to all our quilters for helping out with this. It s Apple Pie Time!!! OSLC Youth is taking orders for Apple Pies! We will make them and freeze them for you to pick up at the Harvest Dinner on October 29th. You must pre-order by October 8th. Cost is $8 per pie. All profits will go towards the Youth trip to Houston for the Youth Gathering in June of 2018! Order forms are on the Youth bulletin board at the back of the church or you can email zimmerman@tcc.coop with your order. WE NEED YOUR HELP!!! Experts needed! I have been to enough OSLC bake sales to know that this church is full of experts! Can you share your expertise with our teens and help us make pies for our pie sale? Tentative date to make the pies is Friday, October 20th at 10am. Please let Patti Zimmerman (715-530- 1350 or zimmerman@tcc.coop) know if you can help and she will confirm the date with you. PAGE 4
Annual Harvest Dinner October 29th is the date for our annual Our Saviour's Family Fundraiser Dinner! Please mark your calendar for our Harvest Dinner date: 9-29-17. We appreciate all the generous donations & support we have received in past years & look forward to your support again this year. You will soon be receiving the letter asking for your family donation of $10 or more along with the raffle tickets, to pay for meatballs, lefse, bars, etc. We order the bars made so no one is asked to bake. Sign-up sheets for other donations of time, talents & trea$ures to make are posted in the narthex. CONFIRMA- TION STUDENTS & PARENTS ARE ASKED TO BE THE WAIT STAFF. Please sign up for the work shift of your choice or call Kay Nelson 715-983-5760. Thanks for your cooperation & support for our family fundraiser for OSL. Confirmation Sunday Picture day is Oct. 8th after church! October 15 is Confirmation Sunday. God bless these young ladies! A few weeks before Confirmation Sunday, please find a keep sake card for each of our Confirmation students at the back of the church, we ask members of the church, family and friends to take a few minutes and put a short message on these cards. With these cards, your words of encouragement on this milestone day in their Christian life can stay with them for years to come. The cards and a receiving line of Confirmation students after the service will be in lieu of a cake reception in the basement. Bible Study Reminder that there is Bible Study every Monday night in the Sanctuary starting at 6:15pm and Wednesday mornings in the Fellowship Hall starting at 9:30am. Bring your bible, a friend, and come join us! PAGE 5
WELCA Word of Thanks A big thank you to all who donated, worked and/or attended our Salad Luncheon! The salads were delicious & our speaker, Janet Martin, was hilariously fantastic! The work crew was amazing. It was well attended by 145 men & women plus 6 carryouts. Our application for a Thrivent event VISA gift card of $250 was approved so after expenses we earned over $1200. WELCA Meeting Thursday, October 5, is our monthly WELCA meeting with Grace WELCA. We will gather here at Our Saviour's at 1:30 PM for devotions & Bible Study led by Pastor Dee. It will be her last meeting with us as she is finishing her Interim on Oct. 22. We will also have a brief business meeting. Kay Nelson will be serving lunch. 500th Reformation Anniversary Martin Luther posted his "Ninety-Five Theses" in Wittenberg on Oct. 31, 1517, and the resulting debate about Christian teaching and practice led to changes that have shaped the course of Western Christianity for almost 500 years. At the heart of these wide-reaching changes was a deep conviction that God's mercy or grace in Jesus is given freely to all. When Luther and others learned to trust God's mercy with "a living, daring confidence," they discovered in that faith the freedom to give themselves generously, lovingly in all of life's undertakings with everyone they met. As we reflect on the 500th anniversary of the Reformation and how God is at work reforming the church today, let us continue to work together toward reconciliation for the sake of healing in the whole body of Christ. PAGE 6
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 10:30 am Octoberfest 1 Praise Team Practice 7:00 pm 2 Quilting 8:30am Church Council Meeting 7:00pm 3 4 Bible Study 9:30 am Confirmation 5:30pm Senior Choir 7 PM WELCA 1:30 pm 5 6 7 9:15am Youth & Family Team 10:15 am 8 Tranisition Team 7:15 pm 9 10 11 Bible Study 9:30am Confirmation 5:30pm Senior Choir Practice 7:00pm 12 13 14 9:15am CONFIRMATION 15 Parish meeting 7:00 pm 16 17 Quilters 8:30 am Life & Growth Team 5:30 pm Worship Team 7:00pm 18 Bible Study 9:30am Confirmation 5:30pm Senior Choir Practice 7:00pm Grace Council 7 pm 19 20 21 22 9:15am Farewell for the Sandahl s 10:15 am Cub Scouts 6 pm 23 Praise Team Practice 7:00pm 24 Board of Education 6:30 pm 25 Bible Study 9:30am Confirmation 5:30 pm Finance Team 6:00 pm Senior Choir Practice 7:00pm 26 27 28 29 9:15am (Praise Team) Harvest Dinner 10:30 am 30 31 Happy 500th Reformation Day! V OLU ME 1 9, ISSU E 10 Page 7
Balance as of June 30, 2017 $ 6690.79 Income: Simply Giving $ 2055.00 Sunday Offerings $ 5638.30 Thrivent Choice Offerings $ 141.00 Bulletin Sponsor $ 70.00 Good Friday Offering $ 0.00 Easter Sunday Offering $ 0.00 Miscellaneous Income $ 1272.00 Lenten Offering $ 0.00 Building Use $ 0.00 Total: $ 9176.30 Disbursements: Administration $ 155.97 Physical Plant $ 2773.49 Salaries and Benefits $ 9642.79 $ 0.00 Total: $ 12572.25 Balance as of August 31, 2017 $ 3294.84 New Pastor Coming in November Pastor Peter Jonas will begin serving OSLC on Monday, Nov. 6th. Pastor Jonas lives nearby - in Arcadia where he served for 11 years in that parish. A 1 year contract has been approved and submitted. He is eager to join us. Please take a few moments to introduce yourself in November. Welcome, Pastor Jonas!! Results of Congregational Meeting A congregational meeting was held on Sunday, Sept. 24th after the worship service. The purpose of the meeting was to vote on the Constitution of OSLC. After President John Powell presented the revised constitution, a discussion followed. There was a majority quorum present to vote. After the discussion, the vote revealed that the Constitution was approved with 4 votes against the new version. The constitution needs to be ratified at the next annual meeting. Copies of the final Constitution will be available at the church.
Sharing God s Love With All Our Saviour s Lutheran Church 36197 Main Street P.O. Box 455 Whitehall, WI 54773 Non Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Permit 15 Whitehall Return Service Requested Pastor: Dorothy Sandahl Pastor Email: pastoroslc@gmail.com Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10am-1pm Tuesday, Thursday 8am-2pm Church Secretary: Julie Haessig Church Office: 715-538-4334 Church E-mail: osluthwh@gmail.com Church Website: oslcwhitehall.org Check us out on Facebook at: Our Saviour s Lutheran Church of Whitehall, WI and United in Faith Parish and OS Sunday-School and OSLC Youth. 1 - Doug Kopp, Thomas Richter 3 - Nathan Larson 4 - Linda Schaefer 6 - Jeffrey Radke, Michael Sylla 7 - Gregory Webster 8 - Quinn Holtan 9 - Cassidy LaBar, Kevin Miles 10 - Jennie Everson, Kolden Foss 12 - Donna Oates 13 - Carsten Peterson 14 - Stephanie Kopp 15 - Shirley Mathson 16 - Skylar Ehrat 17 - Stanley Johnson 18 - Dawn Hegge 19 - Kaye Henrickson, Douglas Oates 21 - Kayley Blaha, Leslie Foss 22 - Ireland Keenan, Janice Stendahl, Taylor Sylla 23 - Rita Hegge, Austin Staff 24 - Kevin Zimmerman 25 - Robert Henrickson 26 - Avvia Herman, Peter Koxlien, Dagny Lund 27 - David Loga, Wanda Peters 28 - Benjamin Webster 30 - Clarice Laehn, Sharon Lamberson 31 - Elaine Foss, Jean Scow