Our Saviour s Lutheran Church

Our Saviour s Lutheran Church Inviting, Embracing, and Equipping for the sake of Christ.

$113,917 $82,959 $63,073 OSLC 2015-2016 Operating Expenses (Actual) $83,228 $78,050 $518,083 $81,020 $13,836 Administrative Congregational Care Faith Formation Mission Giving Outreach Ministry Pastoral Salary Stewardship Please note: We did not have a Director of Discipleship until January, 2016 explaining the small amount spent on Faith Formation during the fiscal year. As you look through this publication, an explanation on terms: staffing responsible for the area of ministry. Administrative supplies, fees, training, and support. Materials, Curriculum, Ministry expenses for direct use in the ministry area. At Our Saviour s, our fiscal year runs from April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016. This report gives a snapshot of actual congregational expenses. The chart above has been divided into ministry areas to help us see how the generosity of this congregation and our ministry partners is invested. Aside from the salaries supporting the pastoral leadership of the congregation, staff leadership has 120,000.00 100,000.00 80,000.00 60,000.00 40,000.00 20,000.00-2015-2016 Expenses vs. 2016-2017 Budget 2015-2016 Actual 2016-2017 Budget been interwoven into the various ministry areas. We recognize that investing in consistent leadership helps us excel in ministry and spiritual growth. Our staff see their work here as more than a job it is a vocation. It is our spiritual worship, and we are grateful for the opportunity to serve God and one another in such a place as Our Saviour s Lutheran Church. Check out what you have done this year as the Body of Christ! Thank you for your generosity and faithfulness. Our Mission Statement: Called and compelled by our hope in Jesus Christ, we empower our community to care, learn, teach, lead, and serve. 2

Worship This is the most visible element of our ministry together. Over 3 services, we enjoy an average attendance of about 300 people each weekend. In 2015, we experimented with a summer worship schedule change combining our two morning services into one. Overall, we consider the experiment a success. Not only do we have the pleasure of a comfortably full service on Sunday morning, as well as Saturday night, we also have the opportunity to share company with those we may rarely see during the year. Lent & Easter, 2015 Weekend worship focused on the marks of discipleship (prayer, worship, giving, fellowship, service, and study). Members of the congregation shared how and why they participate. What great acts of courage! Midweek services brought in presentations from various serving arms of the Nebraska Synod.. At Easter Vigil, we welcomed 7 new members to the congregation. Advent & Christmas, 2015 We moved from having the High School Youth serve midweek meals to a community potluck followed by the Holden Evening Prayer in the Chapel. Conversation, fellowship, community, and worship kept us warm and cozy. This was also our second year to share the 5:00 Family Christmas Eve service with St. Andrew s Lutheran Church. Music Ministries Between Sanctuary Choir, Set Free Ensemble, BELLS of OSLC, Youth Handbells, Goodhue Brass, and a variety of other music ensembles, it is clear that OSLC loves music. Willa Foster Jones conducts the various groups with the help of our assistant music leaders and leads most of our worship services. In May, 2016, Yun-Hsin Tseng, our accompanist for 2 years, returned to Taiwan. Her musical leadership and worship presence are greatly missed by many. $44 $5,541 Pastoral Care $75,434 Worship Materials Baptism of Simon Thompson Pastoral Care Pastoral Care is a ministry of presence. We have nearly 20 individuals and/or couples who visit the sick and homebound as ambassadors of OSLC. Through our bereavement ministry, we meet with families, provide area grief resources, and follow up with cards and calls for as long as we are needed. In this fiscal year, we have served 7 families through funeral and memorial services. In addition, Pastor Tobi is also often called upon by local funeral homes to care for families without church homes. It is good to be able to care for our congregation and our community to be light in the darkness. Celebrations We LOVE baptisms at OSLC! In 2015-16, we rejoiced with 14 families celebrating baptisms. We also prayed over and blessed 4 couples who joined in marriage. Thanks be to God! In June, 2016, Jan Malone came on part-time to lead Saturday worship. In October, 2016, Shuo Xuan Kong is joining us as music ministry Intern. Welcome to you both! 3

Local Elementary Schools OSLC Partners with both Randolph and Holmes Elementary Schools. We have a nearly a dozen volunteers as mentors and volunteers at Randolph and have been providing school supplies and winter clothing to Holmes. We are now (fall, 2016) in the planning stages of a Family Literacy Program with Randolph and hope to share provide meeting and cooking space for the Randolph Parent Support Network. Backpack Program Through the Lincoln Food Bank, we continue support the backpack program for 52 Randolph Elementary School families. This is an $11,000/yr commitment and is primarily supported through special gifts and fundraisers. Alternative Giving Through Fair Trade or ELCA Good Gifts, we encourage gift giving that grows the church, alleviates hunger and transforms lives. Fairly traded coffee, tea and chocolate are available throughout the year. In 2015, St. Monica s Women s Treatment Center and Angel Tree were recipient s of Christmas gifts purchased by members. Good Samaritan Fund This is a ministry facilitated through special gifts. Good Sam aids those in our community who need a hand up. It may be a gas voucher to get to work or school, or assistance to keep a household from being without utilities. Mission Trips In July 2015, 7 youthful adults worked alongside the Youthworks Community in Rapid City, SD, ministering to the Native American population. We served at a domestic violence shelter, a drop -in day shelter, and the local food bank. The highlight of the week was serving over 300 people at a BBQ in a local church parking lot. Chat N Sew Quilters sent 42 handmade quilts Lutheran World Relief in November 2015. Another 10 were given to the newly formed Disaster Preparedness Team, and graduating Seniors also received quilts crafted with the help of their parents. FEAST (Friends Eating And Singing, Studying and Serving Together) is in its 12th year of partnership with men and women who are incarcerated, or have been recently released. Each week we bring 30 35 inmates from Community Corrections Center Lincoln to worship at our late service. Sponsors assist reentrants with individual needs and facilitate several small groups, walking with them on their faith journey. This ministry is dependent upon faithful sponsors, financial contributions, and volunteers who provide weekly meals a total investment of over 100 hours weekly! Through FEAST, we connect with area agencies to provide a welcoming community for those reentering and to promote the safety of our community, as well. Mission Trip, July, 2015 Tanzania Companion Parish With help from the OSL Foundation, we contributed $4350 to the Kimangaro Parish to be used for Tuition and School Fees for children in the Parish as well as a Parish gift to be used as the elders decide. In January/February 2016, three OSL members, Cindy & Dan Rudolph and Mary Barton participated in the Nebraska Synod Tanzania Vision Trip, visiting Kimangaro Parish as a part of that. Vision for the future We partner with various community agencies (i.e., AA, Mental Health Association, Foster Care Review Board, etc.) We intend that future collaboration will give us further opportunity to serve more people both locally and globally. We re so grateful for Jan Riedman s compassionate and consistent leadership in these ministries! $8,592 $988 $53,493 Administrative Ministry 4

Kent Reinhard & Sunday School Classes on Faith and Science Update: In January, 2016, we welcomed Karrie Lickliter to the team! Karrie is Director of Discipleship, stewarding faith formation and small group ministry for all ages. You will notice that for the 2015-16 fiscal year, we spent a minimal amount of the budget. This is due to the fact that we operated for 1.5 years without staff in this area. Welcome Karrie! We re glad to have you on board! Yesterday s Youth Senior Citizens with active and inquiring minds meet monthly for fellowship and learning. Meetings are typically a potluck lunch followed by a speaker or a field trip. Speakers bring a mix of entertainment and information. Next year s goal is to build relationships between our seniors and our Sunday School Students (i.e., Pen Pals and/or Prayer Partners). Education Hour We continue to offer a large variety of conversations, including justice and outreach concerns, Bible studies, social statements and agency $198 presentations. $5,248 Administrative $198 $8,389 Curriculum $5,248 $8,389 Sunday School In 2015-16, we enjoyed learning alongside 46 Sunday School students. (2016-17 has 59 registered students.) Teachers gather regularly to support one another, share tips, discuss new ideas, and stay informed in order to best minister to our children and youth. Our vision for the future is to find ways to have our youth more involved and interactive within our congregation. Classrooms are being spruced up and made more inviting by our Property Team and FEAST Partners. VBS Vacation Bible School is an enriching experience for kids and leaders. In July, 2016, we experienced Joseph s journey in Egypt from prison to palace. The past two years, we have pooled resources with other community churches, sharing and using each other s decorations. Our vision for the future is to develop teams (scenery, crafts, snacks, registration, etc.) early in order to maximize volunteer gifts as well as volunteer time. Sounds Like Love In November, 2015, we sponsored 7 students to this treasured event. Sadly, interest in the event has significantly decreased (only 2 interested in 2016). We have chosen to support this event only if there are 10 students committed to attending in the future. Faith Stepping Stones This is a program that encourages and educates the whole family as a child grows beginning with a Baptism Class, orientation to Sunday School, and continuing with the New Bible Class, First Communion, Catechism Orientation, Affirmation of Baptism, and High School Graduation. Each stepping stone culminates in gifts and blessings by the congregation. We are still looking for ways toadministrative further engage parents of pre-sunday School children in valuable and affirming time together. Suggestions are welcome! Christmas Program Thanks to Theresa Reinhard, Curriculum Rachel Van Dyke, and Lacey Remmenga, the Christmas Program of 2015 was a traditional telling of the story of Jesus birth, filled with animals, hymns, and carols. 5

6 New Landscaping following Flood Remediation Stewardship at OSLC is more than just money. It s about how we care for everything we have ourselves, our finances, our families, our buildings, and our community. Stewardship is an umbrella over all the ministries of OSLC. This year, we oversaw several things in our care. Yard Maintenance The parking lot lines have been repainted, and thanks to an unfortunate bit of arson behind the shed, we have had occasion to clear away additional brush and an unnecessary fence. Basement Flooding We finally had enough after the 7 rain in May, 2015. After consulting with various professionals, we employed David Spohr and his crew to address the concerns. They found significant problems in several areas of the new building, including inadequate and misdirected drainage pipes, large gaps between old and new build, faulty drain tile, and holes in the concrete walls. After much digging and $40,000 (from the proceeds of the C St. House sale), our basement is dry for the first time in almost 15 years! It s now time to do the renovating. Basement Renovations (2016) Thanks to our Property Team, we have begun the process of relocating the Chat N Sew and Newborns in Need supplies to the west end of the Fellowship Hall in anticipation for an eventual expansion of the Kitchen. The west end classrooms and storage rooms have been repainted, and the team is preparing to repaint and spruce up the BAC. In addition, the team is investigating an additional shed to store the smoker and grills, among other things. Finally, the smoke detectors in the Sanctuary are due to be replaced. It will be costly due to the need for special equipment to reach them. But we re ready to move on! Recycling We DO recycle! Though more professionally-looking receptacles are on the way, the large totes found by the main and side entrances and beside the elevator can now be used for ALL recyclable material. We are grateful for opportunities to care for God s creation. Finances In February, 2015, we passed a budget of $549,243 and spent $516,083. Income for the year was $508,582 a deficit of over $7000. We have tried to be wise in our spending, but we need to improve in our giving. The building loan ended the fiscal year (March 31, 2015) at $51,842.57, and we continue to knock away at that regularly. Special Gifts We frequently lift up ministries beyond our congregation. During Lent, we invited special gifts to support the various synodical ministries. In Advent, we always lift up the Good Samaritan Fund. In addition, Advent and Lent dinners always add support to various congregational ministries. C St. House We did sell this property (4101 C St.)! Our neighbor is a lovely lady. Be sure to wave and say hello when you see her. Weekly Building Use Our building is used for a variety of groups, as well as occasional celebrations and receptions. You can expect a community organization to be meeting here nearly every day of the week. We re so glad to be able to provide such a resource! Bus The old white bus was finally replaced in 2016, thanks to generous donations and a matching gift from the Foundation. Most frequently, it transports our FEAST partners to and from worship. On occasion, it is available for other congregational events, as requested. In January, 2016, we welcomed Jeff Hoadley as sexton and celebrated Bruce Riedman s retirement. Welcome to the Administrative team, Jeff! $79,019 $0 Property $34,898

The Pastor s duties include: Planning & leading worship with the help of the worship planning team. Providing pastoral care with the help of the pastoral care team. Teaching primarily Catechism and Faith Stepping Stones. Coaching and guidance over individual staff and staff as a team. Planning and presiding over all funerals, weddings, and baptisms. Visioning for the future of OSLC with the help of the Council. Overseeing staff changes with the help of the personnel team. Maintaining fiscal responsibility with the help of the Treasurer. Inspiring faithful living and giving with the help of the Stewardship team. Updates: I thank God and OSLC for the opportunity to go on Sabbatical this past Spring. It created muchneeded space for perspective and emotional and spiritual health. I am also grateful for Jim Germer who led OSLC while I was gone. Those these things happened in the 2016-17 fiscal year, preparation for them was a big part of our lives the previous year. Thank you for your amazing support! Administrative Costs $23,627 Supplies & Services $59,601 $11,445 Pastor s Salary $225 $71,289 Administrative costs include salaries and supplies that keep the daily activities of the congregation going. We are grateful for our Office Manager, Laura Pester, and our Communications Specialist, Nicolette Ware. Website We try to make sure our website is user-friendly and up-to-date. We are always open to suggestions! www.osllincoln.org Pastor Visitation Pastor Pulpit Supply Tidings Newsletter We want to continue moving in the direction of sending this out electronically. If you do not currently get the newsletter, please sign up on our website. If your e-mail has changed, please let us know: communications.oslc@gmail.com. Mobile App We have added the use of a mobile app. Here, you can check in to worship, give with the push of a button, read the Bible and the sermons, view the calendar, follow our social media pages, and link to a weekly devotional. Search for oslc Lincoln to download or use your QR code reader. 7

It is our duty and joy to give to mission beyond Our Saviour s. As an example to others, we designate 10% of our budget to the Nebraska Synod. From there, only 5% is used for synod administrative expenses so that the rest can go directly to local and global ministry. (Please see more detailed information in the synod s annual report, attached/enclosed.) We support individual ministries of the synod and ELCA because we recognize how much their success impacts our work. We are Church together! Bridges to Hope is a warehouse from which those currently or recently incarcerated can request household and personal items to help start fresh and be successful at work. The Lutheran Center ministers to the students and staff of UNL, sharing God s grace through worship and service right here in our community. $250 $250 $1,500 $54,000 $20,000 Mission Giving $2,050 Bridges to Hope Support Lincoln Area Mission Cluster Nebraska Synod Randolph School Tanzania Companion Parish The Lutheran Center Lincoln Area Mission Cluster is a collaboration of area Lutheran Churches. From the Lutheran Food Pantry to community presentations and leadership development, we all benefit greatly from our work together. Please make sure you read more about Randolph Elementary and Tanzania Companion Parish on the Outreach Ministry page. This is what it means to be Church all this and SO much more!