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"Two Little Words"
Dear Members and Friends of Our Savior's Lutheran Church,
While I write this morning, I am still excited about the events of worship this past Sunday. Some might say we tried to do too much in one Sunday, but I look at it differently. I am excited and grateful for the energy and activity and joy that exists at OSLC week after week, but especially this past Sunday. We celebrated with many of our young people and their families as they participated in their first communion FaithMarker (We'll do so again this Wednesday evening). We celebrated with another family upon the baptism of their energetic little boy, Brayden, who had a hard time being still for the waters of baptism to be poured upon him. We shared in the joy and excitement of the Jamaica Mission Trip Team who eagerly led us in song (Day-Oh!), the sharing of the peace (Jamaican handshake), and stories accompanied by photos of their experiences. We were treated to a "Taste of Jamaica" between services with beans/rice, spicy jerk chicken, fresh fruit, and rum juice (without the rum :) With all of this was increased worship attendance, too!
It was good to have a Sunday of such joy and excitement to lead us into Holy Week beginning this upcoming Palm Sunday when the mood noticeably changes as we begin to acknowledge and experience again the passion of our Lord that will take us through the Last Supper of Maundy Thursday, the crucifixion of Good Friday, and ultimately to the resurrection of Easter. If there is a theme of Holy Week, it is summed up in two little words: "For you." These are the same two little words you hear each time you receive Holy Communion - "Given and shed for you."
I invite you to pay close attention to the details of the music, the readings, and the sermons of Palm Sunday and Holy Week this year and you will hear this theme ring through loud and clear. All that is said and done throughout this dark and difficult story is done for us. Pastor David Lose explains further on his blog:
Throughout it all Jesus expresses a willing embrace of his destiny. Jesus' life is not torn from him. From beginning to end, Jesus participates willingly in what happens to him, refusing rescue, escape, or the resort to violence. So also in these closing verses of today's reading, notice that Jesus does not simply stop breathing, surrendering to a tragic fate. Rather, he commends, or gives over, his spirit into the hands of his heavenly Father. His last words are, in short, a prayer of confidence, trust, and obedience. Why? Because while his death is in many ways tragic, it is no accident. Rather, he follows this road to express God's complete solidarity with us in all things, including even the fear and experience of death, and to demonstrate that God's love is stronger than hate and that God's life is stronger than death. Jesus does not die, in other words, to make it possible for God to forgive us, but rather to show us that God already has forgiven us because God loves us. This theme - that Jesus embraces his fate to demonstrate God's profound and life-giving love - is something that can carry us through the week. On Maundy Thursday we remember that Jesus' command to love others is rooted in and made possible by his profound love for us. And on Good Friday we see how many times Jesus could have avoided or changed his fate but chose not to, embracing the cross and shouting his victory cry to the heavens that all that is necessary has been accomplished, as God has once again rescued God's people, this time not merely from the oppression of Egypt but from death itself.
Please remember, as we approach Palm Sunday and this Holy Week, that Christ endured all for you. Two little words. Such a powerful promise.
Want to know more? Come, see, and hear, this week at Our Savior's.
Pastor Dale
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Worship & Music This Week
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Lenten Wednesday Worship
11:30 am, 5:30 pm & 7:00 pm
Sermon by: Pastor Dale Stiles
11:30 am Lenten Worship followed by soup lunch
5:00 - 6:30 pm Soup Supper
Soups: Chicken Wild Rice, Chicken Enchilada, Chicken Noodle, Chili
(Note: This is the final Lenten soup supper.
Wednesday night suppers will resume April 19.)
5:30 pm Lenten Worship in the CLC
7:00 pm Lenten Worship in the Sanctuary
7:45 pm Kingdom Choir
Sunday, April 9, 2017
8:00 am Palm Sunday Worship in the Sanctuary
9:15 am Adult Education
10:30 am Palm Sunday Worship in the CLC
7:30 pm AA
Special Music at 8:00 am: Proclaim!
Childcare available at all worship services
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No Faith Formation this week!
- Palm Sunday, April 9 - Kids process
with Palms beginning of worship service
- Maundy Thursday, April 13 - Worship at 11:30 am &
7:00 pm in the sanctuary
- Good Friday, April 14 - Worship at 7:00 pm in the sanctuary
- Easter Sunday, April 16 - Worship services at 8:00, 9:15 &
10:30 am in the Community Life Center (CLC)
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Grades 5/6 Boys Fishing Outing
- Who: 5/6 grade boys and a parent or grandparent
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What:
Chad and Darla will lead a time of fellowship and fishing. Dinner will be provided. Please bring fishing poles and dress appropriately for the weather. Adults will need a fishing license. Chad suggests a Conservation License if you don't plan to keep the fish you catch. We will provide bait.
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When:
Saturday, April 29, 2017- 3:30 pm
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Where:
Dave and Laverna Scholz' Home in Hugo, MN
- RSVP by April 22, 2017: RSVP Now!
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Easter Breakfast Egg Bake
We are doing something extra this year for our Easter Breakfast Fundraiser! On top of fruit, donuts, and juice we are serving egg bakes! This is where we need your help. Please sign-up on the clip board located on the Welcome Desk at church to make an egg bake for our breakfast. Egg bakes should be dropped off to the kitchen no later than 9 am on Easter morning. All proceeds from the Breakfast go towards sending our High School youth to Colorado for our summer mission trip! Contact Chad with any questions!
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New Membership Orientation
Interested in Becoming a Member at Our Savior's Lutheran Church?
Please attend one of the New Member Orientation sessions on Tuesday, April 4, at 6:30 pm or Thursday, April 6, at 6:30 pm here at the church. Childcare will be available at both sessions. Please RSVP to the church office to let us know which session you would like to attend. New members will be received on Sunday, April 23.
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"Behind the Scenes" Ministry Opportunity
Consider joining the Greeting Card Outreach Ministry. We share joy as we send greeting cards throughout the year to our church members to honor special celebrations and share compassion during times of trial. For more information, please contact
Sue Hedlund of the Health & Caring Ministry Team.
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Women's Retreat "Sweet Life Cafe"
The deadline is quickly approaching to register for the Women's Retreat "Sweet Life Cafe".
The Cafe is a place women slow down and savor time with God and each other. The date is Friday, April 28th to Saturday, April 29 and the place is Koinonia Retreat Center near Annandale. There will be carpooling to and from. The cost is $100 for a double room or $120 for a private room. In order to have time to order supplies for the retreat we would like registrations to be in by April 14th. There are registration forms on the poster in the gathering area. Looking forward to seeing you there!
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Road Side Clean-up!
Time for our spring road side clean up day on Saturday, April 22 at 9:00 am. We will begin at Otto Berg Park and go down Stonebridge Trail. This usually takes about an hour. Bags and vests are provided. This is a great way to help keep our community clean. Please email Mary Knuteson
if you can help or with questions.
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2017 Quarterly Financial Meeting
Joel Frost, Church Treasurer, will be holding the first quarterly meeting of the 2017 financial year on Sunday, April 23, at 9:15 am in the sanctuary. The first quarter results will be presented with a question and answer period following.
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OSLC and Ecumen Update
The talks between Our Savior's and Ecumen are continuing on the
possible sale of part of OSLC property. The Board is doing our due diligence to make sure we secure a partnership with Ecumen that is in the best interests of OSLC today and in the future. The board has engaged an independent real estate appraiser, property attorney, architect, and members of our congregation who have expertise in real estate, finance, city planning, business, and history of the OSLC property. We have also involved the Property and Grounds Committee along with church staff. If all goes as planned and a Purchase Agreement acceptable to the Board is negotiated, we will reschedule the Congregational Meeting to vote on the sale of the OSLC land to Ecumen. Between now and then, we want members to have full opportunity to become informed about the partnership and sale and encourage anyone with questions to contact any Ecumen Task Force team member - Joel Frost, Orv Johnson, or Pastor Dale.
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12th Annual Senior Health & Faith Day
The St. Croix Valley Parish Nurses are excited to announce the 12
th
Annual Senior Health and Faith Day Event
"
Healing Through the Arts...Living Well in Mind, Body, Spirit"
on Tuesday, April 25 from 8:30 am-12:30 pm here at Our Savior's. Please see the signup sheet on the PEP bulletin board or contact the church office to register as seating is limited!
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Request for Prayers and Support
Everyday joys and sorrows...Once in a lifetime joys and sorrows. Your brothers and sisters at Our Savior's want to support you. Email or call our Pastor with any of your needs.
Pastor Dale
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Simply Giving
A more convenient way to give! In a few short minutes, you can make a one-time gift or set up a donation that will process automatically on a recurring basis. Recurring donations are convenient and provide our church with much needed consistent support throughout the year.
To give online, visit our church's website and get set up!
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Stewardship is about love:
serving others through our time, talent, and treasure.
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