Children & Family and
Confirmation & Youth Ministries
December 2020 e-Newsletter
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Pastor Kiri's Installation!
Join us Sunday, December 6th in worship!
Worship will be extra festive on December 6th as Pastor Kiri Solberg is installed as our new Senior Pastor! Bishop Ann Svennungsen of the Minneapolis Area Synod will be present to install Pastor Kiri. Guest preacher will be Rev. G. Keith Gunderson who served as a pastor in Kiri’s hometown of Reeder, North Dakota, from 1979 to 1990. His wife, Noel, was Kiri’s music teacher at the local school. Kiri and the rest of the Johnson family remain friends to this day.
This is an exciting day for Our Saviour’s, and we pray God’s blessing on Pastor Kiri and her ministry as we live into God’s future together. Whether we are in-person or worshipping online, please plan to be a part of this special service.
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We have some families from our community in need of assistance this Christmas. Are you in a position to be able to lend a hand? If so, please contact Deacon Glenndy at gose@oursaviourslc.org or on her cell (call or text) at 612-802-0927. |
Advent is HERE
and we want to see you!
And we want to help you see each other! Light a candle or an Advent wreath, and take a picture of yourselves with it. All households are invited to send in a photo, and we’ll use them in worship during the season of Advent. Think your household is too small or too big? You’re included! We’d love to see all ages, too. Advent begins Nov. 29, so light a candle, take a picture, and send it to Jennifer Thurman at jthurman@oursaviourslc.org. Submissions welcome through December 13. We can’t wait to see your faces!
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Blue Christmas Worship
We've all had a rough year, and Our Saviour's acknowledges the pain and loss this year has brought. Join us for virtual worship on Thursday, Dec. 10 at 6:30 pm for a special service dedicated to those who have lost loved ones and those who are grieving or otherwise struggling. Worship together via Our Saviour's Facebook page, YouTube channel, or the church website: oursaviourslc.org.
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Join us for Christmas Worship!
The Light shines in the darkness! Indoor in-person worship is suspended due to the pandemic, so this year we'll celebrate the birth of Jesus together via Facebook, YouTube, and oursaviourslc.org. Premiere times are listed below - join us online then! If you need to worship later in the day, you can do so on all platforms. If you need to worship earlier in the day or if online is a challenge for you, all three services will be available on a DVD, which you can pick up at the Dec. 19 Living Nativity or the Dec. 23 & 24 Christmas Together outdoor worship experiences. Revel in the beauty of fantastic music as we hear the Word proclaimed and marvel that God has sent us a Savior!
Thursday, Dec. 24 at 2:30 pm
Band-led Christmas Eve Worship
Thursday, Dec. 24 at 4:30 pm
Traditional Candlelight Christmas Eve Worship
Friday, Dec. 25 at 8:30 am
Christmas Day Worship with Holy Communion
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No Programming
there is no regular confirmation or youth group programming on Wednesdays, December 23rd & 30th due to Christmas/New Years.
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Thank you to everyone who donated to the Turkey Baskets this year! We were able to feed 8 families this season.
Would you be interested in volunteering at NACE Foodshelf? They're currently in need of more volunteers. Check it out: https://nacefoodshelf.org/
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Worship
We are offering worship experiences during this time of quarantine. Here are a few options for Sundays/Wednesdays:
Sundays
Wednesdays
6pm Virtual Revelation Worship via Facebook. Are you a youth interested in singing along for leading worship? Contact Jennifer, Director of Worship and Music.
Whispers & Wonderings
Confirmation students, please make sure you are remembering your Whispers & Wonderings requirement for confirmation (10 a year). Feel free to download the form, print it off and mail or email a copy/scan to Leisha.
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Live Nativity
Mark your calendars for a live nativity at Our Saviour's!
Saturday, December 19,
3pm-5pm
This Christmas come and experience the birth of Jesus through live scenes at Our Saviour's. This drive-through adventure will let you relive the story of Jesus' birth with live actors and animals in scenes from the Nativity story.
Cost: Freewill offering and non-perishable food item for NACE.
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December will look a little different for confirmation.
2020 decided to throw me yet another curveball. I have been having some health concerns over the last couple of months that have led to scheduling a complete hysterectomy on Wednesday, December 9th. That comes with 2-3 weeks out of work, per doctors orders.
That being said, December 9 & 16 will look a little different for confirmation.
I still want the youth to get all the learning that I have committed to giving them.
So...I will have lessons completed ahead of time and online.
-Leisha, Director of Confirmation & Youth Ministries
Here's how they can get that information and get credit for attendance:
To get credit for attendance and to get the material, please do the following:
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Please note that students can make up any lesson in this way.
This is also a great resource that parents can use to engage in conversation with your students on what they are learning and how they are growing in their faith through confirmation.
Please email Leisha if you have any questions.
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Christmas Together, Outdoors
In addition to virtual worship, you’ll have an opportunity to experience a moment of Christmas Together at Our Saviour’s - outdoors, of course! There are three times to choose from:
Wednesday, Dec. 23 at 7 pm,
Thursday, Dec. 24 at 2 pm, or
Thursday, Dec. 24 at 7 pm.
Gather around the Christmas tree near the front sidewalk of the church to hear the story of Jesus’ birth, share a time of prayer, and sing Silent Night. Christmas Eve Worship Kits will be handed out, which include everything you need to worship at home, plus some Christmas treats for the kids. Physical distancing and masks are required, and snow boots are encouraged for this 15-minute worship experience. Nothing can put a damper on the holy beauty of Christmas!
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I want to take a moment to acknowledge all that our confirmation small group guides have done to help make this year possible. Confirmation can't happen to the extent it does without our guides.
Our guides are putting in extra time and learning to guide through new technology in a pandemic...they amaze me and I'm beyond grateful for them all!
THANK YOU!
In Grace, Leisha, Director of Confirmation & Youth Ministries
Thank you to our confirmation guides and junior guides:
Noah Armstrong
Nicole Hendricks
Courtney Kinnunen
Dylan Muyres
Kari Muyres
Scott Muyres
Lara Newberger
Gina Newlander
Deacon Glenndy Ose
Cindy Paulson
Karen Schrecongost
Grace Swanson
Caleb Tays
Kristi VonDeylen
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Camp Wapo 2021
Save the dates...
June 25-27: SEEDS Camp (Those in 1st-3rd Grade 2020-21)
June 27-July 2: Youth Camp (Those in 4th-8th Grade 2020-21)
June 27-July 2: Senior High Camp at Ox Lake (Those in 9-12th Grade 2020-21)
Registration opens in January. Stay tuned for more details.
Our guaranteed spots are only guaranteed until February 15! At that point, they are opened up to other groups.
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Zoom Codes for 2020-2021 Programming Year
Go to Zoom.com, click on "Join a Meeting", enter Meeting ID
Confirmation Session 1
Wednesdays, 5pm-6pm
Meeting ID: 884 2727 5187
Confirmation Session 2
Wednesdays, 6:30pm-7:30pm
Meeting ID: 864 7802 7164
Youth Group
Wednesdays, 7:45pm-9pm
Starting September 16
Meeting ID: 839 0380 0301
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Youth Group - Change for December
2020 decided to throw me yet another curveball. I have been having some health concerns over the last couple of months that have led to scheduling a complete hysterectomy on Wednesday, December 9th. That comes with 2-3 weeks out of work, per doctors orders.
That being said, December 9 & 16
there will be no Youth Group.
Thank you for your understanding.
-Leisha, Director of Confirmation & Youth Ministries
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Text Message Reminders
Want to receive text message updates/reminders about confirmation and youth ministries at OSLC? Here's how you can sign up for text messages on the different ministries:
Confirmation:
text @oslcconfir to the number 81010
Middle School:
text @oslcmiddle to the number 81010
Senior High+:
text @oslcsenior to the number 81010
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If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out. We are here at Our Saviour's to listen and support.
This Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a great resource to have saved in your phone. Please take a moment to do so and share and use as you need.
You are never alone and you are loved just as you are!
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Leisha Tays, Director of Confirmation & Youth Ministries,
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