Our Savior Lutheran Church

Greetings, in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Welcome to the Summer of 2006!

How Are We Doing?

Eastern Area Community Ministry

BACK TO SCHOOL EVENT

It’s time again for our annual Back to School Event.   Last year, we helped over 350 children receive school supplies along with a new backpack.  The need for assistance is just as great this year.  The following are a few ideas that you might want to consider to help support this event:

• Sponsor a child with a specific cash donation that will purchase a full set of supplies (approximately $15 to $ 25, depending on grade level);
• Conduct a clothing drive for new and/or gently used uniforms;
• Encourage members to purchase a backpack for a child and fill it with the supplies listed on the flyer.  Over 350 new backpacks are needed so it will take the support off all our churches to meet this need.

We will take supplies to the EACM Office during the week of July 17-24.   Volunteers will be needed to help sort the supplies as they are delivered.  The Back to School Event will be held Saturday, August 5, from 11 AM to 1 PM at Northeast Christian Church, 9900 Brownsboro Road.  Volunteers are also needed the day of the event to assist the children, just like other children excited about getting their school supplies.

You may drop your donations off in the church lobby in the large backpack.

List of Needed Supplies (Take it with you to the store!)

News From Cedarbrook

Our next Camp Board meeting will be on Sunday, July 23 at 5:00 PM at
Camp. Devotions follow at 6:00 P.M.

Our Join Hands Day on June 10 saw willing people come out to help with several projects. Sincere THANKS  to  Mike Waflart, Pastor Lutz, Ken Garber, Bruce Rhode, Alicia Rhode & Luke Rhode for their help. We did not finish the fence although the  youth from Shepherdsville did a great job earlier in the week with many  projects completed. Many THANKS to Pastor Lehenbauer, Miriam, Hannah, Tyler, Wade, Dalton, Adam, T.J., & Whitney for their help on Tuesday.

Vince Roehrig provided the posts to complete the turnaround to prevent folks from parking on the grass.

No further information at this time about changes which may take place in the camping program at Cedarbrook.

Your continuing support for Cedarbrook is vital for the life of your camp. Take time to come out and enjoy the grounds. Make your reservations through Lois Lutz and send your monies to Greg Walts.

Our second fund-raiser  activity for 2006 will be the Octoberfest on the 21st of October. Be sure to put it on your calendar and plan to enjoy the afternoon with us.

Anyone can come out and enjoy the grounds and fishing for a day. Just stop and inform the caretaker who you are or call Lois Lutz ahead of time. There is no fee for this but the service building restrooms would not be open.   Non-member ( anyone who does not belong to one of our circuit LCMS who support  the camp) fee for a reservation is $100 + $5 per person per night.  The member fee (anyone who is a member of our 16 circuit congregations) is $60 per event +$4 per person  per night.  The cleanup fee may be applicable.  Thank You,  Lois Lutz

Farewell and Thank You

Eric, Lauren, Ryan, and I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for all of your kind words, gifts, and goodbyes that we have received as we move to Houston.  We are all very touched by your kindness.  We also wanted to thank you for everything that you have done for us as a family since we joined our Savior Lutheran 15 years ago.  When we moved here knowing no one, Our Savior quickly became family for us.  Some of you became surrogate grandparents for our children and many of you became close friends.  We will miss you all greatly.  God’s Blessings to you all.  Renee Kahre.

New OSLS Teachers

God has blessed the children of Our Savior with new teachers.  Please keep them in your prayers as they travel and prepare  for their new positions in August.

Pre-School Teacher:  Mrs. Becky Kamman ~ Mrs. Kamman, received, her from Master’s from U of L.  She has previously taught at Our Savior for over 10 years in the position of Kindergarten teacher.  In 2000, she left the classroom to begin a family.  In January 2001, she returned to work at Our Savior as part-time bookkeeper. Becky is married to Scott Kamman, Music Director, on staff, and together they are “blessed” with two wonderful girls, Hannah and Leah.   

Fourth Grade:  Mr. Christopher Francik ~ Mr. Francik, received his Master’s from Concordia, at Irvine.  He has taught for 7 years at Grace Lutheran School in Escondido, California.  Chris is married.  Chris, his wife, and his 2-year old son Ben, will be moving during the middle of  July and will begin official duties on August 1, 2006.

Camp Cedarbrook

Vespers

A Vesper’s Service is held every Sunday evening at 6 PM. Take I-64 East (Lanesville exit), it is just SE of Lanesville, IN.  Mark your calendar now for July 2, Pastor Fausel will be delivering the homily that evening.

Traveling for the Summer?  

Summer travel plans often mean missing Church a time or two. Your STEWARDSHIP TITHE is most important during your absence as it is when you do attend Our Savior. The LG&E bill still needs to be paid. PAYROLL continues on as well as many other expenses. Please plan ahead with your financial gift to Our Savior — but most importantly, ATTEND CHURCH WHILE ON VACATION! Drive safely and have a wonderful summer!!

Do You Know Him?

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. Eph. 1:17

Whom do you know better: Jesus, or Chandler Bing? Whose stock portfolio would you rather have: Jesus’, or Tiger Woods’? What do you spend more time memorizing: the words of Jesus, or pop songs?

These seem like silly questions with obvious answers. But consider. What do you spend most of your time thinking about? What do you do with your time? What do you know about Jesus’ life on earth—besides the beginning and the end?
The Bible doesn’t tell us everything. In fact, its pages are silent about Jesus between the ages of 12 and about 30. Did you ever wonder what kind of teenager He was? How He relaxed after a hard day’s work? Or what He made with His carpenter hands? As Creator of the universe, His work was most likely beautiful, creative, unique. Do you think He ever felt a twinge of sadness when He looked at nature, remembering the magnificence of that first perfect Garden?

These are interesting questions, but the most important knowledge we can have of Jesus is to know Him as our Savior—the One who died and rose again (1 Thess. 4:14). The One who took the punishment that should have been ours so that we could have His righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21). The One who’s in heaven preparing a place for us to spend eternity (John 14:2-3).

But there’s more to knowing Jesus than not rejecting His gift of salvation. Paul conveyed how important it is to know what Jesus’ life was all about. Jesus became Paul’s confidence. “I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day” (2 Tim. 1:12). How could he be anything but confident in the One who “destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel”? (v.10). It’s hard to have confidence in someone you hardly know.

Is Jesus your confidence? You may know Him as Savior, but what does He really mean to you? Commit yourself to a study of Jesus. Choose to make yourself available to allow the Holy Spirit to teach and guide you into all truth. And join with the fellowship of believers together around the Word and get to know Jesus and watch your confidence soar!

No deeper knowledge of Jesus? No growing trust in Him? Know Jesus!

In Christ, Paul Nickel

The Stewardship Corner

Every year, many people choose to provide a life insurance beneficiary gift to their church or to a qualified charitable organization.  In this gift, donors simply name the organization as the beneficiary of their life insurance contract.  The gift is simple to understand and implement.  Contract owners maintain control of the contracts until their deaths, so they can choose to change beneficiaries if they want.  Insurance proceeds are estate tax deductible.  For those who want to leave a gift at death and for those who desire to create  a  larger gift through smaller annual premiums, the gift of life insurance is ideal. 

Courtesy of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, and its respective associates and employees cannot provide legal, tax or accounting advice or services.

Financial Statistics

May

Income  $43,253.25
Expenses  $33,158.51

Fiscal Year

Income  $613,976.78
Expenses  $646,928.57

Building & Grounds

Needs volunteers to empty out school classrooms after late services July 2, 9 and 16. We will then need to re-fill the rooms at 10 A.M. on the following Saturdays, 8, 15 and 22. The floors will be cleaned and waxed and with some volunteers the walls will be painted. Painting can take place either day or night. If you can assist with painting the classrooms, please contact Mike Shorter to schedule a time.

Summer Sunday School Resumes in August

There is NO Sunday School during the month of July.  Teachers are still being sought for the month of August.  If you are interested in teaching sign-up outside the music room in the school.  Each week there has been a lesson packet prepared with everything you will need to teach the class and most of all you will have fun.  Kindergarten and First Grade-Meets in Kindergarten room and all Elementary classes-Meet in Second Grade room. 

RALLY DAY

Mark it on our calendar for AUGUST 27, 2006!

Our Savior Music “Notes”

Lutheran Service Book  hymnal updates:

• The Commission on Worship and Concordia Publishing House have scheduled more than 270 Lutheran Service Book introductory workshops in the U.S. and Canada for the fall of 2006.  Each workshop will be three hours in length and will be held from 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM.  Our Savior has been chosen as the site for all LCMS churches in Kentucky on October 21!  These workshops are designed to appeal to a broad range of individuals, including pastors, musicians, choir members, and other interested leaders and members of the congregation.  In addition to highlighting both what is familiar and what is new in LSB, the presenters will lead participants in actually using many of the resources during the workshop.  Included in the registration cost will be a copy of the pew edition of Lutheran Service Book, thus allowing participants to “thumb” through the book and begin the process of experiencing this significant worship resource.  Participants will also receive an LSB guide.  It will contain not only the materials that are presented during the workshop but also helpful resources and suggestions for introducing LSB at a variety of congregational settings.
• Cost for the workshop is $20 per person.  This includes:
• instructional sessions with the presenter and the musician who will lead the participants in singing
• the LSB guide
• a copy of the pew edition
• sample copies of other LSB editions, which will be on hand for browsing
• Registrations for the workshop can be accepted both online, with credit card payment (http://lsb.cph.org), and via regular mail, with payment by check.  See Scott Kamman for a registration form if you are interested.
• We will be receiving a promotional CD of 23 hymns from LSB and a DVD that contains several presentations suitable for viewing by members of the congregation.  
• A committee is being formed to study the new Lutheran Service Book and its possibilities for Our Savior Lutheran Church.  If you’d care to be a member of that committee, please contact Scott Kamman
  

Note from Lutheran High Northwest Choir:  A CD recording of their spring tour (which included a stop at Our Savior!) is available.  If you’d be interested in purchasing one, contact their director Elizabeth Davis.

Worship Reminders:  Please respect the quiet time of meditation before the service begins.  Enter the sanctuary reverently and with worship in mind.  Socializing is best done in the narthex or lounge areas before and after the service.  Also, please remember that if you arrive late for church, wait until the congregation begins singing a hymn or piece of the liturgy before being seated.  That is the appropriate time to enter into worship.  Thank you for maintaining a worshipful atmosphere.

Answer to the May quiz:  The hymn that we sing on Ascension that describes:  “The holy apostolic band upon the Mount of Olives stand, and with his faithful followers see their Lord ascend in majesty” is the hymn “A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing.” (LW 149, v. 2)  

July quiz:  Which hymn petitions, “Grant us your peace upon our homeward way; With you began, with you shall end the day”?
 
Hearing Assist devices:  Had trouble hearing well in our sanctuary?  These small sound amplifying devices are available from the ushers.  Please ask for them!  They amplify what is going through our sound system.  If you would like to purchase your own personal set of earphones for use with the church sound system, please contact the church office.  (These devices do not  work outside the sanctuary.)  

Worship Notes!  In an effort to try to help us all learn about our worship life and liturgy, we offer this little “tidbit” of information each month.  It can serve as a review for you, an answer to that question, “Why do we do that?”, or as a teaching tool for our children or grandchildren.  Please share this with your family.  Discuss it prior to worship.  If there is something you would like to have answered, let me know.  I’ll do my best to find out!  Check out this month’s edition of  “Worship Notes!”

WORSHIP NOTES:  What is a “liturgy”?

Through the years, Christians have devised Orders of Worship, or “liturgies.”  Liturgy is a Greek word meaning “public service, help, ministry.”  We come to church not simply to be observers, but to serve God by listening, learning, speaking, singing, praying, praising, sharing, and keeping silent.  The Lutheran liturgies are orders that Christians have used for centuries to respond to God’s goodness, grace, and generosity.

Circles of Care with Christ at the Center

Christ is central to ChristCare Groups. ChristCare Group members meet Jesus Himself in their fellow group members, in the Scriptures, in their times of prayer and worship, and through their missional service. With Jesus at the center of all that the group is and does, group members grow as Jesus’ disciples, increasing in faith, joy, and love.

ChristCare Groups are circles of care. ChristCare Group members give and receive Christ’s care to one another. When you’re in a ChristCare Group, you never have to go through a tough time alone, be it a major crisis or just the bumps and bruises of daily life. Your fellow group members are always there for you.

When ChristCare Groups meet, they do four kinds of activities:

• Community building and care;
• Biblical Equipping;
• Prayer and worship; and
• Missional service.

The Holy Spirit works through these activities to make ChristCare Groups into “Circles of Care with Christ at the Center.”

Four good reasons why ChristCare Groups are necessary for our congregation to be all God calls us to be . . .

Reason 1: Christ’s Own Example

Much of Jesus’ most significant ministry took place with the small group He formed at the beginning of His ministry -- the twelve disciples. In this intimate setting Jesus shared the truth and wisdom of God, teaching them about prayer, holy living, faith, hope, and love.

Reason 2: Building Community

In a world where people often feel isolated, there is a strong need to have a place “where everybody knows your name.” In ChristCare Groups, people feel loved and accepted and can share when they are happy or hurting.

Reason 3: The Renewal of the Church

Whenever the church has experienced renewal, small groups have played a key role. Groups do things that open members to the Spirits work: prayer and praise, Bible study, encouragement and support, equipping for ministry and witness, and service in daily life.

Reason 4: The Growth of the Church

The early church multiplied by involving people in groups that met regularly for worship, mutual support, and growing together in faith. Today ChristCare Groups help our church grow by assimilating new members, evangelism, preventing inactivity, and increasing attendance at Sunday worship.

The ChristCare Series provides our congregation with a sound framework and flexible system.

For our ChristCare Group Ministry to work well and last, we need a strong organizational and administrative system. With almost two decades of experience, Stephen Ministries knows how to structure ministry systems that work and last.

Equipping and Training of Leaders

“Training the trainer” is the most important thing we can do to ensure successful small group ministry. Key leaders from our congregation -- called ChristCare Equippers -- will gain the know-how and confidence to get ChristCare Group Ministry going and keep it going. Equippers will use comprehensive manuals and materials from Stephen Ministries as they recruit and train ChristCare Group Leaders and establish successful ChristCare Groups. Marsha and Charles Puckett and Paul Nickel are trained Equippers.

Ongoing Support

Stephen Ministries will continue to provide support for Equippers through telephone consultation, newsletters, special mailings, and a continuing supply of fresh ideas. They will help our Equippers and ChristCare Group Leaders to continually refine our ChristCare Group Ministry so it remains responsive to our congregation’s changing needs.

STEPHEN MINISTRY

Submitted by Lee Berndt

But how do I know whether this ministry is for me?  Perhaps if you prayerfully ask yourself the following questions the answer will come to you:

1.    Do I have a heart for people who are hurting?  (cfr Gal. 6:2)
2.    Am I willing to allow God’s unconditional love to work through me rather than attempt to solve a person’s problem?
3.    Am I willing to be trained as a caregiver and see this as my
spiritual gift?
4.    Can I accept the fact that as a caregiver I am Christ’s servant and God is the cure-giver?
5.    Am I willing to follow this training with monthly supervision sessions with other caregivers?
6.    Am I willing to make a two-year commitment to be a caregiver?
 
If your heart tells you that this ministry is for you, or even if you are not certain, please feel free to speak with Melissa Nelson, Paul Nickel, Pastor Fausel or myself, Lee Berndt by phone or in person.

DINING OUT TOGETHER

(D.O.T.)
Couples, singles, and those who spouses are unable to attend, we will go out for food and socializing.  
July  7, at 6 PM
P.F. Changs, on Shelbyville Road.

“A Message from the Music Director”

Dear friends,

On the evening of July 4, my family has had a long-standing tradition of gathering at my grandparents’ homestead for a cookout and fireworks.  I have many pyromaniacs in my family who enjoy purchasing and setting off their prize fireworks to the “oohs” and “ahs” of our family.  I’m sure the neighbors enjoy our fireworks from a distance.  We can also see other larger fireworks in the sky, probably set off by neighbors from a mile away.  Its always fun to watch their showy displays with many beautiful colors lighting up the sky.

This spectacle made me think about my Christian life.  I wondered if I was making visible the joy and beauty of my life with Christ, not only to those who are close to me, but also to those farther away.

It is great that we as a church gather once a week to celebrate our freedom, rather than just once a year on Independence Day.  We have ample opportunity to share our light with those around us.  As we go to work or talk with friends or neighbors on a daily basis, we can let our light shine.  If fireworks go all out to celebrate the freedom of our country, how much more we should celebrate the freedom we experience through Christ!  Hope to see you in worship!     
 
Let your light shine!

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.   Matt.5:16   

Hope to see you in worship,
Scott Kamman, Director of Music

LWML BULB SALES  WILL FUND NEW HYMNALS

LWML Bulb Sale proceeds will go to the purchase of the new hymnals for the church in coordination with Thrivent matching funds.  Here’s a wonderful chance to beautify your garden and help the church!      

Matins Tulip Mix:  Early, bright, huge blooms.
Amazing Grace Double Tulip Mix:  Full, Early, Colorful.
Mighty Fortress Tulip:  Early, Double, spectacular splash of yellow and red.
Star of Wonder Narcissus:  White with a yellow star center,  a reminder of Christmas at Easter.
Alleluia Hyacinth: Rich cherry pink, fragrant, deer-proof.     
Psalm Snowdrops:  Charming as accents or naturalized areas.  Early, low.        
Thousand Voices Bluebells:  Plant a sea of blue or accents in the flowerbeds and deer-proof.
Gladsome Voice Hardy Gladiolus:  Early summer blooms, warm colors, beautifully patterned petals, and winter-hardy and deer proof.
Realms of  Glory Amaryllis:  Add a rich glow to winter with this fine red amaryllis and a great gift. 

JR/SR YOUTH

BIAC (Bowling in A/C)

We are meeting every other Wednesday at Ten Pin Lanes from 5:30 to 6:30. The next events will be on July 12 & 26, and August 3, 16, & 30. The cost for shoe rentals is $1.50. Games before 6 PM are $2; games after are $2.75. High school and college students are welcome to attend. Students in 8th grade or younger are also welcome, but need to have an adult stay to help supervise. For more information, contact David or Leah Robison.

JR and SR HIGH YOUTH ~ KART KOUNTRY: 

Jr. and Sr. High Youth: Rev up your engines!  July 2, we are once again going to Kart Kountry in Shepherdsville. Enjoy not only driving on their one-mile track, but also batting cages, putt-putt, bumper boats, and their huge arcade. Bring $20 and a bag of snacks to share. We'll meet at church at 2 PM, and return to church at approximately 8 PM. Please call Ginny Cunningham or Scott Frederickson if you have any questions.