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March 16, 2022

By the grace of God, we at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church are filled with the Holy Spirit and respond to God's love by sharing the Good News with our friends and neighbors. We go into our community and world to make a difference in the name of Jesus.

The Faith of God
As humans participating in spiritual community, the word faith gets thrown around a lot. It is usually used in the context of “our” faith or the faith of another person. We spend more time thinking about human faith in God and less time on God’s faith in us.

From time to time, I get asked what it means to be a Lutheran Christian. My response typically begins with how Lutherans understand baptism. Baptism for Lutherans always begins with God’s choosing of us. Always begins with God’s faith in us. God chooses us before we can choose God. Much of the time, we fail in our ability to live up to our commitments to God, but we trust that God’s love never fails. This week Paul writes in 1st Corinthians 10:13:

“God is faithful, and he (God) will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he (God) will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.”

This nugget of scripture starts with God’s faith and then moves to the way that God’s faith in us empowers us for life. As Christians, we believe that we know who God is from what we read in the Hebrew Bible but also most clearly in the accounts of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus in the New Testament. The life of Jesus was one that included great suffering and yet, God’s love was transcendent. The late expert on the world’s religions, Huston Smith once said, “The most powerful moral influence is example.” God’s faith in us was lived out in Jesus and continues to show us the way today.

What are your tests at the moment? How are your families, friends and communities being tested at the moment? Our world is surely being tested at the moment as we witness horrific images from the war in Ukraine. In times like these we look to Jesus to provide the endurance and ultimate way out. It is God’s faith in us that empowers us to live abundantly in the midst of the tests and the character of God’s life on earth that provides our moral compass.

Fear not! God’s faith is with you.

Pastor Joel

Prayer Around the Cross
6:30 PM Tonight
In the Fellowship Hall

Join us this evening and each Wednesdays during Lent for our “Prayer Around the Cross” service. We journey together into the depths of humanity and place what we find at the foot of the cross. Everyone has a chance during the service to light a candle and reflect upon the challenges of life during this contemplative style of worship using simple songs from the Taize community in France (et al.). We will begin promptly at 6:30 pm and the service runs just over a half hour.

We will broadcast live on YouTube and here is a copy of our songbook if you would like to sing with us at home.

https://www.lcmwwu.com/

We are currently providing rides to OSLC Lenten Wednesdays. Reach out to Pastor Joel and he can help connect you with a ride!

Poetry Walk - Submit a Poem!

April is National Poetry Month, which first begun in April of 1996. From the Academy of American Poets website, "poets have an integral role to play in our culture and poetry matters." Throughout April OSLC will be participating in a Poetry Walk organized by a local Happy Valley neighbor. Wherever there is a Little Free Library around the neighborhood, a new poem will be displayed each week (or more often, depending). Maps of the approximately hour long walk will be available in a couple of weeks, and we want your poems! Poems can be new, original, or classic, perhaps focusing on hope, love, encouragement or any other topic that feels timely in the moment.

Submit a poem, an original or your favorite one, to the office before and during the month of April and we'll display it.

Educational Opportunities

Confirmation Class

Our next Confirmation class will be this Sunday, March 20, at 5 pm in the Fellowship Hall. We’ll serve pizza again!

Our next all-ages Sunday School event will be on Sunday, April 3 from 9:45-10:15 am. This is an intergenerational event open to all. Contact Pastor Joel with any questions.

Join us in Sacred Conversation

Thursdays at 1 pm
Join Pastor Joel and your OSLC community for Bible Study, when we check in and explore the coming week's Gospel lesson. Pastor Joel leads us through an informative PowerPoint presentation and facilitates discussion.

Download this week's text and discussion questions here.

Join the Zoom Meeting Here

Support the Lutheran World Federation's Effort to support the people and churches of the Ukraine.

March 2022 Schedule and Celebrations

Mask Policy

Following the guidance of our governor, we have shifted our mask policy to no longer require indoor mask use; however we continue to encourage and support it, especially for those who are in a high risk category. We will continue to offer our live YouTube stream for the safest option, and if you have symptoms to please stay home.

READINGS FOR MARCH

Worship Service

Sundays at 10:30 am

We meet in-person and also broadcast live on YouTube.

If joining us by live stream click here to go to our YouTube Channel. Here's the bulletin if you would like to follow along from home.

Bring a friend or neighbor and join us soon!
We look forward to connecting with you.

Please hold in prayer...

Members
~ Betty Strand for healing and peace of mind.
~ Bill Simpson (father of Liza Okan) for comfort and healing while returning home from rehab.
~ Kae Brown for healing for her foot.
~ Larry Jackson (and his wife and caregiver Marlene) for comfort and strength.
~ Margaret Smithson for healing for Emphysema.
~ Summer Trudell for healing.

Friends and Family
~ Charlene (Cochran, sister of Merrilee) for comfort and strength.
~ David (Hoyt, twin brother to Darlene Moore) for comfort and healing while recovering from a fall and Covid.
~ Jenny (Daughter-in-law of Elin Valtyrson) for strength and healing.
~ Karen Lyon for comfort and peace in assisted living.
~ Kristi (wife of William Warnekros) for comfort and strength following surgery.
~ Laurel (Leigh, friend and mentor of Sue Cross) for healing and strength during treatment for advanced lung cancer.
~ Linda (Earl, sister-in-law of Elin Valtyrson) for strength and healing.
~ Lydia (Barren, daughter of the Jacksons) for strength and healing.
~ Margie (sister of Alice Reberger) for strength and comfort.
~ Sarah (daughter of Larry & Bonnie Larson) for strength fighting cancer.

Ministries
~ Camp Lutherwood
~ ECHOES (ELCA mission for the unchurched)
~ Interfaith Coalition
~ Love INC
~ Lutheran Campus Ministry at WWU
~ Lutheran World Relief
~ Our Saviour’s House

Please let Pastor Joel or Rebecca in the office know of changes or additions to this list.

As a Reconciling in Christ congregation, we believe in a God who loves all people unconditionally. You are welcomed and affirmed here regardless of age, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion or economic status. We are a church that is committed to anti-racism. We stand by our belief that God loves us all, no matter what.

Church Office Hours
Monday - Thursday
10 am to 3 pm
office@oursavioursbham.org | 360-733-6749