Congregational Life - The Intercom, November 2017

New to the OSL Community Welcome these new members, who were received into the OSL church family in October. The next new member orientation will be this spring. Contact the Church Office, 336-2942, for details.

OSL’S 2017 Advent Devotional Mary sings her song of praise to God, remembering the good God has done and looking forward with confident hope to what God will do. When we tell the stories of what God has done for us, we magnify God in our world. Perhaps you treasure a memory of a moment you knew God was close because of a miracle, a coincidence, a beautiful moment, or a feeling you couldn’t explain.  This is your invitation to reflect on what God has done in your life and share it with the congregation by writing a brief item for Magnify!, OSL’s 2017 Advent Devotional. The deadline is November 12; send contributions (400 words or fewer) to Bill Reynolds, <a shape="rect" href="mailto:breynolds@oslchurch.com"> breynolds@oslchurch.com </a>, preferably as a Word document attached to an email message.

OSL’s Altar Guild Did you ever wonder how or why the altar and chancel area in OSL’s worship spaces change from time to time, specifically the altar and pulpit paraments to match the appropriate season of the church year? These changes take place with the help of OSL’s Altar Guild volunteers. The work of Altar Guild is more than housekeeping. In essence, it is to assist in creating and maintaining a climate of worship for our congregation. Altar Guild volunteers:<ul><li>change altar paraments seasonally<li>care for altar and table linens<li>dust the chancel, sacristy, and chapel<li>care for acolyte robes as needed</ul>Altar Guild always welcomes new volunteers! If you would like to serve the Lord by helping in this important task, contact the Church Office, 336-2942, or Shirly Hillgren, 334-0030, for more information. Typically, volunteers work in pairs for one month. A brief meeting for all volunteers will be held on Sunday, November 5, at 10:00 a.m. (between worship services) in Room 103, just off the Sanctuary. This will be an opportunity to gain more information, meet other volunteers, and possibly sign up for the month you’d like to serve. Bring your coffee—goodies will be provided!

Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Foundation Notes: Utilize Your RMD to Help OSL You know that 2018 is just around the corner…and if you are 70½ or older and have an IRA (Individual Retirement Account), you must take your required minimum distribution (RMD) by December 31, 2017, or face a 50% penalty. Ugh! However, there is a way to utilize the RMD to your advantage. You can choose to direct the RMD amount directly to a qualified charity, such as Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Foundation or Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. You will not recognize the RMD amount in 2017’s income nor receive a charitable deduction. This will be an especially wise and prudent move if you claim the standard deduction on your tax return. If you choose to direct your RMD to OSL or the OSL Foundation, don’t have the distribution from your account’s custodian sent to you—have it sent directly to OSL or the Foundation. It will help you and Our Savior’s as well. Barb Haugan, OSL’s Business Administrator, will be able to assist you in this process. Additionally, proceed with caution when you are naming a beneficiary of your IRA—there may be a significant hidden tax for a non-spousal recipient of your nest egg. Naming Our Savior’s as beneficiary would be a way to avoid taxation. Of course this is complicated. And of course the disclaimer is that neither Our Savior’s nor the Foundation are offering you tax advice—but we want to help you plan and stay educated about your options. Always seek advice and assistance from a qualified advisor before you make decisions.  Let’s visit further, if you are so inclined. Contact me, Jon Oien, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Foundation Planned Giving, 212-5261 or <a shape="rect" href="mailto:joien@sio.midco.net">joien@sio.midco.net</a>. Jubilee Society Members are listed on <a href="http://oslchurch.com/about/oslc-foundation/" target="_blank">the OSLC Foundation page</a>.

South Dakota Hunger Summit This year’s Hunger Summit will take place on November 8 at Dakota Wesleyan University, Mitchell. The Keynote Speaker will be M. J. Altman, the Editorial Director for World Food Program USA and the host and creator of the WFP podcast “Hacking Hunger.” For details and to register, visit <a href="http://www.partnersagainsthunger.org/hunger-summit" target="_blank">partnersagainsthunger.org/hunger-summit</a>

Call Extended for Pastor of Outreach and Communication At a congregational meeting on October 15, OSL members voted unanimously to extend a call to the Rev. Justin Kosec to fill the position of Pastor of Outreach and Communication. Pr. Justin is now discerning this call, and will make his decision within 30 days of it being extended. Pr. Justin currently serves as pastor at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in Smithtown, N.Y., where he lives with his wife, Susanne, and their infant daughter, Amariah. The Kosecs are originally from this region; Pr. Justin received his M.Div. at Luther Seminary, following undergraduate work at Carthage College, Kenosha, Wisc. You’ll find more information at on the <a href="http://oslchurch.com/about/call-process/" target="_blank">Call Process page</a>. Please keep the Kosec family in your prayers as they consider this significant transition in their lives.

A Note of Thanks From Lunch Is Served:  September 18, 2017 Dear Our Savior’s Lutheran Church: Thank you for sharing your time to pack meals with Lunch Is Served, Inc., on Wednesday, September 13. Because of you, 220 workers received a lunch!  In 2016, our volunteers made 27,520 meals for the working poor in our community, and we expect this number will have grown in 2017. Our meal recipients say that having a lunch helps them stay alert and focused on their work. Many say that without a meal from Lunch Is Served they would not eat for their entire work day. We believe that receiving a lunch also shows these workers that their community supports them as they strive to provide for themselves and their families. Lunch Is Served could not provide these meals without the volunteers who generously give of their time and we are grateful for your effort. I hope you will consider serving again in the coming year. Together in Service, Lynn Culey Executive Director

Another Note of Thanks From Community Blood Bank: October 9, 2017 Dear Michelle, Congregation, and Staff, On behalf of Community Blood Bank’s board of directors and the patients we serve in 34 local hospitals, we would like to thank you and all of the volunteer blood donors at Our Savior’s. Your commitment to impact the lives of patients in our community through hosting blood drives and encouraging people to donate ensures a secure blood supply for the treatment of those involved in traumas, surgeries, cancer treatment, and burns. What you do matters to the community and all of us at Community Blood Bank. We are committed to providing blood to the communities we serve through a friendly, convenient, and community service satisfying environment. The success of the community’s blood supply is solely generated from leadership provided from organizations like yours. In fact, 80% of the blood supply is provided by people donating at blood drives. The difference in a community is made by those that come forward to secure the future, you have made the difference! We look forward to working with you in the future. Sincerely, Rita Nelson Donor Consultant Community Blood Bank

Theology Tapped Come and join Pr. Randy at Monk’s House of Ale Repute, 420 E. 8th St., for Theology Tapped— conversation, reflection, prayer, and Christian community—on Thursday, November 2, and Thursday, November 30, from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m.

What’s Coming Up? Every week, over 1,200 OSL members and friends receive Coming Up at Our Savior’s, an email update of news and events for the week ahead (and a little further out). To be included in the mailing, simply <a href="http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?llr=cgxs7srab&p=oi&m=1118399192258&sit=5itf56ajb&f=bc408a17-91b0-4a7d-abdd-87a8090e621f" target="_blank">follow this link</a>. There’s always a lot happening at OSL—be sure to keep up-to-date!

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Congregational Life – The Intercom, November 2017

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