Congregational Life - The Intercom, September 2017

Fun and Games in September! Have some fun at OSL Game Night, Friday, September 15, from 6:30 to 9:00, in The Gathering Place. Bring your favorite games, clearly marked, to play with or teach others. Outdoor games will be played till dark; Bingo will be played in the Labyrinth Room. Popcorn and drinks will be provided by the Board of Congregational Life.

Immigration: Myths and Realities Immigration is among the most highly polarizing topics of our day. However, immigration-related discourse from both media and politicians can make it difficult to sort fact from fiction.  Join Jennifer Lunder, Ayuda coordinator, and Cari Lee Skogberg Eastman, local author and researcher, for “Immigration: Myths and Realities” on Sunday, October 15, at 10:00 a.m., in the Friendship Room. The forum will offer participants an opportunity to study research-based truths about immigration, recognize myths and misperceptions about our immigrant neighbors, and better understand how members of faith communities are called to respond to immigration-related issues. “Immigration: Myths and Realities” is part of the ELCA’s Ayuda (Spanish for “help”) initiative to promote connections, revitalization, and support among all God’s people.

OSL Women’s Fall Retreat “Mindfulness and Your Faith” is the theme of this year’s Women’s Fall Retreat, on September 22 and 23, at Joy Ranch, near Watertown. Pr. Cindy Hoy will be the event’s facilitator. Cindy is the director of Pastoral and Spiritual Care at Sanford. Music will be provided by Toni LeVasseur. Register before August 1 for a $10 early discount. Register at the Information Center or online at oslchurch.com (starting July 1).

Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Foundation Notes Charitable gift annuities—perhaps you’ve heard or read about them. Simply stated, a charitable gift annuity is a gift that gives today and a gift that that endures. A charitable gift annuity is an intentional use of your money or nest egg that provides you a lifetime income stream. Payout rates are based on your age. The remainder interest after your lifetime is added to the OSLC Foundation to assist the ongoing mission of Our Savior’s.  Why would you want a charitable gift annuity? • Because of the current tax deduction? • Because of the lifetime stream of income? • Because of the safety of the investment? • Because a portion is tax-free? • Because of the enduring impact?  Maybe it’s a combination of all the above—maybe more! Ready to find out more about charitable gift annuities—what to do and how to do it, to benefit yourself and Our Savior’s? Contact Jon Oien, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Foundation Planned Giving, (605) 212-5261 or <a href="mailto: joien@sio.midco.net"> joien@sio.midco.net</a>.

Partnership with The Community Outreach Moves Forward At a congregational meeting on July 23, the congregation voted overwhelmingly in favor of this resolution: “Be it resolved that the Congregation Council of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church (OSL) continue to develop and finalize in concert with The Community Outreach (TCO) a five-year lease agreement between OSL and TCO that allows TCO to rent properties owned by OSL for use in its Hezekiah House transitional housing initiative.” The final details of the agreement will be worked out in the near future and presented for final approval at a special congregational meeting at a time and date to be determined. For more information on the Hezekiah House initiative, visit visit <a href="http://oslchurch.com/osl-explores-hezekiah-house-partnership/">oslchurch.com</a> or thecommunityoutreach.org.

By Heart Join Pr. Randy for another round of Adult Confirmation. The class will meet on Wednesdays for six weeks, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., in the Friendship Room, starting on September 13. The text for this session will be By Heart, a richly illustrated, in-depth exploration of the Small Catechism. The class will be a perfect way to prepare for the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. A donation of $15 will help offset the cost of the book. All are welcome.

The Art of Marriage: A Biblically Centered Study of God’s Design for Marriage Is your busy lifestyle competing with your balance of faith, marriage, family, work, leisure in your daily life? Every marriage is either moving toward “oneness” or drifting toward isolation.  Join other OSL couples for a six- to seven-week small-group series, starting on Sunday, October 8, between worship services (9:45 to 10:30 a.m.), in a place to be determined. A video will be shown with discussion to follow. This series is open to newlyweds through “seasoned” married couples.  Contact Laura Wong, 582-4212, with questions or to sign up.

Feeding God’s Young People Thanks to your generosity, some 8,118 meals were served to area boys and girls at OSL this summer, as part of Feeding Sioux Falls’ Free Summer Food Service Program, a partnership among local nonprofits, the Sioux Falls School District, and Celebrate Church. Lunches at OSL were sponsored by EmBe, which prepared and served the weekday meals, with OSL members serving as greeters and friends to the 153 kids per day (on average) who participated in the program. Thank you for opening the doors to Our Savior’s to help these young neighbors!

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, September 28, from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m.

Looking Back & Called Forward: ELCA 500  In this 500th year of the Reformation, congregations, members, synods and other institutions of the ELCA will be observing the anniversary by a variety of events and activities in the coming months. Many of the local activities will reflect the magnitude of work being done on a national and international scale.  One such event, Looking Back & Called Forward: ELCA 500, will be held in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, October 31. All are invited to join ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton as she co-hosts the event, which will include speakers and a service, at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation on Capitol Hill. Bishop Eaton will be joined by co-hosts Bishop Bill Gafkjen of the Indiana-Kentucky Synod, ELCA Vice President Bill Horne, and Bishop Dick Graham of the Metropolitan Washington, D.C., Synod.   The event is open to the public and will be available online via livestream. All are invited to participate and honor the Reformation anniversary as we bear public witness to Christ, who frees us to love and serve our neighbor, and as we look to the future to which God is calling us.   More details will be available in the near future. Visit <a href="http://ELCA500.org/events" target="_blank"> ELCA500.org/events</a> to stay up-to-date on this and other ELCA 500 events.

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Congregational Life – The Intercom, September 2017

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