Friendship Club
The tradition continues!
For the past several years, OSL’s Friendship Club has traveled to Nora, S.D., to enjoy the old time country sights and sounds of Christmas—and this year will be no exception!
You are invited to Friendship Club’s visit to Nora via motorcoach on December 18. The fun will begin with a delightful Christmas lunch at OSL, at noon. Then the coach will depart for Nora at 1:00, returning to OSL at around 4:30. Cost for transportation is $15 per person (lunch will be a freewill offering, as usual). Sign up to reserve your spot on the bus at the Information Center, or call the Church Office, 336-2942. Questions? Call Pr. Tim Lemme, 336-2942.
A traditional holiday favorite of many, the Nora Store hosts a variety of Christmas traditions—singing holiday favorites around a beautifully restored vintage pipe organ, hearing stories from Christmases long ago, and cider, coffee, and treats around the wood-burning stove. Holiday and antique decorations fill the room as friends gather around to celebrate this holiday tradition together.
You won’t want to miss this fun event! Be sure to tell your friends!
The Buddy Bench
What exactly is a Buddy Bench, you ask? The idea first came to my attention while attending a Sanford Health Ministry Conference on loneliness. Many people deal with feelings of loneliness each day, in our society, at church, even in our own homes. How we provide support and care for these people comes in a variety of ways, one of which is the Buddy Bench Ministry.
The idea began one day when a grade school student on a playground noticed some of the kids didn’t have anyone to play with. This student had compassion for them, and decided that she wanted to be a friend to those who looked lonely. She would sit on a bench at recess and wait for those who were alone to sit with her, then she would offer to go play with them, or to just sit and talk and be a friend to them for a while. Soon there were news stories about this compassionate caregiver of the playground, and the concept of the Buddy Bench began. Since then, the idea has taken off, with schools, hospitals, and churches putting Buddy Benches in the buildings and on their grounds. From this one little act of compassion and kindness, a whole movement began.
The Caring Ministries Team decided that we too wanted to provide a Buddy Bench for our congregation, and through the generous support of the grandchildren of Warren Jensen, this dream has become a reality. Given in memory of Warren, who was a buddy to everyone he met, the OSL Buddy Bench now sits in front of the Church Office windows, just off The Gathering Place. If you are in need of a buddy, come sit on the bench. If you would like to be a buddy to someone, come and sit on the bench. Together, enjoy the support and love that come from spending time with a friend!
—Pr. Tim Lemme
Pictured at top: The Buddy Bench, outside the Church Office. Pictured above: Floyd Prouty, Jim Nelson, and Pr. Tim Lemme test the Buddy Bench to make sure it works properly. (It does.)
Health Ministries
Our Savior’s has a number of ongoing health ministries that meet on a weekly or monthly basis. Feel free to join any of the following sessions. For more information, contact Michelle Anderson, Faith Community Nurse, 336-2942, ext. 48, or mianderson@oslchurch.com.
Footcare Clinic
Cost is $25 per person. Wednesday, December 5, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Call the Church Office, 336-2942, to schedule your appointment.
Hope for Living with
Illness or Cancer
Every Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. in the Friendship Room. People and their families who have or are experiencing the challenge of cancer are welcome. If you cannot attend, but would like to be on our prayer and devotional mailing list, contact Michelle Anderson, Faith Community Nurse, 336-2942, ext. 48, or mianderson@oslchurch.com.
Knitting/Crocheting Ministry
Learn how to knit or crochet prayer shawls (to be given to people to remind them of God’s presence and love in their lives) and mittens and scarves (for missions).
Wednesday, December 12, 9:30 a.m.
Recent Loss Group
Wednesdays, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., in the Chapel, beginning September 12. Contact Michelle Anderson, 336-2942, ext. 28, or or mianderson@oslchurch.com, to preregister. OSL Community Supper is available before the meeting, at 5:00 in The Gathering Place.
Good Grief
Every Thursday at 10:00 a.m. in Room 103. Offers support to anyone dealing with loss and crisis in their lives.
Memory Care Support Group
Saturdays, 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., Conference Room. For caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s and dementia, the group is a place for caregivers to share and to receive understanding and empathy. Contact Michelle Anderson, Faith Community Nurse, 336-2942, ext. 48, or mianderson@oslchurch.com.
Pickleball
OSL-sponsored Pickleball: Mondays, 8:00 a.m. to noon and 5:00 to 9:00 p.m., in the Gym.
Communicating with Joy
The workshop Communicating with Joy: When Your Loved One or Friend Has Dementia, for anyone who cares for someone with dementia, was held at OSL on November 3. Turnout was remarkable. Attendees discovered new ways to turn challenging situations into moments of joy; learned about brain changes that occur when a person has dementia; and identified practical skills for better communication and how to enhance caregiving, resilience, and joy. A variety of local agencies and vendors offered resources and tools to help caregivers and others who care for people with dementia.
Copies of the books Planning for Safety, Quality, and Compassionate Care for Your Loved One and Yourself by Tina M. Marrelli, R.N., and Dignity and Grace: Wisdom for Caregivers and Those Living with Dementia by Janet L. Ramsey, which were featured at the workshop, are available from Caring Ministries, for $12 and $8.50, respectively.
Men’s Bible Breakfast
OSL’s Men’s Bible Breakfast and Lutheran Men in Mission group meets on the first and third Saturday of each month at 8:30 a.m. in the Conference Room. A continental breakfast is provided by members at each gathering. Men of all ages are invited to attend this one-hour Bible study when it meets on December 15. For more details, contact Pr. Tim Lemme, tlemme@oslchurch.com or 336-2942, ext. 19.