Here’s your weekly look at things happening at Our Savior’s.
Volunteers Needed!
Volunteers are needed to collect parking fees for the Augustana College Hocky Games on Oct. 11 and 12. Ten volunteers are needed each night from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Funds will be split between OSL and Food to You. These funds will enable OSL to sponsor the purchase of food for 350 people for two different food distributions.
Sign up at the Welcome Center today, or call the church office to indicate that you can help! Please call Kris Breitag at (605) 838-9518 with any questions.
Self-Defense Class
A self-defense Class will be held at the OLS Gym on Saturday, Oct. 12 from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. Young ladies ages ten years old or older are encouraged to attend. There is no fee, but a free will offering box will be available. Representatives from the Dragon Spirit Taekwondo and a former Highway Patrol officer will be teaching the class. Please come in workout attire.
Congregational Forum CANCELLED
The Congregational Forum originally scheduled for 10/12 and 10/13 have been cancelled.
Community Conver
sation On Climate and Sustainability
Join the Sioux Falls Sustainability Coalition for a conversation on how our community can improve sustainability in Sioux Falls
Saturday, Oct. 19 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
“Strength Isn’t Always Physical”
Former MLB Player, Drew Robinson, will be giving a presentation on his experience playing for two major league teams before attempting suicide in 2020. He now serves as a mental health advocate for his former team.
Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. at OSL
Register at HELPLINECENTER.ORG. Event is FREE!
Ladies Fall Potluck Luncheon
The annual potluck will be held on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 11:30 a.m.
“Trunk Or Treats”
Our Savior’s Lutheran Church will be hosting
a “Trunk or Treats” event to be held on Wednesday, Oct. 30. The event will be held indoors!
Soul Shop: Health Ministry Conference
One-day, in-person workshop designed for clergy, staff, lay pastors, and faith-based healthcare and wellness clinicians. Familiarize yourself with the incidence and impact of suicide on their communities and learn to address suicide as a regular aspect of their life and work.
Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
$25 for workshop, materials, and meal.
Register: https://www.sanfordhealth.org/classes-and-events/annual-health-ministry-conference.
“Burning of the Mortgage”
OSL will be celebrating the elimination of the mortgage debt by having a symbolic “burning of the mortgage” on Sunday, Nov. 3.
Because of members’ contributions, OSL has been able to retire the mortgage debt. Everyone is invited to this celebration.
Digital bulletins are available for you to use with your mobile device, whether you worship from home or at OSL. Here are bulletins for
• Saturday evening Festive worship
• Sunday morning Festive worship
• Sunday morning Celebrate worship
View (or print) weekly worship materials at oslchurch.com
Coming back soon… Our Savior’s Communications produces a short Information Video of upcoming events, activities, and opportunities. It’s shown at the Welcome Center and on monitors in the Sanctuary and Celebrate Center before worship services. And it’s posted to the OSL website as well, so if you haven’t been by for a while, or you’d just like a closer look, find the videos here!
Things to Note…
Saturday Morning Bible Study
Throughout history Matthew’s gospel has played a prominent role in Christian worship and practice, and to this day it retains a central place in most people’s experiences of the New Testament and the Christian faith. Matthew envisions the church as made up of sinners and doubters who struggle with faith, temptation, and forgiveness, but ultimately reflect the ministry and presence of Jesus.
When: 2nd Saturday of the month beginning Oct. 12. from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.
Where: Office Conference Room
Questions: Contact Pr. Tim.
ABC With Kristie
There are expanded hours for the library on Wednesday from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.Reading Volunteers are needed for Sunday school kids between services from 10:30-10:45 a.m.
Also library volunteers for Saturday and Sunday are needed.
The latest edition of OSL’s publication The Intercom is online! View The Intercom as web pages or a PDF file, as you prefer. Find it and back issues here!
SAIL (Stay Active & Independent for Life) is a strength, balance, and fitness class offered through Sanford Health and specifically designed for adults 65+. Participants improve balance and mobility, reduce their risk of falls, and improve their quality of life while having fun meeting new people. Experienced and skillful instructors teach each class. Classes are tailored to older adults who are active and wish to maintain or increase their fitness level; chairs are available as needed. Best of all, it’s free! Classes at OSL meet on Mondays and Thursdays, from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m., in the Hub.
Keep an eye on the OSL calendar, at oslchurch.com/calendar, as events and activities are added! The website calendar is continuously updated, so visit it frequently.
Check out the latest edition of OSL’s Spiritual Care Ministry newsletter online. Visit here, and contact Pr. Tim Lemme (tlemme@oslchurch.com or 605-336-2942, ext. 19) or Dorene Weinstein, Spiritual Care Coordinator (605-336-2942, ext. 28, or dweinstein@oslchurch.com), to subscribe.
All are welcome to join OSL’s Knitting Group, meeting on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month, in Room 102, from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. The knitters craft prayer and baptismal shawls for use in the ministries of Our Savior’s.
What better way to show God’s love for everyone than to share a gift of caring and warmth? This is what happens each second and fourth Tuesday of the month in the OSL Piece by Peace Quilting area, from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Quilts of various sizes are handmade and sent to local organizations that care for the homeless and underprivileged native communities in South Dakota, and around the world to places in need. If you would like to be a part of this ministry, stop by and we will find a way for you to help! Sewing and quilting skills of all levels are welcome. Come join in the laughter and fellowship in this mission work of compassion and caring for others.
Have you experienced a loss? Are you going through a time of grief? Could you use a little extra support? Join Pr. Tim Lemme and members of OSL’s Good Grief Group each Thursday, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., in the Friendship Room, for conversation, reflective study, and compassionate peer support. What makes this group so special is that all have experienced a loss and have learned that sometimes the best support comes from the love of those who have been there. To learn more, contact Pr. Tim Lemme (tlemme@oslchurch.com or 605-336-2942, ext. 19) or Dorene Weinstein, Spiritual Care Coordinator (605-336-2942, ext. 28, or dweinstein@oslchurch.com).
A Matter of Balance, the award-winning program designed to manage falls and increase activity levels, meets at OSL on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., in the Friendship Room. This program emphasizes practical strategies to manage falls, and is intended for anyone interested in improving balance, flexibility, and strength; anyone who has fallen in the past; and anyone who has restricted activities because of falling concerns. The program is free, but registration is required: Contact Karla Cazer, Faith Community Nurse, 605-339-7295; 605-336-2942, ext 18; kcazer@oslchurch.com.
The OSL Gym is open for pickleball on Thursdays and Fridays, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Participants are asked to contribute $2 per visit for heat, lights, and upkeep of the floor.Opportunities to Help
Offering Counters Needed for 2025!
This is a fun volunteer job that takes about one hour once a month and starts at 8:30 on Mondays. Does not require use of a computer. We schedule based on your availability.
Soon Our Savior’s Augustana University and University of Sioux Falls neighbors will be returning to class. And that means OSL’s Campus Cupboard will be reopening soon! You are invited to help restock the shelves with items to help students get by when their dining halls are unavailable (such as during school holidays). You’ll find the Campus Cupboard shopping list on the OSL website. Thank you for helping OSL’s student neighbors!
Augustanna University is looking for Friendship Families! The Friendship Family makes a commitment to befriend a new international student, provide opportunities to have home-cooked meals, and/or participate in various cultural or community activities throughout the year. Friendship families do not provide lodging—just support and a “home” away from campus! Interested? Visit Augie’s Friendship Family page, or email Madeline Trosvig, Faith Formation Coordinator, mtrosvig@oslchurch.com, for more info.
One of the greatest gifts we can give to anyone is the gift of our time. A listening ear, a phone call, a quick note can be a source of comfort and a bright spot in someone’s day. OSL’s Caring Friends are volunteers who reach out monthly to OSL members residing in care facilities in the Sioux Falls area. This ministry program was created as an opportunity to minister to those who can no longer participate in worship and fellowship opportunities at OSL, to make them feel connected, and a vital part of their church family. Through phone calls, mail, visits, and prayer, Caring Friends reach out with the Love of Christ to those who often find themselves alone or disconnected. This outreach is an essential part of Our Savior’s mission to connect faith to everyday life. If you would like to participate in this ministry, contact Pr. Tim Lemme (tlemme@oslchurch.com or 605-336-2942, ext. 19) or Dorene Weinstein, Spiritual Care Coordinator (605-336-2942, ext. 28, or dweinstein@oslchurch.com).OSL supports the Food to You Mobile Food Pantry by donating various food items to help local families in need, and helping with food distributions. The item for September is hearty soup; for October, it will be cereal. Always appreciated are toothpaste, shampoo, and deodorant for Hygiene Packs. Place your donations in the marked bins near The Gathering Place kitchen. 
There are always opportunities for Kitchen Crew Volunteers! Call the Church Office, 605-336-2942, or stop in the kitchen on a Wednesday evening. 
Stephen Ministers have received special training to provide confidential, one-to-one, Christian care to hurting people. They meet weekly with their care partners to listen, encourage, and provide emotional and spiritual support. The caring relationship lasts as long as the person needs care. It’s free, and it’s a powerful way you can help a hurting friend. To learn more, contact Pr. Tim Lemme (605-336-2942, ext. 19, or tlemme@oslchurch.com) or Dorene Weinstein, Spiritual Care Coordinator (605-336-2942, ext. 28, or dweinstein@oslchurch.com).SUICIDE WARNING SIGNS FOR YOUTH
Take action if you notice these signs in family or friends:
- Talking about or making plans for suicide.
- Expressing hopelessness about the future.
- Displaying severe/overwhelming emotional pain or distress.
- Showing worrisome changes in behavior, including: withdrawal from or changing social connections/situations, changes in sleep, anger or hostility that seems out of character or out of context, recent increased agitation or irritability.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available.
Call, text or chat 988 (Suicide & Crisis LIFELINE)
Have you tried OSL’s text giving option? It’s a quick, convenient way to help support OSL’s mission! Just text sharing to 73256 and follow the short instructions to make a gift to Our Savior’s. Thank you for your continued support!
Credits: Photo of closed sign by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash. Friendship Club image by SCY from Pixabay. Information Video background by Monsieur Sylvain via Pexels. Photo of man holding iPhone by Youssef Sarhan on Unsplash; background image by Joshua Sortino on Unsplash. Calendar Flip 600 by Muddy River Media via YouTube. Video of woman knitting by Vlada Karpovich from Pexels. Photo of blood pressure check by CDC on Unsplash. Photo of crying woman by Jeremy Wong on Unsplash. Photo of pickleball equipment by Ben Hershey on Unsplash. Photo of friends by Harli Marten on Unsplash. Stephen Ministry background photo by Clément Falize on Unsplash. Photo of woman texting from a video by Blue Bird from Pexels.
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