A Litany of Farewell for Pr. Paul Svingen will be included in worship services on August 17 and 18. In addition, the services will include a Transition Task Force decommissioning, whose members have served OSL so faithfully these many months.
Kids, teachers, and everyone involved in education: There will be a Blessing of the Backpacks at all services on August 17 and 18. Don’t miss it!
There will be a special Congregational Meeting at 10:00 a.m. this Sunday, August 18, in The Gathering Place. On the agenda: voting to accept the recommendations of the Transition Task Force report, updated Mission Statement, and Vision Statement. In addition, the meeting will include a celebration of Pr. Paul Svingen for his faithful service as OSL’s Interim Senior Pastor. (There’s been talk of cake!)
Kristie Schreck has now come on board as OSL’s Library Coordinator! Learn more about Kristie here, stop by the Library to say hello, and be sure to greet her when she’s introduced during worship services on August 24 and 25!
Summer is here! And that means summer worship hours, which run from now through Labor Day weekend. Saturday evening Festive worship remains at 5:00; Sunday morning’s schedule is Celebrate worship at 8:45 and Festive worship at 10:30. 
Friendship Club will be off to the National Music Museum in Vermillion on Tuesday, September 3. A guided tour will be provided, along with time for you to roam about on your own and explore the museum’s beautiful exhibits and music history! Cost for the trip is $70 per person, which includes motorcoach transportation, admission and guided tour, and a sack lunch. The coach will leave OSL at 9:00 a.m. and return mid-afternoon. Sign up at the Welcome Center by August 27. Questions? Contact Pr. Tim Lemme, tlemme@oslchurch.com or 605-336-2942.
Communion will be shared in worship services on the second and fourth weekends of the month. This schedule will continue through the summer.
Every week, 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!
As previously promised, Madeline Trosvig has now joined the OSL staff as full-time Faith Formation Coordinator! Learn more about Madeline on the OSL website, and be sure to welcome her when you see her around!
Be in Touch! There’s a lot happening at Our Savior’s these days, and since the Church Office is still short-staffed, it may be that, despite everyone’s best efforts, a phone call or email may not be returned as quickly as everyone would like. So if it’s been a while and you haven’t heard back on a message, don’t hesitate to reach out again with a gentle reminder. Thanks!
As in years past, Our Savior’s is partnering with EmBe this summer to offer free lunches to kids. EmBe prepares, delivers, and serves lunch, Monday through Friday, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., in Fellowship Hall. No registration is required. In recent summers, more than 6,000 kids were served at OSL—this year, in the month of June alone, EmBe served 2,877 lunches at OSL!
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
Things to Note…
A Note from Pr. Paul Svingen
Members and friends at Our Savior’s,
As I announced on July 27, the day of the 49th anniversary of my ordination at Lake Nokomis Lutheran Church in South Minneapolis, I will be concluding my intentional interim pastorate here at Our Savior’s on August 22.
This phase of the interim journey has been healing and restorative for many of you here. I am grateful for the good work and the witness of those who served on the Transition Task Force. The developmental work of this team has given OSL theopportunity to grow and flourish in the future. And so, I say thank you to each of you here whom God has blessed me to know. Surely God will enable one and all to use the gifts that God has given for the doing of the work of Ministry.
Grace and Peace,
Pr. Paul
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!
Summer is flying by—which mean’s OSL’s Kick-Off Weekend is fast approaching! September 7 and 8 will be here before you know it, and OSL’s fall programming and events will return at full steam. Kick-Off Sunday will feature an Opportunity Fair between services, where you may explore different ministry volunteer areas, and the OSLC Foundation will prepare and serve breakfast. Mark your calendar, and watch for more details as they emerge.
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 will resume on August 26, meeting on Mondays and Thursdays, from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m., in the Hub.
The Woodshop Ministry team is taking Wednesdays off during the summer months, but will continue their Saturday morning meet-ups, from 8:00 a.m. to noon. All are welcome, whether you are a seasoned woodworker or a beginning craftsperson, to join the team each week to work on projects for the church, the community, and ourselves. And the group never forgets to take a break for coffee and treats, too! For more information contact Pr. Tim Lemme, 605-336-2942, ext. 48, or tlemme@oslchurch.com.
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.
Blood pressure checks are again offered at OSL, on the weekend of the third Sunday of the month. Checks will be available in the Spiritual Care Suite, before and after services on Saturday evening, and from 9:00 to 11:00 on Sunday morning. Volunteers are needed to assist with blood pressure check. Please contact Karla Cazer, Karla Cazer, FCN Coordinator, (Karla.Cazer@sanfordhealth.org or 336-2942, ext. 18), or Julie Oien (605-212-3868).
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, will return to OSL on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., August 13 through August 29. 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
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!
Our Savior’s is looking for Welcome Center volunteers to greet visitors during the week, answer the phone, and transfer calls. No computer work is involved—all you need is a smile and a friendly voice! Occasionally, you may be asked to sit in at the Church Office desk if Lori is away. The goal is to have the Welcome Center staffed from 9:00 a.m. till noon and 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. (no Friday afternoons in the summer), but the schedule is extremely flexible—we will work with your schedule! And feel free to bring a book to read or a craft to work on during slow times. Call Debbie or Lori, 605-336-2942, for more information or to sign up.
With the school year fast approaching, OSL is organizing a Stock the School supplies drive to collect items that will benefit students and teachers at Susan B. Anthony Elementary, OSL’s partner school. The items: markers; glue sticks; peanut-free candy; small trinkets (party favors, Happy Meal toys, etc., for incentives/motivators); stickers; tissues (Kleenex, Puffs, etc.); disinfectant wipes; wired headphones (not wireless); napkins; baby wipes; adhesive bandages (Band-Aids,etc.); paper clips; mittens. A table for these items is in the Church Office. Thank you for your generous support of our school partner!
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 August is any kind of pasta; for September, it will be hearty soup. 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. 
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).
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).
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!
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