Our Savior’s “extended” Advent commences this weekend! The series Out of Time invites reflection on how people experience time and on how God uses our experience to meet us, challenge us, bless us, shape us, and call us into holy endings and new beginnings.
If you haven’t yet taken in the traveling exhibition Icons in Transformation, be sure to do so! This impressive collection of artworks—more than 200 pieces!—by the acclaimed abstract expressionist artist Ludmila Pawlowska adorns spaces throughout OSL’s main floor, including the worship spaces. Exhibit hours are Sundays 12:00-2:00 p.m.; Mondays 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.; Tuesdays by appointment (contact the Church Office, 605-336-2942); Thursdays 6:00–8:00 p.m. (except Thanksgiving); Saturdays 2:30–4:30 p.m.; and First Fridays 4:00–6:00 p.m., but you are welcome to browse on your own when the building is open. And be sure to tell your friends and neighbors about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! The exhibit is free and open to the public. OSL has been attracting media attention for Icons in Transformation! Check the links at oslchurch.com/icons!
Don’t forget the next Fall Clean-Up Day, this Saturday, November 11, from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. The day’s agenda includes trimming bushes, picking up leaves, and generally getting the grounds ready for winter. No registration is required, simply show up in your wok clothes as you are able on those days and join your friends in beautifying the OSL property.
The OSL Governing Board will present a congregational forum on Saturday, November 11, at 6:00 p.m. (following evening worship) and Sunday, November 12, at 10:00 a.m. (between worship services). Come learn about matters pertaining to congregational life, and get a sneak peek of the upcoming congregational meeting.
If you are in the early stages of a new grief journey, come receive and give support at OSL’s Recent Loss Series, an informal time of sharing and support. The fall series meets on Wednesdays, with remaining dates November 15 and 29, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., in the Chapel. You may call the Church Office to register, or simply join the group as you are able. Contact Pr. Tim Lemme, Pastor of Spiritual Care, with questions: 605-336-2942, ext. 19, or tlemme@oslchurch.com.
Be sure to clear space on your calendar for OSL’s Congregational Meeting, scheduled for November 19 at 12:15, in The Gathering Place. Among items for discussion will be Our Savior’s Mission Plan (budget) for the coming year. A potluck lunch will be served; sign up at the Welcome Center if you wish to bring a dish.
Saturday morning Bible study with Pr. Tim meets on the second Saturday of each month from 8:30 to 9:30, in the Conference Room. Treats and coffee will be provided. Come grow in your faith and enjoy some lively discussion around scripture.
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…
Curious about what Sunday School students are learning? Stop into the OSL Library and see the rotating display of books on the topics and Bible story they’re studying. Then check out a book for yourself—the Library has them for all ages!
The November edition of OSL’s Spiritual Care Ministry newsletter is out now! Check it out here, and contact Ben Weins, Spiritual Care Coordinator (bweins@oslchurch.com or 605-336-2942, ext. 28) to subscribe.
Blood pressures checks will again be offered at OSL, beginning the weekend of September 16–17 and continuing 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 Ben Weins, Spiritual Care Coordinator (bweins@oslchurch.com or 605-336-2942, ext. 28), or Julie Oien (605-212-3868).
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!
OSL’s Knitting Group has changed their meeting time and place: All are welcome to join them now 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.
The Woodshop Ministry team meets each week on Wednesdays, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., and on Saturdays 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 each morning, too! For more information contact Pr. Tim Lemme, 605-336-2942, ext. 48, or tlemme@oslchurch.com.
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 (605-336-2942, ext. 19, or tlemme@oslchurch.com) or Ben Weins, Spiritual Care Coordinator (605-336-2942, ext. 28, or bweins@oslchurch.com) .
The OSL Gym is open for pickleball on Thursdays, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and Fridays, from 10:50 a.m. to 1:10 p.m. Participants are asked to contribute $2 per visit for heat, lights, and upkeep of the floor.
Our friends at East Side Lutheran Church, working with Sanford Health’s Falls Prevention Program, will be hosting Bingocize® on Wednesdays and Fridays, November 15 through January 26, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Bingocize is a 10-week health promotion program for adults age 65 and up, combining the game of bingo with fall-prevention exercise. Come play bingo and meet new people while learning about techniques to reduce falls. Bingocize meets twice a week for 10 weeks—come as often as you are able. Registration is required: call East Side Lutheran’s office, 605-336-3597. East Side Lutheran is located at 300 E. 10th St.
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.
If you’re worshiping from home, you can fully participate in the OSL community’s worship life. Here’s how:
• View (or print) weekly worship materials at oslchurch.com.
• Watch worship services on TV: Celebrate: 9:00 a.m., FOX-TV (channel 46.2); Festive: 1:00 p.m., KSCB (cable channel 30; channel 53).
• Catch live-stream worship services at facebook.com/oslchurchsf: Celebrate, 8:45 a.m.; Festive, 10:15 a.m.
• Watch recorded services at oslchurch.com, uploaded on Monday.
• Praise God, from whom all blessings flow!
Opportunities to Help
Heat up the lefse grill: OSL’s Lefse Sale will be held on November 19 at 8:30 a.m., in The Gathering Place. This fundraiser will be done cottage-style: Prepare your lefse at home, then bring it to OSL before that Sunday. Refrigerator and freezer space is available in the main-floor kitchen. Proceeds will be donated; the list is still being narrowed! Find the sign-up sheet at the Welcome Center. Questions? Contact Donna Wilson, 605-359-7718 or dwilson57103@hotmail.com. Thank you for your support!
Looking for people who count! Being an offering counter is a fun volunteer job that takes about one hour once a month, starting at 8:30 on Monday mornings. Does not require use of a computer. The schedule is based on your availability. Contact Arlys Johnson, 605-310- 4868, for more information or to join this fun group!
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 November is peanut butter; for December it will be tuna and tuna helper. Always appreciated are toothpaste, shampoo, and deodorant for Hygiene Packs. Place your donations in the marked bins near the south entrance, by the Library.
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 (605-336-2942, ext. 19, or tlemme@oslchurch.com) or Ben Weins, Spiritual Care Coordinator (605-336-2942, ext. 28, or bweins@oslchurch.com).
Do you know someone who has suffered a loss or is going through a difficult time? Here’s a great way you can help: tell them about Stephen Ministry! 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 Ben Weins, Spiritual Care Coordinator (605-336-2942, ext. 28, or bweins@oslchurch.com).
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 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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