From the Senior Pastor
Treasures
of Darkness
Pr. Randy Gehring
Most of us avoid darkness, or we at least prefer light over darkness. Darkness can be scary. Total darkness—the absence of all light—can be downright unsettling. Without the ability to identify by sight our surroundings, we easily succumb to fear, afraid of threats, both real and imagined.
Our faith leads us to remember, and take comfort in, the promise of God to be with us especially in the darkest times of our lives. The hymn “In Deepest Night” (Evangelical Lutheran Worship, No. 699) helps us remember that promise:
In deepest night, in darkest days,
In deepest night, in darkest days, when harps are hung, no songs we raise,
In deepest night, in darkest days, when silence must suffice as praise,
In deepest night, in darkest days, yet sounding in us quietly
In deepest night, in darkest days, there is the song of God.
In deepest night, in darkest days, When friend was lost, when love deceived,
In deepest night, in darkest days, dear Jesus wept, God was bereaved;
In deepest night, in darkest days, so with us in our grief God grieves,
In deepest night, in darkest days, and round about us mournfully
In deepest night, in darkest days, there are the tears of God.
In deepest night, in darkest days, When through the waters winds our path,
In deepest night, in darkest days, around us pain, around us death:
In deepest night, in darkest days, deep calls to deep, a saving breath,
In deepest night, in darkest days, and found beside us faithfully
In deepest night, in darkest days, there is the love of God.
“The song of God,” “the tears of God,” “the love of God”—these are treasures that God provides us especially in our darkest times, gifts to which we cling as we feel our way through the night, eager for the dawn to come, gifts that even allow us to linger in the dark in ways that teach us lessons we otherwise would never learn.
We will gather for worship at OSL under this theme this Advent on Wednesday evenings at 6:40. The Celebrate Center will become darkened throughout worship. Even so, we will be invited to experience that darkness as a safe place filled with a treasure all its own, the treasure of being in community with fellow followers of Jesus and the treasure of the promised presence of the Holy Spirit.
I hope you join us for what promises to be a very special Advent journey here at OSL. And while you’re at it, why not make plans now to celebrate the joy of Christmas here at Our Savior’s as well?
“In Deepest Night”: text: Susan Palo Cherwien, b. 1953; text © 1995 Susan Palo Cherwien, admin. Augsburg Fortress.
Advent and Christmas at Our Savior’s
Here are some scheduling notes for the next several weeks:
December 5 – Weekly Advent worship services will begin, from 6:40 to 7:15 p.m., Celebrate Center
December 24 –
2:00 p.m. – “Christmas GIFT” (Generations in Faith Together) family worship, Celebrate Center
4:00 p.m. – Celebrate and Festive worship services (Festive worship will be televised on KTTW at 9:00 p.m.)
5:00 p.m. – Christmas Eve Meal, Friendship Room
6:00 p.m. – Festive worship service
10:00 p.m. – Festive worship service
December 25 – Festive worship service, 10:00 a.m.
Baptisms
October 27, 2018
Nicholas Paul, Zachary Thomas, Joshua John, and Andrew Blake Zingler, the children of Steven and Kirsten Zingler.
Memorials
In Memory of Delores Doss
Darrell Spielmann
In Memory of Lois Eiesland
Don and Toady Weeg
In Memory of Janet Hybertson
Ellen Aadland
Donald and Sarah Abbas
Lowell and Sally Almen
William D. Anderson
Pauline Buckstead
Robert and Kathleen Codner
Chuck and Linda Eisenbeis
Thomas and Mary Frederick
Donald and Joyce Helberg
Stanley and Ruby Hippe
Elaine Isaacson
Harlan and Carol Knutson
JoAnn Kovach
Lloyd and Maxine Leaders
Orren and Carole Lee
Dale and Karen Leslie
Jean Lounsbery
Glen Nelson
Susan J. Olson
Garry and Gloria Scott
Bert Schroeder
Wayne and Norma Steinocker
Lowell Stelter
Ione Svendsen
Jarold and Karen Swangel
Roger White
Daryl and Joan Witt
In Memory of Carol Peterson
Bruce and Carol Christiansen
Rita Elmen
Karen Kratochvil
Virginia Stadum
Mary Swenson
Don and Toady Weeg
In Memory of Joyce Schmidt
Donald and Syndi Bohnet
Flowers
October 28, 2018
Flowers are given in memory of Janet Hybertson by Bob and Mary Eisenbraun and Les and Carolyn Svendsen.
Telecasts
October 14, 2018
Telecasts are sponsored in memory of Joyce Schmidt by her family.
Your Offering Makes a Difference
Your generosity is making a real difference in people’s lives through the mission and ministry of OSL. Thank you for your faithfulness in giving and your passionate commitment to God’s work through this congregation. Your continued generosity helps us reach our congregational goal of fully funding our ministry of connecting faith to everyday life.
Ministry Support through September 30, 2018
| Annual Giving | |
| Pledged | $1,849,306 |
| Received YTD | $1,367,166 |
| Remaining | $482,140 |
| Projected YTD | $1,331,121 |
| Ahead/(Behind) | $36,045 |