Our Savior's Weekly Bulletin (Announcements Only)
Updated November 20, 2019
PASTORAL CARE continues at Our Savior's even in the absence of a regular pastor. The elders have divided up the congregation alphabetically and are available to provide pastoral care as needed. Note your "assigned". elder and don't hesitate to call him with any spiritual needs or concerns: A-E: Alan Fijal; F-K: Ray Hoffman; L-R: Marlow Olson; S-Z: Ike Wallace. We also have about 15 pastoral care visitors who will be visiting all our members who are home bound or in nursing homes on a regular basis. Please call the church office, or your "assigned" elder regarding any planned surgeries or emergency hospitalization.
RIGHT NOW MEDIA: OSC is excited to offer unlimited access for our congregation to Right Now Media, a Netflix-style library of Biblical resources including Bible studies and children’s programming. If you would like access to this amazing resource, please fill out a visitor’s card in the pew with a valid e-mail address and place it in the offering plate when it is passed. (Please print CLEARLY.
PRAYER NOTES: Would you like to be part of the emergency/urgent prayer needs phone chain? Give Tom Roemke your phone number and he will add it to the computerized phone calling list. Calls would come between 8am and 9pm. Frequency of calls varies. Occasionally we use it for less urgent needs, but largely it is for our members and their immediate families for the more urgent situations. ALSO, If you have computer access, and are willing to prayer for not as urgent needs, please email me. at: jealvis@usa.net to be added to our often busy online prayer chain. That one you simply access at your convenience.
THE CHURCH LIBRARY is open to all and is located between between the Fellowship Room and the LaunchPad, check out our broad range of selections pertaining to your Christian walk. There will be a library cart in the narthex on various Sundays for your convenience and the church library is open every day (except holidays when the church office is closed). Please sign out your items in the notebook provided on the cart and in the library. The return basket is located in the library. Honor system is used. Donations accepted in the donation basket in the library. Book Discussion Group books sets are welcome. For information or questions contact Amanda Kowalski (email )
MILITARY BIBLE STICKS: If you would like to contribute toward the purchase of Military Biblesticks, please use the yellow contribution envelopes (available in the tract rack) or special offering envelopes from your envelope box and mark the envelopes and/or checks “Military Biblestick”. A gift of $25 sponsors one service member and their family. We will be receiving offerings for this ministry through the month of November. You may put your offerings in the plate. For more information about this ministry to our military, check the website: info@MilitaryBibleStick.com
ADULT BIBLE CLASS resumes today along with Confirmation Instruction and Blast Off (Sunday School) from 9:30-10:25
For Adults:
· -Who Were the Nephilim (Gen 6:4)? – This fascinating subject will be addressed by Fred Dignon in the Adult Bible Class meeting in the Fellowship Room, beginning at 9:35.
· -His-Story in History: A look at God’s presence and revelation throughout history. This class is taught by Lisa Fijal and meets in the 3rd grade classroom.
· -The study of David – a class for Young Adults, meeting in the 4th grade classroom
· -Young Moms discussion – meeting in the 1st grade classroom
CLEAN UP DAY(S): Two outdoor clean up days have been scheduled to rid our school and church grounds of leaves and debris:
Friday, Nov 22: 9:15-10:15. Join students from Our Savior’s School in raking leaves. (Consider coming earlier for the school chapel service, 8:30-9:15) AND Saturday, Nov 23: Outdoor Clean Up, 8 a.m.-noon. All are invited to come and rake together – No experience required!
SISTERS IN CHRIST: the Women’s Board invites you to join us for dinner, games, and fellowship on Saturday, November 23rd at 6 PM in the fellowship room. Pizza, salad, beverages, and dessert will be provided. Hey, we know you’ll do plenty of cooking as Thanksgiving is just around the corner! Additionally, to assist you in finding that perfect something for that difficult person shop for (wink, wink), we are asking (optional- please come even if you don't have something!) for a wrapped, 're-giftable" item for our prize table. It's always lots of fun seeing who ends up with what! Also, in keeping with the generous and thankful spirit of Thanksgiving, a free-will offering to bless our neighbors at the Capital City Rescue Mission will be available for those who choose to donate. Our games will include Cranium and trivia. So we hope you can join us for this relaxing (dress for comfort!) and fun night out! Please sign-up in the breezeway so we may accommodate all. Baby-sitting can be arranged, however, we must know in advance of your need. Questions? Call, text or email Lori Dollard: (518)703-9855 or ladollard@gmail.com. Invite a friend and see you there!
OUR NEXT CHURCH COUNCIL ELECTION will be held on January 26, 2020. There will be two positions on the ballot for a 3 year term. Secretary (incumbent is Andy Cross), at large member (incumbent Heidi Lenge), both Andy and Heidi have indicated a willingness to continue in their present Church Council positions. In accordance with the church constitution, beginning on 11/3 and ending on 11/24 the church council is soliciting names from the congregation of potential candidates for these positions. Any names of potential candidates should be submitted to Linda Swartz, the church secretary. These names will be forwarded to the Church Council through the nominating committee for consideration. The nominating committee is Amanda Kowalski, Matt Richmond, and Jim Ryan. Any questions should be directed to the nominating committee prior to finalizing the ballot. The Church Council intends to contact any proposed candidate to confirm their willingness to serve.
NOMINATIONS FOR THE POSITION OF ELDER: Members of the congregation are invited to submit names of potential candidates for the position of Elder. Any potential Elder candidates should be submitted to Linda Swartz, the church secretary. The council of Elders will review all nominees and propose a final list of candidates to the Church Council. At the voters assembly on January 26, 2020 the congregation will have an opportunity to vote to affirm the final Elder candidates. All affirmed Elder candidates will assume their office immediately after that meeting.
INFORMATIONAL UPDATE: Subsequent to the 90th Anniversary celebration on November 3rd, Bishop Lecakes took time later that evening to meet with church leadership regarding transitional matters, including the Call process. Additionally, Pastor Mark Mueller attended this week's Call Committee meeting. Both were opportunities for our leadership and the Call Committee to hear directly from our District leadership, gather clarifications, and report our progress. Both Bishop Lecakes and Pastor Mueller have reiterated they are pleased and grateful for the diligent, timely, and careful work of the Call Committee.
Specifically regarding the status of the Call process at this point, the Call Committee along with church Leadership, at the direction of our District leadership, are finalizing the formal job description for the Senior Pastor position. The goal is to provide the job description to the District no later than mid-December. At that point, the District will have all of the information they require. The next step will then be their final review of all of the documents and then presentation of a slate of potential pastoral candidates to the Call Committee. At this time, it is anticipated that a slate of candidates will be provided by the District to the Call Committee for consideration sometime in February.
In terms of the interim transitional period, the Elders are continuing to facilitate on-going pastoral care, new membership, as well as church services. Pastor Russ Craig, formerly of Christ Lutheran Church, as well as Pastor George Carstensen, formerly of Zion Lutheran Church in Schenectady, will soon begin serving and delivering sermons at Our Savior's on a regular recurring monthly basis. Please continue to keep this entire transition, the Call process, and our next Pastor in deliberate prayer.