The Voice - oslcmankato.org

1 The Voice The monthly newsletter of Our Savior Lutheran Church 1103 N Broad St., Mankato, MN 56001 JULY 2017 2 Contact Info: Church Office: Phone: 507-385-2180 Fax: 507-345-5113 Senior Pastor Office phone: 507-385-2184 Rev. Paul Lauer: Emergency number: 507-304-2402 Associate Pastor Office phone: 507-385-2183 Rev. Adam Matheny: Emergency number: 812-449-6866 Deaconess Office phone: 507-385-2185 Lisa Brand: Secretary Office phone: 507-385-2180 Sue Hendrickson: Custodian Office phone: 507-385-2180 Larry Schultz: Music Coordinator Home phone: 507-388-4215 Marcia Gustafson Office hours are Monday through Friday (except holidays) from 8:00 am to noon and 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Unless there is an activity or event taking place, please use the Broad Street entrance by the mailbox.

2 In case of emergency or urgent need, our pastors are available at all hours and all days by calling their cell phone. Please use the office phone for other business. Please also remember that Sunday morning and other worship times are not for bring church business to other members or staff but for focusing upon the Word and gifts of God. The seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work. - Exodus 20:10 3 From Pastor Lauer Imagine the perfect Summer s evening. Imagine the sun at that perfect place, low in the sky, so that it doesn t beat down into your face. The birds are singing. The dogs are frolicking in the grass. Or perhaps you re on that special beach, listening to the water lap up on the shore. In my imagination, the perfect Summer evening includes the smell of steaks on the grill still filling the air though the meal already fills the stomach.

3 A slight breeze keeps away the mosquitoes. And good company is important; with long conversations about old friends and new dreams. Amid the hot and humid dog days of Summer, there are also these moments of Summer s perfection when the work is finished and there is the chance to relax and enjoy the benefits of the season. These are the times we dreamed of during the dark, cold months of Winter and in the heat and humidity of the dogs days of Summer. Life has its own seasons. In the course of our lives we all have known the dog days of life when the heat and heaviness of circumstances saps our strength and weighs us down. We have also known the seasons of life which are cold and dark; when we are alone and searching for direction. But thanks be to God that He has also shown us times of beauty, rest, comfort and renewal.

4 Like an oasis in the dessert, God has given us the cool Summer evenings to remind us of His love and the true and final rest which still awaits us at the end of life s journey. All of this is an analogy to the rest and renewal which God has given us in the company of His Church. Gathered around our Christian friends, we set aside the worries of the day and rest in the shade of His love. Our Lord Jesus speaks His cool and soothing Word of forgiveness and hope. He feeds our faith at His Table which strengthens us for another week. We talk about old friends and new dreams. It is the evening of life, between work and sleep and a coming new day. Whether your life seems more like the dog-days of Summer or the cold and dark nights of Winter, remember that God has given us this oasis of His love to refresh and renew your spirit.

5 Come gather with your Christian friends in the Lord s House and take the place He has prepared for you at His banquet. He s provided everything you need. 4 From Pastor Matheny There is no doubt about it, new stuff is fun. It is exciting to travel to new places, to see new sights, and to learn new things. But while new things are fun, there is a special comfort to the things that are familiar to us. There is no place like home, no cookies as good as mom makes, and no place as good for sleeping as your own bed. As Christians, church is a familiar place. We feel comfortable in our building because we have come to it so many different times for so many different reasons. We feel comfortable with our liturgy because we have spoken it so frequently. Who could count how many times we have heard, If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in Hymns too are an integral part of our worship.

6 They are a special part that, because it is set to music, can sink in more than other parts. Hymns can be so familiar that they almost become a part of us. But there is just one problem. We have too many wonderful hymns! We sing many of them throughout the year and there are still quite a few that we don t know, not to mention many favorites that we don t get to sing as often as we would like. That is why we are going to have a few hymn sings this summer! The second and fourth Sundays in July and August we will begin our service by singing hymns together. We will begin five minutes before the service and sing for about ten minutes. We will take requests, so come prepared with hymns that you are itching to sing! The only restriction is that you have to pick something that is in the hymnal so that everyone has the words and music.

7 So let s sing together! Let s raise our voices in the familiar words of these hymns. Let s find comfort in the familiarity of the message that they proclaim to us, that Christ has died, Christ has risen, and Christ will come again! Accessions & Losses Losses: Daniel & Renee Harley; Lutheran Church of Our Savior, Windom, MN; LCMS; June 12, 2017 5 PLANNING COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Our Savior s Lutheran Church 1103 North Broad St. Mankato, MN June 13, 2017 Members Present: Gregg Marg, Cindy Hobbs, Denise Painter, Rob Hobbs, Pastor Matheny, Matt Brand, Kay Hislop, Judy Mensing, Chris Anderson, Nancy Claussen, Perry Eimers Members Absent: Bob Timm, Pastor Lauer, Dave Eberhart, Barb Anderson 1. Meeting was called to order by President Denise Painter at 7:00 2. Pastor Matheny opened with prayer. 3. Congregation Public Presentation: none 4.

8 Additions to Agenda 9a) Card Shop space MOTION was made and SECONDED to approve the Planning Council agenda as presented. MOTION CARRIED. 5. Additions/Approval of Previous Planning Council Minutes MOTION was made and SECONDED to approve the May 9, 2017, minutes as presented. MOTION CARRIED. 6. Pastor s Report Pastor Matheny was pleased with the turn out for the new Book Club. 7. Treasurer s Report Income for the month of May was $38, , and expenses for the month were $44, Current contributions are about of our overall budget, which is as high as it has been for a number of years. The $1,000 earnest money to Grandall and Engen LLC, for the organ repair, has not been written yet. MOTION was made and SECONDED to approve the OSLC Treasurer s Report as presented. MOTION CARRIED. 8. Unfinished Business a. Organ Project Fundraiser committee, Project committee We need to organize Fundraising and Project committees for the Organ Project.

9 The kick-off for the Organ Project will 6 begin in September. There should be five people on the Fundraising committee. The Project committee consists of 2 Elders, Judd Schultz and Kirk Yungerberg, 2 Trustees, Chris Anderson & Kurt Anderson, Edith Williams and 2 or 3 other congregation members. The committee meetings will begin in August. Denise will put something in the bulletin asking for volunteers for the Project committee. The trustees will ask Bob Mickelson, from I&S Group, to advise with related work to the project area. b. Stephen Ministry Update lay representative, training Becky Kitzmann is the lay representative for the Stephen Ministry program. She and Lisa Brand will attend training in Dallas, Texas on July 9-15. c. Meeting date reminder Trustees and Deacons will not meet in July. The Council will meet on July 11.

10 9. New Business a. Card Shop space The Council agreed to let the Mission Sub Committee use the Card Shop space for mission related material. 10. Board Sharing (additions, questions, or explanations of written reports) Trustees: The Trustees did a lot of projects on May 13; fixed the kitchen faucets and put up parking lot signs. The air conditioning will be kept on all summer in the sanctuary to keep the humidity low to protect the organ. Elders: Marcia Gustafson won t be the Music Director this fall. Suzie Gangi will take over most of her duties. A piano person is needed for the Kids Praise practices. New communion ware has been ordered. Board of Ed: Moon Dog tickets are now on sale for $6, from Pastor Matheny, for the June 18 and July 16 games. You may also purchase tickets for these 2 games at the ball park by asking for the Our Savior s price of $6.