Newsletter of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Montevideo, MN · 320-269-8824 email: oursaviors@oslcmonte.net website: www.oslcmonte.com

‘But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal’ Matthew 6:20

I was just listening to a news program about the ASCPA. This is the organization on TV where you see the ads for animals that need help…. Did you know that most of the money you give to the national organization does not go to help animals but for all the overhead. This is my opinion based on news coverage. Now, I am not trying to throw stones or judge…but it reminded me to ask you to think about where you give your donations.

Many organizations have lots of overhead. Some have 20 or 30 cents of every dollar that go to overhead. However, there are some great organizations that use the dollars you give to change lives. Here are a couple; ELCA World Hunger and Luther World Federation. Both of these organizations have less than 10 cents of every dollar that go to overhead. Give wisely….

I would also invite you to give locally. We have many organizations locally that could use your help and use your donations. Our local food shelf, the St. Martin’s Fund for the poor and hungry and homeless, the local United Way that keeps every dollar here locally. There are many more as well who use the dollars you give to make our community better.

Did you know that 79 cents of every dollar you give to Our Savior’s stays here locally. Of those dollars that go elsewhere most of it goes to support our Missionary, our Seminary Students, our College Ministries and our relationship with our brothers and sisters in Africa. What I hope is that you will think about what and who you give your gifts to.

I simply wanted you to be advised that sometimes the flashly advertising does not convert into true help. I hope you will store up your treasures in heaven and give to those places working for heavenly purposes. Please give as you are blessed….

In Christ, Pastor Don

Worship 9:00amThe

GIVING FROM YOUR SMART PHONE

1) Go to the App Store

2) Search for the Tithe.ly app

3) Look for the one with the green plant

4) Download and open the app

5) Search for Our Savior’s- Montevideo

Musings of Pastor BobSue Winter, our church secretary, prints the agenda for the

staff meetings most weeks. She is very good at going on the internet and finding a couple of cartoons that are usually relevant to the staff and our work. They are most often funny but usually have a ‘serious punch’ to them.

At one of our recent staff meetings, she had a cartoon where two characters – one male and one female – not sure how old – were watching a butterfly flying above them with the body of a caterpillar and the wings of a butterfly. One says to the other, “A butterfly is a caterpillar with a positive attitude.”

The butterfly has often been used as a symbol of the resurrection. A caterpillar weaves the cocoon, dies and comes out later as a butterfly. I think a butterfly has something to say about the illustration. I would change the observation to be this “a Christian is a caterpillar with a positive attitude.”

We are Christian because we believe in Christ who died and rose again. A caterpillar dies and rises again to fly on the beautiful wings of a butterfly. As a Christian, our resurrection comes through the death we have died to sin through Christ and the resurrection as a forgiven human being. (Romans 6:4-11)

Verse 11 fits this cartoon best: So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. When we are ‘alive to God in Christ Jesus,’ we will gain and sustain this positive attitude.

Join the flight! See the sights! Experience the joy of a positive attitude!

Love in Christ,Pastor Bob

PS: Is your glass half full or half empty? Your attitude will make the selection.

PASTORAL ACTS

Funerals:Deloris Breske-Fierstine 7/21/2021Kenneth LeRoy Hill 7/31/2021

Financial Information:JulyIncome: $50,594.96Expense: $42,815.34$ 7,779.62

Memorials:Ken Hill Undesignated $ 10.00

We give thanks for all your gifts and memorials. We are so blessed with wonderful members. We will forever remember the saints who have gone before us, now residing with God in heaven. Thanks for all you do for Our Savior’s. It is the pleasure of our staff to serve you and walk with you in moments of joy and moments of sorrow.

Thinking with. . . Pastor MarieFor by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not the result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.Do you have favorite bible verses? Are there verses that enlighten you and make you feel good? Are there verses that you go to when things in life do not seem to make sense? Are there verses that give you comfort, peace, hope, encouragement? Are there verses that just make you smile?The verse from Ephesians is one of my favorite verses (I have many others, too.) that I count on when I have questions about my life and faith. I discovered this verse many years ago, in seminary, when I had to write a faith statement for one of my classes. Since that time, I have tried again and again to understand what grace is all about. “The Grace of God.” “Grace to you and peace.” “The will of God will never lead you, where the grace of God cannot keep you.”I started to think about what grace is. It seems that grace is a word that we use without thinking, what it really means. I read that "Grace is unmerited favor, but it is also God’s power made available to us so that we can do with ease what we could never do on our own.” As we read those words, perhaps we are saying, “WOW, I never thought of it that way.” Grace is God’s goodness given to us, without our asking. God gives us good things without our asking. God gives us love, hope, care, compassion – all without our asking. That is God’s unmerited or we could say, undeserved – goodness, kindness, blessing. Every good thing comes to us – by the goodness, kindness, blessing – GRACE of God. God’s grace gives us the strength to do God’s will. God’s grace helps us to do what God would like us to do, things that we are not able to do on our own, but need God’s help. And God gives us grace.We do not deserve all of this grace from God. But because God loves us so much – God just wants to give us God’s gifts – that is grace. So. . . our response to God’s grace is thankfulness and praise. We give thanks to God for being our God of grace.God be with you,

Pastor Marie Eckberg

Sunday School will start Sunday, September 19th, 2021. Pre-K through sixth grade will meet Lisa in the Chapel each Sunday at 10:15am and go until 11:00am. Sunday School Singers will offer the special music on the second Sunday of the month for Praise Worship. Sunday school for students in grades 7-12 will be with Quentin each Sunday. They will meet at Java River from 10:15am-11am. Our Savior’s will cover the cost of a beverage and coffee, cookie, muffin, or roll for each student.

CHURCH CHOIR

Church choir will be starting again on September 15 at 7:00 p.m. in the balcony.  We welcome all those in grade 10 and older.  Please call Barb Smith (320-269-9652) with questions.  We would love to have you join us!

BELLS AND CHIMES: We welcome Dustin Boyum as our new Bells and Chimes Director. He is the Grandson of Darwin and Jan TeBeest. He is the music teacher at Ramsey Grade School in Montevideo. Welcome Dustin !!! If you are interested in playing the Bells or Chimes, please contact the Church Office.

MISSIONARY MOMENTDear friends, Warm greetings.

Although our biennial “Home Assignment” visits to sponsoring congregations were postponed last year and again this year due to the global COVID-19 pandemic we were able to travel back to the USA this summer to receive the vaccine and take care of family matters.

We remain concerned for companions around the world who are still waiting for the rollout of vaccines. Less than 1% of Africa's population of 1.3 billion has been fully vaccinated. Currently in South Africa only 4.5% have been fully vaccinated.

Some good news is that South Africa's Aspen Pharmacare has been contracted by Johnson & Johnson to manufacture the vaccines in South Africa.

In addition, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that an mRNA technology transfer hub would be set up in South Africa within a year, producing cutting-edge COVID-19 vaccines for the continent.

During the month of July the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in South Africa experienced a wave of violent protests and looting resulting in over 300 deaths and estimates of some $3.4 billion in losses and damage.

Pastoral letters were sent out by the South African Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the Acting Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa and the Bishop of the ELCSA South Eastern Diocese condemning the violence, looting, vigilantism, inflammatory messages and discriminatory practices. The letters also called for calm, peace with justice, rebuilding of damaged infrastructure, help for those left destitute by the unrest, as well as prayer, reflection and dialogue on the political, economic and social causes and contexts that have led to the eruption of violence in order to find sustainable solutions going forward.

ELCA Lutheran Disaster Response continues to support several projects in Southern Africa to assist the churches as they work to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the communities they serve. (See photo above of COVID face masks made through the ELDS project in Malawi)

Thank you for your prayers, support and your participation in God’s mission locally and globally.

Yours faithfully,

Rev. Dr. Philip Knutson

ELCA Regional Representative - Southern Africa July 28, 2021

My blog page address is: https://southernafricanconnections.wordpress.com/

Please visit my fundraising page. (Note: This fundraising page is set up for individuals’ gifts only.) If you are donating on behalf of a congregation or organization, please

visit ELCA.org/MissionaryGiving for online giving.

Youth and Family Ministries Monthly Update: Our Boundary Waters trip went off without a hitch! We had seven people from Our Savior’s and our guide made eight total. We did lots of paddling, had fresh fish for a meal, saw the Canadian Border, and had great fellowship together. I hope this is a trip that grows for years to come. I give thanks to God for a great summer of canoeing, exploring in creation, and fellowship!

Upcoming Events: Our 2021 Confirmation Meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 8th, at 6:30pm in Bethany Hall. 7th-9th grade students and AT LEAST one parent are required to attend this meeting. If you are unable to attend, please call the church office at 320-269-8824. We will cover the confirmation requirements and many other details that are new to many of you. We are planning on having confirmation in person this school year.

Rally Sunday 2021 will be on Sunday, September 12th. Worship will be at 9am with the 7th Grade Bible Milestones. The fun and games will start at 10am including Taco in a Bag meal, carnival games, a splash tank, BINGO!, and a bean bag tournament for the adults.

September Senior Lites

Kick-off Thursday, September 16 - 5:00

p.m.

Our Fall Kick-off is always an enjoyable evening with Dinner, Entertainment, Fun, Laughter and Being with Friends. We have planned something special for you to enjoy. Our catered meal will be Beef Commercials with all the fixings. Is your mouth watering yet?? Following this terrific meal, we will go into the sanctuary for an evening of great musical talent. The Kingery Family will delight us with their singing and instrument playing. They will certainly put a smile on your face and your toes will be tapping. Oh, what fun. You are not going to want to miss this time together! Please call the church office by September 13th with your reservation.

Thanks for all you do for the Kingdom. We have lot of information that can be found at www.oslcmonte.com. We hope you find us there as we have a new look. You can see there all that we are attempting to do for the Kingdom. We can only do what we do with you help and participation.

Need to Contact Us? Summer Office Hours Church Office Hours: Mon- Thu· 7:30 am to 4:30 pmClosed Fridays during the Summer