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Our Saviour Lutheran Church, 120 S. Henry Street, Green Bay, Wisconsin, 54302 (920) 468-4065

September 2013

SEIZE THE MOMENT…FOR HIM

What about time? We spend considerable energy regretting how we have spent it; longing to return to better days; wishing we had more of it; and in

difficult days, wishing to grease the gears of the clock and get on to tomorrow. Often we are fixated on the past, or waiting for tomorrow, and missing our Now.

Our effort in this article is not some new spotlight on time management or a coaching list of how to be a good planner. Our focus here is about sharpening our awareness, observation and consciousness of our Now, our every moment. In this article we will capitalize the word “Now”. We will also use the word “Moment”. For the spirit of what we are going to try to express here, they shall be interchangeable.

We Are So Easily Distracted Our attention is easily distracted from our Now. Our mind goes elsewhere, it wanders to the past or scouts to “later”, or off somewhere else. But, for time, Now is all we have; we are easily distracted away from it and neglect being aware of it altogether. “Remember the good old days?”, the grandfather says from his rocker on the porch while his Now (his Moment) is going up in smoke like from his corn cob pipe. He is distracted from his Now.

Remembering the past is not bad, but missing the Moment might be. “I can’t wait for next year, it will be so much better”, the patient says from his hospital bed, all the while missing the lessons he is being taught in the immediate Now…patience and faith. What are you doing at this very moment? Look around you. What do you see? What do you hear?

Jim Wanted to Save Time in a Bottle We cannot save our Now except in our memories. Jim Croce sang a song about saving time. You may remember some of the words, “If I could save time in a bottle, the first thing that I'd like to do, is to save every day till Eternity passes away, just to spend them with you.”

Henry Was Close Henry David Thoreau was close to the target here in his book, Walden, “In any weather, at any hour of the day or night, I have been anxious to improve the nick of time, and notch it on my stick too; to stand on the meeting of two eternities, the past and future, which is precisely the present moment; to toe that line.” If Henry had included the Holy Trinity as the focus of those moments, he would have scored a bull’s-eye.

Distractions From The Moments Have Their Place

If you were in the dentist chair, it might be an appropriate distraction from that Moment to (continued on page 2)

Our Saviour’s Voice

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(from page 1) daydream off onto a bicycle ride along the Fox River, especially if there was a shortage on Novocain. Here are some tips on getting more out of your Moments…

Tool - Break Your Day Down Into Moments The film, “Dead Poet Society”, made the “Seize the day” saying famous. A day is too much for our purpose here. What we are after in this Voice article is to “Seize our Moments”. The Word coaches us on this. See Ephesians 5:15-16a – “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time…” Break that down: “…making the best use of the Moments”. As they say, some towns are so small, when you travel through them, if you blink, you will miss them. Likewise, keep your eyes open to the moment; there is something special in it we might miss if we blink. Example - At a funeral recently, I happened to notice something that, if otherwise distracted, that moment would be missed. I witnessed a grieving husband at the end of his wife’s funeral. As he was standing next to her casket, he draped himself over that casket in a final embrace. What a Moment, never to be repeated again. Example - When your little boy or girl tugs at your finger and wants to ask a question, and we actually look them in the eye and listen… that Moment cannot be done twice. It will never occur again. We cannot go backwards on the timeline. Stay in the Moment. Coach yourself not to be distracted elsewhere, but absorb the beauty of your Now.

Tool - What is Your Now Asking of You It’s not about what we expect from the Moment of life. But what life’s Moments may be expecting from us. Or, what God is expecting, asking or even offering in the Moment. Realize, if waiting in traffic, God may asking you to be patient at that Moment. If your spouse wants to

talk, God may be asking you, at that Moment, to unselfishly give them your ear. If walking past a garden, God may be offering you to see color and praise Him in your Now.

Tool - Use Your Senses to Praise God He made color and gave us the gift of sight. He made music and the gift of hearing. He made flavor and gave us the gift of taste. He made texture and gave us the gift of touch. He made aroma and gave us the gift of smell. In your Now, use your senses to praise Him.

Tool - You Have Arrived at Joy Joy and happiness are different. "The pursuit of happiness" is a well-known phrase in the United States Declaration of Independence. The pursuit of happiness may be ongoing, but the search for joy is over. When your faith is in Christ, joy is where you are this moment. Joy is a gift and it is consistent. Joy is here, in your Now.

Tool - Each Moment is a Gift from God Your Now is a gift from God. Psalm 46:10 may apply here, “Be still and know that I am God”. To have an awareness of God, don’t wait for Sunday, or seeing a rainbow, or having some “Wow experience”. At this moment, Now, be still and know, He is God.

Tool - Give Thanks Even in the Difficult Moments

Give thanks for even the uncomfortable circumstances and difficult occurrences taking place in our Now (moments) – It is natural to run from things that are unpleasant. But if we cannot change those things, what can we learn from them as we experience them. If we must spend Moments, minutes, hours, days or even years in some discomfort, what are those moments teaching us? Colossians 4:5 – Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. (continued on page 3)

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(from page 2)

Pepsi’s New Slogan – Live For Now Pepsi Cola has a new slogan, “Live for Now”. That Pepsi slogan softly infers that there is nothing but Now, not even God. There is a word for the dark and empty thinking in that Pepsi slogan. The term is “Nihlism” (Nil-ism). The root word is “Nihil” or nothing. That word is like “Zero” or “Zilch”. It means a belief in nothing, or zero. Pepsi’s slogan translates, “You have nothing to live for but now”. That is bad thinking. No wonder there are suicides! I doubt that is what the marketers at Pepsi intended,

or even believe, but that is the translation. The dictionary says this about Nihlism: 1a : a viewpoint that traditional values and beliefs are unfounded and that existence is senseless and useless b: a doctrine that denies any objective ground of truth and especially of moral truths. But may we borrow from Pepsi’s slogan and edit it for the purpose of this article? “Live for Christ in your Now”; “See Christ in Your Now”; “Don’t Miss Your Now, God is in It”.

Pastor Dave

THIS NEWSLETTER IS SEEKING AN EDITOR 

Do you want to serve our Lord in a creative way? Do you have experience in layout and design and editing? OSLC is seeking someone special to serve as the Editor of this newsletter, The Voice. We want to thank Mark Stone, who did a fantastic job for us. Mark and his new wife have moved and that leaves the Editor position open.

Interested? See Pastor Dave or email him at dave@oslc-gb.org.  

November 2013 OSLC Usher Day: Date: Service: Lead Usher Team:

Sun. 03-Nov 7:45 am M. Morgan Vernon Siech; Gloria Morgan; Ralph Hoerchler

Sun. 03-Nov 9:15 am D. Wians Lonnie Peerenboom; Davis LaMarche; Dan Richer; †UN; †UN

Sun. 03-Nov 10:45 am M. Charles Don Larson; Karen Kiekhaefer; Hunter Alft

Thu. 07-Nov 7:00 pm N. Krueger †UN; †UN; †UN

Sun. 10-Nov 7:45 am A. Knaus Clarence Ney; Josh VanKauwenberg; Jerry VanKauwenberg

Sun. 10-Nov 9:15 am R. Vande Hei Walt Juhnke; Tiffany Duff; Brian Duff; Rachael & Chelsea Vande Hei

Sun. 10-Nov 10:45 am R. Bruhn Rich Ryman; Sue Bruhn; Richard Christianson

Thu. 14-Nov 7:00 pm C. Arthur Carl Zimonick; Gary Kirchman; Dick Zimonick

Sun. 17-Nov 7:45 am J. Kielpikowski Chad Kielpikowski; Ron Klumb; †UN

Sun. 17-Nov 9:15 am D. Bitters Robin & Shelley Williams; F Helebrant; D Schultz; Trey Boerschinger

Sun. 17-Nov 10:45 am G. Buechner Carmen Leuthner; Lloyd Leuthner; Rich Spangenberg

Thu. 21-Nov 7:00 pm P. Kuehl Bill Baneck; †UN; †UN

Sun. 24-Nov 7:45 am M. Dalebroux Andrew Prescher; Al Brietlow; Barry Dalebroux

Sun. 24-Nov 9:15 am W. Chamberlain Randy & Roxanne Dyle; Alex Chamberlain; N Scholz; Mitch Waniger

Sun. 24-Nov 10:45 am M. Charles Don Larson; Karen Kiekhaefer; Hunter Alft

Wed. 27-Nov 7:00 pm N. Krueger †UN; †UN; †UN

Thu. 28-Nov 9:00 am D. Wians Lonnie Peerenboom; Davis LaMarche; Dan Richer; †UN; †UN

† UN -Usher Needed: If you'd like to volunteer as an usher; Please contact the Lead usher of the group you'd Or, contact Rich Spangenberg (920) 857-3014 or email

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OFFICIAL ACTS

Baptisms Baptisms – cont. Jase Robert Flynn Born: October 27, 2013 Rededicated: August 11, 2013 Son of Bret and April Flynn

Tara Jean Kiehnau (Adult) Baptized: July 14, 2013

Jaxson Robert Kiehnau Born: July 17, 2012 Baptized: July 14, 2013 Son of Robert and Tara Kiehnau

Sabella Marie Robertson Born: November 24, 2012 Baptized: September 15, 2013 Daughter of Edward Robertson and Britany Beyer

Liam John Benz Born: August 13, 2012 Baptized: August 18, 2013 Son of Michael and Sarah Benz

Elijah James Popp Born: April 27, 2013 Baptized: September 22, 2013 Son of Jamie and Samantha Popp

Eli John Kaufman Born: May 30, 2013 Baptized: September 15, 2013 Son of Daniel and Lisa Kaufman

Weddings Jena Woodke and Michael Luberda United at Our Saviour on July 27, 2013

Membership Changes IN: Sue LeDuc, Adult Confirmation

OUT: Will Fischer, transfer to Faith Lutheran Church, Green Bay, WI Paul and Lynn Steinhaus and children, Marissa, Lydia and Kambria, transfer To Immanuel Lutheran, Fairmont, MN

Received their Crown: Diane Hoffmann June 15, 1958 ~ September 10, 2013 Funeral service held on September 14, 2013 Sandra Schultz April 4, 1939 ~ September 1, 2013 Funeral service held on September 5, 2013

THRIVENT COLLECTS ‘TREATS’ FOR VETERANS The Northeast Brown County Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans will collect items until November 10 for the ‘treat cart’ at the Wisconsin Veterans Home in King, WI. Aside from the items below, you are welcome to include letters of thanks and encouragement! Please consider gathering some of the following items. Please bring all donations to church and place in the appropriate bins near the coatroom.

Facial Tissues Bar Soap Shampoo Lotion Body Wash Conditioner Stick Deodorant Toothpaste Toothbrushes Socks (men/women) Writing Tablets Envelopes Puzzle Books (large print) Word Search (large print) Pens and Pencils Hair Combs Tote bags for wheelchairs (backs and arm rests)

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Our Saviour Lutheran Launching Groundbreaking

Bible Reading Campaign

Join Thousands Nationwide Participating in The Story

The Bible is central to our faith, but many people are intimidated by its scope and size. The Story gives us a way to journey from Genesis to Revelation together in 31 weeks so

everyone understands God’s story and how their story intersects with it.

The Bible is the best-selling book in history, but how many people are actually reading it? A Gallup survey reports the average American household has four Bibles. However, research by Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life (2008) found that only 16 percent of Americans read the Bible every day. We are hoping to reverse this trend. Your pastors believe that The Story, a Zondervan best-seller, is the right tool to increase Biblical literacy, helping readers understand God’s story from Genesis to Revelation and how their own stories intersect with God’s. Consisting of 31 chapters of carefully-selected scriptures sequenced in chronological order, The Story presents the word of God in an engaging format, reading like a novel. We want the people at Our Saviour, as well as the region around us, to realize the incredible love God has for them and how their story is found in His story.

The Story Church Campaign is a unique program providing up to 31 weeks of curriculum for children, teen and adult Sunday school and up to 31 weeks of corresponding sermons. When accompanied by reading through the five age-related books (The Story, The Story:

Teen Edition, The Story for Kids, The Story for Children, and The Story for Little Ones), the entire church can be literally on the same page for 31 weeks. With thousands of participating churches nationwide, The Story is becoming a movement that is bringing wide-ranging benefits to local churches. Many have reported increased community outreach, increased Biblical literacy, congregational growth and a greater understanding of how God’s story reveals the reasons for the things that happen in man’s story.

YOUR INVITATION TO THE STORY Join us and experience The Story. Come at 7:45am (before the 9:15am service) on Sunday mornings or join us at 9:15am (after the 7:45am service/before the 10:45am service). The Tuesday morning Bible studies which PRECEDE the Sunday theme will also be part of this series. Sermons will follow the topic of each week’s message of The Story.

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OSLC THANKS OUR SPONSORS!

Advertisements in the business directory help Our Saviour defray the cost of ‘The Voice” each month. If you would like to advertise, please contact Michelle in the Church office at (920) 468-4065 or info@oslc-gb.org. Please support the sponsors who help support us.

“Our Saviour’s Voice” is published monthly by Our Saviour Lutheran Church, Green Bay, Wisconsin. Vacancy Editor, DH Hatch. Please feel free to contact the church office with constructive suggestions and/or comments at info@oslc-gb.org. Thanks to those who have already commented! We are always seeking more congregational input and submissions. 

OUR SAVIOUR STAFF

Senior Pastor – David H. Hatch (920) 609-0248 dave@oslc-gb.org

Associate Pastor – Greg Hovland (920) 544-3614 greg@oslc-gb.org

Church Office – Michelle Burhite (920) 468-4065 info@oslc-gb.org

Preschool Director – Christina Scholz (920) 468-3596 christina@oslc-gb.org

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HOW SHOULD WE THEN LIVE? COMING SOON: How Should We Then Live? classes to be held on Wednesdays at 6pm and Sundays at 10:30am, beginning January 8.

The idea of the project, How Should We Then Live?, both as a film documentary and as a book, was conceived in 1974 and completed in 1976. In the Acknowledgements, Francis Schaeffer writes about the idea behind the project: “Using my study, over the past forty years, of Western thought and culture as a base, we could attempt to present the flow and development which have led to twentieth-century thinking and, by so doing, hope to show the essential answers.” The subtitle to How Should We Then Live? is “The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture.” Starting from ancient Roman times, tracing man’s development throughout the Middle Ages, going to the Renaissance, Reformation, and Enlightenment, he shows the steps which led to the modern era.

(Review by Jacob Schriftman, Author of The C.S. Lewis Book on the Bible: What the Greatest Christian Writer Thought About the Greatest Book)

Those of you that participated in The Truth Project will find this series to be similarly thought-provoking as you develop a world-view. This series will expand our understanding of how we got where we are politically, socially and culturally. No sign up necessary. Don’t miss it!

EASY TO USE CALENDAR FOR BUSY DAYS AT OUR SAVIOUR

Wednesdays 3:00pm – 6:00pm Youth Night** 5:00pm – 6:00pm Wednesday Night Meal (open to everyone)

6:00pm – 7:30pm Level I Confirmation – Classroom 1 6:00pm – 7:30pm Level II Confirmation – Fellowship Hall 6:00pm – 7:00pm Answers…w/Ken Ham – Fellowship Hall 6:00pm – 8:00pm The Truth Project – Parlor 6:00pm – 8:00pm Praise Band Practice – Sanctuary Sundays 7:45am – 8:45am Traditional Worship – Sanctuary 7:45am – 8:45am Bible Study: The Story – Parlor 9:15am – 10:15am Praise Worship – Sanctuary 9:15am – 10:15am Bible Study: The Story – Parlor 9:30am – 10:30am Sunday School – Education Wing 10:30am – 11:30am Answers…w/Ken Ham – Fellowship Hall 10:45am – 11:45am Traditional Worship – Sanctuary

** Youth nights will resume when adult volunteers (18 and older) are found to work from 3-5pm on Wednesdays. If you can help, please contact Pastor Greg or the church office.

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COME SEE A COMFORT DOG It’s the LWML Fall Rally at Our Saviour on Saturday, October 19. Join women from other Lutheran churches at the Fall Rally:

- Enjoy food and folks - Learn and be entertained by skits - Meet a ‘comfort dog’ and find out what they do

For more information, contact Sandy Groth at (920) 468-0665.

   

AROUND THE COMMUNITY Saturday, October 10 at Redeemer Lutheran Church (210 S. Oneida Street) Booyah Sale from 11am-3pm Also pumpkin and apple pie, hot dogs, coffee and soda Friday, October 18 at Woodside Senior Communities (1040 Pilgrim Way) October Harvest Fest from 1:30-4:00pm Pumpkin painting, apple bobbing, maze, refreshments, music by Jerry Voelker Can you donate corn stalks, fall flowers, decorations, pumpkins or candy? Volunteers needed – call Debbie Menard at 405-3207 by 10/15 Saturday, October 26 at Zion Wayside – Celebration of Sacred Music Sunday, October 27 at Zion Wayside – Saengerfest (Singing Festival) For additional information, go to www.zionwayside.org

October 2013 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

*THE STORY – Join us for this 31-week series during the 7:45am or 9:15am Bible study times on Sunday mornings. The sermons will follow The Story topics for each day. The Tuesday morning Bible studies will precede each Sunday lesson.

1 7am Bible Study* 9am Bible Study* 3:30pm V-Ball Games 7pm Choir Practice

2** 12pm Staff Meeting 5pm Meal 6pm Praise Band 6pm The Truth Project 6pm Confirmation and Ken Ham Series 6pm P&F Meeting 6:30 pm HS Bible Study

3 12:15pm Worship 7pm Trad Worship

4 3pm Volleyball Tournament

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6 7:45am Trad Worship 7:45am Bible Study* 9:15am Praise Worship 9:15am Bible Study* 9:30am Sun School 10:30am Ken Ham 10:45am Trad Worship 12pm Packers HOME

7 7pm Elders

8 7am Bible Study* 9am Bible Study* 7pm Choir Practice

9** 12pm Staff Meeting 5pm Meal 6pm Praise Band 6pm The Truth Project 6pm Confirmation and Ken Ham Series 6:30pm HS Bible Study

10 12:15pm Worship 4pm Fish Fry Prep 7pm Trad Worship

11 5pm Monthly Fish Fry

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13 MITE BOX SUNDAY 7:45am Trad Worship 7:45am Bible Study* 9:15am Praise Worship 9:15am Bible Study* 9:30am Sun School 10:30am Ken Ham 10:45am Trad Worship 6pm Youth Board Game Night

14 6:45pm Council COLUMBUS DAY

15 7am Bible Study* 9am Bible Study* 1:00pm Chicks w/Stix 7pm Choir Practice

16** 12pm Staff Meeting 5pm Meal 6pm Praise Band 6pm The Truth Project 6pm Confirmation and Ken Ham Series 6:30pm HS Bible Study

17 8am LWML Bakes Cookies 12:15pm Worship 7pm Trad Worship

18 3:30pm LWML Rally Set Up

19 LWML Rally Day

20 7:45am Trad Worship 7:45am Bible Study* 9:15am Praise Worship 9:15am Bible Study* 9:30am Sun School 10:30am Ken Ham 10:45am Trad Worship 3:25pm Packers Home

21 7pm Board of Education

22 7am Bible Study* 9am Bible Study* 7pm Choir Practice

23** 12pm Staff Meeting 5pm Meal 6pm Praise Band 6pm The Truth Project 6pm Confirmation and Ken Ham Series 6:30pm HS Bible Study

24 12:15pm Worship 4 pm Treml/Rozek Wedding Rehearsal 5:30pm Haase/Lemke Wedding Rehearsal 7pm Trad Worship

25 2pm Haase/Lemke Wedding

26 1:30 pm Treml/Rozek Wedding

27 7:45am Trad Worship 7:45am Bible Study* 9:15am Praise Worship 9:15am Bible Study* 9:30am Sun School 10:30am Ken Ham 10:30am Teacher Meet 10:45am Trad Worship

28 6:30pm GBLSA 7pm Stewardship

29 7am Bible Study* 8am OLM Meeting 9am Bible Study* 7pm Choir Practice

30** 12pm Staff Meeting 5pm Meal 6pm Praise Band 6pm The Truth Project 6pm Confirmation and Ken Ham Series 6:30pm HS Bible Study

31 12:15pm Worship 7pm Trad Worship

** Youth Nights are still tentative pending finding adult supervisors who are available from 3-5pm on Wednesdays. For more information, contact Pastor Greg at greg@oslc-gb.org.