The Reverend Wayne P. Gollenberg, Pastor

Home Phone:  860-283-2250

FEBRUARY - 2012

Worship with Holy Communion

Every Sunday 10:15 AM

CONGREGATION  COUNCIL  MEMBERS

Marty Rajcok Jr.       Allan Howard                Jennie Kerney

John Vergauwen        Jack Kearney     

President:  Betsy D’Amico      Vice President:  Marty Rajcok Jr

Secretary:  Karen Grabherr

Financial Secretary:  Carolyn Chesto

Treasurer: Sandy Talbot

Mission Statement

Our Savior Lutheran Church is by God’s grace

a forgiven people, guided by God’s Spirit,

committed to strengthening the Body of Christ

by living and sharing God’s Word,

by worshipping and inviting persons to faith and new life,

by being instruments of God’s love.

+   Worship  this  February

Jesus announces, “The time is fulfilled…” (Mark 1)

and so we joyfully anticipate the arrival of

our salvation and the completion of God’s

plan for His people.

Sunday Worship

with

Holy Communion – 10:15 AM

(“Coffee and Conversation” begins at 9:00 AM each Sunday)

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany                      February 5, 2012

Lifted up to health and service

Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany                           February 12, 2012

Confident in Jesus’ power to heal

(Healing Liturgy will take place this Sunday)

Transfiguration of Our Lord                                       February 19, 2012

Transfiguration – a preview of what is to come

            Ash Wednesday                      February 22, 2012

Worship at Noon or 7:30 PM

A solemn call

First Sunday in Lent                            February 26, 2012

Divine destruction gives way to divine commitment

First Monday in Lent        February 27, 2012

Bread and Soup Supper, then Worship, beginning at 6:15 PM

Pastor’s Corner

“And after he had dismissed the crowds,

he went up into the hills by himself to pray.”  

(Mathew14:23)

Pastor G. has left the building!

That’s one way of putting it.  Another is to say that the Sabbatical Fund that the congregation has established will be used in the coming months.  This way of saying it might be the best:  Pastor Gollenberg will participate in “Clergy Renewal” time from April 16^th – June 15^th.  

“Clergy Renewal” is a unique opportunity for clergy to do what Jesus did… take some intentional time away from the demands of the crowds, get up into the hills, and pray.   This time of “getting away” and “praying” can take many forms.  I will use the 8 weeks to study, visit friends and family, read casual books and Bible books, travel, recreate, and reflect on our life together in mission and ministry.

The Congregation Council approved the renewal time at their December meeting.  There will be pastoral coverage every Sunday so Worship will continue to include the Lord’s Supper and the proclamation of the Word.  Clergy will be available for emergencies and crisis situations.   Our Parish Administrator, Eileen Finer, will be putting in more hours making sure all the details of parish life are attended to like answering phone messages and emails, producing the Sunday Worship folder and monthly newsletter, getting and responding to the mail, and fitting together the pieces of the parish puzzle that continually need attention. 

There will probably be some unexpected bumps along the way but the congregation council is on call to respond.  It is even hoped that during this time you might call Eileen or talk to a council member to see how you might be able to lighten their burden by giving some of your time and talent. 

To see my schedule, check out my travel destinations, peruse my reading list, or share your joys or concerns about “Clergy Renewal” please give me a call.

One of the less publicized but potentially huge benefits of this time away is for the congregation… to receive your pastor back refreshed, enlivened, and ready to join with you as together we surge forward in mission and ministry.

Well the New Year is here and it’s also about that time of year when I start thinking about the annual congregational meeting.  Yep, the meeting is not till June and reports aren’t due for months yet.  So why do I think about the meeting now? 

It’s kind of a simple answer- the June meeting is when we elect new members to the congregation council.  However, as simple a task as that may sound it really isn’t.  You see every year I’ve been on council we have had an open council position or two.  At every council meeting we talk about those open seats and try to figure out who would best be able to fill them.  And let me tell you my friend that is no easy task.  

I wonder about the reluctance people have at joining council.  Maybe they are like myself when I was younger - thinking of the council as something similar to a secret society.  You often see the same people going on and off council in a semi regular rotation.  So maybe it’s not really open to the rest of us.  Or the thought that “well I don’t think, or feel, the same way about things the current council members do so they don’t want me to join.”  Well, none of that is true. 

Our council has been made up of a group of people with different views and opinions for all of the years I’ve been part of it.  We don’t always agree on things.  We see things from different points of view.  And yes there are times when you can feel a bit of tension in the room.  However, that diversity has helped us make what we hope are the best decisions and choices possible on the behalf of our congregation.   And in all honesty the big clashes of opinion don’t happen all that often.  Most of our gatherings are calm, and at times a bit silly, but always productive. 

Maybe it’s the time commitment they worry about.  Now back when I first joined council it really was just one night a month.  We’d gather the third Wednesday of every month for a few hours to tend to the business stuff.  In the past few years we’ve added an occasional get together on a weekend to work on a different kind of project - how to best help our congregation grow and thrive in these difficult times.  That does sound a bit daunting but myself, and many others on council at the gatherings found the time to be rewarding.  It gave us a chance to get to know each other a little differently.  To talk and think about the more spiritual aspects of the congregation that can get put aside when thinking about budgets, Synod votes and such.                                

Or perhaps it’s a fear of not being qualified to help lead the congregation and make decisions on its behalf.  Well if a 24-year-old can join the council and end up as the president of it in her sixth and final year then anyone can.  I had no experience when I felt that joining council would be a good idea.  As inexperienced as I was I knew that there were others on the council who had been members for a few years.  Some had already served on council before so I knew they’d help me find my way.  

It’s hard to believe I’ve been on council for five and a half years.  However, looking back over my time serving our congregation as a council member has been a wonderful experience.  It has given me a chance to get to know my fellow members a bit better.  I also had the pleasure of knowing that I got to take a more active role in the life of our congregation. 

I hope and pray that those of you reading this will take a moment to consider taking the plunge and join the council.  Trust me when I say you won’t regret it.       

Betsy D’Amico, President Congregation Council

“Thanksgiving  in  February”

A full thanksgiving dinner, with all the fixings,

on February 18, 2012, from 5 – 8 PM, at

Saint Thomas Church, Thomaston, to benefit the

Social Service Position in Thomaston.

A great opportunity to have a wonderful meal, visit with family and friends, and support an important position in the town!

Bring your dollars and your appetite, but most of all know that you are supporting a valuable ministry among us!

EARTHKEEPING  TEAM

The marigold seeds have arrived and we will plant them on Sunday, March 18^th after worship.  Ultimately these seedlings will be transplanted to the flowerbed surrounding the church sign. 

The other “hat” that we, the team wears is the BLUE BUCKET ministry, our regular ingathering of non-perishable foods for the Thomaston and Watertown food banks.

Janet Kniffen, Chief Development Officer of the Connecticut Food Bank states that “one in seven households in our state cannot always afford the food they need. Much of the increase we’ve seen is in the suburbs and small towns. It’s everybody’s neighbors at this point, it’s not isolated to the big cities.”  And our area food banks provide much needed help to a growing number of families in need.

Our February “foods of the month” comes from a list of suggestions from the Connecticut Food Bank and they will be RICE / DRY & CANNED BEANS.

Looking back to 2011 we are grateful for our partnership with you so that Our Savior has been able to help dozens of families through our community food banks, families that are struggling to keep food on their tables.  Your gifts of non-perishable foods connects you with those of our church family who gave life and hope in the past.

And for that, we thank you – because in the name of Christ you are a part of the lifeline to a brighter future for those that are assisted every week.

-          Carolyn and Henry Brau, facilitators

Christmas in Bethlehem comes to

                                                Our Savior Lutheran Church.

Tuesday Night Sunday School brought angels and wise people and shepherds and Mary and Joseph… and the Baby into our worship on Sunday, January 8^th. 

Many thanks to Robin Zordan and Amanda Steyer who coordinated the pageant, made sure all the angels had wings, that the stable had a star, and attended to so many details.  It was GREAT Worship!

A warm thought during these cold days…

Our Savior Lutheran Church will have our annual picnic on July 22, 2012 at Northifield Dam beginning with Worship at 11:00 AM.  Mark your calendar now so we will all be together for Worship, the best picnic food, and fun family games!!!!!

Martin Luther Reminds Us

“… Christ comforts those whom the devil has frightened into despair,

and again,

He frightens those whom the devil has made sure and presumptuous.

For these two will always wage war the one against the other;

what the devil spoils, Christ must build up and set right;

and again,

what the devil builds, Christ destroys.”

(Exposition on John 14:1;  Let not your heart be troubled: 

ye believe in God, believe also in me.)

From the Womens' Group:

The weather has held out for everyone so far. Let us hope that we continue to be blessed with mild forecasts.

The next meeting of our group will take place on Monday, February 13th at 10:30 weather permitting. We will be assessing what our needs are for our next project for Lutheran World Relief and hopefully we can assemble kits at our monthly meeting in March.

All of us continue our thoughts and prayers for Anna, Olga, Flora, Elin and Eleanor.

A blessed New Year to all,     Carol Habersang

Book Study This Lent 

Save three Saturday mornings in Lent to

review, ponder, and pray about what

Billy Graham has to tell us in his book,

“Nearing Home   Life, Faith, and Finishing Well”

The dates are February 25^th, March 10^th, and

March 24^th beginning at 10:30 AM (weather permitting).

If you want to buy your own book, great.

If you want one purchased for you please call

the church office.  The price is $20.00.

Billy says, “All my life I was taught to die as a Christian,

but no one ever taught me how I ought to live in my

latter years.  Old age has its challenges and is

not for wimps, but God wants us to embrace it

as part of His plan for our lives, and to look

for the Lord’s purpose in every circumstance

and in every face or voice we encounter daily.”

Discover for yourself more of what Billy

has to say as brothers and sisters of faith

share and care for one another.

Devotional  Booklet  Available

in the

Welcoming Area at church

or

on your Kindle or Nook

“Crisscrossing Lent”

Daily Lenten Devotions by Tim Wesemann

can help you focus your thoughts each day

on Christ’s love and sacrifice as we live our busy lives.  

These unique reflections help us explore

times when our lives intersect with the

lives of others as well as when experiences

we have today overlap references to Christ

found in Holy Scripture.

From the Health and Wellness Team

Did you know….sometimes food in the stomach can interfere with the action of drugs?  In some cases, food is needed to prevent undesirable side effects.  Occasionally, specific foods make the medicine totally ineffective.  Here are a few tips.

?  It is best NOT to take grapefruit juice with medication because it may interact and make your medicine less effective.

?  Diabetes medications work best when taken ½ hour before meals.

?  It is important to maintain a consistent diet (especially the amount of leafy, green vegetables eaten) when taking Coumadin.

?  When taking thyroid medications excessive amounts of Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, carrots, cauliflower, peaches, pears, soybeans, turnips or related vegetables may decrease the effectiveness.

?  If taking a diuretic or “water pill” consult your doctor to see if you should include more potassium in your diet.

?  Some medication should be taken on an empty stomach, some on a full stomach.

This information is designed to keep you informed about some possible problems than can result from the combination of certain foods taken with certain medicine.  ALWAYS ask your pharmacist and/or physician any questions regarding medication PRIOR to taking ANYTHING.

            The Health and Wellness Team deeply misses Carol McCorkle and her presence in our group.  She was very instrumental in the creation of our team.  Our prayers are with her family.

Confirmation

o     In confirmation class we are learning about the Bible

r      starting from the Book of Genesis.  We have gone over

n    several chapters in our book, Manna and Mercy, and we

e     heard about the story of Joseph and how he was taken

r      from Israel to Egypt and how he was in slavery because

        his brothers wanted him dead, but Joseph was eventually

       able to help pharaoh by reading his dreams and he

       became a leader in Egypt.  This is what we are learning

       about in class.                        Alexandria Brewster

First  Holy Communion  Preparation

When children begin asking about Holy Communion it’s time to engage the whole family in First Communion Preparation!    The inquiring mind of a child is a beautiful treasure that needs to be fed… both with information, wisdom, and a growing faithfulness nurtured by the Holy Spirit.  In order to do this pastor meets with families and young people who are asking questions about when they can receive the Lord’s Supper. 

Families gather with pastor to discuss the wonderful blessings surrounding the Sacramental life.  In a series of 4 or 5 meetings young people together with siblings and parents share, learn, and begin to grow in their understanding of God’s amazing grace. 

Pastor Gollenberg will be meeting with families soon to begin a new series of sessions.   If your child has been wondering when they can receive Holy Communion the moment is ripe to be involved in this wonderful time of watching your child grow in faith, love and obedience to the will of God!    Call Pr. G soon.

When  There  Is  Ice  and  Snow

We will leave a message on our office voice mail;

We will have a message scrolling on NBC30;

We will post on our Faithbook page on Facebook;

to keep you informed about whether an activity

or Worship is cancelled.

Hopefully we won’t have to cancel a thing this winter… God knows we had three cancelations last year and we missed those opportunities to Worship God, hear the Word, celebrate the Sacrament, pray with each other, sing the hymns and liturgy of the church, and fellowship with each other. 

World Day of prayer!!! 

World Day of Prayer is a worldwide ecumenical movement of Christians of many faith traditions who come together to observe a common day of prayer each year on the first Friday in March.  Each year a different country serves as the writer of the World Day of Prayer worship.  For 2012, the WDP committee of Malaysia developed the theme

              “Let Justice Prevail” 

Through World Day of Prayer, Christians affirm that prayer and action are inseparable and both have an immeasurable influence in the world.

TAKE ONE HOUR TO PRAY with people WORLDWIDE.

 A DAY OF COMMON PRAYER TO Our God, who first loves us!!

March 2, 2012 @ 1:00 PM

United Methodist Church

305 Main Street, Watertown, CT

 (Refreshments to follow)

Did you ever think…

… you’d see a Biblical story told with “Peeps?”

… you’d hear a Bible character described as a “DK” --- “Drama King?”

… the abbreviation “GHO” could mean anything other than the

            Greater Harford Open?... well it does at “Tuesday Night

            Sunday School!”   Come find out what!

Our “Faithbook” theme this year has captured the imagination of many with the creative use of lots of abbreviations.  From our Advent “TBB” (“The Battle Begins”) to “C8” (“Commandment 8”) instead of “V8,” to “HOP” (“Hymn of Praise”), we’ve been all over the place finding new ways to better understand the Bible and grow in God’s grace.

And it’s pretty nice to begin with a meal, some Bible puzzles, a prayer, song, and to end with a circle of blessing that we get to carry home.  Come down and try on a session of “Tuesday Night Sunday School” because it might fit just fine!   And invite a friend, neighbor, or relative to “Come and See” what we do together!

From, “Letters to Malcolm”  -  C. S. Lewis

“A good shoe is a shoe you don’t notice.

The perfect church service would be one we

were almost unaware of. 

Our attention would have been on God!

But every novelty prevents this. 

It fixes our attention on the service itself.

AND thinking about worship is different thing than worshipping.”

Financial Update

as of December 31, 2011

Gracias … Obrigado … Danke Schön … Grazie … Merci Beaucoup … Bedankt … Thank You …

… for your generous response during the Christmas season to the financial needs of Our Savior Lutheran Church.  You responded to our precarious financial situation; but more importantly you responded to God’s Christmas Gift to us with your gifts to God’s work here at Our Savior.

At the Finance Committee meeting during the second week of January, we were excited to discover that we ended 2011 in the black (yes, you read that correctly)!  Preliminary results (which may need some tweaking) indicate that we ended 2011 with income for budgeted expenses that exceeded our expenses by more than $4,000.  That’s right – let me say it again – we ended the year about $4,000 in the black!

As we heaved a collective sigh of relief, we also thought about what this means in the life of our congregation.  We hear much talk during the Christmas season about the “joy of giving”.  Our congregation, as individuals and collectively, experienced that joy in a concrete way this Christmas season.

It seemed clear to us that many people thought carefully about their stewardship at the end of the year and responded generously to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to share from our abundance.  May this spirit of joyful giving continue as we begin our 2012 journey together.  And may we also add to this joy by sharing, as often as we possibly can, in God’s gift to us in the Body and Blood of Our Savior on Sunday mornings.

See you in church.

Sandy Talbot, Treasurer

Worship Assistants       February 2012

Worship  (and food)  on  Mondays  During  Lent

Several congregations in Watertown, Oakville, and Thomaston

work together to make Lent a season that stands out.

Each Monday evening, beginning at 6:15 PM the host congregation will serve a light supper of bread and soup,

and then everyone will join together for Worship at 7:00 PM.

Let’s come together with our brothers and sisters in Christ

in the following places and make Lent special:

?  February 27^th  -  First Congregational Church, Watertown

?  March 5^th  -  Our Savior Lutheran Church, Thomaston

?  March 12^th  -  Saint Mary Magdalen, Oakville

?  March 19^th  -  Saint John the Evangelist, Watertown

?  March 26^th  -  Union Congregational Church, Oakville

P. S.  We will need some help providing bread and soup

on March 5^th.  Talk to Pr. G. if you can bake or cook, serve or make coffee,

clean up or smile.

Ash Wednesday

leads the way into Lent

Come and Worship on

Ash Wednesday at either

Noon   or   7:30 PM.

This unique opportunity to practice the repentance we are called to by Jesus opens a wonderful door to the holy season of Lent.

During Lent we will have opportunity to:

• Attend Monday evening bread and soup supper followed by Worship at congregations in Watertown, Oakville, and Thomaston beginning at 6:15 PM

• Come together for Sunday Holy Communion at 10:15 AM

• Deepen our faith with a daily devotional booklet called,

            “Crisscrossing Lent”  (that’s also available on Amazon KIndle or Barnes and     Noble Nook so that we can all stay together on our spiritual walk through Lent!)

• Participate in a Book Study on three Saturdays in Lent. 

      The book is “Nearing Home  Life, Faith, and Finishing Well”

      by Billy Graham and the Saturdays are Feb. 25^th, March 10^th,

      and March 24^th at 10:30 AM

• Keep our Blue Bucket full of items needed by the hungry of our communities… part of our Lenten discipline of giving alms