"...I tell you the truth, whatever you have done for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."
Matthew 25:40
Service to the Lord and to the community is a vital concern to the congregation of Our Savior's Lutheran Church.Some avenues of service in the church include:
The Newest opportunity is the "Service Group" - Our Savior's Lutheran Church is beginning a new ministry of Service Groups. Each family unit in the congregation is given the opportunity to participate in congregational food service events and the ministry of hospitality through thirteen monthly service groups. Two family units (2-4 people or more) will serve as leaders for each monthly group. As a monthly member, you will be able to participate in a variety of ways.
Each group will be responsible for providing service for ONE month out of thirteen in the following areas:
- Funeral luncheons- provide food, help serve and clean up
- Greeters- greet worshipers as they arrive on Sunday mornings
- Special events as scheduled- provide food and help with events, including the Confirmation luncheon (late October), Senior Recognition (May), Sunday School Teacher Appreciation, etc.
An "over and above" listing will be kept in the church office. This is a list of members who are willing to bring food or work at events at times other than their assigned service month. They are only to be used to compliment the month's list when absolutely necessary.
Group leaders are encouraged to schedule a meeting prior to their assigned month to delegate responsibilities and give members the opportunity to sign up in advance. Each service group will consist of approximately fifty family units. Care should be taken to contact different families throughout the month, in an attempt to include as many members as possible.
Funeral Luncheons - Funeral coordinators will contact monthly group leaders with details about luncheons. Coordinators will supervise and direct the group members on the day of the event, however, it is the group's responsibility to arrange for food and helpers. Usually the lead time for funeral meals is 2-3 days. Often the need for food varies from a full lunch with hot dishes, salads and dessert to cake and coffee only.
Greeters - Greeters should plan to arrive 20 minutes prior to worship services. Greeters are often the first contact a visitor has with the congregation, and play an important role in hospitality. When a visitor comes, the greeter can be invaluable in helping them feel comfortable and at home in worship.
Special Events - Other events may come up during the course of the month. Group members will be given advance notice of any needs for these special events. Usually, this will involve food preparations, table decorations and setup, serving and clean-up. Group leaders will work with the Congregation Care and Life committee and staff to meet the needs of various events.
The Hunger Task Force - The Hunger Task Force, as the name implies, works on various projects designed to alleviate hunger. Our Savior's maintains a food shelf for the use of its members.
Women's Circles - The women of Our Savior's belong to various 'Circles'--groups that carry out a variety of functions for the church, including hosting various events, sponsoring Bible studies, and organizing fund raisers.
Lutheran World Relief Quilting - Our Savior's is blessed with an abundance of skilled seamstresses. These nimble fingered members get together on a regular basis and sew quilts for Lutheran World Relief. The Quilters also make beautiful baby quilts for each infant baptized at Our Savior's.
Lutheran World Relief Mission Kits - Members of the congregation routinely donate items to the various mission kits for Lutheran World Relief, including layettes, school kits, and health kits. These items are assembled, inventoried, and shipped to LWR.
Our Savior's Voice Newsletter - The Voice is the church's monthly newsletter. In addition to a detailed monthly events calendar, the newsletter is a vital connection between the various service providers and the congregation.
Church Library - Consistently updating the library's collection is no small task. The library routinely has new books for the use of the congregation.
Worship Transportation - Anyone who desires to attend services can arrange for transportation to Our Savior's, even if the temperature is thirty degrees below zero (yes, that's Fahrenheit--and not the wind chill factor, either).
New Member Sponsor - Every new member is connected with a sponsor--a member that is active and knows his or her way around the church. A sponsor keeps in contact with the new member to help ensure that the member's spiritual needs are being met and that the member develops a sense of community within the church.
Building Maintenance and Repair - Every building has its ups and downs, and fixing what ails the church buildings is an ongoing affair. Anyone handy with a hammer will always be in demand.
Audio/Visual/Computer Skills - Maintaining the sound system, videotaping the services for television broadcast, and helping to debug the new computers are all necessary functions that help the church run smoothly.
Small Group Leader - Our Savior's has several small groups that each function in three ways--as a Bible study, as a vehicle for friendship and spiritual support, and as a service provider. The Small Group Leader guides the group so that it maintains a balance among these functions.
Greeters and Ushers - For each service, greeters welcome worshippers into the building, with a warm smile and a friendly 'hello'. Ushers provide bulletins and assistance throughout the service.
Altar Guild - Seldom seen and, perhaps, taken for granted, are the folks that maintain the altar. Gleaming silver, fresh flowers, candles, and the appropriate altar cloths don't appear by magic. The altar guild takes care of it all.
Sunday School - Teaching little children is a special calling at Our Savior's. Sunday School teachers, substitute teachers, and assistants are always needed for youth preschool through high school age.
Annual Baby Shower Brunch Benefit - Each year, the Women's Circles hold a baby shower to benefit the maternity ward of the local hospital, the University Medical Center-Mesabi. Each attendee brings a baby item to be donated to the hospital and in return is treated to a delicious brunch, good conversation, and a guest speaker. Recent speaker topics include adoption, spina bifida, and the Children's Quilt Project. The donated baby items are taken to the hospital and given to families in need.
Vacation Bible School - Each summer, Our Savior's conducts a week-long program for children (preschool - 3rd grade).
Mom's Group Annual Quilting Marathon - Each fall the Mom's Group holds a day-long quilting marathon that benefits the Children's Quilt Project, a program that distributes baby quilts to homeless children, babies born addicted to drugs, juvenile AIDS patients, or other needy children. Volunteers, either with or without sewing skills, are solicited from throughout the community.
Craft Group Annual Bazaar - A dedicated group of crafters meet every Tuesday morning for fellowship and to work on craft projects. These projects are then sold at the annual fall bazaar held the first weekend of deer hunting season in November. A delicious turkey salad luncheon is also served in the fellowship hall.
White Elephant Sale - Each spring the annual OSLC White Elephant sale is held after 3 full days of hauling, setting up, and preparing for the luncheon.
This is just a sampling of the programs available. There is no shortage of opportunities--or needs in the church.