Pastor David Maier - Forward in Hope

Ground Breaking Date – September 10, 2006

We rejoice in the Lord that He has led the congregation to go forward with the Boldly Proclaim  Ministry Relocation.  The positive outcome at the Voters’ Meeting today means that Sunday, September 10, will be the date for the Official Groundbreaking Ceremony for out new campus at St. Joe Highway and Broadbent.  ONE Service is being planned for this historic Sunday and would begin at 10 AM at our 1601 W. Holmes Campus, and then after a motorcade procession (police guided) end with the Ground Breaking Ceremonies/Festivities at the St. Joe Highwayand Broadbent property.  Even though digging and ground work at the new campus could possibly begin before that date (the earliest would be Tuesday, August 22), this Service would serve as the Official Groundbreaking.

Forty-Nine years earlier to this very date – September 10, 1957 – a number of faithful people, emboldened and courageous through their trust in the Lord and His leading, resolved to step out … and joyfully attended a Groundbreaking Ceremony at our present location.  These charter members of the congregation, some of whom still bless us with their presence and support, were and are amazing people.

What made them so amazing?

• Their love for the Lord and His Word,
• their commitment to the importance of Christian Education for children – through the establishment and support of a Christian Day School– as well as adults,
• their dedication to each other,
• their resolve in the face of a difficult situation, and recognition of a subsequent opportunity, and
• their demonstrated enthusiasm in their worship attendance and in their financial stewardship, …

these were the hallmarks of the beginning of Our Savior Lutheran Church and School.  It should be our common prayer as members of God’s family at OSL today, that we continue the same tradition and leave a similar lasting heritage … for generations to come.

The Groundbreaking Ceremony on September 10, 2006, would be another opportunity (summarizing the opening paragraph of the Vision Statement for the BOLDLY PROCLAIM Ministry Renewal and Relocation Campaign) to …

• rededicate ourselves in the strength of Christ to the proclamation of God’s saving and sanctifying Word and power; and
• joyfully, unitedly, and whole-heartedly support the blessing and guidance of the Lord in constructing a new worship center and school.

We thank God for the favorable vote on July 30, 2006.  Even more, we look forward to worshiping our great and loving, awesome and faithful God on September 10, 2006 and praising Him for the opportunity and privilege of participating in the construction of His new “house where you live, O LORD, the place where your glory dwells.” Psalm 26:8

S. African Mission Trip ITINERARY

If you haven't taken a look at the S. African Mission Trip button on the OSL Web Page ... NOW would be the time to do so.  The brother responsible for out OSL Home Page, its fresh look, and up-to-date information is Wes Thorp.  he will also be our eyes and ears back to the congregation while we are gone.  You will find the latest pictures that we will be able to download there ... as well as what we hope will be daily reports as to what is happening in S. Africa under God's blessing.

For now ... I would like to share our ITINERARY which just came in from Pastor Khumalo.  Please keep the team in your prayers.  Pray for us specifically as you will be able to know where we are on most days.

What is not on the ITINERARY is that besides the services on Sunday, I will also be preaching at a night service (rally) after each baseball clinic, and possible two other times.  The opportunity of teaching for 9 hours at St. Peter Evangelical Serminary will also be challenging ... but I am looking forward to it.

Thank you already for your partership in the Gospel through the trememdous blessing and gift of prayer.

PRAYER … You … and 242 – Some Concluding Thoughts

It is our hope, sincere desire, and Prayer that this 242 Service which will begin on 9.11 -- September 11 -- (how appropriate) would become a great blessing for our church, its members, anyone who would attend (anyone is invited), and everyone who will be prayed for.

I find it interesting that if we were to ask ourselves why we don’t pray – personally or with others – hardly any of us could say we don’t know how to. If there’s one major reason … I think it is that we are too busy. We mean to pray, but we don’t get it done. Each of us should remember that the One who taught us to pray had a life very similar to ours. The Gospels record just 52 days of Jesus’life, and that record is enough to show us what kind of life He led. Jesus was an extremely busy man, but He always found time to pray to His Father.  I believe corporate prayer became very important to Jesus and His disciples.  And the example of the early Christian church should be our model.

TOGETHER, as we pursue God’s the Lord’s blessing on our life, there just isn’t any alternative to prayer. Prayer is the way you defeat the devil, reach the lost, restore a backslider, strengthen the saints, send missionaries out, cure the sick, accomplish the impossible, and know the will of God.  Prayer is the hard-work business of Christianity, and it nets amazing results.

Even if you’ve been to Church on Sunday, this totally different service will be an awesome way to continue the week!!

Pastor Olsen and I truly look forward to praying with you and for you at the Monday Night 242 Prayer and Worship Service!

PRAYER … You … and 242 – What to Expect

To help you better understand what this 242 service will be like, here are a few of its planned characteristics:

• It will be Pastor led

• It will be more “informal” than a Sunday Service (for instance, the pastors will not be “robed”)

• It will feature “blended music” (music appropriate to the service “theme,” whether a hymn or more contemporary song on the piano)

• There will be Scripture(s) with a brief time of “teaching” …

• There will be an extended opportunity for PRAYER …

• Holy Communion will not be served

• Bulletins will be used (no screens) …

• There will be an Offering (Hey, this is a Lutheran Service …)

• The 242 Prayer and Worship Service would occur every Monday unless on a holiday (for example, Memorial Day, close to July 4, Labor Day, etc., or if it falls on a Christmas or News Years Day or Eve, etc.)

• It will end promptly at 7:25 PM

• It will be strongly encouraged that no meetings begin on Monday evening until 7:30 PM (or that a break be taken for the 242 Service).  It will also be encouraged that all attending their particular meeting on a Monday evening would first begin by attending “242”.

• For parents who are wondering, Yes, this service would “count” as a worship service for OSL kids.

If you have other thoughts or suggestions before we get started on our “242” Service, please be sure to respond to this BLOG or talk to one of the Pastors or Elders.

[Just so you are aware … consideration is also being given to a Wednesday Evening Service during the Summer that would celebrate the Lord’s Supper.  That 6:30 PM service would begin the Wednesday after the Our Savior Lutheran School 8th Grade Graduation and end the Wednesday evening prior to Labor Day.]  We will keep you posted ... and look forward to your comments as well.

PRAYER … You … and 242 – An Opportunity in our 50th Anniversary Year

During this year when we celebrate God’s 50 years of blessing upon Our Savior Lutheran Church and School, the Elders and the Pastors have prayerfully decided to begin the 242 Prayer and Worship Service.  (It will replace the Monday Evening 6:30 PM service.  Its interesting to remember that originally the Monday Evening 6:30 PM Service was held only during summer months to accommodate weekend vacationers.) Desiring to be more deliberate and impassioned about our corporate prayer life, this seems to be a God-ordained time to begin this new Service. With the challenges that our Church and School are facing, the difficulties that many individuals and families are confronting, and with all the changes occurring in the mid-Michigan area, there is a great deal of excitement building among those who have already learned of the 242 Prayer and Worship Service.

In order for you to be encouraged and excited about this coming service I would encourage everyone to read throught the Book of Acts, or at least the Scriptures from Acts listed in the last BLOG entry.  Prayer was a crucial part of the Church's early, thriving, blessed life.  Reading through the Gospels it is hard not to see the emphasis Jesus personally put on prayer, but also the emphasis He put on corportate prayer ... or prayer together with 2 or 3 others, or more.  Martin Luther often encouraged his flock to pray when the church was under great difficulty, saying that "We should pray, and let God do the worrying."

With a wonderful heritage that the present body of Christ has received from past members in our OSL 50 year history, and looking at the BOLDLY PROCLAIM Ministry Renewal and Relocation -- that from a relocation point of view is picking up great momentum -- could there be a better time to place a greater emphasis on God's people getting together to pray.

What a great opportunity awaits us!

PRAYER … You … and 242 - Getting Back to the Basics

Although other basic values (worship, Bible Study, Scriptural meditation, journaling, fellowship, witnessing, giving, etc.) will be commented on in my blog in the future, I would like to first highlight the discipline of prayer and thereby also introduce our 242 Prayer and Worship Service which begins on Monday, September 11 (9.11) at 6:30 PM.

It’s been said that if you want to find out where you are spiritually, ask yourself this question:  What is the level of my commitment to a life of prayer?  Maybe you’ve also heard it said that no believer’s spiritual life will rise to stay above the level of his praying.  As we read the Bible, there is no getting around the fact that God has ordained to work through prayer.

One of the basic values and core tenets of biblical, early Christianity, was the emphasis on corporate prayer.  Early in the Book of Acts we read in Acts 2:42:  “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”  (See also Acts 4:31; 6:6; 12:12; 16:25; 20:36; 21:5, as additional examples.)  I believe that our church does a good job at teaching and preaching the whole of God’s Word, and the “apostle’s teaching.”  We offer the Lord’s Supper – “the breaking of bread” – almost every weekend.  Our TLC’s provide an excellent opportunity for studying the Bible and fellowship, and for prayer for that group.  But what about a regular opportunity for corporate prayer as a whole church … beside the 3-4 minutes on a Sunday morning?

Is that enough?  Better stated, “Is that what brings joy to God’s heart?  Is that what God intended?  Is that what there is to corporate prayer or can there be more?  Is this a way that we could humble ourselves before God and look forward to receiving His blessing?” 

What can be done?

PRAYER … You … and 242 – An Introduction

In a number of posts that will shortly follow … I would like to talk about the great importance of prayer, specifically corporate prayer, and how OSL hopes to both encourage and implement its blessing our lives.

Several years ago, I read a best-selling business book dedicated to the question of “What helps make a company successful and truly thrive?” The authors of In Search of Excellence had researched several of

America

’s leading companies in order to find a common formula for success. They discovered that the successful companies never lost sight of their basic values. Those values continued to be at the core of all their work and development.

In the same way a company thrives, our spiritual lives prosper, our church prospers, when we keep the fundamentals in focus. How many of you have come to realize that it is easy to get away from practicing the basics in our Christian faith? If we’re not careful, days can go by when we don’t pray or read the Bible.

None of us set out to live a mediocre spiritual life, and we certainly don’t want our church to be spiritually mediocre either.  But in the midst of our busy schedules, many of us have forgotten, or perhaps we’ve shelved, the opportunity and privilege to practice some of the basics that shape us as Christians.

What can we do about it?  Please continue to read this BLOG ...

SPECIAL BLESSINGS, Bounce and BBQ

Special Blessings will be Recognized -- Installed -- Commissioned -- Rededicated in BOTH SERVICES (8 am and 10:45 am) on Sunday, August 27.

How greatly Our Savior Lutheran Church and School has been blessed from its very beginning, with faithful, dedicated and committed Principals and Teachers.  God’s hand of continued blessing in this regard is most evident again with Mr. Richard Cohrs beginning his ministry as Principal of Our Savior Lutheran School at the end of July, and Mr. David Wright starting his teaching career as our Second Grade Teacher in August.

We are thankful to the Lord that Mr. Cohrs will be installed as the fifth Principal in OSL history, and that Mr. Wright will be commissioned as our 2^nd Grade Teacher.  This Installation and Commissioning, along with the Rededication of the rest of the OSL Day School Staff will occur in both services on Sunday, August 27.  Between services – DON’T MISS IT -- there will be a reception to honor and welcome Mr. Cohrs and his wife Carol, and to welcome Mr. Wright, his wife Tammie, and their family.  A Card Basket will be placed in the Narthex for both of these men – Special Blessings from the Lord!

Immediately following the late service Mr. Cohrs and the Bd. of Education will be hosting a Meet the Principal Bounce and BBQ for families and children until 3 PM.  There will be a blow up, bouncy obstacle course for the kids (and some energetic parents) and a Hot Dog / Brat BBQ with trimmings for to enjoy .  Looking forward to seeing you there.

An Over-Splash of Grace

Not too many days ago, my family and my brother’s family accompanied my parents to West Virginia.  It was brief but wonderful four days to be together and celebrate my parents 55th Wedding Anniversary.  It also proved a blessed time to get to know a little better my brother and his wife’s newly adopted daughter, just in the states from Russia for less than two weeks.

One day in the summer heat my brother and all the children and Pat and I went to a pool in Wheeling that had, as one feature, a water slide that came down from a high hill.  Because of the heat all of the grass on the hillside was dry and brown … except in one place.  In that one place water would splash out of  the tube over the side and water the grass.  The rest of the water went on down the tube … rushing the rafts with its laughing cargo (children and adults) down to its intended place.

In the Gospel Lesson for tomorrow, Mark 5:21-34, Jesus received plea from a Synagogue ruler, Jairus, to come and heal his daughter, who turns out is really on her death bed.  Jesus agrees, and as he makes his way to his house, a large crowd gathers and follows.

In that crowd, a woman (no name is given) but with a major problem – she has been hemorrhaging for twelve years, follows, and makes a determination, that if she could touch Jesus, she could be healed.

She is not the object of Jesus journey.  In fact she almost appears to be an interruption, and inconvenience … if not to Jesus, certainly to Jairus … as he waits on pins and needles for Jesus to come with him.  But some things wonderful and amazing happens to and for this woman … if your will, and over-splash of grace.

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel God’s love, His great grace, are for everybody else but me.  So many are so much more important than me.  So many are so much more deserving than me.  But never, ever, makes me feel like I’m a interruption or inconvenience.  I’m not just a parenthesis on His mission of salvation for others.  I too am important to Him … deeply loved … special and precious.  And I too experience “an Over-Splash of His Grace.”

This woman had, as the King James Version says, “an issue of blood.”  We all have issues … don’t we?  God knows what they are better than we do ourselves ... and His love for us is still awesome.  Well, Jesus will take time to be with us.  He will take time to assuage any fear, to fill any need, to shower us with every grace and blessing.

An Over-Splash of Grace.  Why not dive on in?

Weathering Storms

Coming home early this week from a brief family vacation to celebrate my parents 55th Wedding Anniversary, we ran into a terrible storm.  You could see the dark clouds and rain coming for a little while, but the wind and the torrential rain that followed were a major surprise and brought almost everything to a stand still.  Pat even remarked that it was the hardest rain that she had ever driven through. 

In our Gospel lesson for this Sunday (7.9.06), Mark 4:35-41, the disciples faced a major storm … a furious squall.  As sailors, they should have had some familiarity with the storms that would quickly form on the Sea of Galilee.  But this was a big one that I believe even surprised them.  They were following Jesus’ request, and even had Him along for the trip … and yet the storm was so great that they despaired of their own lives. 

As this account unfolds … there are so very many lessons and encouragements for anyone who is …

• in the midst of a storm in life, or
• coming out of one, or
• is aware that sometime, they too will be facing a “furious squall”.

Having faced some major storms in the last years personally, realizing that many of our members are being tossed by some severe storms, and knowing that Our Savior Lutheran Church has faced some and will, I found this Scripture lesson full of God’s council for me as a child of God, for so many others, and for this wonderful church as it also moves forward in our proposed relocation as the body of Christ.

I would look forward to exploring this Word of God with you this Sunday.  Perhaps you could read and study this lesson a head of time and be moved by God’s Spirit to even celebrate storms in your life.  God is sooo good!

Blessings!