SO, WHAT ARE YOU UP TO THESE DAYS? by Pastor John Paulson “So, what are you up to these days?” How often have I asked that question of another person! At the annual meeting, I asked myself that question regarding the congregation. Since I suspect that not a lot of people read those annual reports, here is a brief account of what I have observed, based on the five guiding principles this congregation adopted back in 2016.

We listen to God and each other with open ears and hearts Listening to people in the past year I have heard how:

God is present in times of both joy and sorrow through his word in scripture, music, the church as a whole, and the words and actions of individual Christians.

That there are people willing and even eager to talk and/or write about their faith journeys. That our familiar customs, traditions, and ways of getting things done may sometimes have to be adjusted to

allow newcomers to more fully participate in the life of the church. We love and serve others as an extension of God’s love. Many in this congregation are involved in serving others. Among other things, they help:

Feed the hungry via the various private, public, and community programs. Raise money to benefit school, church, and community projects. Make quilts and prayer shawls for people who need to know the warmth of God’s love. Make and serve meals for families experiencing grief.

We welcome all people unconditionally. While we can always do better, this congregation seeks to welcome people’s varied gifts by:

Including people of all ages and abilities in assisting with worship, Including people of different shapes and colors in the images people see on Sunday morning, Seeking to understand and work with people’s different ways of doing things, Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the ordination of women in the ELCA by inviting not just one but two female

pastors to lead worship in 2019. We work together to do God’s will. This congregation’s mission statement declares that “growing in the Spirit,” we “learn, live, and tell God’s love, so the world will know God.” In 2019 people in this congregation engaged in:

Learning God’s word through increased attention to Bible study in confirmation class, community youth group, women’s and men’s Bible study groups, and daily devotions.

Living God’s love through acts of service, and Telling God’s love through occasional “Faith Offerings,” both live during worship and on video.

We serve God, each other, and our communities with all the gifts God has given us. This congregation is pretty good at sharing what it has, from audio-visual equipment to the building, to its people in ministries and actions both local and global in scope.

All of these things, I believe, are summed up in the purpose statement from 2016: “Growing in God’s love, we strive to take our faith and vision outside of our walls and into the greater community of God, as God’s love has no bounda-ries.”

FEBRUARY 2020

OUR SAVIORS LUTHERAN CHURCH

LIVING WATERS

PAGE 2 L IVING WATERS

2020 COUNCIL MEMBERS After last week’s annual meeting, our new council members are Todd Braun-President, Owen Fagerhaug-Vice President, Dacia Bergeleen-Secretary; Kari Fagerhaug-Treasurer, Mike Krauss, Jen Kolousek, Rebecca Heumiller, Jim Scheel, & Terry Scheel. Thank you to all our out-going council members, Bonnie Koch, Tyler Fagerhaug, & Loree Gaikowski.

INSTALLATION & COMMISSIONING SUNDAY On Sunday, February 2nd, we will be installing our new council members during worship. If you are a member of the council , please attend Sunday worship service.

SPECIAL OFFERING On Sunday, January 26, we took a special offering to help replenish our Building/Property Fund. There are a few projects that will be scheduled for spring/summer for the parsonage. We took in $200 for these projects. Thank you to everyone who contributed.

WOMEN’S FEBRUARY NEWS Naomi-Rebecca Women will meet on Sunday, February 9, for a dinner meeting after coffee hour. Bible Study will be led by Pastor Paulson. Sunday Coffee Hour: Group 2

Communion: Vicki Brodkorb & Cindy Peterson (Feb. 2 & Feb. 16) Group 2-Wash Communion Cups Ash Wednesday: February 26th (Stone Soup Supper) Parament Colors for the Month: Feb. 1-16-Green; Feb. 23-White

STONE SOUP SUPPER & ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE FEBRUARY 26

It’s time again to break out the soup makings and combine them for the most deli-

cious soup you ever tasted! The annual Stone Soup Supper will be held Ash Wednes-

day, February 26, at 6:00 p.m., here at Our Savior’s. If you can make a contribution

(meat, vegetables, noodles, or what have you), please try to bring it to the church by

Monday, Feb. 24th. We have the stone! Brought to you by Our Savior’s Youth, Family Ministry Team,

and the Community Youth Group. A free-will offering will go to benefit the Community Youth Group.

Ash Wednesday worship will follow at 7:00 p.m.

PAGE 3

Our Savior's Lutheran Church Council Meeting Minutes

January 12, 2020

The meeting was called to order. Members Present: Loree, Mike, Todd, Bonnie, and Dacia.

Matt and Dave Niederbaumer from Thrivent Financial came to discuss and go over investments. Loree made a motion to reinvest $14,452, Bonnie 2nd. Motion carried.

Bonnie made a motion to approve the agenda, Dacia 2nd. Motion carried.

Loree made a motion to approve the previous minutes, Bonnie 2nd. Motion carried.

Treasurer’s Report: Bonnie made a motion to approve the treasurer ’s report, Dacia 2nd. Motion carried. Committee Assignments: Worship & Evangelism: We will begin prepar ing for the Lenten services on Wednesday nights using the Holden Evening Prayer booklets. Discussion was held regarding possibly having a few Wednes-day night church services in summer 2020. Property and Management: A snow removal text group was set up. Mike is still waiting for bids on the bathrooms at the parsonage. He found a small leak in the church roof that may need fixed in the future. Lee Johnson has checked the furnaces and they look good. Education: There was discussion on possibly making a Sunday school quilt to raffle off. Stewardship: There were 42 commitment cards returned averaging $5,700. Pastor’s Report: Pastor will be taking some continuing education classes in Minneapolis Janu-ary 27-28. He is working with 2-3 people on writing and sharing their faith journeys, beginning on Sunday, January 19th. UCC kids will start using our church this month for their confirmation. Old Business: None at this time. New Business: We will pledge again at the annual meeting in regards to ELCA Mission Suppor t. Jan-uary’s special offering will go towards the “Building Repairs and Maintenance” fund. Todd will explain the special offering at church on January 19th. The next meeting will be Sunday, February 2nd, after church. Loree made a motion to adjourn the meeting,

Bonnie 2nd. Motion carried. Submitted by Dacia Mitchell, Secretary

February Birthday’s Ella Fagerhaug-2/1 Shirley Wolter-2/3 Gayle Willman-2/4

Lois Feistner-2/7 Logan Mohling-2/9 Joyce Krueger, Marian Meyer, Mary Whitlock-2/11 Delvin Feistner & Don Andersen-2/12 Brett Miller-2/13 Vera Salter-2/15 Kaitlyn Braun, Bonnie Koch-2/17 Pam Kopfmann-2/20

Deach Koch-2/21 Kay Brandenburg & Kaycee Coleman-2/23 Melanie Heezen & Richard Lewallen-2/27

PRAYING FOR YOU: Pastor Erica Lehman (St. John’s Dimock), Betty Strohl, Sandy Andersen (Bult), Jim Deines, Carl Larsen, Eleanor Adix, Lynn Krauss, Laura Bergeleen, Shirley Wolter, Russell Keeton, Marian Meyer, Shirley Teig, Jason Keeton, Erica Williams, Sonnie Schimke, Conrad Adam, Steven Sharp, Jake Herman, Missionary- Zachary Paulson, Sympathy to the family of Allen Shefner

PAGE 4 L IVING WATERS

OSLC Annual Meeting Minutes Sunday, January 26, 2020

Our Savior’s Lutheran Church held the annual meeting on January 26, 2020. The meeting was

called to order by President, Todd Braun. Pastor Paulson opened with prayer and litany. Brian Bergeleen made a motion to approve the agenda, Kari Fagerhaug 2nd. Motion carried. Owen Fagerhaug made a mo-tion approve the minutes, Kathy Vorhees 2nd. Motion carried. Loree Gaikowski gave an overview of the treasurer’s report. Bonnie Koch moved to approve the treasurer’s report, Kari Fagerhaug 2nd. Motion carried. Pastor went over the five guided principles during his Pastor’s Report. He spoke about how OSLC has been serving God in relation to the guiding principles and how we will continue to do so. He also went over his goals for 2020. Todd Braun spoke about the upcoming expenses at the parsonage to renovate the bathrooms. These numbers were not put in the budg-et, as council is still awaiting quotes. Other committee reports stood approved. Nominations for council members included Jim Scheel. Cindy Peterson made a motion that nomi-nations cease, Tyler Fagerhaug 2nd. Motion carried. Jim Scheel made a motion that last year’s nominating committee stay the same for this year, Kathy Vorhees 2nd. Motion carried. Brian and Kathy Bergeleen volunteered to attend Synod Assembly. Delvin and Lois Feistner volunteered to be alternates. Holly Paul-son made a motion to cast a unanimous ballet, Vicki Brodkorb 2nd. Motion carried. The 2020 budget was reviewed. Kathy Vorhees made a motion that the $1,126 Thrivent Choice Dollars be moved to the building and property fund, Jean Scheel 2nd. Motion carried. Jean Scheel made a motion that 2020 Thrivent Choice Dollars go into the building and property fund, Kathy Vorhees 2nd. Motion carried. Deach Koch made a motion to approve the budget as printed, Vicki Brodkorb 2nd. Mo-tion carried. There was no old business to discuss. Loree Gaikowski asked the congregation to offer any ideas with regard to fundraising for the church. Loree Gaikowski made a motion to adjourn the meeting, Pam Frank 2nd. Motion carried. Closed with the Lord’s Prayer.

-Submitted by Dacia Mitchell, secretary

OSLC Special Council Meeting Sunday, January 26, 2020

The new council met on January 26, 2020 following the annual meeting. Jim Scheel made a motion to nominate Todd Braun as president, Kari Fagerhaug 2nd. Terry Scheel moved to cease nominations. Mo-tion carried. Kari Fagerhaug made a motion to nominate Owen Fagerhaug as vice president, Rebecca Heumiller 2nd. Terry Scheel moved to cease nominations. Motion carried. Owen Fagerhaug made a mo-tion to nominate Dacia Mitchell as secretary, Terry Scheel 2nd. Jim moved to cease nominations. Motion carried. Owen Fagerhaug made a motion to nominate Kari Fagerhaug as treasurer, Terry Scheel 2nd. Jim moved to cease nominations. Motion carried. Installation of the new council will be on Sunday, February 2nd. Council will have a meeting on February 2nd after church. Jim Scheel made a motion to adjourn the meeting, Owen Fagerhaug 2nd. Motion carried.

-Submitted by Dacia Mitchell, secretary

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

Church Office Hours 9-1 p.m. Mon. 9-1 p.m. Tues. 9-1 p.m. Wed. 9-5 p.m. Thurs.

Parament Color for the Month: Feb. 1-16-Green Feb. 23: White

1

2 9 a.m. Sunday School 10 a.m. Worship with Holy Communion Installation of OSLC Council Officers 11 a.m. Council Meeting

3 Pastor’s Day Off

4

5 3:30 p.m. Con-firmation Class 5 p.m. Confir. Student/Parent Meeting 6:30 p.m. Community Youth Group

6 9:00 a.m. Women’s Quilting at OSLC

7

8

9 9 a.m. Sunday School 10 a.m. Worship 11 a.m. Naomi-Rebecca Circle

10 Pastor’s Day Off

11 12 3:30 p.m. Con-firmation Class 6:30 p.m. Community Youth Group

13 9:00 a.m. Women’s Quilting at OSLC

14

Valentine’s Day

15

16 9 a.m. Sunday School 10 a.m. Worship with Holy Communion 9-1 p.m. American Legion Pancake Feed

17 Pastor’s Day Off March Newsletter Articles Due!

18 2:00 p.m. Feeding SD Distribution at 4H Building in Wessington Springs

19 6:30 p.m. Community Youth Group

20 9:00 a.m. Women’s Quilting at OSLC

21 22

23

9 a.m. Sunday School 10 a.m. Worship

24

Pastor ‘s Day Off

25

26

6:00 p.m. Stone Soup Supper 7:00 p.m. Ash Wednesday Service

27

9:00 a.m. Women’s Quilting at OSLC

28

SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT

WORSHIP ASSISTANTS NEEDED Reader: Terry/Carol Scheel Greeters/Ushers: Terry & Carol Scheel Offering Counters/Communion Helpers: Jen Kolousek & Dacia Mitchell

Our Savior’s Lutheran Church

PO Box 465, 210 N. Dunham

Wessington Springs, SD 57382