Vol. XXXX No. 8 August 2019

The Mission of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church is…

Making Christ known through worship, education,

and witness, we invite and serve the community and

beyond.

NEWS FROM THE HILL AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST:

Sharing the Story,

Living the Faith

Virginia Synod

ELCA

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Thoughts from Pastor Alex…

Last month, we held a leadership retreat with Council and Committee chairs, led by the

Rev. John Wertz, an assistant to the Bishop and a Director of Evangelical Mission. At the retreat, we focused on the strengths of Our Saviour’s and discussed how we can build

upon those strengths, using the Twelve Keys for Effective Ministry. For the sake of this newsletter, I’d like to pass along some of my notes from the retreat that may be helpful

to all of us as a whole:

Average worship attendance (AWA) of a Virginia Synod congregation is around 60. And

AWA may not be the most helpful metric. "Back in the day,” there was an expectation to be in church every/ most Sundays. So with an AWA of around 100, you may have

something like 110/120 participating in the life of the church. Today, people consider themselves active if they show up once per month, so with an AWA of 100, you might

have 150/ 160 people actively participating in the life of the church. Small churches often feel like they're smaller than everyone else, but we're average. Additionally, even

if our AWA is smaller than in the past, we may have just as many (if not more) people

actively participating in the life of the congregation.

In most churches, we talk about 20% of the people doing 80% of the work. We had 20

people at our leadership retreat. And so many more of you are active in your own ways - through committees, through worship, through helping with outreach, etc. We are a

congregation that is more active than the average congregation.

Strong/ Healthy Congregations: (1) Live in the Grace and Hope of God --> We Are an

Easter People, (2) Build on Strengths, (3) Discover motivational matches (Do we talk about issues in ways that match people’s motivations?), (4) Have "excellent sprinter

possibilities" (short term or one time opportunities for people to get involved) (5) Act swiftly by spending more time doing and less time talking about doing.

We live as a movement (grounded in the Grace and Hope of God) not as an institution

We claim the strengths that God has given us ~ We need to know who we are

~ We need to know our limits/ know our strengths (we can’t be everything to everyone) ~ When we know and claim our strengths, we claim the gifts that God has given us

Our strengths are worth celebrating. And we get to tell our story. Who are we called to be in Norge and the greater Williamsburg area at this point in

time? ~ When we do better what we do best, we are in a stronger place to add new strengths.

Thank you to all of you - for all you do and for who you are. Together, we are the body of Christ in this place. We have gifts worth celebrating. We have a ministry worth

celebrating. Thank you.

Peace, Pastor Alex

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AUGUST BIRTHDAYS

2 Jennie Miller

3 Terry Zimmerman 4 Cheri Lyons

5 Taylor Lyons 9 Ken Gustafson

16 Tess Kimmel 17 Ruby Lyons

Andy Priestley 22 David Stratton

26 Lynda Lyons

AUGUST

ANNIVERSARIES

2 Mr. & Mrs. Bill Rorer 25 Mr. & Mrs. Rob Schafer

Lifting in Prayer

Church family: Phyllis Cody, Katherine Ford, Jeanne Fullman,

Ann Gautreaux, John Held, Thelma Lee, Janice Leonard,

Liesa McGhee, Teena Opheim, Bill Rorer, William Rorer, III, and Lynn Starling.

Family and Friends: Gladys Allen, Sheila

Arpei, Lois Barber, Joan Beck, Donna Benson, Raymond & Catherine Bowles, Forrest

Braukhoff, Zadie Brown, Jeffrey Browner, Bill Carpenter, Ellen Cobb, Nancy Curtis, Sean

Dalton, Larry Felts, Carl Gaulkie, Kelly Gray, Kenny Gulden, Matthew Hafer, Bunny

Haynes, Susan Hutchens, Helen Hyatt, Allen

Jenson, Annie Johnson, K.M., Mike King, Evelyn Kirby, Rachel Lawson, Lindsay, Lloyd,

Katherine Martin, Vivian Matthews, Ray Minor, Donna Phillips, John Phillips, Maggie

Quinlan, Bill Ridenour, Robbie Robertson, Mary Satchwell, Pastor Tom Shelley, Preston

Smith, Richard Smith, Mary T., Pat Tabb, Louis Turnage, Sr., Sarah Waid, and Shelton

Whitehurst.

NOTE: If you have not seen your birthday or anniversary listed, and

would like it included, please contact the office at 757-564-3745

or email oslcnorge@verizon.net.

NOTE: To add or remove a person’s

name from the Prayer List, please contact the church office at 757-564-

3745 or email oslcnorge@verizon.net.

Feeding the hungry

Non-perishable items for our local food

pantry, FISH, Inc. can be placed in the Hall lobby. Please check expiration dates on

foods. Always welcome: cereals, canned meats, soups, Chef Boyardee items, beans,

peanut butter, and paper grocery bags with handles.

The Hope House Pregnancy Center is in

constant need of diapers, wipes, all baby needs such as blankets, bibs,

clothing, strollers, pack-and-play, and maternity clothes. Please leave

donations in the fellowship hall “Baby Crib”.

Irene Meyer irenekm4@yahoo.com.

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AUGUST 2019 LECTORS: USHERS: ASSISTING MINISTERS: 4 Bette Paddock 4 Ellen & Roger Picard 4 Richard Hartman 11 Pamela Wildenberger 11 Karen Dutton & Neal Miller 11 Brandon Tate 18 Richard Hartman 18 Adam & Michelle Priestley 18 Scott Braukhoff 25 Luther Hanson 25 Barbara Broady & Lynn Edwards 25 Evie Braukhoff

ACOLYTES: Rose Paddock 8/4 Ashley Venable 8/11 Nya Hubbard 8/18 Rose Paddock 8/25

ANNOUNCERS: Joanne Weber 8/4 Christine Weller 8/11 Richard Hartman 8/18 Scott Braukhoff 8/25

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 8:30-1 PM Flute Frenzy Camp 9:30-12 PM Family Focus

2 Church Office Closed 8:30-1 PM Flute Frenzy Camp

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4 8th Sunday after Pentecost 10:30 AM +Holy Communion 11:30 AM Coffee Fellowship 6:30 PM AA

5 9:30-12 PM Family Focus 7 PM Boy Scouts 7 PM Lydia Circle

6 10:30 AM Worship & Music Meeting @ Au Bon Pain 3-5:30 PM Playin' For Fun 6:30-8 PM Cub Scout Planning Mtg.-Conf.Room 7 PM AA

7 10 AM Staff Mtg. 4-9 PM Flute Frenzy

8 9:30-12 PM Family Focus

9 Church Office Closed

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11 9th Sunday after Pentecost 10:30 AM +Holy Communion 11:30 AM Coffee Fellowship 11:30 AM Parish Life Meeting 6:30 PM AA

12 9:30-12 PM Family Focus 7 PM Boy Scouts

13 3-5:30 PM Playin' For Fun 4:45 PM Hall Committee Meeting Conf. Rm. 7 PM AA

14 4-9 PM Flute Frenzy

15 9:30-12 PM Family Focus

16 Church Office Closed

17 10 AM Casserole Caravan

18 10th Sunday after Pentecost 10:30 AM +Holy Communion 11:30 AM Coffee Fellowship 12 PM Parish Council Meeting 6:30 PM AA

19 9:30-12 PM Family Focus 7 PM Boy Scouts

20 3-5:30 PM Playin' For Fun 7 PM AA

21 4-9 PM Flute Frenzy

22 9:30-12 PM Family Focus 10 AM Staff Mtg. 6:30 PM Executive Committee Meeting in Conference Room

23 Church Office Closed

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25 11th Sunday after Pentecost 10:30 AM +Holy Communion 11:30 AM Coffee Fellowship 6:30 PM AA

26 9:30-12 PM Family Focus 7 PM Boy Scouts

27 3-5:30 PM Playin' For Fun 6:30 PM BSA Troop Committee Meeting 6:30-8 PM Cub Scout Planning Meeting-Conf.Rm. 7 PM AA

28 4-9 PM Flute Frenzy

29 9:30-12 PM Family Focus

30 Church Office Closed 6-9 PM Jay's Jam

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