The Messenger
The Monthly Newsletter of Blessed Savior Lutheran Church
A Message from Pastor Sander
Dear Friends:
It has been six long months since our dear Blessed Savior embarked in this new phase of our existence with great restrictions due to Covid-19. By now you have received several letters – email or USPS – informing you of the many changes we had to implement in order to follow the recommendations of Health Officials and Government mandates.
The deferment of all on campus activities – except the staff – has really changed the look and feel of our congregation. The Fellowship Hall is empty, and the lights are off. The classrooms are silent. The parking lot is deserted except for Sunday mornings. All these difficult measures had to be taken to give us a fighting chance to curb the spread of this deadly virus.
This is the first pandemic our world is facing in over one hundred years. It has nothing to do with politics. Some people prefer to listen to politicians instead of to scientists and Health Officials. This attitude only prolongs the plague. It helps spread the virus instead of containing it.
Even though one does not see a lot of activity at Blessed Savior these days, spiritually we are strong and thriving. Just in the past month our congregation has distributed grants and designated gifts to over ten different charities and missionary causes. A total of $27,000.00 has been given away. We can only do this because faith and the works of faith you, the members of Blessed Savior, are doing. These works are now as strong as ever! This shows that we are a spiritually mature congregation. The health of the church lies in the faith – not activities – of its people. Activities are a result and not the cause of faith!
Our Board of Elders and the Church Council are examining monthly the state of the pandemic and adjusting our ministry accordingly. I pray you to be patient and kind to one another as we serve the Lord in unity and harmony. The Lord bless you this Fall and through the end of the year!
In His service, your Pastor Martinho Q. Sander
Serving Us in Worship
Elders
Sunday 8:00am
Sept 6-Jim Burow
Sept 13-Dan Gutenberger
Sept 20-Jim Burow
Sept 27-TBD
Sunday 10:30am -Jerry Sutton (primary) & Bob Kunz (secondary)
Ushers
Sunday 8:00am - Saeger Team #1
Sunday 10:30am - Sutton Team #2
September Birthdays & Anniversaries
Preschool News
Sent To Serve
Blessed Savior continues to have the opportunity to serve and we will do so this fall with a brand new staff in the preschool and childcare! We are so very excited to welcome Mrs. Angela Heisler as our lead childcare teacher, Mrs. Laura Kidd as our lead 3K teacher, and Mrs. Jenny Otto as our lead 4K extended class teacher. All of these wonderful ladies have served in Lutheran schools and for the first time in our 30 year history we have a complete LC-MS staff! Praise be to God for leading these wonderful believers in Christ to serve here at Blessed Savior! To see our full preschool newsletter, please click below!
Endowment Fund - Homeless and Destitute Grants
College Addresses
YouTube
Youth Group
Operation Christmas Child
Operation Christmas Child is back at Blessed Savior. The task is to simply fill a shoe box with some simple goodies for different aged boys and girls. It will look a little different this year, but we still get the opportunity to share the love of Jesus with countless across the globe! There are two ways in which you can participate this year, you can fill a box online here https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/buildonline/ or you can pick up a traditional box from church! Boxes will be available outside the church doors in a bin! Remember to fill your box with a WOW item, personal care items, crafts/activities, toys, and a personal note! Please do NOT include the following: Candy; toothpaste; gum; war-related items such as toy guns, knives, or military figures; chocolate or food; seeds; fruit rolls or other fruit snacks; drink mixes (powdered or liquid); liquids or lotions; medications or vitamins; breakable items such as snow globes or glass containers; aerosol cans. Traditional boxes are due back to church no later than Sunday, November 8th.
Sunday School at Home
If you are a family that has a child ages 2-8th grade, and you did not receive a bag of goodies on your porch, please contact Jennifer Leinss or Jaime Greene. We will get you one ASAP!
Soles for Jesus
Portals of Prayer and Devotionals
School Supplies
Confirmation Instruction News
Parents and confirmands! This is for you! Throughout this school year we will have a monthly meeting in the fellowship hall at church. This will happen on the last Wednesday of each month. Please mark your calendars. Our first meeting will be on Wednesday, September 30, at 6:30 p.m. Jaime Greene and Pastor Sander will try their best to take the “ouch” out of confirmation instruction. We know our students and their families are already under a lot of stress with the pandemic. These meetings are designed to ease that stress and reassure you all that the Lord has not abandoned us! Please make every effort to join us!
Goodbye Kathy and Thank You!
Financial Update
General Offerings: $322,142.48
General Expenses: ($321,507.90)
$634.58
Preschool Income: $98,141.93
Preschool Expenses: ($98,637.21)
($495.28)
Other Offerings: $123,959.20
Other Expenses: ($75,602.09)
$48,357.11
Total Offerings, Less Expenses: $48,496.41
Membership
Average Weekly July Attendance:
Average YouTube Worship Views: 93
Official Acts
Nora Petroff
Parker Accola
New Members:
Membership Loss Due to Death: