Friday, May 28, 2010

SUNDAY SCHOOL YEAR IN REVIEW

Now that we've completed the 2009-2010 school year, we'd like to share some photos of Sunday school with you. What a wonderful bunch of kids and teachers we had!

Kim Timmerman with the Sunshine Class for preschoolers and kindergardeners (they're are wearing crowns to celebrate the Epiphany)

The cool Confirmation Class in the sanctuary

Melony Orr and Louis Nguyen as the day's greeters

Dr. Mike Schweitzer, Kim Timmerman and the Sunshine Class working on a project

Zoey Timmerman, Ethan Schweitzer and Kai Timmerman showing off their homemade John the Baptist "camel hide" coats

Ellicha Gage and Kaylee Lawson singing Amazing Grace with Tom Bourcier accompanying

Riley Gage grinning in the sanctuary

The Sunday school kids during the children's sermon illustrating the "fishers of men" story

Shauna Erickson and Alanna Pleasants showing off their lovely flashing tiarras

Louis and Pastor sporting funny gear

Pastor and the Sunday school kids on Holy Hilarity Sunday

Sunday school kids providing percussion for worship

Dr. Mike and Lisa Rethwisch talking about the burning bush story with the Sunshine Class in a campfire ring fashion

Melony and Louis enjoying Confirmation Class

Kaylee Lawson and her Confirmation teacher, James Horkheimer

The entire Sunday school group at our annual Christmas pageant

Alanna Pleasants, Soraya Reyes and Zoey Timmerman with "Baby Jesus" played by Chloe Magnusson during the Christmas pageant

Jack Schweitzer showing his burning bush art project

Alanna Pleasants with her paper box project done in the Cool Kids Class

Emily Rethwisch and her art project

Jazmine Rathbun in action—making her art project

Nicholas Rethwish showing his Sunshine Class project

Susan Finley teaching the Celebration Class

Dr. Mike and the little learners in the Sunshine Class

Sunday school students singing and playing instruments during the opening musical session

Kyle Hitchins working on his lesson in the Celebration Class

Carla Pleasants teaching her Cool Kids class to upper elementary students

The smiling students

Vern Timmerman, James Horkheimer and the Confirmation Class

Sunday, May 23, 2010

CONFIRMATION SUNDAY 2010


Today on Pentecost Sunday, two young people in our congregation affirmed their baptism through the rite of confirmation. The confirmands, Mason Libke and Ellicha Gage, are pictured with Pastor Laura Gentry above.


Below are their personally written faith statements, which they read to the congregation during worship.


MASON’S FAITH STATEMENT



It is hard to believe that I am finally getting confirmed. I was baptized in this church as a small child and here I am—already 14 years old!


I really enjoy anything to with sports or anything active that will get my heart pumping. The best way to describe myself is that I try to get along with everyone. I don't really care what people think about me. My motto is to be true to myself as well as others. I think I've gained this confidence through my involvement here.


My family started coming here when I was a pretty little guy. I grew with the church. I'm sure you all remember the time when I told Pastor during the children's sermon that I thought there was a chicken's foot on the Christmas tree! Or maybe even the time when I was the monkey on the piano bench in our Christmas program. I was always the one who got the laughs whenever the children's choir performed. I have a made lot of great memories here with you all.


Most importantly, my faith in God—the Father, Son and Holy Spirit—has grown. So on this important day as I affirm my faith, I'd like to tell you what I have come to believe.


I believe in God the Father. He made me and everything that exists. He gives me all I need—a family, friends, food, shelter and lots of great pets. I want to always be thankful for the things God the Father has given me.


I believe in Jesus Christ. He is God's son and my Savior. He died and gave his life for us. I believe he was a great leader and teacher and he relates to me through faith and prayer.


I believe the Holy Spirit lives within me and in every single person in my community because you are all great people. I also believe the Spirit lives within us through faith, courage, and wisdom. I know that the Spirit will be with me throughout my whole life and that makes me glad.


I believe I live differently now. I have been going to Sunday School and Confirmation for 7 years now. I've learned that God will always love me. I believe God has changed my life in a positive way because I really enjoy going to Sugar Creek Bible camp. By going to camp I can meet new friends and have my faith grow. By the way, thanks for all those camp scholarships. It really has changed my life! I believe my faith will help me in the future by staying active in the church.


I would like to thank you all here today for supporting me through the years I have been here and motivating me to go all the way just so I can be standing where I am now. I would like to make a special thanks to my teachers: Pastor, Jamie, Lavern, Wendy, and my mom for all the extra support and helping me grow in faith. Most of all, I want to thank God for loving me and guiding me to this church where I could come to know this love so fully.


ELLICHA’S FAITH STATEMENT



I am Ellicha Gage. I am 14 years old. I love to swim, sing, do gymnastics and hang out with my family and friends. I would describe myself as an energetic person. I am always upbeat and on-the-go. I am also a member of the Lansing Laughter Club.


Two years ago, I came to Our Savior’s Lutheran Church out of my own will. Pastor Laura talked to my mom and my mom said it would be a good thing for me. This has helped my faith because I’ve learned many stories from the bible, the Apostle’s Creed and the Ten Commandments and many other things too.


I learned how God created you and me. He even created the world. Because we are created in God’s image, we all look like God and to me, that is a wonderful thing! I am so glad.


I also learned about Jesus. I relate to him in many ways because he was not only God’s son, but he was also truly human. Because of this, I think he understands what we go through with all the hard times we’ve had. Perhaps we can even understand what he went through when he suffered and died on the cross for us.


God’s Spirit, I learned, is always with me, you and everybody. I believe the Holy Spirit is following me and guiding me in my life. It is what gives me wisdom and direction when I need it most.


Now that I have learned about the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I think differently. My faith is stronger beacuse I know that God is with me. God has changed my life. Now that I understand he is with me wherever I go day or night, I have confidence.


I am glad to be affirming my baptism today through confirmation. God adopted me into the family when I was baptized as a baby and now I am able to say yes to that adoption. I don’t know what God has in store for me in the future, but I hope it is good and great things will come out of it.


I would like to thank the church for everything, especially for giving me a full scholarship to go to Camp EWALU last summer. It was amazing. This year, I am going again and I hope it will be like last year without swamping the canoe.


Above is Ellicha with her mother, Angela, at the confirmation reception following worship.

We also honored our Sunday school teachers and thanked them for their service by presenting them with red impatiens. They are pictured above: Carla Pleasants, Jamie Horkheimer and Susan Finley. Not pictured is Mike Schweitzer.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

THE KIRKS CELEBRATE 50 YEARS OF MARRIAGE


On Saturday, May 16th, Our Savior's Lutheran members Owen and Dorothy Kirk held a party at Milty's to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, which is May 21st. We congratulate them and ask God's continued blessing upon their happy union.

If you'd like to send them a card, please address it to:
Brian Fuller, Attn: Owen & Dorothy Kirk, P.O. Box 42, Charles City, Iowa 50616.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

BOURCIER WINS BEST ORIGINAL SCORE


Our Savior’s Lutheran Church is proud to announce that our church musician, Tom Bourcier, is the recipient of the Iowa Motion Picture Association Award for Excellence for Best Original Music Score for his work on the film “Rebirth,” directed by Francesca Soans. The winners were announced at the annual Iowa Motion Picture Awards ceremony on May 1, 2010 at the Downtown Des Moines Holiday Inn.


The IMPA competition features two levels of recognition: awards of achievement and awards of excellence. Awards of excellence go to the highest scoring nominees in class.


More than 140 entries from all areas of the state were received and judged in categories ranging from screenwriting and acting to editing and directing.


The IMPA is a professional organization that works to promote and enhance the talents and skills of Iowa’s film, video and multimedia production community.


“Rebirth” is a 30-minute fiction film, written and directed by Soans and shot on digital video. The film explores the stories of three women: Kalpa, an Indian immigrant; Helen, a Norwegian-American; and Laura, a Mexican-American. The film provides a complex look at race, religion, and politics in a small town in Iowa.


Bourcier holds the master of music degree in composition from Western Michigan University. He teaches at Luther College and has been the church musician at Our Savior’s since February of 2009. He has played two fundraising concerts at the church.