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July 2024 Lightshine
“A story for the healing of America”
“As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience.” Colossians 3:12
Dear friends in Christ,
A poor widow suffered a terrible loss when her only son passed away. Heartbroken and grieving, she decided to visit her pastor. She shared the deep sadness and sense of despair at the thought of facing life without him. She said that he was a good boy. She loved and missed him dearly. The pastor listened with great concern for the journey now completed and what lay ahead as she struggled to find any meaning in living and a reason to hope. They spoke together of God’s love in Jesus. How we are never away from his presence. God’s hard-won gift to his children was Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross that gave us eternal life and resurrection. The pastor had admired her son, his great courage and strength as he endured the harsh treatments of chemo and radiation along with the nausea and tiredness. She admitted a sense of relief that he was no longer suffering. But now she grieved his passing and lacked any sense of purpose. They prayed. As she got up to leave, the pastor thanked her for coming. She was always welcome to return and speak again. Then he said, “I hope I am not being too forward. If I am, I apologize. Concerning your thoughts about finding a purpose or a reason for living. I have a question for you. Would you go to your neighbors and ask, “Is this a house in which there is no sorrow?” Then come back and tell me what you find.
Is this a house in which there is no sorrow? Joan and I walk several miles every morning. Last Saturday, a neighbor whose husband is awaiting transplant surgery saw us and came running over. She reported that her sister was here on a visit. How their spirits had lifted. They were doing better. We celebrated her good news and said we were praying for them. We walked about a half mile down Main Street to find a man and his spouse with whom we often exchange friendly morning greetings. They were sitting on the front porch. He looked tired as he held a red pillow kidney shaped pillow. We inquired how they were doing? He clutched the pillow and with a raspy voice said that he had just returned from the hospital. He had unexpected heart bypass surgery. But he was doing good and pressing forward toward healing. “Keep us posted and we will pray for you!” Then walking only one block south a black and white dog suddenly darted out onto Main
Street without a leash or companion. While I signaled for traffic to slow down, Joan and a college aged jogger ran down the street and caught him. She said they had a fenced front yard. We could place the dog there while we sought help. As we turned the corner at Doc Carey’s house, a man frantic and worried face pulled up in an SUV. He rolled down the window and shouted, “Have you seen a black and white dog? He ran away from my son.” With great joy, we could respond, “Yes!” Then we led him back to the house where his dog waited in the front yard. He picked up the puppy. At their happy reunion with shared relief and delight, the dog began licking his face. He burst out laughing and shouted to us, “Thank you!”
Could the source of America’s current malaise find its solution in the widow’s question to neighbors, “Is this a house in which there is no sorrow?” Have we forgotten how to be good neighbors in our community and in the world? That we would listen, then respond with love and support, seek to help one another, pray for each other before God and find our mutual healing.
In Christ’s love, P. Dave
PRAYERS FOR JULY 2024…
Prayers of thanks…
+ Thank you, Kaylee Swickert for singing, “O Beautiful for Spacious Skies” at worship.
+ For successful surgery installing a friend’s pace maker and removing a friend’s skin cancer.
+ Thank you for God’s gifts of faith, supplying strength and wisdom as we face life’s challenges.
Prayers for healing and those who mourn.
+ For friends who are battling dementia, the family and loved ones who support and provide care.
+ For friends on dialysis awaiting transplant surgery.
+ That God would comfort all who mourn the passing of loved ones and friends.
JOKES
+ Was the Declaration of Independence written in Philadelphia?
No, it was written in ink!
+ What did the colonists wear to the Boston Tea Party?
Tea-shirts!
+ What ghost haunted King George III?
The Spirit of ’76!
A prayer for America as we celebrate our Independence Day..
O Lord, we praise You, for You have created us for freedom and have set us free to be in Jesus Christ. Refresh our hearts remembering the dedication and sacrifice of all who went before us, for the dreams and sacrifice of heroic men and women, help us to appreciate honest and just men and women who live obeying the laws and not serving self. Forgive us when our patriotism is hollow, when our love of country becomes arrogant, and our allegiance is halfhearted. Stir us with thanksgiving for all that we have inherited, to be vigilant working for the freedom of all people and sharing their willingness to sacrifice for others and the common good. Keep us from selfishness and narrow mindedness, hatred and bigotry, purge us from racism’s curse, for each destroys rather than builds up. That we may seek good for neighbors near and far holding your love in our hearts and showing love to others in our words and actions. That all people may be free to enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Amen
On giving our offerings and tithes...
We obligate ourselves to bring the first fruits of our soil and the first fruits of every tree, year by year to the house of the Lord…. We will not neglect the house of our God.”
Nehemiah 10:35, 39.
These words were spoken by God’s servants Ezra and Nehemiah and God’s people as their Covenant with God when they dedicated the rebuilt walls and Temple in Jerusalem. In thanks they promised to bring their first fruits offerings and to not neglect the house of God. We have a beautiful building in which to worship and serve God and carry out our ministry to the greater Fox Valley Community. Thank you for not neglecting God’s house by regularly attending worship on site or the Facebook page. Thank you for not neglecting God’s house sharing your gifts of time, abilities and money giving your first fruits tithes and offerings to support this ministry and help pay the mortgage, for your participation and prayers asking God to lead, guide and bless our work for him and serving his people. Thank you for not neglecting the house of the Lord volunteering to serve in our many ministries and help take care of our Father’s house. We invite you to pray and find your place as together we give to God our first fruits gifts and carry out our promise that we will not neglect the house of our God.
Call the church office for more info, ask for Ann or Barb. Thank you and God bless.
Volunteers needed and appreciated.
1- Clean the church on Thursdays at 9:30 or any time you are available. Our small group mission is to help clean the house of the Lord. Pray that we find another good janitor. Can you dust, operate a vacuum, mop the floor, wash a window? We have a place for you.
2- Our Savior’s is delivering Meals on Wheels in July. We and our seniors thank you for volunteering!
OUR SAVIOR’S 2024 CARRY OUT CHICKEN BBQ IS AUGUST 10 ...
We waited a whole year for the “Best Church Chicken” BBQ … served with the smile...
Tickets are $18! This delicious meal includes ½ chicken, pasta salad, baked beans, a roll, apple sauce and a cookie. We are grilling and preparing to serve 1,100 meals! We ask that you sell or buy 10 tickets. Let us know when you need more. We haven’t raised the price of this great meal in 3 years while food costs and supplies have risen by over 35%. We have a beautiful building and a mortgage to pay. All proceeds raised at the annual Chicken BBQ and Auction go to help pay the mortgage. Our principal balance on 7/1/2023 was $462,677, on 7/1/2024 it is $375,407. Thank you for being generous and working hard. Besides it’s a lot of fun…
The Our Savior’s Fall 2024 auction...
Coming soon this fall.. Our Savior’s Best Church Auction of the year full of exciting super and one-of-a-kind items.
The question in the minds of every member and friend of Our Savior’s is, “What will I donate to the auction this year to help pay the mortgage?”
Our starter list of exciting items includes:
- “All you need is Love” Green Bay Packer hat,
- a book bird house - Gene Westerberg,
- a Wisconsin Best beer, brat and cheese basket,
- a Caitlin Clark Jersey, and
- a bid of $100 on Joan Kaul’s honey oat bread.
You might donate a gift certificate to area restaurants or business, homemade cookies of all kinds, delicious bakery, brownies, pies, cakes, gift baskets full of items, Wine baskets, Polish Pottery, Christmas items/carvings, yard furniture, a butchered hog, sports items, Chicago Bear/Caleb Williams, Cubs or White Sox, Sandwich Fair items, a rocking chair. Please turn in your auction item by July 28th, if possible. We’d like to include a current auction list with the BBQ meals and invitation to Our Savior’s worship
Below is our BBQ work schedule. We invite you to jump in and help us where and whenever you can!
Where can I help??
The Carry out Chicken BBQ is August 10th.
* Loan O.S. your electric roaster, needed August 3rd
* Donate 4 lbs. of Bacon - Cooked and crumbled to be delivered Thursday, August 8th ...
* Bake cookies
Friday Food preparation... Friday at 5
*Mix up salads and beans and place in containers
Saturday is Chicken Carry Out Day...
* 9:00 a.m. - Chicken cookers begin cooking chicken
* 9-11 a.m. - Kitchen helpers - line coolers and more;
Set up tables for serving lines.
* 3:30 p.m.- “Chicken Carry out workers, Assemble...”
* Traffic Control
* Ticket sales
* Packing dinners
* Food runners
* Deliver dinners to our diners...
* Clean up our mess from 4-6:00
*6:00 p.m. - Give thanks to God, we just sold and delivered 1,100 delicious meals...
Sign up in the narthex soon.. thank you!
*** Would you like to order an Our Savior’s T-shirt? Call or e-mail the church office with your size by July 22.