Installation Service
for
Pastor Philip Scharnitzke

When you read this, there is a chance the Scharnitzke’s will finally be in transit through the real mountains of the West (before August 5th, Lord willing). It’s almost hard to believe that we began this journey together four months ago, yet it’s true.

Again, this real life experience is similar to our trek to heaven. At many instances of life, it seems that our transitory existence here is in disarray, scattered, or even spread out from coast to coast (so to speak.) Even so, we are assured by our Lord that this time of uncertainty in this world will come to an end giving way to something better.

Isaiah prophesied that, “On this mountain I will prepare a feast for you,” declares the Lord, “the finest wines, and the best meats” etc.

Each time we gather for public worship, we are given a glimpse of this party. Sometimes we even sing about it: “this is the feast of victory for our God.” So, I pray that your worship along the way will make the spiritual journey a little easier to bear when things are tough, and a lot more fun to celebrate when things are good!

Rooted in Grace, Growing in Faith, Serving with Joy, we are getting Through The Mountains together - as the Family of God.

When the Nominating Committee was looking for people to run for the Lay Governing Board last spring, one of the questions that we heard most often from potential nominees was “What does the Lay Governing Board actually do, anyway?” We tried to answer that question as best we could, but it’s likely that even the people who were elected did not fully understand what they were getting into. So let me give it another try.

Pastor Scharnitzke likes to use sports analogies, but I am more of a political junkie than a sports fan, so let me use an illustration from the U.S. Government. The Lay Governing Board (LGB) is sort of like the Congress, while the Senior Pastor is sort of like the President of the United States. That is, the LGB is the “legislative” branch: we are the ones who decide WHERE Our Savior Lutheran Ministries should be going and WHEN we should get there. On the other hand, the Senior Pastor is the head of the “executive” branch: he is the one who carries out the decisions of the LGB, and he gets to decide HOW to do this and WHO should do the actual work. And finally, the LGB (like the Congress) has OVERSIGHT responsibilities: we need to work closely with the Senior Pastor to make sure that he is in fact taking us in the right direction.

Even though this is a very imperfect analogy, I hope it clarifies things a bit.

Our Savior Lutheran Ministries’ theme for this year – CrossRoads – is based on John 14:5c- 6a, “’So how can we know the way?’ Jesus answered, ‘I am the way.’”

Think about the years of preschool through eighth grade (roughly from age 3 to age 13). Think of all the decisions a child must make between these ages. Think of all the “facts of life” that a child must learn. A child is continually standing at a crossroads, needing to decide which path of life to take. As they make those decisions it is Our Savior Lutheran School’s task to help our students make them in the light of the Cross – and the Savior who died on that cross and rose again – for them and you! Our students stand at the CrossRoads and we at OSLS stand at the CROSSroads with them. More importantly, we will be sharing with all our students that God stands there too!

As always, a new year brings new highlights and emphases. Let me draw your attention to a few of them:

Teacher Roster – We will have five new teachers at OSLS this year, with a new position, music teacher, added to our school staff. Following are the teachers for the upcoming year:

Principal: Dennis Dirks
Eighth grade: Forrest Adams and Rebecca Rogers
Seventh Grade: Jill Davis and Sarah Handrock
Sixth Grade: Mickey Angerman and Lynn Dirks
Fifth Grade: Linda Greenhagen and Lawren Miller
Fourth Grade: Debbie Jalanivich and Renee Neal-Joslin
Third Grade: Karen Poppe and Christina Ramos
Second Grade: Regina Juan and Rebecca Miller
First Grade: Darren Hill and Ceres Krohn
Kindergarten: Tonina Dobbs and Christine Townsend
Spanish: Sarah Handrock
Music/Band Teacher: Amanda Newman
Math (Algebra): Anna Belaustegui
Resource Teacher: Nora Zinnel
Athletic Director / P.E. Teacher: Fred Brauer
Computer: Janet Connolly and Kathy Newman
Library: Shirley Breheny
Special Projects Teacher: Joe Ryno
Assistant Principal: Jayne Managan

Note: Names in bold are new to Our Savior Lutheran School this year. We are pleased to have them join the OSLS faculty. Please welcome them!

We will have 5 new teachers! In alphabetical order they are:

• Mickey Angerman comes to us with 25 years of experience in teaching and administration. She graduated from Concordia University, Seward. She will be teaching 6th grade English and literature, and 7th grade literature.
• Jill Davis has 15 years of experience teaching almost every grade from preschool through grade 12! She will be teaching our grade 6-8 science classes.
• Regina Juan served OSLS last year as a most faithful substitute teacher. She joins our faculty with 7 years of experience teaching second grade in public schools.
• Amanda Newman will be our K-5 music teacher and band director. She is a new graduate from Concordia University, Mequon (Milwaukee). She is a music major and will be under the exemplary tutelage of Christa Even!
• Rebecca Rogers will be an 8th grade homeroom teacher. She is teaching 7th & 8th grade English and 8th grade literature. She is also a new graduate, and she is from Concordia University, Irvine. She is an English major, but also loves music, drama, and sports!

Following is important information for you:

• School Uniforms - Yes, school uniforms are required this year at OSLS. We strongly encourage every parent (and student) to carefully follow the guidelines. If you are unclear about any requirement, please contact the school office for clarifications. Thank you for your cooperation!
• School Chapel – We will again be having chapel in the sanctuary every Thursday at 8:40 a.m. (ending approximately at 9:20 a.m.). Once again we encourage everyone to attend as often as is possible. Our theme is CrossRoads – Come and Journey. It is extremely uplifting to hear the children praise their Lord!
• School Visits - As in past years, parents and students will have the opportunity to visit their child’s classroom prior to the start of school. This is an important visit since students (and parents) see where the student will be sitting, see textbooks to be used in the upcoming year, become familiar with the classroom environment, and of course, meet and talk with the teacher. Parents will also be receiving additional information which includes: handbook, band info, choir info, etc.
• School Work Day – We have scheduled a work day on Saturday, August 26th. We are seeking your help in getting everything “just perfect” for the start of school. We invite parents to help us wash windows, power wash sidewalks, etc. Join us any time on August 26th from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Any help for any portion of this time is greatly appreciated! THANKS!
• Classroom/Recess Aides – We are often in need of recess supervisor / classroom aides. The hours of coverage are from approximately 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. If interested in applying for any future openings, please contact Jayne Managan at 447- 2082, ext. 262.
• Substitute Teachers – We are in need of increasing our available substitutes. In you are interested or know of someone who may be interested, please contact Sherry Mullins, 447-2082, ext. 226.

School Hours – School hours for next year are the same as last year, namely:

• Kindergarten – We will have a gradual start for kindergarten students to assist them in their transition into full day kindergarten.
• Week One (August 30-September 1) – 8:30- 11:30 a.m. (Doors open at 8:15 a.m.)
• Week Two – (September 5-8) 8:30 a.m. -1:15 p.m. (Doors open at 8:15 a.m.)
• Thereafter – 8:30 a.m. - 2:45 p.m. (Doors open at 8:15 a.m.)
• Grades 1-5 – 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (Doors open at 8:15 a.m.)
• Grades 6-8 – 8:15 a.m. – 3:15 p.m. (Doors open at 8:00 a.m.)

Back-to-School Nights are scheduled for:

• Grades 6-8 - Tuesday, September 5th at 7:00 p.m. beginning in the Sanctuary
.
• Grades K-5 - Thursday, September 7th at 7:00 p.m. beginning in the Sanctuary. (Preschool parents will also be invited to a preschool “Open House” earlier on this same evening.)

We begin school on Wednesday, August 30, 2006 – our 32nd year! To God be the Glory! Teachers will be reporting to school in just a few short weeks! It will be an exciting year full of learning and growth where we will help our students on the CrossRoads of living. Thank you for entrusting your child(ren) to our care!

We wish we could talk with every one of you and tell you how much you have meant to us in our time here at Our Savior. We have been very blessed by the friendships that have formed and will remember them as we move back to Texas.

We know that our departure brings both surprise and sadness. We have experienced these same emotions and have also been filled with excitement by the Holy Spirit for this new opportunity.

Even though we are leaving, we will still have many connections with OSLM. We will keep you in our prayers and hope that you will do the same for us. If you would like to contact us, please call the church office.

We are very thankful to have served at Our Savior Lutheran Ministries. God’s blessings on your continued journey serving His Kingdom!

Brett & Lauren Bortnem

• Blood Pressure Monitoring will be offered in the Family Room after the worship service on the first and third Sundays of each month.
• Pinochle Club—This group meets on the second Tuesday evening of the month. Everyone is invited to come out for a game of cards on Tuesday, August 8, from 7—9 p.m. in Room 18. Come and join in the fun!
• The Christian Reading Club of Our Savior meets on a monthly basis to share insights and reactions to a monthly reading assignment. During the summer, we’ll be reading A Skeleton in God's Closet, a novel by Paul L. Maier, noted Lutheran Historian, Pastor, and a current Vice-President of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. (ISBN #0-8407-3424-7.) This book is available at local bookstores or at www.amazon.com. We’ll meet for our discussion time on Tuesday, September 19, from 7:00-8:30 p.m. in Room 8. Call Steve Christopher at 447-1246 ext. 228 for more information.

Upcoming Events

• Mark your calendar for Vacation Bible School at Our Savior: July 30 - August 3 from 6 - 8:30 p.m. It will be for the whole family!

So, the question goes, "What's next?" We are already in the process of collecting names of candidates to fill the Youth Director position and hope to begin the interviewing process within the next few weeks. Please keep this process in your prayers! As far as other activities are concerned, Youth Bible Class will continue to meet on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. in the Youth Room, and listed below is the THURSDAY NIGHT LINE UP FOR HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH for the next several weeks! We hope you will stay connected!

• Thursday, August 3. No youth night due to VBS. However all youth are invited to come and help out all week beginning on Sunday, July 30, starting at 6 p.m.
• Thursday, August 10. POOL PARTY at the home of Alyssa and Adam Cordes from 7 - 9 p.m. Please meet at the Cordes’ home. Call the church office at 447-1246 if you need directions. Snacks will be provided! Bring a liter of soda!
• Thursday, August 17. Youth Night, 7 - 9 p.m. in gym. END OF SUMMER CELEBRATION. Yup, it’s the last youth night before school starts! Come and see your friends and enjoy the last few days of freedom!
• Thursday, August 24. Youth Night, 7 - 9 p.m. in the gym. BACK TO SCHOOL youth night discussion. We’ll do a game and then spend time talking about the new school year, swapping stories of the first week and looking ahead to a great year in 06 - 07.
• Thursday, August 31. Youth Night, 7 - 9 p.m. in the gym and youth room. This will be a time for us to do some program PLANNING for the youth group. Come with your ideas and we’ll put together the calendar for the next year!!

How can we know the way? Jesus answered, “I am the way.” John 14: 5c - 6a

As our summer comes to an end and we prepare for the school year to come, I am sure that we all saw many crossroads this summer in our travels. You may have said things like: “Which way should we go?” or “Which road is going to lead me where I need to go or want to go?” Or you may have seen signs that have helped you as you travel on the roads to your destination, like:

• Stop
• Danger
• Do Not Enter
• Road Construction Ahead

I believe God sends us signs as we travel along the road of life. He occasionally sends “Stop” and “Danger” signs, and I sometimes ignore them. Being in His word is one way to see clearly the signs He puts in front of us.

As we prepare for another year at the ECDC, we will be watching for signs. God has blessed us with over 120 children this next year. Our staff is anxiously waiting to begin another wonderful year showing the children in our care the signs of God’s love. A caring grandmother, a loving family, a smiling teacher, a special friend—these are all signs that God gives us to show us that He loves us. The one sign that we as a staff intend on sharing with the children is the cross of God’s love. No matter where we may go, God is always with us, loving us. The signs of His love always lead us back to the cross.

We have a wonderful staff this year. We ask that you pray for us and for the families of the ECDC as we begin sharing the signs of God’s love with them.

Are you a closet or even shower musician? Maybe it’s time for you to put your musical enthusiasm to use in a new way! As we approach fall, think and pray about participating in a musical group at Our Savior. Music is such a wonderful gift from God – and a way we can communicate our praise to him as well as uplift those who come to worship services each Sunday. Opportunities to participate abound – we WELCOME new people in ALL of our groups. Look over the possibilities below and join us!

• Youth Ensemble (High School choir)
  Rehearsals on Sundays, time to be announced.
  First Rehearsal: September 10.
  Sing for worship services about once a month.
• Our Savior Choir (Adults, Young Adults)
  Rehearsals on Thursdays, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
  First Rehearsal: September 7.
  Sing for worship services three times a month.
• Women’s Ensemble
  Rehearsals tentatively on Wednesdays from 9:00-9:50 a.m. in the music room.
  Sing for worship services about once a month.
  First Rehearsal: September 6
• Our Savior Ringers (High School through adult)
  Rehearsals on Mondays, 7:00-8:15 p.m.
  First Rehearsal: September 11
  Play for worship services about once a month.
• Handbell Small Ensembles (High school through adult)
  Rehearsals set by each group – call Christa Even (447-1246, ext. 231) if interested.
  Play for worship as often as desired.
• Brass Ensemble
  Rehearsals are several Tuesdays or Wednesdays each month.
  Play for festival and holiday worship services (other times as we are ready).
  Call Christa Even if you have not played with us before and would like to join!
• Guitarists, Bass Players, Percussionists, Keyboard Players Join us at 9:00 a.m. the Saturday before the 3rd Sunday of each month as we prepare for our worship service using this instrumentation. We’d love to have some additional players.
• Other Instrumentalists
  Call Christa Even (447-1246, ext. 231) if you would like to add your music to a worship service.
• Children’s Musical Group
  Click here to find out about our children’s choirs for 1st through 8th grades.
  Click here for information about handbells/handchimes for 4th through 8th grades.

Choir members (junior high and high school students welcome!), brass instrumentalists, and handbell ringers: we need your musical assistance for Pastor Scharnitzke’s installation service at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 27. In order to prepare, choir and handbells will meet as follows:

• Wednesday, August 16
  Choir: 7 pm - 8 pm
  Bells: 8 pm-9 pm
• Wednesday, August 23
  Same schedule

Brass Players Tentative Schedule

• Thursdays, August 16 and 23
  7 pm rehearsals

Please click here for the Preliminary Financial Report for June and also the Preliminary Fiscal Year Report for July 2005 to June 2006.

The mission pledge is current and all expenses have been paid through the budget year.

General Giving is down 12% for June and down 3.5% YTD.

Balances in our checking and savings accounts total $612,666 which includes $50,266 remaining for the Ministry Center. Architectural fees are being paid out of this fund. The pledges for the Ministry Center totaled $137,248.

Pledges for the continuation program totaled $706,284 of which $652,074 has been received. We pay the church portion of the mortgage from this account. Monthly pledges needed to make the mortgage payment are $22,000. In June we received $13,886.

As a reminder, the Building Up – Reaching Out program began July 1, 2006. The pledges total $1,006,859 vs. a goal of $1,296,000. This leaves a shortage of $289,141 which will need to be covered by 1) increasing the pledges, or; 2) lowering the construction costs, or; 3) third source funding. Through June we have received $21,500.

Attention, men! Mark your calendar now for the upcoming Men's Retreat, September 15 - 17, 2006 at Redwood Christian Park in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

The cost for a deluxe room is $179 per person with two to a room. Cabins will be $139 per person with four to five to a room.

Click here for more information or contact Steve Christopher at 925-447-1246, ext. 228.

We have received the first response from the City of Livermore regarding our changed drawings. They have indicated where we need additional fire exits and our architect is working with your committee on the required changes.

We are also waiting on the final air conditioning equipment designs so we can submit complete drawings to our contractor. Once we have done that, Overaa can proceed to give us cost and schedule estimates with which to seek financing.

As always, we ask for your prayers and support.

Sunday, July 30 – Thursday, August 3, 6:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Join us at Treasure Cove, where we’ll discover the riches of Christ! A casual dinner will be served at 6 p.m. There will be classes for kids age 3 through 5th grade, nursery care for kids under age 3, and classes for adults! It’s sure to be an awesome week – full of worship, fun and games, crafts, and Bible stories! It's not too late to join us - stop by the church office and fill out a registration form!

For sometime now Charlie Swift, a long-time member of Our Savior, has been printing up personal business cards for members of OSLM. At this time he is now offering them to any member of the congregation. He has three different varieties available, one which includes a picture of the outside of the church, another with a picture of the inside, and a third which has a symbol of the Lord’s Supper.

These cards include information about the church location, phone, and service times as well as any personal information that you would like to have on the card. This is a great resource to have available for personal outreach as you have opportunity.

To order your cards, look for Charlie on a Sunday morning or call the church office at 447-1246.

Our Savior Lutheran Ministries is a Christian Community--

• Rooted in Grace
• Growing in Faith
• Serving with Joy

Worship Schedule

• Sunday Worship and Communion: 9:00 a.m.
• Sunday School for all ages: 10:30 a.m.

Critical Targets and Goals

To accomplish our mission and ministry here at Our Savior:

• Pastor: A new Senior Pastor has been installed by October 1, 2006.
• Worship Attendance: The average weekly worship attendance for 2006-07 is 15% greater than for 2005-06.
• Community Awareness: OSLM is making use of all relevant means of communication to make the people of the greater Livermore area aware of our ministries and activities.
• Ministry Center: The Ministry Center is completed by September 1, 2007. Plans have been developed for the full use of all campus facilities to advance the Mission of OSLM.
• New Member Assimilation: At least 75% of new Communicant Members received during 2006- 07 become involved in some group or activity at OSLM.
• Ministries to the 18 - 35 (Young Adult) Age Group: Ministries and activities specifically intended for the 18-35 age group are in place and functioning well. The number of Communicant Members in this age group has increased by 30% during 2006-07.
• Ministries to Unchurched School Families: Ministries and activities specifically intended for unchurched school families are in place and functioning well. These include at least three new approaches for targeted witness to this group.

Mission Statement

Our Savior Lutheran Ministries’ Mission is to:

• Proclaim salvation through God’s grace in word and song
• Build Christian relationships
• Care for the people of the community
• Equip God’s people for Life in Christ