Join us for "Amazing Grace" Lenten worship at 7 p.m.:

Please plan to join us for Holy Week and Easter services:

• Palm Sunday, March 16, 9 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.

• Maundy Thursday, March 20, 7 p.m.
• Good Friday, March 21, 7 p.m.
• Easter Sunday, March 23, 9 a.m. (classic, blended) & 10:30 a.m. (Sequel, contemporary) Easter brunch will be in the gym, beginning at 10:15 a.m.

"As we envision this congregation five years from now, we pray that our facilities will be an equipping station for an ever-expanding, multi-generational, faith community that is actively spreading Jesus' love to the ends of the earth by effectively employing the multiple gifts, experiences, and viewpoints of its membership and staff."

Last July those words were written as the introduction to the "indicators of success" of the Critical Targets we established in May of 2007. At that time, we began to implement steps per the wisdom of Scripture:

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed . . . In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." (Proverbs 16:3 & 9; NIV)

Now, six months later, we can see the "evidence of blessing:"

I. "Outreach" (Home and Foreign)

It's getting to be the time of year when the Lay Governing Board puts a lot of effort into coming up with the Critical Targets and Goals for the new fiscal year that starts in July. What are those, you ask? The Critical Targets are the specific areas where we at OSLM need to concentrate our efforts in order to move our ministry in the direction we want to go, and the Goals are a description of what we want those areas to look like five to ten years from now. That may sound sort of dry, but these Goals are very important, because the Pastor and the rest of the staff use them as "marching orders" and base all of their planning on them.

In order to help us as we work on these Critical Targets and Goals, we on the LGB need plenty of input from other people, both inside and outside our congregation. We have already had very productive discussions with Pastor Ed Krueger, who was at the time a Mission Counselor for the California-Nevada- Hawaii District of the LCMS, and with Pastor Jim Meek of Trinity Baptist Church (that's the one with the live drive-through Nativity scene). Now we need to hear from you, the members of Our Savior. We're still working on the exact format for getting your input; we may use a survey form like we did last year, or we may have "cottage meetings" like the year before, or maybe something else. We'll let you know as soon as we decide.

Whatever the format turns out to be, we will concentrate on a small number of questions. We will ask you to think ahead to five or ten years from now and to imagine what OSLM will look like then. What new things should we be doing then that we're not doing now? What things that we are doing now should we be doing differently? Are there any things that we're doing now that we should stop doing, because they are not important and are distracting us from what is important? And finally, what are the vital aspects of our ministry that we are doing correctly already and don't need to change? Please think about these questions, because the LGB will be coming to you soon to get your answers.

We give God the glory for . . .

• Mickey Angerman, who chaired the Accreditation Steering Committee. Sometimes she led us (sometimes pushed us) but she put in long, long hours to get us to the point where the WASC Visiting Team will be visiting the school this month! WOW is an understatement. Special thanks to her committee of Bill Wills, Anna Buyer, Tamara Chrisman, Lucy Edwards, and Debbie Wilson.
• The many parent helpers at our first Open House. Thanks also to our Student Council for assisting in the setting up of the Open House. Special thanks to Angela Westphal, Jayne Managan, Glenna Sanlis, and Traci Sprayberry for going "Above and Beyond!"
• Jaimeson Cortez who is the 8th grade Chapter winner (3rd year in a row!) and Matthew Carlo who is the 6th grade Chapter winner in the DAR American History Essay Contest 2006-07. Both will receive a $100 U.S. Savings Bond, a medal, and a winner's Certificate.
• Our 7th and 8th grade basketball coaches. They are - 7th Girls: Fred Brauer assisted by Debbie Murray; 7th Boys: Allen Branch and Mike Droege assisted by Brett Christopher and J.R. Graham; 8th Girls: David Cauthen; 8th Boys: Phil Acton and Mark Beguhl assisted by Brett Christopher and J.R. Graham
• The opportunity to donate our chapel offerings to our Themba Trust missionaries for their school in Africa. A total of $1500 was collected!
• Our students in grades 6-8 who completed a project in one of four subject areas - art, history, literature, or science for our annual Talent Fair. These projects were displayed and judged on Saturday, January 26. They were also shared with members of OSLM on Sunday morning, January 27, and with all the students on Monday, January 28 - a full weekend!
• The many judges of the Talent Fair projects. They put in some long hours along with the faculty advisors for each subject area. Those advisors were: Lynn Dirks (art); Jenna Weingart (literature); Forrest Adams (history); Corey Dolley (science); and Jayne Managan (Overall event).
• All the "little lambs" of OSLS!

Re-enrollment / Registration
While the first semester of school just ended on January 18, believe it or not, it is time to register for next year. The school year 2008-09 will begin in just seven short months from now! Registrations for continuing students have already been sent home. Our first OPEN HOUSE was conducted on January 15. On February 1, 2008, registrations will be made open to the public on a first come, first served basis.

If you would like a registration form, but did not receive one, please contact the school office after February 1. Please check out the OPEN HOUSE information below (there still is another one coming) if you want more information about OSLS!

Open House Coming!
While our first OPEN HOUSE already happened a couple of weeks ago, we will be conducting another OPEN HOUSE on Sunday, March 2 (the Kick- off to National Lutheran Schools Week) from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.

• This OPEN HOUSE would be the perfect opportunity for you to invite your friend, relative, or neighbor to church on Sunday morning. They could "check out" the church and school at the same time.
• This is the OPEN HOUSE where we are looking to inform students new to our school for next year.
• They will have the opportunity to talk to teachers and other parents about our school.

Accreditation Progress Our Accreditation Visiting Team will be here this month! Our final report has been finished (Amen!) and on February 24-27, we will have four members from WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) here to validate what was written in that report. As a reminder, our school ESLR's (Expected School-wide Learning Results) are:

Graduates of Our Savior Lutheran School will be prepared to be Kids of the King who

• Walk like Jesus.
• Are avid learners.
• Develop important life skills.
• Enhance their lives with enriching activities.

Each of these ESLR's has "explanation bullets" for both the preschool and K-8 school. If you would like more information regarding these, please check out the school website (www.oslm.net) for a detailed copy!

PTO Auction
Set aside the date of April 19 for the Annual PTO Auction. The theme this year is "Hawaiian Luau." In the past, this fundraiser (besides being a great night out!) has purchased playground apparatus, backstops, computers, digital cameras and projectors, etc. We have numerous suggestions as to what can be funded this year. But it all starts with YOU being at the Auction. Further information will be coming your way soon, but keep this date clear: April 19, 2008 - AUCTION!

You won't want to miss a wonderful concert of choral music on Sunday, March 2, at 4:00 p.m. The Valparaiso University Chorale is coming (all the way from Indiana!) to bring us some beautiful music. If you haven't heard a choir singing from the front of our sanctuary, now would be a perfect time. The acoustics in our worship space enhance the music, and this music is already glorious! Invite your friends from the community who enjoy music - it's an opportunity that is worth sharing. There is no charge - just a freewill offering. For more information on the choir, click here and scroll down.

In order to help this group be able to share their music, they need housing while on tour, so if you might be able to house several students that evening, please call Christa Even at 447-1246, ext. 231 soon. Thanks!

C.L.I.M.B. (High School Youth) Super Bowl Party
The game starts at 3 p.m., but you can arrive as early as 2:30 p.m. at the Christophers' home for a Super Bowl Party on Sunday, February 3. Come to watch the game, and even if you're not into football, come and eat food and hang out with your friends!

F.I.S.H. (Junior High Youth)
Are you bored on a Friday night? Do you want to watch a movie? Join us on Friday, February 8 from 8-- 10:30 p.m. in the OSLM gym for movie night. Enjoy a movie on a big screen. Come in your pajamas, if you want! Invite your friends!

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

Hearts and candy are everywhere we look as we enter February, the "month of love." I truly believe that the face of Jesus should be on every heart and valentine. He was indeed the person who showed us how to truly love. We are now called in turn to share that love with others.

The preschool children collected socks during the month of January for children who have no socks. We talked about how cold their feet must be and how we are sharing the love of Jesus when we give to others in need.

During the month of February, we are collecting toothbrushes and toothpaste as we learn how important our teeth are and that we need to take care of them. Showing the love of Jesus can be done so simply. Each morning, the teachers gather together for prayer before our day begins and we pray for the children and their families. As we begin our day with the children, we pray for each other and for the children who are not with us. In such a simple way, we are sharing God's love and teaching the children how easy and fun it can be to share the love of Jesus that he gave to us. Our prayer for you during this month of love is to see how many ways you can share the love of Jesus with others.

As January ended, we enjoyed snow and learned about the animals that get to live in the snow. We enter February ready to celebrate love by making valentines for our family and friends as well as learn about Jesus and His love. We are learning how words rhyme as we recite all the fun nursery rhymes. We have had a lot of fun practicing our climbing, jumping, side stepping, and crawling during Large Motor Development.

We had our first Open House on Tuesday, January 15. We will be having a second Open House on Sunday, March 2 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to come to visit the gym as well as the preschool building and see all of the wonderful things that are going on at our school. In addition, this is an opportunity for you to bring any friends and neighbors that you think may be interested in our school. We will be taking registrations for the 2008/2009 school year at this time.

Work is progressing inside the building, which is out of your sight. The sheetrock on the walls is pretty much done. Work continues on the ceilings and on the painting and other finishing. As of this writing, we expect the scaffold to come down about the eighteenth, so it should be gone by the time you read this. That should give you a better view of our building. We hope for completion perhaps the middle of March. If this target is reached and the permits and relocation of offices have happened, the facilitiy will be open no sooner than the first full week of April. We'll keep you posted as we get nearer to the finish.

Our Savior will offer a First Communion class for children in grades 5-8 starting on Ash Wednesday, February 6. The purpose of this course is to offer some basic teachings on the topic of Holy Communion to these youth (and their parents). This time of instruction will help both students and parents determine whether a young person is ready to begin communing at our Lord's Table.

Classes will be on Wednesdays, February 6, 13, 20, 27, and March 5, and 12 in Room 17 from 7:45- 8:30 p.m. following Lenten services. The class' first communion will be on Maundy Thursday, March 20. Please RSVP to the church office if you plan to attend of if you have questions, 447-1246.

Please click here for the Financial Report for December and also the Fiscal Year-to-Date Report.

The mission pledge is current and all expenses have been paid.

General Giving for December was up 43.3% from the budget projection and it is up 18% year to date. This continues to be a great beginning for this budget year; however, the increase in December was primarily due to some large year-end gifting as well as Christmas. General giving will need to continue as usual or better to maintain our budget requirements.

The church has a net income year-to-date. The school shows a negative net income of $103,301 primarily due to the downsized enrollment. At this time, the Early Childhood Center is breaking even.

Balances in our checking and savings accounts total $182,141 which includes $30,954 in the Building Up - Reaching Out fund. The Church's portion of the mortgage is being paid out of this fund. Monthly pledges needed to make the mortgage payment are $22,000. In December, we received $35,393; however, funds normally set aside for this account were contributed to the Thrivent GivingPlus campaign in the additional amount of $4,380, for a total of $39,773.

The Thrivent GivingPlus program has generated $145,558 for the benefit of the Ministry Center. This includes $37,699 matching funds received from Thrivent through December 07.

This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you. John 15:12

Many Our Savior members are providing lots of spiritual and physical care to others. There is a group who have decided to organize resources to better serve everyone in our church family. Some workers may wish to expand our care into the community.

Our focus areas may include:

• Creating mechanisms to identify specific needs.
• Developing mechanisms to effectively minister to the elderly, those with acute illnesses, and to shut-ins.
• Developing mechanisms to effectively minister to individuals in a crisis.
• Developing "Lending Hands" ministry.
• Developing health education and general care ministry.

Please prayerfully consider attending a brainstorming session on Thursday, February 7 at 7 p.m. in Room 18. Please contact Hanne Brummond or Marilyn Janzen if you have questions.

There will be three new Bible studies offered on Sunday mornings, beginning February 17:

Pivotal Prayer for Families will explore how God's people-no matter what age they are-can approach their Heavenly Father with open hearts or heavy hearts; and learn to pray strategically and wisely in the midst of anything. This class will explore how we pray and what we pray at crucial times in our family life, professional life, and personal life. The class begins on February 17, meets in Room 19 and will be taught by Steve Christopher, Director of Spiritual Care and Growth.

A Christian Perspective on Islam
Islam is the second largest religion in the world, and the fastest growing. What are Islam's core beliefs, and how do they compare with Christianity? We live among competing world views, and you need to know! This class will be lead by Jesse Yow and starts on Sunday, February 17 in Room 17.

Don Young will be leading the third Bible study in Room 8. Be sure to look in The Grapevine for a description of the study he will be leading.

From time to time, Our Savior Lutheran Ministires publishes the names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, health information, and photographs of church members in the church newsletter, bulletin, web site, church directories, and other forms of announcements or on the prayer chain. The Ministries also sends regularly scheduled newsletters as well as occasional messages to those who have provided us with their email address. Unless told otherwise, we assume that we have your permission to do this. If you do not want us to use your personal information in this way, please send a letter to Joe Ryno, Business Administrator, in care of the Ministries.

All children ages 2-through fourth grade are invited to come and enjoy a morning of fun! On Saturday, March 22 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, join us in the ECDC building for making fun Easter crafts and to hunt for eggs. This is a family affair and all are welcome. Bring your friends and family and join us for this fun Easter Egg Extravaganza!

All K.F.C. and F.I.S.H. youth are invited to hide the eggs for the younger children. (The High School Youth will be stuffing the eggs during the Thursday, March 13 Youth Night.)

As you can see, we are getting the entire Ministry involved in this event. We need everyone's help! There will be boxes in the back of the sanctuary to collect your donated plastic eggs as well as candy and fun items that will fit into an Easter egg. The boxes will be in the sanctuary from February 6 through March 9. Your help to make this event a success is greatly appreciated.

Stroke is America's third leading killer. It is also the #1 cause for nursing home admissions. Unfortunately, half of all stroke victims have no warning signs before a stroke occurs.

Life Line screening is America's leading provider of quality health screenings. Life Line Screening's mission is to make people aware of undetected health problems and encourage them to seek follow- up care with their physician. They are dedicated to providing the highest quality preventive screenings at an affordable rate.

Life Line Screening will be offering their services in the Early Childhood Development Center at Our Savior Lutheran Ministries on Tuesday, March 25, 2008. Pre-registration is required, so please call 1-800-324-1851.

If you would like additional information about their services, please visit their website at www.lifelinesc reening.com.

If you haven't had a chance to see the January 2008 issue of The Lutheran Witness, please take the time to look at page 21 and you'll see a photo of LeAnna Christopher! The article, "In Irvine: A Great Commission School," explains how Concordia, Irvine, offers students ways to share the Gospel in local and world mission service. LeAnna was able to do that in January 2007, by going on a mission trip to China.

Another way for you to see this article is to click on the following link: http://www.lcms.org/pag es/wPage.asp?ContentID=228&IssueID=18.

If you are a member of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, you have the opportunity to increase the impact of your support to Our Savior Lutheran School (s) for this calendar year. Through the GivingPlusŪ Program, your donations made out to our school will be used towards the Ministry Center and supplemented by Thrivent Financial.

Thrivent Financial contributes $1 for every $2 that a Thrivent Financial member donates, based on program guidelines. Members can donate up to $600 per school, per member, each year.

For example: A household with two Thrivent Financial members can contribute up to $1200 for each member. $600 can be contributed towards the School and $600 towards the Early Childhood Center. Thrivent will then match each contribution up to $300. If $600 is not within your budget - don't worry. Thrivent will still contribute $1 for every $2 gift.

Not only will you be helping support the Ministry Center, your gift is also tax-deductible. Forms are available in the church office.

The is the fourth year that Diners' Club members have been getting together for food and fellowship. We meet each month at various hosts' homes. Activities resumed in January with about four dozen members participating. We are scheduling dinners through May. For more information, contact Jo Ann Swift. Following is the February schedule (Hosts' names appear in bold):

• Ron & Shirley Anderson and Bob & Phyllis Bulick; Guests: Jan Pleger; Gene & Millie Finke
• Norm & Kris Back; Guests: Les & Erna Knott, Pat Guntrum, Carmen Jellinghausen, Wayne & Jacki Shotts
• Dave & Lesley Barron; Guests: Phil & Judy Niemi; Roy & Bea Slice
• Ann Benson; Guests: Gloria Streufert, Hal & Ann Brand, Tim & Ashley Potthoff, Shirley Ivaldi
• Lou & Kathy Bertolini; Guests: Donald & Janet Fridlund, Charlie, Jo Ann, and Chuck Swift
• Marvin & Darlene Loll; Guests: Dave & Ada Dorn, John & Sylvette Phillips
• Jack & Leslie Hitchcock; Guests: Roger & Cathy Kinter, Harold & Jan Pfeifer
• Dave & Carol Randisi; Guests: Pete & Ann Oliver, Glen & Jean Polzin
• Joe & Rita Ryno; Guests: Marcos & Susan Contreras, Bob & Judi Greenwalt

On Sunday, February 17, in the 9 a.m. worship service, we will be recognizing those couples who will be celebrating special anniversaries this year. If you are celebrating a wedding anniversary divisible by 5 (5, 10, etc.) in 2008, please contact the church office (447-1246) by Wednesday, February 13 so that we can list your name in the bulletin and recognize you in the service.

Pastor Phil will be leading a Bible study on the role of women in the church. Please join him on Wednesdays following Lenten worship, February 13 - March 12, from 8 - 9 p.m. in Room 9.

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.
• Sequel: 10:30 a.m.

Critical Targets and Goals

To accomplish our mission and ministry here at Our Savior:

• STAFFING LEVEL: The staff of OSLM (both professional and volunteer) has the size, the combination of skills, and the organizational structure that are needed to achieve the Desired Outcomes.
• REFRESHING THE VISION: The Stewards understand the Vision and Mission of OSLM, and they are actively engaged in defining and carrying out the Mission.
• NUMERICAL AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH: OSLM is experiencing continual year-by-year growth in (1) communicant membership, (2) worship attendance, and (3) number of people engaged in ministry activities.
• HOME AND FOREIGN OUTREACH: The staff and the Stewards of OSLM are carrying out a variety of mission activities here in the Livermore area, in the northern California region, and in foreign countries.
• PHYSICAL PLANT: The physical facilities of OSLM, both on and off the main campus, are being used effectively to achieve the Desired Outcomes.
• MINISTRY TO YOUNG ADULTS: The number of active communicant members in the 18-40 age group is growing year-by-year. OSLM is carrying out a variety of ministries aimed at the different sub-groups within this age group, including un-churched families of OSLS students.

Mission Statement

Our Savior Lutheran Ministries' Mission is to carry out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8) by:

• Proclaiming salvation through God's grace in word and song;
• Building Christian relationships;
• Caring for the people of the community; and
• Equipping God's people for Life in Christ.