Our Savior Celebrates Grand Opening

Our Savior Lutheran Ministries will be celebrating the Grand Opening of its new Ministry Center on June 7, 2008 from 1 - 4 p.m. The community is invited to attend the "Open House-style" Grand Opening, with a ribbon cutting ceremony scheduled to begin at 1:45 p.m., followed by a program in the sanctuary at 2 p.m. Featured speakers will be Livermore's Vice Mayor John Marchand and Pastor Richard Brewer, former interim pastor at Our Savior. Talented musical individuals of Our Savior will perform throughout the afternoon. Refreshments will be available.

The 24,000 square foot facility, formerly known as "The Mayflower Building," will have many uses. On the first floor, there are administrative offices, a Fireside Room to accommodate small receptions, a conference room, and a large nursery. On the second floor, there are Junior High classrooms, an expansive Youth Room, and a multi-use game area. Both floors have kitchen facilities.

Our Savior Lutheran Ministries is looking forward to sharing this facility with the community of Livermore.

"Look at the nations and watch, be utterly amazed; For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told." (Habakkuk 1:5; NIV)

We began the program year with these encouraging words. With high expectations of our God, we committed to six Critical Targets with twenty-one Indicators of Blessing. By mid-year we witnessed nine quantifiable results with four more underway. At this moment we can confirm sixteen (some several times over), and observe progress in three more.

Believing that our long-term vision is in the right direction, the Lay Governing Board (LGB) took input from you to gauge the accuracy of the Desired Outcomes of Our Savior Lutheran Ministries and refine the Targets accordingly. The result is as follows for the '08-'09 program year:

Embracing the Vision
The Members understand the Vision and Mission of OSLM, and they are actively engaged in interpreting and carrying out the Mission.

We hope to further this objective by improving our methods of informing, assisting one another in internalizing it by taking ownership, and by increasing opportunities for exchanging ideas, concerns, and reasons to celebrate.

Home and Foreign Outreach
The Staff and Members of OSLM are sharing God's love by carrying out a variety of mission activities here in Livermore, in the rest of the United States, and in foreign countries.

Prayerfully we can personalize this for many more participants in our faith community, provide support services to enable people to be involved, and find ways to integrate what many members are already doing.

Leadership
The Ministry Staff and the lay leaders of OSLM work harmoniously and communicate with the congregation, in order to lead OSLM effectively to achieve the Mission.

With the Spirit's support, we aim to improve staff and volunteer interaction, present goals for needed positions, as well as transition plans to create and fill them.

Spiritual Growth
OSLM is experiencing continual spiritual growth, as evidenced by an increase in participating membership.

With the application of Word and Sacrament, we are looking for the inspiration to improve on Bible study and worship practices. We also expect to increase relational ministries, as well as other opportunities to connect people with Christ in meaningful ways.

Young Adults and Prime Adults
OSLM is engaged in a variety of ministries aimed at young adults, as well as families of OSLS students.

We will continue to explore and implement "Culturally Effective" initiatives to these generations. Some of those will be indirect connections where we are simply making ourselves available and approachable.

Strategic Resources
OSLM effectively uses its God-given resources (people, facilities, finances) to achieve the Mission.

Given the challenges of the economy and our conviction that the Lord has called us to grow, we will develop more ways to benefit the mission from endowments, special gifts, and other sources. In addition, we will continue to enlist, equip, empower, and encourage everyone to use their talents to further Jesus' mission among us.

Finally, let's keep these words in mind:

"Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you." (Joshua 3:5; NIV)

On the weekend of April 11 and 12, the LGB, Staff, and Elders got together for a special joint planning meeting. The LGB started by formulating the new Critical Targets and Goals for the 2008 - 2009 program year, and then the whole group worked together on plans for converting those Goals into reality. A lot of good things came out of that meeting, many of which you will start to see over the next few months.

One of the things that we noticed during this meeting was that very few people know OSLM's Mission Statement, mostly because we haven't done a very good job of communicating it to you. On the other hand, we think we have done a good job of making you aware of our Vision Statement: "A Christian community - rooted in grace, growing in faith, serving with joy." This should be familiar to you, since it is printed at the beginning of every worship folder and is often referred to during worship services. Some of you may even have it memorized.

The Vision Statement is a description of what we are (or at least aspire to be). The Mission Statement, on the other hand, is a description of what we are supposed to do. It reads, The Mission of Our Savior Lutheran Ministries 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.

There are a couple of things to note about this Statement. One is that, even though it appears to be four statements, it is actually only one. Our mission is to carry out the Great Commission, and each of the four "bullets" (proclaiming, building, caring, equipping) is important insofar as it contributes to this overall mission. The other thing to note is that many of the words and phrases in the Statement appear to be deliberately ambiguous. For example, in the third "bullet", what do we mean by caring? And who are the people of the community? This is where planning and prioritizing come in; it is also where we absolutely need your input. Whenever you have an idea for how we can do a better job of carrying out our Mission Statement, we want to hear it. Don't hesitate to talk to the pastor, a member of the staff, or any LGB member; we want to know what you think.

We give God the glory for . . .

• The $31,000 raise by the PTO at their Auction for the school. Thanks for everyone's support.
• Our very special band students under the expertise leadership of Amanda Newman. Along with our bell ringers (under Christa Even's directorship), both groups gave a wonderful band/bell concert.
• The PTO and the many parents for their generosity during Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week. The catered meal on Friday was superb, and the gifts were appreciated!
• Jaimeson Cortez and Morgan Cortez (2008 co- Valedictorians) and Jennifer Lackey (2008 Salutatorian). They will have the opportunity to speak to their classmates at Graduation on Thursday, June 5th at 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary. (Everyone is invited.)
• Our track students - who did so well at the May track meet - and their parents! Special thanks to Mrs. Angerman and Mr. Brauer for their coaching (and the many parents who helped with the coaching, snacks, etc.) Special thanks to the teachers and parents who spent a good portion of their Saturday working the track meet.
• All of our many athletes in volleyball, basketball, and cheerleading who were honored at the annual Sports Banquet. You made the seasons successful!
• Mrs. Angerman for her leadership in the accreditation process. For all the extra time you took to make sure the job was done right, we thank you. Thanks also to all the steering committee members: Anna Buyer, Tamara Chrisman, Lucy Edwards, Bill Wills, and Debbie Wilson.
• All the students who participated in our first school Talent Show. God has blessed all of you with special talents, indeed!
• Brandon Hall and Amy Tripp for their "technology prowess." This team ran the Power Point and microphones each week in chapel. Mrs. Greenhagen couldn't have done chapel without you!
• Linda Greenhagen and Christa Even for their leadership in chapel during the past year. You made it an exciting place to be!

Graduation
The class of 2008 will graduate on Thursday, June 5 at the annual Graduation worship service at 7:00 p.m. A reception will follow. This concludes the 33rd year of operation for OSLS (having been organized in 1975).

Class of 2008

• Bible Verse - "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9
• Valedictorians - Jaimeson Cortez and Morgan Cortez
• Salutatorian - Jennifer Lackey
• Student Speakers - Monica Acton and Sam Leeper
• Class Colors - Baby Blue & Silver

Class of 2008 - The graduates are:
Mitchel Acton, Monica Acton, Rachel Amiot, Sheryn Beard, Nolan Beguhl, Jacob Brehm, Emily Buyer, Sarah Carter, Camillè Cauthen, Jaimeson Cortez, Morgan Cortez, Brittany Curtis, Daniel Emerson, Michael Fischer, Taylor Fleer, Andrea Fleming, Kathryn Fried, Katelynn Gonzales, Brandon Hall, Kennedy Harn, Shawna Hipple, Henry Jones, Jacob Jones, Jennifer Lackey, Brooke Lari, Sam Leeper, Jasmine MacDonald, Serena Macedo, Brandon McCallum, Kyle Messner, Matthew Norton, Hunter Ott, Allie Parker, Lucas Pertica, William Reed, Caitlyn Rodgers, Elizabeth Sanchez, Andrew Scharnitzke, Brendan Schierloh, Jacqueline Stager, Julia Stager, Christina Tomasetti, Amy Tripp, David Vieira, Sean Westphal, Brianna Winn, Jordyn Wright, Melissa Yamagata

We request that you include these students in your prayers, seeking God's guidance as they continue their educational careers.

Accreditation Progress
We've done it. The WASC Accredication Visiting Team has come and has wholeheartedly validated our Self- Study. You can go to the OSLM website (www.oslm.net) and obtain a PDF file of the entire 29 page Visiting Committee Report. The visitation team has made a recommendation to WASC regarding our accreditation based on our self-study report and their observations. WASC will determine the level of accreditation to grant us (from 0-6 years with or without restrictions) at their next Accrediting Commission Meeting on June 23-24, 2008. Shortly thereafter, we will be notified of our status. For now, we have to wait!

As a reminder, our 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.

• They respect themselves and treat others with dignity.
• They share their faith through worship, fellowship, and community service.
• They are familiar with Scripture and know basic Christian theology.
• They seek God's goodness in His created world and in the diversity of peoples.
• They live according to a code of Christian conduct.

Are avid learners.

• They demonstrate proficiency in core academic subjects (mathematics, language, reading / literature, social studies / history, science, and religion).
• They know how to locate and assess information.
• They communicate effectively in both oral and written forms.
• They demonstrate basic competency in a foreign language.
• They use computers to assist their learning.
• They pursue areas of individual interest and continue to learn outside the classroom setting.

Develop important life skills.

• They know how to organize their work and manage their time.
• They practice specific study strategies.
• They function effectively within groups, both as leaders and as members.
• They learn healthy lifestyles and engage in regular physical activity.
• They express their emotions appropriately.
• They acquire proven conflict resolution skills.

Enhance their lives with enriching activities.

• They familiarize themselves with the cultural contributions of great artists, musicians, writers and thinkers.
• They express themselves through art, music, and drama.
• They engage in extra-curricular activities such as yearbook, choir, cheerleading and leadership.
• They demonstrate school spirit by attending sporting and social events, playing on sports teams, and participating in outreach projects.

Accreditation Leadership Team
Anna Buyer, Tamara Chrisman, Lucy Edwards, Bill Wills, and Debbie Wilson.
Faculty/Staff representatives are: Forrest Adams, Janet Connolly, Lynn Dirks, Amanda Newman, and Nora Zinnel. (Sara Hall and Dennis Dirks, ex officio)

Retirement
At the close of this year, we say good-bye to another faithful worker in God's kingdom: Forrest Adams will be retiring. While Forrest has only been with OSLS for four years, he concludes a 40- year ministry in education. He served as a teacher and principal at Calvary Lutheran School in San Lorenzo for 36 years. We are truly losing a dedicated servant. We wish him well.

School Ends
School will end "officially" at 12:00 noon on June 6. But, the school picnic that follows will go until approximately 3:00 p.m. There will be food, jumpers, water slides, and great fellowship.

2008-09 School Year
While there are still only a few days of school remaining in the 2007-08 school year (at least as I write this), we are looking ahead to next fall and are making plans for in-services and the first day of school next year, August 27, 2007. (School calendars for next year are available in the school office.)

In next month's newsletter, we will be printing the faculty and staff for next year. The summer will be filled with ordering curriculum, ordering supplies, writing and re-writing parent and faculty handbooks, scheduling, securing staff, and more. Contrary to popular belief, just because school is out doesn't mean things aren't happening. No matter what time of year it is, school is a happening place!

As I write this article, the temperature outdoors has soared to almost 100 degrees, so labeling our upcoming concert the Spring Fling seems to be a bit far flung! At any rate, join the musicians of Our Savior for an hour of great music on Sunday, June 1, at 3:00 p.m. This concert is always a fun way to finish our musical season, and we'd love to have a large audience hear us!

You will be treated to everything from The Pink Panther to the Toreador Song - music by our choir, brass, bells, and MORE! The concert will include sacred music, as well as some that's just good fun! If you have not been to a concert at Our Savior, this would be a great time to join us! Musical talent abounds at OSLM, and we love to share our music. Root beer floats/ice cream sundaes will follow. YUM!

• Monday morning Bible study meets weekly at the home of Ann Brand at 9:30 a.m.
• "Living Beyond Yourself" - Exploring the fruits of the Spirit. This is a Bible Study opportunity just for women based on Galatians 5:22-23. "The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." This is a wonderful, in-depth, video study by Beth Moore. Facilitators will be Michele Scharnitzke and Karen Buntjer. We will meet in Room 9 from 7 - 9 p.m. on Wednesdays through June 25. Refreshments and childcare (Room 3) will be provided. For more info, email Michele at mmsemail@c omcast.net. We look forward to growing together!
• "Stitches from the Heart:" Join them on the first Tuesday of the month for gathering together for fellowship and working on the needed baby blankets/hats/booties for the little ones to be warmed and loved. The group will meet on Tuesday, June 3, 2008 from 7 - 9 p.m. at the Dorns'. Newcomers welcome!
• Women's "Catch-All Night" will meet on Sunday, June 22 at 6:30 p.m. in the ECDC. This gathering provides an opportunity for women to gather socially while accomplishing tasks along the way. Bring something to work on, like a craft, mending, paying bills, whatever you need to accomplish. Come and join in the fun and fellowship!
• The Women's Bible Study Group meets at the home of Dee Christopher. Please call the church office for their next meeting, 447-1246.

Men's Ministry

• The Men's Breakfast Bible Study continues to meet on Fridays, June 6, 13, 20, and 27 at 6:30 a.m. at Baker's Square, 1116 Stanley Blvd. in Livermore. All men of Our Savior are invited to attend! Remember to bring your Bible!
• Men's Open Gym Basketball on Mondays from 7:30-9:00 p.m. Come out and enjoy some good competition and fellowship.

Young Adult Ministry

All Young Adults are welcome to attend a weekly walk with God in His Word and a chance to fellowship with one another on Sunday evenings. Please contact the church office, 447-1246, for more details.

Ongoing Events

• Blood Pressure Monitoring will be offered in the Family Room after the 9 a.m. 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, June 10, from 7 - 9 p.m. in Room 18. Come and join in the fun!
• The Christian Reading Club of Our Savior will take the summer off from their regular meeting schedule. Their next time to meet will be on Tuesday, September 16, at 7 p.m. Questions? Contact Steve Christopher, 447-1246, ext. 228.

Upcoming Event

Join us as we celebrate the Grand Opening of the Ministry Center on June 7 from 1 - 4 p.m.

JUNIOR HIGH DISTRICT YOUTH GATHERING
Nine junior high youth will be spending June 22 - 25 at Mt. Cross at a gathering of junior high youth from the California - Nevada - Hawaii District of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. Please keep them in your prayers as they learn about how to be a Christian in the "wild kingdom" that we live in.

C.L.I.M.B. (9th - 12th grade)
Monday lunches are back! Starting June 30 through August 8, we will meet in the youth room at 12 noon to go out to a place to have lunch. We will go back to the youth room to hang out.

Mark your calendar for the annual lake retreat to the Handrock cabin. This year the retreat will be from July 24 - 27. It will be a great time filled with spending time in the hot tub, going kayaking, tubing, and hanging out with friends. If your parents could chaperone and drive please contact Timothy, 447- 1246, ext. 261.

F.I.S.H. (for those entering 7th and 8th grade)
Summer youth nights are here! Come to the new Youth Room in the Ministry Center from 7 - 8:30 p.m. for a time of devotion and games on the following Wednesdays:

• June 11
• July 2
• July 16
• July 30
• August 6

"I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:20b

Our year ends with children moving on: some to the next class here at Our Savior School, and some to other schools. It gives us all such peace to know that God goes with them. We have planted many seeds through chapel, songs, crafts, circle time, story time and outside time. It is wonderful to think that God will go with them, and the seeds that we have planted will blossom and grow.

We will be ending our year at preschool with a bang! We have Beach Days and Graduations to help us celebrate the ending of our year. We celebrated moms and dads with "Muffins with Mom" and "Donuts with Dad." Fun was had by all as treats and gifts were shared. The "fours" sang for their parents, which brought many smiles.

We will begin our summer camps the week of June 16. We have seven summer camps this summer for children who have been in our program for this past year. Our camps are available for children ages 3 through kindergarten, and promise to be a lot of fun!

It is our prayer for you that you continue to grow in your love for Jesus, knowing that He is always with you wherever your next beginning might be.

We certainly hope to have our occupancy permit from the City by the time you read this. The Fire Marshal required some additional emergency lights, which are on order and should be installed soon. Permit or no, we will have the Open House on June 7. Come help us celebrate! With the removal of the fencing and the office trailers and the completion of the landscaping, you are able to better appreciate the outside appearance of the building. I think the architects and the builder have done a marvelous job of transforming a functional but drab building into a beautiful and very useful Ministry Center.

So many people participate musically in worship at Our Savior, and as we begin the summer season, I'd like to thank all of them for adding their singing and playing to our Sunday mornings. Our music includes everything from our praise team and instrumentalists at Sequel-Connected, to choirs, bells, brass, soloists and instrumentalists at the 9:00 a.m. service. Thanks for your willingness to spend time making music for the Lord!

As summer approaches, we would love to include others who might enjoy contributing musically. Call Christa Even at 447-1246, ext. 231 if you would like to share your gift of music!

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

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

General Giving for April was down 8% from the budget projection; however it is up 9.1% year-to-date. This continues to be great news for this budget year; however, general giving will need to continue as usual or better to maintain our budget requirements.

The church has a negative net income of $4,213 year- to-date while the Early Childhood Center has a positive net income of $28,794. The school continues with a negative net income of $55,697 primarily due to the lawsuit award.

Balances in our checking and savings accounts total $214,883 which includes $17,080 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 April, we received $25,007; however, funds normally set aside for this account were contributed to the Thrivent GivingPlus campaign in the additional amount of $5,380 for a total of $30,387.

The following will be the schedule of events at Our Savior Lutheran Ministries on Sunday, June 8:

• 9:00 a.m.: Worship Service with Holy Communion
• 10:15 a.m.: BBQ Brunch in the courtyard and in the gym - freewill offering. (No Sunday School, Youth, or Adult Classes on June 8.)
• 10:30 a.m.: SEQUEL - Connected Worship in the Sanctuary

New adult Bible classes and Summer Sunday School will begin on June 15.

Get your registration form from the church office or visit our Web Site at www.oslm.net; click on "family."

This is a wonderful outreach opportunity for our ministry, and we pray that many of you will find a way to get involved. There are many areas in which you can make a difference. We are in need of people:

• To walk children from station to station
• To organize a drama for each story
• To sponsor children for the week ($10 per child)
• To bring in food items for snack
• To pray that God will bring children to our camp and that they feel His love.

Please visit the VBC table in the gym during fellowship time on Sundays and find a way to make a difference in His Kingdom!

Haven Pantry, Interfaith Sharing, Open Heart Kitchen, Tri-Valley Church of Christ and St. Vincent De Paul would like to thank Our Savior Lutheran Preschool for there wonderful donations this year. Many shelves were empty and it was always a joy to see the items that the preschool donated to fill those shelves. The preschool was always generous in their giving and gave items such as canned food, socks, tooth brushes, tooth paste, shampoo and lots of peanut butter. We wanted to thank them for sharing their heart of Jesus with so many.

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.