Our "west wing" was constructed as a storage facility many years ago. Through several changes in ownership, it maintained its purpose. As it takes on windows and a new roof, one might say that these physical alterations are symbolic of a new function. Then again, one might say that it is being "dressed up" for its ultimate use.

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:20-21; NIV)

Consider this: When the first plans were drawn, when the first concrete was poured, when each brick was laid, Jesus knew that this structure would become a part of His visible church! While it could just as easily be used for commerce, it was destined to become a place for enlisting, equipping, empowering, and encouraging His people to store up treasures in heaven.

This transformation is possible because so many of you were inspired to bring about this project through your personal contributions. Thank you for your faithful commitment to "Building Up, Reaching Out." For those who are new to our congregation or school, or those whose circumstances have changed over the past year, please consider making a pledge as well. Contact Joe Ryno in the Business Office, 447-1246, ext. 221.

Finally, may the Lord continue to bless this endeavor such that the "earthly" resources will be provided and multiplied, so that this "Ministry Center" will fulfill its function of "storing up treasures in heaven."

PS+

Even after five years of experience with our present form of "Policy-Based Governance," there are still a lot of people who aren't sure just what it is that the Lay Governing Board does. As a result, when potential candidates for the LGB are contacted, they often don't know what they are being asked to commit to. Also, if members have questions or concerns about what is going on at OSLM, they don't know whether it is appropriate to talk to an LGB member or not. None of this is surprising, since Policy-Based Governance is a new and alien concept for most Lutherans; it will probably take at least another five years before we get really comfortable with it.

To help dispel some of this uncertainty, let me use this space to take you inside a typical LGB meeting. These meetings are usually held once a month on the second Tuesday, and they last anywhere from two to four hours (depending on how long-winded we are). The meetings are closed, except for invited guests, so that we can have the ability to speak openly about anything, including confidential matters. However, you should feel free to contact me if you would like an invitation, either to speak about some matter of importance to you or just to listen.

Every meeting begins with a time for Bible study and prayer, usually led by the Pastor. This is very important, since it sets the tone for the meeting, reminds us of our purpose as a board and as a church, and allows us to place our concerns before our heavenly Father.

The next thing on the agenda is labeled "Comments from Directors." This is a time for LGB members to share things they have heard from you, and for us as a board to decide how best to deal with the concerns that you have shared with us. In many cases, Pastor can immediately explain to us why things are being done the way they are, or he can let us know what he is doing to resolve the problem. In other cases, it may make sense to put an item on the agenda for LGB action, or to refer it to the Elders or to some other group within the church. In any case, what you share with an LGB member will be heard, and we will get back to you with an answer.

Following some routine administrative matters, we then get into the main business part of the meeting. But since a description of that will take up another article (or two), I'm afraid you will just have to wait until next month to find out about it. I'm looking forward to continuing to share this important information with you.

Accreditation Progress
Our Accreditation Team is moving along strongly. We are planning to have the final visitation for accreditation completed in the spring of 2008. It may sound like a long time off, but it is much closer than you might think! Focus groups have completed most of their tasks with only "minor" editing remaining. 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.

Yosemite / Catalina
Both 7th & 8th grades will once again participate in an outdoor education week during the week of November 4.

The 7th grade will be going to Yosemite. They will spend Sunday through Tuesday at "Crane Flats," where they may encounter snow at an elevation of approximately 7000 feet. On Tuesday evening they will come down to the Yosemite "valley," where they will continue the hiking and group building. They return to the school on Friday, November 9, at about 5:00 p.m.

The 8th grade will be going to Catalina. They will spend their first night on board a boat in Long Beach. On Monday, they will be conducting several "experiments" on board the boat while traveling to Catalina Island. While on Catalina, they will kayak, snorkel, hike, dissect squid, learn about water salinity, and work on team building. They return to school on Friday, November 9, at about 10:00 p.m.

A parent/student orientation meeting was conducted on Tuesday, September 25, and a chaperone meeting (where all the chaperones are instructed on the "do's and don'ts" of their special task) will be conducted the end of October.

Parent Teacher Conferences
The first quarter of school ends on October 26 (seems like we just started). On November 1 - 2, we will be conducting very important parent - teacher conferences. Grades K - 5 will have scheduled times to meet with each teacher. Grades 6 - 8 will again meet in the gym, where parents will have an opportunity to meet with all of their child(ren)'s teachers. This is an extremely valuable time for teachers and parents alike.

Teacher In-Service will be conducted on October 8 for all K - 8 teachers. There is no school for students on that day. The topic will center around our accreditation process.

Trunk or Treat!
Something new this year will be "Trunk or Treat" to be held on Friday, October 26, beginning at 6:30 p.m. This will be an opportunity to have your children go "Trick or Treating" in a safe environment - OSLM parking lot. Parents come to OSLM, park their cars in the lot, open up the trunks to their cars/SUV's (decorations are encouraged), and children will be able to go from "trunk to trunk" collecting "goodies." Children are encouraged to dress in non-scary costumes. There will be games in the inner playground with pizza, soda, and other snacks available. Join us!

Chapel is conducted each week at OSLS. Our theme for the year is "AMAZED." The chapel, generally led by Linda Greenhagen, has a variety of staff members giving a message. Each grade is also responsible to lead a chapel one time during the course of the year. The remaining schedule for those "special" chapel services is:

• October 18: "Jesus Calms the Storm" (Grade 6)
• November 15: "Jesus Feeds 5000" (Grade 4)
• January 24: "Jesus Heals a Paralytic" (Grade 3)
• February 21: "The Unmerciful Servant" (Grade 7)
• March 13: "Temptation in the Wilderness" (Grade 8)
• April17: "The Walls of Jericho" (Grade 2)
• May 15: "Gideon" (Grade 1)
• May 29: "David and Goliath" (Kindergarten)

Student Assemblies
Our PTO provides funding for students to have special student assemblies throughout the course of the year. This year we will have four assemblies. The dates and topics are:

• October 25 - "Rope Master"
• November 6 - "Marionettes"
• February 5 - "African Acrobats"
• March 19 - "Egyptian Animals"

Volleyball Many of our 6th - 8th grade students are currently practicing hard in volleyball. Our girls' team head coach is Debbie Murray, and she is ably assisted by Keith Edwards, Matthew Thibault, and Nick Scharnitzke. The girls will have their end-of-year tournament at Prince of Peace in Fremont on October 6. Our boys' team coach is Alex Parks, and he is ably assisted by Greg Lewis. They will have their end-of-year tournament at Prince of Peace in Fremont on October 13.

Basketball Season begins for grades 5 - 6 with a Pre-Season Basketball Parent Meeting on October 15 at 7 p.m. in Rooms 9 and 10. At these meetings, Fred Brauer will explain all the rules and guidelines to parents and students. It is important to get an early start, since OSLS sponsors a "pre- season" basketball tournament on October 27 for the girls and on November 3 for the boys. It's a great opportunity for students to "show off" all their talents. Plan on attending!

Items of Note

• The first Jr. High Dance will be on Friday, October 12 from 7:00 - 9:30 p.m. (Rumor has it that Mr. Hill will be the "DJ.")
• School Pictures will be taken on October 3 for students in Kindergarten through grade 8. (Preschool pictures will be taken on a separate day.)

"Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy." (Psalms 33:1-3)

"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Galatians 5:19-20)

Both the Old and New Testaments include encouragements to make music to praise God. Why do you think that's so? I've got a hunch that God wants us to give our praise not only because it brings glory to His name, but also because it's good for us! Whatever your favorite kind of music is - praising God is uplifting to your spirit! As you drive down the road and sing along with the contemporary Christian music station or sing/play with a choir, praise team, handbell or brass group here at church, you can't help but feel joy in the life God has given you. Somehow music gets to the very core of our existence - and is a way of communicating beyond the spoken word. If you feel like you could use a spiritual boost, look over our weekly calendar in the Sunday bulletin for musical opportunities, or talk to Christa Even and find out where you can get connected! It's NEVER too late to join one of the musical groups at Our Savior. Call 447-1246, ext. 231 for more information.

Join us for the 8th Annual Oktoberfest and Golf Tournament, Sunday, October 7! Tee times begin at noon; Oktoberfest begins at 6 p.m. Contact Timothy Potthoff for more details at 447-1246, ext. 261, or click here for more information.

F.I.S.H. (Junior High Youth)
On Saturday October 13, let's hunt for the exit of the G & M Farm Corn Maze. The fun will be happening from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m., and the cost will be $8.00. We will meet at the entrance to the corn maze, located at 487 East Airway Boulevard in Livermore. Friends are welcome! RSVP to Timothy by 3:15 p.m. on October 12 by emailing him at tpotthoff@oslm.net, calling (925) 447-1246, ext. 261, or signing up on his door in the gym underneath the F.I.S.H. sign.

C.L.I.M.B. (Senior High Youth)
On Saturday, October 27, we will be getting lost in the corn mazes at Dell'Osso Farms in Lathrop, CA! We will meet at church at 6:00 p.m. and leave the corn mazes at 8:30 p.m. The cost for all of this fun will be $8.00. Friends are welcome! RSVP to Timothy by Thursday, October 25 by email at tpotthoff@oslm.net, or call him at (925) 447-1246, ext. 261.

Join us for the Oktoberfest on October 7. Tickets are being sold in the gym during fellowship time on Sundays. They can also be purchased from Timothy Potthoff during the week in his office.

For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, "Do not fear; I will help you." Isaiah 41:13

This has been a challenging start for Our Savior Preschool. God gave me this verse in the midst of it all. It is a comfort to know that He is holding our hand, seeing us through this very hard time. On Wednesday, September 12, Mary Jo Rittmann retired after 36 years of faithful dedication to our school. She touched so many little lives and planted many seeds for the Lord. We thank her for her dedication and service. We keep her in our prayers knowing God is holding her hand as well telling her not to fear. Please keep the school in your prayers as well.

Our year has had much joy as well and I truly believe God has given us 135 wonderful families to help us through this time. The children have all settled into their classes and made lots of friends. We began our year with color days, having lots of fun learning about the wonderful world God has given us and all the beautiful colors in our world. We ended the month learning about God's promise, seeing Him put all the colors together to make a rainbow.

Work is progressing on schedule. We hope to have the new roof watertight by the end of October. Please note the photos of the interior which are posted on the narthex wall near the south entrance. These will change regularly in an attempt to keep you up to date.

As always, we solicit and appreciate your prayers and support.

Coming up are two new Sunday morning Bible Study classes at 10:30 a.m.:

Life Issues: What the Bible Has to Say About Abortion, Suicide, Capital Punishment, and War
Issues involving life and death are hot topics today, both in the political realm and in our own personal lives. Various church bodies, including The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, have weighed in on the morality of such things as abortion, embryonic stem cell research, assisted suicide, the war in Iraq, and the death penalty. But what does the Bible have to say? In this class, we will try to answer that question, not only by looking at individual issues, but also by studying the larger context of what the Word of God tells us about the origin and purpose of life. Norman Back will be teaching this class, which starts Sunday, October 7, in Room 17.

Effective Families Seminar
What is a "successful" or "effective" family? How do you know if you are doing something good within your family setting? What does scripture say about "family principles" on certain topics? These questions and others will be explored on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. starting on October 14 and continuing into December. The class will be taught by Steve Christopher, Director of Spiritual Care and Growth, and will meet in Room 19. The class schedule is as follows:

Effective Families . . .
Oct 14: Are Realistic About Marriage

Oct 21: Know Marriage Takes Work

Oct 28: Understand the Different Needs of Men and Women

Nov 4: Follow the Leadership of the Home

Nov 11: Meet the Needs of their Children

Nov 18: Practice and Work on Communication

Nov 25: Know how to Handle Conflict

Dec 2: Are Spiritual

Dec 9: Know the Truth about Money

Dec 16: Admit when They Need Outside Help-and Get It

Dec 23: Establish Positive Memories

Please click here for the Financial Report for August.

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

General Giving for August was down 11.5% from the budget projection; however, it is up 1.6% year to date. This continues to be a great beginning for this budget year.

The school and early childhood center have positive net incomes year-to-date. The church shows a negative net income which is reflected in the general giving shortage for August.

Balances in our checking and savings accounts total $289,812 which includes $9,884 in the Building Up - Reaching Out fund. The Church's portion of the mortgage as well as architectural fees is being paid out of this fund. Monthly pledges needed to make the mortgage payment are $22,000. In August, we received $20,610; however, funds normally set aside for this account were contributed to the Thrivent GivingPlus campaign in the additional amount of $5,530 for a total of $26,140. We are running above target.

The Thrivent GivingPlus program has generated $119,345 for the benefit of the Ministry Center. This includes $34,789 matching funds received from Thrivent through August '07.

Make sure to reserve Sunday, December 9, at 4:00 p.m. for "Children, Let's Wait for the Baby," Our Savior's annual concert of Advent and Christmas music. Choirs, bells, brass and strings all contribute to make this a time to get ready for Christ's coming at Christmas.

October and November are the months that Our Savior Choir does most of its rehearsing for our Christmas concert in December. If you would like to sing with us on December 9, join us on Thursday evenings during these months. The choir will keep up its regular Sunday singing schedule, too, so feel free to join us for that, too, but if you would just like to work on Christmas music, come from 7:45 - 8:30 p.m .each week in the music room. In addition, we will have a Saturday morning concert preparation day on October 20 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. You won't want to miss this time devoted solely to getting our music ready. Call Christa Even at 447-1246, ext. 231 if you have any questions.

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 gym at Our Savior Lutheran Ministries on Tuesday, November 20, 2007. Pre-registration is required, so please call 1-800-324-1851.

If you would like additional information about their services, please call 1-800-897-9177 or visit their website at www.lifelinesc reening.com.

Starting on Monday, October 1, a special class for parents will begin entitled "Family Leadership," and it will be held in the ECDC from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. For five weeks, this class will explore the key components of what it takes for parents to be leaders in their families here in the 21st century. Child care will be provided. Any questions? Call Sara Hall at 447-1246, ext. 232.

More volunteers are needed for "Willing Hands" to do clean-up work, pruning, and painting at the OSLM campus. This group meets the first and third Monday of the month at 9 a.m. to assist our facilities manager, Ken Girardin with up-keep.

October 1 and October 15 are the dates for more cleaning around the campus. We could use your assistance!

A man became very ill while on vacation in Hawaii. It was difficult to communicate and stay in touch with family and friends back home as to his condition. However, his wife had heard about a website that could help her in this situation: www.caringbridge. org.

CaringBridgeŽ is nonprofit web service that connects family and friends during a critical illness, treatment or recovery.

A CaringBridge site is personal, private and available 24/7. It helps ease the burden of keeping family and friends informed. Patients and caregivers draw strength from loved ones' messages of support.

The service is free, so CaringBridge relies on donations to keep things running.

More than 15 million people each year turn to CaringBridge for comfort and support during difficult times. You can create a website for yourself. Or do it for someone you love. It's a meaningful way to help friends and family during life-changing events such as:

• Cancer treatment
• Chronic Illness
• Hospitalization
• Recovery
• Hospice care
• Etc.

Please go to www.caringbridge. org for more information.

2007 Taxable Contributions
With the stock market up this year, it may be an advantage to a church member to donate stock that has appreciated in value to the church rather than donating cash. You will be able to claim a charitable deduction in the amount of the current value of the donated stock. You will also avoid paying taxes on the appreciated value of the donated stock. Furthermore, the church pays no capital gains tax when it sells the stock.

THIS IS A WIN-WIN SITUATION FOR ALL OF US!

Introduce your family and friends to other cultures through activities and entertainment at the Pacific Region Missions Fair! This event will take place from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 6, 2007 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 166 West Harder Road, Hayward, California.

There will be story telling, crafts, games, music, ethnic cuisine, and "Puppets of Praise." There will also be Connection Workshops with CNH Staff and Missionaries for those interested in missions/mission societies. In addition, you can experience a worship service with an international flavor!

For additional information, contact Chris Fenske at the District office: 925-245-4000, or email her at chris@cnh- lcms.org.

Do things in your life sometimes get chaotic and out of hand? Do you ever feel frightened and alone? Even though things seem out of hand, they are not; you are in God's Caring Hands. That is the theme of a women's conference to be held on Saturday, November 3, 2007 at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Fremont, CA. Elaine Bickel, a nationally known humorous and inspirational speaker and author, will be the special presenter.

Elaine, of Millington, Michigan, is a noted author of CPH curriculum materials for Sunday Schools, Vacation Bible Schools, and Lutheran day schools. She is also experienced as a youth and family life director and a trained coordinator for "Rainbows for All God's Children," a support group for children who are experiencing loss due to death or divorce.

She is the author of three Bible study books: Living with Compulsive Behavior, Growing as a Christian Mother, and Roots and Wings: A Parent's Challenge, published by CPH. She has written for the Lutheran Woman's Quarterly, Guideposts, and My Devotions. She serves as principal at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Millington, and is a member of the Board of Regents of Concordia University, Ann Arbor. In 1994 she was the recipient of the Saginaw News Crystal Apple Award for teaching excellence. Elaine and her husband, Jim, have two children.

Under the theme Women in HIS Caring Hands, Elaine will use her trademark hilarious stories and touching personal experiences to assure women that God's hands guide and uphold them in all circumstances. Take advantage of this unique opportunity!

The conference will begin at 9:30 a.m. and end at 3:00 p.m. The registration cost is $20.00, and includes coffee with morning refreshments, and lunch. All women are invited to come for a very special day of inspiration, laughter, music and fellowship. The registration deadline is October 1, 2007. Registration forms are available in the church office, or online at www.cnhlwml.org/cnhlwml/regional_events. The conference is being presented by LWML/Lutheran Women in Mission.

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 Workshop: 11:30 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.