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Parish Newsletters

Our Saviour Parish News, March, 2025

OUR SAVIOUR LUTHERAN CHURCH

3301 The Alameda
Baltimore, MD 21218
410.235.9553
March, 2025

Ash Wednesday – March 5
Divine Service And Imposition Of Ashes, 7:30 P.M.
Wednesdays in Lent – March 12, 19, 26; April 2, 9
Soup Supper, 6:30 P.M.
Lenten Vespers and Litany, 7:30 P.M.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Perhaps you know that the word Lent comes from an old English word for spring: lencten,  which points to the lengthening hours of daylight as the world moves from the depths of winter to spring. Lent is the Church’s spiritual spring when through repentance we turn from the death of sin to the new life which flows from the life-giving death and resurrection of our Lord. As we again meditate on His passion and death, we see both the ugliness of human depravity and the beauty of Christ’s “love to the loveless shown that they might lovely be” as we sing in the fine hymn of Samuel Crossman (1624-1683).

No one needs to be told that we live in a world of desperate need,  a world where there is so much selfishness and indifference to the plight of those who suffer in so many ways. In Christ our Savior we see the generosity of our Maker: “God so loved the world that He gave…” (John 3:16). As children of God, who by His grace are daily being transformed into His likeness, we Christians are called to give – generously! The traditional Lenten discipline includes not only prayer and fasting but also almsgiving. Our Lord’s own teaching about prayer and fasting and almsgiving can be found in His Sermon on the Mount: Saint Matthew 6:1-18.

One way of giving “alms” are the donations given in connection with the soup suppers  before Vespers on Wednesday evenings in Lent. These donations contribute to the Aldi Gift Certificates which are given at Thanksgiving and Christmas to needy families connected with the Waverly School. Another way of giving “alms” are donations of food for the  GEDCO Food Pantry and of personal items for the Helping Up Mission. Boxes for both are just outside the door to the church office.. And do remember that you can give “alms,” providing desperately needed help to people suffering both at home and abroad, through our Synod’s Contributor Care Line (888-030-4439) or by sending a check to LCMS World Relief and Human Care, PO Box 66861, Saint Louis, MO 63166-6861. Make your check payable to The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and mark the check for LCMS World Relief and Human Care. You can also donate through our Synod’s secure website: lcms.org/givenow/mercy.

Be sure to read Gabe Purviance’s update on the repair of the church’s heating system at the end of this newsletter. Gabe serves as Director of Stewardship on the Church Council. He notes that, while we have the money in hand to make the necessary repairs, we also need to replenish our cash reserves. Christian stewardship involves the responsible use of our time, talents, and treasure.

I wish to thank all those who gave of their time by participating in the work day on Saturday, February 8th, taking care of a number of clean up chores around the church. Here at Our Saviour we are certainly blessed with willing workers!

Let me encourage you to subscribe to The Lutheran Witness, our Synod’s official periodical which appears eleven times a year. You can subscribe by calling 800-325-3040 or at this email address: lwsubscriptions@cph.org. The Witness is attractively illustrated and has excellent articles about the faith and work of the Church. I always look forward to seeing what the President of Synod, Pastor Matthew Harrison, has to say in each new issue; our chief pastor truly has the heart of a genuine shepherd of Christ’s flock!  A copy of recent issues can be found on the table in the back of the church.

We continue to remember in prayer Bridget Bauman, James Bauman, Christopher Bell, Bertha Buchanan, Dana Carmichael, Quilla Downs, David Dowdy, Bunny Duckett, Joyce Eaves, Albert Ford, Frank Ford, Iris Ford, Yolanda Ford, Sean Fortune, Katherine Gray; Marvalisa, Sierra, Jonathan and Steven Gibson; Katherine Gray, Sherry James, Gloria Jones, Jake Mokris, Mary Mokris,Pastor Elliott Robertson, Marian Rollins, Julia Silver, Robert Siperek Jr., Lawrence Smallwood, George Volkman, Dennis Watson, Gary Watson, Goshen Witt. Yoland Ford remains at Future Care, 1046 North Point Road, Baltimore, MD 21224.

The Epistle which from ancient times has been read at the Divine Service on the Sunday before Lent begins is I Corinthians 13 which has been called Saint Paul’s “Hymn to Love.” In this “Hymn to Love” we find a sublime expression of the kind of life to which we are called as those who know the love of Christ. It has often been said that in speaking of love Paul is in fact speaking of Christ who is the embodied Love of God. As we examine our lives and reflect on the state of our world in the light of these sublime words of the Apostle, we are called to repentance and amendment of life. Of the earliest Christians it was said, “Behold how they love one another!” Some words of Charles Wesley’s great hymn, “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” can be a prayerful response to the Apostle’s words, indeed a good prayer as we begin this holy season of Lent:

Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
Pure, unbounded love Thou art;
Visit us with Thy salvation,
Enter every trembling heart.

Affectionately in our Lord,

Pastor McClean

Update on the Heating System

As many of you may recall, about ten years ago we replaced the boiler for the church heating system after it provided more than 80 years of service. Several years ago we needed to replace the boiler for the heating for the Education Building. The last major component of the system, the blower, finally gave out in the middle of January after nearly 95 years of service. Developing a solution to the problem while minimizing the cost has been the main challenge, and we do have a solution. The Church Council at its last meeting approved a contract with AJ Michaels to replace the blower. The cost of this is $18,435, which is being paid out of the church’s cash reserves. The parts for this take a while to order, so the new blower will not be installed until about mid-May. Fortunately, in the meantime, our account representative at AJ Michaels was able to improvise a solution that has enabled us to have some minimal heat in the sanctuary. It is very important that we replace these funds as soon as possible, so that we are able to maintain upkeep of our building and address future repairs. Please consider making a donation to help defray what we need to take out of cash reserves for this. Mark your checks “heating system.”

-Gabe Purviance, Stewardship Director

Parish Newsletters

Our Saviour Parish News, February, 2025

OUR SAVIOUR LUTHERAN CHURCH

3301 The Alameda
Baltimore, MD 21218
410.235.9553
February, 2025

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We Christians are citizens both of this world and of the world to come. This world has its own way of marking time. By observing the seasons and festivals of the Church Year we Christians are made conscious of belonging to the world to come which dawned when the Son of God was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.

February 2nd is the Festival of the Presentation of our Lord. On the fortieth day after His birth our Lord’s parents took Him – as the ancient law required – to the temple at Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (Saint Luke 2:22-40). There they were met by the aged Simeon who took the Child Jesus in His arms saying, “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy Word, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people: a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel.” Simeon’s words are very familiar to us because we always sing them after receiving the Holy Sacrament; these words have also found a place in the daily evening prayer of the Church. The temple in Jerusalem was the place where the sacrifices were offered which pointed forward to the Savior’s one true and perfect sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. And so the Festival of the Presentation is a kind of bridge between Christ’s birth and His saving death and resurrection. Since February 2nd falls on Sunday this year, we will have an opportunity to celebrate this festival.

At the voters meeting on January 19th there was discussion about attendance at voters meetings and at Divine Service. To put it bluntly, the attendance at voters meetings has been quite sparse for some time now and attendance at Sunday worship is also far from what it should be. At the meeting there was a consensus that we would like to know why so few people attend these congregational meetings and why church attendance leaves so much to be desired. To be sure, voters meetings are a humanly devised way of taking care of the business of congregations and it may well be that we need to rethink the whole matter in the light of present circumstances.

At the voters meeting there was also a report and discussion about the church’s heating system. Be sure to read Paul Techau’s report at the end of this newsletter. Paul is not only our cantor but also the president of our congregation. We must thank him for all he does!

There will be an indoor work day on Saturday, February 8th, starting at 9:30 A.M. It should last no more than 2-3 hours. There are a number of clean up chores around the church. Please join us if you are able.

Althea Masterson, Merton Masterson’s mother, fell asleep in the Lord on Friday, January 3rd. May the Light perpetual ever shine upon her and may the Savior comfort Merton and all who mourn with the sure and certain hope of the resurrection.

We continue to remember in prayer Bridget Bauman, James Bauman, Christopher Bell, Bertha Buchanan, Dana Carmichael, Quilla Downs, David Dowdy, Bunny Duckett, Steve and Joyce Eaves, Albert Ford, Frank Ford, Iris Ford, Yolanda Ford, Sean Fortune, Sherry James, Gloria Jones, Jake Mokris, Mary Mokris, Pastor Elliott Robertson, Marian Rollins, Julia Silver, Robert Siperek Jr., Lawrence Smallwood, George Volkman, Dennis Watson, Gary Watson. Yolanda Ford remains at Future Care, 1046 North Point Road, Baltimore, MD 21224. Frank Ford is home from the hospital as is David Dowdy who was recently hospitalized.

Remember that one way you can provide desperately needed help to people suffering both at home and abroad is through our Synod’s Contributor Care Line (888-030-4439) or by sending a check to LCMS World Relief and Human Care, PO Box 66861, Saint Louis, MO 63166-6861. Make your check payable to The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and mark the check for LCMS World Relief and Human Care. You can also donate through Synod’s secure website: lcms.org/givenow/mercy.

Food for the GEDCO Food Pantry remains an urgent need as do personal items for the Helping Up Mission  Boxes for both are just outside the door to the church office.

The Sunday Bible Class is beginning a study of Martin Luther’s Smalcald Articles. These are included in the Book of Concord of 1580 which, grounded in Holy Scripture, expresses the doctrine of the Lutheran Church. We meet at 9:45 A.M. Come join us! Questions are welcome!

Let me say again that I am always glad to hear from you in person or by telephone (410-554-9994) or email (charlesmcclean1942@gmail.com). At the recent voters meeting the desire was expressed to know why people are not coming to church or coming very seldom. I of course realize that this is not a problem confined to Our Saviour Church! I wonder if we realize that by failing to be present on the Lord’s Day we are refusing Christ’s gracious invitation to receive the gifts He gives through the preaching of the Gospel and through the holy Gifts of His precious Body and Blood. I also wonder if people have lost sight of the truth that, as members of Christ’s mystical Body the Church, “we are members one of another” (Ephesians 4:25) – which means that we are called to love one another also by encouraging one another through our presence at worship on the Lord’s Day. Think on these things! Lent begins early next month. Lent is the church’s season of repentance: repentance involves amendment of life! You are in my prayers. Please remember me in yours.

Affectionately in our Lord,

Pastor McClean

A Word About the Heating System

As you may recall, about ten years ago we replaced the boiler for the heating system in the church, which was original to the building from 1930. It has performed very well for us. The other component of the heating system is the blower that forces the air heated by the boiler into the sanctuary. This blower is driven by a rather substantial electric motor. It also is original to the building from 1930. Sometime during the week of January 12, the motor failed. Our representative from AJ Michaels, the installer of the boilers and our maintenance contractor for the system, Ryan Small, has worked to help us find a temporary solution. Fortunately, he has found a temporary solution that involves air blowers in the heating chamber of the blower. This approach managed to get the temperature in the sanctuary to 66°. Until we get a permanent solution, this is about where we will be.

Ryan is also working up a quote to replace the blower. This will take some time as it involves replacing 95-year-old components that were custom to the building. It will be a substantial job. We will keep everyone updated as things develop and we get more information. In the meanwhile we can be grateful that it appears the temporary solution we have will keep the sanctuary warm enough to continue to comfortably use the sanctuary this winter. I would also like to thank Andy Layman for his help checking in on the church during the week, especially when it was so cold. Look for more updates in the coming weeks.

-Paul Techau

Parish Newsletters

Our Saviour Parish News, January, 2025

OUR SAVIOUR LUTHERAN CHURCH

3301 The Alameda
Baltimore, MD 21218
410.235.9553
January, 2025

The Epiphany Of Our Lord, Monday, January 6th
Festival Divine Service, 7:30 P.M.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I am writing these lines on the fifth day of the Twelve Days of Christmas. Although the world more or less forgets Christmas after Christmas Day, the Church has always celebrated the festival of our Savior’s birth for twelve days and then on the next day – on January 6th – celebrates the Feast of the Epiphany of our Lord. Because the magi who had been led by the wondrous star were the first Gentiles to worship the Christ Child, Epiphany has often been called The Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles. The coming of the magi is the beginning of the gathering of all nations around the Savior of the whole world.  In this new year of 2025 January 6th falls on a Monday, and so we will celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany with a Festival Divine Service at 7:30 P.M. on Monday, January 6th. We’ll sing the familiar carols: The First Nowell, What Child is This, and We Three Kings of Orient Are, and also William C. Dix’s lovely Epiphany hymn, As With Gladness Men of Old. The Chief Hymn will be The Star Proclaims the King is Here, a hymn by Coelius Sedulius. Written in the 5th century, Luther translated the hymn from Latin into German. We English-speaking Christians use the splendid translation of John Mason Neale, the great nineteenth century translator of the ancient Greek and Latin hymns. In singing these hymns which have been sung by Christians down through the long centuries of the Church’s life, we experience something of the communion of saints in heaven and on earth. To prepare for the Epiphany celebration it is helpful to read the Scripture readings appointed for the festival: Isaiah’s great prophecy in Isaiah 60:1-6 and Saint Matthew’s account of the coming of the wise men in Matthew 2:1-12.

In the December newsletter I said that we might have a guest soloist on Christmas Eve – and we did! Sylvia Witt sang Adolphe Adam’s Cantique de Noel, O Holy Night, just as Judy Volkmann had for many years. If you were present on Christmas Eve, you know that it was a real treat to hear Sylvia sing! She is the wife of Pastor Lucas Witt who was recently installed as Executive Director of the Lutheran Mission Society of Maryland. Thank you, Sylvia!

Bernie Knox tells us that through the generosity of congregational members we were able to provide 12 needy families identified by the Waverly School with a $90 Aldi gift card at Thanksgiving and a $75 gift card at Christmas.

We have received the following message from Gary Watson:

The Watson family would like to thank Pastor McClean, the Church Council, and members of Our Saviour Lutheran Church for your prayers, cards, calls, support and encouragement during Juliana’s lengthy illness and Gary’s hospitalization. We have been truly blessed through your kindness and prayers. God bless you all!

As of this writing Frank Ford is hospitalized and asks us to remember him in our prayers.

Our good friend Pastor Elliott Robertson, who was for many years Pastor of Martini Church, recently suffered a heart attack and has undergone coronary bypass surgery. The surgery was successful and he is now recovering at home. To aid his recovery he will be “incommunicado” for the month of January. Please keep him in your prayers.

As disciples of the Prince of Peace we continue to pray for peace throughout the world: in the Middle East, in Ukraine, in Sudan, and so many places where innocent human beings are suffering the brutal realities of war. Do remember that you can provide help through our Synod’s Contributor Care Line (888-030-4439) or by sending a check to LCMS World Relief and Human Care, PO Box 66861, Saint Louis, M0 63166-6861. Mark your check payable to The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and designate the check for LCMS World Relief and Human Care. You can also donate through our Synod’s secure website: lcms.org/givenow/mercy.

We continue to remember in prayer Bridget Bauman, James Bauman, Christopher Bell, Bertha Buchanan, Dana Carmichael, Quilla Downs, Bunny Duckett, Steve and Joyce Eaves, Albert Ford, Frank Ford, Iris Ford, Yolanda Ford, Sean Fortune, Sherry JamesGloria Jones, Althea Masterson, Jake Mokris, Mary Mokris, Pastor Elliott Robertson, Marian Rollins, Julia Silver, Robert Siperek Jr., Lawrence Smallwood, Dennis Watson, Gary Watson. Yolanda Ford remains at Future Care, 1046 North Point Road, Baltimore, MD 21224.

Those of us who are of a certain age remember a time when the year 2000 seemed to be a long way off, yet here we are already completing the first quarter of the 21st century! As this new year of our Lord begins, we remember the words of the 90th Psalm: “Lord, Thou hast been our Dwelling Place in all generations…A thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday when it is passed and as a watch in the night.” The eternal God is our Dwelling Place and in His incarnate Son, the Word made flesh, He has made His dwelling place in this world He loves and came to save. We do not know what the future holds, but we do know the One who holds the future in His hands, those hands which in glory still bear the marks of the nails, the marks of His love. He is Jesus – which means Savior. He is Emmanuel – which means God with us. Knowing Him, we know enough..

Jesus our Emmanuel comes to us every Lord’s Day and every Holy Day in the Sacrament of the Altar. In this Sacrament of His Body and Blood “given and shed for the forgiveness of sins” He is truly our Savior, He is truly Emmanuel: God with us. The only question then is this: Will you be there to receive Him when He comes?

I wish you a blessed and happy new year!

Affectionately in our Lord,

Pastor McClean