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Parish Newsletters

Our Saviour Parish News, November, 2022

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OUR SAVIOUR LUTHERAN CHURCH

3301 The Alameda
Baltimore, MD 21218
410.235.9553

November, 2022

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In the calendar of the Church Year the first day of November has from ancient times been kept as All Saints Day. Here at Our Saviour Church we keep this feast on the first Sunday in November. As is our custom, we will especially remember those who have been called to Christ’s nearer presence since the last All Saints Day: Joseph Silver, Philip Purviance, and the Rev. Gary Fisher, who was pastor of this Church from 1989 to 2006. In the Apostles Creed we confess our faith in “the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints.” The Church here on earth is but a very small part of the communion of saints, the whole Church in heaven and on earth. The word “saint” comes from the Latin word “sanctus” which means holy. All who have been baptized into Christ are saints in the sense that all our sin has been pardoned, washed away through the blood of Christ. And as we hear in the Epistle appointed for All Saints Day, the saints in heaven are those “who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:14). And how comforting are the words which follow! “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more…for the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their Shepherd and lead them to springs of living water and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:16,17). In the celebration of the Holy Eucharist we join in the heavenly worship: “Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name…” Saint Paul says: “We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).

We are clearly living in an age which has lost the awareness of these unseen realities in an appalling way. One symptom of that loss is the deplorable decline in church attendance. To be a Christian is not a solitary thing, it is to be a member of the communion of saints which here on earth gathers every Lord’s Day and on festivals to worship the living God and receive our risen Lord and Savior in the Holy Sacrament of His Body and Blood. To be a living member of Christ’s Church is not a matter of just having your name on a membership list! It is to share in the Church’s sacramental life and worship and mission. And when we—without a valid reason—absent ourselves from worship we not only harm ourselves, we also deprive our fellow Christians of the encouragement and support our presence gives.

We will again this year have a service of Vespers on Thanksgiving Eve. Now Thanksgiving Day is not—strictly speaking—a festival of the Church Year, but it is our national day of thanksgiving for God’s blessings to us as a nation. Being of a certain age, I remember the time when our churches were filled on Thanksgiving Day—but that was a very long time ago! What has changed? What are our priorities? What truly matters? I encourage you to think about these things.

Everyone who was in church on the first Sunday in October, when we kept the 92nd anniversary of the dedication of this church building and rededicated the newly restored bells in the tower, will no doubt agree that it was a very happy occasion. We were blessed by Pastor Carl Kruelle’s wonderful sermon. And it is always delightful to share a meal together. I want to thank everyone who contributed to this celebration.

We still have not found a permanent organist and our search continues. But we are very fortunate that Deborah Lewis has agreed to help us in the meantime. She is an accomplished church musician and we are very fortunate to have her with us. Pray for God’s guidance and help as we continue our search.

Food for the GEDCO food pantry continues to be an urgent need. Do remember to bring food items to the boxes just inside the door from the small parking lot north of the church. There is also a box for contributions for the Helping Up Mission. This Mission has helped so many men and now women to get back on their feet. It is a wonderful work of mercy.

We will again this Thanksgiving and at again at Christmas provide ALDI gift certificates for needy families connected with the Waverly School. Be sure to mark your checks “Gift Certificates.”

Let us continue to pray for all those for whom our prayers are desired: James Bauman, Louis Bell, Dana Carmichael, Lucille Carmichael, Maggie Doswell, Quilla Downs, Albert Ford, Frank Ford, Iris Ford, Yolanda Ford, Helen Gray, Queenie Hardaway, Gloria Jones, Althea Masterson, Mary Mokris, Julia Silver, Robert Siperek, Lawrence Smallwood, George Volkman, Dennis Watson, Gary Watson. Maggie Doswell is still at Cadia Healthcare, 4922 LaSalle Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782. Yolanda Ford remains at Future Care, 1046 North Point Road, Baltimore, MD 21224. Louis Bell remains at Autumn Lake HealthCare, 7 Sudbrook Road, Pikesville, MD 21208. Queenie Hardaway has for some time now been at Augsburg Village, 6825 Campfield Road, Baltimore, MD 21207

Our Sunday morning Bible Class has begun to study the First Letter of Saint Peter. It is a letter full of hope. The late Dr. Martin Franzmann, who for many years taught at our Synod’s Seminary in Saint Louis, has this to say about I Peter: “Anyone looking for a key book which will unlock for him the meaning of the whole New Testament would do well to give his days and nights to this letter.” Join us on Sunday morning at 9:45.

If you need a ride to church, please call me at (410) 554–9994 or email me at charlesmcclean42@gmail.com. If you want me to visit you or, if you are not able to come to Divine Service, bring you the Sacrament at home, please do not hesitate to ask. For those who are unable to attend church we continue to livestream our services at Our Saviour Baltimore Facebook.

The Lord’s People are at the Lord’s Own Service in the Lord’s House every Lord’s Day.

Affectionately in our Lord,

Pastor McClean

WORKS OF MERCY

Although May 2023 seems far away, we need to restock for the Free Flea Market. At the conclusion of this year’s Flea Market, items that did not “move” were given to Orphan Grain Train (clothing) and Savers (household items). As you go through items you would like to discard, consider donating them to us during the year. Please let me know if you will be making a donation; I can be reached at (443) 425–3437 or judyvolkman9961@gmail.com.

I had recently posted that there were jobs that needed to be filled. I am happy to say that most of them been spoken for! Jean and Wayne West have agreed to take on most of them. They will be handling the lily and poinsettia orders, contact with the Helping Up Mission, and the financial secretary position. Bernie Knox and Gabe Purviance will be handling the holiday baskets. So many thanks for those who stepped up to help. There is one more job that needs to be filled: that of taking canned goods to CARES, probably every other month. If you can help with this, it would be very much appreciated!

Four milk crates, filled with canned goods, were delivered to CARES on October 24. So now the cartons are empty and waiting to be refilled. Many thanks to those who contributed items and shared the bounty the Lord has given us.

—Judy Volkman

Gate of Heaven

92nd Anniversary of the Dedication of the Our Saviour Church Building

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OSLC front Holga-ish92nd Anniversary of the Dedication of the Our Saviour Church Building

October 2, 2022AD
Rev. Carl Kruelle

Old Testament: I Kings 8:22-30
Epistle: Revelation 21:1-5
Gospel: Luke 19:1-10

Click here to listen and subscribe to Pastor McClean’s sermons on iTunes.

Parish Newsletters

Our Saviour Parish News, October, 2022

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OUR SAVIOUR LUTHERAN CHURCH

3301 The Alameda
Baltimore, MD 21218
410.235.9553

October, 2022

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2
92nd ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEDICATION OF THE CHURCH
REDEDICATION OF THE TOWER BELLS
FAMILY DAY
FESTIVAL DIVINE SERVICE, 11:00 AM

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As we celebrate the ninety-second anniversary of the dedication of this church we will rededicate the bells which were placed in the tower in 1934. Our guest preacher will be the Rev. Carl Kruelle, who grew up in this church and was ordained to the holy ministry in this place. Many people have contributed to the restoration of the bells. The project could finally be completed because of a very generous gift from Doug and Beth Skinner, a gift given in memory of Brian Lessor and his mother Gloria who were members of Immanuel Church in Alexandria, Virginia.

When King David had gathered together all the rich materials for the temple which would be built by his son Solomon, he prayed before all the people: “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from Thee, and of Thy own have we given Thee” (I Chronicles 29:14). These words powerfully remind us that everything we are, everything we have, finally belongs to God the Great Giver and of our obligation and privilege to give in return. Saint Paul exhorts the Christians in Corinth to be generous givers: “Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). It is sometimes said that we should “give till it hurts.” But Saint Paul is telling us to give until it feels good! “God loves a cheerful giver.” Do give some thought to your offering for the support of the Church’s work in this place. Ask yourself, does my offering truly reflect my gratitude for all God’s blessings as my Creator and my Redeemer, including the many blessings that are mine through His Church? Could I perhaps give more than I have been giving? Of course one must carefully consider one’s financial circumstances! Saint Paul instructs the Corinthians: each must give “according to what one has, not according to what one has not” (2 Corinthians 8:12).

And speaking of giving, do remember the Church’s organ fund. Checks for this purpose should be marked “organ fund.” And then there are the ALDI gift certificates that we give to needy families connected with the Waverly School at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Checks for this purpose should be marked “Gift Certificates.” And since giving involves more than financial contributions, let me also remind you that as a congregation we also support the GEDCO food pantry. There is a table with boxes just inside the door near the church office. It is all too easy to forget the many people who are so impoverished that they would go hungry were it not for the various agencies such as GEDCO that provide them with food at no cost. And finally there is our support for the Helping Up Mission which for so many years has helped men and is now also helping women get back on their feet and return to useful lives. There is also a box for the Helping Up Mission just inside the door near the office. Be sure to read Judy Volkman’s report on our free flea markets at the end of this newsletter. These free flea markets are yet another way in which we give.

The Fall Voters Meeting will be held after Divine Service on Sunday, October 16. Members of Our Saviour Church, eighteen years and older, are eligible to participate in the meeting.

On the last Sunday in October we celebrate the Festival of the Reformation, October 31 being the 505th anniversary of Dr. Luther’s posting of his 95 Theses—propositions for debate among theologians—which were a clarion call to repentance as can be seen in the very first thesis: “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said ‘Repent,’ He meant that the whole life of Christians should be one repentance.” The reforming work of Dr. Luther and his associates can only be rightly understood when that work is seen as calling the Church and its members to repent: to turn away from everything in the teaching and life of the Church which obscured or even denied the Savior’s gift of pardon and peace to penitent sinners. And so we read in the 62nd thesis: “The true treasure of the Church is the most holy Gospel of the glory and grace of God.” It is by the Gospel of God’s grace in His Son, freely bestowed through His holy Word and Sacraments, that the Church lives. And so, every year at the Festival of the Reformation, we give thanks to God for the restoration of the Gospel to its rightful place and pray that the Holy Spirit will preserve this precious gift for all the Christian people. The Reformation began with Luther’s call to repentance and every anniversary of the beginning of the Reformation calls us to repent of all our own sins of ingratitude, indifference, and neglect of the Gospel in which is all our life and hope.

In the September Newsletter I said that we expected to announce the name of our new organist very soon, but we are still unable to do so. None of the applicants we interviewed has accepted our offer and so our search continues. We do have substitutes engaged for the whole month of October and are working on substitutes until a new organist is in place. We are discovering that the shortage of organists is all too real. Let us pray for God’s guidance and help.

The adult Bible Class continues to meet on Sunday at 9:45 AM. We have recently been studying the Seven Ecumenical Councils of the ancient Church in which the doctrines of the Holy Trinity and the Person of Christ were clearly confessed and errors that contradicted the truth were named and rejected. We are about to begin a study of the First Epistle of Saint Peter which was addressed to churches undergoing persecution in what was at that time northern Asia Minor, now known as Turkey. This Epistle is full of hope and joy in the crucified and risen Lord. Come join us! Our discussion is quite informal and questions are very welcome.

Let us continue to pray for all those for whom our prayers are desired: James Bauman, Louis Bell, Dana Carmichael, Lucille Carmichael, Maggie Doswell, Quilla Downs, Albert Ford, Frank Ford, Iris Ford, Yolanda Ford, Helen Gray, Queenie Hardaway, Gloria Jones, Althea Masterson, Mary Mokris, Julia Silver, Robert Siperek, Lawrence Smallwood, George Volkman, Dennis Watson, Gary Watson. When I recently visited Maggie Doswell, she told me how much the cards she receives from our members mean to her. She is still at Cadia Healthcare, 4922 LaSalle Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782. Yolanda Ford remains at Future Care, 1046 North Point Road, Baltimore, MD 21224. Louis Bell remains at Autumn Lake HealthCare, 7 Sudbrook Road, Pikesville, MD 21208. Quilla Downs is hoping to be with us some Sunday. Her new address is 1000 Brightseat Road, Apt.462, Landover, MD 20777.

As God fed the Israelites with manna during their forty-year sojourn in the wilderness, God feeds us in the holy Sacrament of His Son’s body and blood. The Holy Sacrament is food for our journey through this world to the heavenly fatherland. Because the Holy Communion is the Sacrament of the unity of the Church, it is normally received during the Divine Service in God’s House. But if you are not able to come to God’s House, it is the pastor’s duty to bring the Sacrament to you in your home or in the hospital. Do not hesitate to ask me to visit you and bring you Holy Communion. My phone number is (410) 554–9994, and my email is charlesmcclean42@gmail.com. And please do not hesitate to contact me if you need a ride to church.

No one can fail to realize that we are living in more than usually unsettled times. There come to mind the words of Psalm 46: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble … Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:1, 10), And in the words of the Epistle that was read in church on the last Sunday in September: “As we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). The need is truly staggering and, as Christians, each one of us must do what we can, not least continuing in fervent prayer for all who suffer in so many ways.

The Lord’s People are in the Lord’s House every Lord’s Day.

Affectionately in our Lord,

Pastor McClean

WORKS OF MERCY

Here is a summary of our Free Flea Markets: In September, 21 people visited us and 180 items were given out. Our total for the year of 2022 was 129 attendees and 913 items were distributed. As we look back over the 8 years that the Free Flea Market has been held, a total of 31 members assisted at the Flea Markets, totaling 310 hours. A total of 1323 people passed through our doors, receiving 9121 items. That’s pretty impressive for a small congregation. A job well done to share the bounty the Lord has given us! Many thanks to those who gave of their time and those who shared their bounty with us.
—Judy Volkman

Parish Newsletters

Our Saviour Parish News, September, 2022

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OUR SAVIOUR LUTHERAN CHURCH

3301 The Alameda
Baltimore, MD 21218
410.235.9553

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Mark your calendar now! At long last we will be able to rededicate the bells which were placed in the church tower in 1934. This will take place on the first Sunday in October. This will also be a celebration of the 92nd anniversary of the dedication of the church and it will be Family Day. Lunch will follow Divine Service. So that we know how many to prepare for, please sign the sign-up sheet on the piano at church or call the church office ((410) 935–2553) no later than September 25. This will certainly be a happy occasion and I hope that many will attend. Our guest preacher will be the Rev. Carl Kruelle who grew up in Our Saviour Church and was ordained here.

Two of our members celebrated significant birthdays in August. On August 16 Robert Siperek celebrated his 90th birthday and on August 18 Frank Ford celebrated his 93rd birthday. We congratulate them both and pray for God’s richest blessings in the days to come.

On Sunday, September 4, Wayne West was confirmed. Jean West and Justin Ricci, having been confirmed some years ago, were formally received as members of our congregation. We pray that the Holy Spirit will guard and keep them in faithfulness to Christ and His church.

In last month’s newsletter Judy Volkman asked for volunteers to take over some of the responsibilities she has faithfully fulfilled for many years. At the end of this newsletter she gives us an update on responses to her request. Wayne and Jean West have agreed to take care of ordering the poinsettias at Christmas and the lilies at Easter and will see to it that items donated for the Helping Up Mission will be taken there. Bernie Knox has agreed to send the ALDI gift certificates to needy families at Thanksgiving and Christmas, but we still need someone to contact Waverly School to get the names of needy families. And we still need someone to take over the job of financial secretary and someone to deliver food to the GEDCO food pantry. Be sure to read Judy’s update.

Remember that our next free flea market will take place on Saturday, September 10, 9:00 AM–12:00 PM. This will be our last flea market until next spring. We always need volunteers. About 40 people came to the August flea market.

Paul Techau and I have met with three applicants for the position of organist. We expect to be able to announce the name of our new organist very soon. We have substitute organists for every Sunday through October 9. This is vacation time and substitutes are in high demand, and there has for some years now been an unfortunate shortage of organists. We are very grateful to Elaine Schwab for helping us the last two Sundays in August. She will be with us again for the last two Sundays in September and on October 2. She and her husband, retired Pastor Guenter Schwab, are members of Immanuel Church where she sings in the choir and serves as substitute organist.

Please remember to pray for all those for whom our prayers are desired: James Bauman, Louis Bell, Dana Carmichael, Lucille Carmichael, Maggie Doswell, Quilla Downs, Albert Ford, Frank Ford, Iris Ford, Yolanda Ford, Sean Fortune, Helen Gray, Queenie Hardaway, Gloria Jones, Althea Masterson, Julia Silver, Robert Siperek, Lawrence Smallwood, George Volkman, Dennis Watson, Gary Watson. Maggie Doswell remains at Cadia Healthcare, 4922 LaSalle Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782. Yolanda Ford remains at Future Care, 1046 North Point Road, Baltimore, MD 21224. Louis Bell remains at Autumn Lake HealthCare, 7 Sudbrook Road, Pikesville, MD 21208. Queenie Hardaway has been living at the Augsburg Home for some time now: 6825 Campfield Road, Baltimore, MD 21207. Quilla Downs’s new address is 1000 Brightseat Road, Apt. 462, Landover, MD 20777.

I continue to bring Holy Communion to members who are unable to come to church. If you want me to visit or bring you the Sacrament, call me at (410) 554–9994 or email me at charles.mcclean42@gmail.com. If you are in need of transportation to church, please do not hesitate to contact me and I will be glad to make arrangements for that purpose.

The beating heart of the Church’s life is the Divine Service in which God comes to us in His grace and mercy through His holy Word and Sacrament and in which we offer to Him our praise and thanksgiving and prayer—our prayer for the whole Church and for the whole world. The Divine Service is among other things a pattern for our whole life as Christians: and so, just as in the Holy Liturgy we pray not only for ourselves but also for the whole Church and the whole world, so also should we pray every day! I often think that one of my favorite psalm verses is the ninth verse of the 145th psalm: “His tender mercy is over all that He has made.” In prayer we claim God’s mercy for “all that He has made.”

Affectionately in our Lord,

Pastor McClean

UPDATE FROM JUDY VOLKMAN

Last month, a listing of positions was published in the newsletter and Jean and Wayne West have stepped up to take responsibility for the Flowers and the Helping Up Mission. Bernie Knox has volunteered to send the ALDI gift cards to the recipients of the holiday baskets. However, we still need someone to get in touch with the school to obtain the names of the recipients.

The financial secretary position is still open.

Not listed last month was the collection and delivery of food items to CARES, which takes place approximately every other month. This would include checking the donations and determining when a delivery needs to be made (usually 4 milk crates of items). They can be delivered to the CARES office on York Road Monday through Wednesday. If you can help with this task it would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks to Jean and Wayne for volunteering to take on these tasks. I now rest a little easier!

-Judy Volkman