Dear Friends,

This last Sunday we sang, “Precious Lord, Take My Hand.” It’s a song that deeply touches the emotions of many people. We are reminded that “through the storm, through the night” our Lord continues to lead us home! And the picture of our precious Lord taking us by the hand and holding us safely in his care “when our life is almost gone” gives us peace and confidence today and when our “day is almost gone.”  May the Lord guide you every day as you live for him who died and rose for you!

Schedule of Worship and Events

Join us

• Tuesday, May 26, online women’s Bible study
• Thursday, May 28, onsite worship at 7 pm in our Family Life Center Gym
• Sunday, May 31, onsite worship at 8 and 10:30 am in our Family Life Center Gym
• All three services this weekend include the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. (Please see the announcement on the back of this letter.)
• We will continue to live stream our Sunday morning 10:30 service.
• Saturday, June 6, at 7 am, men’s Bible study in the fellowship hall

Call Update

• We are pleased to announce that Mr. Jon Hahm accepted the Call to serve as our school principal for the 2020-2021 school year.
• Please keep Mrs. Amanda Gronholz, who was called to serve one year as a part-time teacher in our school, and Pastor Mike Hintz, who was called to serve as our pulpit assistant, in your prayers that the Holy Spirit would guide them to a peaceful decision as to how he would have them serve.

Holy Communion Announcement!

Our congregation’s Board of Elders and ministry staff is pleased to announce that we will continue to gather for onsite worship on Thursdays and Sundays in the Family Life Center gym, and that we will now resume offering the Lord’s Supper beginning this Thursday and Sunday, May 28 and 31. While this is not a regular weekend to offer the Lord’s Supper, the decision was made to include it this weekend, and then get back to the regular first and third weekends in June (beginning June 4/7).

There will be several changes in how the Lord’s Supper is distributed, in an effort to promote safety and the well-being of our church family.

While we won’t list all the adjustments in this announcement, please note the following changes:

• Special measures will be taken which promote health and safety.
• Those who distribute Communion will wear masks during the distribution.
• Wafers will be distributed into the communicants’ hands so there is no personal contact.
• For the time being, we will not be using the common cup.
• Each communicant will grab his/her own individual cup.
• More individual cup trays will be used so that individual cups can be spread out on the trays.
• We will follow the process of continuous communion, which also promotes safe spacing between individual communicants. This will be explained further when we meet for worship.
• We understand that some people may not feel comfortable gathering for worship and may want to wait longer before coming back to church. Please don’t feel guilty about having such concerns for health and safety!
• We understand that some people may feel some of these changes are not necessary or are too extreme. We continue to ask everyone to be patient and loving with one another.
• We ask everyone to be respectful of others and understanding of various perspectives pertaining to these issues and decisions. We are prayerfully assessing information and making decisions to the best of our abilities. Your church leadership team will continue to monitor developments and keep you informed with future updates.
• We respectfully ask that persons who are ill or feeling symptoms of illness continue to worship remotely.

May God keep us growing in faith and secure in his love!

Dear Friends,

You likely recognize the following words from a beloved hymn, “Change and decay in all around I see; O thou who changest not, abide with me!” (“Abide with Me” stanza 2) What a comfort to know that during these times of change, uncertainty and pandemic, our God is with us, our God cares for us, our God is changeless. His love is steady and true. May God give you peace as you maneuver through the changes of life, knowing that you can place your fears on Jesus. Your greatest needs are already supplied when you have faith, forgiveness, and the certainty of heaven. May God give you wisdom as you make decisions and patience as you live under the decisions of others!

Worship Schedule

Join us

• Special Ascension Service this Thursday, May 21, live streamed at 7 pm (YouTube Channel)
• Sunday morning onsite worship beginning May 24 at 8 and 10:30 (See more details in the separate Worship Announcement sent to your email or mailbox.)
• We will continue to live stream our Sunday morning 10:30 service.
• The first Thursday onsite service will be Thursday, May 28.

Voters’ Meeting Summary

Our Voters assembled this past Sunday, May 17th. Following are some highlights:

• The Voters extended part-time one-year Calls for the 2020-2021 school year to Mr. Jon Hahm to serve as our school principal and to Mrs. Amanda Gronholz to teach a variety of subjects and grade levels in our school. Mr. Hahm was our school’s principal for the second semester of this past school year. Mrs. Gronholz is a member of St. Matthew in Port Washington. She and her husband, Phil, have three children, all of whom attend our school. She has assisted in our ministry in the past as a substitute teacher, coach, and helper in various areas. She taught previously at St. Croix Lutheran Academy in West Saint Paul, MN and at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School in Jackson, WI.
• The Voters extended a pulpit assistant Call to Pastor Mike Hintz. Pastor Hintz retired after previously serving our church body as the Administrator of Evangelism. He has also recently served several congregations on a limited basis.
• Keep Mr. Hahm, Mrs. Gronholz and Pastor Hintz in your prayers as they deliberate their Calls, that the Holy Spirit would guide them to a peaceful God-pleasing decision.
• The following elections took place:
  • Andy Koffman: 1-year term as Congregational Treasurer
  • Chad Bloedel: 2-year term as Board of Education Chairman
  • Jimmy Pautz: 3-year term as Board of Education Secretary
  • Jeremiah Backhaus: 3-year term as Board of Elders Member
• The following appointments were reported:
  • Budget and Finance Committee: Andy Koffman, Dianne Robertson, Craig Shanks
  • Building and Grounds Committee: Ross Duemke, Nathan Grulke, Randy Lippert
  • Outreach Committee: Matt Berger, Joel Fischer, Hilde Miller, Sarah Smith
  • Spiritual Growth Committee: Len Collyard, Andrea Semmann, Stu Stein
  • Stewardship Committee: Jordan Liesener, Scott Martens, Becky Sander, Hannah Wagie
• The Voters adopted the Ministry Plan/Budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year
• The Voters authorized the submission of our congregation’s SBA Paycheck Protection Program loan application to assist our congregation with the financial uncertainty resulting from the recent Coronavirus mandatory shutdown. We highly anticipate that this loan will be fully forgiven.
• The Voters approved the establishment of two Endowment Funds (church and school) and related Bylaws.
• The Voters received reports concerning our current budget, Long Range Planning and COVID-19.
• The Voters thanked Mrs. Monica Dierker, who is retiring after faithfully serving in the teaching ministry for 40 years, 30 of which she served here at Our Savior. They also thanked Mr. Hering for his 40 years of ministry service (21 here at Our Savior).
• The Voters thanked our outgoing board and committee members for their years of service.

“Lord… When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me!”

Dear Friends,

Have you thought much about angels lately? Consider how the Bible describes them: huge in number, spirit beings, holy, powerful. Consider their functions: protect us, serve us, carry out God’s will, gather believers on Judgment Day, deliver messages. When you contemplate angels’ characteristics and actions, you naturally conclude just how important they are – to you and to me! They are watching over you now. While we don’t pray to them or worship them, let us thank God for them! He created them for our good. They love to serve God.

“Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his Word” (Psalm 103:20).

Online Playlists

Have you seen our YouTube Channel?  Watch online devotions, children’s messages and worship at http://www.youtube.com/c/OurSaviorLutheranChurchGraftonWI

Offerings

Thank you for your financial support for Our Savior ministry. We continue to receive offerings by mail, dropped off in the church office, by direct checks mailed from banks, and by online giving through Vanco. You can sign up for Vanco online giving here:

Online Offering

Psalm 91:11-12

“For God will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”