Our Saviour's This Week:

Sept. 13-19

Monday

6:00 p.m. Lutheran Community Care Annual General Meeting (by Zoom)

6:30 p.m. Cubs (Immanuel Hall)

Tuesday

5:00 p.m. Congregational Council (Immanuel Hall)

Wednesday

6:30 p.m. TBay Carvers (Immanuel Hall)

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

'The Grand Parade' - Lutheran Community Care

Sunday, September 19, Time after Pentecost

10:30 a.m. In-person Holy Communion (Recorded video on YouTube later)

Readings: Jeremiah 11:18-20; Psalm 54; James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a; Mark 9:30-37.

Sermon - Pastor Matthew

Virtual Fellowship

Our next session is on Sun. Sept. 26, at 1:00 p.m. The Zoom invitation will be sent out in the Sat. email, or can be received by emailing osimm@tbaytel.net.

At this time, we will normally be meeting on the 2nd, 4th, and 5th Sundays of the month (non-Communion).

Newsletter:

To receive a copy of the monthly 'Ambassador' by email, please send a request to osimm@tbaytel.net.

The text version of our September Newsletter is on the page ' Our Newsletter'.

Deadline for Oct. 'Ambassador' articles: Sept. 27

Recorded Services:

-Our services are recorded and uploaded to our YouTube channel, Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church of Thunder Bay’:

New: Sept. 5, Time after Pentecost: https://youtu.be/whzId52f8ks

August 29, Time after Pentecost: https://youtu.be/7kGTncXC_fc

August 22, Time after Pentecost:

https://youtu.be/tSqLbwqVNBI

August 15, Time after Pentecost:

https://youtu.be/RN_y_oI0DNg

Children's Ministry

Activity handouts related to each Sunday's readings continue to be available. We email them or they can be picked up at the church in the front hall. To sign up to receive them, send an email to osimm@tbaytel.net.

There has been no in-person Sunday School since March 2020. The good news is that the current provincial guidelines enable children to gather, provided they are socially distanced and masked. Let Pastor Matthew or Karen Bishop know if you would like your children to take part, you would like to help, or if you have concerns about an in-person setting.

Another option is preparing monthly take home/drop-off kits. We welcome your feedback on this as well.

Full plans for our fall children's ministry will be in the October newsletter.

Our previous practice;

On the first and third Sundays of each month (our Holy Communion celebrations) we had traditional Sunday School sessions, for children in JK - Gr. 6. They joined worship for the sharing of Communion.

'Adventure' bags were available on all Sundays, located under the mailboxes. These bags contained both general and Sunday specific activities for the children to engage in while they attend worship - either sitting in the area near the mailboxes or in the pews. There was a Children's Message on each of these Sundays as well.

Our Coordinator is Karen Bishop.

ELCIC Members Encouraged To Respond With Prayers, Financial Support Following Devastating Earthquake In Haiti

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada’s (ELCIC) National Bishop Susan C. Johnson urges members to pray for all who have been affected by the recent devastating earthquake in Haiti and to support relief efforts.

August 17, 2021

Dear friends in Christ,

With sadness and a heavy heart, I invite you to join me in praying for the people of Haiti and in supporting relief efforts for those affected by the devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit the region on the morning of August 14.

Early reports indicate that over 1,400 people were killed and over 6,000 people were injured. Hundreds are still missing, thousands of families have lost their homes and schools, and bridges and other vital infrastructure has been destroyed.

This comes in addition to ongoing political turmoil after the assignation of Haitian President Jovenel Moise on July 7th, struggles with the COVID-19 pandemic and now Tropical Storm Grace causing additional damage in the region. Haiti has been described as the poorest country in the Americas. It is difficult to imagine the courage and resilience of spirit required to address this combination of tragedies facing the people of Haiti.

Through our partner Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR), I invite you to consider a financial donation to assist with emergency relief efforts for the people of Haiti. In response to this disaster, CLWR’s partners, including the Lutheran World Federation, are on the ground already responding by helping to ensure emergency shelter, sanitation, hygiene and trauma care for those affected.

Individuals and congregations wishing to support relief efforts can donate as follows:

- Make a designated offering donation for “Haiti Emergency” through any ELCIC congregation.

- Call CLWR at 1-800-661-2597 (locally at 204-694-6502) to donate by credit card or go online at https://clwr.donorshops.com/haiti.

- Send a cheque made payable to CLWR and mailed to CLWR, 600-177 Lombard Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3B 0W5. Please indicate that you wish to contribute to “Haiti Emergency.”

Thank you for your support!

Yours in Christ,

The Rev. Susan C. Johnson

National Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

A Renewed Call to Reconciliation

KAIROS, our national church's ecumenical social justice action nework partner, is inviting you to participate in its Climate Action Month from September 1 to 30. Each day in September, KAIROS will share information on a topic related to climate change with the goal of nurturing our own personal gifts and motivating and inspiring a daily practice of taking action for the climate.

Five weeks, five themes, and one month of learning opportunities and actions.

Sept. 12-18: Indigenuous Rights

Sept. 19-25: Global Climate Justice

Sept. 26-30: Climate Solutions

For more information, please click here.

For the Love of Creation Seeks Facilitators for October 30 Event

For the Love of Creation is looking for people from across Canada to facilitate some small networking groups during the Fall Symposium on October 30th from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time. These local connectors would come and facilitate a 30-minute small group discussion with others from their city/region. The purpose of these groups is to network with others in your area and begin a discussion about the best ways to address the climate crisis in your area as people of faith. Please send an email to Rev. Paul Gehrs at pgehrs@elcic.ca if you might be willing to serve.

Faith-In-Action Campaign

For the Love of Creation's faith-in-action campaign mobilizes people across Canada to reduce household greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and demonstrate support for increased federal climate action. Now you can make a personal pledge to reduce your GHG emissions and engage in acts of solidarity with justice-seeking communities. Share your pledge and call on the Government of Canada to increased federal action. This campaign runs until October 4, 2021 (the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi and the end of the Season of Creation). To join and take action now, please click here.

Fall 2021 Advocacy Webinar Series

For the Love of Creation will hold a webinar series happening on Thursdays, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Eastern Time. For registration and more information, please visit: https://fortheloveofcreation.ca/event/ .

September 16* - Indigenous Rights

September 23 - Climate Ambition and Transition

*ELCIC National Bishop Susan Johnson is host-facilitator of the September 16 webinar event.

#KAIROS20 - Celebrating 20 Years of Spirited Action for Justice

KAIROS is celebrating 20 years of spirited action for justice. Join us as we reflect on KAIROS' accomplishments and struggles, embrace the kairos moment, and envision a 2041 that is more hopeful, just and sustainable than the present time. Visit the anniversary webpage for reflections, an interactive memory wheel and event details!

Ecumenical Prayer Cycle

Ghana, Nigeria

12 - 18 September 2021

Intercessions

We are thankful for:

• Christians and Muslims who take risks to work for dialogue and reconciliation, and people of disparate ethnic groups who strive together for the common good

• churches who have been faithful in spreading the Good News, serving the people and pursuing justice in these societies

• economic growth from natural resources, where it benefits all people – and especially the poor – in these nations

• how people, especially in Nigeria, have been sustained by God in the face of attacks and violence in the context of the movement of population groups and from extremist elements like Boko Haram.

We pray for:

• those affected by violence and terrorism, and that such violent attacks might cease

• leaders of churches, that they might speak out courageously against political, social and economic injustices

• Just and peaceful relations between members of different ethnic groups and between Muslims and Christians

• Those who suffer from malnutrition and diseases such as malaria, whooping cough and HIV and AIDS

• Better stewardship of the environment and natural resources.

Prayers

O God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, set our hearts on fire with a new love for Christ and for one another.

Renew our desires and labours to serve others.

We seek healing from division, poverty and injustice in all parts of the world.

We long for life which is full and free.

Give us the courage to take risks to build a highway in the desert and let us find protection under the shadow of your wings. Amen.

(© 2002 Abigail Ogunsanya, Nigeria)

We offer you, O Ruler of men and women and of heavenly beings, the gold of our costly service. Take the labour of our hands, the skill of our minds, the power of our organization. Purge us of pride, and stir us from sloth, that we, being refined by your grace, may become better servants of your kingdom, now and hereafter. Amen.

We offer to you, our Lord and our God, the incense of our worship and our prayer. By the gift of your Holy Spirit, you have hung forth a star in the lowly heaven of every Christian soul; grant us eager feet to follow wherever it leads, until our searching souls are blessed with the vision of yourself, who are our heaven and our home, forever. Amen.

We offer to you, O Man of sorrows, the myrrh of your church’s sufferings. When we have nothing else to give, this offering remains. Where you are on the cross, there also may your servants be. May your perfect sacrifice avail to make our light affliction redemptive in the world, that sharing the fellowship of your sufferings we may rejoice in the power of your resurrection, now and forever. Amen.

(From the Assembly of the International Missionary Society, Ghana. In: “With All God’s People”.)

Prayer for unity

We invoke you, Spirit of Unity,

Transform our divisions and reshape our vision.

All of creation, all living beings, cry in the midst of injustice and brokenness.

Spirit of Unity, reconcile your people.

We invoke you, Spirit of Unity,

Heal the wounds of our history,

Remove from us all that sustains our present divisions.

Unstop our ears to hear your call for unity.

(© Mercy Oduyoye, Ghana. We Would Be One, Institute of Women in Religion and Culture, Accra, Ghana.)

OFFERINGS

Thank you for your offerings, sharing the gifts of God so that together we might serve the world!

During our in-person worship, you are able to share your offerings at the entrance to the sanctuary. At other times, and for those unable to attend worship, here are other options:

1. Mail envelopes to the church

Mailing address: 10 Farrand St. Thunder Bay P7A 3H5

2. Drop envelopes off at church

You can drop off envelopes in the mailbox beside the parking lot doors. Calling to let us know, 344-1926, is appreciated, so that the offering can be brought inside as soon as possible.

3. E-Transfer online banking

a. If you use online banking, log into your account

b. Add Our Saviour’s as a recipient using our office email address:

osimm.office@tbaytel.net

c. Enter the desired amount and click ‘send’.

4. Sign up for Pre-Authorized Withdrawal (PAR)

You are able to have your monthly offerings directly deposited from your financial institution to that of the church. You can designate it 1-3 ways: Weekly, Building, Forward in Mission. You also can receive undated envelopes for other offerings. To sign up, call the office. If you desire to make any changes at any time of the year, or if you have updates on your address or financial institution, please call the church office, 344-1926.

5. Canada Helps

Our regional synod office has set up Canada Helps button link, you can use to donate to congregations. The charitiable donation receipt will be issued by Canada Helps directly. (It is important to note that there is a cost to using Canada Helps as our donation service. Please considering adding 4% to your donation to cover these costs.)

http://mnosynod.org/donate/

Sets of envelopes for your 2021 Sunday and special offerings are available in the front hall. If you wish to sign up for one, please contact the office, 344-1926, osimm@tbaytel.net .

Again, we are so thankful for your faithful generosity.