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The Ambassador
Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church
March 2026
10 Farrand Street, Thunder Bay, ON P7A 3H5
Offices: 807-344-1926; Immanuel Hall/FAX: 807-343-4857
E-mail: osimm@tbaytel.net
Facebook: ‘Our Saviour’s Thunder Bay’
YouTube: ‘Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church of Thunder Bay’
Instagram: ‘OSLCTBay’
Pastor: Matthew H. Diegel (Parsonage: 807-344-6822)
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Lenten Devotions and Speakers
During the Wednesdays of Lent, from 7:00 – 8:15 p.m, we have the opportunity to meet in the sanctuary for brief devotions and to engage a speaker from the community. Come to all or to as many as you are able. Invite a friend or neighbour!
--February 25 - Jackie Knough, ‘Our Kids Count’
--March 4 – Arlene Lehto, ‘Circle Bound’
--March 11 – Canon Ed Swayze, ‘Mission to Seafarers – Thunder Bay’
--March 18 – no session
--March 25 – Gary Ferguson, ‘Journey to Life Centre – Salvation Army’
World Day of Prayer, March 6
A 55-minute video of the World Day of Prayer 2026 service, with participants from across Canada, has been created to view at home and in churches. The video is based on the worship service prepared by Nigerian Christian women.
To watch the service video, visit
wdpcanada.ca/world-day-of-prayer/how-to-participate/
Prayer Vigils for Climate Justice – Lent 2026
Each Tuesday evening during Lent, from 8:00 – 8:30 p.m., our Evangelical Lutheran Church In Canada and our regional synods are hosting a Prayer Vigil for Climate justice.
To register to join the vigils live and/or to receive a link to the recording:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/8Wcj-ZfXRNqf2c-jx1kb8g#/registration
February 24: Creation, biodiversity, ecosystems, and those trying to protect them. Hosted by the BC Synod.
March 3: Our sinful abuse of the planet, consumerism, and those trying to live more simply. Hosted by the SK Synod.
March 10: The vulnerable, the poor, the sick, immigrants and those displaced by war. Hosted by ABT Synod.
March 17: First Nations/Indigenous people and reconciliation. Hosted by the MNO Synod.
March 24: Youth and future generations. Hosted by the Eastern Synod.
March 31: Peace, leadership (national, provincial, territorial, and municipal leaders, scientists). Hosted by the National Office.
Sunday School
Our class meets twice monthly, on the first and third Sundays: Mar. 1 and 15.
The sessions, for children in JK – Gr. 6, begin in Immanuel Hall at 10:30 a.m. for Bible stories, crafts, and other activities. Then we come up to share Holy Communion. See Karen Bishop, co-ordinator, for information.
When there is no class, Pastor Matthew often has a special message during worship for the children who are there (not included on our videos, due to federal privacy laws).
Activity sheets for each Sunday are available in the front hall and are also emailed on Thursday. To sign up for these: osimm@tbaytel.net .
Adventure activity bags are under the mailboxes inside the sanctuary, for children to enjoy during worship.
The next seasonal activity pack, for Easter/Spring, will be available for pick-up or drop off in early March.
Daylight Saving Time
Daylight Saving Time resumes on Sunday, March 8! Remember to move your clocks ahead one hour before going to bed on Sat. March 7.
April newsletter:
Articles needed by Mon. Mar. 30: osimm@tbaytel.net
Lenten Devotion Booklet
Luther Seminary, St. Paul, invites you to use its 2026 Lenten daily devotional, “Oh, Love, How Deep.” Large print copies are available in the front hall. You can also contact the office to have it emailed to you. Or you can sign up to receive it directly in your in-box:
https://www.luthersem.edu/godpause/email/
Join our Choir!
Thank to you to the members of the choir for singing at the evening service on Ash Wednesday. The choir will sing next during worship on Palm Sunday/ Sunday of the Passion, March 29.
All voices are welcome! Practices will be Sundays, after time for Fellowship (around 11:45 a.m.) See Kaija Ranta for details.
Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
Our supper was held on Feb. 17. Thank you to all the volunteers and diners! Our freewill offerings, $1,100, are being shared between ‘Our Kids Count’ and our ‘Building Fund’ (used for rebuilding our northwest exit). In addition the surplus from our 2025 ‘Forward in Mission’ offerings, $140, is being added to the OKC portion.
Worship
We gather for worship on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Normally we celebrate Holy Communion on the 1st and 3rd Sundays monthly: March 1 and 15.
March 8 and 22 will be Service of the Word.
We begin Holy Week, March 29, with Service of the Word for Palm Sunday/ Sunday of the Passion. There will be palms, special music, and the choir.
Worship with the Band returns April 26.
As we meet we record the services. They are uploaded later to our YouTube channel, ‘Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church of Thunder Bay’. Thank you, John Stadtlander, Brian Phillips, and Pastor Matthew.
The bulletins, with links to videos of the songs, and the text of the sermon, are e-mailed on Saturday. Sign up: osimm@tbaytel.net. They also are posted on our website each Saturday:
Holy Communion
For Holy Communion, all are invited to come up the centre aisle to the foot of the chancel to receive the bread (gluten-free wafers available) and the wine/juice. There is a receptacle for used glasses as we go back to our seats via the side aisles. If you are unable to come to the front, please tell the usher and the elements will be brought to you. Those who do not receive Communion are welcome to come for a blessing. If watching online, when the presiding minister says, ‘The body and blood of Christ given and shed for you’, we welcome all to take and eat a piece of bread, and then to take a glass of wine or other beverage, remembering and giving thanks for the promises of grace, forgiveness, love, new life, and community given us in Christ Jesus.
Fellowship
We have Fellowship Hour each Sunday following worship, in Immanuel Hall. Birthday Sunday normally is celebrated on the 3rd Sunday of the month.
Gifts of food are welcome – please bring them down before the service.
For those wishing to make a gift toward the purchase of supplies there is a white coffee pot on the table at the entrance to the hall.
The platform lift is available for those who have trouble with the stairs.
Worship Assistants
Thank you to those who helped out during February. For March, please sign up in the front hall to be a Greeter and Usher, Reader, and/or Communion assistant. You can check what needs filling for the coming Sunday in the bulletin. Pastor Matthew is happy to offer an orientation for the positions.
Our Life Together:
Memorial gifts:
-in memory of Marita Matson
Annual Congregational Meeting
Following a shortened Holy Communion and potluck Fellowship time on Sunday, Febuary 15, 35 persons gathered at 11:50 a.m. for our Annual Meeting.
- Copies of the Reports package are available at the church or can be sent digitally. Please contact the office.
Pastor Matthew led Opening Devotions, using those provided by the National Church. The meeting adopted both the Agenda and the Minutes of last year’s meeting as distributed.
Reports from the chair, pastor, ‘Forward in Mission’, national church, synod, CLWR, and Lutheran Community Care were highlighted and adopted as information.
- Linda Sander, Chair, thanked the kitchen crew, Sunday readers, and the many other volunteers.
- Pastor Matthew noted that he did not include a vision statement or motto for the coming year, as he is retiring. He will have served here from Jan. 1995 – July 2026. Intead, he read the thank-you prayer from his official letter of resignation given to council last Sept.
- The Statistical Summary shows more names moved from the active Membership Roster to the Responsibility List than in recent years. This is to reflect a more accurate count of those active in the congregation since the pandemic. The updated figure is also being used to determine the resumed payment, per capita, to the synod for convention funding.
Linda Sander offered comments on the Financial reports. They were adopted, along with the proposed ‘Forward In Mission’ partners and the 2026 budget.
-A motion was adopted to combine the assets of the ‘Building Fund’ and the ‘Capital Improvement Fund’ into one fund, to be named the ‘Building Fund’.
- The reports of the Memorials Committee/Fund and Financial Review Committee also received approval.
Concerning the call process, there is a summary chart included in the Reports. Council has appointed five persons to serve on the Call Process Committee: Peter Hinz, Jerry Hogan, Brian Phillips, Marion Poutanen, and Judy Sander.
Pastor Matthew shared the Power Point he created of ‘Scenes of Our Saviour’s 2025’, including images of members who died during the year. This can be sent digitally – see Pastor Matthew.
After nominations from the floor, the following persons were acclaimed:
--Congregational Council:
-2026-2028: Returning - Judy Comrie (1st year), and Linda Sander.
Note: One position remains vacant, to be filled by Council appointment until the next Annual meeting.
Thank you to Kim Koivukoski whose term ended and who did not seek re-election.
--Nominating Committee
Diane Bruce, Rene Kaukinen
-- Memorials Committee
Diane Bruce, Rene Kaukinen, Marion Poutanen, Marie Hynna (alternate)
--Lutheran Community Care Annual meeting delegates
Carolyn Barthels, Arleen Berg-Leishman, Lori Huziak, Bev Tienhaara, Karen Bishop (Board member)
The meeting adjourned at 1:10 p.m., with Closing Devotions and the Lord’s Prayer.
Worship during Holy Week and on Easter Sunday:
- Mar. 29 – Palm Sunday/ Sunday of the Passion, 10:30 a.m. Service of the Word, with Special Music, Choir
-Apr. 2 – Maundy Thursday, 7:00 p.m. Holy Communion, Stripping of the Altar
-Apr. 3 – Good Friday, 10:30 a.m. Worship
-Apr. 5 – Easter Sunday, 10:30 a.m. Holy Communion, with Sunday School
Easter Breakfast
Easter Sunday, April 5, 9:30 a.m., in Immanuel Hall. Come early before the 10:30 a.m. service and enjoy hot cross buns, fruit, beverages, and fellowship. To help, watch for the sign-up sheet. Note: no formal Fellowship Hour after worship on Easter Sunday.
Easter Flowers
Order forms for flowers to decorate the sanctuary on Easter Sunday in memory/honour of someone will be in the front hall. The cost will be about $15 per plant; you can order a lily, and yellow and purple mums. Please make your cheque payable to ‘Our Saviour’s’. You can also call the church office and arrange to pay for your order through e-transfer. Order by Mon., Mar. 23.
‘Friends of Creation’
Our last of four Sundays as part of Canadian Lutheran World Relief’s ‘Friends of Creation’ Challenge will be held on Mar. 22. The theme will be ‘Climate + Peace’.
Our Congregational Project in response to January’s theme of ‘Climate + Economy’, was a special food drive during February, in support of our ministry partner, ‘Gathering Table’ Anglican parish on Pearl Street.
Thanks for your generous donations!
Gathering Table’s food bank offers food twice monthly to those in need. Donations can be dropped in the basket and box in the front hall. The most needed items are: Kraft Dinner; cold/hot cereal; tuna; Flakes of Ham/Chicken/Turkey; fruit cups; Canned soup: Cream of Mushroom, Chicken Noodle, Tomato, Vegetable; Pork and Beans; pasta sauce.
Pastoral Visits
Pastor Matthew looks forward to home visits, and going to Long Term Care homes. This includes sharing Holy Communion. Contact him at 807-344-1926, osimm@tbaytel.net . Pastor Matthew visits at the Regional Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Hospital. As clergy don’t have access to the patient lists, contact him with info about who is a patient who would benefit from such care.
Worship Readings
March 1 – Second Sunday in Lent
Genesis 12:1-4; Psalm 121; Romans 4: 1-5, 13-17; John 3:1-17.
March 8 – Third Sunday in Lent
Exodus 17:1-7; Psalm 95; Romans 5:1-11; John 4:5-42.
March 15 – Fourth Sunday in Lent
I Samuel 16:1-13; Psalm 23; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41.
March 22 – Fifth Sunday in Lent
Ezekiel 37:1-14; Psalm 130; Romans 8:6-11; John 11:1-45.
March 29 – Palm Sunday/ Sunday of the Passion
Matthew 21:1-11; Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 31:9-16; Philippians 2:5-11; Matthew 27:11-54.
April 2 – Maundy Thursday
Exodus 12:1-4, 11-14; Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19; I Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-17, 31b-35.
April 3 – Good Friday
Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Psalm 22; Hebrews 10:16-25; John 18:1 – 19:42.
April 5 – Resurrection of Our Lord/ Easter Day
Acts 10:34-43; Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; Colossians 3:1-4; Matthew 28:1-10.
News from your Council
In addition to news reported elsewhere:
Eldon Oja has prepared another column on the changing church. Pastor Matthew included it in the newsletter and in the Feb. issue of the ‘Daily God Wink’. The latter was sent to all on the email mailing list. Favourable comments have been received.
Upcoming dates:
-Sun. May 24 – Pentecost – Confirmation Sunday
-Sun. June 7 – Special Fellowship Hour for Pastor Matthew’s retirement.
Finances: Linda reported that January expenditures were higher than income.
Julie Verhoeven will now be assisting Linda with the Bookkeeper duties. Thanks, Julie! Artith Francis, stepping down with a smile, was thanked.
Internal Financial Review: Judy Sander and Jim Symington met with Linda to conduct the review. We have received word that an internal financial review is now acceptable, instead of the external form first stipulated by the government. We will follow up on this information for next year.
Flipper Flanigan has offered to hold a Sunday afternoon concert at Our Saviour’s. Pastor Matthew will explore this further.
Council’s next monthly meeting is Tues. March 10, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Chair – Linda Sander 622-0604
Vice-Chair – Karen Bishop 344-0052
Secretary – Aritith Francis 345-3617
Treasurer – Vi Peternelj 344-8552
Note:
Elections for the congregation’s/ council’s executive will take place at the March 10th meeting. All but the Treasurer need be council members.
The council will be installed at the March 15 service.
FINANCES
Local and Missions
Thank you for your February donations. As the temperatures begin to rise this month, please help our donations to do the same. Respond in prayer and in giving as you are able. Sharing our gifts, we serve the world.
The ‘Local and Missions’ offerings include ‘Regular’ and ‘Festival’:
February Offerings:
$ 6,910.00
Budgeted Offerings
$ 9,750.00
Monthly Offerings YTD:
$ 14,000.00
Budgeted Offerings YTD:
$ 19,500.00
Forward in Mission
Received in 2026: $ 430.00
2026 goal $ 2,500.00
We hope to help these partners:
-Canadian Lutheran World Relief General Appeal $300
-Lutheran Theological Seminary, Saskatoon, Annual Appeal $200
-Luther Village Annual Appeal $150
-Dew Drop Inn $600
-Lutheran Community Care Pastoral Care program $500
-Regional Food Distribution Association $300
-‘Gathering Table’ Food Bank $200
-Current River Food Bank $150
-Thunder Bay Food Bank $100
Cleaning Fund
Received in 2026: $ 455.00
Budgeted to date: $ 600.00
Thanks for your designated offerings, to pay for our part-time custodian.
Building Fund
The Annual Meeting voted to merge the ’Capital Improvement Fund’ (from the sale of Immanuel) with the ‘Building Fund’ (a fund at Our Saviour’s before merger). Both funds served the same purpose, to build a reserve for repairs other than general maintenance, and for capital improvements.
The merged fund will be known as the ‘Building Fund’. Continuing the existing Building Fund policy, when an expenditure over $1,500 is needed, Council can call a Special Congregational Meeting for discussion.
Balance, Jan. 1, 2026: $ 22,111.13
Received in 2026: $ 350.00
2026 Budget Goal: $ 2,300.00
2025 Tax Receipts
The receipts will be ready at the church on Sun. Mar. 1. Please see Linda Sander after that time re slips not received or corrections.
Offerings
Envelopes are in the pews. For a bundle of envelopes for 2026 see Linda Sander or call the office. Our offerings are collected in the pews during worship.
Other ways to send your gift:
1.Mail to church:
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 is appreciated, so that the offering can be brought inside.
3.E-Transfer to:
osimm.office@tbaytel.net
4.Pre-Authorized Withdrawal (PAR)
You are able to have offerings deposited from your financial institution to the church. You can designate it Weekly, Building, and/or Forward in Mission. You can desingate part of ‘Weekly’ for ‘Cleaning’. To sign up, or make updates, call the office.
Daily God Wink
“A Way Forward for Our Church to Serve the Lord”
‘In my previous newsletter article titled “Changes in the church – What would you like to see happening?”, I noted that Bishop Kochendorfer closed his interview with “The final one for me is this huge shift, which has been part of the church for a while, from a clergy led lay-supported ministry to a lay-led clergy-supported ministry. We need to continue in that direction, for lots of reasons.” When I had my cousin review my first draft, her first reaction was “Strange twist of thoughts coming from a Bishop. Can’t see that working at all.” Now, I respect my cousin’s opinion but I left it in because I wanted to hear back from other readers. And I wanted time to figure out what Bishop Larry might be referring to in his statement.
Our Saviour’s call committee has started its search for a pastor to fill Pastor Matthew’s position after his retirement this summer. I am not on the call committee so don’t ask me what’s going on. But I am aware that we have more pastoral vacancies across the church than we have people available to fill them. Even now, several churches are dependent upon lay leaders as they must share a pastor with multiple churches. That means that we are already shifting from a clergy led lay-supported ministry to a lay-led clergy-supported ministry. If we don’t want to see more churches close, then the operational model must become flexible enough to share God’s word without a pastor always up front in the pulpit.
Like this newsletter, I write it and then pass it on to Pastor Matthew to ensure that I hadn’t missed any important liturgical point, hence, a lay-led clergy-supported ministry. Similarly, I presented a sermon in our church one Sunday while our pastor was out of town. The sermon was written by Bishop Ali Tote of the Saskatchewan Synod. I had some freedom in my presentation but his words were so profound I dared not change them. Again - a lay-led clergy-supported ministry. Being a lay leader sounds daunting, but how many of you taught Sunday school in the past? You were entrusted to tell Jesus’ story to our children and nurture their faith in God. You have already done some very important work.’
Blessings to you all, Eldon Oja
Mission to Seafarers Fund-raising Dinner
The Dinner will be held on Friday, April 17 at the Current River Community Centre with doors opening at 5:30 pm. Tickets will be available from Janet Pike 807-627‑1112. The dinner is important as a fund-raiser and in building the community that supports the Mission to Seafarers. Canon Ed Swayze, chaplain
Thank you to:
-Jim Symington, for crafting and installing an extension to the handrail at the top of the stairs.
-Pastor Matthew, for keeping the entranceways cleared of snow.
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