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Parish Newsletters

Our Saviour Parish News, December 2018

OUR SAVIOUR LUTHERAN CHURCH
in the City of Baltimore

DECEMBER, 2018

This charming picture of the birth of our Lord is by the German artist, Martin Schongauer (1430-1491). We see the Christ Child in the manger and His blessed mother kneeling in adoration. We see the angels and also the shepherds approaching the stable. But why are the cow and donkey there, gazing at the Christ Child? It seems that Christians long ago were impressed by some words of the prophet Isaiah:”The ox knows its owner and the donkey its master’s crib…” (Isaiah 1:3). And so in John Mason Neale’s familiar paraphrase of one our oldest and best-loved carols, In dulci jubilo (Now Sing We, Now Rejoice) we sing, “Ox and ass before Him bow, and He is in the manger now, Christ is born today!” The One who lies in the manger is not only our truly human Brother born of the Virgin Mary but also God the Father’s eternal Son and Word “through whom all things were made” (John 1:3), the Lord of all creation and so the Creator come to save this ruined race and bring us to the joy of the resurrection and the life of the world to come.

Note that on Christmas Eve The Holy Night Communion will begin at 10:30 P.M. For several years our Christmas Eve worship has begun at 7:30 in the evening but, at the recommendation of the Church Council, the Voters have agreed to return this year to what had in fact been the practice here for many years. If you need a ride to church on Christmas Eve, please call me at 410.554.9994 or email me at charlesmcclean42@gmail.com and I will see to it that someone will pick you up and bring you safely home. Driving at night is difficult for some of us. I know how that is: it was in fact a bit difficult for me until my cataracts were removed! As we all know, the word “Christmas” means “Christ’s Mass,” “Mass” being the Divine Service of Word and Sacrament. It goes without saying that all Christians will be eager to celebrate our Savior’s birth at “Christ’s Mass,” receiving in our Christmas Communion the Body born for us this night of Mary. The Real Presence in the Sacrament is not only on Christmas night but always cause for wonder and joy!

The Church’s Christmas celebration goes on for twelve days, and so the Sunday Divine Service on December 30th is a Christmas service as is also the Divine Service on New Year’s Eve. New Year’s Eve not only marks the turn of the year but is also the Eve of the church festival of the Circumcision and Name of Jesus. Eight days after His birth the Christ Child was circumcised and given the holy name of Jesus which means Savior (Luke 2:21) The New Year’s Eve Divine Service is at 7:30 P.M.

Because of the Savior’s great love for us we are eager to show kindness to those who are needy. At the end of this newsletter Quilla Downs and Judy Volkman tell us about our efforts to share with the needy. We all realize that the need in our world is simply immense and all of us must do what we can to address this crying need.

Looking ahead, on January 27 we will be having an Epiphany Service of Lessons and Carols at 4:00 P.M. followed by a reception. We will have as guest organist, Matthew Machemer, who is the Associate Kantor at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne. There will also be a quartet that will include: Marie Herrington (our organist and Paul Techau (our cantor). Plan on attending and invite your friends!

Helen Gray was briefly hospitalized this past month but is now again at home. As of this writing Queenie Hardaway has been in Johns Hopkins Hospital for several days. Remember them in your prayers.

I hope that we will all use the Advent season – these four weeks before Christmas – to prepare for our yearly celebration of Christ’s Coming in lowliness and also for His Coming in glory at the Last Day. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! Come quickly!

Affectionately in our Lord,

Pastor McClean

WORKS OF MERCY

The closing Free Flea Market was held on November 10th, distributing 187 items to 20 people. This included winter clothes and Christmas items. The Free Flea Market has been reaching out into the community for 5 years now, and we have made a considerable impact. We have had 835 people attend, and they received 5633 items for free! All this was made possible through the generous donations from church members, Orphan Grain Train, and community donations. We are now giving back to Orphan Grain Train 8 bags of clothes to be distributed to others in need. Of course, this couldn’t have been done without faithful volunteers; they were present to hand out items 232 times. So many thanks to all who supported this outreach and shared the bounty that God has given us.
– Judy Volkman

For a number of years, Our Saviour has partnered with Waverly Elementary/Middle School during the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays to provide Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets to needy families in our community. We intend to continue the holiday food giveaways because the need is great. Food items have come from donations from generous church members, but most items are purchased with funds collected during our Lenten soup suppers. In the past, we delivered the baskets to the school, and earlier still, we made deliveries to homes. Of late the baskets have been picked up at our church. However, it is difficult for some families to pick up their food due to lack of transportation and conflicting work schedules. In addition, we do not have the necessary manpower re shopping and distribution to accommodate all of the circumstances in the chain of distribution. This Thanksgiving we had to repurchase some turkeys due to thaw on the lower shelves of the refrigerator. We repurchased due to concern for health and liability. I believe the church and the families would be better served with gift certificates. I am asking the council to consider the purchase of gift certificates at one of the food chains such as ShopRite or Aldi’s where food purchases would go further and the families would have the dignity of making their own food choices. We have never accommodated more than 11 families. If this request meets with the approval of council, I will facilitate follow through with the grocery merchant and the school social worker. Many thanks for your continued support and concern for those who are in need.
        – Quilla Downs

Parish Newsletters

Our Saviour Parish News, November, 2018

Our Saviour Lutheran Church
3301 The Alameda
Baltimore, MD 21218
410-235-9553
November, 2018

 

Daylight Savings Time ends this Sunday, November 4th. Put your clocks back.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

For more than a thousand years November 1st has been observed as All Saints Day. Here at Our Saviour we observe this festival on the first Sunday in Novembers In keeping this festival we rejoice in the “blest communion, fellowship divine” of all who belong to Christ, Because He is the risen Lord, not even death can divide the Church which is His mystical Body — the struggling Church here on earth and the Church at rest in paradise. I love these ‘words of Saint Paul:

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every days For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, because 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 4:16-18)

On this festival we remember not only the great saints of the Church, those who have been “the chosen vessels of God’s grace, the lights of the world in their several generations” but also our own loved ones now at rest with the saints. We will as always especially remember those members of our congregation who have fallen asleep in the Lord since last All Saints Day.

I think that everyone who was present on Family Day had a thoroughly enjoyable time. I thank everyone who helped make this possible, especially Bernie Knox and her family,

The Baltimore City Historical Society held its 18th Annual History Honors event here at Our Saviour on Saturday, October 27 ÜI. It was very well attended and I think much enjoyed. I had the pleasure of seeing for the first time since graduation — 59 years ago! – a City College High School classmate, Matt Crenson, now retired from teaching history at Johns Hopkins University where he also served as Associate Dean and Acting Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. I think I must read his most recent book: “Baltimore: A Political History” (Johns Hopkins University Press,) It was also a pleasure to meet Wayne Schaumburg who grew up at Our Saviour and still gets together with people who were in the Church youth group in the early ’60s. Our Church has been on the register of historic buildings in Baltimore for almost a year now. There will soon be a permanent sign taking note of this on the 33rd Street side of the Church buildings

Last Sunday we kept the Festival of the Reformation. We sang four great hymns of Martin Luther. Joshua Rystedt led the adult Bible class as he will also on the first two Sundays in November. He is doing this to fulfill some requirements which will then make it possible for him to go to seminary and prepare for ordination to the pastoral office. Joshua is leading us in a study of hope as that is taught in the Holy Scriptures. It was a joy to welcome him together with his wife and three young children! It is quite appropriate to consider the topic of hope as we now approach the end of the Church Year in which the readings from Holy Scripture direct our attention to the Last Things, to that great hope for the coming again in glory of the risen Lord to raise the dead and make all things new.

Saturday, November 10th, will be the last free flea market of this year, 9:00 A.M. to 12 Noon, We of course need winter clothing for men and women, boys and girls, also used household items. The November flee market will also have a Christmas theme. So if you have Christmas decorations or other holiday items, try to get them to Judy Volkman by this coming Sunday, November 5flh.

I’m sure we all miss the playing of the bells in the Church tower. Something has gone wrong with the mechanism that plays them and we are in fact facing a rather costly repair job, roughly $20,000. The Church Council has decided that among other things a fund will be established for this purpose. You may contribute by writing a check and plainly marking it “Bells.” We are also exploring the possibility of grants

Mention of the bells brings to mind our organist emeritus, Don Weber, who played them for more than a half century! Don now lives at 2813 Woodland Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21215. His birthday is November 18th It would be wonderful if everyone could send him a birthday card! Let’s do it! We want Don to know that we love him and have not forgotten him.

We have yet to find a new sexton since the death of our very faithful Mr. Hawkins some months ago. We thought we had someone for the position but that did not work out. If you know of anyone who might be interested in such a job, please let me or Gary Watson (4100653.9290) or Paul Techau (703.531.0762) know.

Gary Watson has been working on a project to replace the single wrought iron railing at the west door of the Church with two identical railings on each side. This change will make it possible to use a portable ramp for anyone in a wheel chair. It will also make it less difficult to carry the casket from the church at funerals.

No one likes to dwell on the thought of funerals, but I want to take this opportunity to say that it is useful to put in writing whatever wishes you may have about your own funeral so that when the time comes your loved ones will know your wishes: hymns, readings from Holy Scripture, etc, I would be very glad to sit down and discuss all this if you wish. My phone number is 410.554.9994; I regularly check the answering machine.

On a happier note, several of you have suggested that we recognize birthdays, wedding anniversaries, etc, both in the Sunday bulletin and in the prayers of the Divine Service. To make this possible, we need to have everyone send this information to the church through the mail (3301 The Alameda, Baltimore 21218) or email (oslbaltirmore@yahoo.com). We unfortunately do not have all of this information readily available. So we need everyone’s help!

Thanksgiving Day this year is November 22nd. Here at Our Saviour we will celebrate our national day of Thanksgiving with Divine Service on Thanksgiving Eve at 7:30 P.M. When I was a boy, the churches were thronged with worshippers on Thanksgiving Day, but for far too many years now attendance has steadily and precipitously declined. I think we all rightly lament the always growing secularism of this exceedingly troubled age: the neglect of worship on Thanksgiving is just another example of this sad reality, Is it too much to ask that, out of the twenty-four hours of Thanksgiving, we spend just one hour in God’s house, together publicly thanking Him for all His blessings to us as a nation? If you are hesitant to drive at night, please call me (410654.9994) and I will make every effort to see that someone can drive you to Church and then back to your home In the words of Henry Alford’s (1810-1871) delightful Thanksgiving hymn, “Come, ye thankful people, come!”

The Lord’s people are in the Lord’s house for the Lord’s own service — the Holy Eucharist — every Lord’s Day.

I ask you to keep me in your prayers. You are in mine.

Affectionately in our Lord,

Pastor McClean

WORKS OF MERCY

On October 26 we made a generous delivery of men’s toiletries and clothing items to Helping Up Mission. The gifts were provided by members of our congregation, from our Christian friends outside of our congregation, and from the proceeds collected from the Church Poor Boxes. The receiving box is now empty; to the extent that you are able, please continue to help us support the worthy and successful work conducted on behalf of recovering men at the Mission. The need is ongoing for washcloths, tooth paste, shaving cream, lotions, etc. However, it was reported that underwear, socks and deodorant are of critical need. We welcome new, but menswear need not to be new; clean, gently used items are acceptable. We are hopeful that sufficient items will be available for a Christmas delivery.

We will be collecting Thanksgiving food items for needy families within the Waverly Elementary/Middle School Community. Any nonperishable Thanksgiving food item will be set aside for designated families. We do not yet have family information, but we usually provide for 10 families during Thanksgiving and Christmas, Many thanks to all for your consistent remembrance of men at the Mission and for our neiøhbors during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
– Quilla Downs

Parish Newsletters

Our Saviour Parish News, October, 2018

Our Saviour Lutheran Church
3301 The Alameda
Baltimore, MD 21218
410-235-9553
October, 2018

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

FAMILY DAY this year is SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14th. This is always one of the highlights of our year, We will have lunch following Divine Service. Sandwiches will be provided but everyone is invited to bring a side dish to share. There is a sign-up sheet for this on the piano in the front of the nave. Our guest preacher this year is the Rev. Noah Rogness who serves as Senior Non-commissioned Officer of the United States Army Pastoral Care Advisory Team. Before going to seminary Noah had served in the United States Army and was deployed to Afghanistan. Pastor Rogness is a dear friend of mine. I first got to know him ten years ago when he was serving as assistant to Chaplain (Colonel) Jonathan Shaw who preached at the Easter Vigil here at Our Saviour in 2017. Chaplain Shaw now serves at the Pentagon as the Director of Operations of the United States Army Chaplain Corps.

The Sunday morning Bible Class meets at 9:45 and we are continuing our study of the Letter to the Hebrews. On October 28 and on the following two Sundays the class will be led by Joshua Rystedt who is completing course work with Concordia University in Mequon, Wisconsin, in order to prepare for entrance into seminary. He will also assist in the Divine Service and will accompany me on several visits to members no longer able to come to Church.

The regular Voters Meeting will be held following Divine Service on October 21st. Every member of Our Saviour who is eighteen years old or older is eligible to participate and vote. Among other things we will be considering the schedule for our observance of Thanksgiving and of the Christmas season.

On Saturday, October 27th, the 19th Annual Meeting of the Baltimore City Historical Society will be held in our Church at 2:00 P.M. A reception in the undercroft will follow. The Historical Society will be meeting here because our Church has now been placed on the Society’s register of historic buildings. A building placed on the register has a sign briefly summarizing its history; planning for ours is almost complete. It will be placed on the 33rd Street side of our Church. The Society’s website says that the Society is dedicated to “preserving, curating and telling Baltimore’s story.”

The end of October always brings Reformation Sunday. As faithful Lutherans we believe that through Dr. Luther God restored to the Church the holy Gospel in its purity and the Sacraments as instituted by Christ Himself. But we must never assume an attitude of pride and condescension toward our fellow Christians, let alone a malicious joy in their trials and tribulations! One of the greatest faithful Lutheran teachers of the last century — some would say the greatest of them all — Dr. Hermann Sasse (1895-1976) had this to say in connection with the hundredth anniversary of the First Vatican Council of the Roman Church which had taken place in 1870:

If the century that has passed since the last solemn session of Vatican I has taught us one thing, it is that there is a solidarity or a common destiny that binds together a divided Christendom. Every great event in the history of one church is the concern of all. Church history should have taught us this long since. Today we are learning this better from year to year. Victory and defeat, glory and shame of one church are shared by all. Therefore each individual church should be the keeper of her sisters. To know this is the beginning of true ecumenicity.

It is no secret that the Roman Catholic Church is going through a terrible crisis — perhaps its worst since the Reformation – in connection with not only predatory sexual behavior on the part of some of its clergy but also distressing evidence that many in positions of authority deliberately covered this up and so permitted this evil to continue. Nor is that all. There also seems to be a growing uncertainty concerning doctrine and practice at the highest levels of that Church, including the Pope himself. Nor is that all! For when we look at the rest of Western Christendom today we see here in many places what increasingly approaches apostasy, an abandonment of the authority of God’s Word and the doctrine solemnly confessed in the three ecumenical creeds: the Apostles, the Nicene, and the Athanasian. And so we must pray for all Christendom that God would — as we say in the Bidding Prayer every Good Friday – “defend it against all the assaults and temptations of the devil and preserve it on the true foundation, Jesus Christ.”

On Reformation Sunday all four hymns sung in the Divine Service will be hymns of Dr. Luther. It is noteworthy that two of them were not entirely new. The first stanza of that wonderful hymn, “Come Holy Ghost, God and Lord!” had been in use for a hundred years, and the first stanza of that other hymn, “To God the Holy Spirit Let Us Pray,” had been sung for more than two hundred years before Luther was born. He simply added some beautiful stanzas to each of these already well loved hymns. This is significant! It shows that, not only in the liturgy but also in the hymnody of the Church, the Lutheran Reformation was truly a reformation and in no sense a revolution. As has often been said, the difference between the Church before and after the Reformation is like that of a garden before and after it has been weeded: those weeds are gone but it is still the same garden — that same Church which has been in the world since the first Pentecost and will continue until our risen and ascended Lord appears in glory at the Last Day. One sign of that continuity is that in our worship we use both words and music hallowed by centuries of use.

Since July we have been using Divine Service I in the Lutheran Service Book. This is the familiar service from the blue hymnal, Lutheran Worship. Beginning on Reformation Sunday and continuing until the end of January we will be using Divine Service Ill which is the familiar service from the red book, The Lutheran Hymnal. We are learning some hymns which are perhaps new to many of us. For a number of weeks we sang that delightfully joyful hymn, “In Thee is Gladness.” Beginning on October 7 we will be singing each week, “Lord Enthroned in Heavenly Splendor,” a hymn in which we rejoice in the Real Presence of the Savior under the humble forms of the consecrated bread and wine.

God has given so much to us here at Our Saviour: we are truly a family in Christ. Visitors quickly notice this! We are privileged to worship in a church building of astonishing beauty which wordlessly invites us to prayer. We are blessed with a remarkably talented organist, Marie Herrington. All of us were saddened when after more than a half century Don Weber was no longer able to continue his faithful service here. Yet I believe that in Marie we have found a worthy successor. She has many gifts, not least her ability to accompany the hymns in a way which truly expresses the words we sing, a way that truly lifts the heart! Before concluding this letter let me gently remind you to inform me when you or a loved one or a friend is ill or in need of pastoral care. That’s what pastors are for! And do let me know if you are in need of a ride to church. I will make every effort to see that one is provided. The best phone number to reach me is 410.554.9994. It has an answering machine and I regularly check it as I also do my email: charlesmcclean42@gmail.com.

You are in my prayers. Do remember me in yours.

Affectionately in our Lord,

Pastor McClean

WORKS OF MERCY

During the four free flea markets this year, we have distributed over a 1000 items! We can be proud that we are meeting a need in our community. There is one more Free Flea Market scheduled for November 10th. We will be distributing winter items at that time, including coats, hats, scarves, and gloves. And there will also be Christmas items. So if you have any winter clothes items or Christmas decorations to donate, please get them to me by November 5th. The Lord has blessed us with bounty and we are sharing that with those who need it.
– Judy Volkman