February 28 Second Sunday in Lent

Sun.:      8:30 AM Worship Service 
                               
           ~ Visit our YouTube page to watch past service messages and live streamed services at 8:30 AM each Sunday morning. Please click on the "red arrow" above, or OSLC Spearfish YouTube                     

Mon.:     10:30 AM Circle Study Leaders
                1:00 PM Yarn Ministry
                6:00 PM Good Shepherd Clinic

Tues.:      1:00 PM Funeral for Gerald Kirk
                5:30 PM Education Committee

Wed.:      6:26 PM Confirmation-Lenten Worship
               6:26 PM Wednesday Word
               7:10 PM High School Youth at The Living Room    

Thurs.:  12:00 PM Lunch at The Living Room
              12:15 PM Centering Prayer

Fri.:         6:00 AM Christian Business Men's Group at TLR

Sat.:        

March 7 Third Sunday in Lent

Sun.:     8:30 AM Worship Service  
                                     
             ~ Visit our YouTube page to watch past service messages and live streamed services at 8:30 AM each Sunday morning. Please click on the "red arrow" above, or OSLC Spearfish YouTube

ELCA WORLD HUNGER APPEAL 
Many people in our neighborhoods, country, and world do not have the basic things needed for life. Your contributions to ELCA World Hunger make a difference! 

A special offering for World Hunger will be received in worship on March 28 with an envelope available in your worship bulletin. Also, your contributions to the Love Your Neighbor Jar during the month of March will go to ELCA World Hunger. 

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SPEARFISH COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY
Thank you to all the volunteers that assisted with the distribution of food the first two weeks of February! With these tremendous volunteers, we were able to serve 105 families consisting of 257 people with nutritional assistance. We are truly thankful and blessed for the support from Our Savior's Lutheran Church members for support provided to our local food pantry.

Food Pantry needs for March: Peanut Butter, Jam or Jelly, Jell-o (pudding or gelatin), Cereals, Pork 'n Beans, Prego or Ragu Spaghetti Sauce, and Ramen Noodles.

OSLC SPEARFISH VIRUS RESPONSE

UPDATE 2/03/21

Dear OSLC Family,
We have a story to tell...the greatest story ever told, in fact.

This year, our appointed texts for worship (the lectionary) have us diving into Mark's Gospel. When Mark wrote his account of the Good News of God in Jesus Christ, he wrote with an obvious sense of urgency...as though time were of the essence and we had none of it to waste. Perhaps it is a gift from a patient God that we are reading from it in 2021, finding ourselves on this particular road, as our own patience runs thin.

As we begin the 40-day journey of Lent this month, making our way to the cross once again, we're inviting you into a different Lenten discipline this year. Since we're not yet at a place where most feel comfortable with in-person gatherings of large size, here's what we're cookin': Those of you in the Northern Hills area will soon be receiving a daily devotioinal book called "a story to tell." Within, you'll find reflections and thoughts for each day from Ash Wednesday to Easter. Deacon Laura Campbell and I, along with others from OSLC, will be posting a daily video reflection on our OSLC Facebook pages, where you can join us as you wish or simply use the devotional privately or with those in your household (much like we offered with the devotional during Advent this last December).

While we are waiting, let us strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.
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Lunch at The Living Room
One of the casualties of the pandemic this last year has been our ability to get together for in-person study of the Word. We're hoping to begin dipping our toes back in those waters by reinstating our Thursday lectionary text study at The Living Room (our building on the corner of Jackson and Yale), Thursdays at noon, every week. We've called it Lunch at The Living Room, with anyone so inclined bringing their noon meal with them. As we start back up again, perhaps the prudent thing for now would be to forego the food and partake solely of the Word, enabling us to keep our masks on. Our time together will be spent taking a look at the appointed scriptures coming up in worship, and then to think together about what God might be speaking to us, so we might speak "a word in due season" to one another. 

If there is expressed interest on the part of folks who would like to join us on-line through Zoom, please email me (oslc2@rushmore.com) and I'll send you the link.

Consider joining us. We can listen...and even speak a little bit, together.

In hopes of a productive year,

Pastor Stephan Sandness
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If you're worshipping with us on-line, we'd like to extend to you an invitation to participate in the sacrament of Holy Communion with us during our live-stream. Here's How:

Before the service, simply prepare elements for communion to have ready...perhaps some bread from the pantry, or some crackers, as well as a small amount of wine or grape juice poured into individual small glasses or cups. Have these set aside for when the service begins. When the words of institution are proclaimed over the bread and wine on the altar, know that those words and the promise they bear ("given and shed FOR YOU") are proclaimed and prayed over the elements in your home. If you are worshipping alone in your home, commune yourself with us. If there are two or more of you gathered in front of the screen, commune each other with the same words:"The body of Christ, given for you. The blood of Christ, shed for you." If there are young children with you, mark the sign of the cross on their foreheads and remind them that Jesus loves them and forgives them all of their sins. As you share the meal, be assured that you're sharing it with all of those physically gathered, as well as with others gathering with you on-line. We pray this opportunity will be a strength and comfort to you, as you receive Jesus' presence through the sacrament. This is one of the ways we live through rather than under this pandemic, by sharing food for the journey.

And so the journey continues. Pray for our kids, teachers and school support staff as they navigate these turbulent first days of a new school year. Pray for our front-line workers striving to keep us safe, and continue to live through by your faith in Jesus!

Pastor Stephan Sandness