Come, share the gifts of God with us,
and serve the world together,
at
OUR SAVIOUR'S LUTHERAN CHURCH,
10 Farrand Street (at River),
THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO, CANADA
807.344.1926 osimm@tbaytel.net
Our congregation is located on the traditional territory of the Ojibway of the Fort William First Nation, a signatory to the Robinson-Superior Treaty of 1850.
Welcome!
We invite you to be part of our community of grace and faith, active in Thunder Bay for the past 117 years. We seek to continue to be a place where people can grow in their understanding of God's forgiving love revealed through Jesus. Gathered in to worship, God's Spirit calls us out to share in word and action what it means to be people of God.
OUR VISION:
"Come share the gifts of God - serve the world"
Our Facebook page is 'Our Saviour's Thunder Bay'
Our YouTube channel is Our Saviour's Lutheran Church of Thunder Bay.
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Recorded Services:
Our services, are recorded and uploaded to our YouTube channel.
New - March 24 - Palm Sunday/ Sunday of the Passion (Service of the Word)
March 17 - Fifth Sunday in Lent (Holy Communion)
March 10 - Fourth Sunday in Lent (Service of the Word)
March 3 - Third Sunday in Lent (Holy Communion)
February 25 - Second Sunday in Lent (Worship with the Band)
Newsletter:
To receive a copy of the monthly 'Ambassador' by email, please send a request to osimm@tbaytel.net.
The text version of our MARCH 2024 Newsletter is on the page 'Our Newsletter'.
Deadline for April 2024 'Ambassador' articles: April 2.
What's Happening?
March 25-31
Monday
9:30 - 2:00 ESL Classes (M-Thurs.)
6:30 p.m. Cubs
Cancelled - Confirmation
8:30 p.m. Friendly A.A. Group
Tuesday
Cancelled - TOPS
Wednesday
6:30 p.m. TBay Carvers
Maundy Thursday
10:30 a.m. LCC Chapel Holy Communion, at Hogarth
7:00 p.m. Holy Communion and Stripping of the Altar (NOTE: In-person only)
8:00 p.m. Friendly Group A.A.
Good Friday
10:30 a.m. Worship
Holy Saturday
7:30 p.m. Anglican-Lutheran Easter Vigil Worship - St. Michael and All Angels Anglican Church , Red River Road
This worship begins with the lighting of the Easter fire and ends with the celebration of resurrection and Holy Communion. Pastor Matthew will be an Assisting Minister.
Easter Sunday - The Resurrection of our Lord
9:45 a.m. Easter Breakfast
10:30 a.m. Holy Communion (no Fellowship Hour today)
Easter Breakfast
Join us at 9:45 a.m., Sunday, March 31, in Immanuel Hall. Hot Cross buns and beverages will be provided. (Note: no Fellowship Hour following worship.)
Worship
We gather each Sunday at 10:30 a.m., celebrating Holy Communion on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month and festivals. Other Sundays are Service of the Word. Worship with the Band next happens in April, date tba.
As we meet, we record the services. They are uploaded later on Sunday to our YouTube channel, ‘Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church of Thunder Bay’.
Closed captions are available on the video – corrections and song lyrics are added as time allows.
Texts of the bulletin and sermon are also mailed out on Saturday: sign up for our enews: osimm@tbaytel.net. They are posted on our website on Saturday: www.oursaviourstbay.org .
Holy Communion at Our Saviour's
New: As of March 17, we no longer receive a wafer in a cup as we enter the sanctuary. Instead, at the time of the sharing of Communion, all are invited to come up the centre aisle to the foot of the chancel steps to receive the bread and the wine/grape juice. Gluten-free wafers are available. After taking a glass, please go off to the side and drink. There is a receptacle for the 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 forward 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.
The Health Unit continues to recommend the wearing of masks in public areas when social distancing cannot be maintained.
The Congregational Council endorses this for those who wish to wear masks, and continues to make masks and hand sanitizer available in the front hall and Immanuel Hall.
Learning:
Children:
Our Sunday School classes normally are twice monthly, on the first and third Sundays. Our next classes: April 7 and 21.
The sessions, for children in JK – Gr. 6, begin downstairs in Immanuel Hall at 10:30 a.m. for Bible stories, crafts, and other activities. Then those in the class come up to share Holy Communion.
See Karen Bishop, co-ordinator, for more information.
Activity sheets for each Sunday are available in the front hall and are also emailed on Thursday. To sign up for these:
There are Adventure activity bags under the mailboxes inside the entrance to the sanctuary, for children to enjoy during worship.
The seasonal activity pack for Easter/Spring will be available on Easter Sunday for pick-up or drop off. For the latter, email
Confirmation:
This ministry of the church helps youth to continue in the promises made at Baptism. All youth Grade 7 and older are welcome. We will be meeting the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month, 6:30-7:30 p.m., with the next classes: April 8 and 22. (March 25 cancelled, due to storm warning.)
Classes will be offered mostly in-person. We hopefully also be gathering from time to time with the Confirmation youth from Hilldale Lutheran Church.
Food Collection
Food donations received in the wicker basket in the front hall are being given to the Gathering Table’s food bank and to those in need. Thank you!
ELCIC Emergency Appeal for our partners in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land
At the beginning of November, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada launched an appeal to support our partners in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL).
To date, ELCIC support for this appeal has enabled the goal of $263,000 to have reached past the half-way point.
“I am absolutely delighted with the support of our ELCIC members,” says ELCIC National Bishop Susan Johnson. “I urge you, if you haven’t already made a donation yet, please do so.”
The ELCJHL Appeal was launched following an update ELCJHL Bishop Dr. Sani-Ibrahim Azar shared on the impact of the Israel-Hamas war with the ELCIC.
Bishop Azar noted that due to the increase in violence, schools have had to close; checkpoints between the West Bank and Jerusalem and between areas such as Ramallah and Bethlehem have been nearly completely closed off, preventing many people in these communities from being able to travel to and from work; and there has been a devastating impact on families whose livelihoods are connected to the tourism and hostility industry. Bishop Azar asked for support in helping to cover one month of salaries of teachers at ELCJHL schools and half of the salary for ELCJHL pastors, which amounts to $263,000.
“These are our sibling Lutherans,” Bishop Johnson noted. “I spoke to Bishop Azar recently and he told me what a difference this is going to make in people’s lives at a time when the local church is needed more than ever.”
To assist in reaching the ELCJHL emergency appeal donation target, the ELCIC’s National Church Council approved a one-time contribution to the appeal for $100,000. The Eastern Synod – which serves as a companion partner of the ELCJHL – has provided another $25,000. Direct donations from individual ELCIC members is over $20,000, with more yet to come in from congregational giving.
You are invited to help support our partners through a financial contribution to the ELCJHL Appeal.
Through Our Saviour's, by designating your special offering to ELCJHL Appeal.
Online through the ELCIC National Office at secure.elcic.ca.
Joint Easter message
National Bishop Susan Johnson (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada) and Archbishop and Primate Linda Nicholls (Anglican Church of Canada) share a message of courage, hope and joy as the church prepares to celebrate the risen Christ.
To view the video message, visit AnglicanLutheran.ca.
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Canadian Lutheran World Relief Partnership:
Your Generosity in Action
Canadian Lutheran World Relief has released its ‘Year in Review: Your Impact in 2023’. Copies are available at the church or online at www.clwr.org .
-El Salvador: Climate insurance for small scale farmers
Virginia Escobar is a small-scale farmer in the ‘Dry Corridor’ in El Salvador. She cultivates basic grains as well as fruit trees on her farmland.
In the past, Virgina was able to sow twice in the rainy season. The first harvvest was sold to pay back loans while the second was for the family’s substinence. But due to irregular droughts in recent years, she was able to plant only once. The cost of agricultural inputs was also on the rise.
Virginia participated in a crop insurance program launched by CLWR and partners, aimed at strengthening the climate resilence of small-scale producers of basic grains.
The insurance has smaller requirements and coverage than traditional insurance and is automatically activated when drought, excess rainfall or seismic movements are recorded and have affected the farmers’ crops.
The project also provided training and education on climate change resilience to the farmers.
Thank you for supporting small-scale farming families in El Salvador!
To donate to CLWR, designate an line to ‘CLWR’ on your envelope, or visit www.clwr.org .
World Council of Churches Prayer Cycle
Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia
24 - 30 March 2024
We are thankful for:
the faithful witness of Christians here through the centuries, especially in times of occupation and persecution
the peaceful resolution of disputes
the distinctive cultural contributions and resources in these lands
the religious freedom and ecumenical cooperation that is growing.
We pray for:
greater respect for the Roma people and others who are marginalized and who lack adequate livelihoods in these lands
welcoming and engaging those of other faiths and ethnicities
growth in spiritual as well as physical health
democratic governance that advances God's justice and peace for all.
Prayers
Oh sweet Christ,
draw us who are weak to you,
since we cannot follow you if you do not draw us on.
Give us a brave, resourceful spirit, and, if the body is feeble, may your grace precede, mediate and follow, because without you we can do nothing and we are nothing.
Give us resolute spirits, fearless hearts, true faith, firm hope and perfect love, that we may patiently and joyfully lay down our lives for you.
(Prayer by John Hus)
OFFERINGS
Thank you for your offerings, sharing the gifts of God so that together we might serve the world!
During our worship, you are able to share your offerings at the entrance to the sanctuary.
Envelopes for your 2024 offerings are available. If you wish to sign up for a supply, please contact the office, 344-1926, osimm@tbaytel.net.
At other times, and for those unable to attend worship, here are 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.)
Again, we are so thankful for your faithful generosity.