Mission Committee Activity 2008

February
·         Mission Sunday with guest speaker Ed Willemsen for Love in Action Ministries .

March
·         Members of the committee worshipped with Ed Willemsen and met members of the Good Shepherd Mission of Paterson NJ. This non-denominational church has been making disciples for 75 years. We will invite them as speakers in 2009.

April
·         Committee member Dena Hertel went to Christ The King in Ringwood to be the keynote mission speaker at their Prayer Breakfast. The topic was our mission trip to Kyrgyzstan.
·         Supported the Military with Care Packages, partnering with Concordia Seminary
·         Short-term mission trip with Love in Action Ministries to Bolivia included OSLC members: B. Mainardi, K. Hertel, S. Lomberk.
·         Continue to support the Kyrgyzstan mission by wiring $2000 to help rebuild the orphanage in Bishkek (new roof)

 May
·         Dena Hertel, a member of the Kyrgyzstan Trip Team spoke at the Lutheran Women's  Missionary League convention. She was approached for 3 additional presentations.
·         Planning meetings for July/Aug 2009 short-term mission trip with Love in Action Ministries to Bolivia. There are 17 people interested.

June
·         Bake Sale to support the Mission Festival
·         Initial meeting of all involved in Mission Festival

July
·         Committee members started to lead and participate in weekly prayer groups throughout the summer for a half hour before Sunday service starting July 6th. The prayers are for support of the Mission Festival, but also all needs including the church during transition. Congregation is encouraged to participate.

September
·         OSLC hosted a Mission Festival with Missionaries Tim & Rita "N" on September 13^th . Many OSLC committees and/or individuals actively participated in different ways. Approximately 100 participants from 11 organizations and 6 Lutheran churches attended.
·         Mission Sunday - Tim delivered a powerful sermon at both services on Sept 14th.
·         The Committee partnered with the Youth & Sunday School to collect small toys (like those in McDonald’s meals) and personalizing others These toys were shipped to Bob & Sue Pfeil, Kyrgyzstan missionaries to be given to children who are waiting in line to visit the medical trailer during ‘Gospel Touches’. The packages were shipped out in October.

October
·         Remaining Annual Support Payments for 2008 were decided and check requests have been submitted:

Orphan Grain Train
Alaska Mission – T. Roeske
Love In Action Internat’l
World In a Tent (Boswell)
Apple of His Eye
Star of Hope
Inter-religious Fellowship For the Homeless
Katrina Support	
Food For The Poor
Center For Food Action
H.O.P.E.
Angel Tree

Budgeted Items

Kyrgyzstan Support
Possible Mentor Program (local LCMS church)
Good Shepherd Feeding

November
·         Bake Sale to support the 2009 Bolivia Trip
·         Chocolate Candy Sale (ongoing)

Under Discussion for 2009:

• Garage Sale to support the 2009 Bolivia Trip is postponed until Spring 2009
• Bethesda Group Home in Oakland, NJ
• World view with Tony Steinbronn is tentatively scheduled for the Winter/Spring 2009
• Good Shepherd Mission Paterson – We will approach them to join us for Sunday morning worship on Feb 1^st or 8^th. This was discussed with, and the dates were suggested by Pastor Izzard.  Program was a huge success!!!

• Dena will speak at the NJ District LCMS Conference in June
• Prayer Breakfast:  OSLC plans to hold a Prayer Breakfast
• Bolivia Mission trip with Love in Action Ministries July
• Turkey Mission Trip October

Since its inception in 1981, the TIM program has enabled more than 600 congregations to experience the joy of being partners in the greatest enterprise--Christ's mission--by directly supporting missionaries. TIM offers opportunities for congregations, individuals and groups to "adopt" career and long-term volunteer missionaries and their families serving around the world. TIM congregations and partners make two-year Commitments of $3,000 to $77,000 per year.
Sixteen LCMS congregations will be recognized for their 20 years of faithful giving to the TIM program. Bethany Lutheran Church in West Hartford, CT has supported one TIM missionary continuously for all 20 years. Another TIM congregation celebrating 20-year anniversaries is: Trinity, Ithaca, NY.
DID YOU KNOW - Our Savior Lutheran Church (OSLC) is part of the TIM program? OSLC support Tim & Marguerite N.  In 2001 OSLC supported them financially with the minimum amount suggested by LCMS of $3,000.
Since 2002 OSLC increased their support to $6,000. The additional $3,000 was pledged by the Mission Committee. Those funds have been collected through the use of the Mission offering envelopes and various fundraisers.
The N.'s and their staff are thankful for this financial support, but are more thankful for the support we give them, and all of God's missionaries, in our prayers. (Our missionary's names have  been changed to protect their identity)
10/2008

The second Sunday of every month is designated Food Sharing Sunday at Our Savior. Members are encouraged to bring in the following items:

100% Fruit Juice, Tomato Sauce, Macaroni and Cheese, Powdered Milk, Spaghetti, Canned Meat or Pasta, Cereal, Rice, Diapers, Canned Fruit, Peanut Butter, Baby Food, Pork and Beans, Jelly, Paper Products, Tuna Fish, Cookies, Coffee and Tea.

These items are taken to the Center for Food Action in Elmwood Park. This facility is located in the Presbyterian Church on Church Street and is open to accept deliveries on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. They are supported by local churches, synagogues, corporations, and individuals.
The Center currently receives about 100 referrals a month and saw an 18% increase over the summer. To become eligible to receive their help a person must have a recommendation from Bergen County Social Services, their town Welfare Board or a request from their place of worship. The recipients are allowed to be served six times a year. Generally those receiving food are in an interim situation: waiting for approval for food stamps; seeking unemployment compensation etc.
We have a dedicated group of members who transport our collections to Elmwood Park.
10/2008

Did you know that Our Savior participates in a Share America program together with members of Holy Cross in Mahwah? What is Share America? The Share America program is a part of a Bergen County endeavor known as Companions in Mission (CIM). At three different locations (Mahwah, Ridgewood and Closter) representatives of Mahwah, Fair Lawn, Ridgewood, Closter and New Milford meet weekly or twice a month to share our different cultures, customs and faith with our Japanese friends in this area. Our Savior is presently represented in Mahwah by Anne Cornett, Aidee Williamson and Marilyn Thomforde. We welcome any ladies of our congregation who would care to join us in this mission endeavor.

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