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Welcome Back / Come All
Come and join us for an Open House on Sunday, September 12th as we move into fall and
a new schedule! We want to show off the new Nursery and Library that our Operations Team
worked hard to transform. Look at the new screens in the Social Hall, Patio Room and
Fireside Room thanks to Pr. Scott and Operations. The Narthex/Atrium area is also receiving
an update thanks to Operations and Evangelism. At the Open House, also come and see
Playtown Preschool Center – this is a great ministry of OSLC that we proudly support. If you
have never seen the great space, we invite you to venture upstairs and check it out! Thanks
to our Caring & Fellowship Cabinet and additional volunteers, we will continue to provide
Sunday morning coffee and donuts outside by the Portico. Open House 9:30 - 10:30 AM
This isn’t quite the September for which we have been planning. Yes, (at the time of this
writing – always subject to change) we have returned to wearing masks indoors and done
some readjusting as we plan for ministry this fall. However, we (staff and leadership) are still
excited about returning and new ministries, and we want YOU to be a part of it.
NEW SUNDAY SCHEDULE BEGINS SEPTEMBER 12:
8:30 AM worship (this service is primarily organ/piano led with more ‘traditional’ liturgy)
9:45 AM Sunday School for our 2 year olds – 5th grade students in The Bridge
10:30 AM worship (this service is primarily band led with a slightly less structured liturgy)
So, come to the service that works for you! If we haven’t seen you in worship for awhile –
this is your invitation. I hope to see you soon!
We will not begin our Wednesday night worship service at this time; we will wait until we can
also have a meal and more ministry and fellowship opportunities with it. However, adult
choir resumes on September 8th! Confirmation for 6th-8th graders also begins this month.
Our new grief group has started, and more adult education opportunities are coming. In
addition, we have our Outdoor Movie Nights for members and neighbors. We are hopeful
we can resume sending volunteers into Johnson Elementary soon.
I have been blessed to serve a year now as your Sr. Pastor, and am in awe
that I get to be a part of the ministry at OSLC! Certainly, stepping into this
role in the midst of a pandemic has brought extra challenges. For example,
I don’t yet know all the people of OSLC and don’t know who is missing. If I
haven’t met you, please introduce yourself on Sunday or call the office so
we can connect. If there are folks you haven’t seen, please let me know – but also reach
out to them and invite them to join you on Sunday! If you, or someone you know, has a
(continued pg. 3)
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We are Rallying Back! Many OSLC ministries are starting back up this month:
Confirmation – Pool & Pizza Party September 1; Orientation September 4 or 8 (see pg. 4)
Music – Contemporary Band rehearsals begin Sept 2; Choir begins Sept 8 (see pg. 3)
Sunday School – Classes begin September 12 (details on pg. 4)
We invite you to these and other small groups/activities reconvening this month. Be a part of
our community to find friends in faith and grow in your relationship with Christ. Welcome back!
grow
share
love
inspire
“Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.
Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy.”
Philippians 1:3-4
Congrats, Pr. Rob!
Page 3
September 2021
Worship & Music
Council
”Come, now is the time to worship. Come, now is the time to give your heart.
Come, just as you are to worship. Come, just as you are before your God. Come!”
– Brian Doerkson
Thank you to everyone who shared their favorite hymns! 51 people participated and
there were 73 different hymns named as favorites. The top four hymns named were:
1. How Great Thou Art (top vote-getter by one)
2. Here I Am, Lord 3. Amazing Grace 4. Children of the Heavenly Father
All four of these hymns will be sung sometime during the months of September and
October during Sunday morning worship. More of your favorite hymns will be
incorporated into worship throughout the year.
Attention All Singers & Instrumentalists: OSLC Choir (8:30 AM Choir) begins rehearsals
on Wed, September 8th, 7:00 – 8:30 PM in the Worship Center. We will sing at the
8:30 service, with an 7:30 warm-up prior, each Sunday beginning September 12. Our
10:30 AM Contemporary Band begins rehearsals Thurs, September 2nd from
3:30 – 5:30 PM. If you are interested in being a part of our band, please set up a time
to meet with Paula for an audition. Music ministry will be observing COVID-19 safety
protocols by wearing masks at rehearsals and worship.
As our worship schedule grows to two services each week, we are in need of additional
volunteers for all worship ministries: Sound Tech, Video Screen Tech, Live Streaming
Tech, Communion Servers, Ushers, Healing Anointers (pray for members during
5th Sunday Healing service), Readers, Assisting Ministers, Greeters, and of course,
the Fellowship (donut) Ministry. Please contact Paula Mowbray to find out how you
can help. [email protected]
A Message from OSLC’s President
Why Did We Have to Go Back to Masks?
By now, you have heard that the leadership of OSLC has decided to
require masks in worship and other indoor groups, as recommended by
CDC guidance. While it is disappointing, we felt it was necessary. Why?
The CDC recommends that people living in low vaccination areas
where the virus is spreading should wear masks in indoor groups.
Winnebago County, unfortunately, is one of those areas, with only 43%
of the population being fully vaccinated as I write this. This compares
with a statewide rate of 51%.
When can we ditch the masks? We don’t know at this point. It depends
almost completely on how many people get vaccinated. Only then
can we slow the spread of the virus. We will monitor the vaccination
rates and CDC guidance and keep you posted.
Will the choir be together to sing during worship? The choir will sing in the
fall, but with special masks to protect each other and the congregation.
Ministry continues and your generosity is important, even in the
continuing uncertainty. We can still be in fellowship as well. Let’s be
grateful that we can be together!
Jim Provenza, Council President / [email protected]
Paula Mowbray / Director of Worship & Music / [email protected]
Welcome Back cont. (from pg. 1)
situation that has changed and would
benefit from being on our Home
Communion list, please just call the
office and let us know. We have added
new home communion volunteers and
want to make sure we are caring for all
members of OSLC.
Although things still look different than
we would like, I am confident that God
is with us as we move forward together
into a new day in ministry. I am grateful
to be in ministry with you.
God’s Blessings,
Pastor Rob James
Senior Pastor
New OSLC Intern
Welcome, Matt!
Our Savior’s welcomes
Matt Larson to our team.
A student in the Mass
Communication Program at
Rock Valley College, Matt
will serve as our AV intern
through mid-December.
Did you know? Matt is a
Rockford Lutheran graduate
and OSLC member. He
served as a Vacation Bible
School volunteer for many
years. Matt and his parents,
Frank & Lynn Larson, are
neighbors to OSLC.
Please stop by the sound
booth and share a
welcome and wave hello.
Page 4
Confirmation is about to begin!
To register your student, visit
OSLCRockford.com/youth to access the youth
page and link to the registration form.
We also offer a virtual option if you live outside
of the Rockford area.
Please join us. More information found at:
https://oslconfirmation.weebly.com/
Please contact Pr. Scott if you have any
questions about the Confirmation program at
OSLC. ([email protected])
To kick off this year of Confirmation, we invite all
confirmation youth to a Pool & Pizza Party at
Pr. Rob and Ann’s house on Wednesday,
September 1 from 6-8 PM.
Children & Youth
Playtown Preschool
Our third and last week of summer school was held
August 9-13. The week was full of learning about the
ocean! Next summer we plan on having summer
school again as this was a
great way for the kids to
learn throughout the
summer!
Our first day of preschool is Wed, September 1.
We have some new families and some returning
families that will be with us. Most of our families do
live close to OSLC, and many come to Playtown
through word of mouth. Please “like” our Facebook
page and share with friends and family that we do
have openings for 3, 4, and 5 year olds.
Playtown is in need of a few substitutes. We are
looking for people who we could call in the event
that Miss Amy or Miss Jenn could not come to
school. The hours are 7:45 AM – 12:00 PM Monday
– Friday. To be a substitute, you just need to fill out
some paperwork and be fingerprinted. You do not
have to have any college credits, just a love for
children. You would work as an assistant to Miss
Amy or Miss Jenn. Please contact Playtown if you
would like to help out
Amy McCormick, Playtown Preschool Director
Blue Stone Ministry
As followers of Jesus, we are all called to be disciples. This can
be an intimidating call to action. Many Lutherans want to follow
this call, but don’t know how to begin. The Blue Stone Ministry is
a beautiful, loving way to give hope to those in need, and
introduce them to God’s loving message. It also allows Christians
to begin their discipleship by demonstrating and sharing their
faith with those that most need to hear the Good News.
We encourage you to take a blue stone
and when you encounter someone in
need, give the stone away and share
“please take this blue stone and be
reminded God Loves you, He is always
with you, and I will be praying for
you.” There is no power in the stone, but
there is power in our words and actions of
love displayed in kindness and caring for others. The stone is a
reminder of encountering God’s love and compassion.
Be amazed at what God can do with even the very smallest
effort on our part.
And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of
men.” Matthew 4
Sunday School Students two years old through 5th grade: Join us in The Bridge
on September 12 at 9:45 AM for a treasure hunt and
adventure into Sunday School. We will gather, seek and find
hidden treasures, plus meet our serving teams. We look
forward to experiencing the true stories of the Bible while
having fun together. Parents are welcome to adventure with
us. Questions? Connect with [email protected]
Nursery News
The nursery will be open for families to use starting on
September 12. It is not staffed at this time. We hope to have
Nikki (our Nursery Attendant) back as soon as it is possible. Until
then, we have two areas in the Atrium for families to use, and
the nursery available to watch and experience worship while
your children play. The TV in the nursery allows you to be a part
of worship and know when to come in for communion.
The nursery is a beautiful,
clean, safe environment for
families to use with children
birth – four years old. The
nursery is located off the
Social Hall (up the ramp
and turn to the left).
Page 5
September 2021
September Mission of the Month: Carpenter’s Place
The mission of Carpenter’s Place (CP) for the past 20 years has been to provide the tools
necessary for rebuilding the lives of homeless adults. Program case management and
accountability, combined with the determination and hard work of its homeless guests,
completes the formula for success! In the last 12 months, homeless adults in the CP
case management program achieved the following results:
• 185 obtained stable housing
• 108 secured employment (83 full-time; 25 part-time)
On average, four homeless men and women secure housing,
and two gain employment each week at CP. Lives are changing in phenomenal ways!
Missions
COVID-19 and Recycling Submitted by Lynne Townsend
As we began wearing masks in 2020, we also began to see many
discarded where garbage accumulates, as our Green Team found
when we participated in the Great American cleanup. In February
2021, Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful provided tips to end confusion
about recycling during a pandemic. Since the delta variant has
again forced unwelcome changes to our routines, it’s worth
remembering them:
• Keep plastic bags, masks, wipes and latex gloves out of the
recycling bin. They are not recyclable and are considered trash.
• If someone in your home has COVID-19, treat your recyclables
as trash.
KNIB also included a few general reminders:
• Don’t put recyclables in plastic bags. Plastic bags are not recyclable.
• Cans and jars must be rinsed or fairly
clean to be recycled.
• Break down cardboard boxes and put
them in the recycling bin whenever
possible.
• Put recycling and trash in the appropriate bins, not next to them.
They may not get picked up and may end up blowing around.
• Refer to your trash hauler for their rules and regulations. If you bring
your items to KNIB, refer to the website for a complete list of what is
accepted: knib.org.
Mission Updates Our July Mission of the
Month was school supplies
support for Johnson
School, Playtown Preschool
and WELCA/school supply
kits. A total of $2,205 was
collected in monetary gifts
and a huge amount of
actual school supplies.
These contributions will be
equitably distributed
among the three entities.
Special thanks to Kathy
Stim for her work on this
initiative (job well done).
Our August mission partner
was Johnson School, and
a “Back to School” family
hot dog cookout was
scheduled for August 31.
Thanks to all for your help
with this event.
KNIB Clothing Drive
September 11 @ OSLC • 9 AM - 1 PM
Our Savior’s is pleased to be a host site for
Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful’s fall clothing
drive on Saturday, September 11. Place all
items into plastic bags, and remain in your
car while volunteers remove the items from
your vehicle.
All donations must be
bagged; no loose
items accepted.
Clothing that is not
wearable will be
recycled into things like carpet padding
and insulation. Only clean clothing
accepted – wearable or not, bedding,
pillows, fabric, stuffed toys, soft sided
luggage, belts, purses and shoes.
Clothing drives such as this help reduce 85%
of unwanted clothing from going to landfills.
Mobile Library The Rockford Public Library’s Mobile Library
may be making a stop or two at OSLC in
the coming weeks. We are not sure of their
schedule at this time. Watch for details.
The Missions team will provide an opportunity for the congregation to support
Carpenter’s Place this month.
• Tables will be outside after church on September 12 & 19.
• View the display of food items needed (large cans of vegetables, fruit, etc.).
• Purchase one or more items to help with CP’s meal program by donating online or
by check, or by purchasing the item(s) and dropping off at OSLC by September 30.
You can also text "OSLCRKFD Missions" to 73256 to give using your mobile device.
This number will never send unsolicited texts to you. Please indicate which mission
you are supporting by designating the mission on the memo line provided.
Did you know that a faithful group of OSLC volunteers provides meals to Carpenter’s
Place every second Wednesday of the month? We give thanks for their ministry. Thank
you for your generosity in supporting brothers and sisters in Christ.
Page 6
WELCA Sunday
Sunday, September 26
We look forward to our annual celebration of the Women of the ELCA
and the active ministry of OSLC. Our guest preacher will be Pastor Violet
Johnicker, pastor of Brooke Road United Methodist Church, Associate Director of Rockford Urban Ministries, and
a frequent contributor to the Rockford Register Star.
The Worship Center will be decorated with quilts, and special treats will be served at the fellowship time between
services.
WELCA Event
Tuesday, September 28 • 10 :00 AM – 12:30 PM
“Flora and Fellowship” at Klehm Arboretum
All women and guests are invited to meet at the Visitor’s Center at 9:50 for a docent
led walking or riding (open air) tour followed by a box lunch on the patio. The tour is
approx. one hour. Both activities are outdoors; masks required. Bring a foldable
chair to the meeting spot (we will store for you). When you enter the Arboretum, tell
them you are attending the OSLC WELCA event. Registration is required. First dozen
registrants receive reserved seating on the patio for lunch! Please complete the
registration form found at the Information Center and submit form/payment to
OSLC WELCA with Klehm on memo line. Registrations due Tues, September 14. See
details on the registration form for ways to submit your registration. For more details,
visit OSLCRockford.com/women or contact Lisa Doll at [email protected].
Calendar Collection
Are you starting to receive calendars in the mail? Are you getting more than you
need? This year, starting in September, WELCA will again be collecting all sizes of
2022 calendars for Cornucopia Food Pantry clients to keep track of the dates of
food distribution. Your help is appreciated. Thank you!
Book Club
September 20 • 6:30 PM
Join us Monday, September 20 in
the new library for a discussion of
Butcher by our own Reid Matthias
(former OSLC pastor). The first in
Reid's trilogy The Amicable Circle,
Butcher is the story of a butcher
with an amazing gift of "reading
people" which can be both a
blessing and a curse. His
interactions with the residents of
the small Iowa town he moves to
highlights the pitfalls of not being
able to accept change in our
lives. The book unveils a host of
characters who become
intertwined in many unexpected
ways.
WELCA & Events
Financial Update
as of July 31, 2021
To the left is a summary of the
General Fund/Operating and Playtown
Preschool revenue and expenses as of
July 31, 2021.
Should you have questions or concerns,
members of the Finance Cabinet are:
Diane Hielsberg (Director), Jim Keeling;
Paul Knopp; T.J. Leake; and John
Linder. Diane can be contacted at
Thank you for your continued support of
OSLC during these uncertain times.
Finances
Page 7
Among Us
Prayers and Blessings (as received through August 15)
We lifted up in prayer:
Sharon Angileri, Gert Breidigam, Fred Bruning, Gary Campbell, Stephanie Chaffin, Dave Cleven,
Odessa Dahlgren, Henry Doll, Marjorie Falls, Chris Gissal, Bob Hallstrom, Nancy Hausknecht,
Judy Larson, Lee Larsen, Carol Lind, Deloris Mahler, Sharon Peterson, Stephanie Peterson, John
Pofelski, Marlon Pool, Wendy Stolberg, Gloria Swanson, Ron Thorson, Denise Wessman
We prayed for families and friends of OSLC:
Phyllis Booker, Malorie Berge, Carol Burns, Oliver Carlson, Trevor Darrow, Don Gillingham, Greg
Gray, Jacob Hunter, Courtney Johnson, Tim Johnson, Kelly Knudson, Darin Mark, Nancy Marqui,
Emily Mastin, Spring Mehlhop, Laura Morrison, Ashley Noto, Maryanne Peterson, Elijah Richards,
Kacen Streed, Amber Talcott, Glenda Vanzant, Steve Walker
We celebrated births:
Ruby Mae & Eloise Lane, daughters of Peter & Jennifer Ratkovic
We celebrated baptisms:
Brooks Michael Landgraff, son of Michael & Courtney Landgraff
Mia Nicole Milvert, daughter of David & Kaitlyn Milvert
We celebrated marriages:
Major Matthew & Samantha Perry (nee Yarolimek)
We offered sympathy to the families of:
Bob Carlson, Mike Jennings, Dottie Kast, Rev. Dr. Bob Linstrom, Kathleen Stofflet
We prayed for peace in our world and protection for those in service
to our country:
MEMBERS: Scott Hlavin, Nicholas Rinaldi, Matthew Weyburg, Christopher Winters,
Rev. Rachel Zarnke
FRIENDS of OSLC: Steven Anderson, Jacob Blair, Kyle Brees, Ryan Brees, Jeremy Buttram,
Tristan Davenport, Ben Everette, Xander Gehrke, Dylan Kaltenbrun, Brandon Morgan, Quenten
Pal, Matt Perry, Tyler Pillmore, Alex Rickard, Charlie Van Galder, Austin Wagner
September Birthdays
1: Christian Mowbray 2: Allison Lackner, Jennifer Ratkovic 3: Scott Hlavin, Dale Melquist, Karen
Thompson 4: Steven Elliott, Nancy Hausknecht, Drew Swenson, Sue Vasseur 5: Evelyn Langsholt,
Marilyn Nazzarini, Oliver Papoccia, Rod Stevens 6: Mia Anderson, Rosemary Faber, Erma
Svoboda 7: Daniel Bry, Zoe Doll, Dawn Hendricks 8: Mary Ann Gaunt, Michael Pixler 9: Carol
Edson, Stacy Wells 10: Marjory Day 11: Rafael Hernandez, Albert Winters 12: Joseph Angileri
13: Noah Derry, Tom Hartley, Lorie Parker-Weinrich 14: Candi Buelow 15: John Addams, Michael
Hielsberg, Griffin Sager, Paige Williams 16: Fred Muehlfelder, Sophie Prabhakar 17: Catherine
Carlson, Jonathon Kryder 19: Tyrone Johnsen, Karen Montgomery, Marie H. Nelson, Betty Olson,
William Schmeltzer 20: Mary Buzzell, 21: Betty Boyd, Tamara Spencer, Lisa Williams 22: Noelle
Clark, Cyndi Hlavin, Keith Syfert 24: David Gustafson, Paul Knopp, David Spencer 25: Lois
Moore, Colleen Strey 26: Allison Insko, Judy Millhouse, Catherine Wright 27: Aubrie Abbott,
Sharon Angileri, Carson Blatchford, Jerry Buss, Pamelyn Minneci, David Schultz 29: Emmalyn
Fritschler, Tom Lackner 30: Tom Anderson, Helen Myers, Dave Sager
September Anniversaries
2: Gary & Laurie Page 4: Peter & Mary Kay Thomas 5: Michael & Tracy Wallin 6: Steve & Britta
Anderson, Brian & Karen Johnson, Victor & Judith Yehling 10: David & Kaitlynn Milvert 12: Jeff &
Robin Winters 13: Greg & Julie Peet, Jim & Peg Provenza 14: Larry & Judy Gunderson 15: Tom &
Deb Hartley, James & Judy Schmitt 16: Mark & Sandra Byers, Tom & Lynn Lackner 17: Mike &
Karen Montgomery 19: James & Carol Edson 20: Ted & Dina Getty, Mark & Jamie Yarolimek
23: Michael & Nancy Booker 25: Ted & Melissa Johnson, Timothy & Nancy Seiter, Steven & Kristen
Elliot 28: John & Bonnie Heimbach, Wayne & Joy Wiedenhoeft
Thank You
On behalf of the
Grace Place Campus
ministry board and
Pastor Mack Patrick,
please accept our
deep gratitude for
your donation of
$1,000 to GPCM in
support of our Fall
Meals. Your generosity
makes a great
difference in the
ministry we are able
to provide. Thank you
so very much.
In Christ,
Dn. Cheryl Erdmann
Grace Place
NIU Campus Ministry
I would like to say
“Thank You” to
everyone in the
congregation that
sent cards and
continues to pray for
me and Nadine.
Everything is going
well. God bless each
and every one of
you.
Bob Hallstrom
I wish to express
my thanks and
appreciation to all
my friends at OSLC
for expressions of
sympathy with calls
and cards in the
death of my sister
Kathleen. Your caring
thoughts and prayers
helped me cope
with so much
sadness. I know that I
am not alone!
Karen Stebbins
September 2021
Address Service Requested
Non-Profit
Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Rockford, IL
Permit No. 2645
In This Issue Senior Pastor 1
Rallying Back 1
Calendar 2
Worship 3
AV Intern 3
Children/Youth Ministries 4
Playtown Preschool 4
Missions 5
WELCA 6
Among Us 7
3300 Rural Street
Rockford, IL 61107-3540
815.399.0531
www.OSLCRockford.com
facebook.com/oslcrockford
Worship*:
Sept 5: Sundays at 9:00 AM
Sept 12 (and going forward):
Sundays at 8:30 & 10:30 AM
Office Hours:
Monday – Friday 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Staff
Senior Pastor - Rev. Rob James
Associate Pastor - Rev. Scott Stolberg
Worship & Music Dir. - Paula Mowbray
Connections Ministry Dir. - Cyndi Hlavin
Business Coordinator - Elizabeth Brinkley
Communication Coord. - Katie Belinson
Bookkeeper - Jenni Ripplinger
Assistant Coordinator - Angela McNally
Admin. Asst./Receptionist - Sheryl Gray
Playtown Preschool Dir. - Amy McCormick
Playtown Preschool Teacher - Jenn Pierson
Council
President - Jim Provenza
Vice President - Emily Bork
Caring & Fellowship - Karen Thompson
Education - Renee Guse
Evangelism - Ted Johnson
Finance - Diane Hielsberg
Missions - Randy Larson
Operations - Roger Mahler
Personnel - Bob Rothkopf
Worship & Music - Carolyn Kobler
At Large - Andrea Bathje, Paul Grover
Recorder - Trevor Johnsen
Access to the OSLC facility is available for scheduled appointments and
meetings. Information contained herein is based on information at the time of
printing and subject to change. Please do not come to OSLC if you are feeling
ill, have a fever, and also for those not vaccinated, been exposed to COVID-19.
Submissions for the October issue of CrossTalk are due by Friday, September 10
for consideration. Please submit articles to [email protected].
Outdoor Movie Nights
Our Savior’s main parking lot
September 24 • 8 PM
October 29 • 6 PM (double feature)
Make your plans to join us for some free family fun at
our Outdoor Movie Nights. Grab your family, friends,
lawn chairs and snacks, and watch a family friendly
movie under the stars.
• No registration necessary.
• Concessions for sale.
• Visit OSLCRockford.com for
more details*.
This month’s featured film,
released in 2021, features a
warrior and fiery beast. Please join us!
*If inclement weather, visit OSLCRockford.com to get
event status updates.
*worship also available online
via our FB page
OSLC Calling Tree
We know that things
continue to change
rapidly and we continue
to do our best to stay in
touch with everyone on
important changes
(such as the return to
wearing masks). If you
do not use email or
texting and would like to
be added to an OSLC
calling tree when things
change, please call the
office at 815-399-0531
and let us know you
want to be added.