New Sermon Series: As We Are
Sundays in September and October
Lahaina Door Offering Update
Posted Sept. 21, 2023
Our prayers continue for the many people affected by the tragic loss of life and destruction caused by the recent wildfires in Lahaina, Maui. Over the past several weeks our congregation and school have collected over $3,000 to provide assistance. We communicated with several relief organizations as well as Emmanuel Lutheran Church (LCMS) in nearby Kahului which is serving those in need. The Missions Team was impressed with how Emmanuel Lutheran initially responded and continues to help those impacted by the fires. We are sending them the entire amount of the special offering knowing they will be there long-term to minister spiritually, emotionally, and physically to the survivors.
Our thanks to the congregation and Open Arms families for their generosity.
In His Service and Yours,
Election Nomiees Needed
Posted Sept. 21, 2023
Are you interested in taking on a leadership role at Our Savior’s Way? Is there a member you think should be considered for a leadership role? In November, elections will be held to fill positions on the Mission and Ministry Servant Leaders Group At-Large (MMSLG), Open Arms Board of Governance (BOG), as well as the positions of President and Treasurer of the congregation.
For more information or to nominate a member, please
OSWLC Grounds—Your Loving Care is Needed
Posted Sept. 21, 2023
You might have noticed that some of the grounds around our church and school have begun to need loving care, specifically to the right and the left of the church's front entrance, at the center of the prayer garden, and at the end of the horseshoe.
This Fall is a good time to “clean up” these areas so that they are ready for next spring. If you are interested in donating a couple of hours and/or would like to sponsor this activity, please contact
Updates on Mother Teresa and Me
Posted Sept. 21, 2023
We want to thank everyone who signed up for Mother Teresa and Me movie night! We registered for tickets and received an email letting us know that we are on a waitlist.
We will let those who registered know when we get further information.
Scheduling Baptisms
Posted Aug. 31, 2023
We are currently scheduling baptisms on our fall calendar. If you would like to schedule a baptism, please click HERE for the form. Save the form to your computer to submit it electronically. If you have questions, please
Golden Girls for God starting Sept. 20
Posted Sept. 7, 2023
Golden Girls for God is starting back up after the Summer break! We will resume our regular meetings beginning September 20th.
Golden Girls for God is a fellowship of mature women who care and share for each other, study God’s Word, serve the church, and reach out to others. We laugh a lot, too! The group meets in the Church Library on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays, from September through June. We are currently studying the book of Romans. New members are always welcome!
Small Group Interest Form
Posted Sept. 7, 2023
As Pastor John launches a new sermon series, As We Are, we are also looking for leaders to start new groups. We would love to find leaders who are interested in leading a group on Sunday mornings during the 9:30 am hour. Groups can be a weekly group based on five easy questions, one that chooses to dive into the book the sermon series is based on, or another faith-based study. If you are interested in leading a group, participating in a group, or something in-between, please fill out our OSW Small Group Interest Form so that we can get some new Small Groups and classes started this fall!
OSW Small Group Interest FormOSWLC Apparel Fundraiser
Posted Sept. 7, 2023
By popular demand, we are selling polo shirts, fleece pullovers, v-neck t-shirts, and tumblers to raise money for the youth summer mission trip. Sport your OSWLC apparel in the community and support the youth at the same time! All items will be available to pick up in the church narthex beginning on October 22nd.
Organ Fund Update
Updated August 25, 2023
Our current organ was perfect for our congregation when we moved into our first worship space 24 years ago. We have since moved into a larger sanctuary, and organ technology has also changed dramatically in the past 25 years. It's time for an upgrade.
Our organ selection committee has chosen the Rodgers Model 351D (click for more info) as the best candidate for our sanctuary.
We have set up an Organ Fund on Realm so that you can designate funds toward this project. Be sure to select "Organ Fund" from the drop-down menu when you make a contribution.
Contributions received for the Organ Fund through September 6 total $21,405. Thanks to all who have donated to the Organ Fund.
What Is Your Priority?
Updated Sept. 21, 2023
Faith empowers us to give generously. What we do with the money in our checkbooks is a reflection of the condition of our hearts. Our willingness to give is an indicator of where the priorities in our lives are. Tithing (giving 10 percent) is a statement of faith. If our hearts are filled with the love of Christ, his love will be visible in what we do and give. As Christians today, we are motivated for stewardship by the gift of God's grace through his Son. Our giving can have no greater foundation than the Gospel of forgiveness.
Prayer:Dear Lord, you entrust me with financial treasures so I can use them not only to provide for my own needs but to use them to serve those who are in need. Grant me faith to share willingly, cheerfully, and generously the gifts you’ve entrusted to me with others. In Christ’s name I pray. Amen.
Praying for Ukraine
Updated Jul. 27, 2022
Our church continues to pray and collect donations for emergency humanitarian relief to aid Ukrainian refugees and those impacted by the ongoing violence. From the beginning of the Ukrainian crisis, the generosity of OSWLC and other congregations across the country to Lutheran World Relief (LWR) has been overwhelming. We saw our Ukrainian neighbors fleeing their homeland, children, and belongings in tow. We saw refugees separated from loved ones, in strange new countries, and your donations provided them with emergency supplies and support to rebuild their lives after destruction. To see how your LWR donations are making a difference in the Ukrainian crisis, please take a look at a special edition report from Lutheran World Relief, which can be found at oswlc.org/LWRReport. Thank you for your compassion, prayers, and incredible generosity.
In addition to LWR, our Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) has been able to respond quickly by meeting both the spiritual and physical needs of those in Ukraine and those fleeing that country in the following ways:
- The LCMS has issued grants for humanitarian aid and refugee support in parts of Romania, Latvia, Germany, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.
- The LCMS is providing transitional housing through subsidized rent at a residential complex in Romania – nearly $300,000 has been set aside to cover expenses for the next two years. The Synod is evaluating the possibility of purchasing a second residential complex in Romania for the same purpose.
- An LCMS missionary is offering ESL (English as a Second Language) classes to help displaced Ukrainians in Brasov, Romania. The ability to understand and speak English, the “trade language” there, will help refugees find employment and acclimate to life in a new place.
The LCMS continues to focus on planting churches and teaching the Lutheran faith – especially for displaced people seeking comfort and relief for their souls. The work to meet physical needs is very important, but the LCMS’ work differs from secular humanitarian organizations in that we share a far more critical resource – the proclamation of God’s Word, especially the precious Gospel.
- LCMS' partner church in Germany, Selbständige Evangelisch—Lutherische Kirche (SELK), has created a position to manage the church's refugee care programs.
- Two floors at the Old Latin School (OLS) in Wittenberg, Germany (a project of the LCMS), are being rented for refugee housing. SELK intends to plant a church in the OLS to have Divine Services in English and Ukrainian. The pastor there will also provide Lutheran catechetical instruction for refugees and others in Wittenberg.
- A Lutheran school in Slovakia immediately accepted displaced Ukrainians in the early stages of the war. This school continues to provide a Christian education for refugee children. The LCMS has provided support for this to continue.
Refugees fleeing Ukraine have lost loved ones, parents, children, homes, and livelihoods. The LCMS strives to share what is needed most — the comfort and peace that only Christ can provide.
Many Christian organizations are working on this huge humanitarian crisis and the OSWLC Missions Team will consider which Christian organizations and individual missionaries that are involved with Ukraine relief to donate to. If you’d like to contribute, checks should be made out to OSWLC with "Ukraine Relief" in the memo line. You can also donate at oswlc.org/Pushpay—please indicate it is for "Ukraine Relief" in the memo line.
Fraudulent Emails
Posted Jun. 24, 2020
Lately there have been several fraudulent emails sent to OSWLC church staff and members that look like they are from the leadership of OSWLC. Scammers are very good at creating fake emails that are difficult to distinguish from the real emails we receive from various companies and contacts on a daily basis. Other churches in our area have been targeted as well, and sadly some have fallen victim to these email scams.
Please be extra cautious if you receive an email asking for a favor, to pay an invoice, buy a gift card, or anything that requires your financial attention, especially when the message tells you to not contact the sender due to being in a meeting or being too busy. The staff, leadership, and pastors of OSWLC never send personal emails asking for this type of assistance. Be sure to look at the sender's email address and not just the name listed on the message. All staff emails will have the @oswlc.org extension.
Unfortunately, scammers use information available on our website and social media to pose as staff in an attempt to scam you out of money. We cannot take contact information off of our website and publications, but we can educate our members on being aware of these types of scams. Please be vigilant and watch for these types of emails. If you receive something suspicious or are uncertain of the validity of an email, please forward it on to