OSL News of the Week December 16, 2024
Crown Center Atrium - free Christmas concerts:
Tuesday, Dec. 17 - Hope Lutheran School (5:45pm)
Wednesday, Dec. 18 - Calvary Lutheran School (1pm)
More than 80 school, church and community choirs perform Mon-Thurs, Dec. 2-19. There are other choirs performing before &/or after the performances detailed above. (Check https://www.crowncenter.com/holiday-choirs-2024-schedule for full schedules.)
Upcoming services (including Bible Class on Sundays)
- Wed, Dec.18, 7pm: Rev. Phil Cook (part-time vacancy pastor)
- Sun, Dec. 22, 9am: Rev. Tom Harries (retired pastor from Hope Lutheran, Shawnee)
- Tues, Dec. 24, 8pm: Rev. Jason Boetcher (Trinity Family of Faith, Basehor; Circuit Visitor)
- Sun, Dec. 29, 9am: service of lessons and carols
- Jan. 5, 9am: Rev. Daniel Grams (KS District LCMS Assistant to the President for Congregational and School Services)
Thank you, Preschoolers
Last Saturday morning the preschool kids, with help from Donna, Lisa, Jane, Peter, Matthew, Deanna and Bob, told the Christmas story to their audience of 30. They sang about Jesus and also sang "happy birthday" to him! Everyone gathered in candlelight due to a power outage in the neighborhood. By the grace of God, the power came back on just in time to light the stage at the start of the program. Merry Christmas to all!
Volunteer appreciation
We are so grateful to all the people who are serving our church on Sunday mornings to help people get into the building and up to the sanctuary so we can worship together. We thank the devoted people who serve in our church's food pantry on Saturday mornings. Thank you to our choir, musicians and organists for adding joyful music to our worship.
Check your church mailbox
All members have a mailbox in the hallway by the upstairs Lounge. Some boxes have mail in them - please look at yours.
Winter newsletter with photos and info
Pick up a copy of the quarterly newsletter from the large table in the narthex. It has lots of info and looks great, thanks to Katie H. and Lauren S.
2025 Envelopes
Please pick up your 2025 tithe envelopes. They are on the table in the Narthex. If I missed anyone, please email or call 816-753-2885.
Update on our pastoral vacancy
Rev. Phil Cook will now be serving as our part-time vacancy pastor (in addition to his part-time role as Director of LUMA). He is our emergency contact and will give communion to homebound members and anyone who might be unable to attend services due to construction challenges. Contact Pastor Cook by sending a text message or leaving a voicemail at his number: 972-955-8801 (he will return your text/voicemail directly). You can also email him: and can make an appointment to meet with him. You can continue to call the church office with prayer requests (or email them to Lisa E. - ). Pastor Cook will rotate on Sundays with several other pastors during Dec. and Jan. The schedule for Feb. and beyond remains to be set but we expect to have Pastor Cook with us during that time. Rev. Jason Boetcher had previously been listed as our emergency contact - instead, please contact Rev. Cook now. Thanks be to God for the pastors whom we've met during the first portion of our pastoral vacancy and praise to God for the opportunity to have Pastor Cook serve us in this new way.
Prayer for our congregation
Gracious calling God, call on us with your grace again and again. Renew us daily in the peace,
hope, and eternal life we have been promised and which we have been called to proclaim. As we work to call a pastor to our congregation, may we count on the prayers of all members of this community of faith to uphold us, just as we trust your Spirit to guide us to give us patience, discernment and clarity. We remember, God, you are the One who called us first. Amen.
Construction / renovation update (as of Fri, 12/13):
The construction sub-committee accepted a recommendation to delay the work on lighting the stained-glass window. It is now anticipated to start sometime in March, weather permitting. The delay is due to the glass subcontractor's concern that winter temps & moisture would be a risk for our stained-glass, which dates to 1957. The outer glass on the north wall of our church will be removed (and the hole covered with a tarp, or similar) for most of the duration of the lighting project. Our contractor will monitor weather to start window work as soon as reasonable in March or April, depending on forecasts. It is likely that this phase of construction will still be underway at Easter. We feel that delaying the work until spring is better than risking damage to the stained-glass. Concrete work continues around the west entrance and north tower, as weather allows. Please keep worker and community safety, dry weather, and good temperatures in your prayers.
Sunday morning info during construction period
- Worship service: in the sanctuary at 9am.
- Fellowship (including coffee/treats): in the basement after the service.
- Adult Bible Class: basement Fellowship Hall at 10:15am.
- Sunday School for kids: blue classroom in basement at 10:15am.
Sunday parking during construction (church parking entrance is one-way, at north side of large parking lot; exit toward McDonald's)
- Use any spaces in our church's large parking lot.
- 8 spaces by our Preschool door should be used by people who need an entrance with no stairs.
- 19 spaces are on east side of KU Endowment Building. Access these via the one-way drive adjacent to our north entrance ramp on Rainbow Blvd.
- 12 spaces are in a lot on north side of KU Endowment Building. Access these from Rainbow, directly into the lot.
- 15 spaces are in a lot on south side of Wendy's. Use caution parking here since you'll need to cross Rainbow on foot.
Sunday morning doors during construction (available before and after church & Bible Class); volunteers will be at the doors to help as you arrive for church
- Preschool door (available by 8:15am, through the entire service, and up to Sunday School time). Wheelchairs (& volunteers to push) are ready for anyone needing help to get down the basement hallway. The stair glides are used to get up to the sanctuary level (volunteers help operate them until 9am and then again after the service).
- Northeast door (east side of church, near large parking lot) - available 8:30-9am. Two internal flights of stairs here take you to the sanctuary (entering through door near pulpit).
- Playground door (west side of church) - available 8:20-9am. Used by people parking at Wendy's (go through playground gate on Rainbow Blvd & follow sidewalk to this door).
Food Pantry - volunteers needed
Our food pantry is serving on Saturday mornings (only) for a few more months. Please keep everyone who receives food in your prayers. Could you spare some time from 9 - 11:15am to help out on any Saturday? Contact Deanna B. for more info. Helping with the pantry is a way to show the love of Jesus to our community. Thank you to all of the people who faithfully serve in the pantry!
Watching our Sunday services online
Click on this link to reach the YouTube page where our Sunday services are live-streamed: YouTube-OS Sunday service. If you miss the service on Sunday, each Monday a recording of the prior day will be posted to the site. You can also get to this webpage via a link on www.oskc.org/onlineworship.
Construction Project - Capital Campaign (Nov. update)
The capital campaign for our construction project continues. Look for packets of the related forms and documents in the Narthex. The campaign goal is $250,000 and as of the end of November, $73,200 has been received. Thanks to Lauren S. for creating the monitoring board that is in our Narthex. We are grateful for everyone's prayerful consideration about making a contribution and also to those who have submitted gifts. If you have any questions, please email or speak to Debbie K. or Deborah D. If you would like a personal meeting to discuss questions or contributions, please contact Patty M. or Lou W.
Join KCYALs for the Epiphany Worship Service & Fellowship!
The Kansas City Young Adult Lutherans invite you to celebrate Epiphany with us on January 6, 2025 at Calvary Lutheran Church in Kansas City, MO. The worship service will begin at 5:45 PM, followed by dinner and fellowship at 6:45 PM. It’s a wonderful opportunity for young adults to come together in faith, connect with others, and share a meal.
Location: Calvary Lutheran Church
7500 Oak St, Kansas City, MO 64114
We look forward to seeing you there as we kick off the new year in worship and community!
Prayers
Caroline Parks; Lucas Heinrich; Cheryl Scott; Claire Dodson’s family members- Sam Rohr, Mike Rohr; Becky Beilharz’s friend Caryl passed away; Sara Stevens; Patty Milbourn; Cheryl Heverin & her son Joe.
December Birthdays/Anniversaries
Katelyn Sylva Dec 1 Samuel Durairaj Dec 18
Sam Jarrett Dec 3 Joshua Samuel Dec 21
Ruth Ann Troop Dec 5 Ryan Hartje Dec 22
Drew Paulakovich Dec 13 Quinn Welch Dec 28
Deb Hartje Dec 14 Tom Eckard Dec 28
Marilyn Suman Dec 14 James Wetzel Dec 29
Jessica Samuel Dec 14 Roena Iiams Dec 30
Travis Lee Dec 16 Michael & Summer Bryant Dec 14
Jim Huston Dec 18 Travis & Tanner Lee Dec 31