JANUARY 2025
Count Others More Significant Than Yourselves
Pastor Schopp
January 2025
“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus”
– Philippians 2:1-5
Back in November, shortly after I was installed, I hinted that there would be more changes in our congregational life together. Having been here for several months now, I have concluded that one of the most important things our dual parish needs is
routine, pastor-led Bible Study on Sunday. Our current schedule is haphazard at best: Alternating every other week at each congregation, unless of course there is something else that comes up. The net result is that often there is a month between Bible Study sessions. Not only does this affect our own members’ attendance, it is very confusing for newcomers who are just starting to figure all of this out. We should be able to say quickly, confidently, “Join us for Bible Study on Sunday and see what it is we believe!”
Another issue is that those who teach Sunday School are missing out on Bible Study. Some of our most dedicated members are not being fed because they are too busy serving. This is very similar to the account of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:39-42) and we do not want to neglect the important things. With a little creativity, we can both continue to learn and grow while also looking after “
the interests of others” (Phil 2:4).
Bible study is an important time, not only to learn more about our faith, but also to get to know one another. The Decalog (Ten Commandments) can be summarized thus:
Love God and love your neighbor. But it is difficult to love your neighbor if you do not
know your neighbor. This time after worship is the best time to get to know one another. It provides an opportunity to address unforeseen events and, if necessary, divert our studies for a more pressing, timely topic (think COVID, etc.).
To this end, I have been speaking with the leaders of both congregations and I propose the following:
- Move the service times at both congregations by 15 minutes. This would make St. John’s service at 8:00am and Our Savior’s service at 11:00am.
- Schedule weekly pastor-led Bible Study immediately after the service. This will not take the place of the Wednesday Bible Study nor the monthly Saturday Bible Study.
- Develop a roster of people willing to bring food for the Our Savior Bible Study. A legitimate concern is people being distracted by hunger, but that can be resolved by taking care of one another in this simple way.
So the new schedule would look like this:
8:00am Service at St. John’s
9:15am Bible Study at St. John’s
9:30am? Sunday School begins at Our Savior
10:00am Pastor travel time (30 minutes)
11:00am Service at Our Savior
12:15am Bible Study at Our Savior (with brunch provided by members)
Voters’ Assemblies would be scheduled for Sunday afternoon or a weekday. This means that the younger children would need to be looked after so that the parents could attend Bible Study, but this is a duty that could be rotated.
Every pastor is called to “preach, teach and administer the Sacraments” and this will help me fulfill the second of those three interrelated tasks. There may be other schedules that would accomplish the same goals, and I and the leadership of each congregation are willing to hear suggestions. In the weeks ahead, please give this some due consideration and let us know what, if anything, we have overlooked.
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Schopp
Christian Foundations Class starts in February
Pastor Schopp will be teaching adult education classes twice a year starting this spring. The name of this class is “Christian Foundations” and it is a ten-week class that he has developed over years teaching new and current members in multiple congregations. Although it is labeled an “adult education class”, high school aged youth are welcome as well. Members who want a refresher are also encouraged to attend.
The class begins on
Tuesday, February 4 and runs through April 6, from 6:00-7:30pm.
PLEASE REGISTER IN ADVANCE! We need to place an order for materials in mid-January and want to make sure we have enough. Contact the church secretary, Cherise Johnson, at
oursaviorlutheran@nvc.net or call 605-225-7106 with your name and contact information.
Our Savior January Birthdays
3 Samantha Alumbaugh 17 Alice Hanson
3 Chris Aman 19 Corey Gelling
3 Janean Imberi 20 Lori Mayer
6 Natalie Hofer 20 Kaitlyn Wolf
6 Summer Scepaniak 22 Jessica Dockter
6 Joelle Thone 23 Kim Brick
7 Jaylynn Siebert 26 Ally Johnson
11 Kathy Wendt 26 Erin McHenry
12 Shannon Petrich 30 Harlan Wickham
Anniversaries
25 David & Cherise Johnson
26 Tom & Alice Hanson
Our Savior Meetings in January
Board of Elders – Thur. Jan. 9
th at 5:15 pm
Church Council – Thur. Jan. 9
th at 6:30 pm
Voters Meeting – Sun. Jan. 12
th at 9:30 am
Board of Education – Sun. Jan. 19
th at 12:00 pm
The LWML will not meet in January.
Nursery Circle will not meet in January.
Voters’ Meeting will be Sunday, January 12
th at 9:30 am. Please attend to help conduct the business of the church.
Church Council will meet Thursday, January 9
th at 6:30 pm in preparation for the voters meeting.
Elders – Russell Brandt & Brandon Christianson
Acolyte Schedule:
Jan. 5 – Dalton Lee & Ella Brick
Jan. 12 – Tristan Tschappat & Grace Rausch
Jan. 19 – Tucker Brick & Cashlyn Angerhofer
Jan. 26 – Teigan McKown & Caleb Siebert
Sunday School resumes on January 5
th at 9:30 am.
Circumcision and Name of Jesus (New Year’s Day) Divine Service will be Wednesday, January 1
st at Our Savior at 10:00 am.
Epiphany – While Our Savior and St. John’s will be observing Epiphany on January 5
th, there will also be a Circuit Epiphany service on Monday, January 6
th at 6:15 pm at St. Paul’s in Aberdeen. All are welcome to this special service as we celebrate the Lord Jesus being made known to all the world.
Tree “Undecorating” – The Christmas trees at Our Savior will be taken down on Sunday, January 5
th after the service. Any helping hands would be appreciated.
Wednesdays – Our normal Wednesday schedule will resume on January 8
th, with catechism class at 5:00 pm, a short midweek evening service at 6:00, and Bible study at 6:30.
The Senior Potluck will be Tuesday, January 14
th at noon. Join us for good food and fellowship.
Saturday Bible Study – January 11
th at Our Savior, 9:00-11:00 am – The Book of Jonah – Jonah’s book differs from the other prophetic books in that it contains only one sentence of direct prophecy from God. The rest is Jonah’s story, part of which everyone more or less knows. Skeptics are quick to doubt the historical nature of Jonah. Yet Jesus more than once refers to Jonah. Is the book true? Why is this even important? What is the Book of Jonah’s overall message? How does Jonah proclaim Christ?
Our Savior Installation of Officers for 2025 will be during the service on Sunday, January 19
th. Members of all boards may come forward.
Our Savior Offering Envelopes for 2025 – Please pick up your envelopes in the fellowship hall. Your number may have changed in order to keep the list in alphabetical order. Therefore, throw out any old envelopes you may have, to assist us with accurate record-keeping. Thank you!
Our Savior Greeters Needed! Help welcome people church! Greeters stand at the entrance to the nave for about 10-15 minutes prior to the service. There is a sign-up sheet in the narthex. Choose your date, and you can sign up alone or in pairs or as a family, however you would like!
Poinsettias – Thank you to all who donated poinsettias to make the sanctuary beautiful for Christmas in memory or honor of loved ones, and to the glory of God. You may take your poinsettia home if you haven’t done so already.
Portals of Prayer for January – March are on the table in the narthex.
Annual Reports – A reminder to the chair persons of all boards and circles: please turn in your group’s annual report for 2024 to the office or email it to
oursaviorlutheran@nvc.net as soon as possible. Thank you!
Bible Bowl – The youth will begin preparing for Bible Bowl in January after the services at Our Savior. There will be a sign-up sheet in the kitchen if you’d like to prepare a lunch for them.
LCMS Stewardship Ministry – January 1 – The Circumcision and Name of Jesus
Luke 2:21 – “And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.” The name of Jesus means “the Lord saves.” There is no better way to end or begin a year than with the sweet comfort of the name of Jesus. He saves us. He loves us. He desires to bless us. That assurance is the basis for all we do in our Christian lives, including our stewardship of His financial blessings.
Home and Hospital Visits – If you would like Pastor to visit you at home, please let Pastor or the church office know. Also, if you are having surgery or are hospitalized and would like Pastor to visit and/or include you on the prayer list, please let us know. Phone numbers and email addresses are listed below.
St. John’s Columbia
January Birthdays
1 JoLynn Podoll 17 Braden Miller
2 Joshua Underberg 19 David Patton
6 Joleen Christianson 23 Jennifer Daggett
6 Charlotte Podoll 24 Larry Neubauer
10 Wyatt Wolter 27 Jennifer Hieb
13 Skylar Borge 27 Hainslee Larson
15 Lucas Underberg
Usher List
Jan. 5 Ray & Cyndy Larson
Jan. 12 Dean & Lori Ringgenberg
Jan. 19 Roger & Sharon Zastrow
Jan. 26
Higher Things® Youth Retreat
Mount Calvary Lutheran Church
Brookings, SD
January 19-20, 2025
Sunday 6pm – Monday 3pm
What do you do when people you know announce they identify as part of the LGBT community? What do you do when you start questioning who God has created you to be? We live in a world of darkness and confusion that needs the light of Christ. But how do we faithfully bring the light of Christ? This retreat will dig into how we ended up here culturally, what Scripture has to say about these topics, and how to live in Christ despite the confusion and suffering that surrounds us.
Pastor Merritt Demski graduated from Concordia Chicago with a bachelor’s degree in literature in 2008 before graduating from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis with his M-Div. in 2016. He is the pastor at St. John Lutheran Church in Hanover (rural Alta), IA. Pastor Demski enjoys spending time with people and studying church history to understand why we do what we do. He also enjoys spending time with his family, walking, and discussing film and literature.
Meals Included: Sunday supper; Monday breakfast, lunch and snacks
What to Bring: toiletries, especially deodorant! change of clothes, sleeping bag, pillow
If you are interested in attending, please contact Eric Johnson at 605-216-6701.
Our Savior Lutheran Church
624 North Jay Street – Aberdeen, SD 57401
St. John’s Lutheran Church
23 North James Street – Columbia, SD 57433
Phone 605-225-7106, Email
oursaviorlutheran@nvc.net
www.oursaviorlutheranchurchaberdeen.com
Rev. Chad Schopp – Cell # 605-380-2545
Email: cschopp@protonmail.com
Rev. Alan Ludwig – Cell # 509-540-9083
Email: lutheranprof@gmail.com
Click on the "Calendar" tab on the website to see the January Calendar.
