Don't forget to set your clocks back this Sunday.

Dear Friends,

I have tried to start writing this letter to you all quite a few times, with each time finding it difficult to get started. Why the difficulty? I have important news to share with you.

I will be retiring on April 30, 2024. My last worship service will be on April 21.

I am both excited to start on a new chapter of my life and very sad to be leaving you all. On March 1st I will have served as your pastor for 14 years. In this time, we have shared many sacred moments that I will always treasure. I will also treasure the not-so-sacred moments as well! I have learned so much in my time at Our Redeemer and am grateful for the patience and love we have shown one another over the years.

This time of transition for you all has already begun in that we have reduced my time at Our Redeemer. You already have a group of wonderful volunteers serving as a transition team. I have great hope for the continued ministry at Our Redeemer and I look forward to seeing how God will lead you into the future.

I will share more thoughts with you as we get closer to April.

Meanwhile, we enter the month of November with thanksgiving for all that God has done for us. One idea that was shared with me a few years ago is to send a note of thanks to one person each day in November. I am thinking of doing this. Maybe you can also. Of course, the invitation for us is to be grateful every day. Personally, I find daily gratitude an antidote to some of the difficulties of the world around us. Thanksgiving is also a time for connection and a time for family. May you all experience blessings in your own family celebrations.

Peace in Christ,

Pastor Nancy

PS: This year is my 9^th Annual Thanksgiving to Christmas Mile a Day Challenge. This year I will be donating to Friends of Campus Park, a local organization that has been working hard towards what will be our newest park in Oxnard. If you want to join the challenge, please let me know.

November is the month that reminds us to be thankful for all the blessings in our lives. This month at school the teachers will be reading stories, having discussions and making projects that remind us to not only be thankful but also how to share with those that may be less fortunate.

 During chapel on November 14^th & 15^th we would like to ask each student to bring a nonperishable food item. Each student will take their item to chapel where we will discuss sharing with others. The food will be donated to a local food bank.

On November 16^th & 17^th each class will have a Thanksgiving feast. This is a wonderful opportunity to talk about and teach the students about sharing, giving and being thankful for all the blessings of God.

We will be on Thanksgiving break November 20^th -24^th. School will resume on Monday/Tuesday November 27^th & 28^th. I wish you and your family a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving

Peggy Schreiber

Preschool Director

Join us! for our Blood Drive

School Kits and Quilts Update:

Our Redeemer Lutheran Church is happy to provide an update on the number of quilts and school kits created. In total there were 89 quilts and 200 school kits created. All quilts will be sent to Lutheran World Relief where they will be distributed to other countries just in time for the winter season. The school kits will also be sent to LWR to students in need of supplies around the globe.

Mile a Day Challenge

Nine years ago I decided to try and encourage a bit of exercise during that busy time of year, from Thanksgiving to Christmas, by challenging all who wanted to participate to walk at least one mile a day. The first two years the challenge was “free” but I noticed that many did not complete the challenge. Now I charge a $25 entry fee and then donate $20 to a nonprofit. With this change, fewer people committed to the challenge, while at the same time, many more people completed it! Sometimes we are more invested in things when we pay for them! We do all of the reporting in a private Facebook group. We also have a lot of fun encouraging each other and sharing photos of the beautiful things we see while out walking. If you’d like to participate this year, please let me know.

The November Council meeting will be held on

November 13, 2023 at 3pm

Please note your calendar for the

Annual Budget Meeting on November 19, 2023, following worship in person or via Zoom, also specially called congressional meeting after the budget meeting.