There will also be a toy drive for this event. If you would like to bring a new, unwrapped toy, please bring it to the church by Sunday. Toys can be placed under the table in the Narthex. Pastor Janell will also be at the church and leaving at 3:50 pm if you would like to travel with her to the Solidarity Walk.

THANK YOU TO OUR CHURCH FAMILY

 From Karen Sykes, Letty Owings mission team liaison.



Thanks for your wonderful support for the Letty Owings Center mission over the years.

You donated your time and talents.

You supported the various drives that we did to give extra supplies to the women.

You stepped up when there were special requests.

You demonstrated Christ's love through your actions.

YOU MADE A DIFFERENCE.

May the Lord richly bless and keep you.

An Update from the Church Office

Following Marianne's retirement, we are pleased to share that Katie has stepped into the role of Communications and Office Administration at Our Savior's.

In this role, Katie will oversee the day-to-day operations of the church office, along with communications and administrative responsibilities.

Church office hours will remain unchanged, and Katie will be available to assist with questions, requests, and other office needs.

We look forward to this next chapter and thank you for your continued support!

MISSIONS AND OUTREACH

Our Savior's donated 100 pounds of perishable and non-perishable items to Hunger Fighters in the month of September!



Currently requested items:

• Pasta and Pasta Sauce
• Convenience Foods (Mac & Cheese, Top Ramen)
• Toilet paper
• Shampoo
• Can Openers

WORSHIP AND PRAYER

Pacific Lutheran University

Choir of the West Centennial Celebration

OCTOBER 23-25, 2026

(click image below for more information and to get the livestream link)

A Pastoral Message in Response to the School Shooting in Bend

Dear Friends in Christ,

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our hearts are broken open once again as we learn of yet another tragic school shooting, this time Thursday afternoon in the city of Bend, Oregon. News of violence in a place meant for learning, growth, and safety shocks us deeply. We grieve for those whose lives were taken, for those injured, for students and educators whose sense of security has been shattered, and for families carrying fear, sorrow, and unanswered questions.

In moments such as these, words often feel inadequate. We search for explanations, but explanations cannot erase pain. We long for certainty, yet tragedy reminds us how fragile life can be. As people of faith, however, we are not left without hope. The psalmist reminds us, "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34:18). God's presence accompanies those who mourn, comforts those who are afraid, and strengthens those who feel overwhelmed.

Today we pray especially for the students of Bend, for parents and guardians, for teachers, counselors, first responders, healthcare workers, and community leaders. We pray for all who carry emotional wounds that may not be visible to others. May they know they are not alone. May they encounter compassion, support, and healing in the days ahead.

We give thanks to God for our pastors, congregations and ministries in Bend and the surrounding area, who have already been showing up… listening deeply, providing care and comfort, offering spaces of healing and refuge, and bearing witness to the enduring power of God’s love in Christ. May the power of the Holy Spirit, along with our prayers and support, sustain them in this critical time and in the days to come.

This tragedy calls each of us to renewed commitment. As followers of Christ, we are called to be peacemakers and caregivers. We are called to notice those who are struggling, to listen with patience, to extend kindness, and to help build communities where every person is valued and loved. Small acts of compassion can become powerful witnesses to God's healing work in a hurting world.

For those among us who feel anxious, angry, sad, or confused, these reactions are natural. we encourage you to speak openly with trusted family members, friends, pastors, counselors, or caregivers. Let us bear one another's burdens and resist the temptation to suffer in isolation.

Even in the midst of grief, God continues to work in and amongst all of us, providing all that we need to accompany each other with love and grace, with words and actions that point us toward justice, peace and hope. We trust that Christ, who wept with those who mourned and who brings hope out of despair, walks with us now.

May the God of all comfort surround the Bend community with peace, grant strength to the grieving, wisdom to leaders, and courage to all who seek healing and reconciliation.

Let us continue to pray, to care for one another, and to be instruments of Christ's peace.

In the hope of Christ,

Rev. David Eppelsheimer

on behalf of the Bishop’s Staff of the Oregon Synod

Together Lab is becoming an independent 501(c)(3)!

Some Words from Pr. Ron Werner and Alaide Vilchis Ibarra, Co-Directors of Together Lab

Dear friends of the Oregon Synod,

Have you heard the good news? On November 1, Together Lab will launch as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization!

We are so excited for this new chapter for Together Lab. As we prepare to launch, we are especially grateful to everyone who gathered, organized, learned, laughed and struggled alongside us. The story of Together Lab belongs to all of us. 

Where we began

Together Lab began in 2015 as a mission development of the Oregon Synod, which made a bold choice to explore what community, spirituality, and justice could look like beyond the church’s walls. Those relationships became the heart of this work.

Over the years, immigrants, young people, parents, teachers, faith leaders, and neighbors began gathering across lines of race, faith, generation, and geography. People brought different stories and sources of wisdom, different experiences of the world, and a shared desire to create something more life-giving.

Together, we’ve learned that change doesn’t begin with a perfect plan or a single leader. It begins when we show up for one another, listen deeply, recognize our interconnectedness, and discover the power we have to shape our communities.

What began as an experiment in new expressions of community and spirituality has grown into a statewide movement-building organization. It’s rooted in the belief that everyday people, whether they find belonging within a spiritual tradition or not, have the wisdom and power to transform the systems that shape our lives.

With deep gratitude

We join the Synod in saying thank you. We’re deeply grateful to the Synod staff, mission supporters, congregations, and leaders whose vision, investment, and accompaniment gave this work room to take root and grow.

And to all of you, our organizers, partners, funders, neighbors, and friends, thank you. You’ve trusted us, challenged us, accompanied us, and helped us imagine what’s possible. You’ve brought your gifts and leadership to this work. Together, we’ve built relationships that don’t end when a campaign does, partnerships that choose collaboration over competition, and communities where people aren’t simply invited to belong but have the power to shape what comes next.

What’s changing, and what’s staying the same

Our organizational structure is changing, but our purpose and commitments remain. Together Lab will continue building community power to transform systems that exploit people and the planet. We’ll keep awakening leadership, bridging differences, fostering partnerships, and sparking new initiatives alongside faith communities, immigrants, young people, and neighbors across Oregon.

With independence come new opportunities for governance and growth. We’re excited to welcome Dr. Brian Park, Joanne Shepherd, and Tia Freelove Kirk as our inaugural board of directors, and we’ll be introducing a refreshed website and giving platform as we step into this next chapter.

What comes next

We’re living in a time when powerful forces benefit from keeping neighbors divided, isolated, and afraid. We’re told that injustice is inevitable, that our differences are too great, and that meaningful change is impossible.

But our experiences together tell a different story. It’s one where belonging means more than being welcomed: it means having the power to shape the communities we’re part of. One where solidarity means finding shared stake across our differences. And one where we build the world we want through the way we organize, right here and now.

We don’t do this alone. We’re surrounded by ministry and movement partners, nonprofits, denominations, coalitions, and the everyday neighbors who make up the Together Lab community.

We’d love for you to be part of this next chapter

Join us on December 17 for a celebration of Together Lab’s launch. Watch for an invitation in November.

We’re also inviting our community to invest in this transition. Becoming an independent organization brings new opportunities and real costs, and your financial partnership will help us build a strong foundation for the work ahead.

Most of all, we hope you’ll continue walking alongside us. Bring your questions, your ideas, your relationships, and your leadership. There’s so much more to imagine and build together.

We don’t know every step of the path ahead. We never have. But we know who we’re walking with.

And that makes all the difference.

With gratitude and possibility,

Alaide Vilchis Ibarra & Rev. Ron Werner

Co-Directors, Together Lab

"The Traveler and the Bishop on the State of America's Democracy and Christian Nationalism."

Dear Traveler,

Please join Bishop Shelley Bryan Wee and me on Tuesday, October 27, at 6 p.m. (PT) for a special presentation on Zoom: "The Traveler and the Bishop on the State of America's Democracy and Christian Nationalism."

My talk explores how history is speaking to us — and how, if we listen, we can better understand and meet the challenges facing democracy in the USA. And, whether you consider yourself a person of faith or not, Bishop Shelley’s message brings a new dimension to your thinking about the heresy of Christian Nationalism and the place of religion in the political discourse of our country.

This event, presented through a virtual livestream on Zoom, is free, but registration is required.

I hope to see you there!

Rick Steves

Hello, EcoFaith friends, 

Are you deeply concerned about what's at stake in the November election and wondering what more you can do?

I (Robyn) and my wife, Janet, share that concern. On behalf of EcoFaith, we invite you to join us in taking action this Saturday to help voters at risk of disenfranchisement get the information they need to cast their ballots!

EcoFaith Phone Banking Training & Action Session

Saturday, October 24, 2026

11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Pacific (2:00–3:30 p.m. Eastern)

Via Zoom

You'll learn how to make voter outreach calls through Reclaim our Vote. Then we'll make calls together. No experience is necessary!

Email me at PastorRobyn@ecofaithrecovery.org for the Zoom link. 

Thank you to everyone who participated in EcoFaith's postcard-writing campaign! Now we're taking the next step: reaching voters by phone before Election Day.

Why do these calls matter?

Election Day is November 3, just two weeks away! Getting accurate voting information to people who face barriers to voting can't wait.

EcoFaith Recovery is partnering with Reclaim Our Vote, a nonpartisan voter outreach campaign of the Center for Common Ground, a Black- and women-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Reclaim Our Vote works with local partners to reach voters of color in states with histories of voter suppression, especially infrequent voters whom political campaigns often overlook. Volunteers share essential information about early voting, polling locations and hours, free rides to the polls, and other resources that help people exercise their right to vote.

For someone uncertain about where, when, or how to vote, a personal phone call with reliable information can make the difference between casting a ballot and missing the opportunity. (In eight field experiments, political scientist David Nickerson's research found that personal, nonpartisan volunteer phone calls increased turnout by 3.8 percentage points.)

For us, this work is an expression of EcoFaith's commitments to racial, social, and climate justice. We believe that people whose lives and communities are most affected by public decisions must have a voice in making those decisions.

What to expect

We'll be there to guide you. Pastor Janet Parker will lead the training and I will offer support as you begin making calls. All you need is a computer and a phone. We'll help you with all the rest!

Email me at PastorRobyn@ecofaithrecovery.org to receive the Zoom link. 

Please invite others from your community who may be looking for a meaningful way to take action.

Need some inspiration?

Watch EcoFaith's 2024 conversation with Andrea Miller, founder of the Center for Common Ground and Reclaim Our Vote, about why this work matters so much.

There's still time to help voters make their voices heard. We hope you will join us this Saturday!

In this together,



Robyn Hartwig, EcoFaith pastor/organizer