This is Christ's Church.
There is a place for you here.
We are the church that shares a living, daring confidence in God's grace. Liberated by our faith, we embrace you as a whole person -- questions, complexities and all. Join us as we do God's work in Christ's name for the life of the world.
Lutheran Church of Our Savior
A congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
12 Franklin Avenue, Port Washington, NY 11050
Phone 516-767-0603
Website lutheranchurchportwashington.com
email lcosoffice@optimum.net
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lutheranpw/
Church Office Hours
The Church Office will be open on Monday, Wednesdays and Thursdays between 9 am and 3 pm.
Church Office - Sue Waiter
Pastor - Roger Berner
Director of Music - Federico Teti
Custodian - Marvin Mora
Facilities Use Coordinator - Linda Murphy
Worship
There's a place for everyone at Our Savior to be involved and make new friends through small group ministries, fellowship events, and committees for the congregation's life and mission. Membership is voluntary and personal.
Persons join when they express the desire to affiliate. Adults may join formally the congregation by either a letter of membership transfer from another Christian congregation or by adult Confirmation.
The sacrament of Holy Communion is celebrated with this understanding: that the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ are truly present in, with, and under the bread and wine; and, that the penitent receive the full forgiveness of all their sins. All baptized Christians who, in good conscience, can receive with this understanding are invited to partake.
Baptisms and weddings are conducted as needed. A church wedding requires a couple to spend a period of time preparing for marriage in consultation with the pastor.
An elevator and access ramp are available for entering and exiting the building. Refreshments are usually served after worship on Sunday. In warmer weather, the church is air-conditioned for your comfort.
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Our Interim Pastor
I grew up on the Great Plains, in the fifth largest (14,007 people) metropolitan area in South Dakota – Watertown. We lived on the edge of “town”, and had a huge garden – or was it a small farm? We had a tractor and a plow to turn the soil over in the spring. My father ordered 1,000 tomato plants and 3,000 cabbage plants from Georgia every spring. We also grew carrots, onions, cucumbers, squash, corn, beans, peas, beets, and potatoes. The entire garden was surrounded by hundreds of peonies.
I enjoyed planting the corn and potatoes, because I did that with my father. He dug the hole and I threw in a few kernels of corn or some old smelly potatoes cut up with “eyes” sticking out. I did not enjoy weeding the garden. In fact, the weeds usually won out toward the end of the summer, but the harvest was nonetheless bountiful and delicious. Growing up, I never tasted sweet corn that was more than 15 minutes old. My father picked the corn, I husked it, my mother cooked it, and we all ate it together. My father would also take me with him to seine for minnows, or to go fishing and hunting. While driving, my father quizzed me on what crop was growing in each field we passed. He would point to the right or left and I would say: corn, wheat, barley, flax, soy beans or rye. The most difficult to distinguish were wheat and oats – they look so much alike. My favorite crop was flax (linen is made from flax, as is the fine paper used for Bibles), because when it was in bloom it looked like a blue sea.
Joseph and Mary must have taught Jesus about agriculture because his parables were filled with images of “the farm” – mustard, sheep, grapes, goats, mint, wolves, wheat, doves, barley, dogs, olives, cows, and lilies. My mother, Sunday School teachers, pastors, and professors taught me the parables of Jesus; but I came to understand his parables through what my father taught me in the garden and the fields.
I studied history at St. Olaf College in Minnesota and continued on at Luther Seminary in St. Paul. While at seminary I organized a “summer internship” outside of Phoenix, doing youth work and going door to door, inviting people to “Come and See!” the new mission church. I also served as “the Vicar” at Zion Lutheran Church in Brooklyn, New York for my official internship. Those two places were very different, but both were filled with amazing, wonderful, and faithful members who were also my teachers.
I was ordained in January at my home congregation in South Dakota. It was -27 degrees (-69 degrees wind chill factor), and no one even suggested postponing the service. St. John Mark Lutheran Church in Homestead (Pittsburgh), PA had called me as their Pastor, and I served there for 9 years. Then Trinity Lutheran Church in North Bethesda, MD called me, where I served for 28 years until October 2018. Both were places of faith, hope, love, and great joy for me. After a year of retirement, the Interim Bishop of New York asked if I would serve as the Interim Pastor of Emanuel Lutheran Church, Pleasantville, NY – a delightful experience to share the good news of Christ in Westchester County with a wonderful congregation, even through the challenges and learning opportunities of a pandemic.
Now I have begun a new adventure of faith in Christ Jesus – getting to know and love the people of the Lutheran Church of Our Savior in Port Washington. I trust that we will laugh and cry, work and play, sing and pray together during this “in between” time for LCOS, as we continue to trust in God’s grace and mercy to lead us into a future of Spirit-led ministry.
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Dear Members of LCOS, You can deliver lifesaving nutrient-rich food, clean water, safe shelter, school supplies, medical care and more for our neighbors in desperate need. Your gift will be matched - dollar for dollar - until the full $200,000 match amount is met.
In Christ, David Speckhard President & CEO Lutheran World Relief
Send your gift to: www.lwr.org; or by calling1-800-597-5972; or by check to: Lutheran World Relief, PO Box 17061, Baltimore, MD 21297-1061. Lutheran World Relief is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your gift is tax deductible. |
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Dear Lutheran Church of Our Savior, We all could benefit from more empathy in our lives. Making an empathetic connection with others can have a powerful effect in all areas of life. But empathy doesn’t just happen—we need to be intentional about preparing ourselves to offer it. This Caring Tip shares three essentials for cultivating the kind of mindset that will enable us to empathize effectively. |
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