CHURCH COUNCIL – 2021
Charles Anderson…………………… President
Bill Blinn………………………………… Vice President
Jim Magnuson…………………………. Treasurer*
Peg Purdue…………………………… Secretary
Karen McElyea………………………… Financial Secretary
Jim Purdue…………………………… . Assistant Financial Secretary
Butch Durham…………………………. Elders*
Jim Kessing…………………………… Facilities
Joe Deal……………………………….. Past President
Brian Truog……………………………. Senior Pastor
Mark Rhoads………………………….. Associate Pastor
*Bob Traum continues to serve and provide valuable assistance as a
non-elected Assistant to the Treasurer and Elder
COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS - 2021
The year 2021 will be remembered as returning to more normalcy in fellowship and
ministry activities at Christ Our Savior. Although the Coronavirus is still with us, we are
becoming more comfortable in adjusting to life with this persistent threat. Vaccines,
therapeutics, and safety protocols have been very helpful. However, a sense of frustration and
more importantly the underlying faith that we have in our gracious God cannot be ignored.
Thanks to everyone who has played a part in helping us to continue to progress through the
effects of this pandemic. We have been extremely blessed with attendance, financials, and care
for one another over these past two years. God is great!
Church Council highlights of the year include the beautiful stained glass in the sanctuary,
implementing recommendations of the COMPASS report, adopting a Statement of Faith and
Personnel Manual, excellent financials, paving repairs of the parking lot, paying down the
church mortgage, etc. I could continue, but I will miss some and most are detailed in the
committee reports provided by many of those individuals who are directly responsible.
Let me close by saying that it is a pleasure to be involved in ministry with you. We are
blessed with a great staff and many dedicated volunteers. Christ Our Savior will celebrate 25
years of ministry in 2022 under the theme, “Founded in Faith, Forward in Grace.” We have
much to be thankful for and we have much for which to look forward in grace.
Charles H. Anderson, Council President
ADOPT A STUDENT
The-Adopt-A-Student fund helps finance Seminary Students at the St.Louis and Fort
Wayne Seminaries. Christ Our Savior has been participating for many years! In 2021 we
supported eight students, 6 at St Louis & 2 at Fort Wayne. Many we have helped are now
ordained pastors in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Our church budget also supports the Joint Seminary Fund
which is
set up to send money to the Seminaries at St.Louis and Fort Wayne. This helps support the seminaries with their
many financial needs. Please offer your support by contributing to the fund. Contact John Smith for more information.
ALTAR GUILD
Altar Guild has eight active members who continue to work diligently behind the scenes
to prepare the sanctuary for worship and safely set up communion each week. They have been
extremely flexible with all of the changes that have occurred during the past year. Extra
washing, sanitizing and setting up for worship services. Thank you to the faithful men and
women who continue to serve the Lord each week.
In Christ,
Shirley Truog
APPALACHIAN STRINGS
Appalachian Strings is still practicing on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. We still plan to play at
second service when needed.
Participants: Elaine and Joe Deal, Karen and Pat McLarnan, Leslie McDavid, Rhonda Lebron,
Lori Pahls, Kathie Garzony, and Ben D’Ooge.
AUDIO-VISUAL MINISTRY – REPORT FOR 2021
Throughout the year 2021, the A/V Ministry Team was well-prepared to handle the
on-going A/V requirements for worship, Sunday School, and special events at our church. The
equipment upgrades from the previous two years were timely and effective. Each year, one or
two major pieces of equipment will be upgraded or replaced to keep our capabilities in line with
our anticipated needs.
In 2021, with the changes in our COVID protocol, COS was less dependent on the
streaming of worship services into the fellowship hall each Sunday. This change relieved some
of the pressures on our volunteer team, but we will still maintain this streaming capability in case
needs change. Recordings of our worship services and their respective file conversions
continue to feed our website each week to support worldwide ministry.
A major bright spot for the A/V ministry this past year was the way several new members
joined our team, and current team members stepped forward to learn and expand their roles
within the team. We now have a group of 19 dedicated individuals who share the important A/V
responsibilities for our church. Their work is usually “behind the scenes” (if everything goes well)
but they are a much-appreciated resource for contributing to a meaningful worship experience
at Christ Our Savior. Anyone interested in joining the A/V Team may contact Joe Deal.
BEAUTIFICATION DAY
This ministry is one that was not affected by Covid since we work outside. We spread
mulch last spring. Weeding, planting flowers and watering were done as needed. Dead shrubs
were removed from the front of the church. Next year we will continue to keep our grounds
looking beautiful.
Elaine Deal
BIBLE STUDY
The study of God’s Word continues to be a vital part of our congregational life. Bible
Study takes place in different places, on different days, and at different times- but the same
message of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ is always taught and proclaimed.
Due to a lack of children this year, we did not hold a Sunday School for children.
Sunday morning: Adults gathered in the Christian Ministry Center at 9:45 to watch portions of
the movie, “the Chosen” and discuss the implications of what they had seen and heard. A
smaller group met in room 103 for more specific purposes. Lutheranism 101 is an introduction
into the Lutheran understanding of Christian doctrines. An overview of the Psalms was also presented.
Tuesday: Lutheran women gathered in room 107 at 10 am or 1:30 pm for a Bible Study
provided by LWML. A home Bible study was also offered to women at times during the year.
Wednesday: A group of adults from both the church and the community met for “the Gathering"
on Wednesday evenings in the main fellowship hall. Dinner was served at 5:30 followed by a
Bible study at 6. Topics were taken both from Scripture and popular Christian authors.
Friday: Adults met at 10:30 am in room 103 for “Friday Focus”. This is an in-depth, verse by
verse study of a book of the Bible.
BUDDY BREAK
We welcomed Tenyka Hensley onto our leadership team, and said goodbye to
Marguerite Volmelker as she moved to Arizona. We were able to provide respite care for caregivers of
children with
special needs as part of Nathaniel’s Hope on the 2nd Saturday of each month this year. While the number of families
who participated decreased, the enthusiasm of our volunteers and the joy of the children remained high.
In addition to our regular fun activities, we had at least one pizza party. We also gave
gifts to the children on their birthday month. One month, the children made and baked cookies
for the local fire departments. The leadership team delivered them Saturday afternoon.
BUILDING USAGE
We are blessed to have our building used by a variety of community groups. These
include the Tellico Village Voices, Tellico Village Scrapbook Club, Tellico Village Quilters, Rarity
Bay Women’s Club and Smoky Mountain Dulcimers Group.
CARD MINISTRY
Attendance: Membership includes Tina Bielke, Linda Burmeister, Carol Durham, Jeanette
Hanson, Sheila Pfaff, Sandy Stechmesser, Sharon Sundquist, Linda Svoboda, Karan
Hillenbrand and Judy Sisk. Five to Seven members were in attendance at the 5 meetings in 2021.
Cards made: Birthday: 221 Anniversary: 142 Total: 515
Cards sent for: Birthday: 240
Anniversary: 120
Thinking of You: 32
Sympathy: 23
Holidays: 130 (Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas)
U.S. mail: 314
Total cards sent: 545
Budget: A total of $201.71 of the Card Ministry budget was spent:
$ 24.71 spent on A2 envelopes and cardstock at Hobby Lobby
$177.00 spent at USPS for 3 rolls of US Forever stamps (100 stamps each)
And 1 sheet of 10 Global Forever Stamps
Card Ministry changes for 2022: There will be no January 2022 meeting. Card Ministry begins
on the second Thursday of each month in February.
Sandy Stricklett will be joining the Card Ministry in 2021. With the addition of Sandy,
there will be 8 members who are experienced card makers and make cards on their one.
Team leader, Carol Durham, is having health issues which require her to leave Card
Ministry for probably the first 6 months in 2022. Mary Ellen Reeder has taken leadership of the
team as of November, 2021. Sandy Stricklett assumed the administrative duties of the team in
November - selecting and addressing cards, mailing cards, putting cards in COS mailboxes,
maintaining the boxes of birthday and anniversary cards made, and keeping track of the
numbers of cards made and sent.
Carol D. Durham
COLUMBARIUM
The Christ Our Savior Columbarium was completed and put into service in 2019 in
response to the desire of members of our congregation who have chosen cremation to have a
final resting place for their urns that is associated with our church. As of December 31, 2021,
16 of the 40 niches have been purchased and processing initiated for the sale of an additional 2
niches. Accordingly, 22 niches remain available at a cost of $2,000 per niche. At the current
rate of annual transactions, the Columbarium will likely be full in about 10 years. The cost of
constructing the Columbarium, as well as providing for improvements in the Memorial Garden,
has already been covered by these sales and will allow a reserve to grow that will permit a
second Columbarium unit to be constructed when needed. One of the improvements initiated in
2021 was ordering a granite bench to replace one of the iron benches. The bench has been
delivered to and engraved by Lee Heights Monument and should be installed within the next
week or so. A second bench will be ordered this year. There were 2 inurnment services held in
the Memorial Garden in 2021.
COMFORT DOG MINISTRY WITH JEWEL
Because of the Covid virus, the Comfort Dog Ministry got off to a slow start in 2021.
Jewel’s only greeting was on Sunday mornings before church. Finally, in May we received word
that Jewel could resume a somewhat regular schedule of visits. Even these outings were
sporadic and sometimes limited due to Covid cases at the various places that she would visit.
When possible, Jewel’s normal schedule included Morning Pointe/Lantern, River
Oaks/Lenoir City, Steekee School, NHC, and the Neighborhood. And, of course, church every Sunday.
Jewel’s only deployment in 2021 came in July when we traveled to Surfside, FL following
the devastating collapse of the high rise condo. Much of her on-site time involved bringing
comfort to First Responders and families waiting for news of their loved ones. Jewel served in
Surfside for six days.
Sadly, Jewel’s ministry at Christ Our Savior came to an end on December 16. She was
diagnosed with Dilated Cardiomyopathy which is an enlargement of the heart. This is an
irreversible situation, and the veterinarian said Jewel was a “ticking time bomb”, meaning she
could die at any time. For this reason, putting Jewel to sleep was the only humane solution to her illness.
Jewel represented Christ Our Savior for over seven years. From the outpouring of love
we received from across the country following her death, it was evident she had touched the
lives of thousands. Jewel was a great dog, and we truly miss her.
COUNTERS
One of our 5 counting teams meet every Sunday to record, count, and deposit offerings.
Procedures are set and communicated by the Financial Secretary. Teams are composed of 2 to
4 members, and are assigned to count 1 Sunday a month. We are very grateful for their
dedicated and faithful service! In 2021, we received approximately 55 offerings per week. The
accuracy of our counters ensures the quarterly giving reports sent to members are accurate.
Our thanks goes out to our counters for 2021 - Lee and Diane Felgner, Bill and Irene
Schins, Ted and Joane Stewart, Don and Kathy Wuethrick, Chuck and Linda Anderson, Dave
and Becky Lindahl, Sandy Neale, Peg Purdue, Linda Svoboda and Bob Traum.
Jim Purdue
ENDOWMENT FUND
The COS Endowment Fund continues to be blessed by the generosity and support of
our congregation. In 2021 it also received substantial memorial donations resulting in a total of
$17,840 in contributions and memorials for the year. In addition, the Fund received $924 in
distributions from mutual fund investments managed by the LCMS Foundation and the Lutheran
Legacy Fund, as well as $532 in Thrivent choice Dollars, $144 as a “tithe” from the COS 2020
surplus, and $30 in other cash receipts. It is forecast that the total amount of net investment
income from dividends and interest earned in 2021, which is the basis for making cash awards
to COS ministries, LCMS ministries and other outreach programs, will be approximately $4,000.
The Endowment Fund Committee will hold its annual meeting in February and will grant 2022
awards from its accumulated net income.
With regard to awards granted in 2021, the Endowment Fund provided $3,500 to the
following recipients: $1,000 for the Sisters of Hope, a new COS ministry that supports widows
of COS members and widows of their neighbors and friends; $1,000 for the Bridge City Mission
in Chattanooga; $1,000 for two LCMS schools in the Chicago area (St. Peter’s Kirsh/Flett
Scholarship, and Christ the King Lutheran School located in the inner city), and $500 for the
Jasephs’ mission in Uruguay.
FELLOWSHIP TEAM
Fellowship started coffee and individually wrapped snacks on September 5. On
September 19 we started up the Merry Bakers. Also on September 19 we had our annual
church picnic at the Tugaloo Pavilion with a potluck and the ice cream man. We had 86 people.
On December 5 we had our annual Christmas Brunch. We had a potluck brunch and 81people attended.
We are looking for people to volunteer to help come up with new activities within and
outside of the church to promote Christian Fellowship. We are down to 4 people and are
stretched really thin. Please contact Judy Jutze if you would like to join our team.
FINANCE COMMITTEE
2021 was a year of ramping up the normal operations at church, including Services,
Bible Classes, Meetings, Fellowship etc., after the Covid year of 2020. In 2021, our Staff and
Teams led us back to a level of options for participation that was close to “normal”. 2021 also
saw an influx of new members as the growth in Tellico Village continues to boom!
The Finance Committee for 2021 dealt with the following major projects:
1. Front Sign – Cost review and Proposal for Financing the $45,000 upgrade.
2. Finance Review (Audit) – Reviewed findings and addressed corrections as provided by
the Review Committee Team.
3. Designated and Restricted Accounts Disclaimer – Policy reviewed and updated.
4. Parking Lot – Funding Proposal to Council and approved by Voters for approx. $45,000 project.
5. Compass Report – Tasks assigned to the Finance Committee (I.E. CAPEX, Operating
Reserves, Annual Stress Test, etc.) were reviewed and completed.
6. 2022 Budget – Proposed, Reviewed, and presented to Council and approved by Voters.
7. Utilizing Reserve Funds to Pay Down Mortgage – This project was conceived, planned,
and reviewed by our team. It is a major cost savings for our church ($23,125 in net
mortgage interest), including sooner mortgage completion (Oct. 2026 vs. May 2029).
The plan was presented to Council, approved and presented and approved by Voters.
In His Service,
William Blinn, Vice President
FISHERMAN’S FLEA MARKET
Fisherman's flea market provides an opportunity for area fishermen with unused fishing
tackle and those looking to outfit themselves or their children for the upcoming fishing season to
get together. Admission, vendor table space, and snacks were free. This was canceled in 2021
because of Covid concerns. We hope to have another one later in 2022.
Most vendors said that their day was very productive and requested that we do this
again next year and invite them back. We had a good number of families attending and the
vendors seemed to enjoy "dickering" with the youngsters and gave them very good deals. We
had lots of positive feedback from our guests. We provide free coffee and snacks and include
church brochures and flyers for upcoming events on our "freebies" table. Our guests included
some members of a local high school bass fishing team. In 2020, we took up a free will offering
as a fundraiser to benefit a local high school bass fishing team and collected $250.
FRIENDSHIP KITCHEN
We have just completed our second full year for Friendship Kitchen at Christ Our Savior
and are still going strong. We have over 20 volunteers who help us cook, pack and deliver over
70 meals every other month. Chick-fil-a has helped us by donating cookies or brownies on
several occasions. Our needs for the future are of course your prayers and continued support.
We also need more drivers. It is the most fulfilling part of our ministry as you get the thank you’s
from those on the receiving side. If you would like to help please let us know.
You can reach out to Doris Pritchard
THE GATHERING
The Gathering meets on Wednesday nights and starts with a meal at 5:15 for a nominal
charge ($5). Volunteers prepare and set up for the meal. A Bible study discussion group starts
at 6:00 and goes until 7:00. All are welcome. We do ask people to sign up ahead of time for the
meal so we know how much to prepare. (We suspend The Gathering during Lent and Advent
when we have Wednesday night worship services. We also take a break during the Summer.)
GOSPEL CONCERTS
We hosted one Gospel Concert in 2021. “Down Home Christmas” featuring Billy Hodges
was held on Friday, December 10, 2021 in the Fellowship Hall of our CMC. Attendance was 99,
with a large number of visitors. Desserts were served. A Tribute Quartet concert scheduled for
August was canceled due to several members of the quartet having Covid.
GRIEFSHARE
GriefShare is a network of 12,000+ churches worldwide equipped to offer grief support
groups. The program is nondenominational and features biblical concepts for healing from your
grief. We host this program in the winter quarter. Other churches in the area host during the rest of the year.
In 2022 our Griefshare will be on Wednesdays from 10:00-noon, January 12 through April 6.
Contact Pastor Truog for more information.
HEALTH INITIATIVE
The goal of the Health Initiative Team is to provide information and activities that help individuals
grow in body, mind and spirit.
In 2020, we were able to offer three seminars, each attended by approximately 40 people.
1) A February Safe Driver presentation led by a Tennessee State Trooper.
2) A September lecture and question and answer followed by one-on-one evaluations on the
topic of arthritis and related exercises led by therapist, Andy Kamp, from Select Therapy.
3) An October seminar, led by local attorney, George Thompson, was on the topic of Living
Wills and Advanced Directives.
Because of Covid, the following events were canceled: A Proton Therapy tour and CPR training.
Ongoing responsibilities of the Team, graciously handled by Kathy Wuethrick, include:
1) replacing the AED batteries and pads (done on 9/29/2020.) Batteries must be
changed every two years, used or not.
2) checking both AEDs and the Medical Bag once a month, usually on the first Sunday.
3) checking the First Aid kits to be sure nothing has expired.
4) keeping a Monthly Checklist to record dates for all checks.
5) keeping an inventory of and cleaning Durable Medical Equipment. A sign out sheet
for borrowing items is kept in the church office. When something is returned it is cleaned.
A bulletin board in the CMC posts information related to upcoming events as well as information
designed to connect people to relevant health topics.
SCENT
Heaven Scent met for 6 months. Covid definitely had an impact on them not being used
at the hospital. We have plenty of blankets on hand to send to Children’s Hospital when
requested. There is a need for 36” x 36” blankets to put on the cribs. Next year we will make
the bigger size blankets. This ministry continues to be a blessing.
Elaine Deal
HEAVENLY HELPERS
TRANSPORTATION MINISTRY
Our ministry transported 2 COS Members to 9 appointments. Praise the Lord 2021 was a very healthy year.
Judy Genge
INTERCESSORY PRAYER TEAM
The COSLC Intercessory Prayer Team ends 2020 with a total of 16 intercessors. This
prayer team does not meet. Most communication between the prayer team leader and the
intercessors is by email.
The intercessory prayer list is generally between 6 and 8 pages long and the number of
requests is roughly 35 - 50. The requests come on the Connection Cards, requests to the
pastors, and direct requests to the intercessory prayer team leader. All intercessory prayer
requests are kept confidential. The intercessors pray as specifically as possible for the needs of
each individual prayer request. The prayer list is updated by the prayer team leader and goes
out to the intercessors on the first and third Wednesday of each month.
The prayer team leader, under the oversight of Pastor Truog, is responsible for adding
new requests, updating the prayer requests by contacting the requestors at appropriate
intervals, removing requests, assigning requests, and communicating with the prayer team.
The whole intercessory prayer team also prays for individual church members who are
having surgery or procedures done. The prayer team leader checks each Sunday with the
pastors to see if any surgeries or procedures are scheduled for the upcoming week. When
prayer requests come down on the prayer chain (telephonic prayer tree), the prayer team leader
asks all the intercessors to be praying for these requests also.
Carol Durham
KISIMA ACADEMY
Kisima Child Care Academy has weathered this pandemic year quite well. Above all,
the orphans and staff have been blessed with good health. There have still been no COVID
cases there. The school is still making up for an extended closure last year and into this year,
but they are nearly back to a normal schedule. The orphans made good use of the time off
learning life skills such as bread baking and gardening as well as having time to read and play games.
School began again in March. Most of the community students were very thin when they
returned. However, within two weeks they started to regain their health. Eighth graders were
not subject to the closure since they had to take the national exam that determines which high
schools they can attend. The class did very well, placing #2 out of 63 schools in their area.
The only building project undertaken this year was an addition to the boys’ dorm for
showers. Until now they’ve been hauling buckets of water for their showers. The girls have a
newer dorm which was built with full bathrooms and running water.
The school compound includes classrooms for PreK to Grade 8, a library/computer
room, office, dorms, large assembly/dining hall, gardens, and space for animals, all crowded
into a two-acre plot. An opportunity came up to buy an adjoining 1.7 acres. Fundraising to buy
the plot is going well. The space will be used for the planting of vegetables and the building of a
fish pond. Surplus vegetables and fish will be sold aiding in the drive to become self-sufficient.
Currently there are 29 primary school orphans at Kisima and we support 63 Kisima
graduates in various high schools and 40 in colleges or technical schools. Kisima also educates
250 underprivileged community children whose families pay a minimal amount. Two of the 15
teachers and 22 orphans from primary school to college age are partially or fully sponsored by COS members.
LAWN MAINTENANCE
The lawn maintenance crew consists of 8 outstanding members. These members finished
a successful 2021 year. They are charged with keeping COS lawn in pristine condition. Our
chief mechanic,Dennis, kept the mowers running flawlessly. The new mowers will be a great
addition to the COS maintenance team. All our crew are returning in 2022.
Kenn Genge
LIBRARY TEAM
Provided our church patrons with Christian resources such as books, dvd’s, and resource materials
Researched materials of interest to purchase for our library, process/catalog, cover, shelve, and
inventory our resources. Maintained a library that is visually pleasing and interesting to our patrons
Purchased a new software program Resource Mate for cataloging our resources
Team leader attended an online class to learn how to use the updated program.
Staffed the library on Sundays and assisted our patrons in finding resources of interest to them
Inventoried library items so we have a permanent record
Wrote a Courier article monthly to advertise book selections and encourage library use
LWML BIBLE STUDY
The Lutheran Women’s Missionary League group at Christ Our Savior started meeting in
September, 2021, and met every week except at Thanksgiving and Christmas weeks, starting
again January 11, 2022 . There were a total of 17 ladies who attended whenever they could,
either the 10:00 am or 1:30 pm Bible studies, sometimes 7 — 8 at 10:00 or 5 — 6 at 1:30 pm in
room 107. We used the LWML Quarterly Bible Studies from the 2020 and 2021 Quarterly’s.
Rebecca , Laura Dockery, and Irene Roberts are presently leading the LWML Bible Studies from
the current Quarterly.
Thank you, Jeanette Hanson
LUTHERANS FOR LIFE
As a Lutherans for Life Team we offered our members timely
insight and education on
Biblical Law and Gospel perspectives on all life issues found in our culture through the following efforts or events:
- Life Quotes and Life Thoughts, provided by Lutherans For Life organization, in the weekly Sunday Announcements
- Life Prayers, including biblical references provided in our Sunday take home prayer sheet from 40 Days For Life, an international organization. We encourage our members to pray daily for those affected by abortion human trafficking and other life issues
- Monthly Courier articles on life issues
- Bulletin Board where we share information and notable news
and pictures regarding all life issues
- Provide resources such as DVD’s, books, and free brochures to our church members to educate, comfort, and inform them and promote the Pro Life message
- Provide the Life Date quarterly magazine from Lutherans for Life to keep members up to date on Life Issues via interesting articles, access to events and educational opportunities in person or via zoom.
- Recognized and celebrated Lutherans For Life Sunday in our church services with sermon, song, and thanksgiving for the gift of life.
- Continued support of the Blount County Pregnancy Resource Center in Maryville, TN by attending their annual banquet, and encouraged financial support from our members throughthe support of a baby bottle drive
- Supported PRC client Maggie with a baby shower,Words of Encouragement, and prayers during and after she delivered her baby prematurely. Our members were extremely supportive and showered Maggie and her other two children with gifts, large and small. We matched Thrivent dollars in order to provide Maggie with some larger items as well.
LJ Blinn
MARKETING TEAM
During the Pandemic our website now has been adding the full Sunday service to the
home page of the website for easy access for our congregation and the general public. The
website is growing in use. In 2021 users averaged 70 a week.
The website is updated weekly and recently the font and color scheme were changed.
This year’s focus will be to increase participation by Ministry Leaders and evaluate and possibly
change the site template layout.
MISSIONS
As of 2022, we will no longer support Pastor Josh
Woodrow’s work at Bridge City Community in Chattanooga from
the church budget, but many continue to support this ministry on an individual basis.
We continue our support of the Wasmunds in Seoul, South Korea, and have added
support for the Jaseph family ministering in Uruguay.
Mission funds also go to support LCMS Joint Seminary Fund, Our Place-Adult Day Care
Center, Lutherans for Life, and the Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty.
Throughout the year we take special offerings for disaster relief and other mission needs.
MUSIC MINISTRY
The Music Ministry has continued to function well all year in spite of the pandemic restrictions.
The Jubilate Chime Choir became an Ensemble of six
ringers, being spaced at the six feet distance and wearing masks when needed.
They began
practice in the summer and played at services approximately every six weeks.
Instrumentalists prepared Special Music for services throughout the pandemic: trumpet,
clarinet, and flute. Also, Chime solos & duets. I am most grateful for their dedication and
participation through this time; they were invaluable.
The Chancel Choir began practices in September with fewer singers, but with one new
Soprano. Through the consensus of the choir members, we changed our rehearsal time to
Thursdays @3:30-5:00PM. This was so that we could be driving home before dark.
Our singing schedule remains: Traditional service first two Sundays of the month and
Blended the last two Sundays; plus the extra special holiday services. They are a very dedicated group!
The Joyful Sounds Praise Band has grown in number and expertise with Carl’s
leadership: wonderful blessing . There are 4 singers; 4 guitars + one bass guitarist. I play
keyboard and assist Carl wherever I can. They have six rehearsals per month.
The Appalachian Strings have only been able to play once this past year.
Bob Traum continues to arrange for very good Gospel concerts and promote them to our
neighboring communities, which expands our presence here in TN.
As for my participation which continued throughout: choosing hymns for services while
coordinating with the Pastors; wrote 2 newsletter articles; chose music, directed and rehearsed
the Chancel Choir, the Chime Ensemble and musicians; and played keyboard in the Praise Band.
As I have stated previously, serving here at Christ Our Savior is very rewarding,
pleasant, and inspiring. We have a very special staff and membership!
Respectfully submitted, Judith Bailey, Minister of Music
NINE AND DINE
Nine and Dine is a Monday afternoon fellowship activity of our church that includes nine
holes of golf followed by dinner out. We suspended activities when cold weather came in and
will resume when the temperature gets into the 60s on a regular basis.
This is open to members and non-members. We have all levels of golfers, both men and
women, and just play for fun and fellowship. Non-golfing spouses join us for dinner. (The option
is there for just golfing and skipping dinner, if you so choose).
If you would like to get on our mailing list for Nine and Dine or just want more
information, contact Pastor Truog.
PRAYER CHAIN
Our prayer chain exists to meet urgent needs that may occur anytime. Currently we have 14
members under the oversight of Pastor Truog. All prayer requests are confidential. We pray the
request for one week. If you have an urgent need, you may call Sandy Stricklett or the church
office and your request will be forwarded to others.
PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY
There were 85 Prayer Shawls in our inventory therefore on 10-8-21 we gave 51 shawls
to our congregation. We asked them to give the shawls to family and or friend who may need
the comfort of a Prayer Shawl. We also said if they felt the need for a shawl they were welcome to take one.
We now have 36 shawls in our inventory and the ladies are back at work making more.
We also have enough yarn to make 85 more shawls.
I am planning to make Baptism Shawls as I feel there are grandparents and great
grandparents who would like to give a shawl for the day of their new baby’s Baptism.
Pat Johns
SISTERS OF HOPE
First, I would like to thank the Endowment Fund members for so graciously and
generously granting my request for funding for the Sisters of Hope with a $1,000.00 gift.
We have tried to use this gift first of all to the Glory of God. Our second goal is to use it
judiciously to comfort those who are grieving the death of a loved one; be it a spouse, mother, or
any other family member. We have not limited it to members; although they are our first concern.
The devotionals we purchased have been distributed to those who have called the
church office seeking information about GriefShare and are available to residents of Tellico
Village. Members of Christ Our Savior receive these devotions either by a personal visit or at
their loved one's Celebration of Life service.
We have provided flowers for Bud Helton's graveside service and Karla Roth's
Int urnment service at our columbarium. We have sent flowers to a member on the anniversary
of her husband's death.
We stand in solidarity with the GriefShare program and are ready to reach out to any
attendees that would need our support with prayer and a gift of our devotional if Pastor Truog
deems that acceptable.
We gather together to support each other, at no cost to Christ Our Savior and stand
ready to make home visits to those women newly widowed.
In addition, as an outreach of hope, we seek to include new visitors who are recently widowed as well.
Judith Schmid-Bielenberg
STAINED GLASS WINDOWS
February 24th the Sanctuary was transformed by the installation of the Beautiful Stained
Glass Cross Windows. State of the Art Stained Glass Studios of Knoxville, was the company
chosen to create this work of art. Ben Parham is the President and Designer for the company.
Ben’s father was a minister so I am certain he saw more than his share of stained glass
windows. I asked Ben, during the installation of the Stained Glass Windows, to provide his
inspiration for the project. This is what I received. The inspiration for the windows was John 15:1.
“I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener,” John 15:1. That was the inspiration
for the design of the windows. In my vision, the vine flowed organically to play in harmony with
the stone wall, so I felt it was a natural fit for the sanctuary. In thinking about the play of color,
light and theme of the window, I wanted to pull in symbolism from the Bible and nature. The
cross itself is made of the exact same glass throughout the piece. That glass contained a mix of
five different colors: green, blue, rose, amber and white. I was able to achieve the
representation of the earth, sky, and heavens all from one piece of art glass. The green glass at
the bottom is to symbolize the earth, the blue in the middle to symbolize the sky, and the rose
and amber to symbolize the heavens. That gives the seamless transition of the colors in the
cross. It was an honor to create this window and I hope it will be enjoyed for generations.”
There were a few goals which I shared with Ben. 1) Beautify the Sanctuary 2) Reduce
the glare 3) Cover the plain glass windows as they always seem so dirty. His design and the
materials chosen attained all said goals.
The original Cross windows are under the stained glass. Ben’s crew cleaned the
windows, painted the trim and then began the tedious task of installing the windows. It was
fascinating to watch this process and at times nerve wracking due to the crew carrying the
panels up the ladders and scaffolding. The windows were also cleaned and polished on the
outside. The old caulk was removed and replaced. The crew was off site in time for the Lenten
Service to begin on time. Pastor Rhoads included a Prayer during the service.
The Stained Glass Window Committee has received several comments regarding the
windows. Some of the more common remarks are: “The Windows are more beautiful than was
expected.” “ The Sanctuary is more Beautiful and Complete.” “There is no glare!” “Thank
Goodness I do not have to look at those dirty windows any longer!” It was a privilege to be a part of this process.
God’s Blessings!
Peg Purdue
STEPHEN MINISTRY
The year of 2021 remained a challenge for our Stephen Ministry Care Givers. COVID 19
restricted us from meeting face to face with our Care Receivers, however we were able to keep
in contact by telephone or e-mail. We were able to maintain our monthly supervision with our
Caregivers by meeting at Church while maintaining social distancing. We continue to reach out
for people who would benefit from having a Stephen Minister and encourage anyone
depressed, hurting or discouraged to ask for a Christian Friend to walk with them through their struggles.
If you would like more information about Stephen Ministry or are interested in becoming
a Stephen Minister please take one of their cards from our church pew and visit their website at
stephenministries.org. You may also contact Mark Roeder or Edith Hanke for more information.
SUNDAY SCRIPTURE READERS
We assign readers for the Old Testament Lesson and Epistle lesson at both services on
Sunday mornings. If you would like to be one of our readers, contact the church office or Dick Stark
TREASURER’S FINANCIAL NOTES FOR 2021
Financially, 2021 was a good year for Christ Our Savior. Here is a brief summary of the financial
status as of December 31, 2021.
1. Income for the year was $629,333.32 which is $17,783 over budgeted
(This does not include the $16,999 of reserves transferred from LCEF to pay the
balance of the parking lot repave).
2. Expenses for the year were $613,726 which is $23,674 less than budgeted
(Again, this does not include the $16,999).
3. Income exceeded expenses by $15,308.
4. The balance of funds kept at LCEF is $237,771.
5. The Mortgage Balance is now $571,561.
USHERS REPORT
In 2021 I took on the scheduling for COS ushers. One of my main goals was to have the
scheduling managed through email communications rather than church mailboxes. So far this
transition seems to be working well.
We added several new ushers to the list and currently are staffed as follows:
First Service: 12 ushers
Second Service: 9 ushers
3 currently unavailable - taking time off because of other schedules.
Usher staffing is working well even with the many procedure changes caused by COVID 19.
The usher schedule is made out on a quarterly basis. A table is created with the service
dates listed for an opportunity to serve and sent out via email. Individuals respond back to me
on dates they cannot serve. This along with other inputs regarding schedules of Elders and
Sound and Video Operators is the basis from which I make out the usher schedule. I try to keep
individuals to no more than 3 work schedules in a quarter.
Special service scheduling requires the same procedures as identified in the above paragraph.
This COS Usher Schedule is then emailed to each usher. The current method to make a
change to the schedule is worked out by the ushers individually.
I provide, along with a copy of the individual usher schedule, another worksheet that shows all
the days that all ushers are not available to assist ushers making changes with each other.
Ushers that swap or change with other ushers inform the church secretary of schedule
changes so the church bulletins reflect the change.
The current usher base is working well and is a great group to join if you want to meet
some of our church folks. We have men and women teams as
well.
Contact me if you would like to join the usher team.
Usher Coordinator
Ken Harvey
VETERANS’ BREAKFAST (OUTREACH TEAM)
On November 6, 2021 Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church hosted 102 local veterans,
including vets from WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, Middle East wars and all 5 uniformed services, for a
pancake, sausage, bacon, and scrambled egg breakfast. The program included a color guard
to post the colors, pledge of allegiance, presentation of memento wrist bands to veterans, a
guest speaker, and singing patriotic music. Seventeen volunteers did setup, decoration, food
prep, audio-visual, and cleanup tasks. Over half of the vets participating were from outside our
church. Any members wishing to know more about this event (or participate in hosting it) next
year should contact Butch Durham.
Butch Durham