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Pastor Tim's Blog

connecting faith with everyday life

Immanuel Campus Update - April 2025

4/3/2025

8 Comments

 
Happy one-month birthday to the Immanuel Campus!

Three cheers to Cary and the campus staff, our central operations support team, and the on-the-ground leaders who have helped make the last 30 days an incredible experience.

And to you... thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and most of all, your partnership in the gospel as we love God, love people, and live like Jesus.

We are making progress toward fully launching the Puyallup campus on Sunday, September 7 (Fall Launch). There is still much to do, but here are some highlights from the last 30 days.

Our first worship service was Sunday, March 9 with 59 people attending. There has been a 109% increase in average worship attendance between pre-merger and today (22 vs 46). ​Each service has live music, communion on the 1st and 3rd Sundays, creed, prayers, invitation into next steps, and blessing.
Picture
While most preaching is "live", Cary introduced Life Group "feels" and weekly questions using video messages from Pastor Tim. While there is already a women's bible study, men's group, and quilters group that meet each week, the desire to get connected in a Life Group is "catching".
During the week, the Immanuel Learning Center serves 63 students and their families. They don't just learn their ABC's and 1-2-3's through play, they gather for family chapel times. Yes, significant adults and siblings get to join in the fun, too! We look forward to further integrating Kid Min and Parent Cue resources to further connect students and families with Jesus - not just at church or school, but at home, too.
Every school day, thr3e Coffeeshop is the place for junior high and high school students to grab a snack or drink and meet and hang with friends. We are looking forward to building on thr3e's unique and fruitful story by further fostering a culture of care and belonging.
Similar to our Backpacks 4 Kids vibe at the Tacoma Campus, the Puyallup Campus coordinates and leads a weekly tutoring program for elementary students. Because the program is supporting measurable student success, plans are being made in partnership with local schools to increase the number of students who can receive tutoring this fall.

Organizationally, our team has worked hard this month to begin aligning financial and operational systems, laying groundwork for facility and technology upgrades, and figuring out what regular office presence looks like at the campus.

Looking Forward

Here's what we are looking forward to in the next couple months as we continue moving toward Fall Launch in September:
  • Getting to better know people who live in the downtown Puyallup community.
  • Building the worship service culture (if you know a potential worship leader, send them Cary's way).
  • Launching the Spring Tutoring season after Easter
  • Cross-training barista and ministry staff at thr3e Coffee.
  • Continuing to grow preschool enrollment at Immanuel Learning Center.
  • New Member Sunday on May 18 at the Immanuel Campus' 10:30am service.
  • Building the Sunday morning kids ministry team.
  • Laying groundwork and identify leaders for fall youth and adult life groups.
  • Family preschool chapels in April, May, and June.
  • Planning pilot before/after school programs, parenting classes, and family support resources this fall.
  • A full slate of technology and facility upgrades.
  • New signage and wayfinding which will help people find their way around.
  • Preparing for the campus' fall ministry fair in tandem with the Tacoma Campus.
8 Comments
Kay Davis
4/3/2025 03:50:30 pm

Wish I could be there to help in some small way!! Looks like THINGS are progressing well and with that long to do list in hand will continue with our great God's guidance!


GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME!!!

Love y"all'

Kay

Reply
Pastor Tim
4/7/2025 09:28:18 am

Indeed! Miss you, Kay.

Reply
Ray Steiner
4/3/2025 06:12:32 pm

I can come along side the others I do not know.
I can make good use of my talents and time and increase my competencies to better serve the others and get to know them in the process. I can become a volunteer partner in our church’s new undertaking and find mature joy in the rebuilding project.

Reply
Pastor Tim
4/7/2025 09:29:02 am

Reach out to Cary Hoff to explore how best to serve at the Immanuel Campus. Thankful for you, Ray!

Reply
Marcia Miller
4/3/2025 09:28:54 pm

I was inspired and moved by God's Grace as I attended my first worship service at OSlC Immanuel campus (Or is it the Puyallup campus?) Either way, the feel of the church was very God centered and people were very friendly. Cary and staff are doing a fantastic job! I am honored that I can help worship music with my passion for singing God's praises. Don't be afraid to volunteer or support this new chapter for OSLC in any way you can. It touches my heart to serve and brings me closer to God and His people


Reply
Pastor Tim
4/7/2025 09:29:51 am

So thankful for you jumping and serving “up front”. :)

Reply
Lisa Grant
4/7/2025 09:05:54 am

Is the 109% increase in attendance Tacoma folks checking it out or is this "growth" from community, preschool or past Immanuel attenders returning? If new FANTASTIC, Praise be to God for his work already! If the increase is from the Tacoma campus, that statement is a bit misleading as I would assume it means new folks are coming, not a reduction in the Tacoma worship attendance.

Reply
Pastor Tim
4/7/2025 09:39:43 am

Thanks! Great a great question. I can see that being potentially misleading without additional context. There has been 4 regular Immanuel Campus attendees who would be considered attendees from the Tacoma Campus (though, their attendance has been every week compared to less than weekly). The story of what God is doing and context is that there is considerable increase engagement at the Immanuel Campus over the last month compared to before it became one of our campuses (which is the goal). Meanwhile, our Tacoma Campus attendance has also increased over the same period compared to last year. For that, we praise God for His growth and grace.

Reply



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    ​Pastor Tim

    Meet Pastor Tim

    Tim Bayer has served as Our Savior's Lead Pastor since September 2019. He also serves as an Adjunct Instructor at Concordia University - Irvine, a National Leadership Facilitator and Resource, and with the Northwest District of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.

    Tim studied sociology, psychology, and theology prior to earning his M.Div at Concordia Seminary - St. Louis. He also is a candidate for an Ed.D (ABD) in Transformational Leadership.

    He is married to Beth and they have three children. Together, they enjoy exploring the outdoors, experiencing culture, and pizza and movie nights.

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  • Home
  • Worship
    • Watch Live Online
    • Watch On Demand
  • Connect
    • Kids >
      • Sunday Kids Connect
    • Youth >
      • Confirmation
      • LCMS Youth Gathering
    • Adults >
      • Life Groups
      • Bible Studies
      • Men
      • Women
      • Young Adults
      • Young at Heart 55+
    • Find Care >
      • Prayer
      • Marriage
      • Parenting
      • Aging Well
      • Mental Wellness
      • Coaching
      • Justice
    • Get Baptized
    • Become a Member
    • Faith Milestones
    • Parenting
  • Serve
    • In Our Church
    • In Our Community
    • In Our World
  • Preschool
    • Registration
    • Preschool News
  • Resources
    • Events
    • Calendar
    • Coaching
    • Podcasts
    • Right Now Media
    • Churchcenter App
    • Pastor Tim's Blog
    • Church Business
    • Employment
    • Links & Files
  • Give