Inside: Lent Around the Table Box, Drive-In Worship, Annual Meeting

Worship

• Join us for worship online this Sunday at 8am & 10:30am, and on Wednesday at 6:15pm, at 1stlu.org/live.

COVID-19 Update

• Pastors and the COVID Advisory Panel regularly evaluate when and how the church can be open. These are our current recommendations:

  • Worship: online

  • Education: online

  • Small groups: online

• For an up-to-date list of online options and cancellations please visit firstlutheranonalaska.org/thisweek.

Lent Around the Table Box

This Lent we invite you into the spiritual practice of remembering. Remembering again and again that we are God's beloved. The Lent Around the Table box is available to all members and includes a devotional book that will be the basis of our small group conversations, a deck of cards that can be used by any age to deepen our practice of remembering, instructions (and possibly the materials) for our church-wide art project and a few other resources for kids and adults to use as we journey toward Easter. If you are interested in receiving a box, contact Beth by THIS Saturday, Feb. 6. If you are interested in being in a small group, sign-up at 1stlu.org/lentsmlgrp by Feb. 14.

Knitters & Crocheters

The knitters and crocheters are meeting via Zoom every other Monday, 1-3:30pm. The next meeting is Monday, Feb. 8. Contact Katy Wood to join, or ask questions.

Coffee with Pastor Karyn

Coffee with Pastor Karyn is open to all and meets at 7:30am each Wednesday, currently via Zoom. Questions? Contact karyn@firstlu.org.

Drawing from the Well

This group is for women of First and the greater La Crosse area seeking to support one another in their spiritual growth. We gather to develop a deeper relationship with one another. We meet on the second Saturday of the month, 9:30–11am via Zoom, with the next one on Saturday, Feb. 13. Contact our Bridget Crave for more info: bridget@firstlu.org.

Needed: Voting Members

The 2021 La Crosse Area Synod Assembly is June 11–13 (Friday—Sunday) 
held via Zoom. If you are interested in serving our 
synod and congregation as 
one of First Lutheran’s 5 voting members, 
contact Pastor Stanton or the church office. 
It’s a great opportunity to be the Church!

Nominations for Vision & Leadership

Nominations needed! First Lutheran will elect two new members to the Vision & Leadership Team at the Annual Meeting on Feb. 14. Read the following ‘job’ description and consider who you could nominate for this ministry. Position Summary: As a servant to the ministry of First Lutheran Church and working in conjunction with pastoral leadership, is responsible for development of the congregation’s mission and vision. Develops short- and long-term strategies for ensuring the spiritual and physical health and wellness of the congregation. Provides support to staff and congregation members to equip each member with skills to grow in faith and their own personal ministry. Send nominations to Pastor Stanton at jason@firstlu.org.

Annual Meeting, Sunday, Feb. 14, 9:30am

The First Lutheran Annual Potluck and annual meeting will look different in 2021. All members are invited to attend an online annual meeting Feb. 14 at 9:30am; the link for the Zoom meeting will be provided closer to the date. We will discuss reopening strategies, elect two new Vision & Leadership Team members, and complete a variety of other business. Please help us meet quorum by attending, from the comfort of your own home! Click here to join the Zoom meeting.

In advance of the annual meeting, you can now download the one-page Annual Report and the full Annual Report. Limited copies of the full report have been printed and are available from the church office, M–F 8am–4pm. One-page reports were included in end-of-year statements, which were mailed out this past week.

Drive-In Worship, Sunday, Feb. 14, 10:30am

Weather permitting, the 10:30am service on Sunday, Feb. 14 will be a drive-in worship service, so we can gather together (even if we are in our cars) and give praise to our God! Worship will include communion. To reserve a spot for your vehicle at this service, you can sign up here. Trouble with SignupGenius? Contact the office and we can take care of it for you: office@firsltu.org / 608.783.2236.

Women’s Ministry: Dorcas Circle

The Dorcas Circle is meeting from 1-3:30pm every other Tuesday. Next meeting: Tuesday, Feb. 16, 1:30pm. They are meeting via Zoom, and are reading and discussing the book, Women of Easter, by Liz Curtis Higgs. If you are interested in joining, please contact Katy Wood.

Ash Wednesday Live Stream & Drive-Thru

Join us for live streamed worship and drive-THRU on Ash Wednesday…

• 11:00am: Live stream worship (also available to view on demand at any time after 12pm)

• Noon–1pm: Imposition of ashes drive-THRU

• 6:30–7:30pm: Imposition of ashes drive-THRU

Fourth Grade Faith Building Block: Apostles’ Creed

• Sundays, Feb. 21: parents/guardians with children

• Sunday, Feb. 28: Faith Building Block lifted up in worship

Throughout the year each age group will have a special “Faith Building Block” session in which parents or special adults are asked to attend class with their child on Sundays at 9:15am, sharing in conversation and growing together in faith. This session lasts for one week, and afterwards, the Faith Building Block will be lifted up in worship in celebration of what the students have learned. Gatherings will meet via Zoom; pastors will send out meeting codes to parents & guardians of youth in each grade before the first meeting.

Faith Alive! U: Teen Mental Health

Mental health issues are increasing for all of us right now, especially teens. What are some practical ways that we can do in our daily lives that will increase resilience and decrease distress? We will explore mindfulness and self-care through breath exercises, affirmations, and meditation, focusing on practices accessible to teens. Join us for a Zoom meeting on Sunday, Feb. 21, at 6pm with Sarah Hennessey, FSPA, a Franciscan sister and a spiritual director at the Franciscan Spirituality Center. A former junior high teacher, she is an active member of Depressed Anonymous and lives in recovery with mental health issues.This event is intended for confirmation students, high schoolers and all adults. To join the Zoom meeting go to the event page at 1stlu.org/FAUzoom.

Community Supported Agriculture

First Lutheran has, once again, offered to be a pick-up site for CSA boxes of produce from Small Family Farm in La Farge. Though deliveries won’t start until June, you can purchase a share now. For info about products, prices and schedules, go to smallfamilycsa.com. Prices typically increase April 1.

Sugar Creek Summer Camp 2021

Back in the saddle again! Sugar Creek is excited to be back with world-class summer camp programs for youth this coming summer! As vaccines are delivered nationwide, safety practices are honed, medical knowledge increases, and the camp program and facilities are adapted, the camp is confident in moving forward with plans for summer Bible camp. By the very nature of all their programs at Sugar Creek, the camp is, in many ways, even safer than schools during a pandemic since we keep youth in small groups and run camp activities in the open, fresh, outdoor air. As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, youth desperately need real connections in life and in faith. Kids need to be lifted up in ways that only happen in safe, small-group adventures at Bible camp. Leadership, life-long faith, healthy relationships, self-confidence – these are gifts you give your children and grandchildren with time at Sugar Creek. Sugar Creek hopes you will join them for wonderful, safe outdoor adventures in real Christian community. Registration is now open at sugarcreekbiblecamp.org.