INSIDE: Vacation Bible School starts THIS Sun., Aug. 1–5; Sunshine Team 9:30am Aug. 5

Worship

Join us for worship!

Sunday, Aug. 1:

• 8am: live stream at 1stlu.org/live, and in-person

• 10am: live stream at 1stlu.org/live, and in-person

• Nursery available, limited to 4 children

Wednesday, Aug. 4:

• 6:15pm: Premiering a short pre-recorded service, including hymn, reading, message and prayers, on Facebook and YouTube

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 & in-person WITHOUT precautions

  • Small groups: online & in-person WITHOUT precautions

No Precautions for In-Person Worship

Worship services are now offered in-person, indoors at both services without precautions. Outdoor worship will be offered occasionally (about once a month) during the 10am service, and if weather permits. Registration, masks, and social distancing are no longer required. For a full description of current precautions, visit 1stlu.org/precaution.

Vacation Bible School

Plan ahead to be here for Vacation Bible School this summer, Sunday, August 1 through Thursday, August 5. Invite your neighbors! For 4K through Grade 5 in the fall (3 year olds are welcome to attend in the nursery). Register at 1stlu.org/VBS.

Sunday August 1–Thursday August 5

• 5pm dinner in Fellowship Hall

• 6–8pm VBS program

Thursday, August 5 Only…

• 5pm all-church picnic at Van Riper Park

• ~6pm swimming at Onalaska Aquatic Center!

Also: 1) Help in the kitchen! Many hands will make light work. Claim ONE night between Sunday, Aug. 1 through Thursday, Aug. 5 to prep, serve and clean up the meal all VBS families will enjoy together. Food will already be purchased. Menus are decided. We just need a couple hours of your time. 2) Bake/Make bars/cookies too! That's how dessert gets done. Email jason@firstlu.org if you can take a kitchen shift or bake.

All-Church Picnic and Waterslide!

All are welcome to the closing celebration of VBS, starting at 5pm on Thursday, Aug. 5 at Van Riper Park. We’ll eat together outdoors (First will provide the main course; bring desserts/treats to share) and then close with water fun at the Onalaska Aquatic Center!

Coffee with Pastor Karyn

Coffee with Pastor Karyn is open to all and meets at 6:30am each Wednesday in the narthex. See you there! Questions? Contact karyn@firstlu.org.

Sunshine Team

The Sunshine Team meets on the first Thursday of every month. Next meeting: Aug. 5, 9:30am. Various jobs: outside raking, trimming bushes, sweeping, cleaning, pulling weeds. Help make First Lutheran look nice! Refreshments are supplied to replenish your reserves! Dues are free! Questions? Text/call Dave at 608.780.0135.

Baptismal Preparation

A baptism preparation session will be Saturday, Aug. 7, at 10am in the narthex for anyone who is considering or has scheduled a baptism. To register or ask questions call the church office at 608.783.3326 by Sunday, Aug. 1. Min. attendance required: 2 families. 

Outdoor Worship on Sunday, Aug. 8

First plans to do outdoor worship every so often during the summer, weather permitting, and the next one is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 8 at 10am. We gather on 5th Ave (between First and Pertzsch Elementary). Bring your own lawn chairs. There isn't a lot of shade, so consider a wide brim hat and sunscreen. Park in our lot or side streets as usual and it will be obvious where we're meeting. We will commune, hear good music from our praise band and pray together in-person. Pastors will notify members by Sunday morning, around 7am, if outdoor worship will need to be indoors due to weather.

ELCA Youth Gathering & Mission Trip Info Meeting

Sunday, Aug. 8, 11am in the narthex. The ELCA's Youth Gathering is just a year away! July 24–28, 2022… in our very own backyard of Minneapolis! The gathering is open to all youth entering grades 9–12 in the fall of 2022, plus 2022 graduates. AND details need to be shared regarding the mission trip in 2022. Come to this informational meeting to learn more about these great, upcoming events!

Monday Night Community Meals

For many years, Trinity Lutheran Church on the northside of La Crosse has hosted a meal on Monday nights. First Lutheran has agreed to help with this important community ministry, by preparing a meal, serving the food, and cleaning up for three Mondays starting in August. We need people to plan and prepare the meal to feed 60-80 people, and folks to serve the meal (5-6pm) and help with cleanup. Meal prep can be done at your convenience. Many times people prepare the main course a week ahead and freeze it, and reheat it. Food for the meal can be gotten at no charge from the Hunger Task Force in La Crosse. Our dates are Aug. 16, Oct. 18, and Dec. 13. You can sign up at 1stlu.org/monmeals, or contact bridget@firstlu.org.

Chicken-Q Benefitting Trinity Lutheran

Trinity Lutheran in La Crosse is hosting a Chicken-Q on Aug. 19, from 11:30am–5pm, with proceeds to benefit their Monday ministries, which include From the Heart Food Pantry, Northside Children’s Clothes Closet, Jacey’s Toy Box and our very own First Teen’s Clothes Closet. $12/meal, catered by Pogy's. Tickets can be purchased at Trinity’s office (1010 Sill St, La Crosse, WI 54603), or online by choosing "other." Please type in "Chicken-Q” and print out the receipt. Trinity will receive the purchase and your name will be added to the list.

Sugar Creek Golf Fundraiser

GOLFERS: Join Pastor Stanton on Monday, Aug 23 at Viroqua Hills Golf Course (4 person, best ball) to raise money for Sugar Creek. It's $75 each, but FLC is covering the first $25. RSVP to the church office (608.783.2236 / office@firstlu.org) or e-mail jason@firstlu.org.

Parents’ Night Out

Bring your children for an evening of fun with the middle and high school youth groups’ fundraiser! WHERE: at First Lutheran, WHEN: Friday, Aug. 27, FOR: Birth–12 are welcome (Birth–3 will be in the nursery, ages 4 and up in Fellowship Hall)

• Registration from 4:45pm-5:30pm

• Followed by dinner and activities till 8:30pm (parents can pick up early if needed)

COST: Free will donations will assist the middle and high school students with 2022 Sugar Creek Bible camp, mission trip and ELCA Youth Gathering.

Sing!

Do you like music? Do you enjoy singing, even if it’s in the shower? Do you appreciate the power of music in worship? Then put all of these things together and join the First Lutheran Senior Choir! The choir is starting a new “festival” rehearsal schedule, with the first rehearsal being Wednesday, Sept. 1 at 7pm in the sanctuary. All are welcome! For more info contact Todd Saner at todd@firstlu.org.

Sugar Creek 5K

On Saturday, Sept. 11. 8am reg, 9am start.

Sugar Creek Annual Quilt & Antique Auction

On Saturday, Sept. 11, at 10am come out to Sugar Creek for our annual quilt/antique auction and celebration!

Lutheran World Relief Personal Care Kits

First Lutheran will be collecting items for LWR’s Personal Care Kits the next two months, and will assemble them (at a new time) during First Fest in September. The kits require the following items:

• Light-weight bath-size towels (between 20” x 40”and 52” x 27”), dark color recommended (shop for light- or medium-weight towels, which are easier for kit recipients to hand wash and air dry, take up less storage space and are considerably less expensive than the fluffier towels we may prefer to use).

• Bath-size bars of soap equaling 8 to 9 oz. any brand, in original wrapping (no hotel soap).

• Adult-size toothbrushes in their original packaging (Toothbrush multi-packs may be used by sealing an individual toothbrush in a business-size envelope; no plastic bags or wrap).

• Sturdy combs, remove packaging. (No brushes; please provide medium- to wide-tooth combs, so that members in all the communities we serve can utilize them).

• Metal nail clippers (attached file optional), remove packaging.

Bring donations to the church on Sunday and place at the altar, or to the church office on weekdays from 8am–4pm.

Please give new items only. Please do not donate items with any religious symbols, messages or a group’s name, the U.S. flag, patriotic or military symbols, or references to the armed forces, including camouflage. Do not enclose items in plastic bags.

First Fest 2021

On Sunday, Sept. 12, we invite you to join us for worship outdoors at 9:30am, and then at 11:30am relax, catch up with friends, introduce yourself to visitors or members you’ve yet to meet, listen to great music, help assemble the LWR kits, have lunch and have some fun!

Blood Drive

Tuesday, Sept. 21, 12:30-5:30pm. Every day ordinary people are saved by some pretty extraordinary people. People who give blood. Your donation could be the most valuable gift you ever give. Just ask anyone who’s ever received. Walk-ins welcome; appointments encouraged, schedule yours at 1stlu.org/blooddrive. Please bring a mask and photo ID.