INSIDE: Outdoor worship this Sunday, ELCA Youth Gathering & Mission Trip Info Meeting, OWLs Fly to the Movies

Worship

Join us for worship!

Sunday, Aug. 8:

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

• 10am: outdoor worship, in-person. Current forecast for Sunday morning: Overcast and 74º. If rain threatens, worship will move indoors.

• Nursery available, limited to 4 children

Wednesday, Aug. 11:

• 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 offered in-person, indoors at both services, currently 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 currently not required. For a full description of current precautions, visit 1stlu.org/precaution.

Altar flowers are in honor of Ed Burrell's 90th birthday, from his family.

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.

OWLs Fly to the Movies

The OWLs (a group at First that welcomes anyone, First Lutheran members or not, who are 55+) will fly to Marcus cinema to see Jungle Cruise on Tuesday, Aug. 10. Show times have not been released yet but they usually have a showing between 3:30 and 4pm. The OWLs will begin the evening by meeting at Marcus Theaters. After the movie they will retire to Schmidty’s in La Crosse (3119 State Rd, La Crosse)·for dinner. Brian will send out the exact time soon. Call Brian if you don’t have email. So seats can be reserved ahead of time and to make a reservation for the restaurant, RSVP to Brian at 630.816.5917/owls@firstlu.org) by Sunday, Aug. 8. The OWLs will be done with dinner before dark so no one will have to fly home in the dark.

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.

Peer Ministry Commissioning

Our Peer Ministers from 2020-21 will be blessed at the worship services on Sunday, Aug. 22. We want to celebrate all of their hard work this past year to become better ministers to their peers!

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.

Confirmation Orientation

• Grades 8 & 9: Wed., Aug. 25, 6:30pm, in Fellowship Hall

• Grade 10, Wed., Aug. 25, 7:30pm, Fellowship Hall

• Grade 6 & 7: Sun., Sept. 12, 10:45am, in Fellowship Hall

Questions about confirmation for 2021-22? Checkout our confirmation page at 1stlu.org/confirmation and/or contact Pastor Stanton at 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, NEXT: Friday, Sept. 24, 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.

Blessing of Backpacks & Devices/Students & Staff

Youths and adults, bring your backpacks, briefcases, messenger bags, purses, etc. to church on Sunday, Aug. 29, so that we may bless the start of your new school year! We also invite all staff of our local schools, universities & colleges to join us for worship and a special blessing to start off the new academic year.

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

This year, in addition to you being able to participate when and where you would like, you can also participate in the beauty of Sugar Creek. For those wanting an in-person event, it will take place on Saturday, Sept. 11 at 9am at Sugar Creek. To receive a shirt, register by Saturday, Aug. 24. Register at 1stlu.org/scbc5k.

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!

Ring!

Are you open to trying something new?  Join the fun—ring bells! This group performs once a month. We welcome widely varied musical backgrounds. No experience necessary! We’ll begin with the basics and learn to work together. Musical ability is a skill that can be taught. Do you want to be involved? We rehearse Tuesdays at 5pm in the sacristy, starting Sept. 14.  For more info, contact  Jim Knutson at jim@firstlu.org. Ring ‘dem bells!

Confirmation Guides

You don’t need to know the Bible backwards & forwards & you don’t need a seminary degree. Just a heart for the youth of our church & an hour each week to spend with our confirmation youth. Parents, grandparents, godparents or any  faith-mature adult is welcome to facilitate conversation and build relationships between our confirmands on Wednesday nights.  Contact Pastor Stanton to nominate someone:  jason@firstlu.org/608.783.2236.

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.