INSIDE: ELCA Youth Gathering Early Bird Reg Deadline, Ecumenical Thanksgiving Eve Worship at Ona United Methodist, Meal Train for Lofald Family

Worship

Join us for worship!

Sunday, Nov. 21:

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

• 10:30am: live stream at 1stlu.org/live, and in-person wearing masks. Nursery available.

Wednesday, Nov. 24:

• 6:30pm: Ecumenical Thanksgiving Eve Worship at Onalaska UMC, nearby at 212 4th Ave N, Onalaska. Live stream will be available at youtube.onalaskaumc.org. Just like First, Ona United asks everyone to wear masks for worship.

COVID-19 Update

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

  • Worship: online & in-person wearing masks

  • Small groups: online & in-person; precautions determined by entire group

Precautions for In-Person Worship

Worship services are offered in-person, indoors at both services. Currently we are asking, for the safety of ALL members, that everyone wear a mask during worship. Registration and social distancing are currently not required. For a full description of current precautions, visit 1stlu.org/precaution.

ELCA Youth Gathering Early Bird Reg

The ELCA Youth Gathering is less than 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. Early bird registration due by Nov. 20, 2021! Registration info online at 1stlu.org/gathering.

Onalaska Community Thanksgiving Dinner

The Onalaska Rotaries are pleased to announce the 11th annual Onalaska & Holmen Community Thanksgiving Dinner. This year, the dinner is back at the Armory in Onalaska at 910 Oak Forest Drive on Thursday, Nov. 25, for in-person dining from 11am–2pm. There is no charge for the dinner or for meal delivery. Please join your Onalaska & Holmen families and friends for a meal and to celebrate the community. Sign up to volunteer, donate and learn more at www.octd.org.

Advent Around the Table

Advent is a season full of rich traditions for both home and church. We invite everyone to join us on Sunday, Nov. 28, at 9:15am in Fellowship Hall for our annual Advent Around the Table event. We will create advent crafts for our homes and learn more about this particular season, have great fellowship and grow in our faith as we kick off the Advent season.

Preschool Opening

The First Lutheran Preschool has an opening in the Tuesday/Thursday class. Class runs Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30-11am or 12pm with optional Lunch Bunch. Email the preschool for more info: preschool@firstlu.org.

Warming Center

The La Crosse Warming Center will be open Nov. 1 through April 30. Individuals who are living in homelessness can sleep, shower, do laundry and get a meal at the Warming Center. As was done last year, the first two Fridays of each month are "Lutheran Night." A number of local ELCA churches are working together to staff those two Friday nights and provide food for dinner. Orientation and training is provided. Click here for more information. Questions? Contact bridget@firstlu.org.

Stephen Ministry Informational Meeting

Stephen Ministers are specially trained people, who LISTEN to people as they make their way through times of crisis. Stephen Ministers are companions along the way who, with God's help, assist people in finding a way forward. If you want to know more about Stephen Ministry or how to become a Stephen Minister, join us at one of our informational meetings on Wednesday, Dec. 1, at 7pm or Sunday, Dec. 5, at 9:30am. A new class to train Stephen Ministers will begin in January.

White Privilege Symposium

As a partner of the symposium, First Lutheran invites all members to the White Privilege Symposium on Dec. 3 and 4, ​at the La Crosse Center. Registration is NOW OPEN at laxwakingupwhite.com. A full list of workshops/presenters is available at the site. Cost: Adult $100 (Virtual or In Person), Students $75 (Virtual or In Person)… BUT contact office@firstlu.org to have First reimburse half the costs! ​Debby Irving’s keynote (author of Waking Up White) is on Friday evening, and is free as an online presentation, but registration is required.

Baptismal Preparation


The pastors are considering baptisms on an individual basis. The next baptism preparation session will be Saturday, Dec. 4, at 10am. To register or ask questions contact the church office at 608.783.3326 / office@firstlu.org.

Christmas Events Insert

Click here to download/print our Christmas Events Insert that was included in the November newsletter, providing a schedule of upcoming events that surround the Christmas season at First Lutheran.

Sugar Creek Drive-Thru: The Road To Bethlehem

On Saturday, Dec. 4, 2–6:30pm, head to Sugar Creek for a drive-thru Advent experience! Journey through the Advent story visiting live action worship stations offering carols, scripture, prayer, and the chance to visit real nativity animals. COVID safety precautions in place. This is an all outdoor event, so dress appropriately for the weather, and please bring a mask for carols. Start your journey any time from 2–6:30pm. Free will offering for the ministry of Sugar Creek, as well as non-perishable item donations welcome to benefit local food pantries. Please call 608.734.3113 by Dec 3 to let them know you're coming.

Benefit Christmas Concert for A Place of Grace

A Christmas concert to benefit A Place of Grace will be held Sunday, Dec. 5, at 2pm in the San Damiano Chapel, 900 Viterbo Dr, La Crosse on the Viterbo Campus. Music will be provided by Prairie Smoke with special guests Fr. Conrad Targonski, OFM and Polly Pappadopoulos, with comments from Tom Thibodeau. Cash and non-perishable food donations will be joyfully received. Due to COVID, masks are required for the concert.

SING!

The choir is starting a new “festival” rehearsal schedule. The next performance will be for Christmas Eve services, and rehearsals start up fresh on Wednesday, Dec. 8, at 7pm in the sanctuary. The Senior Choir is open to all people ages 12 and up. There is no audition and no formal training required, just a desire to enhance worship through the beauty of music! Full schedule and sign up at 1stlu.org/choir. For more info contact Todd Saner at todd@firstlu.org.

ELCA Good Gifts

Wondering how to make a positive impact in the world right now? At elca.org/goodgifts you can choose from 50 charitable gifts to give in honor of friends and loved ones. Each one of these gifts makes a real impact in the world, sharing the love of Christ — one goat, water well or school uniform at a time. Start your holiday shopping now and order free, customized cards for each gift you give. Give by Dec. 10, 2021, to ensure that your cards arrive in time for Christmas.

The Christmas Giving Tree

Help make Christmas special for area kids and families by buying NEW items for them. We are again partnering with La Crosse County Human Services, and have a list of people and items they or their social worker have requested. Make certain tags are attached to the outside of the wrapped gift. If you purchase gift cards, please wrap them in a box. Gifts should all be turned in to First Lutheran by Sunday, Dec. 12. Questions? Email bridget@firstlu.org.

Double Your Gift To Lutheran World Relief

From now until Christmas Day, any gift you make will go twice as far as part of Lutheran World Relief’s 2021 Christmas Matching Gift Challenge until the $215,000 match is met. That means we have an opportunity raise an impressive $430,000 to provide lifesaving resources and care to our neighbors most in need.

Help Ona Food Basket at Rotary Lights

First Lutheran members have been invited by the Onalaska Regional Food Basket to sign up for "Rotary Lights 2021." They are looking for volunteers to help collect food down at Riverside Park. Sign up to help this local food ministry at 1stlu.org/rotary.

Meal Train for Lofald Family

Members of First Lutheran have started a Meal Train page for the Lofald family. Help the Lofalds by giving them one less thing to think about, and sign up for a date to make a meal at mealtrain.com/go91wm.

YAGM’s are Back for 2022 

ELCA Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) will be back in the world, in 9 foreign countries in 2022-23! YAGMs are young adults aged 21–29 and this is the time to reach out to new candidates. Application deadline: Feb.1, 2022 (priority deadline Jan. 15.) Learn more at elca.org/yagm. 

Web Links

Recently we had technical issues with the domain we use to create short URLs (like 1stlu.org/live, 1stlu.org/give, etc.). Long story short, we lost all links and have to rebuild from scratch. Please let andy@firstlu.org know if you come across a link that is broken. Thanks.

Happy Birthday!! 

If you have received a birthday postcard from First in the last several months and still have it, bring it into church Mon–Fri, 8am–4pm and pick up a small gift. Remember to ring the doorbell on the left side of the doors and Tamara will be happy to help you.

New Members

By choosing to become a member, individuals and families commit to being part of a shared mission. People who would like to become members of First Lutheran are typically invited to a social at Red Pines where you would get to know more about First and the staff in a relaxed atmosphere. When gathering in such a way is safe, we will celebrate our new members in this way. For now, please let us know if you are interested in membership. One of our pastors will connect with you to find out how we may best be church together in the months and years to come. Call our office for more information at 608.783.2236 or email office@firstlu.org.

Readers!

We are seeking people of all ages who would be willing to be our readers each week. This would mean doing a video of yourself or family reading the assigned text and then uploading it to a google folder. If you are willing to do this, email Pastor Karyn: karyn@firstlu.org.

Scrip Cards Are Still Available

Scrip cards are still available from the church office. We have Kwik Trip, Woodman's, Target and Festival cards. To find out what's currently available and when you can buy them, call the church office at 608.783.2236 or send email to office@firstlu.org.

Help Those in Need

If you are looking for ways to help locally, go to the Ugetconnected site to find a variety of needs, from writing letters or drawing pictures to seniors, to delivering pre-packaged meals or sewing. It's hard to keep track of all the various organizations, so this is a great spot to find out how you can help. Go to ugetconnected.org/need.

Sunday School

• Sunday, Nov. 21

  • 9:15am Gr 1 FBB: 10 Commandments (3rd meeting, parents/guardians & child) - Fellowship Hall

  • 9:15am Sunday School

• Sunday, Nov. 28

  • Gr 1 FBB: 10 Commandments, lifted up in worship

  • 9:15am Sunday School

Questions regarding Sunday School? Visit 1stlu.org/sunschool.

Grade 1 Faith Alive Building Block: Ten Commandments

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 (in Fellowship Hall), sharing in conversation and growing together in faith. The session lasts for three weeks, and afterwards, children will have a presence in worship to celebrate the Faith Building Block they have learned.

• Sundays, Nov. 21, 9:15am: parents/guardians with children

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

Confirmation

• Sunday, Nov. 21:

  • Gr 6 & 7 Confirmation Classes - Fireside Rm

• Wednesday, Nov. 24:

  • No Gr 8 & 9 Small Groups; worship will be at Onalaska United Methodist (212 4th Ave N) at 6:30pm

Questions regarding confirmation? Visit 1stlu.org/confirm.