INSIDE: Last day of Sunday School and last week of Confirmation; Monday Community Meal at Trinity; OWLs fly to Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center

Worship

Join us for worship!

Sunday, May 8:

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

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

• Flowers in the sanctuary are in memory of Barbara Zondag from the Hink family

Wednesday, May 11:

• 6:15pm: live stream at 1stlu.org/live, and in-person wearing masks. Nursery available.

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

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

Precautions for In-Person Worship

Worship services are offered in-person, indoors at all services. As of Feb. 16, 2022, masks are welcome, optional, and encouraged for those not vaccinated. For a full description of current precautions, visit 1stlu.org/precaution.

4K Faith Building Block: The Keys

• Sunday,  May 8: parents/guardians with children

• Sunday, May 15: Faith Building Block lifted up in worship

Throughout the year each age group has 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. The session lasts for three weeks, and afterwards, the Faith Building Block will be lifted up in worship.

Opening: Buildings & Grounds Manager

First Lutheran is looking for a Buildings and Grounds Manager to manage the maintenance of the church. Flexible hours are available. Pay is $20/hr, 15-25 hours/week with limited benefits. Call 608.783.2236 or e-mail the church office at office@firstlu.org. Full job description at 1stlu.org/opening.

Clothes Closet Needs

Greetings from the First Teen Clothes Closet team! Thank you for always helping to fill the clothing needs of teens in the greater La Crosse area. We are currently in need of the following new or gently used, teen-style items:

• Skirts

• Athletic shorts in all sizes but especially 1X, 2X, 3X,

• Regular shorts in XL, 2X , 3X

• Sweat pants all sizes

• Hoodies in all sizes but especially 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X

• Dress belts

• Summer shoes: sandals, flip flops

Thank you very much for your generosity!

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. 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, freeze it and reheat it. Food for the meal can be gotten at no charge from the Hunger Task Force in La Crosse. Our next date is May 9. You can sign up at 1stlu.org/monmeals, or contact bridget@firstlu.org.

Churches for Middle East Peace   

Thursday, May 19, 1–3pm ET (noon–2 pm CST). Mystagogia: What Can We Do to Build a Better Future in Palestine and Israel? This webinar will feature some key ongoing challenges for peace and a just future in Israel-Palestine in East Jerusalem (demolitions, evictions, and confiscations) and the West Bank (challenges within Palestinian civil society). Each speaker will then address where transformation and glimmers of a “better future” are seen. Register here.

Bible Readers Deep Dive into Exodus, through May

Join Pastor Stanton online for 5–8 minutes per weekday through May 20 for "Bible Readers: Pivotal Moments in the Book of Exodus." We'll use Walter Bruggemann's two books, Delivered Out of Empire and Delivered Into Covenant to explore how certain phrases or moments in scripture demand our attention and can change everything. Find the posts each weekday by 5am on First Lutheran's Facebook page or YouTube channel.

Before the After

Monday, May 23, 10am–12pm, at Black River Beach Neighborhood Center (1433 Rose St, La Crosse). Before the After planning sessions have been presented by Causeway Caregivers since 2012 and use a planning folder to outline your wishes, organize pertinent documents and eliminate possible tough decisions for your loved ones. RSVP by calling 608.785.5700 or emailing adrc@lacrossecounty.org.

Parents’ Night Out

The next Parents’ Night Out will be Friday, May 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: Monetary donations will assist the middle and high school students with 2022 Sugar Creek Bible Camp and potential mission trip. RSVP your child or sign up to volunteer at 1stlu.org/nightout.

Volunteering Opportunity

People who help host funeral lunches at First Lutheran provide a much appreciated service to families. Funeral lunch volunteers prepare Fellowship Hall for the lunch, serve food and clean up. If you are interested in helping with this unique and rewarding volunteering opportunity, please contact Carol Peterson at goinpeace@charter.net or 608.779.4649, or call the church office at 608.783.2236. Trust us, you'll love providing this service to families.

Sponsoring Ukrainian Refugees

Refugee sponsorship information from Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service: Sponsorship is a huge honor, gift, and responsibility. Learn about what sponsors do by visiting this website for more information on how you can support Ukrainians.

Website & Online Changes

The First Lutheran website is due for an upgrade. We’ve been using our current template since 2014, and it is time to migrate to a new one that will allow access to new features. Migration will begin in May and will take place throughout the summer, with plans to be completely migrated by late August. In addition to the website upgrade, we plan to improve access to other online applications during the summer. Look for improvements to online giving, as well as improved access to our online member database. Again, our goal is to have all of the updates in place and implemented by late August. If you have any questions during or after these changes, don’t hesitate to reach out to Andy, our Director of Communications and Marketing, at andy@firstlu.org.

Upcoming Worship Changes

• Wednesday worship will take a summer break; last service before break is June 1; Wednesday worship will resume Sept. 7

• Sunday, June 12:

  • Worship at 8am will be at First

  • Worship at 10am will be at Riverside Park with the synod (or at UWL Student Union if there is inclement weather)

• Starting June 19 thru the summer: Sunday worship will be at 8am and 10am

Foundation Grant Deadline

REMINDER: Grant applications from worthy organizations wishing to request funds from the Foundation Fund are due by June 1! More information about the Foundation Fund and the grant application, can be found at 1stlu.org/foundation.

Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb

Fri, June 3, 7 pm, Christ Presbyterian Church (944 East Gorham St, Madison WI). You are invited to hear from world-renowned author Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb who has served as pastor of Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, Palestine and is now the president of the Dar al-Kalima University in Bethlehem. Join us to hear Rev. Raheb speak about his newest book, The Politics of Persecution, which addresses the situation of Christians in the Middle East. He will present a less-familiar narrative about Christians in the Middle East, challenging us to reconsider how we think about our siblings in faith. Register online here.

Baptismal Preparation

The next baptism preparation session will be Saturday, June 4, 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, May 29. Min. attendance required: 2 families. 

COVID Vaccination & Booster Shots Available   

COVID-19 vaccination shots will be available at Trinity Lutheran (1010 Sill St, La Crosse) on Monday nights from 3–7pm. All shots are available, including the second booster.

Donations For Ukraine

Lutheran World Relief has committed $7 million to respond to the crisis in Ukraine, and expects to increase this amount as they receive additional support. With millions of individuals displaced in Ukraine and tens of thousands continuing to flee Ukraine each day, the needs grow daily. Donate at 1stlu.org/LWR.

Lutheran Disaster Response is accompanying companion churches and ecumenical partners in Ukraine, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia to respond to the crisis in Ukraine and Eastern Europe. Gifts to “Eastern Europe Crisis Response” will be used in full (100%) to assist those affected by the crisis in Ukraine and neighboring countries. Donate at 1stlu.org/LDR.

From Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service: The U.S. will now welcome up to 100,000 refugees from Ukraine. We need to act fast to prepare for these refugees, currently 90% of whom are women and children. There is an urgent need for resources, including emergency medical care, temporary housing, financial support for basic necessities, and much more. Donate at 1stlu.org/LIRS.

You can also designate gifts to Lutheran World Relief, Lutheran Disaster Response and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service at 1stlu.org/give.

Volunteers Wanted for Synod Assembly   

The synod is looking for folks to serve as red-vested volunteers at this year's assembly. Volunteers serve very important functions: hospitality in all ways, assisting with the collection of offerings, handing out and retrieving ballots, dispersing handouts, helping at the registration table, guiding attendees to meeting spaces outside of plenary hall, etc. If interested contact the synod office (608.788.5000 / office@lacrosseareasynod.org) and they’ll put you in touch with Betty, their volunteer coordinator. You will attend the assembly at no cost.

Synod Assembly for All

Please know that ALL are welcome to these events of the synod assembly…

• Friday, June 10, 7pm: for opening worship at Good Shepherd Lutheran, 4141 Mormon Coulee Rd, La Crosse.

• Saturday afternoon, June 11: at the UW-La Crosse Student Union for 2 workshop sessions at 2:15pm and 3:30pm. COST: $10. Contact the synod office to register: melanie@lacrosseareasynod.org. Workshop topics are…

  • Role of Summer Camp in Developing Leaders for the Church

  • Let Us Play to the Lord - children and their experience of God belong in worship

  • Creating Cultures of Honor - on anti-racism

  • Workshop with our ELCA Representative - description pending

  • How to Do Advocacy - Lutheran Office of Public Policy-Wisconsin

  • From the Boxing Ring to the Baptismal Font - discuss politics and act for justice with the gentle compassion and courageous boldness of Jesus

  • Faith, Imagination & Proclamation - on preaching

  • Rural Ministry / Shared Ministry

  • Workshop with our assembly musician

  • Doing Hybrid Ministry

• Sunday, June 12, 10am: for worship at Riverside Park, downtown La Crosse, followed by a picnic lunch (at the UW-La Crosse Student Union if there is inclement weather) 

Sugar Creek Summer Reg Now Open!

Summer camp registration at Sugar Creek is open, and campers are signing up! Our new program, Art Camp, promises to help campers grow in their creative gifts and encourage them in sharing the joy of expression through guitar, dance, painting, photography, wood-crafts or writing. We can’t wait to celebrate each of their unique talents with them. We are also pleased to bring back our popular new programs from 2021: Elevated, Night Camp and Rangers. Spots for these programs are filling up quickly, so make sure you don’t miss out. Do you know about our early-registration giveaway! First Lutheran is happy to reimburse the $100 registration fee (contact the office)!

ALSO: Sugar Creek is offering three sections of Family Camp this summer: July 5-8, August 7-10 and August 11-14. Housing options include: Koinonia Lodge, Modern Log Cabins, Retreat Center, Manna Center, Wagons, Seeker or Frontier Town Villages. Or you can bring your own camper or tent. Take part in campfire worship, horse riding, bible study, creek stomping and so much more.

Reg and more info online: sugarcreekbiblecamp.org.

Lead Sunday School & VBS

There are opportunities to serve as a Sunday School teacher and a leader in VBS. A Sunday School teacher is a commitment of 1 or 2 weekends a month in which you connect with our congregation's children! It is super easy with the curriculum! VBS is another way to connect, this is so fun and is high energy! If you like to play games or would like to help organize or help in any way please consider! Contact Pastor Stanton: jason@firstlu.org.

Middle and High School Gathering Alternatives

• Youthworks mission trip to Bayou Le Batre, Alabama, for youth entering grades 7–12 in fall of 2022. Trip dates: July 23–31. More info: 1stlu.org/mshsmissiontrip.

• Boundless WYLDE @ Sugar Creek, for youth entering grades 9–12 in fall of 2022. Dates: July 24-29. More info: 1stlu.org/wylde.

Please register by…

1. Sending Pastor Stanton an email at jason@firstlu.org to alert him of your interest

2. Deliver a $150 check made out to First Lutheran. In the memo line add if you're registering for “YOUTHWORKS” or "WYLDE."

Upcoming Sugar Creek Bus Trips

• Aug 26-Sept 1: Ark Encounter and Nashville: There are many stops along the way. The Ark Encounter in Williamstown, KY will awe you with a full size ark. You will enjoy a tour of the Lexington, KY area with its many horse farms. Opryland Hotel will be your home base in Nashville. While there you will see the Country Music Hall of Fame, Legends, Lunch & Lyrics, a guided tour that will take you down Music Row, the Capitol and Parthenon. A backstage tour of the Grand Ole Opry and the General Jackson Showboat Luncheon Cruise will cap off your stay. On the bus ride home you will stop in Springfield, IL to visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum as well as Lincoln's Home. Register soon!

• November 16: Fireside Dinner Theater, "White Christmas"

Sign up early! Spots fill quickly. Call for info: 608.734.3113.

Make Worship Happen!

Worship assistants make worship happen! Usher, read, bake bread, serve communion, lead projection and more. To assist with Sunday worship sign up at 1stlu.org/assistSUN.

Sunday School

A reminder to all First Lutheran Sunday School families that this Sunday, May 8, is the last day of Sunday School. It is truly a blessing to have the kids involved in Sunday School this past year, and we look forward to having them back in Sunday School when we start up again in September. Don’t forget to join us for Vacation Bible School, July 31–August 4!

And a BIG THANK YOU to all our Sunday School teachers and volunteers!

• Sunday, May 8

  • 9:15am Last day of Sunday School

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

Confirmation

This is the last week of confirmation classes and small groups. Another BIG THANK YOU to all our Confirmation volunteers and small group leaders!

• Sunday, May 8:

  • 9:15am Last day of Gr 6 & 7 Confirmation Classes - Fireside Rm

• Wednesday, May 11:

  • 5:00pm Confirmation Celebration - Fellowship Hall

  • 7:00pm Last night of Gr 8 & 9 Small Groups

• Sunday, June 13 – Friday, June 18

  • Confirmation camp for students going into grade 8

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