INSIDE: Summer Fun starts THIS Sunday, between services… supervised play for kids and fellowship hour and Parent Share for adults • Update from the Call Committee

Worship

Join us for worship!

Sunday, May 15:

• 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.

Wednesday, May 18:

• 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 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.

Update from the Call Committee

The call process for First Lutheran's Youth & Family Minister is happening! A first interview with a rostered pastor of the ELCA went so well that we invited the candidate to a second interview and the candidate said, "Yes." This does NOT mean we have made a recommendation or that the congregation needs to do anything quite yet. We just wanted you to know that a second interview is happening and we'd appreciate your prayers for discernment. We look forward to offering another update in June.

Paddling for Hope Launch Party

Join us for the launch party! Sunday May 15, noon–3pm at Pettibone Resort campground (333 Park Plaza Drive, La Crosse). Free family fun! Learn about Bobbi Rathert’s 2,400 miles of adventure on the Mississippi, try kayaking & other activities, meet and greet with Bobbi, and more! Paddling for Hope is a fundraiser focused on bringing the community together in support of Hope Restores, a 501(C)(3) organization aimed at uplifting, empowering and restoring the African American community in the Coulee Region through education, preservation and advocacy. Learn more at PaddlingForHope.come.

Knitters

Prayer shawl knitters meet every Tuesday at 3:30pm in the upper room. Open to all!

OWLs Potluck

The OWLs (our Older Wiser Lutherans at First Lutheran, for anyone 55+) will have their May potluck on Wednesday, May 18, at noon in Fellowship Hall. Come join the fellowship and outstanding food. For our program, Laura Liudahl will give a baking demonstration. Remember the great cocoa bombs she taught us during COVID? She has come up with some other delectable delights to show us in May. You don’t want to miss this one.

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.

Mission Trip Meeting

UPDATE: The meeting for the mission trip to Bayou Le Batre, AL, has moved to 9am on May 22, in the Fellowship Hall. ALSO: we can still fit a couple more people in the bus! If you might want to join, let Pastor Stanton know at jason@firstlu.org. There's room for 3 more!

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.

Luren Singers of Decorah, IA

The Luren Singers of Decorah, IA, will perform at 7pm on Thursday, June 2, at North Presbyterian Church in La Crosse (1327 N. Salem Rd). A pie and ice cream social will follow the concert. Financial donations are welcome.

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, the 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 more.

Reg and more info online: sugarcreekbiblecamp.org.

Confirmation Camp For Youth Going Into Grade 8

Our upcoming confirmation students get a chance to start their confirmation journey in the beautiful valley of Sugar Creek, the week of Sunday, June 12, through Friday, June 17. We will learn in faith together while we do Bible study, horseback riding, hiking, swimming, campfires, and so much more! This summer confirmation camp is for youth going into grade 8. Questions? Contact Pastor Karyn at karyn@firstlu.org.

Juneteenth Celebration

La Crosse’s annual Juneteenth celebration! Uniting all members of the community in celebration of Black Americans!! Fun, food, entertainment, history, education and connection. At Riverside Park on Saturday, June 18, noon–8pm.

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.

Vacation Bible School

Save the date! Sunday, July 31–Thursday, Aug. 4. Online registration coming soon at 1stlu.org/VBS.

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. Tour the Lexington, KY, area with its many horse farms. Opryland Hotel will be your home base in Nashville. 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.

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 gathering to learn more about First and meet the staff in a relaxed atmosphere. 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.

Scrip Cards

Your weekly groceries, gas and shopping money can help raise funds for youth ministry! Scrip cards are available from the church office. We have Kwik Trip, Woodman's, Target, Walmart 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.