INSIDE: Synod Assembly for All, including worship at Riverside park this Sunday • Upcoming changes to worship

Worship

Join us for worship!

Sunday, June 12:

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

• 10am: outdoors at Riverside Park with the synod (or at UWL Student Union if there is inclement weather). This service will NOT be live streamed.

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 all services. As of May 27, 2022, masks are welcome and optional. For a full description of current precautions, visit 1stlu.org/precaution.

Upcoming Worship Changes

• 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 through the summer: Sunday worship will be at 8am and 10am

Synod Assembly for All

Please know that ALL are welcome to these events of the synod assembly (you do not need to be a registered delegate)…

• UPDATED: Friday, June 10, 8pm: 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) 

  • Sock and Underwear Drive at Assembly: On Sunday, June 12, when we meet at the Riverside Park bandshell for worship, we are asking congregations to bring donations of new socks and underwear along. These items will be sorted by one of the afternoon service project groups and then shared with area clothes closets.

  • See ALL Sunday afternoon Service Projects here that synod members can join. Sign up for the various service projects at lacrosseareasynod.org. 

OWLs Events

The OWLs (our Older Wiser Lutherans at First Lutheran, for anyone 55+) will have their 10th Anniversary Potluck on Wednesday, June 15, at noon. Then on Wednesday, June 22, the OWLs will fly to Circus World in Baraboo, WI (leaving the church at 9am). RSVP to Brian, the volunteer coordinator, at owls@firstlu.org.

A reminder to all members that First Lutheran is a latex- and nut-free campus. Please do not bring food containing nuts or nut butters/oils/extracts of any kind onto the church campus. This is for the safety of all of our members. Thanks!

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.

Outdoor Worship This Summer

First will continue to do outdoor worship services once a month during the summer…

• June 26, 10am

• July 24, 10am

• August 28, 10am

• September 25, 10:30am

Bring your own lawn chairs, and perhaps a hat to shade your eyes. If the weather's bad that day, we'll move inside.

Lutheran World Relief Matching Gift

Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of some of LWR’s most dedicated donors, additional matching gift funds have been secured! That means any gift you make will be matched — dollar for dollar — until the additional $85,000 match is met to reach more suffering children and families! But hurry, the matching gift ends June 30! Donate today at LWR.org.

First Teen Clothes Closet Needs

• Athletic shorts Large, XL, XXL Men and Women

• Athletic pants (sweatpants or joggers) Large and XL, XXL men and womens

• Teen style NEW flip flop and sandals.

• Girls summer tops in Large and X large

REMINDER: all donated clothes should be freshly laundered and free of stains and tears (unless made that way).

Volunteer for Special Olympics

The Special Olympics Wisconsin is in need of volunteers for their annual Softball and Bocce tournament in Onalaska on Saturday, July 9! Sign up at 1stlu.org/specialo.

Sugar Creek Family camp

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. More info and reg at sgrcreek.org.

Volunteer Appreciation Picnic

Sunday, July 17, from 11:45am-1:15pm at the first shelter in Rowe Park, for all volunteers who make Faith Alive! happen at First Lutheran. Bring your lawn chairs and come to play! Mark the date so that we may celebrate those among us who give their time and energy to Christ’s mission! RSVP by July 10 at 1stlu.org/vapicnic.

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

Plan ahead to be here for Vacation Bible School this summer, Sunday, July 31—Thursday, Aug. 4. Invite your neighbors! For 4K through Grade 5 in the fall (3 year olds are welcome to attend in the nursery). Register online at 1stlu.org/VBS.

Baptismal Preparation

The next baptism preparation session will be Saturday, Aug. 6, 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, Jul. 31. Min. attendance required: 2 families. 

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.

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.

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.