INSIDE: Juneteenth Celebration at Riverside Park THIS Saturday • Worship times change to 8am and 10am THIS Sunday

Worship

Join us for worship!

Sunday, June 19:

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

• 9am: Summer Fun! For kids: Snacks and supervised play outdoors (gather at the Welcome Center). For adults: fellowship hour and Parent Share in the Upper Room.

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

Current precautions

Pastors and our COVID Advisory Panel get together as needed to evaluate when and how precautions should change. These are our current recommendations:

• As of Thursday, June 16, the CDC’s COVID-19 Community Level for La Crosse county is HIGH. For the safety of all, we ask everyone to wear a mask.

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

For a full description of current precautions, visit 1stlu.org/precaution.

Juneteenth Celebration

We hope you will join us for La Crosse's annual Juneteenth celebration! Uniting all members of the community in celebration of Black Americans! Fun, food, entertainment, history, education and connection. Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. This Holiday Commemorates June 19, 1865 when the last of enslaved people heard they were free. It is a US Federal Holiday.

• Date: Saturday, June 18th

• Time: 12-8 PM

• Location: Riverside Park

• Eco-Friendly Event: bike corral, bring a reusable water bottle, recycling bins, non plastic containers/utensils used by food vendors.

• Entertainment: Youth Fun Area, free food, live music, dancing, hypnotist, local Black Historical Trolley Tours, presentation of the Juneteenth Youth Court, numerous interactive community booths.

Upcoming Worship Changes

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

Summer Song Series

Members nominated their favorite hymn or song to be highlighted this summer between Pentecost and First Fest! The most popular and powerful songs will be at the heart of our worship all summer long, starting with this Sunday’s worship! Don't miss a week!

Knitters

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

OWLs Events

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

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).

Mission Trip Meetings

Those going on the mission trip to Bayou Le Batre, AL, will meet at the following times in July to prepare for the upcoming trip:

• July 3, 11am

• July 10, 11am

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.

Golf Fundraisers

• Luther Park Bible Camp Golf Outing: Thursday, Aug. 11 with 9am start. Sioux Creek Golf Course, Chetek WI. $50 for 9 holes, includes cart. Scramble format ~ Raffles, Prizes & Games. See more. Sign up here.   

• Bethel Home & Services 24th Annual Golf Outing: Monday, Aug. 15. $85 includes 18 holes of golf, cart, dinner and prizes. For more info or to register contact Thalia at 608.637.6323 or tlaforce@bethelhome.org.

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 where you get to know more about First and the staff in a relaxed atmosphere. 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.

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 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.

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.