First Lutheran Church

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Announcements for Easter Sunday, Mar 31 2024

Andrew Stutesman

INSIDE: Easter Sunday!

Join us for Easter Sunday!

ASSIST WITH EASTER SUNDAY: Individuals and families can assist with this Easter Sunday as readers, ushers, communion servers and more. Sign up at 1stlu.org/next.

The office will be closed at noon on Friday, Mar. 29, and all day Monday, Apr. 1.

Sugar Creek Events

To register for the above events, contact the camp at 608.734.3113 / camp@sgrcreek.org.

Family Photos & Member Directory

With the new format for our member directory we can easily make updates and changes… so it is once again that time of year where we’ll be reminding you to update your member info and to submit a family photo!…

Update your contact info!

  • The easiest way to do this is through our online directory; simply log in at 1stlu.org/directory. Need to set up an account? Email a request to andy@firstlu.org.

  • NOTE: Lots of fields for both family and individuals can be included or excluded from the directory. They are included by default, so any field you want to “exclude from directory” needs to be checked.

  • You can also send updated contact info to andy@firstlu.org, with the following updates: address, phone numbers and emails, AND if you want them included or excluded from the directory

Provide a household photo!

  • The easiest way to do this is to send a household snapshot to andy@firstlu.org.

  • You can also get an informal snapshot taken between services at our “photo booth” to the right of the Welcome Center. Andy and other volunteer photographers will help take the photo. This is nothing formal! We just want to be able to connect faces with names! We plan to offer this opportunity on the following Sundays: Mar. 24 (Palm Sunday), and Mar. 31 (Easter Sunday).

Questions about the online or print directory? Email andy@firstlu.org.

March Resource Center Reading Focus

The reading focus for March is Growing Faithful Readers. Suggested books:

Books available to look at and order at the Resource Center, outside the church office.

Mabel Anderson Scholarship

The Mabel Anderson scholarship application is now available online at 1stlu.org/scholarship. Completed applications are due on Monday, Apr. 1. Students may apply if they will graduate from high school in the spring and have plans to pursue post-secondary education. The application includes writing an essay and completing a worksheet that reflects the student’s involvement in church activities. Contact the office with any questions: office@firstlu.org / 608.783.2236.

Sunshine Team

The Sunshine Team meets on the first Thursday of every month. Next meeting: Apr. 4, 9:30am. Various jobs: cleaning, sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, washing windows and cleaning carpets. Help make First look nice! Refreshments are supplied to replenish your reserves! Dues are free! Questions? Contact Dan at dan@firstlu.org.

Volunteer Work Weekend @ First

Who says the Sunshine Team has to have all the fun! Everyone is invited to help with spring cleaning at First Lutheran on Saturday, Apr. 6, at 9am. Great opportunity for youth needing volunteer hours! Great opportunity for all to make First look nice! Refreshments are supplied to replenish your reserves!

Baptismal Preparation

The next baptism preparation session will be Saturday, Apr. 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, Mar. 31. Min. attendance required: 2 families. 

OWLs

The OWLs (our Older Wiser Lutherans at First, for anyone 55+) will kick of April with their potluck on Wednesday, Apr. 17, at noon in the Fellowship Hall. And their April outing we will be the award-winning musical Godspell at Viterbo. Meet at the church at 4:30pm on Saturday, Apr. 20. After excellent food and fellowship at a local restaurant, they’ll head to Viterbo to experience this unforgettable production. Cost: $34, dinner is on your own. RSVP to Brian at owls@firstlu.org or call 630-816-5917 by Monday, Apr. 15.

New-Member Social

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 invited to a social at David Reay’s on Thursday, Apr. 18, 6pm, where you will get to know more about First and the staff in a relaxed atmosphere. To register your family or ask questions, call our church office at 608.783.2236 or email office@firstlu.org.

Spring 2024 Synod School of Theology Classes

Thursdays April 18 & 25, May 2 & 9. Location for both classes: Synod Office & via ZOOM. Learn more and register at 1stlu.org/theology.

  • Who’s Your Hero: 5:30–6:45pm. Pastors and lay leaders share their spiritual heroes, the ones they look to, read, and draw inspiration from for their own faith journey. Learn about specific faith heroes while considering who are yours.

  • Unearthing the Bible: 7:15–8:30pm. Dr. Jake Sorenson. Join us on a treasure hunt for ancient manuscripts, artifacts, and lost cities that illuminate and complexify our understanding of the Bible.

Wanted: CANDY! (and Easter eggs)

Easter is here, and the First Lutheran Youth who work on Parents’ Night Out are excited to add an Easter egg hunt to the next night out (more info below). To make this event a success, the youth are kindly requesting donations of candy and Easter eggs for the hunt. Please bring your donations to the church office. They also want to remind parents/guardians who have signed up to bring baskets with their kids on Friday, Apr. 19.

Parents’ Night Out

Bring your children for an evening of fun with the middle and high school youth groups’ fundraiser! WHERE: at First Lutheran, NEXT: Friday, Apr. 19, FOR: Birth–12 are welcome (Birth–3 will be in the nursery, ages 4 and up in Fellowship Hall). For this Night Out, bring a basket with your child for collecting Easter eggs & candy.

  • Registration from 4:45pm-5:30pm

  • Followed by dinner and activities till 8pm (parents can pick up early if needed)

COST: Monetary donations will assist the middle and high school students with 2024 Sugar Creek Bible Camp, the mission trip and the Youth Gathering. RSVP your child or sign up to volunteer at 1stlu.org/nightout, by Wednesday, Apr. 17.

Chicken Dinner!

Tickets are on sale from youth through Apr. 17, or in the office, M–F, 8am–4pm, through Apr. 24. Meals cost $12 presale before Apr. 25. Tickets will be $15 at the door while they last. This is a fundraiser for youth going to Sugar Creek camp, on the mission trip or to the Youth Gathering. Meals are provided by Premier Catering, and will be available for pick-up at First Lutheran on Thursday, Apr. 25, 11am–6pm. FOR YOUTH: Ticket packets are available in the church office; the packets are due back to the church office WITH THE MONEY by Wednesday, April 17, by 7pm. Youth and families can sign up for a shift to help with takeouts at 1stlu.org/chixdin.

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 about 150 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. NEXT DATE: Apr. 29. You can sign up at 1stlu.org/monmeals, or contact bridget@firstlu.org.

Preschool Springfest

Springfest, on Sun, Apr. 28, at 3pm, is our preschool’s major fundraiser and provides an opportunity for preschoolers to showcase their singing talents. After the concert, there is an ice cream social and silent auction. For all family members, grandparents, friends and neighbors! All bids support the ministry of First Lutheran Preschool… so consider any bid over face value as a donation to the preschool’s ministry (and a good way to lock in that bid)!

Sugar Creek Summer Reg Now Open

Sugar Creek Bible Camp offers 17 unique and powerful summer camp programs, plus retreat ministries for youth in elementary school, middle school and high school – and adults and families! The camp is located on 660 acres in the bluffs and valleys of southwestern Wisconsin. Come learn, relax, encounter Christ and have fun at Sugar Creek Bible Camp! Explore sugarcreekbiblecamp.org for more information about next summer.

Water is Life Synod Project

Why is there a well in the narthex? To make a wish for water, raising money for the La Crosse Area Synod Hunger Team safe water project! Safe and abundant water in a community means better health, better crops, better nutrition, and better quality of life. Water is life… water changes everything!

  • Globally, 1.8 billion people—1 out of every 4 people—drink from contaminated water sources.

  • Unsafe water claims the lives of 840,000 people each year, half are children under five.

  • On average, women in Sub-Saharan Africa walk 3.7 miles each day to fetch water. The traditional five-gallon jug used weighs 40 pounds when full!

Place your donations in the well, or donate online at 1stlu.org/next.

410 Prayers

Join Kathryn for a time of prayer, every Monday–Friday, at 4:10pm, on our Facebook page.

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.

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 1stlu.org/needs.

Sunday School

Sunday, Mar. 31

  • No Sunday School; have a blessed Easter!

Sunday, Apr. 7

  • Sunday School resumes

More info and online registration: 1stlu.org/sunschool.

Kindergarten Faith Building Block: Lord’s Prayer

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. Most sessions last for three weeks, and afterward, children will have a presence in worship in celebration of the Faith Building Block they learned about.

  • Sunday, Apr. 7: parents/guardians only

  • Sundays, Apr. 21 & 28: parents/guardians with children

  • Sunday, May 5: Faith Building Block lifted up in worship

Confirmation

Sunday:

  • No Gr 6 & 7 Confirmation classes

Wednesday:

  • 5:30pm Confirmation Dinner

  • 6:15pm Worship

  • 7:00pm Gr 8 & 9 Small Groups

More info and online registration: 1stlu.org/confirm.