INSIDE: Summer Art Series • Volunteer Appreciation Picnic • Coulee Region Immigration Summit

Join us for Worship!

Sunday, July 7:

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

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

Summer Events Insert

Lots of summer events happening at First! View and print a PDF of our summer events at 1stlu.org/next.

Free Clean Fill

Approximately 20–30 yards of sand and pea gravel, available behind the church house. Take as much as you like. Must pick up. Questions? Contact our building and grounds manager, Dan, at dan@firstlu.org or by calling the office at 608.783.2236.

Volunteer Appreciation Picnic

Sunday, July 14, from 11:15am-1pm 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/next.

Coulee Region Immigration Summit

Speaking the language of opportunity and possibility, Monday, July 15, 2–4pm, La Crosse Public Library, 800 Main Street, March to Mexcal 333 Main Street 4-6pm (appetizers provided). Free event. Registration appreciated: bit.ly/immigrationsummit or 608-791-5295.

The Coulee Region Immigration Summit will spotlight the ways that people who migrate enrich our community. We'll engage in an immersive learning session that focuses on the power of language that is filled with dignity and hope. A panel will bring their personal perspectives of people in migration, local employers and the Humanitarian Parole program. We'll leave the summit with skills for constructive conversations and inspired to accompany and advocate for people who migrate.

Outdoor Worship and Potlucks

First will worship outdoors on Fifth Ave for the second service once a month during the summer, on the following Sundays, weather permitting…

• July 21, 10am

• August 18, 10am

Bring your own lawn chairs, perhaps a hat to shade your eyes, and a side dish to share at the potluck (though everyone is welcome at the potluck even if you don’t bring anything!). If the weather's bad that day, we'll move inside. NOTE: There is no live stream of the 10am outdoor service.

Teen Shoe Give-Away

Teens want to feel good about how they look, and a big part of that is the shoes they wear to school. You can support the First Teen Clothes Closet's back-to-school shoe giveaway and purchase a new pair of athletic-style shoes. A shoe Giving Tree will be in the narthex during most of July. Take a tag from the tree and buy the pair of shoes described on the tag. The tag will have brand and size wanted. There also will be tags with a dollar amount for a donation if you would rather support the closet with a cash donation, and we'll buy the shoes. Last year we handed out over 120 pairs of shoes during the one-day shoe giveaway. Your support is appreciated. The shoe giveaway is part of Trinity Lutheran Church's neighborhood block party. We participate because the teen closet is located at Trinity. This is a great way to meet, get to know and serve our neighbor. If you are interested in helping on the day of the event (August 12) you can sign up at 1stlu.org/next.

Sunshine Team

The Sunshine Team will take a break in June and July. They’ll get together again on Thursday, Aug. 1, at 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.

Baptismal Preparation

The next baptism preparation session will be Saturday, Aug. 3, 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. 28. Min. attendance required: 2 families. 

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: Start the Party!

Plan to be here for Vacation Bible School this summer, Sunday, Aug. 4, through Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Invite your neighbors! For 4K through Grade 5 in the fall (3 year olds are welcome to attend in the nursery). Register at 1stlu.org/next.

Sugar Creek Youth Retreats 2024-25

Retreats are one of the best ways to build relationships among youth, adult leaders, and wider community. Sugar Creek retreats allow you to show up and be with your age group, knowing that you can enjoy all of the fun and activities. Save these dates for your calendar now!

• September 27–28: Pray This Way Middle & High School Retreat (Grades 6-12)

• November 2: Hallowed Be Your Name Elementary Retreat (Grades 1-5)

• February 7–8: Your Kingdom Come High School Retreat (Grades 9-12)

• March 7–8: As it is in Heaven Confirmation Retreat (Grades 6-10)

• April 26: Daily Bread Elementary Retreat (Grades 1-5)

Website Under Construction

The church’s website is under reconstruction for the summer as we upgrade to the latest version offered by our web developer. If you have suggestions for the website, now is a good time to offer them. Send suggestions to andy@firstlu.org.

Bible Readers Deep Dive: Psalms

Join Pastor Stanton for an online study of the Psalms! Life consists of 1) seasons of well-being, 2) seasons of hurt and 3) moments of surprise when we are overwhelmed with the new gifts of God. The Psalms—more than any other part of the Bible—are able to accompany us through all the seasons and moments! Each weekday, Pastor Stanton posts a 5-10 minute deep dive into the Psalms. Find it at: FirstLutheranOnalaska.org, facebook.com/1stlu and youtube.com/1stlu.

Stephen Ministry

If you know of someone who needs a caregiver, please speak with Pastor Karyn, or call the church office: 608.783.2236.