Announcements for Sunday, February 3, 2019
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Sunday School
Sunday, Feb. 3
9:15am Gr 4 Faith Building Block: Apostle’s Creed (2nd meeting, parents/guardians & child) - Fellowship Hall
9:15am Sunday School
Sunday, Feb. 10
9:15am Gr 4 Faith Building Block: Apostle’s Creed (3rd meeting, parents/guardians & child)
9:15am Sunday School
New registrations welcome any time of the year. Contact Sunday School superintendent Beth Miller at sundayschool@firstlu.org or stop in the Sunday School office in room 206.
Confirmation
Sunday:
9:15am Gr 6 & 7 Bible Classes
Wednesday:
7pm Gr 8 & 9 Small Groups
Annual Report Available
In advance of First’s Annual Potluck on Sunday, Feb. 10, an abbreviated one-page annual report for 2018 was mailed to households in your year-end financial statements. A full, more in-depth annual report may picked up at the Welcome Center or downloaded at 1stlu.org/report.
Middle School Super Bowl-ing Party!
Tonight only! Same time, different location! THIS Sunday, 5:30-7:30pm: drop-off at Coulee Golf Bowl. Dinner will still be served. Questions about the middle school youth group? Contact Pastor Stanton, jason@firstlu.org.
Cookies for Common Ground
Don’t forget to drop off your cookies for Common Ground campus ministry at the cart in the narthex THIS Sunday, Feb. 3. Common Ground hands them out to ALL students at the campus tower EVERY Wednesday; last year they shared 20,000 cookies! Remember:
Cookies must be homemade (campus policy)
No nuts, nor nut-butter/extracts, etc.
YOUNG YOUTH MP3 Night
For grades K-5, on Friday, Feb. 8, 5:30- 8:30pm, in Fellowship Hall. Wear your most comfy pajamas and bring a sleeping bag and pillow to lounge on if you like. We’ll meet, eat, play a couple of games and settle in for a movie and popcorn. RSVP to beth@firstlu.org.
Annual Potluck!
All members are invited to First’s Annual Potluck on Sunday, Feb. 10,
at 11:45am, where we will eat together and our kids will play together, all while the adults share our greatest faith stories from the past year. Save the date so you can share in the fun!
Baptismal Preparation
A baptism preparation session will be Saturday, Feb. 9, at 10am in the narthex for anyone who is considering or has scheduled a baptism. To register or ask questions, contact the church office: 608.783.2236 / office@firstlu.org.
MY NEIGHBOR IS MUSLIM – Exploring the Muslim Faith
Saturday, Feb. 9, 9am-2pm, at Good Shepherd Lutheran, 4141 Mormon Coulee Rd, La Crosse. Cost: $10, includes lunch. The synod Church in Society Committee in conjunction with Shoulder to Shoulder of La Crosse is hosting this workshop to help learn the basic tenets of Islam and understand our new neighbors. The intention is simply that this resource open doors, minds and hearts and dispel stereotypes and myths about our Muslim neighbors just enough to start more conversations. To register, email office@lacrosseareasynod.org or call 608.788.5000.
Blessing Office Admins
We invite all those who actually keep our workplaces together — our office admins — to join us on Sunday, Feb. 17, for worship and a special blessing for all that you do.
Faith Alive! U: Song is “Praying Twice”
A Faith Alive! U course presented by Gabe Hicks on Sunday, Feb. 17, 6pm. Join us for an evening of contemporary music. Gabe will sing the songs that have influenced him in spirit, love, life, struggle and happiness. Prayerfully offered from First Lutheran’s new Yamaha grand, he will perform songs by MercyMe, Stephen Curtis Chapman, Jeremy Camp, Tenth Avenue North, and many others. Gabe will share his journey—both good times and bad—through music. Don’t miss it!
Clothes Closet Help Wanted:
The First Teen Clothes Closet needs you! As we serve more than 2x as many youth, that means more clothes to sort, more hosts needed and more hands to organize. Could you spend 3:30-6:30pm on a Monday hosting shopping hours? Or a couple of hours a week — at your convenience —sorting donations at the house or “resetting” the Closet after a busy night? Contact a committee member or the church office to learn more about volunteering.
Text Notifications
Did you get our text notification that Wednesday worship, along with other Wednesday activities, were canceled due to cold temps? If not, make certain that the church office knows your mobile number AND your mobile carrier. Contact Tamara at office@firstlu.org.
‘19 Mission Trips
During the week of July 21–26 in 2019, our middle school youth will serve in Duluth, MN, and our high school youth will serve in San Francisco, CA. Mission trip groups will begin their travel planning THIS month, so sign up with Pastor Stanton soon! For more info & registration go to 1stlu.org/missiontrip.
Cancellations Due to Inclement Weather
If the weather ever makes you wonder whether your group is meeting for their ministry, check our website, Facebook page, or update the office with your cell number and provider so that we can text you. We’ll also notify WXOW.com, news8000.com and the La Crosse Radio Group stations: 106.3, 104.9, 102.7, 100.1, and 1490 AM. The staff and leadership of First intend to ‘make the call’ by 5pm at the latest. so everyone knows what to expect. Be safe this winter!
NEW-MEMBER SESSIONS
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 three-week introduction to the church, presented in a small-group setting. The group will meet in the evening on Sunday, Mar. 24 & 31, and Thursday, Apr. 4. To register your family or ask questions, call our church office at 608.783.2236 or email office@firstlu.org.
Sugar Creek Summer Reg Now Open
Your child or grandchild can have an amazing new experience this summer with the caring staff and beautiful creation of Sugar Creek! Now is the time to register, before your desired week fills up. Popular programs fill up fast! More info & reg at www.sgrcreek.org.
Clothes Closet Needs:
Donations to the First Teen Clothes Closet have been steadily rolling in, but we have a few empty spaces on specific shelves. What we need (clean and gently-used, please!):
Athletic shorts (guys and girls, especially larger sizes)
Sweatshirts and hoodies (especially XXL)
Men’s jeans — size 38, 40 & 44 waist
Guys athletic and lounge pants
Clothes Closet Help Wanted:
The First Teen Clothes Closet needs you! As we serve more than 2x as many youth, that means more clothes to sort, more hosts needed, and more hands to organize. Could you spend 3:30-6:30pm on a Monday hosting shopping hours? Or a couple of hours a week—at your convenience—sorting donations at the house or “resetting” the Closet after a busy night? Contact a committee member or the church office to learn more about volunteering.
LA CROSSE WARMING CENTER
Volunteers still needed and they’d LOVE to get more Lutheran churches involved! The Warming Center is open Nov. 1–April 30, 7pm–8am. Open every day of the week (even holidays) at 413 S. 3rd St., La Crosse. Volunteers still needed to cover a variety of shifts. More info: 1stlu.org/warmcenter.
Parent Share: Now meeting Sun & Tues
Join Carla Stanton, member of First, certified spiritual director and mom of three, in room 201 every Tuesday morning, 8:30-9:30am, or on Sunday mornings 9:15am-10:45am. At Parent Share, we pray and talk about raising our children faithfully. Childcare is available, too, during either session.
Parking Lot Ministry
This ministry needs warm and friendly faces to greet guests and worshipers who come into the parking lot, giving help if needed at the giving umbrellas to those who need one when it’s raining. Come to the Welcome Center to receive more information and sign up to help.
Companion Ministry
The gift of communion is Christ’s invitation for us all. Homebound members or those in nursing home care cannot make it to church and still would love to also receive that gift. Companion ministers help provide the service of delivering communion to them. They visit these members, usually monthly, give them communion, and have wonderful conversations. Good friendships are formed and the members receiving the communion feel grateful for that gift. If you love visiting with and helping people, consider becoming a companion minister. It is a very fulfilling job. Talk to one of the pastors for more information.
COFFEE WITH PASTOR KARYN
Coffee with Pastor Karyn is open to all and meets at 6:30am each Wednesday at Panera. See you there!