INSIDE: Blessing Backpacks & Devices, Sunday School Volunteer Orientation, Choir Begins Rehearsal, Afghan Immigrants Arriving at Fort McCoy

Worship

Join us for worship!

Sunday, Aug. 29:

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

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

• Nursery available, limited to 4 children

Wednesday, Sept. 1:

• 6:15pm: Premiering a short pre-recorded service, including hymn, reading, message and prayers, on Facebook and YouTube

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 both services. Currently we are asking, for the safety of ALL members, that everyone wear a mask during worship. Outdoor worship will be offered occasionally (about once a month) during the 10am service, and if weather permits. Registration and social distancing are currently not required. For a full description of current precautions, visit 1stlu.org/precaution.

Sunday School Teacher & Volunteer Orientation

For all Sunday School teachers and volunteers: come and learn what this Sunday School year has in store on Sunday, Aug. 29 at 5pm in Fellowship Hall; supper provided. And thanks again for you sharing your gift of time and talents with this ministry! Questions? Contact Pastor Stanton: jason@firstlu.org.

Preschool Opening

First Lutheran Preschool has an opening in the Tues/Thur class! Email Preschool Director, Melissa Rolbiecki, for more information: preschool@firstlu.org.

Supporting Afghan immigrants Coming into Fort McCoy

As of Aug. 25, 1,300 Special Immigrants had arrived at Fort McCoy. It is expected that 13–17,000 people will move through Fort McCoy in the next few months. Their expected stay will be 31–45 days.

• The mosques in Winona and La Crosse are the primary resources for responding to the spiritual needs of our guests. If anyone would like to donate to the local mosque to help support their work checks can be sent to: Othman bin Affan Mosque, PO Box 275, Onalaska WI 54650.

• On a national level, we encourage support of Lutheran Refugee and Immigration and Refugee Service. They are on the ground at two other Forts in the U.S. working with our Special Immigrants. See what you can do by going to www.lirs.org

Thank You for reaching out to support these Afghan people being re-settled in Wisconsin in whatever way you can.

Sing!

Do you like music? Do you enjoy singing, even if it’s in the shower? Do you appreciate the power of music in worship? Then put all of these things together and join the First Lutheran Senior Choir! The choir is starting a new “festival” rehearsal schedule, with the first rehearsal being Wednesday, Sept. 1 at 7pm in the sanctuary. The first event the choir will rehearse for is First Fest. All are welcome! Full schedule and sign up at 1stlu.org/choir. For more info contact Todd Saner at todd@firstlu.org.

Sunshine Team

The Sunshine Team meets on the first Thursday of every month. Next meeting: Sept. 2, 9:30am. Various jobs: outside raking, trimming bushes, sweeping, cleaning, pulling weeds. Help make First Lutheran look nice! Refreshments are supplied to replenish your reserves! Dues are free! Questions? Text/call Dave at 608.780.0135.

Quilters Resume Meeting at Church

First Lutheran's quilters will resume meeting at the church on Tuesday, Sept. 7. They will meet every Tuesday at 9am in the Fireside Room. Although the quilters couldn't meet at church for the past year because of COVID restrictions, they continued their work, and the annual display of their quilts in the sanctuary will be on Sunday, Sept. 26. Most of the quilts go to Lutheran World Relief.

Free Series For Caregivers

The Franciscan Spirituality Center and the Aging and Disability Resource Center have collaborated on a new series designed to support caregivers. “Refresh and Renew: A Caregiver Series” will meet in person, once a month, initially at the FSC’s temporary space at River Crossing Square, 500 Second St. S., Suite 201, and later this fall at 920 Market St. Sessions are free, but registration is required at www.FSCenter.org or 608.791.5295. Participants may attend any or all of the sessions in the series…

• “Mindfulness Practices” Wednesday, Sept. 8, from 1-2pm, led by Sarah Hennessey, FSPA. This session will include a guided meditation that focuses on breathing, a body scan and visualization.

• “Restorative Yoga,” Oct. 13, with Bernice Olson-Pollack.

• “Creating Moments of Joy,” Nov. 10, with Rose Elsbernd, FSPA.

• “A Singing Bowls Experience,” Dec. 8, with Tom Roberts.

• “Art as Prayer,” Jan. 12, with Mary Thompson.

• “Coffee and Conversation,” Feb. 9, with Steve Spilde.

• “Walking the Labyrinth,” March 9, with Jean Pagliaro.

New Thursday Small Group

Lauri Berg will lead a small group Thursday afternoons at 1:30pm beginning Sept. 9 in the Upper Room at church. Participants will choose a study when you meet on the 9th. All are welcome. Let bridget@firstlu.org know if you are interested in participating.

OWLs Fly to La Crosse Queen Dinner & Music Cruise

On Friday Sept. 10 the OWL's (our Older Wiser Lutherans at First Lutheran, for anyone 55+) will be taking the La Crosse Queen Dinner and Music Cruise. Cost: $29. Because this cruise sells outs, RSVP to Brian NOW at 630.816.5917 / owls@firtlu.org. Cruise starts at 7:30pm; meet at the boat at 7pm. As always feel free to invite a friend along.

Sugar Creek 5K

This year, in addition to you being able to participate when and where you would like, you can also participate in the beauty of Sugar Creek. For those wanting an in-person event, it will take place on Saturday, Sept. 11 at 9am at Sugar Creek. To receive a shirt, register by Saturday, Aug. 24. Register at 1stlu.org/scbc5k.

Sugar Creek Annual Quilt & Antique Auction

On Saturday, Sept. 11, at 10am come out to Sugar Creek for our annual quilt/antique auction and celebration!

Lutheran World Relief Personal Care Kits

First Lutheran will be collecting items for LWR’s Personal Care Kits the next two months, and will assemble them (at a new time) during First Fest in September.

These are the items we need the most to complete our kits…

• Light-weight bath-size towels (between 20” x 40”and 52” x 27”), dark color recommended (shop for light- or medium-weight towels, which are easier for kit recipients to hand wash and air dry, take up less storage space and are considerably less expensive than the fluffier towels we may prefer to use).

• Sturdy combs, remove packaging. (No brushes; please provide medium- to wide-tooth combs, so that members in all the communities we serve can utilize them).

• Metal nail clippers (attached file optional), remove packaging.

Bring donations to the church on Sunday and place at the altar, or to the church office on weekdays from 8am–4pm.

Please give new items only. Please do not donate items with any religious symbols, messages or a group’s name, the U.S. flag, patriotic or military symbols, or references to the armed forces, including camouflage. Do not enclose items in plastic bags.

Changes in Worship Times

With summer drawing to a close, worship times will be changing once again, and will be as follows…

• Wednesday, Sept. 8

  • 6:15pm, Wednesday evening worship goes back to in-person

• Sunday, Sept. 12

  • 9:30am, one service outdoors (weather permitting) for First Fest Sunday

• Sunday, Sept. 19

  • 8am & 10:30am, indoors and in-person

  • 10:30am outdoor worship at Sugar Creek, part of Play Days @ Sugar Creek

• Sunday, Sept. 26

  • 8am & 10:30am, indoors and in-person, which will be the worship times through May 2022

Confirmation Orientation

• Grade 6 & 7: Sun., Sept. 12, 10:45am, in Fellowship Hall

Questions about confirmation for 2021-22? Checkout our confirmation page at 1stlu.org/confirmation and/or contact Pastor Stanton at jason@firstlu.org.

First Fest 2021

On Sunday, Sept. 12, we invite you to join us for worship outdoors at 9:30am, and then at 11:30am relax, catch up with friends, introduce yourself to visitors or members you’ve yet to meet, listen to great music, help assemble the LWR kits, have lunch and have some fun!

Ring!

Are you open to trying something new?  Join the fun—ring bells! This group performs once a month. We welcome widely varied musical backgrounds. No experience necessary! We’ll begin with the basics and learn to work together. Musical ability is a skill that can be taught. Do you want to be involved? We rehearse Tuesdays at 5pm in the sacristy, starting Sept. 14.  For more info, contact  Jim Knutson at jim@firstlu.org. Ring ‘dem bells!

Confirmation Guides

You don’t need to know the Bible backwards & forwards & you don’t need a seminary degree. Just a heart for the youth of our church & an hour each week to spend with our confirmation youth. Parents, grandparents, godparents or any  faith-mature adult is welcome to facilitate conversation and build relationships between our confirmands on Wednesday nights.  Contact Pastor Stanton to nominate someone:  jason@firstlu.org/608.783.2236.

First Lutheran Play Days @ Sugar Creek!

All are invited to First Lutheran Play Days @ Sugar Creek! There will be creek stomping, horseback rides, hiking, playing disc golf, campfires and time shared with others! There will be a Bible Study led by Pastor Stanton and Carla Stanton, acrylic pouring led by Pastor Karyn, and Parent Share led by Carla Stanton. September 17, 18, and 19. If you’ve never been to Sugar Creek, this is your best chance! Come for one, two or no nights. You could just come for a day trip. And you don’t have to have kids in order to come. This is inter-generational time! First Lutheran is willing to cover 50% of the costs, so it will never be more affordable. There are cabins & rooms with AC and personal bathrooms as well as an area for RV/campers. Meals and the costs of counselors are included in the cost, too. Whether you are going for one night, both nights, just one day, just one meal, or even just for worship on Sunday the camp needs to know in order to plan appropriately and safely, so register with the church office at 608.783.2236. More details at 1stlu.org/playdays.