INSIDE: Celebrating 150 Years THIS Sat. and Sun., Trunk-or-Treat, and Lyle Griner’s Leadership Training

Worship

Join us for worship!

Sunday, Oct. 31:

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

• 10:30am: live stream at 1stlu.org/live, and in-person wearing masks. Nursery available.

Wednesday, Nov. 3:

• 6:15pm: live stream at 1stlu.org/live, and in-person wearing masks

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 10:30am service, and if weather permits. Registration and social distancing are currently not required. For a full description of current precautions, visit 1stlu.org/precaution.

Celebrating 150 Years!

• Saturday, Oct. 30 • History Day

  • 10am–3pm: Celebrating the history of First Lutheran with history videos, food from various ethnic groups, worship services throughout the decades, and a history walk.

  • Short worship services throughout (approx. 20 min long), highlighting worship from different eras…

    • 11am: worship from 1870s in Norwegian! (and some English)

    • 12pm: worship from 1920s

    • 1pm: worship from 1970s

    • 2pm: worship from 2000s

  • 3–5pm: The celebration continues with a Fall Festival in the parking lot with games, food, trunk-or-treating, and historic costumes!

• Sunday, Oct. 31 • Reformation Sunday

  • 8 and 10:30am: Join us for a special worship service on Reformation Sunday to hear a message from Bishop Malpica, our new bishop in the La Crosse Area Synod, with a special celebration between services!

    • Sign up to host a trunk during the trunk-or-treat: 1stlu.org/trunk.

La Crosse Chamber Chorale Spooky Soirée

Saturday, Oct. 30, 7:30pm. The Chamber Chorale’s first program of the year celebrates two linked holidays from two very different cultural traditions. They invite you to dress up in your favorite costume as they perform music of witches and zombies, and spirits and souls combining the ominous spookiness of Halloween and the reverence of the Mexican holiday, Dia de Muertos. Tickets available for purchase at chamberchorale.org/order-tickets.

Clothes Closet Needs Teen Volunteers

First Teen Clothes Closet is looking for high school-aged volunteers to help out for about 4 hours a month. Volunteers would look at donations to ensure they appeal to teens and put together outfits for display in the clothes closet. You can set your own schedule and volunteer with a friend or two. This is a great opportunity for high schoolers and confirmation students looking for volunteer opportunities. If you are interested, email bridget@firstlu.org.

Clothes Closet Needs

Hello First Lutheran congregation: We are grateful for the many ways you’ve supported First Teen Clothes Closet! We are getting low on guys jeans (especially large and x-large sizes), rings, earrings, necklaces and wallets. Looking good is important to teens! Please carefully consider whether your items are gently used (or new), “in style” for teens, and recently laundered (please no cat or dog hair, stains, deodorant marks). Our clothing donation drop off area is on the right as you enter First Lutheran Church. Thank you so very much!

Waking Up White Symposium, Regional Read, Presentations & Discussions

The Waking Up White Regional Read invites the community to read Waking Up White, attend public presentations, and engage in book chat conversations about ways to create a more welcoming and inclusive multicultural community. Having finished Waking Up White is not a prerequisite for attending the presentations and discussions. More info and reg at laxwakingupwhite.com.

Upcoming presentations (live streamed):

• Dr. Erin Winkler: "How Children Learn About Race And How Adults Can Help," Saturday, Nov. 6, 10:30am

Upcoming discussions (in-person, with precautions):

• Monday, Nov. 1 at 6:30pm. "Why Being "Color-Blind" is Not a Good Approach." At the Parenting Place, La Crosse. Childcare available, must pre-register child Register

• Thursday, Nov. 4 at 6:30pm. "White Savior Complex/My Robin Hood Syndrom." At Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Register

• Saturday, Nov. 6 at 10am. "Stereotypes and the Language We Use." At People's Food Co-op in La Crosse Register

White Privilege Symposium

• Dec. 3 and 4, ​at the La Crosse Center. Registration NOW OPEN; register at laxwakingupwhite.com.

Coffee with Pastor Karyn

Coffee with Pastor Karyn is open to all and meets at 6:30am each Wednesday in the narthex. See you there! Questions? Contact karyn@firstlu.org.

Sunshine Team

The Sunshine Team meets on the first Thursday of every month. Next meeting: Nov. 4, 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.

Lyle Griner: Church is About Relationships

Hey… Sunday School teachers! Lenten small group leaders! Confirmation guides! Peer Ministers! Stephen Ministers!… and ANY leader of ANY ministry at First Lutheran!...

Lyle Griner, author of Peer Ministry and dozens of other youth & family ministry resources, will be in Onalaska at First Lutheran for an IN PERSON leadership enrichment course on Saturday, Nov. 6, from 8:30am–4:30pm. Lyle is the best there is at getting leaders to not just 'think' about how to facilitate a ministry, but to experience ministry together through RELATIONSHIPS. We will use lessons from Peer Ministry to broaden and deepen the skills of all our leaders at First. Join us! To RSVP: sign up at 1stlu.org/lyle, or call the office at 608.783.2236. First Lutheran is covering all costs including snacks, beverages and lunch.

Fall back! 

Daylight saving time ends at 2am, Sunday, Nov. 7. Don’t forget to change your clocks! (Otherwise you’ll just be early to church!)

Family Photos: A Cloud of Witnesses

All Saints Day has long been a day when the church gives thanks for all the saints, the beloved, who have died, especially in the past year. We ask for photographs of your beloved dead so that we can be surrounded by their witness on All Saints Sunday, Nov. 7. These pictures can be sent electronically (karyn@firstlu.org) or brought in. They will be printed as 4X6, so resolution should be such that they can be printed well from what you submitted. If your loved one was a member of our congregation and died this past year, you should have received a letter with a special request. 

All Saints Day isn’t only about those who have died but also about those who have been newly baptized. If your child was baptized this past year, you also will receive a special request.

Please note, we will continue to use the photos submitted last year, so no need to resend those photos.

Faith Alive! U: First Lutheran And Community Impact

On Sunday, Nov. 7, at noon, presented in-person in the sanctuary. Causeway Caregivers has been providing volunteer services since 1986 for elderly and disabled adults within our communities. Popular outreach programs of Causeway are the Before the After Program and OASIS Respite Program. Sara Wrobel of Causeway will be at First Lutheran on Nov. 7 to share with you how you can participate, support or spread the word about Causeway's programs serving the Coulee Region! causewaycaregivers.org and oasisrespiteprogram.org. This event is intended for confirmation students, high schoolers and all adults. Childcare will be available in the nursery for kids not yet in grade school.

Butter Braids Fundraiser

The Butter Braids are on sale now and through Sunday, Nov. 7. Youth raising money for youth ministries have two options: 1) go to 1stlu.org/bbraids to setup an online account and receive a link to share with fam & friends to raise money, or 2) pick up an order form, from the church office, to raise funds in-person. Members wanting to purchase Butter Braids should try to find a youth member raising funds; If you can’t find one call the church office at 608.783.2236 to place an order. All orders, both online and on paper, must be placed/turned into the church office by Sunday, Nov. 7 at 11:30am, WITH MONEY. Orders will be delivered by the youth you placed the order through on Wednesday, Nov. 17. If you ordered through the church you can pick them up at the church on or after that date. More detailed info at 1stlu.org/bbraids.

Bible Matters

Are you looking for the connection between scripture and everyday life? Or maybe a way to dig deeper into the gospel of Luke? If so, join Pastor Karyn for a year-long journey through the lectionary (our schedule of readings) starting Monday, Nov. 8, 7-8pm, meeting in the narthex. Cost of this class is $20 for the devotional study book we will use. Register online at 1stlu.org/bmatters.

OWLs Fly to Storyhill

The OWLs (our Older Wiser Lutherans at First Lutheran, a “small” group for anyone 55+) will attend a concert at the Pump House, featuring the folk singing duo Storyhill. We are still without a bus so meet at Piggy’s at 5:30pm on Friday, Nov. 12, to start the evening with dinner. Cost of the concert is $30, dinner is on your own. The concert could sell out, so please contact Brian at owls@firstlu.org / 630.816.5917 to reserve a spot ASAP. The Pump House has the following COVID-19 policy: All theater ticket holders must show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative PCR COVID-19 test within 72 hours of a performance. Don’t forget your vaccine card or test results.

Drawing from the Well

This group is for women of First and the greater La Crosse area seeking to support one another in their spiritual growth. We gather to develop a deeper relationship with one another, meeting on the second Saturday of the month, 9:30–11am, in the narthex, with the next one on Saturday, Nov. 13. Contact Bridget Crave for more info: bridget@firstlu.org.

ELCA Youth Gathering Meeting

The ELCA Youth Gathering is less than a year away! July 24–28, 2022… in our very own backyard of Minneapolis! The gathering is open to all youth entering grades 9–12 in the fall of 2022, plus 2022 graduates.

• Meeting to answer questions and discuss details: Sunday, Nov. 14, 11:30am, in the Narthex.

• Early bird registration due by Nov. 21, 2021! Registration info online at 1stlu.org/gathering.

Questions? Visit: 1stlu.org/gathering.

Preschool Opening

The First Lutheran Preschool has an opening in the Tuesday/Thursday class. Class runs Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30-11am or 12pm with optional Lunch Bunch. Email the preschool for more info: preschool@firstlu.org.

Sunday School

• Sunday, October 31

  • 9:15am Gr 1-3 Class w/ Pastor Karyn

  • 9:15am Preschool FBB: Praying Together (2nd meeting, parents/guardians & child) - Fellowship Hall

  • 9:15am Sunday School

• Sunday, November 7

  • Preschool FBB: Praying Together, lifted up in worship

  • 9:15am Gr 1 FBB: 10 Commandments (1st meeting, parents/guardians only) - Fellowship Hall

  • 9:15am Sunday School

Questions regarding Sunday School? Visit 1stlu.org/sunschool.

Preschool Faith Alive Building Block: Praying Together

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. The session lasts for three weeks, and afterwards, children will have a presence in worship in celebration of the Faith Building Block they have learned.

• Sundays, Oct. 31: parents/guardians with children

• Sunday, Nov. 7: Faith Building Block lifted up in worship

Confirmation

• Sunday, October 31:

  • NO Gr 6 & 7 Confirmation Classes

• Wednesday, November 3:

  • 6:15pm Confirmation Class - Fireside Rm

  • 7:00pm Gr 8 & 9 Small Groups

Questions regarding confirmation? Visit 1stlu.org/confirm.