Announcements for Sunday, Aug 3, 2025
INSIDE: Vacation Bible School • OWLs Potluck • All-Church Picnic on Thur
Join us for Vacation Bible School THIS Sunday, Aug. 3, through Thursday, Aug. 7. 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.
Join us for Worship!
Worship on Sunday, August 3
8am: live stream at 1stlu.org/live, and in-person. Nursery available.
10am: live stream at 1stlu.org/live, and in-person. Nursery available.
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 with other parts of VBS, please consider! Contact Pastor Stanton: jason@firstlu.org.
Vacation Bible School: Sugar Creek Style!
Plan to be here for Vacation Bible School THIS SUNDAY, Aug. 3, through Thursday, Aug. 7. Invite your neighbors! For 4K through Grade 5 in the fall (3-year-olds are welcome to attend in the nursery). Learn more at 1stlu.org/next.
Sunday, Aug. 3–Wednesday, Aug. 6
5pm dinner in Fellowship Hall
6–8pm VBS program
Thursday, Aug. 7 only…
5pm all-church picnic at Van Riper Park
~6pm swimming at Onalaska Aquatic Center!
Also: 1) Help in the kitchen! Many hands will make light work. Claim ONE night between Sunday, Aug. 3, through Wednesday, Aug. 6, to prep, serve and clean up the meal all VBS families will enjoy together. Food will already be purchased. Menus are decided. We just need a couple hours of your time. 2) Bake/make bars/cookies, too! That's how dessert gets done. Email jason@firstlu.org if you can take a kitchen shift or bake.
Coffee with Pastor Karyn
Coffee with Pastor Karyn is open to all and meets at 7am each Wednesday in the narthex. See you there! Questions? Contact karyn@firstlu.org.
OWLs Update
The OWLs’ (our Older Wiser Lutherans at First, for anyone 55+) next potluck will be earlier than usual: Wednesday, Aug. 6, at noon in the fellowship hall. The program will be Jim Drees from Pathways Home talking about all the work in progress to shelter our homeless population. Jim will give an update on progress to date and a look to the future.
Then on Thursday, Aug. 28, the OWLs will fly to Lanesboro to see Lonestar Spirits, a small-town comedy with hairpin turns that takes a hilarious and sympathetic look at family, spirituality, those who stay and those who leave their hometowns. This enjoyable expedition will leave the church at 4pm. You can sign-up by contacting Brian Narveson at 630-816-5917 or owls@firstlu.org. Cost of the theater ticket is $40, dinner expense on your own. Money will be collected the night of the outing. Brian will buy tickets as people sign up. To make sure you get a ticket, please email owls@firstlu.org by Tuesday night, Aug. 26.
Sunshine Team
The Sunshine Team meets on the first Thursday of every month. NEXT: Aug. 7, 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.
All-Church Picnic and Waterslide!
All are welcome to the closing celebration of VBS, starting at 5pm on Thursday, Aug. 7, at Van Riper Park. We’ll eat together outdoors (First will provide the main course; bring desserts/treats to share) and then close with water fun at the Onalaska Aquatic Center!
Sugar Creek Golf Fundraiser
Join Pastor Stanton’s team on Monday, Aug. 18, at Viroqua Hills Golf Course, to raise money for Sugar Creek. Reg and check-in at 11am. Shotgun at 12:30pm. 18 holes: $85/person, 4-person best ball! More info: 1stlu.org/next.
More Events @ Sugar Creek
Below are some upcoming events offered by Sugar Creek. For more info or registration, visit sugarcreekbiblecamp.org or call 608.734.3113.
THIS Tuesday! (and every Tuesday) – Volunteer at camp! More info below
August 18 – Golf Fundraiser
Tuesday Volunteers
Whether you have a few hours or a full day, individuals or groups are welcome to lend a hand on Tuesdays throughout the year. Bring your gloves, your smile and your servant heart. Contact the camp office at (608)734-3113 or office@sgrcreek.org to let Sugar Creek know you are coming.
Summer Volunteers
There’s always room for more helping hands during the summer camp season! From kitchen helpers to maintenance assistants to nurses and faith leaders, your gifts are needed. Spend a few days or a whole week making memories with summer staff and campers. Contact program@sgrcreek.org or the camp office.
Fall Nosh with Neighbors
As a goodwill gesture towards the community of our church, First Lutheran and Ona UMC are hosting a lunch for our neighborhood schools, on Wednesday, Aug. 20. Lunch is at noon, servers are needed from 11:30am–1:30pm. Let's bless our friends at Irving Pertzsch Elementary, First Lutheran Preschool,and Headstart (housed at Onalaska UMC) on their upcoming school year. Servers of ALL ages can help set-up and serve. Sign up at 1stlu.org/next.
Blessing Backpacks & Devices/Students & Staff
Whether you are a student in kindergarten, high school, college, or an adult teaching or helping at any of those levels, attending in-person or online, God is with you every day, in every place. And First wants to kick off this school year with a blessing to remind you of just that. So we invite students and staff, K–college, to have your backpacks, briefcases, messenger bags, purses, laptops, tablets, etc. with them for worship on Sunday, Aug. 24, so that we may bless the start of your new school year!
Grade 6–10 Confirmation Orientation
For students in grades 6–10 and their parents/guardians, Sunday, August 24, 9:15am in Fellowship Hall. Come and learn what confirmation this year has in store for your kids.
Faith Webs Thank You Sunday
Our youth have been blessed with summer ministries at Sugar Creek Bible camp, serving in Indianapolis and North Carolina, and blessed that much more with a Faith Web of supporters. We want to gather all Faith Webs together one last time, to bless these relationships and to say thank you. So connect with your Faith Web and plan to worship together at the 10am outdoor worship service on Sunday, Aug. 24, where we’ll do a special blessing for all who participated. And after worship we’ll join the potluck and plan to eat together!
Last Outdoor Worship and Potluck
First will worship outdoors on Fifth Ave for the second service one last time this summer, weather permitting, on Sunday, Aug. 24, at 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.
Sunday School Teacher & Volunteer Orientation
Sunday, August 24, 11:15am. For all Sunday School teachers and volunteers: come and learn what this Sunday School year has in store. And thanks again for you sharing your gift of time and talents with this ministry! In Fellowship Hall; dinner and child care provided (if needed; please let Pastor Stanton know). Questions? Email jason@firstlu.org.
Entering Middle School Milestone
At First Lutheran we are deeply committed to bringing the presence of God into the lives of children everywhere they go. This middle school milestone is for youth and their parents/guardians as they transition from elementary to middle school, and celebrates that each child is made in the image of God. WHEN: Wednesday, Aug. 27, at 6pm. Dinner is provided. RSVP at 1stlu.org/next.
Entering High School Milestone
Jesus loved to gather with his friends, eat good food and talk about what God was up to. Our pastors, following Jesus' example, will host this milestone, providing time to eat good food and talk about what God is up to in the lives of our youth as they transition into the next step of their education. WHEN: Wednesday, Aug. 27, at 6pm. Dinner is provided. This event is for the student AND their parents/guardians. RSVP at 1stlu.org/next.
First Teen Clothes Closet Needs
The First Teen Clothes Closest is looking for the following that are all teen-style, clean, new/gently used (donations can be placed in the baskets inside the main entryway):
athletic shorts & pants: sizes XXL-XXXXL
wallets
sunglasses (no scratches, please)
crocs: sizes 7-14
slides (sandals): sizes 7-14
Changes in Worship Times
With summer drawing to a close, worship times will be changing once again, and will be as follows…
Wednesday, Sept. 3
6:15pm, Wednesday evening worship resumes
Sunday, Sept. 7 (First Fest Sunday)
Sunday worship changes back to 8am & 10:30am
17th Annual First Fest!
On Sunday, Sept. 7, we invite you to join us for worship at 8am or 10:30am, and after the second service relax, catch up with friends, introduce yourself to visitors or members you’ve yet to meet, listen to great music, have lunch and have some fun! FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, so INVITE YOUR FRIENDS!
Blood Drive
Monday, Sept. 8, 12:30-5:30pm. Every day ordinary people are saved by some pretty extraordinary people. People who give blood. Your donation could be the most valuable gift you have ever given. Just ask anyone who’s ever received it. Walk-ins welcome; appointments encouraged, schedule yours at 1stlu.org/next. Please bring a mask and photo ID.
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.
Fall Festival & Quilt Auction @ Sugar Creek
Saturday, Sept. 13. Beginning at 9am: 5K Trail Run and Fun Walk. At 10am: craft fair, country store, silent auction, and BBQ pork lunch. Your presence and generosity at this cherished event supports Sugar Creek’s Christ-centered summer camps and retreats, making unforgettable faith experiences possible for children, youth, and families. Enjoy a full day of fun, fellowship, and fall festivities! More info at sugarcreekbiblecamp.org.
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 helps 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 125-150 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: Sept. 29. Sign up at 1stlu.org/next.
Cancer Support
Navigating a cancer diagnosis, treatment, and after effects is tough and worthy of peer support. A non-medical First Lutheran member, Al Hutson, has been on this path and would like to make himself available to anyone interested in having a friendly ear to listen and provide mutual support. Contact him via email: awh051230@gmail.com, or phone/text: 563-343-8391.
HELP ministry
The Health Equipment Lending Program (HELP) is a ministry offered by Holmen Lutheran Church. People can borrow health-care equipment, ranging from crutches, walkers and wheelchairs to commodes and shower chairs. Also available are items to keep, such as transfer belts, braces and disposable briefs. For more information, contact Mary Nicolai at 608-498-0439 (text or leave a voicemail).
