Announcements for Sunday, Aug 23
INSIDE: Blessing Backpacks & Devices / Students & Staff, Sunday School Volunteer Orientation, Entering Middle and High School Milestones
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. 23, so that we may bless the start of your new school year!
Join us for Worship!
Sunday Worship, August 16:
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
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, and is fun and 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.
Sunday School Teacher/Volunteer Orientation
Sunday, August 23, 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.
New Synod-Wide Zoom Text Study
Whether you are a lay preacher, a pastor looking for a summer backup, or just a curious learner, you are invited to our new, casual Zoom Text Study! Facilitated by Pastor Carrie Anderson, this drop-in space is designed to fit busy schedules—especially for lay leaders who work during the week. Come when you can, leave when you must, and bring your questions!
When: Sunday evenings
Last Summer Date: Aug. 23
Courageous Men’s Group
The Courageous Men’s Group are men of all ages who meet weekly on Wednesdays at 6am in the Fireside Room for a time of fellowship and study. Contact Jim Knutson or the church office for more info: jim@firstlu.org.
OWLs Potluck
The OWLs (our Older Wiser Lutherans at First, for anyone 55+) next potluck will be Wednesday, Aug. 26 at noon in the Fellowship Hall. They have a special program in store: Sue Bodenschatz has found that her passion in retirement is volunteering. Part of this passion is a desire to show other retirees the options and opportunities that are available for all of us, no matter our abilities. Her volunteering has allowed her to experience ways to serve God through helping others in so many ways — more than she ever could imagine. She will be presenting a program and will have John Honadel give a presentation on the many, many opportunities available with the American Red Cross and also Ruth Kinstier from Seniors Rise (formerly RSVP) in La Crosse will present also. I know many OWL’s already volunteer, but I have also heard “how can I possibly contribute.” Sue will present opportunities to make a difference even while working from home. Would you like a way to fill those hours at home in the winter and really contribute. Sue and the speakers will have some ideas. Come and learn how you can make a difference.
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. 26, at 6pm. Dinner is provided. RSVP at1stlu.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. 26, at 6pm. Dinner is provided. This event is for the student AND their parents/guardians. RSVP at1stlu.org/next.
Newsletter Assembly
It’s a relaxing way to volunteer! Friday, Aug. 28, at 10am, to assemble the Sept/Oct newsletter. See you there!
Lead an Activity or Presentation at the 48
Planning for Faith Filled 48 (October 2-4, 2026) is well underway. We are currently seeking individuals who may be interested in presenting a Saturday breakout session or leading an activity during free time. We are doing things a little differently this year to make the breakout session time run more smoothly. One of the biggest changes is that participants will be pre-registering for their breakout sessions. This means we need to have the presenter list available sooner so participants can make their choices when they register for Faith Filled 48.
What is a Breakout Session? This is a learning opportunity you will be offering to the participants. It may last 1 hour or 2 hours. This could be something hands-on like an art or craft or baking or could be a topic you want to teach and discuss or an opportunity to dive into a bible study. The possibilities are endless.
What is an Activity? Activities will last about 1 ½ hours and possibly be something folks can drop into. Think things along the lines of Molkkey, kickball, games, puzzles, etc.
We will also be offering 4 unique youth sessions geared towards elementary aged and younger. These sessions would be approximately 1 hour in length and the presenter will be coming to the youth who will be gathered together in a common space during the breakout session times.
We would love it if you would consider presenting a session or hosting an activity this year. If you are committed to presenting a breakout session or hosting an activity please fill out this Google Formby August 30.
If you have any questions please reach out to Michelle Renkas or Heather Foley.
Eastern WI Tornado Relief
On July 27, an EF3 tornado struck Appleton and Menasha, WI, leaving severe destruction in its wake. Our neighboring synod, the East Central Synod of Wisconsin (ECSW), is working with LDR to coordinate relief and long-term recovery. How you can help:
Give: Financial gifts are the most effective way to provide immediate and long-term help. Donate directly through the East Central Synod of Wisconsin’s disaster relief fund.
Pray: Please keep all affected residents, first responders, and recovery teams in your prayers as they navigate the days ahead.
Job Opening @ WAFER
WAFER is currently looking for an operations manager. The job description, information, and application info can be found at waferlacrosse.org/about-us/careers. Please share with anyone you think may be interested!
Garden Harvest!
Extra help is needed in the garden to harvest and deliver food to the Hunger Task Force. 54 pounds of vegetables was delivered last week! Learn more at 1stlu.org/garden.
Hosting Foreign Exchange
High School in the USA is currently looking for a volunteer host family for the upcoming school year. The student would be high school aged (15-18) and would attend the local public school assigned to the host family. For more info visit highschoolintheusa.org, and click on ‘Meet our Students’ to view profiles.
Fight Summer Hunger
As the only free and local food bank within 90 miles, our mission is to "Be a voice for the hungry by harvesting community resources to alleviate hunger." Through our Food Recovery Program, Kane Street Community Garden, and Senior Stockbox Program, we help ensure our neighbors have access to healthy food throughout the Coulee Region.
Thanks to the generosity of our community, in 2025 we:
Reached over 403,000 individuals facing food insecurity.
Distributed nearly 2 million pounds of food.
Supported 120+ food pantries, youth programs, and meal sites.
Recorded more than 10,000 volunteer hours.
Volunteers Needed: We have an immediate need for volunteers to help in our warehouse, Food Recovery Program, Kane Street Community Garden, and Senior Stockbox Program. Right now, every shift is urgent, and even a few hours a week or a few hours a month can make a critical difference in helping us meet the growing need in our community. Learn more or sign up to volunteer: https://lacrossehtf.org/volunteer
Fight Summer Hunger: During the summer months, the need for food increases as children lose access to school meals. Through Fight Summer Hunger, we're working to help local families fill that gap. Support Fight Summer Hunger: https://bit.ly/fightsummerhungerhtf
We would greatly appreciate it if you could share this information in your church bulletin, newsletter, or announcements. Thank you for helping us spread the word and for supporting our mission to alleviate hunger in the Coulee Region.
Looking for Greater Insight Into Aging
In-person six-week series, Wednesdays, 9:30-11:30am: Sept. 2, 16, 30; Oct. 14, 28; Nov. 11
Facilitators: Rose Elsbernd, FSPA, and Cathie Boerboom, RGS
Investment: $125 for entire series
Registration online by August 24
If you are looking for greater insight into aging, we invite you to join us for lively discussions regarding the joys and challenges of becoming an elder. We’ll use the book “The Inner Work of Age: Shifting From Role to Soul” by Connie Zweig for guidance on expanding spiritual development and your connection with self, others and all of creation. This six-part series is for people who are retired or will be soon. Each session will cover different chapters of the book. Each chapter contains relevant and relatable stories. As stated on the book’s cover: “With extended longevity comes the opportunity for extended personal growth and spiritual development. You have the chance to leave behind past roles, shift from work in the outer world to inner work with the soul, and become authentically who you are.”
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 Choir! Practice is in the choir room and starts back up on Wednesday, Sept. 2 at 7:15pm. Everyone 14 and older are welcome… there is no audition and no formal training required, just a desire to enhance worship through the beauty of music! For more info contact Corissa at corissa@firstlu.org.
Sunshine Team
The Sunshine Team meets on the first Thursday of every month. NEXT: Sept. 3, 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.
Changes in Worship Times
With summer drawing to a close, worship times will be changing once again, and will be as follows…
Wednesday, Sept. 9
6:15pm, Wednesday evening worship resumes
Sunday, Sept. 13 (First Fest Sunday)
Sunday worship changes back to 8am & 10:30am
Mini Donut 5K in Honor of Branden Brownrigg
Every year the 5k portion of the local Mini Donut races honors a local person who was lost to suicide, and the money raised is used to educate the community in the hope of awareness and prevention. The Brownrigg family would love to have members of our church support them at this event on Sept. 12, honoring their son Branden Brownrigg. Registration for the event is still open and typically sells out by August. More info and reg can be found at1stlu.org/minidonut.
Young Youth Spooky Science!
On Saturday, Sept. 12, 10–11:30am in Fellowship Hall, our Young Youth (grades K–5) will gather for some fun spooky season science experiments and snacks! RSVP at 1stlu.org/next. Questions? Connect with Young Youth Events Director, Katie Pierre, katie@firstlu.org.
18th Annual First Fest!
On Sunday, Sept. 13, 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!
Rescheduled: Middle School Trip to Orchard
On this (rescheduled) Sunday, Sept. 20, after second service, our middle school youth will eat lunch at church and then get on the bus to travel to the Ferguson Apple Orchard! Invite a friend — all are welcome! Activities Include: Wagon rides, Pumpkin Jumping Pad, Giant Spinning Apple, Corn Pit, Barnyard Ball, Cow Train, Straw Bale Playground, 40' Slide, Pedal Tractors, Farm Animals, Corn Maze, Duck Races, Calf Roping, Lawn Games, and more! Questions? Connect with middle school event coordinator, Madi: madalyn@firstlu.org / 612-327-2230.
Religion, Society and Civility
Civility isn’t just about being polite—it’s the foundational social norm that undergirds citizenship and makes a healthy society possible. Join us for a joint series co-hosted by the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University and the La Crosse Area Synod of the ELCA as we explore critical questions: How can we restore civility to our lives, and what role does religion play in that restoration? Learn More
Dates:Mondays — Sept. 14, Sept. 28, Oct. 12, & Oct. 26
Time: 6pm–7pm
Location: Nursing Center Collins Auditorium, Viterbo University (La Crosse, WI)
Cost: Free and open to all
Kennedy’s Cancer Project
Kennedy Everson, a member of First and an upcoming senior at West Salem High School, is excited to be working on a project to raise money for cancer and will be donating it to Emplify Health/Gundersen. Her project is going to be crocheting flowers that she will turn into magnets, that she plans to sell at a shop in West Salem, First Fest at church, and various other events throughout the year. She would love help from all of us in the form of 1) donations of specific yarn and 2) donations of money to help buy the yarn. The type of yarn she is using is 100% cotton number 4 medium. Donations of yarn can be dropped off in the laundry basket in the Narthex. Monetary donations can be made at 1stlu.org/give (select “special project” fund). Thank you so much for your consideration with this project!
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.
Blood Drive
Monday, Sept. 21, 12-5pm. 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 photo ID.
Baptismal Preparation
The next baptism preparation session will be Saturday, Oct. 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 608.783.2236 by Sunday, Sept. 27. Min. attendance required: 2 families.
New-Member Social
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 social at Coulee Golf Bowl on Thursday, Oct. 8, 6pm, where you will get to know more about First and the staff in a relaxed atmosphere. To register your family or ask questions, call our church office at 608.783.2236 or email office@firstlu.org.
Calling all bakers! Cookies for LuMin
Fall is almost here... and with that, the return of students! First has signed up to provide 400 cookies for mid-October! Cookies need to be delivered to our office by Monday, Oct. 12, at 3pm. Sign up at 1stlu.org/next.
Monday Night Community Meals
For many years, Trinity Lutheran Church on the north side 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 150-200 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. New for 2026: Cookie bakers! Help bake a batch of 4 dozen cookies! NEXT: Oct. 19. Sign up at 1stlu.org/next.
Attend Your Legacy: Family, Church, and Charity
Wednesday, Oct. 28, 11am
Register at lsswis.org/thrivent26
Location: First Lutheran, Fellowship Hall
Lunch provided
Meet with reps from LSS, Thrivent, and the First Lutheran Foundation Fund to learn about wills, bequests, and estate planning to provide lasting support even after you are gone for the people, places, and organizations that mean the most to you. Contact Jennifer Williamson at LSS with questions: jennifer.williamson@lsswis.org or (414) 391-5058.
Behind the Scenes Changes
As Pastor Stanton mentioned in his message in church on Sunday, May 31, we currently ask members to use several different platforms in order to participate in the ministries at First Lutheran. In an effort to make signing up and registering for events and opportunities easier for everyone, and to bring giving history, signups and more all under one roof, we will be making some big changes to how we manage our membership data and our giving platform this summer. A few of the areas this will affect will be:
Membership: we’ll be migrating our membership roles from our current platform to our new platform sometime in June.
Website: as of right now we have no plans to change our website provider, but the look will change a bit as we integrate it with our new platform.
Church app: the new platform offers a church app, which we will be working on throughout the summer and hope to launch at First Fest this fall.
Giving: the platform we use for giving will be changing, and we’ll be asking members to switch their giving to this new platform later in 2026.
Signing up/registering: we will be ending our use of Signup Genius and will be transferring our sign ups to our new platform later in 2026.
We intend to make our migration over the summer, and to start a staggered rollout of features starting in the fall.
⚠️ June 9 Update: Current Online Directory
With the above changes in mind please note: As of June 9, we have migrated our data into the new platform, and therefore any changes made in our current (old) online directory will not be reflected in our new system, and will need to be re-entered. Our apologies for this inconvenience while we make this transition.
⚠️ June 11 Update: Joining of Accounts
The following was emailed to all members willing to receive emails: As we make the migration in giving, one thing you can expect in short order is an email from our new platform (Church Center) stating that your accounts have been joined. The email will have the subject line "Your Donor Accounts Have Been Joined" and will be sent from no-reply@churchcenter.com. Please know this is not spam; this is us, at First, making necessary changes to your account on our new platform as we make the migration, and much like your bank, our new platform wants to make certain you are aware of the changes being made. No action is needed on your part, unless you don't want to have your household giving joined together; if that is the case, please let Jess know at office@firstlu.org. Please note, you will not see any giving activity prior to June 30, 2026 if you check your balance using the link provided in the email. Giving will be tracked in Church Center starting July 1st.
⚠️ June 29 Update: New Sources of Communication
Communication sources: Going forward, expect to receive church communications from the following domains and numbers…
@01stlu.clrsmail.com
@churchcenteronline.com
(608) 544-0853
Emails/texts coming from these new locations may initially get filtered to spam; please add these to our contact info in your phone.
Prayer Shawls
If you have a friend, relative, neighbor or co-worker who is going through cancer, medical issues or grieving, we have a prayer shawl for you to give them. Please come into the church office so you can choose a prayer shawl for them and you take it to the person who needs it; you can pick one up before, between or after any worship service. Questions? Connect with kathryn@firstlu.org.
Stephen Ministry
If you know of someone who needs a caregiver, please speak with Pastor Karyn, or call the church office: 608.783.2236.
Sunday School
Sunday School resumes on Sept. 13. Have a blessed summer!
More info and registration: 1stlu.org/sunschool
Confirmation
Grade 8–10 confirmation orientation will be Sunday, Aug. 16.
More info and registration: 1stlu.org/confirm.
