The Messenger. Monthly news for Emmanuel Lutheran Church - Menominee, Michigan JUNE 2018 CHANGE TO SUMMER OFFICE HOURS!!

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1 The Messenger Monthly news for Emmanuel Lutheran Church - Menominee, Michigan JUNE 2018 CHANGE TO SUMMER OFFICE HOURS!! Beginning on Monday, June 4th, our church office hours will be reduced to 8:00am 12:00pm, Monday through Friday. These will be our operating hours through the months of June, July and August. Sunday morning worship will remain the same, 8:00am and 10:00am and WOW! worship will still meet at 6:00pm on the third Wednesday of every month in the Fellowship room.

2 This month s Messenger is In thanks to God for His many Blessings Thank you, for sponsoring the Messenger Emmanuel members who own or operate their own business or members who would like to recognize a significant event in their lives are invited to sponsor the Messenger. Full sponsorship of the Messenger is $100. This covers a portion of the cost of mailing the Messenger each month.

3 from the pastor Brothers and Sisters in Christ: It s hard for me to believe, but June 1st will mark three years since I began my call here at Emmanuel. In that time, I have grown in my faith and in my wisdom. I feel that I have a firm grasp on who we are as a church, what defines us, and what our vision is moving forward. I ve tried a few new things and have a pretty good handle on what works, what needs to be tweaked and what should never ever happen again. I ve fallen in love with this community and the people who live in it. In others words, I m pretty firmly entrenched here. But not as firmly as you all are. Emmanuel is your church and has undoubtedly played an important role in some very significant moments in your life as well as in the life of your loved ones. Baptisms, first communions, confirmations, weddings, funerals and weekly worship: Emmanuel and the people who gather here as the saints in Christ have played prominent roles in many of these events. And with these events come the stories to accompany them. If you ve spent any time in the pews over the past three years, you know that stories and storytelling take a prominent place in my life. I enjoy telling them and I feel that it gives you as the congregation a greater understanding of who I am, warts and all. And the same goes the other way. During the Annual Congregational Meeting in January I introduced a goal of mine to collect your stories during the course of this year and then to compile them to paint a picture of who we are as a congregation. For those of you who have submitted your Emmanuel stories, thank you. I can tell from reading them that reflecting on these stories has been a blessed time of reminiscing and affirming of your place in Emmanuel. For those of you who haven t contributed, I humbly ask of you to consider taking a few moments to reflect on your membership here at

4 Emmanuel and to share it with us all. Maybe your story consists of a specific event that happened many years ago or maybe your story is a wide ranging reflection on your years as a Sunday School student or a Sunday School teacher. Maybe your story is one in which you were born and baptized into this congregation and have maintained your membership here for many decades. Maybe you re newer to the life of this church, but something happened and the Spirit spoke to you to make Emmanuel your home. No two of our stories are the same and never will be. That s what makes them so special and so important. And I stress that these stories are important. You may or may not be familiar with the poem titled, The Dash, by Linda Ellis, but it is appropriate to share in relation to our stories. Here is a portion of it: I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend. He referred to the dates on their tombstone from the beginning to the end. He noted that first came the date of birth and spoke of the following date with tears, but he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years. For that dash represents all the time they spent alive on earth. And now only those who loved them know what that little line is worth. For it matters not, how much we own, the cars the house the cash. What matters is how we live and love and how we lived our dash. My friends, that dash is a line meant for our story to be written on. I look forward to reading and sharing your Emmanuel stories. You can your story to me at pastor2901@e-mmanuel.com, you can leave it on my desk or with Judy, or you can place it in the box in the narthex. Have a most blessed June and I look forward to seeing you in church where our Emmanuel stories continue and converge, telling of God s love for us and for our world. In Christ, Pastor Mark

5 Youth and Family Ministry From the Director: Patti Treptow It's summer! A time for fun and relaxation..but is it? Many families find summer to be a time of continued hectic schedules along with balancing time for family vacations and other events. Some of us find the need to actually schedule in free time. Free time is very important for all us. In the June issue of Parenting Christian Kids, we read about the importance of unplugging, reflecting, and renewing. Denise Pope of Stanford's Graduate School of Education suggests that "parents and children of all ages need PDF - playtime, downtime, and family time every day." Rest and renewal is important for our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Jesus even took time for rest and reflection throughout His time here on earth. Psalm 46:10 reminds us to "be still so we can know Him, His will, and hear His voice." So, before you jump into the busy activities of summer, allow for some "still" time to refresh and renew. Copies of this month's Parenting Christian Kids can be found in the narthex. Vacation Bible School Tuesday-Thursday July 24, 25, & 26 Children entering Kindergarten through 5 th grade this fall are invited to discover that Jesus' love is cool through our "Polar Blast" VBS! Children will engage in amazing experiences that will guide them through God's Word in unforgettable, multisensory, thought-provoking ways that make Scripture come alive and help faith flow into real life. Registration forms are included in this month's newsletter so you can get your child enrolled for some fun, laughter, excitement! Please return the registration form to the church office as soon as possible. Deadline to register is Monday, July 9 th. We are always looking for adults and teens to serve as leaders and helpers with our program. Please contact Patti Treptow for more information on ways you can get involved and have fun!

6 Sunday School "Year End Celebration" Our children celebrated their Sunday school year by presenting their class memory challenges, playing awesome games, and enjoying an ice cream sundae bar! Thank you to our teaching staff for a great event!

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8 Mother Daughter Tea The Youth Committee's Little Lutherans hosted a Mother Daughter Tea on Sunday, May 6 th. Delicious finger foods, tea and other beverages were enjoyed along with fun games with prizes. Piano music was provided by Hayden Myers. Thank you to Katy Wickstrom, Molly Starzynski, Amy Lenca, Kim Schroeder, April Starzynski, Amy Laatsch, Olivia Engman, Hayden Myers, Karie Anderson, Dave Anderson, and Patti Treptow who made this wonderful event so special.

9 Graduate Recognition Sunday, June 3 rd Emmanuel s high school graduates will be honored at our Graduation Recognition during the 10:00 a.m. worship service on June 3 rd. A reception will follow in the narthex ELCA Youth Gathering In less than four weeks, two years of planning, praying, raising money, and growing together in our faith will culminate when we arrive in Houston, Texas to take part in the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering. In fact, when you read this column next month, it will no longer be about what s before us, but will be a reflection of what we did. On Sunday, June 24th during our 10:00 worship, our 11 youth and 3 adult chaperones will receive a blessing before we depart. Upon return, we will then share with the congregation what we did and what we learned during both 8:00 and 10:00 services. As always, we continue to solicit your prayers and support through this exciting adventure! Worship on Wednesdays Our next WOW! will take place on Wednesday, June 20th, in the Fellowship Hall 6:00-6:30 pm. This interactive family-style worship will feature family friendly songs and liturgy, complete with Holy Communion. As an added fellowship experience, we will share in a potluck supper prior to worship at 5:30. Emmanuel will provide the main dish and drinks, and we ask that if you would like to join us, that you bring a simple dish to pass. After we conclude supper, we will praise God! If you are unable to be in worship on Sunday or simply desire a mid-week alternative, please consider joining us to worship God in this engaging and fun way. A VERY BIG THANK YOU to Gail Sieglaff for leading our May 27th Worship Services while I took vacation time. We are blessed with her natural ability to lead and to joyfully share the Good News of Jesus Christ to all the world! Pastor Mark.

10 Family Bowling! The Youth Advisory Council GLOW and Fellowship Committee hosted a family bowling event at the Dome Lanes in Marinette on Sunday, May 20 th. It was a wonderful afternoon of fun and fellowship!

11 free concert!! On Saturday evening, June 2nd, at 7:00, the husband and wife duo of Ed and Brenda Lane will be at Emmanuel for a Gospel/Country concert. Ed and Brenda hail from Flint, and while there will be no cost to attend, there will be a love offering for them to offset their travel costs. A light fellowship will follow in the narthex. Bring your friends and family and plan on attending! ADULT CHRISTIAN EDUCATION WEDNESDAY MORNING MEN S GROUP Join us each Wednesday, 7:30 a.m., at the Serving Spoon for a time of fellowship with friends, sharing stories and enjoying a cup of coffee. Bring a friend! WOMEN S MINISTRIES The Sarah Circle will not meet for the summer. Seeking Enlightenment Group will be meeting on Thursday, June 21, at 6:30pm. It is a time of sharing and encouraging each other on our Christian journey, contact Robin Gustafson at for location details. OUR EMMANUEL FAMILY WEDDING Jenna Rasner and Brent Odziana on May 12 at Emmanuel With the busy summer vacation season finally approaching, we want to wish everyone a safe and fun filled summer! Because of summer vacations and commitments, church attendance during the summer months can be sporadic. So, even when you are gone for vacations and activities, please remember to take time to always be thankful to God for all He blesses us with, and to continue to support our church s mission and ministry by keeping up on your pledges and offerings. If you are fortunate enough to get away by taking some time off during the summer, you can drop off your offering at the church office before you leave, or drop it in the mail. Have a wonderful summer, and thank you for your ongoing support of our ministries! The Stewardship Committee

12 SUNDAY MORNINGS AT EMMANUEL Worship at 8:00 & 10:00am CONTACT US: Phone: (906) Fax: (906) Council President, Debbie Villas or Visit us on the Web at Follow us on Facebook at Emmanuel Lutheran Church Menominee Michigan ELCA STAFF: Pastor The Rev. Mark Laatsch - Cell Phone: Director of Youth & Family Ministry Mrs. Patti Treptow Church Secretary Mrs. Judy Raygo Custodian- inside Mrs. Carol Parrish Custodian outside Mr. Lee Parrish We are a congregation of the Northern Great Lakes Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church in America