THE MESSENGER. Monthly news for Emmanuel Lutheran Church Menominee, Michigan. MARCH 2018 Holy Week & Easter at Emmanuel

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1 THE MESSENGER Monthly news for Emmanuel Lutheran Church Menominee, Michigan MARCH 2018 Holy Week & Easter at Emmanuel Sunday of the Passion/ Palm Sunday March 25 Worship at 8:00am and 10:00am Maundy Thursday Worship March 29 10:00am and 6:00pm Good Friday Ecumenical March 30 First Presbyterian Church in Menominee Noon to 3:00pm (Emmanuel s Senior Choir to sing at 1:00pm) Tenebrae Service at Bethel - 7:00pm The Resurrection of Our Lord April 1 Holy Communion 8:00am and 10:00am

2 This month s Messenger is sponsored by Thank you Nathan 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; We entered into Lent on Ash Wednesday this year with the sobering news that a gunman had entered into a school in Parkland, Florida, and had killed 17 persons. In the following days as I reflected on this horrendous and cowardice act, and as I watched and listened to the news coverage of talking heads, politicians, and resolute Americans trading barbs and pointing fingers as to who or what is to blame for this incident, it dawned on me that this is not a political issue as much as it is a generational one. What I mean is this. Two weeks after my oldest son, Jacob, was born, the school shooting in Columbine, Colorado transpired. Two days after the Parkland event, my niece, Hannah, Jacob s cousin, gave birth to her first child, which means that this generation of young people went their entire school careers living under the reality that these types of incidents do happen in schools, and continue to do so. What this also means is that for this entire generation, politicians and those alike who have voices (myself included), have failed to effectively address this crisis situation by choosing to look the other way and to hope that it doesn t happen again. The sad truth, though, is that as long as we continue along this same trajectory, nothing will change for the better in the immediate future. This has become our norm. This is also the purpose of Lent. Lent reminds us that if we continue in our sinful ways, we will not be changed for the better. Lent is all about a change that happens within us. Lent is not so much about what we give up or what we take on as it is about opening ourselves up to God and exploiting ourselves to changes within us that only God can make. I cannot stress that enough: that only God can make these necessary changes. Our norms are sinful ones. We hate, we cheat, we steal, we blame. We point the finger at the other and in doing so completely close ourselves off from God working within us. By refusing to

4 acknowledge our own sin and our own sinful intentions, we simply will not be changed because we simply don t want to be to be changed. But I think if this generational norm is to change, that change needs to start within ourselves. The first place we need to look to is the mirror and Lent gives us exactly this opportunity. Jesus came into our world because we couldn t make the change happen within ourselves that was necessary to make us righteous to stand before God s throne. When He went to the cross on Good Friday, He didn t go for anything that he had done wrong, but went for the incredible sin that was upon you and me. Giving our sin to Jesus was the only way to right the wrong, for as much as we try on our own, we will always come up short in doing what is right. If left to ourselves, sin will always win out. Always. But Jesus has taken that away from us by putting it on the cross and I propose now to put this generational wrong of school shootings upon that same cross as well. I don t have the answers of change within me and I really don t believe that any one person does. But Jesus is the answer, and by turning to him and to the cross instead of turning to our favorite 24-hour news station or to a partisan political view, we will welcome the necessary change that needs to happen within us to begin. My friends, I ask you to allow Jesus to work within you this Lenten season and let this generational change that needs to happen begin with the change that needs to happen within you first. I know that I sure will. It s not easy or always comfortable, but it s necessary that we talk with one another and encourage one another and that we turn to the cross. The cross has the power to change our world, but as long as we stubbornly refuse to allow the cross to do its work by willingly looking to other saviors, it won t work and the necessary change that has to happen, won t, and the next generation of kids in our schools will suffer just as this one has. Is that the norm we want? I know it s not. In Christ, Pastor Mark

5 From the Director: Patti Treptow Our Lenten journey will soon be coming to an end and we will be looking forward to the meaningful events during Holy Week and the celebration of our risen Lord on Easter Sunday. During these final weeks of Lent, our 5 th graders will be receiving instruction in the sacrament of Holy Communion, and on Maundy Thursday they will have their final instruction, participate in a symbolic Seder meal, and receive their first Communion. During Lent, our Confirmation students are taking a break from classes, but are giving of themselves by serving at the weekly Lenten Soup Suppers. And, our Sunday school students are looking forward to Palm Sunday and the traditional Palm Procession where they will help us remember the joy and excitement the people had as they waved palms when Jesus entered Jerusalem on the first day of Holy Week. Through the examples of discipleship and joy that our children show, they remind us that Jesus is with us and that He continues to enter our lives every day. May the remaining days of Lent be meaningful and deepen your faith, and the blessings of Easter bring you and your family great joy. Confirmation classes are on break through Lent. Classes resume on Sunday, April 15th. Our confirmation students participated in the MARKED! event on Sunday, February 25 th at First Lutheran in Gladstone, Michigan. We joined other Confirmation students in our synod for an afternoon of music, service, worship, learning, food, and fun! Thank you to our congregation for your donations of food for our service project that will benefit our local schools back pack food programs.

6 Confirmation students continue to serve at the Lenten Soup Suppers. This year, the suppers and services are at Bethel Lutheran Church in Menominee. Students are to report to Bethel's kitchen at 4:45 p.m. Serving is from 5:00-6:00 p.m. with worship service to follow. Please check the schedule below to see which supper you will be working. February 21 st February 28 th March 7 th March 14 th March 21 st Aidan Bellisle Seth Johnson Rachel Magrane Emma Aichner Ryan Demmith Gabe Davis Molly Knutson Laura Magrane Rylee McCarthy Beau Anders Gavin Hansen Alex Engman Collin Engman Nicholas Kriedeman Brennen Barrette Avery Johnson Ava Slawinski Mason Heckel Max Heckel Brea Leow Matt Mellinger Olivia Stewart Marisa Camps Lindsay Johnson Kade Lesperance Layla Weissgerber Dylan Ziemke Kaden Starzynski

7 5 th Grade First Communion Instruction Holy Communion instruction for 5 th grade students and any 6 th grade students who were not able to participate last year, will be held on: Sunday, March 4 th, March 11 th, March 18 th, & March 25th The classes will be taught by Patti Treptow during the regular Sunday school hour. Students should go directly to the conference room, located at the end of the office wing, at 10:00 a.m. for class. Final instruction will be provided by Pastor Laatsch on Maundy Thursday, March 29 th starting at 4:00 p.m. with a symbolic Seder meal at 5:00 p.m. involving their families, ending with the Maundy Thursday worship service at 6:00 p.m. where the children will receive their first Holy Communion with their family. SUNDAY SCHOOL The Sunday school children will be participating in the traditional Palm Procession on Palm Sunday, March 25 th during the 10:00 a.m. worship service. Parents, please remind your children to go directly to the fellowship hall that morning to prepare for the procession. Following the children's sermon, the children will be dismissed to their classrooms. Palm Sunday, March 25 th 11:00 a.m. All children from toddlers to 6 th grade are welcomed to join in an egg hunt immediately following the 10:00 a.m. worship service. More information on this fun event will be sent home with the Sunday school children and be printed in the Sunday worship bulletins. Please note that there will be no Sunday school on Easter Sunday, April 1 st so our families can worship together for the entire Easter Sunday service.

8 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 meet on Tuesday, March 13 at 1:00 p.m. hosted by Carolyn Haglund Seeking Enlightenment Group will be meeting on Thursday, March 22, at 6:30pm. It is a time of sharing and encouraging each other on our Christian journey, contact Robin Gustafson at for location details. Don t forget to direct Choice Dollars Eligible Thrivent Financial members who have available Choice Dollars have until March 31, 2018 to direct them. Don t miss this opportunity to recommend that Thrivent Financial provide outreach funding to Emmanuel. Go to Thrivent.com/thriventchoice to learn more. Or call and say Thrivent Choice after the prompt Emmanuel's Outreach Projects Easter Baskets The Outreach Committee will be putting together Easter baskets for our shut-ins. The baskets will contain treats and fun items that will lift the spirits and let our members who can no longer attend our worship services or church activities know that we are thinking of them. The baskets will be delivered during Holy Week.

9 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering On Sunday, February 11 th our youth who will be attending the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering this summer provided a youthled worship service at 10:00 a.m. The youth, parents, and chaperones also provided a Potato Bake luncheon fundraiser immediately following the worship service that Sunday. Thank you to the congregation for your participation in our Potato Bake Fundraiser. We had a great turnout and are closer to our goal of getting to Houston!

10 Members of GLOW hosted a Valentine Party for the children of Abundant Life Mission on February 4 th. GLOW is open to all of Emmanuel s high school youth and is a great way to grow in faith and engage in the church office for more information or join us at our next meeting on Sunday, March 4 th at 12:15 p.m. in the Friendship Room to learn more about what we do and how you can participate! fun and meaningful activities. Please contact Youth Council Representative Anna Magrane or Patti Treptow at

11 From the Bishop Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, It used to be that Palm Sunday was a day of celebration. The better part of the worship service was hosannas and palm branches waving. Children and Adults looked forward to this upbeat worship, especially after 40 days of somber, penitential Lent. And the service acted as a sort of reprieve, before the intensity of Holy Week began. But then, attendance during the Great Three Days began to decline. Maybe Holy Week was too intense for some. Maybe it was too sad. Maybe these three days somehow were no longer given the focus and attention due them as the central worship of our faith. Whatever the reason, missing Holy Week meant that folks were experiencing the happy happy joy joy of Palm Sunday and then leaping over Holy Week to the happy happy joy joy of Easter Sunday. They would completely skip over death, and suffering, and sadness. They would miss the betrayal, the last supper, the crucifixion of Jesus. And I guess, who can blame folks for wanting to avoid all that grim darkness. We would much rather celebrate and be joyful than sad and somber. But worship that only considers the happy hosannas and the empty tomb misses the whole point of Christ on the cross and the sin of the world that put him there. There is value in looking at the death of Jesus, in pondering his suffering, and in dwelling on his last hours of life. Because you know and I know that life is not all happy happy joy joy. To worship in Lent, and to dive in to Holy Week is to admit the truth to ourselves, no matter how unpleasant that life can be hard, and death can be harder. We live in the shadow and fear of death. We suffer. We sin. We die. And we need saving. So I am glad that our Lutheran tradition dwells in the darkness, if only for a little while. It is good that our worship reflects the truth of life and the truth of our faith. Constant joy is not the way things are. And worship that only celebrates feeling good, soon seems hollow, no matter how upbeat the music.

12 So during Lent and Holy Week we take the time to consider the suffering and death of Jesus. During these 40 days, we sit in the knowledge of our sinfulness and consider our need for God. And we take this time, not so that we feel condemned and sad, but because death is the only way to new life. Jumping from Palm Sunday to Easter is like jumping from fall to spring with no winter. Fall and winter are necessary before spring can come. And Jesus must suffer death before he can rise again. There is no resurrection without the crucifixion. There is no rising without dying. Easter joy is real when we admit that death is real. We receive the freedom of forgiveness with relief and gladness if first we understand our need for God s grace. So Palm Sunday is now Passion Sunday and our hosannas quickly fade. During Holy Week, we will pause in Jesus final hours and give them their due. In our Lutheran tradition there is no escaping the sacrifice and death of Christ. But then neither do we miss the new life of resurrection and the fullness of Easter joy in this life, nor in the life to come. ~Yours in Christ, Bishop Katherine Finegan This is a correction from last months Messenger. Kathy Bero is Vice President Debbie Villas Kathy Bero Ronda Pedersen Dave Anderson Anna Magrane Church Council Council Members Mike Bellisle Darrell Eland Boni Nerat-Heckel Adam Starzynski President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Youth Council Member Stacey Hansen Ronda Pedersen Matt Vanni Jim Zobel

13 Midweek Lenten services, a joint venture between Bethel and Emmanuel congregations in Menominee, will be held at Bethel on five consecutive Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. March 7 To PROCLAIM the good news of God in Christ Preacher: Rev. Doug Schoen, Retired March 14 To SERVE all people following the example of Jesus Preacher: Rev. Mark Laatsch, Pastor of Emmanuel March 21 To STRIVE for JUSTICE and PEACE in all the earth Preacher: Rev. Scott Ehle, Pastor of Bethel March 23-25, 2018 Marinette Civic Center Dome In partnership with Proceeds support Thunder youth hockey Interested in Playing or Sponsoring? Call or for more information: (Alex) uiginssq@hotmail.com (Alex) (Nancy) nmcdonald1@new.rr.com (Nancy) Lyle Chummy McDonald Memorial Hockey Tournament

14 The New Member Reception took place during our February 25, Sunday worship services. We welcome the following members: Judith Bockoven Floyd Leslie Bret & Shannon Jones along with their children, Oliver and Calvin * * * Financial ending January 2018 Our offerings totaled $28,551. Expenses for the year totaled $22,055, Leaving us with a positive balance of $6,496 EASTER Memorials As you prayerfully consider your Easter Memorial contributions, please know that all of your gifts are appreciated and used to further various ministries of our congregation and wider church. The gifts given to the ELCA National Youth Gathering will be put into a fund in which we will evenly distribute to all of Emmanuel s high school youth who will be attending the Gathering in Houston in June This is a faith affirming opportunity for Lutheran youth from across the country to come together to work and worship in unique ways in unique settings. In order to make Emmanuel more visible in our community, we would like to upgrade our current 13th Street reader board to be an electronic one. The upgrade would provide for greater flexibility in sharing our mission as well as empowering us with a quicker messaging response to more immediate information. Your designations to the ELCA World Hunger appeal go directly toward the church s call to justice in response to those who do not have food. The money is used to provide farm animals and garden plants, to dig wells, and to pack healthy and sustaining food.

15 I would like to : Place a lily on the chancel ($10.00) EASTER Memorial All Easter memorials must be received by Sunday, March 18 th to be included in the Easter Memorial booklet. Your gifts are greatly appreciated. My/Our gift to the church s mission at home: To: $ ELCA National Youth Gathering $ Electronic reader board in front of church $ Undesignated Memorial Fund orfor the following purpose: My/Our gift to the wider mission of the church: To: $ ELCA World Hunger Appeal $ The following: Given In memory of In honor of In thanks to God By Envelope Number

16 SUNDAY MORNINGS AT EMMANUEL Worship at 8:00 & 10:00am Nursery care provided at 10:00am Sunday School at 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 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