The Messenger Monthly news for Emmanuel Lutheran Church - Menominee, Michigan AUGUST 2016
This month s Messenger is sponsored by Printers Plus! For all Your Printing Needs Keith Larry Plude 3309 13 th Street Menominee, MI 49858 (906) 863-6402, Fax (906)863-6579 Business hours from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Thank you, Larry, for sponsoring the Messenger Emmanuel members who own or operate their own business or members who would like to recognize a significant events 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.
from the pastor Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ; We are undoubtedly living in challenging and polarizing times right now. Mistrust and division are very evident and prominent as high up as the President of the United States and those vying to be elected as the next president, right down to those whose income and influence don t have that same kind of impression. Words like hate and kill and traitor, words that many of us were taught at a very young age to never use because of their deep and impactful meanings, are now thrown around with reckless abandon, only driving some of these wedges in deeper. While the church is called to always strive for justice, unfortunately, even we get caught up with the political nature of these issues sometimes. Which means that we, as God s people, need to be aware of the impact of our actions and words; because they do have an impact. While on his deathbed after a lifetime of leading God s people following the death of Moses and enduring years of political and military turmoil, Joshua asked for the Israelites to simply not turn their backs on God. No matter whatever affiliations that they may have been part of, no matter who they were going to marry, no matter what their business and trade were, that they were to: be very steadfast to observe and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right nor to the left, so that you may not be mixed with these nations left here among you, or make mention of the names of their gods, or swear by them, or serve them, or bow yourselves down to them, but hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day. Joshua 23:6-8. These are deep and meaningful words for us to ponder today amid the strife that is around us. These words remind us that even if our political and social identities are tight and true that they cannot
encourage us to turn on one another whose are different simply because our baptismal identity holds even stronger, the identity of being claimed in the waters as a child of God. There is power in those waters. I love presiding over baptism because the language and promises that we verbalize during this Rite supercede any others we may and will make during our lifetimes. During the Presentation the parents, sponsors and baptismal candidates (if able to speak for themselves) promise to care for others and the world God made, and work for justice and peace. During the Profession of Faith, we as a worshiping community renounce the devil and all the forces that defy God, renounce the powers of this world that rebel against God, and renounce the ways of sin that draw us from God. And as we welcome the newly baptized into the fold I have the opportunity to say to the baptized, Let your light shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. These are meaningful words and what they boil down to is that from the time of being infants in Christ, we are called to seek peace and promise to do so. Through this identity we are empowered to trade in our words like hate, kill, and traitor for words like love, peace, and brother. Allow these words then to have meaningful impact in the world in which you live, a world in which we seek to build bridges and close the chasms that separate us, because we do have that power. Let us, like Joshua, proclaim, choose this day whom you will serve.but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15). In Christ, Pastor Mark Laatsch Finance Update Through June, our total offerings and other receipts are $123,024.00. Total expenditures as of this date are $122,999.00, which leaves us with a year to date excess of $25.00.
Youth and Family Ministry From the Director: Patti Treptow As we wind down our summer programs and activities, we reminisce on the events of the summer and take a glimpse into fall and finalize plans for our ministries for our new program year. This summer was filled with opportunities to grow in faith, build relationships, and share the love of Christ. From the youth mission trip, to VBS, to Fortune Lake camping experiences, to our Waterfront Festival parade float, to our women's and men's ministries, and to our worship times, our Emmanuel family did not take a vacation from each other or from the Lord over the summer. We had a very faith-filled summer! Our fall program planning has also been in the works over the summer. Planning for the Confirmation Retreat, Rally Day congregational Picnic, the Tailgate Picnic, adult and high school Bible studies, Sunday school, Confirmation classes, and the Rite of Confirmation are being finalized. Watch for announcements on these opportunities and more for our youth and families that will start up this fall. In the following pages you will find more information on our youth and family programs and activities and ways to get involved..
Confirmation Retreat - September 17 th -18 th at Camp Bird in Crivitz, Wisconsin. A letter and registration forms will be sent out in August to all incoming confirmation students, current confirmation students, and those who will be confirmed this October. A parent meeting regarding the retreat will be held on Sunday, September 4 th in the fellowship hall following the 9:00 a.m. worship service. Confirmation Classes will start up in early November for all 7 th and 8 th graders. A parent/student orientation meeting will be held in October. More information will be sent out to parents late September. Worship Sheets and Service Activities: All confirmation students are reminded to continue turning in your worship sheets. Service sheets are due September 1 st. Progress reports will be emailed to parents at the end of September. The Rite of Confirmation for our students who have completed two years of instruction and will become 9 th graders this fall is set for Reformation Sunday, October 30 th, during the 10:00 a.m. worship service. More information regarding this important event will be mailed out to parents the first week of October.
Vacation Bible School Emmanuel s VBS was held on July 26 th -28 th and was a huge success! Our children experienced "Pets Unleashed" and learned that "Jesus Cares 'fur' you"! Throughout the week, we had pet visitors that included Olive the parakeet, Fred the pet rat, dogs from the Menominee Animal Shelter, Molly the therapy dog, Oscar the mini horse, Rudy the reader dog, and Avery the canine officer of the Menominee Sheriff's Department. Through music, skits, Bible adventures, crafts, games, and snacks, our children learned that God cares for us and how we can care for others, including our pets! Our children also engaged in a service project called "Kids Helping Pets" where they made dog and cat toys. These toys were then presented to the Menominee Animal Shelter. On our final day, our VBS children and their families enjoyed a lunch and a presentation by Sgt. Tina Nast of the Menominee Sheriff Department and her drug dog, Avery. A big thank you goes out to the following people for making this year's VBS such a success! Music Leader: Amber Raygo Bible Adventure Leader: Pastor Mark Crew Leaders: Cookie Kramer, Kendell Klatt, Arikah Bellisle, Olivia Anderson, Mandy Mellinger, Lexi Nast, Sylvia Blom Crew Helpers: Ashlee Erickson, Gabe Shaw, Avery Johnson, Marisa Camps, Emma Laatsch, Autumn Erickson, Seth Johnson, Delaney Johnson, Emma Aichner, Kyle Anderson, and Lauren Clausen Game Helpers: Landen Clausen and Matt Nowack Snack Leaders: Bonnie Jackson, Pam Champagne, and John Helfert Game Leader: Nancy McDonald Craft Leaders: Betty Kohrt and Greta Hodge Special Helpers: Christa Holmstead, Karen Gentz, Mary Kveton, Becky Heidbrier, Gary Marineau, and Judy Seglund Planning Team: Marilyn Mouritsen, Judy Raygo, and Patti Treptow
2016 Vacation Bible School
Our Mission Trip to Leech Lake On July 5 th, ten of Emmanuel's high school youth along with Pastor Mark and myself headed out on an adventure of service and discipleship answering God's call to Leech Lake Indian Reservation in Cass Lake, Minnesota. The youth who attended were Olivia Anderson, Kyle Anderson, Arikah Bellisle, Lauren Clausen, Kendell Klatt, Jacob Laatsch, Mandy Mellinger, Lexi Nast, Matt Nowack, and Amber Raygo. With this being our first mission trip, we did not know what to expect. But, with God leading our way and providing us courage, we accepted and answered His call. After eight hours and 20 minutes of travel, 10 minutes of our final destination, we encountered heavy rains and winds that caused us to activate our van's flashers and move off of the highway to wait out the storm. We later learned that we just missed a tornado.god was truly guiding our way and ensuring that we would be able to do His work. As we disembarked and set up our sleep areas in the community high school, we quickly made friends with the other youth and leaders that we would be working with, and met the Youth Work's staff who led and organized our service activities, meals, and worship devotions. Our first night was focused on policies and procedures, engaging in worship, and preparing our hearts and minds for our service that we would engage in for the remainder of our week. Little did we know at that time how powerful these nightly debriefings, devotions and worship times would be, how much our service experiences with the community people would impact us, and how quick relationships would build and deepen between everyone involved. We were divided into groups for service work as well as food preparation for our meals and cleanup. Each day started around 6:15 a.m. and ended around 11:30 p.m. Needless to say, by the second night we slept hard and wanted more. As we departed each morning to our work sites, some of us went to teach Bible lessons, crafts, and games to the young children at "Kids Club", some of us went to do gardening work were we created a beautiful welcome area at the entrance to the Cass Lake community, and some of us went to clean and paint the tribal school. By the end of each day we were exhausted. As we arrived back at our "home" for the week, we cleaned up and enjoyed some down time, prepared supper, and then headed to devotions and worship. The theme for our devotions for the week was "First Love". Many of you may remember seeing that phrase on our tee-shirts that we wore to church on
the Sunday when we talked to the congregation about our trip. "First Love" comes from the Bible verse 1 John 4:19."We love because God first loved us". This verse became a powerful message as we contemplated it each night in our devotional time and worship. We all found that God does truly love us just as we are and that His love can change us, and that because of this we can love others. We all experienced that God's love can fill you with life and make you grow in ways you didn't know were possible. Our youth learned the importance of God's love and how we can love others, how church is not just four walls of a sanctuary, but can be everywhere and can include everyone. Experiences gained while being with a community different than our own brought opportunities for personal growth, development of patience and understanding, and the acceptance of diversity. We also experienced the gift of reciprocity between us and the community. We came to do God's work and to share His love, to give of our talents and abilities while providing a helping hand to others. The Native American elders taught us their cultural traditions and provide us with an opportunity to share in their celebrations which gave us a wider perspective of our world, and the community children taught us that we all need love, guidance, understanding and forgiveness. Our week ended with new friendships and hearts filled with humbleness that we did do God's work and we did make a difference for the Leech Lake people. As we headed home, we made a brief stop in Duluth/Superior, to experience the shipping harbor. We stopped into the museum and learned a bit about the shipping industry and even got to watch a large ship leave port and head into Lake Superior. But no trip to Lake Superior is complete without checking out the beach. Yes, we did dip our toes into the lake's icy waters! This week of service has provided experiences that will have a life long impact on all of us who participated. Thank you to each and every member of our congregation who prayed for us and supported us. You all were there with us as we did God's work. And, thank you to Pastor Mark for his guidance and enthusiasm in supporting opportunities for faith building in our youth. In Christ, Patti Treptow
2016 Mission Trip
"Parenting Christian Kids" Newsletter The August edition of "Parenting Christian Kids" will be available Sunday, August 7 th. This contemporary newsletter is filled with articles, parenting principles, pointers and more, all focused on a relevant, monthly theme. It also contains reviews of movie and music releases and cultural trends and statistics that provide insights for parents. Additional copies of all editions will be available in the narthex and on the church website at www.e-mmanuel.com. Waterfront Parade Float "Growing in Faith" Emmanuel's parade float decorating will be Wednesday, August 3 rd, 6:00 p.m. at the home of Al Rasmussen - 4013 N. Shore Drive, Menominee. We will meet in the back in Al's garage..you won't miss us! For those who are walking, float line-up on parade day, Sunday, August 7 th, is at 11:00 a.m. We will meet behind the Menominee City Hall just as last year. You will easily find us as Emmanuel's name will be flying high above the float. Cup of Joe Ministry Everyone is invited to enjoy coffee and other beverages, baked goods and treats, and fellowship during our 9:00 a.m. coffee hour between worship services in the narthex.
ADULT CHRISTIAN EDUCATION Adult Bible Study "Prayer - does it make any difference?" Come and search God's Word together as we explore the vast topic of prayer. We will look to answer some of the questions that all of us ask. Is God listening? If God knows everything, what's the point of prayer? Why do answers seem inconsistent? Why should God care about me? How can I make my prayer life more statisfying. Join Robin Gustafson as she leads us in the subject of prayer, Monday nights at 6:30 p.m. September 19 th - October 31 st, in the "Friendship Room". Wednesday Morning Men s group Join us each Wednesday, 7:30 a.m., at the Serving Spoon for a wonderful time of fellowship with friends, sharing stories, and enjoying a cup of coffee. Bring a friend! WoMen s Ministries Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America The Sarah Circle will not meet for the summer. Seeking Enlightenment Group will be meeting on Thursday, August 18, at 6:30pm. It is a time of sharing and encouraging each other on our Christian journey, contact Robin Gustafson at 906-290-1003 or Jackie Kolaszewski at 906-290-1158 for location details. HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH BIBLE STUDY Coming this fall a Bible study for high school youth. Led by Jacob Laatsch, our youth will travel the path to the cross exploring deeper understandings of our Christian faith. Watch for more details to come!
OUR EMMANUEL FAMILY BAPTIZED INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD... Kian Michel Molnar, son of Stephen & Loveleen, July 9, with Sarah Tessmer and Heather Cline as sponsors. MEMBERS UNITED IN MARRIAGE... Kassondra Evans and Frank Baublit on July 16. Susan Kopf and Drew Koenigs on July 23 MEMBERS CALLED HOME BY GOD... Lorye LaCanne passed away on July 28. Lorye s funeral was held at Cadieu-Thielen Funeral Home on August 1 st. Our sympathy to her sons, Bruce and Tim, and daughters, Shelley Spars and Cathy Englund, and their families. ****************************************************** Check out Emmanuel s website!! www.e-mmanuel.com ****************************************************** Please help us keep in touch with our college students by turning in the following information to the church office: Student's Name: Name of School: Mailing Address: Email address:
Sunday, September 4 th only one service at 9:00 a.m. We are still looking for someone to help with the weekly vaccuming of the church. If you would be willing to volunteer during the week, please call the church office. MARK YOUR CALENDAR! September 11 th Rally Sunday Sunday School begins Our church picnic at Henes Park. October 2 We will have a Tailgate Party.
SUNDAY MORNINGS AT EMMANUEL Worship at 8:00 & 10:00am Sunday, September 4 th only one service at 9:00 a.m. CONTACT US: Phone: (906) 863-3431 Fax: (906) 863-4193 Email: mail@e-mmanuel.com Council President, Jackie Kolaszewski Email: elcpresident@e-mmanuel.com or Visit us on the Web at www.e-mmanuel.com Follow us on Facebook at Emmanuel Lutheran Church Menominee Michigan ELCA STAFF: Pastor The Rev. Mark Laatsch Director of Programs & Operations Mr. Jerry Gentz Director of Youth & Family Ministry Mrs. Patti Treptow Church Secretary Mrs. Judy Raygo Custodians Ms. Judy Seglund & Mr. Gary Marineau We are a congregation of the Northern Great Lakes Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church in America