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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.
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.
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
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 email your story to me at [email protected], 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
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 5th 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 9th
. 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!
From the Director: Patti Treptow
Youth and Family Ministry
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!
Mother Daughter Tea
The Youth Committee's Little Lutherans hosted a
Mother Daughter Tea on Sunday, May 6th. 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.
Graduate Recognition
Sunday, June 3rd
Emmanuel’s high school graduates will be honored at our
“Graduation Recognition” during the 10:00 a.m. worship service
on June 3rd
. A reception will follow in the narthex.
2018 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.
Family Bowling! The Youth Advisory Council GLOW and Fellowship Committee hosted a family bowling event at the Dome Lanes in Marinette on Sunday, May 20th. It was a wonderful afternoon of fun and fellowship!
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 906-
290-1003 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
SUNDAY MORNINGS AT EMMANUEL Worship at
8:00 & 10:00am
CONTACT US:
Phone: (906) 863-3431 Fax: (906) 863-4193
Email: [email protected] Council President, Debbie Villas
Email: [email protected] 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 - Cell Phone: 906-424-0003
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
