THE MESSENGER
Monthly news for Emmanuel Lutheran Church – Menominee, Michigan
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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
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.
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
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
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 5th 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 25th
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.
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 21st Aidan Bellisle
Seth Johnson
Rachel Magrane
Emma Aichner
Ryan Demmith
February 28th
Gabe Davis
Molly Knutson
Laura Magrane
Rylee McCarthy
Beau Anders
Gavin Hansen
March 7th
Alex Engman
Collin Engman
Nicholas Kriedeman
Brennen Barrette
Avery Johnson
Ava Slawinski
March 14th
Mason Heckel
Max Heckel
Brea Leow
Matt Mellinger
Olivia Stewart
March 21st Marisa Camps
Lindsay Johnson
Kade Lesperance
Layla Weissgerber
Dylan Ziemke
Kaden Starzynski
5th Grade
First Communion Instruction
Holy Communion instruction for 5th grade
students and any 6th grade students who were not
able to participate last year, will be held on:
Sunday, March 4th
, March 11th
, March 18th
, & 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 29th 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
25th
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 25th
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 1st so our families can worship together for the entire Easter
Sunday service.
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 906-290-1003 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 800-847-4836 and say “Thrivent Choice” after the prompt
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.
Emmanuel's Outreach Projects
On Sunday, February 11th
our youth who
will be attending the 2018 ELCA Youth
Gathering this summer provided a youth-
led 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!
2018 ELCA Youth Gathering
Members of GLOW hosted a Valentine Party for the
children of Abundant
Life Mission on
February 4th.
GLOW is open to all of
Emmanuel’s high school youth and is a
great way to grow in faith and engage in
fun and meaningful activities.
Please contact Youth Council
Representative Anna
Magrane or Patti Treptow at
the church office for more
information or join us at
our next meeting on
Sunday, March 4th at 12:15
p.m. in the Friendship
Room to learn more about
what we do and how you
can participate!
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.
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
Church Council Debbie Villas President
Kathy Bero Vice President
Ronda Pedersen Secretary
Dave Anderson Treasurer
Anna Magrane Youth Council Member
Council Members Mike Bellisle Stacey Hansen
Darrell Eland Ronda Pedersen
Boni Nerat-Heckel Matt Vanni
Adam Starzynski Jim Zobel
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 email for more information: 715-587-3969 (Alex) [email protected] (Alex)
715-587-7456 (Nancy) [email protected] (Nancy)
Lyle “Chummy” McDonald Memorial Hockey Tournament
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
2018. 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.
EASTER Memorial All Easter memorials must be received by
Sunday, March 18th to be included in the
Easter Memorial booklet. Your gifts are greatly appreciated.
I would like to : ______Place a lily on the chancel ($10.00) 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 –or- for 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_____
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) 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
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