FLC Mid Week Announcements

Worship Times:

Saturday: 5 pm-Rod Hansen, PMA will preach

Sunday:  8:15am & 10:15am-Rev. Juliet Focken, assistant to Bishop Scott Johnson will preach at both worship services 

Wednesday: 6:15pm

All Worship Services are Live Streamed on Facebook Live.

https://www.facebook.com/

FLCBlair/

Office Hours

Monday-Thursday: 8:30am-4:30pm

Fridays: 8:30am-12:00pm-Office will be closed at 12:00pm on Fridays for the Summer Starting on Friday, May 27th

Phone Number

402-426-4073

Worship for October 1st and 2nd at

First Lutheran Church

This Weekend, October 1st at the 5pm Worship Service, Rod Hansen, PMA will be preaching and on Sunday, October 2nd at both worship services, both 8:15am and 10:15am,

Rev. Juliet Focken, assistant to Bishop Scott Johnson

will be preaching.

Wednesday LIFE Night Women's Bible Study

PLEASE NOTE TIME CHANGE AND LOCATION CHANGE

“In a trembling, unsteady world, how do you gain stability, find peace, and learn to trust God!”

For answers to these questions and more, come to the church in the Library on LIFE Night Wednesdays from 6:50 P.M. until 7:45 P.M. for the video Bible study, “Unshakable Hope” by Max Lucado. The stories of men and women in the Bible were different, but the theme was the same: they were People of the Promise. Like them, we can also build our lives on God’s promises, and trust Him to keep them.  

A study guide will also be available for personal study and reflection, video notes, and group discussion. The first session will be Wednesday, August 31st at 6:50 P.M.

To register for this Bible study, email Susie Pinquoch at spinquoch@gpcom.net or call (402) 426-8182.

Church Photo Directory is Coming!

Please sign up!

It’s a good time to see everyone again in our 2022 Church Photo Directory. Photos of family units of any size and shape are welcome to be part of the new directory! Single people, couples, extended families and traditional families are all invited to get a picture taken 

Frequently Asked Questions

When are the dates for photos?

Photos will be taken October 11-15 and October 18-22. Times are varied depending upon the day, but we try to accommodate everyone!

Where are the photos taken?

Photos will be taken in our Chapel here on Wright Street. There is an option to send in a portrait if you’re not able to have your photo taken, but still want to be part of the directory.

How do I sign up for time for my photo to be taken?

You can always sign-up on-line (see instructions below), and we will have sign ups available after worship on various weeks throughout the sign-up period. The first one is the week of August 27-28, and August 31st! Get your calendars out and start gathering the family together! (Note: groups of 6 or more people are asked to sign-up for 2 time slots in a row.)

What are those instructions for Signing up on-line?

1. Go to the website of Universal Church Directories www.ucdir.com
2. Click on the “Photography Appointment Scheduling Login”
3. Enter First Lutheran Church CODE: NE168
4. Enter password: photos
5. Choose a date, choose a time, enter the required information
6. Click the Schedule Appointment button
7. You’re all set! Thank you for being part of our Church Photo Directory

We want to get 350 photos at least for this new directory. This will be a good way to connect with each other again after the past couple of years of COVID-19 induced separation. Thank you for considering to part of the directory, and being part of our congregation.

Mission, Evangelism, and Fellowship Committee

Health & School Kit Items

Reminder: You can donate items for the Health & School Kits that the

Women put together. Please see a list of items to

donate below:

Baby Boy's socks, Boys Jacket's up to size 24 Months, Ivory Soap, Toothbrushes, Pens, Pink Erasers, and

One Subject Notebooks

If you would like to donate these items you can donate by dropping off at the church office. Thank you!

Social Concerns Announcements:

The annual CROP WALK is back live and in person!  Each year walkers, along with Church World Service (CWS), unite to raise funds for global hunger. 25% of proceeds stay local and will be directed to the Washington County Food Pantry.  Plan to join other walkers on October 9^th from 1-3pm Lion’s Park Depot. Register to walk and/or donate at https://www.crophungerwalk.org/blairne or you may leave your contribution check made out to ‘CWS’ in the church office.  More information is available at the Crop Display in the narthex or by contacting Lynette Jennings 402-278-0164, Jessie Fredericksen  402-278-2232 or John Mark Nielsen 402-427-4443.

Our GOD'S WORK/Our Hands project this fall will be preparing "Christmas Bags for Seniors" which will be distributed by the Washington County Food Pantry.  We will be kicking off this project next weekend, October 1st & 2nd. When you attend worship services you will be given a list of possible gift ideas we will be collecting for both men and women, as well as items which are gender neutral. Our children who attended LIFE Night classes decorated these Christmas bags last Wednesday night, September 21, and our confirmation students will be working in teams to write friendly letters to be included in the bags for the recipients. You may either pick up a decorated bag to fill with ideas generated from the lists you will receive, or use your own ideas, or simply bring items--from the suggestion list, or your own creative ideas. We will be collecting items between now and October 23. We want to give the Food Pantry plenty of time to catch all the senior folks who shop there, so we are starting early. Our goal is to prepare fifty bags. Please help us bring a little extra joy to some lonely seniors in our community!  

Did you know that FAMILY FARE RECEIPTS are now being used by First Lutheran Church (and are no longer being taken to the Washington County Food Pantry)? Please bring your entire receipts to church and drop them in the shoe box within the food collection box in the narthex. Thank you for helping FLC in this way. 

FLC Summer Garden Market:

Our FLC SUMMER GARDEN MARKET will continue until the end of the growing season. Thanks to all who are bringing excess fruits, vegetables, and baked goods. Also, thanks to those who are purchasing them. These goods will be made available before and after services on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings. Look for the Garden Cart in the narthex. For those wishing to donate items, you may bring them to the church on Saturday afternoons after 4:00 P.M. or on Sunday mornings prior to the worship services, and place them on the Garden Cart. If you must bring your items at a different time during the week, please place them in the refrigerator (bottom left shelf) and they will be put out by a committee member before the church services.  

Please note there is both a plastic and a wooden Receptacle for gifts to the WASHINGTON COUNTY FOOD PANTRY are available to receive your food donations at FLC at any time! 

Locket pin found at church

There was a locket pin with photos in it found at

church this week.

  Please stop by the church office if you have lost this.

Thank you!

SAVE THE DATE!!!!

The First Lutheran Church Women's Craft Fair is scheduled for November 19, 2022. Please save the date on your calendar as we will need vendors, shoppers, and volunteers to bake, set up, take down, and work as cashiers at various tables. Sign up sheets will be available at the end of October. For more information, contact Rhonda McMurtry at 402-427-3341. Thank you in advance for considering to help at the craft fair.

News from Christian Growth Board:

Dear Members and Friends of First Lutheran Church:

The purpose of this letter is to ask each of you to consider the Christian Growth Fund ministry in your estate planning, including Wills, Trusts and even designating the Fund as a beneficiary for a portion of life insurance or retirement plans.

The Christian Growth Fund is essentially an endowment fund established by FLC. The bylaws of the church direct that all undesignated gifts, regardless of amount, from estates and trusts be placed in this fund. The by-laws provide that 10% of each gift received may be distributed to a charitable or religious purpose and the remaining 90% invested. The income from those investments is then used to support the benevolent mission of FLC.

Last year we distributed over $60,000 towards the benevolent mission of First Lutheran Church (FLC). Some of the recipients of Christian Growth Funds include: college scholarships, Lutheran Family Services, Snack Pack Program, Joseph’s Coat, Table Grace Ministries, Carol Joy Holling, Washington County Ministerial Associate, Mosaic Of Omaha, TeamMates of Blair, Men’s Group, The Bridge Crisis Center, FLC Senior Lunches, FLC Youth Travel Fund, Love Days, Vacation Bible School, Tanzania Ministries, Lekura Parish, ELCA World Hunger, Bread for the World, Habitat for Humanity, Oaks Indian Center, and ELCA Disaster Relief.  

A few simple steps to consider include:

1. Decide if you want to provide a gift.
2. Determine what portion of your estate you wish to gift. 10%, 25% or a specific amount.
3. Contact your attorney, financial planner, life insurance agent or retirement custodian and inform them of your intentions.
4. Please be sure to inform them that undesignated gifts to FLC and gifts specifically directed to the Fund will go to the Fund. Gifts specifically designated for such purposes as payment of church debt will NOT go to the Fund, but will instead go to the appropriate account of the church.
5. If you, your attorney or financial advisor need more information, please call the church office and they will be directed to someone who can answer questions about Christian Growth Fund and its mission.

Please prayerfully consider a gift to First Lutheran Church Christian Growth Fund.

Sincerely,

Christian Growth Fund Board

Layne Lueders

Brenda Schroeter

Mick Jensen

Mike Boeka

Carol Hartvigsen

Choir News

First Lutheran Church Choir will meet for rehearsal every Sunday morning  between the two services.

There will be some discussion regarding the best times for rehearsals. We have discussed Sunday mornings between services and Wednesday evenings. We invite you to join us.  

Dick Shaw

New Christ in Our Homes are here

Christ in Our Homes-If you would like a Christ in Our Homes daily devotional they are available at the Welcome Center in the Narthex and also on the usher table outside of the LIFE Center for October, November, and December. The Christ in Our Homes is a book that has a daily devotional to read and pray. Please stop by and pick one up if you would like or if you need one delivered please call the church office at (402) 426-4073.

9 to 12 Youth Group!!

Sundays from 6:30pm-8:00pm

All high schoolers are welcome to come and hang out, have dinner, and do activities.

Let's start our year out with some FUN!!

New W.O.W. Meal is Here!!!

We started on September 7^th, we are now offering

in-house meals prior to the Wednesday night Worship Lab from 5:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

****** Suggested Donation of $5/person ******

This meal is self-funded so we REALLY need your donations to be able to keep this going on a

weekly basis.

Come at 5:30 to fuel your body

and then stay for Worship Lab at 6:15 to

feed your soul ~

WE NEED COOKIES/BARS FOR OCTOBER

The Mid Week Meal needs your help.

We serve 240 people EACH WEEK.  That's 20 dozen cookies/bars EACH WEEK.

Please sign up to provide a treat for these folks!! We are especially in need in October!

Signup here or call Erika (402-533- 0918):  https://signup.com/go/hfewWuF

Quick Update-Building Locked on the Weekend

Please see when the building will be open

Fridays - 8:30am-3:00pm

Saturdays - 4:00pm-7:00pm

Sundays - 8:00am-12:00 Noon

If you need to make arrangements to meet or come into the church please contact the church office at (402) 426-4073.  Thank you!

Wednesday, September 

28th, 2022

We will be serving Tater Tot Casserole, fruit, and dessert.

WE REMEMBER IN OUR PRAYERS

Please keep these people in your thoughts and prayers