FLC Mid Week Announcements

Worship Times:

Saturday: 5 pm-Rod Hansen, PMA will preach

Sunday:  8:15am-Rev. Joyce Miller, Chaplain at Nebraska Medical Center will preach

10:15am-FLC Children's Christmas Program

Wednesday: 6:15pm-Rev. Joyce Miller will preach

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-3:00pm

Phone Number

402-426-4073

Dear First Lutheran family,

On behalf of your church council, I am happy to announce that Pastor Glen Thomas has accepted the position of Transitional Pastor here at First Lutheran Church! His start day will be 1/2/2023.

Members of the council along with the church staff met with Pastor Glen on two recent occasions. We were able to have very open, frank and honest discussions with him and feel very comfortable that the synod has blessed us with a very talented and gifted pastor who will be able to assist, guide and prepare our congregation to receive a new pastor.

Pastor Glen has been serving at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Omaha for the past 15 years. He will celebrate the 30^th anniversary of his ordination in 2023 and made the decision to leave St. Matthew in order to serve as a transitional minister for the Nebraska Synod.

Here is a brief bio from Pastor Glen: 

“I am a born and bred Husker! I was born in Fremont and raised on all things Nebraska. The middle of three children, raised by a grocery store manager and part-time bookkeeper, I treasure the gifts of my childhood and the lessons of faith, lived in community and service to others. I attended the University of Nebraska / Lincoln, receiving a Bachelor of Journalism degree in 1986. With the encouragement of the Campus Pastor, Roger Sasse, I took a fateful step into a pulpit for the first time at the Lutheran Student Center and never looked back.  I have served in Campus ministry in Lincoln and St. Paul, Minnesota. After attending Luther Northwestern Seminary in St. Paul, MN, I entered parish ministry, serving congregations in North Platte, Adams, Millard and most recently St. Matthew in Mid-Town Omaha. 

Having celebrated the 25th anniversary of my ordination in 2018, I have discovered the joys of living and working in the midst of God’s people in the ever-changing life of the community of faith. I am convinced that we are living in an historical moment, and I hope to get to see the new church that I believe is emerging in this day and time. The University of Nebraska gave me one of the greatest gifts I have ever received, my life partner, Lorie. She and I celebrated our 30th Wedding Anniversary in 2019. Lorie is a social worker who serves individuals with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness’ for Region Six Behavioral Health and also teaches Mental Health and Aging at the University of Nebraska / Omaha.  We are the proud parents of two sons: Glen Wayne, a Veterinarian who lives in Papillion and is engaged to be married in 2023, and Grant Foster-Thomas, married to Christen, who lives in Hampton, IA where they are both teachers. I also became a Grandfather for the first time on December 3^rd.“

We are very excited to begin this journey with Pastor Glen and are looking forward to the new year in 2023! 

Thank you,

Tracy Gross

Church Council President

Church Council Members:

Tracy Gross, Church Council President

Jim Peterson, Church Council Vice President

Rhonda Matney, Church Council Secretary

Denise Work

Chad Leggott

Rex Pfeil

Ruth Jensen

Debbie Katt

Liz Soderberg

Ted Lueders

Triston Clausen

FLC Children's Christmas Program

Good News!

Please join us, and experience the joy, music, and wonder of Christmas with FLC’s Children!!

FLC Children's Christmas Program

Sunday, December 18, 2022

10:15am

(Children in Sanctuary @ 9:45am)

Worship for December 17th and 18th at

First Lutheran Church

This Weekend, December 17th at the 5pm Worship Service, Rod Hansen, PMA will be preaching and on Sunday, December 18th at the 8:15am Worship Service,

Rev. Joyce Miller, Chaplain at Nebraska Medical Center

will be preaching.

At the 10:15am Worship Service will be the FLC Children's Christmas Program.

Please Join Us This Weekend for the Fourth Sunday in Advent!!!

Christmas and New Years Schedule

Please note change: There will be Worship

Lab on Wednesday, December 21st.

(No Classes on that night)

FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH

SENIOR CITIZEN

WORSHIP AND LUNCH

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2022

11 AM WORSHIP

with Holy Communion

LUNCH to Follow

Please RSVP by calling

402-426-4073

Poinsettias

Poinsettias will be used to decorate our worship areas for the Christmas season. If you would like to honor a special person in your life, give a poinsettia in memory of a loved one, or just help out in this way to beautify the church. There will be forms available at the Welcome Center or in the church office. Orders must be received by December 18th. If you have any questions please call Dawn in the church office at (402) 426-4073. Thank you!

Ruth Circle

ATTENTION, Ruth Circle Members and any other women who would like to join us. We will again be meeting in the Social Room at Johansen MANOR on Tuesday, December 13, at 2:00 p.m.   

Choir News

Did you know...

Singing in the choir does your body good. When we sing, our lungs fill with air, and oxygen flows throughout our body. It is good exercise, even while sitting down. Babies sing naturally, and we can take our cue from them. Improve your health with some quality singing time.

Pictures for the Church Photo Directory

If you were not able to get your picture taken for the Church Photo Directory there is still time to submit a photo. PLEASE consider submitting a photo that we can include in the directory. There will be a fee of $15 to submit your photo for the directory, but you will receive a copy of the new FLC photo directory and also the MyUCD App. Please contact Dawn Andersen at 402-426-4073 or office@firstlutheranblair.org to submit photos or if you have any questions. Thank you!

Synod Assembly

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE! Is the theme for this year’s Nebraska Synod Assembly. It will be held June 2-4, 2023 in Kearney, Ne at the Younes Conference Center. 

First Lutheran Church is looking for participants who would be interested in attending this years gathering! As an attendee you would become a voting member. There will be proposals to consider, amendments, and resolutions. They also adopt the Synod budget and elect officers and committee members. It’s also a time for fellowship, learning, worship and meeting new people from across Nebraska!

Even though the meeting isn’t until June, we need to have a list of representatives for First Lutheran Church before the annual meeting in January. Please contact the church office at 402-426-4073, or Laurie Wick at wickette224@gmail.com or 402-533-0536

Social Concerns:

NEWS FLASH! We have just learned that, due to the generosity of two donors, all gifts which you contribute to ELCA WORLD HUNGER through First Lutheran Church during the month of December will be doubled! So--if you didn't manage to make a contribution to this fund which tends to the desperate needs of our brothers and sisters of all ages in more than 60 countries--there is still time!  There are still brochures with envelopes attached at the Welcome Center. Your gifts will be added to those received earlier in November and to the income from our Summer Garden Market, but ALL GIFTS must be received by the ELCA prior to the end of the year in order to qualify for the match, so we encourage you to make your contribution as soon as possible! Thank you for your generosity!

During this ADVENT SEASON we invite you to take a look at the CHRISTMAS ALTHERNATIVE GIFT EXHIBIT in the narthex. It could solve your dilemma of what to do for "the person who has everything" and help others in need--a win-win situation! This year we are focusing on God's Global Barnyard (global), Lutheran Disaster Response (global and regional), and the Washington County Food Pantry (local). Each gift counts twice--once for your loved one and once for someone whom you may never meet. An animal can make a world of difference for a family in need--providing food to eat, fertilizer to grow crops, and offspring to sell on the market. Thus with one gift you can help a family escape poverty.  Or you can bring hope to a family devastated by the loss of their home in a hurricane.  Or you can make a difference to a struggling local family by providing basic food through your gifts to the Washington County Food Pantry. You can find over 50 options in the ELCA Good Gifts catalogs which can be picked up at the display--from pigs to water wells, school uniforms to microloans--and honor a friend, a loved one, a pastor, or a teacher at the same time. Gift cards for the above- mentioned gifts and others, Christmas cards, and "in loving memory" cards are also available there. You might also consider ordering gifts from the SERRV catalog, a Christian nonprofit resource which helps provide needed income to Third World artisans and their families by marketing their products at fair price. Perhaps you are looking for "stocking stuffers."  EQUAL EXCHANGE Fair Traded products--coffee tea, and chocolate are also available at the exhibit to "fill that bill."  

We are currently having a WINTER OUTERWEAR INGATHERING for Joseph's Coat and Open Door Mission.  Please bring new or gently used winter coats, caps, hats, scarves, mittens, gloves, and/or warm socks for children and adults. You may either drop them in the tub so marked near the CHRISTMAS ALTERNATIVE GIFT EXHIBIT or in the larger box near the south entrance of the church by December 21. Thank you in advance for your generosity. 

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

Hot Dog Bar Tomorrow Night!

Join us for the Worship On Wednesday in-house meal from 5:30 pm – 6:00 pm prior to Worship Lab.

****** 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 DECEMBER

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 December.

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, December  

14th, 2022

We will be serving Chicken Salad Sandwiches, Chips, fruit, and dessert.

WE REMEMBER IN OUR PRAYERS

Please keep these people in your thoughts and prayers