The Messenger

Monthly news for Emmanuel Lutheran Church - Menominee, Michigan

MAY 2018

Pentecost Sunday is a commemoration and celebration of the

receiving of the Holy Spirit by the early church. On the Day of

Pentecost, just as Jesus had promised, tongues of fire came to rest

upon His followers gathered in Jerusalem and they were filled with the

Holy Spirit, the beginning of the church as we know it. Today,

Pentecost Sunday (May 20th in 2018) celebrates the gift of the

Holy Spirit, realizing God’s very life, breath and energy in believers.

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;

Star Wars tends to carry a lot of weight in my house.

I remember seeing the second movie of the Star Wars franchise, “The

Empire Strikes Back” in 1980 at the outdoor theater in Shawano,

Wisconsin, joining my uncle and cousins for this big event. I was

immediately mesmerized and put Star Wars toys on my Christmas wish

list and turned every broom handle that I could find into a lightsaber.

When the Prequel trilogy launched in the late 1990s, it was about the

time that my oldest son, Jacob was born. Needless to say, he was

subjected to Star Wars and took an avid interest in it as well (on a totally

unrelated side note, and just to embarrass him, while I was enrolled in

seminary and living on campus during the early 2000’s, Jacob went

through a phase where he’d stand out in the front yard and swing a toy

lightsaber and bark at people walking past!).

Now, with the latest batch of Star Wars movies hitting the big screen,

my youngest son, Isaac has become very much enthralled with this

franchise and consuming whatever information he can find out about it.

He has a lot of toys and loves to create his own stories about Star Wars,

as well as re-watch all of the movies on a pretty consistent basis.

As I stated, Star Wars carries a lot of weight in my house.

I share this with you because, as you receive this Messenger, it is on or

has just passed National Star Wars Day, May 4th (May the Force be with

you = May the 4th be with you!). It is a day that those who are

passionate about Star Wars celebrate with parties, events and Star Wars

movie binge watching. While Star Wars is an identity for its fans, this

one day of the year is an affirmation of that fandom.

Two weeks later, May 20th, we will celebrate Pentecost Sunday in the

church. Now, Pentecost Sunday maybe doesn’t get the same kind of

attention that Christmas, Easter, or even Star Wars Day gets, for that

matter, but as Christians, the Day of Pentecost is so very important in

the affirmation of our faith. Acts 2:1-4, telling this story, begins with:

“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one

place, and suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a

violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.

Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested

on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began

to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.”

The Spirit gave them the ability to share the Good News of God’s love to

the entire world, which this small band of believers did, sharing a story

which billions since then have confessed and shared as well. In fact, you

are reading this because you are connected with the church because

somebody at some point shared this story with you.

In turn, this story becomes our identity and we share it with others, as

the Spirit has given us the ability to do so with the power endowed

upon us in our baptisms. When we were baptized, the door opened to

opportunities to grow in our faith, to wrestle with our faith, and to

ultimately share our faith. Our faith may not be a perfect one in how

we live it out (sin does have a lot of pull in our everyday lives!), but God,

who gives us the ability to share that faith, perfects it as is needed to

ensure that those who hear our words and are on the receiving end of

our actions, embrace it as a perfect one.

So, like those who will celebrate their Star Wars identity on May the

4th, I invite and encourage you to celebrate your baptismal identity on

the Day of Pentecost, May the 20th. Remember and reflect on how the

Word of God was shared with you. Say “thank you” to those who have

been instrumental in helping you to form your relationship with God.

And then, joyfully, pass along the Good News of Jesus Christ to those

who have not yet heard it. Oh, and may the Spirit be with you.

Pastor Mark

The month of May brings about the end of

Sunday school and Confirmation classes for the

year, but it is not the end of all of our programs. There are many

exciting things planned for our youth, families, and members of all

ages this month that you will see listed throughout this newsletter.

May is also a month where we look forward to the planning

of our summer activities of family outings, vacations, and special

events. As we look toward these important activities with our

immediate families, we can also look forward to staying connected

with our church family. Summer brings the opportunity for our

young children to attend the complete worship service with their

families. Fortune Lake Bible Camp brings experiences and

activities that help us grow in faith and offers opportunities for

new friendships. Vacation Bible School brings service

opportunities for adults and teens, along with fun and learning for

our younger children. And, the ELCA Youth Gathering in

Houston will engage our high school youth in experiences that will

change their lives and deepen their relationship with God and their

connections with each other. What an exciting summer to look

forward to!

Confirmation classes are coming to an end for the year. The last

day of classes is May 6th. The End of the Year Essay will be distributed

to all confirmation students at the last day of classes. The essays are to

be turned in to the church office by June 4th.

For our students who will be confirmed this fall, please mark

your calendars for Sunday, October 28th for the Rite of Confirmation.

Letters will go out to our confirmands in the fall with more information.

Youth and Family Ministry

From the Director: Patti Treptow

SUNDAY SCHOOL

Sunday school classes are quickly coming to an

end for the year. The last day is Sunday, May 20 where

all classes will gather together in the fellowship hall to

share their memory challenge projects, celebrate with an ice cream

sundae party, and play "Minute to Win it" games complete with prizes!

A special thank you goes out to our wonderful and dedicated

Sunday school staff:

PreK/Kindergarten: Jennifer Perket and Emma Laatsch

1st

/2nd

Grade: Karie Anderson and Rhyon Nelson

3rd

/4th Grade: Margaret Stewart

5th

/6th Grade: Patti Treptow

Bible Story Sunday Team: Sharon Ayers, Kerry Delgoffe,

Rachel Raygo, & Patti Treptow

Children's Sermons: John Helfert

PreK/Kindergarten 1st/2nd Grade

3rd/4th Grade 5th / 6th Grade

5th / 6th Grade

5th

Grade First Communion

Sixteen 5th grade students completed four weeks of instruction during

Lent to prepare for their First Holy Communion. The students and their

families celebrated the Lord's Supper with a symbolic Seder Meal and

participated in their first Communion on Maundy Thursday, March 29th.

We welcome the following to the Lord's Table:

Gabrielle Anders Kaiden Bell

Amber Camps Ava Chouinard

Marriyah Crawford Addy Johnson

Lexi Kramer Isaac Laatsch

Madison Raygo Aiden Sevon

Jonah Slawinski Jacob Starzynski

Jonah Stewart Keegan Wickstrom

Darius Younk Emma Ziemke

Special thanks to Donna

Hipke, Nancy Camps,

and Emma Heider for

preparing our Seder

Meal.

Vacation Bible School Tuesday-Thursday

July 24, 25, & 26

Children entering Kindergarten through

5th grade this fall are invited to discover that Jesus is the light of the

world 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 will be available

in June so you can get your child enrolled for

some fun, laughter, excitement!

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!

Easter Egg Hunt

The Youth Committee's Little Lutherans hosted

an egg hunt on Palm Sunday, March 18th. Here

are a few glimpses of this fun event!

Emmanuel's Youth Advisory Council - GLOW

hosted an Earth Day event for the children of our

Sunday school on April 22nd. Children planted

seeds that they were able to take home to grow and

transfer into their own gardens to help provide food

for our pollinators such as bees and butterflies!

GLOW's next event is co-hosting with the Fellowship committee the

Family Bowling event on May 20th. More information on the bowling

event is further down in this newsletter.

Because of the blizzard on April 15th, the Bingo Party that GLOW will

provide for the residents of the Marinette Luther Home will be

rescheduled.

2018 ELCA Youth Gathering As you read this, our 11 2018 ELCA Youth

Gathering participants and 3 adult chaperones

have completed our Getting Ready sessions and

have submitted our final payments for our

registration, travel, and lodging balances. It is

almost time to go and we are ready. Thank you

for your financial support and, as we make our

final preparations, we solicit any and all of your prayer support.

On Sunday, May 20th,

following 10:00 worship, all gathering

participants and families are invited to gather in the fellowship hall for a

meeting and potluck lunch where we will share updates and information

about these faith-shaping days that are before us.

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. A letter with more

information on this special event will be going out soon to all parents of

our high school graduates.

Worship on Wednesdays

Our next WOW! will take place on Wednesday, May 16th, 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.

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, May 8 at 1:00 p.m.

hosted by Carol Sieth at her home.

Seeking Enlightenment Group will be meeting on Thursday,

May 17, 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.

Please remember to share your

Emmanuel stories…I am still looking

for your stories; of events and people

here at Emmanuel who have shaped you, made you laugh, and

are imprinted upon your hearts. There is a box in the narthex

for you to drop your story into or, you can email me at

pastor2901@e-mmanuel.com. You are the church…and this is

your story. Please share it!

Our Senior Choir will sing for the last time

before summer break on Sunday, May 13th.

Thank you to Linda Davis for directing our

choir and Barb Hay for accompanying them.

Their anthems undoubtedly enrich our worship

and offer up a unique and wonderful praise to God for the gift of music.

Linda also took it upon herself to resurrect the beloved Children’s Choir.

It was joyful to not only hear their voices come together, but to witness

this choir grow in their faith and in their numbers. We would like to

thank both of our choirs for their dedication.

Back row: John Helfert, John Wills, Al Rasmussen, Tim Leinonen. Center row:

Linda Sieman, Nancy McDonald, Colleen Baribeau, Vicki Denessen, Choir

Director Linda Davis. Front row: Debbie Lemery, Betty Kohrt, Kiana Watkins,

and Brea Davis. Missing from photo: Dan Roetzer & Ivon Butman.

Left to right: Siena Starzynski, Hadley Johnson,

Emily Lenca, Brian Anderson, Serenity Anderson, and

Emma Stewart. Choir director Linda Davis is in back.

Pianist: Barb Hay

OUR EMMANUEL FAMILY

BABTIZED…

Presley Ann Marie Heckel-McClain daughter of Priscilla Heckel

along with her sponsors Kara Janquart and Tyler Bayer

Clara Maye Miller daughter of Priscilla Heckel and Thomas

Miller along with her sponsors Marie Miller and Tyler Bayer

A memorial gift was given to the church in memory of Leona

Webber by her family

Church Nursery Summer Update Our church nursery will close for the summer on

Sunday, May 27th. Special thanks to Anna

Slawinski for overseeing our nursery and

watching our children.

Parents, we welcome you to attend worship with your children! We

love to hear your children's voices join with ours as we worship God,

so please do not feel that your child is a distraction or that you ever

have to take your child out of worship. All are welcome here.

FINANCIAL UPDATE If you pay attention to our printed budget update in our weekly bulletins,

you are undoubtedly aware that our offerings have not been able to meet

the needs of the church. I want to stress that this is not because we have

not been faithful in our giving – our giving has actually been ahead of

our budgeted offerings through March. Unfortunately, significantly

higher snow removal and salting costs, as well as the frequency which

we’ve had to utilize these services, have played a primary role in why

our day-to-day operation costs have been compromised. Having had to

cancel worship on April 15th did not help either. Please know though

that the church is financially stable and as long as our budgeted pledges

are sustained and met, we will continue to have a strong financial

footing. Thank you for your faithfulness in giving and worshiping and

for making Emmanuel a beacon for those who seek Christ’s love.

Date June 16, 2018

8:00am - 11:00am

Location

Menominee YMCA

1600 West Drive

Menominee, Michigan 49858

Event Description

It is in his memory that the mission of the Jim Hodge Memorial

Run is to support those in Marinette/Menominee community who

require treatment for a lung condition and to encourage organ

donation. Come join us for an enjoyable day, and support a great

cause.

Fees

5K Run/Walk-$25.00

10K Run-$25.00

5K Run/Walk Youth (Ages 16 and younger) -$15.00

10K Run/Walk Youth Ages 16 and younger) -$15.00

Register before 6/2/18 and receive a race T-shirt!

Bib Pick Up

4:00-6:00 on Friday at the Menominee YMCA

7:00- 7:45 on Race Day

For more information, please check out www.JimHodgeRun.org

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: mail@e-mmanuel.com Council President, Debbie Villas

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 - 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