E-Voice: Youth Night Hike, Bethlehem Tours, Assisting Ministers Needed

E-Voice

Weekly Newsletter: Friday, November 14, 2025

Worship with us in person:

5:00pm - Saturdays

8:30 & 10:45am - Sundays

Sunday 8:30 worship is livestreamed. Click here to watch. You can also find the bulletin to follow along, a button to give offering to ELC, and confirmation worship notes.

In case of technical difficulties, we will do our best to recover anything recorded and post it at a later time.

Saturday 5:00 Volunteers

Sunday 8:30 Volunteers

Sunday 10:45 Volunteers

Tour Bethlehem - Click here to reserve your spot!

December 13 & 14, 2025 | Noon-5:00pm

Assisting Ministers Needed for Sunday Services

The word “liturgy” means “work of the people,” but too often in the past, the liturgy gave the impression that it was the work of the pastor to preach, celebrate the sacraments, and conduct the entirety of the service. But the liturgy has always been the responsibility of all of the people of God. The worship service is not meant to be something that only the pastor does while the people watch. It is an action meant to be shared by all who assemble to worship.

You are probably familiar with those who assist with worship – those who serve as acolytes (typically our youth), those who serve as ushers, those who help in the tech booth, those who read the lessons (lector), those who serve communion, and those who prepare Holy Communion (Altar Ministry). We are always in need of people to help in all these areas! Sign up for the services at the “Volunteer” tab on the church’s website.

We want to lean into our Reformation heritage and expand lay participation in worship, particularly in the highly visible role of Assisting Minister.

An Assisting Minister plays a vital role in the worship service, assisting the Presiding Minister (Pastor) and leading various parts of the service. Their responsibilities include:

Assisting at the Table and serving Holy Communion.
Leading the congregation in prayer, including the offering prayer and prayers of the people.
Greeting worshippers and providing hospitality during the service.
Participating in and assisting with the liturgy as a whole.

We would like people to serve as Assisting Ministers on Sundays beginning November 16. Pastor Becky and the Worship Council will help prepare and guide you about the specific duties and the service structure to ensure a smooth worship experience for both you and the congregation. If you are interested in learning more about serving as an Assisting Minister, please contact Pastor Becky or Beth Twiton of the Worship Council.

God's Love Made Real, Commitment #3: Listening to and Amplifying Young Voices

For these ELCA churches, youth ministry isn’t about segregating young people; it’s about fostering connections across generations and giving them the opportunity to grow alongside older adults in their lives. Wanting children to remain part of the worship service, congregations such as Christ the King or Advent Lutheran Church in Manhattan establish “praygrounds” where children can participate in worship and play together at the same time. Even when the noise gets to be a little too distracting, the congregation is willing to find solutions to prioritize kids being in worship. Read more here.

English Lutheran is currently hiring for an Administrative Assistant and a Cook/Kitchen Coordinator. Click here for more information, or talk with Pastor Becky or Jennifer in the church office!

*Please share!*

English Lutheran is again collecting fruit punch, green beans, and *jellied* cranberries for the La Crosse Community Thanksgiving Dinner. Industrial size cans and gallons of juice are preferred. Please drop your donations off at the turkey in the narthex by November 23!

Costume chair needed!! The Bethlehem costume chair has needed to back out for personal reasons and we are in need of a new chair. Most of the work is done. Please contact Pamela Strittmater or Mary Fitzpatrick if interested. Cast costume fitting begins this weekend! Costume fitting will be between services on Sunday, Wednesdays from 6:00-7:30pm, and Saturdays from 9:00am-3:00pm in the Music Room.

Each day this coming week, November 17-21, at 9am there will be a short video about our Bethlehem Event. Each video answers one new question about the event. The videos can be found on the ELC YouTube page. Subscribe today!

In November our collected food items are going to WAFER. We have already collected and delivered an amazing 207 pounds thanks to you!

On Sunday, November 23rd, the Packers and Vikings face off. Whether you are a football fan or not, we can all participate in the Packer/Viking Food Drive Challenge. Bring in non-perishable food items now until November 24 to support your favorite team! Or if you really don’t care, there is space for that too! The important thing is WAFER and food insecure individuals benefit from every item we bring in. Rising costs of food, housing, and utilities has left many families struggling. At the same time, cuts to federal and state programs that address food insecurity have meant less food on the shelves of food pantries. Our donations are more important than ever.

The display and bins are located in the parking lot entry. Thank you for stocking our local food pantry.