FLC Weekend Announcements

Worship Times:

Saturday: 5pm

Sunday: 8:15am & 10:15am

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

Pastor Glen's focus for his message for

this upcoming weekend:

We are descendants of settlers, and place matters to us. People are different when they have a place, when they own a home, when they have roots and connection and identity. That is not necessarily for the better. Place is an obligation, and with it the price of pride and then anxiety and fear. Is our place our heritage or is it our shackle? Is it a gift or is it a burden? Is it our foundation on which we build or is it a possession over which to fight? David wants to build God a temple. God wants to make David a nation. These are not the same things.

Flowers on the Altar this Weekend, July 20th

and 21st

The flowers on the altar this weekend, July 20th and 21st are in memory of Karl's Birthday by Tim & Ann Grinbergs.

Message from Pastor Glen

Please receive my heartfelt thanks for the confidence you have shown in my work by calling me to be your next Pastor. I am profoundly grateful, and I am excited for what we are going to do in the next 18 months and beyond. Lorie and I are really excited about our move to Blair and becoming part of this community full-time.

To that end, I would like to ask a large favor. In order to expedite our move and to save the church money, we are looking for a crew of volunteers to help us pack and to move some smaller items. (We will be hiring a mover for the larger furniture). We are looking for people to join us on Friday, August 2^nd, to help pack at our home, and then for a crew and several pickups or large vehicles to move boxes and small items on Saturday the 3^rd. If you are available at all, we would be very thankful. There is a sign-up sheet at the Welcome Center. If you have any questions, please just ask.

Pastor Glen

Special Congregational Meeting Results

During last weekend, July 13th and 14th we had a Special Congregational Meeting to call Pastor Glen Thomas as the Senior Pastor of First Lutheran Church.

The vote count was:

YES - 137

NO - 0

The Congregation unanimously voted to extend a call to Pastor Glen as the next Senior Pastor of First Lutheran!!

ELCA Youth Gathering

If you would like to watch the ELCA Youth Gathering Nightly Sessions, you may click this link Tuesday-Friday nights at 7pm-9pm and join us!!

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD2BE6D47D7169CB5&si=hN5dH1W_0bCJEFD5

Monday Morning Bible Study

Do bad things happen to good people? Do good things happen to bad people? Or better, why don't bad things happen to bad people? The go-to place in the Bible for answers to questions like this seems to be the book of Job. The Monday morning Bible study group will be spending the next few weeks looking at this fascinating book, wrestling with Job and his friends over these huge questions, and trying to decipher God's response. We meet every Monday morning at 9:00 AM and there's always room for more.

Join women from across Nebraska for the 2024 Saved to Serve Opportunity Retreat! First Lutheran Church in Blair is hosting this working retreat August 2-4.

Come and learn about Lutheran Family Services who purchased the former Dana College Campus and the Angel Share Program, which assists young adults who are transitioning out of the foster care system. We have been asked to help set up the Dana Village Pantry. Tangible items being sought are: bar soap, laundry soap, shampoo, conditioner, hygiene products, toilet paper and Full/Queen size quilts. There is a laundry basket in the Narthex to donate your items. The deadline for registration is July 19th. Extra registration forms will be on the women’s table and at the welcome center at First Lutheran Church.

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 July, August, and September. 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.

Social Concerns Committee:

First Fruits and Garden Market Began June 29th and 30th at First Lutheran

Beginning Saturday and Sunday June 29th and 30th and continuing throughout the rest of the growing seasons, gardeners from First Lutheran Church will have a chance to contribute to the Fresh Fruits and Garden Market. During this time, gardeners are encouraged to bring in their excess vegetables, fruits and baked goods. These products will then be made available to First Lutheran members prior to and after the services on Saturday evening and Sunday mornings. Those members obtaining these products are then asked to provide a free-will donation with the funds going to the Lutheran World Relief.  

Gardeners will be able to bring their products in on Friday during the day or on Saturday Afternoon prior to the 5:00 p.m. church service. Produce can also be brought in on Sunday prior to the 8:15 or 10:15 service. Donated products can be placed on a cart in the narthex of the church Products should be clean and neatly placed as would be done for a regular Farmer’s Market.  

We are looking forward to a wonderful garden market this summer.  

Ingathering for the Bridge to be Held During the Month of July

Due to the devastation caused by the Arbor Day Tornado, the ingathering for the Bridge to be held throughout May was postponed so that First Lutheran staff and members could focus on providing assistance to those who were affected by the storm.  

For this reason, the Ingathering for the Bridge has been rescheduled to be held throughout the month of July. During this month, the Social Concerns Committee invites members of the church to contribute to the Bridge through an ingathering of support. This will culminate in the next Courageous Conversation on Saturday July 28th which will feature a presentation by Suzanne Smith, the Bridge’s Executive Director.  

The Bridge is committed to providing survivors of domestic violence with resources needed to heal and rebuild. Among needed items are: Fast Food Gift Cards, Gas Gift Cards, Old Cellphones, Copy Paper, Laundry Detergent, Plastic Utensils, Stamps, Baby Wipes (especially Size 5+), Pocket Folders, Spiral Notebooks, Snacks (Granola Bars, Pretzels, Cookies, Crackers) Financial Donations are also welcome. (The Bridge is not taking clothing donations at this time.) Members of the congregation may bring items and place them in the Welcome Center.

Courageous Conversations Rescheduled for Sunday, July 28th

In connection with the Bridge, the rescheduled Courageous Conversations Program will now be held on Sunday, July 28th beginning at 5:00 at the Fellowship Hall. As was the case in April, the topic of this program will be “A Conversation on Domestic Violence”. Suzanne Smith, the Bridge’s Director will be the speaker for this program. Please see the article on the Bridge for further information.  

The Social Concerns Committee members will provide sloppy joes and drinks. Participants are asked to bring a side dish or a dessert. Please indicate your intent to participate by signing the signup sheet on the desk in the Welcome Center. 

Tornado Disaster Relief Fund

As we continue to find ways to serve the needs of our community following the Arbor day tornado, we have created a Disaster Relief Fund at FLC. This fund will be used to provide immediate and long-term assistance to members of our church and others in the community as they seek to recover from the storm. We are grateful for your contributions. Please make sure to mark your check or envelope "Disaster Relief Fund."

WE NEED COOKIES/BARS

FOR JULY!

We are needing cookies for July!

Please help if you can!

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 July.

Signup here or call Erika

(402-533-0918):  https://signup.com/go/hfewWuF

W.O.W. Meal is over for the summer!

(In House Meal)

Starting on Wednesday, May 1st you are welcome to order meals for delivery or pick up with MWM since the W.O.W. meal will be over for the summer. Please reach out to Erika or the church office to place your order! W.O.W. meal will resume when the fall Wednesday services start back up.  

Martha Sorensen

Tracy Gross

Flowers for Worship Services

Would you like to provide flowers for worship services at First Lutheran in celebration of an important event in your life or to honor someone important? We would be grateful for your gift! Please follow these directions:

1. Sign up for an available weekend on the flower chart on the bulletin board outside the Sacristy door. Only one family per weekend please.

2. Mark your calendar or leave yourself a reminder! You will NOT receive a reminder notice from the church prior to the weekend you have chosen.

3. You are responsible to order and pay for a floral arrangement and provide for it to be delivered or brought to the church on the Friday afternoon prior to the weekend you would like it used. The church staff is NOT available to order or pick up flowers for you.

4. You may wish to consider the season of the church and choose suitable colors. Please bring LIVE flower arrangements only.

5. Information about the flowers and to whom they are dedicated must be provided to the church office (office@firstlutheranblair.org) by Thursday afternoon. It will be included in the weekly email blast.

Women's Bible Study 

The Friday Morning Women’s Bible Study will begin a new study entitled “From Beginning to Forever” by Elizabeth Woodson.  “Too often we have just a fragmented understanding of parts of the bible.  This leads us to see the Scripture through the lens of our individual stories, causing us to miss God’s bigger story-His redemption and restoration of the entire world.  In this study, Elizabeth Woodson explains how all sixty-six books of the Bible combine to form one unified narrative. We will see how the rich theological truths found in Genesis through Revelation show us the eternal significance of what God is doing in the world and how He invites us to be a part of it.”  This Bible study will combine a video with a study guide and meets in the church library on Friday mornings from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m.  If interested in coming to this Bible study, contact Susie Pinquoch at (402) 426-8182 or email at spinquoch@gpcom.net.  

Funeral Coordinators

The Women's Steering Team is in need of TWO people to be

Co-Coordinators to facilitate funerals. These people would work with the family to provide workers for the funeral luncheon. The family is responsible for providing all the food. Please contact Sarah Boeka, Coordinator if you are interested in this position or would like more information. sboeka@abbnebraska.com 

or 402-669-6008.   

Do you participate in our online worship services?

If you watch our services on Facebook or other sites, please like the post or leave a comment each time. This will help us improve our accuracy in attendance numbers at First Lutheran.

Pastor Glen's contact information

Pastor Glen's email is pastorglen@firstlutheranblair.org and his cell phone number is (402) 740-6395

if you need to contact him. 

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

We will be serving Ham & Cheesy Potatoes, fruit, and dessert.

WE REMEMBER IN OUR PRAYERS

Please keep these people in your thoughts and prayers