The season of Lent begins tomorrow. We gather for an Ash Wednesday service at 7:00 p.m.

Lent is a season of repentance and reflection that prepares our hearts for Easter. Tomorrow’s ashes remind us of our human weakness and our need for God and also point us to the forgiveness and hope given to us in Jesus Christ.

In the weeks following Ash Wednesday, midweek suppers and services will be part of our Lenten observance. Supper will be served in the Fellowship Hall on February 25, March 4, March 11, March 18 and March 25 from 5:15–6:30 p.m. The weekly menus will be shared in an email on Thursday. 

The midweek services will begin at 6:30 p.m. Jerry Holtan, Margie Scott, Shelley Taylor, Mary Vannoy and Austin Woodin will share reflections on their life journey and faith journey. The specific speaker schedule will also be shared soon.

Please make time in the coming weeks for faith, fellowship and food as we walk together through this Lenten season.

Love Outpoured is the title of a devotional series for Lent, focusing on portions of the apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans. A scripture passage, thoughts to ponder, a reflection and a prayer are offered for each day from Ash Wednesday to Easter. Copies are available in the church entryway.

Alberto, Luz, Mati and little Alma are doing well and continue to be overwhelmed with gratitude for the love and support and kindness that they have received from GLC.

Alberto continues to take English lessons at DMACC and continues to love cooking for his friends and family. He and Mark Taylor and Steve Ricklefs have been looking for a good, safe and affordable vehicle for the family. If anyone has tips on reliable, used cars for sale, let us know!

Luz was hoping to enroll in phlebotomy classes this spring, but all of the classes were full and so she will try again in the fall. But she is keeping very busy with Alma and Mati. They have had their share of viral illnesses this winter but are all doing well now. They are hoping they will be able to get Alma baptized this year!

Mati is doing well in school and making a lot of good friends. He still loves LEGOS and creating beautiful artwork. He was happy we had some snow before Christmas because he loved sledding and making snow angels at Mark and Allison's house.

Alberto and Luz have officially been able to submit applications for work permits so hopefully they will both find employment when they receive these. 

They thank you all for the gifts of clothes, toys, food, books and financial support that you have generously provided them. And they have loved the lunch dates and outings that they have had with some of their new friends at GLC.

The pictures above and below feature the family on a walk at Carr Park with Gayle Brown and Tyler Holck, attending a GLC church service, where they LOVE the bell choir, and enjoying winter sledding and snow angels.

You are invited to celebrate Easter, honor the memory of those who have gone before us and rejoice in those who continue to journey with us by sharing a plant for our Easter Garden. 

Easter lilies are available for $16 and 8" potted hydrangeas are available for $20. To order, please use the sign-up link below, send an email to office@gilbertlutheran.org or call 515-233-2421. Please note as you order whether your lily or flower is "in memory of" or "in honor of" and also the name of the person/s remembered or honored. If you choose to share a hydrangea, please indicate your color preference from blue, pink or white.  

The deadline to order is Wednesday, March 4th.

Thank you!

A Les & Barb Licklider Renewal Scholarship was recently awarded Lauren Nissen. 

Lauren, the daughter of Dave & Teresa Nissen, studies Exercise Science on the pre-nursing track at the University of Iowa. Click below to read what Lauren is learning that will give her a firm foundation to make a living, a life and a difference in our world.

Barb Licklider generously funds on-going scholarships for students pursuing post-secondary education who are/were active members of Gilbert Lutheran Church when they graduated from high school. The eligibility for the scholarship supports the values Barb and her late husband Les hold dear. Students are eligible for two $750 awards. For more information about the Les & Barb Licklider Scholarship, please contact the church office.

Congratulations and Best Wishes to you, Lauren!

On Wednesday, March 4, Brian Scott, Senior Advisor for Congregational Engagement with Lutheran World Relief, will visit GLC. This is a perfect time as that is also one of our quilting days. Brian will tell us about the amazing work that Lutheran World Relief is doing. And, at the same time, we’ll be able to share some of the ways GLC is part of that mission and ministry. The morning will begin at 9 o’clock and everyone is invited to attend!

Thank you for the beautiful ways you helped celebrate my birthday! I enjoyed each text, email, call, card, treat, gift and gesture. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that Bre and Pastor Christian really outdid themselves with the birthday decorations they so creatively placed in and around the office too. I'm so blessed to work together with them to further our ministries here at GLC!

One never knows where life's journeys may take them. God has certainly blessed my life in this community and at Gilbert Lutheran Church. And now I am enjoying life in a new way at GLC. I have the best team members and people surrounding me. Serving as your Parish Administrator is a pleasure. Thank you for making me feel loved, not only on my birthday, but each and every day!



God’s Peace & Love,

Sharon

RIVERSIDE SUMMER CODE

Registration is live for Riverside Bible Camp summer 2026! You can register at www.riversidelbc.org. And don't forget to use our code GLC26 for $75 off.

SUNDAY SCHOOL!

O - O - O - OASIS!

YOUTH GROUP!

IN OUR PRAYERS, WE REMEMBER . . .

Deb Barron (friend of Cindy & Jim Clark); David & Sharon Berryhill; Jeanne Cook (mother of Denise Henderson); Peggy Drennan; Bob Edwards; Donelle Gull (sister of Denise Henderson); Loleta Hansen (cousin of Barb Licklider); Kyra Harbacheck; Kathy Henryson; Rose Houge; Rylie Hunter (granddaughter of Karen Willson); Willie Jones; Barb Licklider; David Nissen; Reed Pattee (cousin of Barb Licklider); Shirley Pattee (aunt of Barb Licklider); Debbie Petersen (cousin of Barb Licklider); Marcia Prior-Miller; Gary Pruismann (friend of Margie Scott); Nancy Rabe; Scott Raymond; the family and friends of Amy Romsey (daughter-in-law of Sharon Romsey); Kayla Rose (aunt of Rylee Tunyuck); the family and friends of Sherald Sydnes (father of Robin Fletcher); Darrell Trujillo; Anne Walden; Jackson Weinman (son-in-law of Allison Eness and Mark Taylor); Monica Wilson (granddaughter of Ellen Wilson); Hasan Younis; Iola Zimbeck (mother of Peggy Drennan).

WE BRING NEW PRAYERS OF . . .

+ comfort for the family and friends of Amy Romsey. Amy, the daughter-in-law of Sharon Romsey, passed away February 9th. A memorial service is scheduled for this Friday at Christ Church Oak Brook in Oak Brook, Il. Amy’s obituary is linked below.

+ comfort for the family and friends of Sherald Sydnes. Sherald, the father of Robin Fletcher, passed away February 7th. Sherald’s obituary is linked below.

+ comfort and peace for Monica Wilson and family. Monica, the granddaughter of Ellen Wilson, has cancer. Because the cancer is advanced and also because of other complications, further treatment is not possible.

+ healing for Barb Licklider. Barb was hospitalized last week with pneumonia and has now returned to the West Haven Community in Boone.

+ healing for Jackson Weinman. Jackson, the son-in-law of Allison Eness and Mark Taylor, has been diagnosed with metastatic thyroid cancer. This came only a few days after moving to Thailand. Jackson and Lydia (Allison’s daughter) are very positive. They also feel so fortunate as the health care system in Thailand is world class.

THE TLC COORDINATOR for the remaining days of February is Gene Upstill.