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Social Concerns Committee:
Courageous Conversation – A Renewed Lutheran Church - The Social Concerns Committee will host our 6th Courageous Conversation on Sunday, August 24th following the 10:15 service. The topic will be a presentation and discussion of the report by the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church that has been adopted by ELCA Churchwide Assembly. Linda Timmons, CEO of MOSAIC and a member of the Commission, will be present to lead a discussion on what the implications of this report means for the ELCA and for First Lutheran Church. All congregation members are invited and encouraged to participate. We ask that those who can bring a main dish and a salad or dessert. Drinks and dinnerware will be provided.
BackPack Program - August is the month for our annual support of the BackPack Program - members of First Lutheran have supported this initiative for many years. 1 in 5 children in the Food Bank’s for the Heartland’s 93-county service area is at-risk for hunger. The BackPack Program, a partnership with area schools (including Blair), offers packs of weekend breakfasts and lunches to children. Each week during the school year, 8,700 packs—equaling 34,800 meals—of easy-to-prepare or ready-to-eat nutritious food are distributed to children in 237 schools in 108 school districts in Nebraska and western Iowa.
Presently Woodhouse Auto Family is matching your gift – dollar for dollar up to $500k. The cost to sponsor one child for the academic year is $164 but any amount is welcome. You can make an online contribution by clicking Donate To the BackPack Program Today or you can send a check directly to The Food Bank for the Heartland, 10525 J Street Omaha, NE 68127. For more information visit www.foodbankheartland.org. Thank you FLC for your continued generosity of this program!
God’s Work; Our Hands - On September 6th, FLC plans to participate in the ELCA’s annual, God’s Work; Our Hands, the church-wide day of service by beginning a long-term and ambitious project to recover the Potter’s Field in the Blair Cemetery. As the date approaches, information will be provided and we hope you will plan to participate in this exciting effort. There will be snacks and a meal that day for those who participate. We also invite you to consider ordering a special shirt to wear on that day, not only acknowledging “God’s Work; Our Hands,” but also First Lutheran Church. Short sleeve shirts are $13; long sleeve shirts are $19. Orders need to be placed by August 10th in order to have the shirts for the project day. There are order forms for shirts and a sign-up sheet for the day at the Welcome Center. This is an exciting project that is already generating community interest, and FLC is pleased to be providing this leadership.
Summer Garden Market Now Available to First Lutheran Members: With the Blessing of the Fruits held at services on the weekend of June 28th and 29th, the Summer Garden Market is officially open for business. Those attending services on Saturday evening and the two Sunday morning services will be able to pick up vegetables, fruits and baked goods prior to or after the service. These products will be grown or baked by First Lutheran gardeners or bakers. This market will be open throughout the summer and into the fall months. Members obtaining these products are asked to contribute a free-will donation which will go to Lutheran World Relief.
Donated garden produce and baked goods can be brought in on Friday during the day or on Saturday afternoon after 4:00 p.m. prior to the 5:00 p.m. service. Produce can also be brought in prior to the 8:15 and 10:15 services on Sunday. The donated items can be placed on the garden cart in the narthex of the church. As any Farmer’s market, produce should be clean and neatly arranged.
Often gardeners find themselves with extra produce or baked goods. Why not bring these goods to the market at First Lutheran. By doing so, you will be providing worshippers an opportunity to obtain some very nutritious and wonderful food as well as support a very worthwhile cause. We will see you at the market!!
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