Rock County 4-H Fair – July 23-28

It is once again Rock County 4-H Fair donation time! The Food Booth has been busy planning and is looking for soda donations.

Soda donations have been a great way to reduce the food booth expenses. This year we are collecting 12-ounce cans of Coke, Diet Coke, A&W Root-beer, Diet A&W Root-beer (new this year), Mt Dew, and Sprite. Also, water! For water this year we are collecting Ice Mountain 16.9-ounce bottles.

Keep an eye out for sales. Donations are received in the main entrance or you can call Eric. He does pick-ups (608.290.7083).

The Parking Lot crew is also busy planning. Keep an eye out for opportunities to serve in both the Parking Lot and the Food Booth. Volunteers are needed to cashier, flag cars into stalls, take orders in the Food Booth, grill, wash dishes, clean tables, greet customers, and more. There is something for everyone. Sign-ups are available on Sunday mornings, in the church office or online.

Parking Lot: https://signup.com/go/Zqbihtp

Food Booth: https://signup.com/go/piACtTh

Grandstand Entertainment:

• Wed, July 24: University of Wisconsin Marching Band followed by Cherry Pie and it’s Law Enforcement Appreciation Day
• Thurs, July 25: Locash and Veterans Appreciation Day
• Fri, July 26: Tyler Farr
• Sat, July 27: Chayce Beckham
• Sun, July 28: Rice Bull Riders

Pie Ingredient Donations – In 2022, 115 pies were baked and sold during the fair. Donations of baking supplies boosts the profits from the food booth. Label items ‘Fair’ and leave in the Fellowship Hall Kitchen or church office. Questions? Please call Kathy Dorscheid at 608.757.0034.

Pie Crust Ingredients: Needed by Sunday, July 21
Specific brands are requested so the crusts turn out! *Unbleached Gold Medal Flour (10 lb. bags) *Kraft Minute Tapioca (Red box) *Almond Extract *Orange or Citrus Zest *Cinnamon *Nutmeg * White Sugar *Salted butter, 1 lb. boxes with 4 sticks

Fruit for Pies

• Rhubarb (cleaned & cut, please label amount in each bag)
• Red Raspberries
• Strawberries (cleaned, stem removed, frozen whole)

Pie bakers are needed Mon, July 22-Fri, July 26 at 5:30pm, and Sat, July 27 at 9am, in the Fellowship Hall kitchen. Sign-up on the bulletin board on Sundays.

Centering Prayer – Mondays

Mons from 8-8:30pm via Zoom
Centering prayer, also known as the prayer of silence, helps you quiet your mind from the constant thoughts and impulses, and frees your true self to experience more of God’s love in the very core of your being. You will gain inspiration, rich insight, and practical knowledge of a contemplative prayer practice that can open you up to deep experiences of inner healing and peace. Everyone is welcome to take part.

Login Link: https://tinyurl.com/2p89n5sc
Meeting ID: 816 1696 9038
Passcode: 224107

The BG’s – Tuesdays

Tues from 8-11am in Fellowship Hall Lounge
The BG’s are a group of 6-10 (mostly retired) guys that gather every Tuesday at 8am for coffee, socializing, and to handle the many outdoor and indoor miscellaneous maintenance needs around First Lutheran. If you are interested in joining this group stop by Tuesday as we are always looking for new people to join our team!

Knitters – Tuesdays

Join us Tuesdays at 9am in the Gathering Space for smiles, laughs, and lots of knitting!

Mission Sew – 1st & 3rd Wednesdays

Help Mission Sew with cutting, sewing, tying, and pining quilts for Lutheran World Relief. These quilts are distributed to struggling neighbors across the globe. For more info contact Margaret Drinkwater, by contacting the church at 608.752.7434.

Bible Study – Wednesdays

Wednesday at 10am in Rm 302

Wednesday Bible Study (June 5, 12, 19, 26; 10am; Rm 302) – Our Wed Bible Study is diving into First Samuel, where the key stories of Hannah, Samuel, Saul, and David, are found. Their lives around the year 1000 BC, the millennial midpoint between the call of Abraham, the father of Israel, and the birth of Jesus are often called “seminal” events. Seminal means “strongly influencing later developments”. Their stories help us to understand what is involved in maturing as human beings while setting the stage for early Christianity. Join us during the months of June and August as we enter into these compelling narratives.

Please note: This group is taking their summer break during the month of July.

Men’s Softball Schedule – Now-July 29

Come and cheer on First Lutheran’s men’s softball team this summer and check out their new uniforms! All games are on Mondays at Dawson East Field, 920 Beloit Ave, Janesville. Any questions contact Eric at eengen@flcj.org.

• July 29 – 6pm

Craft Day – Aug 3, Sept 7, Oct 5, Nov 2, Dec 7

VBS / Day Camps – Aug 5-8

Check out First Lutheran’s VBS and Day Camps! This summer we learn to trust that God is with us in EVERY situation. Campers, of all ages, will enjoy campfire songs and games, a camp store, science exploration, crafts, explore bible stories about trust, and have fun, fun, fun! Together we will learn to trust in God at Camp Firelight!

Vacation Bible School
Aug 5-8 from 9-11:30am
For preschool aged children (ages 3, 4, & 5)
Pre-registration is appreciated
For more info call Renee at 608.359.9685

Day Camp
For kids entering 1st-4th grade

Day Camp Plus
For kids entering 5th-7th grade

Aug 5-8 from 9am-2:30pm
Cost: $10/family
Pre-registration is appreciated
For more info call Eric at 608.290.7083

All groups end at 11:30am on August 8. At 11:30am we will have a picnic together with family and friends.

REGISTER HERE

Page Turners Book Group – Aug 6, Sept 3

The Page Turners meet on the first Tuesday of the month at 6pm in the Gathering Space. Come every month or just the months you want. All are welcome. 

Second Harvest Food Pantry – Aug 15

Third Thurs of the Month from 3:30-5:30pm
Distribution is outdoors. Please call Mary Gallup at 608.755.1399 so she knows if she has enough help. Set-up begins at 2:30pm. 

FLC Monthly Bike Rides – Aug 17, Sept 21

2024 Family Holiday Fair – Oct 19

The 2024 Family Holiday Fair will take place on Sat, Oct 19. If you would like to have a booth please fill out this application.

Canoeing the Mountains: A 5-Week Podcast Series

In this new series of the FLC podcast, we introduce Tod Bolsinger’s book, Canoeing the Mountains, in which the Lewis and Clark expedition serves as a point of comparison for the situation of the present-day church. Lewis and Clark had set out to find a water route across the continent to the Pacific Ocean, but along the way they discovered the Rocky Mountains. To go forward from there, they had to shift their strategies and expectations. In a similar way, the church in North America has come to a transition point, where the future will not look anything like the past. Old assumptions no longer apply. New strategies and skills need to be developed.

Five, short podcast episodes – one each week, starting this week – will introduce the major themes of the book. Those who have interest will be invited to participate in a deeper study of the book later this fall, in which we will explore the qualities of leadership that are needed to carry the church forward into a future that cannot yet be seen. Join us on this journey of discovery!

Episode 1: The world in front of you is nothing like the world behind you 
We talk about ways that our world has been changing and how those changes impact the church. The Lewis and Clark expedition is introduced as a core metaphor for the church’s experience in this moment of history.

Episode 2: Building trust “on the map”
Before moving “off the map” into uncharted territory, it is important for leaders to build trust by showing effectiveness in core competencies and consistency in relationship with others. The way forward for the church will require experimenting with new strategies which may, at times, fail. If we trust one another well, we can learn together and discover the way forward.

Episode 3: Uncharted territory calls for adaptive leadership
When faced with the Rocky Mountains, Lewis and Clark had to let go of previous assumptions about the geography of North America and relinquish the strategies that had brought them to that point. Going forward required them to recommit to their core values, embrace learning, and discover a new way forward. The church today needs a similar adaptive form of leadership.

Episode 4: Transformation is needed, but expect sabotage
Systems prefer equilibrium and seek to return to the status quo, so intentional change inevitably produces some kind of pushback from the system. Leaders should be prepared for sabotage — this is not a personal attack but the system in discomfort, seeking relief. The healthy response is to stay the course and stay connected to those who are opposed to change or who are experiencing loss.