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

Our Wednesday 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 month of August as we enter into these compelling narratives.

Men’s Softball Schedule – Now-Aug 26

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.

• Aug 26 – 6:15pm – Playoffs

Take Me Out To The Ballgame – Aug 28

If you’ve been to the new ABC Supply Stadium in Beloit you know how cool it is! For those who haven’t been there yet, what are you waiting for?! Let’s go!

The Youth Group welcomes you to join them Wednesday, August 28 to cheer on Beloit’s own Sky Carp. Don’t let the name fool you, the Sky Carp is a High A Affiliate Baseball organization. Game time is 6:35pm, gates open at 5:30pm.

The Sky Carp play rain or shine.

The Youth have reserved 20 general admission tickets. Don’t wait too long to snap up a ticket to America’s favorite pastime. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased by contacting Jeanie in the Church Office at 608.752.7434.

If you want a ride to the game let Jeanie know. I’m sure Eric Engen wouldn’t mind firing up that beautiful beast of a church van.

Come to the game, meet a new friend from First Lutheran or greet a familiar face as we cheer on the Sky Carp together.

Women’s Bible Study – Aug 28

For our August meeting, we plan to read the book of Philippians. Whether you’re diving deep into each passage or taking things at your own pace know that spending time with God’s word is always enriching. We look forward to seeing you on Aug 28 at 7pm! New friends and faces are always welcome.

The nursery will be open but unstaffed. Children are welcome.

Page Turners Book Group – 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. 

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

First Fest – Sept 8

It’s been an exciting year! First Lutheran welcomed new members, babies and others were baptized, Sunday morning education is planned for the year, a new Women’s bible study began, people are meeting to Break Bread together in homes and in restaurants. We just finished Day Camp and Mission trips, outdoor summer worship, served together at the fair, and so much more. Let’s gather to celebrate what’s been done, lets gather to celebrate the upcoming year! It’s time for First Fest!

Sunday, September 8
9:15am: Sunday School
9:30am: Worship in the Sanctuary (No 8am service on Sept 8)
Following the 9:30am Worship Service, we gather to celebrate!

Bring your best potluck side dish to share (main dish, pie and dessert, and drinks are provided). Enjoy the Jump House, Mr. Balloon Hands, prize baskets, and BINGO with Nan! All ages, one worship, one meal! Meet new friends and greet familiar faces.

Bringing your favorite side dish? Call Jeanie at 608.752.7434 and let her know what deliciousness you plan to bring.

Adult Education for Sept – Sept 15, 22, 29

September 15
Community Solar
Kimberly Mueller, Alliant Energy
Are you considering switching to solar energy but are not thrilled with the idea of panels on your roof? Please join Kimberly Mueller, Key Account Manager for Rock County, Alliant Energy Community Solar as she explains a wonderful option available to all of us. Alliant Energy Community Solar offers a great way to enjoy the benefits of solar without installing panels on your roof.

Here’s why it’s an ideal solution for electric customers:

• Solar energy simplified: Enjoy the benefits of solar without installation, insurance, and maintenance.
• Flexible options: You can purchase as many solar blocks as you like – up to enough to cover 100% of your usage. Choose the number that meets your budget and environmental goals.
• Long-term savings: Lock in predictable savings for 20 years with ongoing monthly bill credits.
• Works for everyone: Invest in clean energy no matter your home or business type – house, condo, apartment, or farm.

September 22
Pollinator Plants for Southern Wisconsin Gardens
Dave Bendlin
Dave Bendlin is a retired Biology and Environmental Studies teacher from Milton who particularly enjoys creating gardens to attract pollinators and other types of wildlife. Guided by the 15 years of experience of his wife Barbara working at a large perennial nursery, together they have created pollinator gardens on their property and at the Milton Public Library and Milton House Museum. David has also helped create a 4 prairie planting on a city-owned stormwater basin adjacent to their property that was designated by the city as Bendlin Prairie in 2021. Their home gardens have been featured on the Rotary Botanical Gardens home gardens tour and on numerous other garden tours.

His presentation will describe the importance of providing gardens for pollinators and suggest the best plants for this purpose based on many years of experience. Our very own Magda Nelson, also devoted to pollinator plants, will be hosting this session.

September 29
Citizens’ Climate Lobby:  Local Climate Champions at Work!
Katy Grogan Chapter Leader of Citizens’ Climate Lobby of Janesville
First Congressional District Liaison 
The signs of climate change are all around us.  The bad news just keeps on coming.  What are local climate activists doing in response?  What can you do to support them?  The answers may surprise you!   Join us as local CCL leader Katy Grogan describes the organization’s goals, values, and climate activities.

Second Harvest Food Pantry – Sept 19

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 – 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.