Author: FELC Office

Laetare Sunday is the fourth Sunday in Lent in the western Christian liturgical calendar. This Sunday has been a day of celebration, within the austere season of Lent, and gets its name from the first few words of the traditional entrance verses in Latin, Laetare, meaning Rejoice. On Laetare Sunday (as similarly with the Third Sunday of Advent’s Gaudete Sunday) the church expresses hope and joy in the midst of our Lenten wandering and fasting. Call it pink — or, more fittingly, rose — a traditional color on this day indicates a glimpse of the joy that awaits us at Easter. Before we enter into the holy days of Passiontide, our music, prayers, and liturgical texts reflect this “mini” Easter. Happy are those for whom the forgiveness of God has “rolled away the disgrace” of former times. Happy is the parent at the return of a prodigal child. Happy are we that our sins are forgiven by God’s love in Jesus. Rejoice!

At the Council meeting on March 24, 2025, Terry Porter was approved as chair of the Support Ministry Team.

Charlie Boas has received input from members related to the technology upgrade effort. He stated that he welcomes suggestions as well as expertise. He provided additional information about the keypad entry system that is being considered.

Forward movement continues to be made by the Child Development Center; see details in the current report submitted by Merrily Porter.

The Seventh Day Adventists have been notified that they will need to find a new worship space before August 31, 2025.

Progress was made toward completing the First English Organizational Chart. Council members offered to invite other individuals to contribute brief descriptions of ministry activities in which they participate to include on the chart.

The Council voiced their support of participation in Red Dress Day on May 4, in memory of missing and murdered Indigenous women.

Ministry Team reports were shared.

The next Council meeting is scheduled for April 28.

The First English Child Development Center has openings! It’s rare for a high-quality child development center to have open spots—especially for infants–but we do!

Visit: https://www.firstenglishcdc.org/

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These forty days called Lent (not counting Sundays) are like no other. The warnings are plentiful and blunt on the third Sunday in Lent. Cut it out or get cut down! The warnings are accompanied by God’s invitation to attentiveness: “Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live.” There is good news for all of us. Thanks be to God!

Our Saints and Icons series continued last Sunday with an inter-generational session on Fannie Lou Hamer, facilitated by Leigh Northcutt-Benson. Thank you to all of our participants and especially our young teaching assistants.

Sunday, March 23, 9AM in the Parlor, Leigh Northcutt-Benson will be leading Adult Faith Formation, continuing our Saints and Icons Series with a session on Marsha P. Johnson. Merrily Porter will be leading Children’s Faith Formation, 9 AM in the library.

Sunday, March 30, Charlotte Gilman, Merrily Porter, and Mari Ward will lead a session from our Better Know a Ministry series on Care and Hospitality.

Learning Ministry invites any congregation member who would like to lead an Adult Faith Formation session to reach out to Betsy Appleton or Leigh Northcutt-Benson. You may lead a session on any topic you would like, including our Saints and Icons series, for which materials are provided.

UT’s new choir, Repertory Chorus, was in concert at FELC on March 3. In the theme “When the Dark is Done” the choir offered a stunning program, including J.S. Bach’s Aus Tiefer Not (BWV 131) with instruments, including harpsichord. Repertory Chorus is a mixed chamber choir directed by graduate student conductors. FELC partners with UT to provide a rehearsal and venue experience for professional, educational vocal leaders. The next Repertory Chorus concert will be Monday, April 28 at 8 PM at FELC. Check out other great choral music offered through UT.

At the meeting of the church council on February 17, 2025, newly elected council members Elijah Aguirre, Betsy Appleton, Paul Barlow, and Lillian Martinez-Rodriguez were welcomed. Thanks were given for those who rotated off council including Anne Wiebe, Nancy Neuse, and JD Aguirre. The recently created orientation packet for new council members was briefly discussed with all members of the council.

 Officers were elected.  LaRu Woody, Leigh Northcutt-Benson and Nancy Baden were all re-elected as President, Vice-President and Secretary respectively. Team leaders were approved including Trish Karli for Worship Ministry and Betsy Appleton and Leigh Northcutt-Benson as co-leaders of Learning Ministry. Gwen Flory was approved as Financial Secretary and Allen Jensen was approved as Treasurer.  

Fastnacht was confirmed for March 4 with pancakes to be served at 6 PM and talent show beginning at 7 PM. Leigh Northcutt-Benson offered to serve as MC this year.

Council meetings were moved to the 4th Monday of each month to accommodate council members’ schedules.

The Child Development Center is hoping to provide for additional infant care and will convert the CDC office for that purpose. The church council voted unanimously to allow the CDC Director to temporarily operate out of the Vicar’s office since it is unoccupied at this time. 

After considerable discussion, the Council voted unanimously to end the agreement of shared space with the Seventh Day Adventists. They have been given 6 months to locate other space. 

To address needed improvements in the area of technology (i.e. connectivity, streaming, the sound system), a Technology Upgrade First English (TUF) Single Point of Contact (SPOC) position was created. Charlie Boas agreed to serve as our TUF SPOC and was unanimously approved by the council.

The next meeting of the FELC Council will be Monday, March 24, 2025.

DEVOTION & ENGAGEMENT IN LENT

The season of Lent began on Ash Wednesday, and continues for five weeks and Holy Week. This Lent you are invited to contemplate the theme Wandering Toward God. We often use the theme of a journey to describe life, but that journey is not usually a clear or direct path. Like the ancient Israelites we wander the wilderness. Sometimes we wander away from God, and sometimes we move closer to God. The heart of the Lenten season is to contemplate how God moves close to us and wanders with us in Christ no matter what life brings.

One way to focus on how we wander toward God is through engaging with our core Lenten spiritual practices, including prayer and giving to the poor.

ELCA World Hunger has created a Lent calendar for prayer and advocacy that you can access by clicking here, and a Lent study booklet you can access by clicking here. These online resources are available throughout the Lenten season for your engagement. You can learn more about ELCA World Hunger ministries, including ways to donate directy by clicking here.

WORSHIP IN LENT | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 19, 26; APRIL 2, 9

All are welcome to a service of quiet reflection in the FELC sanctuary with the liturgy of Holden Evening Prayer, every Wednesday in Lent at 7 PM. (We will not offer this service online on YouTube.)

For an FAQ on the season of Lent, click here.

“Let your steadfast love come to us, O Lord. Save us as you promised; we will trust your word.” -Psalm 119:41-42

Noon & 7:00 PM

Noon – at the church building | 7:00 PM – at the church building & online

The season of Lent begins with this solemn day of repentance and receiving ashes as a sign of mortality and humility. We are invited to begin the Lenten disciplines of prayer, fasting, almsgiving – works of love. 

This year, the Noon liturgy includes the imposition of ashes, holy communion, and is abbreviated.

The 7:00 PM liturgy includes confession and absolution, imposition of ashes, holy communion, and special music. The evening liturgy will be livestreamed on YouTube.

Returning to God’s mercy and grace, we make our way through Lent toward the joy of Easter.

On the last Sunday after the Epiphany, before Lent began on Ash Wednesday, we sang and shouted “Alleluia” as we omit and remove this Hebrew word of praise until the Easter Vigil. Worshipers colored Alleluia art and each sheet was placed in a box, put inside the altar, awaiting Easter. To keep the feasting alive, about 50 folks gathered on Shrove Tuesday evening for our annual Fastnacht celebration. Nothing says the night before the Ash Wednesday fast more than butter, syrup, and people! Our thanks to all who participated and organized, including cake flippers and servers Randy Baden, Chris Boas, Tim Atkinson, and Kate and Stefan Wanstrom, among others. To all the talented and willing performers in the talent show – hooray!!