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Here are a selection of brief news items pertaining to area church activities:
Lutherans gather to elect new bishop
DECORAH, Iowa — Members of 81 congregations in western Wisconsin and southeastern Minnesota will elect a new bishop for the La Crosse Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America as they gather June 5-7 at Luther College for the annual La Crosse Area Synod Assembly.
The Rev. Dr. Bishop April Ulring Larson will lead her final synod assembly after serving the La Crosse Area Synod for the past 16 years. The La Crosse Area Synod makes up a quarter of the Christian population in the Coulee Region.
In attendance for the entire assembly will be Rev. Dr. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America as well as president of Lutheran World Federation. It marks the first time the presiding bishop of the ELCA will be in attendance at the La Crosse Area Synod Assembly.
Candidates for La Crosse Area Synod bishop are Rev. Lanny Westphal, assistant to the bishop for the La Crosse Area Synod; Rev. Mark Solyst, senior pastor at English Lutheran Church, La Crosse; Rev. Brian C. King, pastor of Bethany Lutheran Church, Iowa Falls, Iowa; Rev. J. David Bersagel, senior pastor at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, West Salem; and Rev. James Arends, lead pastor at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, La Crescent, Minn.
Along with electing a new bishop, delegates to the assembly will consider becoming a Book of Faith synod, advocating on behalf of Hmong Vietnam veterans and their families, pass a budget and debate and consider other resolutions as part of the synod’s annual business.
Mindoro Cut centennial includes worship
Mindoro Lutheran Church will hold an outdoor service and other events Sunday, June 29, in celebration of the centennial of the Mindoro Cut.
Worship services will be held in Mindoro Park starting at 9:30 a.m., with coffee and rolls served before and after. A plant sale also is planned for after the service.
Other activities planned include re-enactment of the 1932 bank robbery at the bank at 1:30 p.m., local speakers sharing their stories and a historic walking tour.
Food can be purchased at the Lions Shelter from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Flood relief volunteer helpers are needed
Reconstruction is under way for communities affected by last August’s floods. Disaster relief groups who would like to volunteer for a three- to six-day project in the southern part of our synod should contact the Rev. Jeanne Jones at (608) 872-2186 or revjmj12@yahoo.com.
She will have information on how to coordinate and schedule this. For individuals who would like to volunteer, log onto www.greatriversunitedway.org and click on “Volunteer Center” on the Web page, then click the log-in link at top of page, and “I do not have an account and would like to register” Once they are registered, they may click on Agencies and/or Opportunities at the top right of the page. More information can be had by calling Becky Barnes at 796-1400.
Christ the King plans summer Bible school
Christ the King Lutheran Church will hold its vacation Bible school for kids in pre-K through fifth grade from June 8-12.
Theme for the VBS is “Avalanche Ranch — a Wild Ride Through God’s Word” — and sessions will run from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. To register, call 783-1892 or e-mail ctklutheranch@aol.com.
St. Patrick’s sets VBS for Aug. 11-15
St Patrick’s Catholic Church is will hold a vacation Bible school from Aug. 11-15. This year’s program is called “POWER LAB - Discovering Jesus’ Miraculous Power.”
There is room for 75 children ages 4-10. Registration is $15 before July 1 or $20 after.
Teenagers might enjoy signing on as a “funologist crew leader.”
For more information or to register, contact Cathie Steinhoff at 783-5535, ext 8, or cathie@stpatz.com.
Christ Covenant sets vacation Bible school
Christ Covenant Church at 3630 Highway B in La Crosse, invites all area children up to age 10 to join the church’s vacation Bible school, “Faith Expedition: God’s Treasure Revealed.”
The vacation Bible school will run June 16-20 from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m. Call 397-6720 to register; deadline is June 6.
Sand Lake church sets concert, fun night
Sand Lake Wesleyan Church will hold an outdoor praise and worship concert and family fun night on Saturday, June 7, at the church, N5761 Sand Lake Road (next to Holmen’s Sand Lake Elementary).
The family fun night will run from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and will feature food, games, a magic show and inflatables from the Big Event Co.
The praise concert will go from 8 to 9 p.m. and will feature new and old favorite songs. The events will move indoors in case of bad weather.
A free-will offering will be taken to support the youth mission trip to Logan, W.Va.
Christ Covenant sets vacation Bible school
Christ Covenant Church at 3630 Highway B in La Crosse, invites all area children up to age 10 to join the church’s vacation Bible school, “Faith Expedition: God’s Treasure Revealed.”
The vacation Bible school will run June 16-20 from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m. Call 397-6720 to register; deadline is June 6.
Onalaska woman starts weekly ministry
Pam Ellis, an Onalaska resident and author of “Real Torn ... Beneath the Veil” has started a new ministry that meets at the Onalaska OmniCenter.
The ministry, called PASSION — Power and Atonement for Suffering, Sin and Iniquities in Our Nation — meets from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Sunday. All are welcome to attend. For more information, contact Ellis at (608) 498-1591.
Choir to begin summer session June 3
The Coulee Region Gospel Choir starts rehearsals for the summer session on Tuesday, June 3, at 6:30 p.m. at Sand Lake Wesleyan Church. New singers are welcome.
Rehearsals will be held weekly, leading up to a July 13 concert. For more information or to reserve a copy of “Gaither Homecoming Volume II”, call Ruth Granum at 526-2218.
Christ the King plans summer Bible school
Christ the King Lutheran Church will hold its vacation Bible school for kids in pre-K through fifth grade from June 8-12.
Theme for the VBS is “Avalanche Ranch — a Wild Ride Through God’s Word” — and sessions will run from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
To register, call 783-1892 or e-mail ctklutheranch@aol.com.
Volunteer Corps seeks participants
Participants are sought for Lutheran Volunteer Corps, a full-time program that offers people a one-year opportunity for spiritual and personal exploration while working for social justice, living in intentional community and simplifying their lifestyles.
Volunteers are matched with nonprofit organizations in Baltimore, Md.; Wilmington, Del.; Washington, D.C.; Chicago; Milwaukee; Minneapolis-St. Paul; Seattle and Tacoma, Wash.; and the San Francisco Bay Area in California.
Applications may be downloaded at http://www.LutheranVolunteerCorps.org/Volunteers.htm/. For more information, contact Kelly Shinn, recruitment coordinator, at (202) 387-3222 or Recruitment@LutheranVolunteerCorps.org.
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