Come to worship at 9:30 a.m.

or

Thursday worship at 6:30 p.m. at Deland Park

Thursday, June 8

The Worship Café opens this Thursday at 6:30 p.m. This year we return to the Deland Center on the lakefront.

Sunday, June 11

This Holy Trinity Sunday we celebrate Holy Communion at 9:30 a.m. using the liturgy from Lutheran Book of Worship. Our new Befrienders will be commissioned today. A special congregational meeting will be held at 10:30 a.m.

Thursday, June 15

The Worship Café begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Deland Center on the lakefront.

Sunday, June 18

On this Second Sunday after Pentecost we celebrate Holy Communion at 9:30 a.m. using the Feast and Celebration liturgy.

Pastor Nelson’s Notes

Dear Partners in Ministry,

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Kathy and I want to thank you for the absolutely amazing and wonderful celebration we had on Sunday, May 21. It was overwhelming and heartwarming to see the outpouring of appreciation and love for our 26 years at First United and 40 years in ordained ministry. With over 600 in worship and 400 people at the party for dinner, it was a most humbling and enjoyable day. It was such a positive, upbeat, celebration surrounded by lots of children and many families. I particularly hoped to have many children share the day. It was so exciting to have our son David and his wife Sara, daughter Sarah, my brother Keith, his son Adam and so many other family join us, together with all the members of First United, present and former staff members, community friends and former church members. It was such a powerful day that I almost forgot that I had fallen off my bicycle the day before, landing on my glasses and ended up with 17 stitches and lots of “road rash.” (I’m healing quickly.)

First of all I must thank my wife, Kathy, for all these years of sacrifice and support, love and companionship. Without her walking with me on this journey I could simply not have carried out the work I felt called to do. For 42 years she has “made me look good!”

Even with the fear of leaving some out, let me offer my profound thanks to the Sunday School kids who sang “Children of the Heavenly Father” and gave us the unique flower pots with all their thumb prints and names on them. Thanks to Pastor Gail for her leadership and efforts to keep worship on track, to Wayne, the choir, the bell choir, the brass instrumentalists for glorious worship music, using some of my favorite anthems and hymns, and for his playing and skit performance during the dinner and program. Thanks to Bishop Paul for his gospel centered sermon, his words of thanks and his presence. Thanks to Jon and Ann Keckonen for developing the fun DVD of our lives through the years. Thanks to Jim Van Akkeren, Lou Milsted and Steve Schneider for their kind words. Thanks for the skit and its performers, Natalie Oldenburg, Cindy Wigdahl, Ryan Hamilton, Tom Gorges, Lee Anne Gilson, Wayne Wildman and Lana Roever. Thanks for the wonderful meal for our family and those incredible desserts brought by so many of you. Thanks for the open house time to meet and greet friends from the community. Thanks for my loyal and dedicated staff who serve every day and provide the gospel in action in all they do - plus they kept all this party stuff secret from me throughout. Thanks for the quilt made by Eunice Goettel and all the quilters. Thanks for the ultra generous check for “gas” money for the Winnebago motorhome. Thanks for the KOA campground gift certificates so we have a place to stay. Thanks for the personal boxes Kathy and I each got with helpful items for our travels. Thanks for Kathy’s dove bracelet. Thanks for all your cards and kind thoughts. Thanks for the hard and endless work of the Celebration Committee: Cathy Britton, Kathy Simonson, Lori Dielentheis, Karla Krueger, Gail Showerman and Pastor Gail. Thanks for the great travel theme, all the gifts to help us on our journeys, for the map and all your points of interest you encouraged us to visit. We have over 100 suggestions for visits already! Thanks to all those former pastors and professional staff that came: Pastor Steve Farwig, Pastor Audrey Lukasak, Natalie Oldenburg, and Cathy Daharsh. Thanks for the “member clergy” of our congregation: Pr. Howard Fintzen and Pr. Bill Truby. Above all, thanks for you and for our partnership these years, for the new members who bring new vision, for the long term members who bring history and steady support, and thanks be to God who guides, strengthens, blesses and empowers us to be his people in this place. Know that while I will not be your pastor after July 31, I will remain your friend and I love you.

~Pastor Karl

VIL Summer Picnic

Summertime is the time for picnics, and Louis and Joyce Milsted have invited you to their home for a potluck picnic on Monday, June 12. We will share a great picnic lunch together at 12 noon, followed by a walk through the Milsted’s beautiful yard and wooded paths. Please contact the church office to sign up, and plan to meet at church at 11:30 a.m. if you would like to car pool.

Fireside Christmas Show

And sign up now to enjoy the sights and sounds of the season as we attend the Fireside Christmas Show on December 6. The cost is $69.

Special Offerings in June

for the

National Youth Gathering

Special offerings on Sunday, June 4, and Sunday, June 11, will be dedicated to our youth going to the National Youth Gathering in San Antonio this summer.

The theme for the 2006 ELCA Youth Gathering is CRUZANDO - Journey with Jesus. Cruzando is a Spanish word meaning Crossing. Thousands of Lutheran youth and adults are coming from all over the map to be renewed in their faith journey. Your generous donations will help our FULC youth have what promises to be an exciting and life-changing experience!

Alzheimer Information Available

Alzheimer’s disease currently affects five million Americans, including one in ten aged 65 and older. The incidence is expected to triple by mid-century. Through education and support, we can learn about early detection and other community resources, which will help to improve our quality of life.

There will be a display table in the Gathering area with educational booklets and other information from the American Alzheimer’s Association for the first few weeks in June. We hope that you find the information helpful in learning more about brain health, Alzheimer’s disease, and other dementias. (We had originally planned to have this information available May 7, but didn’t receive it in time. We apologize for the delay.)

- the Social Ministry Committee

Good News Deadline

The next deadline for Good News articles is Monday, June 12. This issue will be in homes on Wednesday, June 21. Thank you!

Worship Café: Summer Worship Experience

Beginning Thursday, June 8, summer worship will be offered each Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m., complete with refreshments! And, although it’s called Worship Café, the service has returned to Deland Park on the lakefront where we originally held our Marina Ministry Thursday evening services. We will gather with the other ELCA churches in Sheboygan and Sheboygan Falls throughout the summer to worship God and to enjoy fellowship with one another.

Pine Lake Women’s Retreat

You are invited to attend a Women’s Retreat at Pine Lake Camp this summer, August 18-20. The theme for the weekend will be “Boundless Love.”

The pastor for the weekend will be Pastor JoAnn Fabie, from Trinity Lutheran Church, Madison, WI. Activities will include fun and games, Bible study, a Saturday program, worship with Holy Communion, a sunset sing with meditation, a book exchange, a candlelight Taize service, and fellowship with other women.

The weekend starts with a light supper on Friday and ends with lunch on Sunday. The cost for the entire weekend is only $80 ($85 after July 29). Invite your friends, and enjoy a weekend away with a caring community of Christian women! Registration forms are available on the kiosk.

Special Congregational Meeting

Sunday, June 11 at 10:30 a.m.

All congregation members: Please plan to attend a special meeting of the congregation at 10:40 a.m. on Sunday, June 11, immediately following the summer worship service. The Congregation Council is calling this special meeting to ask the congregation to approve the Property Committee’s recommendation to repair and replace our building’s roof. As you may already be aware, we have experienced numerous leaks and problems with the roof over the years.

The congregation will be asked to consider various options which include all or portions of the roof repair and the specific timing of any repairs. Also to be determined is the approval of funding for the project. Two bids have been secured and the repair and replacement of the entire roof is estimated to be over $350,000. The First United Lutheran Church Constitution requires that a special meeting be held to approve expenditures in excess of 4% of the budgeted annual income. Please join us on Sunday, June 11, at 10:40 a.m. to give your input on this very important decision for our church’s future.

~Cathy Britton, Council President

We are in need of ushers!

Serving as an usher at First United only requires your services once a month (occasionally twice if there’s a 5 th Sunday). You are expected to welcome people to worship and assist in seating, ensure proper set-up prior to service and clean-up after. Currently, our greatest need is early service on the first Sunday of each month. If you are willing to assist, please contact the church office!

3rd Annual SCIO Bike-A-Thon is June 25!

Mark your calendar today! The Sheboygan County Interfaith Organization is sponsoring their 3 rd annual Bike-A-Thon on Sunday afternoon, June 25. The ride begins and ends at Salem UCC Church, 217 Salem Drive, in Plymouth. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m., with a group start at 12:30 p.m. There will be three routes: 15, 28, or 50 miles. Please register in advance. Registration fees are $15 if postmarked before June 17, or $20 if postmarked after June 17. Proceeds will be used to support SCIO sponsored programs.

Volunteers are needed for: registration, route safety monitors, rest stops, and to distribute posters and registration forms. Donations of fresh fruit and snacks for the rest stops are also needed. Please call Bob Holland at 457-7272, ext. 15, or by e-mail at scio@excel.net, if you are able to help in any way. Registration forms are available on the kiosk.



Befrienders In Training

I am pleased and proud to announce that we will be commissioning six new Befrienders at the 9:30 a.m. worship service on Sunday, June 11. Those who will be commissioned to serve are: Deb Binversie, Linda Brandt, Carol Madson, Diane and Terry Steiner, and Karen Sullivan. These members of First United have completed 12½ hours of intense training because they desire to reach out in Christian friendship and support to others! Please congratulate them on their dedication, and take advantage of the gifts that they have to offer!

Befriender training covers many topics such as understanding lay ministry, grief and loss, listening and communicating effectively, hospital and home visits, confidentiality, and self care. Befrienders intentionally reach out in Christian friendship, offering one-on-one support to others, especially to those who are confined to their homes, or going through difficult transitions. All Befriender visits remain strictly confidential.

We are blessed to have a very dedicated group of Befrienders who are willing to offer care and support to our members! If you would like one of them to give you a call, or if you know of someone else who would, please let me know. Thank you. ~Deaconess Deb

First United’s Holy Weeders

The flower beds surrounding our church are being tended by numerous members of our congregation. One name was left out of our last newsletter - Neal Widder - and we apologize for the oversight. Thank you, Neal!

Holy Knitters Meet June 12

The Holy Knitters will continue to meet throughout the summer on the second Monday of each month, from 5:00-6:00 p.m., in room 8. So if you knit or crochet, or want to learn, join us Monday, June 12! We have some yarn available, if you need some. We also have a few prayer shawls and lap blankets available, so please contact Deaconess Deb if you know someone who would benefit by receiving one.

In order to continue this ministry, we need your support! Each prayer shawl and lap blanket uses three skeins of a special kind of yarn: Lion Brand Homespun yarn. This yarn is lightweight, very soft and warm, and washable. Please help, by making a financial donation to the Holy Knitters, so we can purchase more yarn. Your support is very much needed and appreciated. Please make your checks payable to First United, memo: Holy Knitters. Thank you!

VBS Planning Meeting

A planning meeting for VBS Fiesta! will be held Monday, June 5, at 7:00 p.m. Lead teachers for each area of Vacation Bible School are invited for salsa and chips as we discuss and plan for this year’s VBS. Volunteers are still needed for most areas. Please see the volunteer sign-up sheet located at the Youth & Family Station , or contact Mary Gorges for more information.

2006 High School Graduates

Congratulations and God’s blessings to our seniors as they graduate from area high schools! They were recognized on June 4 th during the 9:30 a.m. worship service. They are:

David Berg
Jake Bertram
Emily Cain
Lindsey Dvorak
Ashley Eissens
Anne Golubski
Tanya Gosse
Katie Gottsacker
Nicholas Hartmann
Alec Hildebrand
Josh Hoheneder
Thomas Ingels
Jessica Keller
Andrew Kissinger
Aimee Kleine
Michael Olmsted
Sarah Pesmark
Ryan Prigge
Ericka Rosenthal
Ashley Southwick
Stephanie Tahtinen
Kady Telschow
Erika Torrison

Congratulations!

College Grads

We’d like to know who graduated from college this year so we can also recognize them in the Good News. If you have a son or daughter who recently graduated from college, please call us at church (452-2401), or drop a note to the church office, and let us know what school he or she graduated from and his or her future plans. Thank you!

Mom’s Bible Study

Mom’s Bible Study, which met every Wednesday at 9:30 a.m., is taking a summer vacation. This group of women will resume again in September, and all mom’s are encouraged to come for this hour of study complete with coffee and sweets. Please watch future issues of the Good News for start-up times this fall. Childcare is provided.

Morningstar: Bible Study for Men

Our men’s Bible study group has also taken a break. This group which meets each Tuesday morning at 6:30 a.m., complete with breakfast, will resume in September.

Ten-to-One Campaign Making Hunger History


The bishop of our synod, Paul Stumme-Diers, is challenging every member of the synod to give $10 to combat local and world hunger. Envelopes are available in the gathering area or in the church office for you to pick up and put in your contribution. The envelopes may then be turned in to the church office or placed in the offering plate. Please help First United meet its goal and help feed the hungry in the process!

San Antonio Youth

Your presence is required at the next MANDATORY meeting on Wednesday, June 14, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. as we’ll be going through EVERYTHING concerning our up-coming trip.

San Antonio Counselors are requested to be here at 5:00 p.m. for dinner and making covenants.

We are also doing Temple Talks on the Sundays of June 4 and 11 at the 9:30 a.m. services, and we will sit together as a group, wearing our shirts.

If you have any questions, please contact Lori Telschow at 564-2176.