June 2024

Dear Friends of First,

In approximately six weeks, 19 youth and adults from First Lutheran will be traveling to New Orleans to attend the 2024 National Youth Gathering. Along with 20,000 other youth from across the nation and around the world, who will also gather for learning, service, worship, and fellowship. The National Youth Gathering typically happens every three years, because of COVID, it’s been six years since the last Gathering. It is a massive undertaking for the gathering office as well as for the thousands of congregations that have been planning and fundraising so that their congregation might attend. This is a huge, life-changing opportunity for our young people.

I have been to nine youth gatherings in my years of ministry, and not once have I had a youth that wasn’t profoundly affected by going, either by the worship, the guest speakers, or the service project. It is not just the youth who benefit, all of us leaders will also be changed by this experience.

We have been saving and fundraising for many years. In February of 2020, we had a lasagna dinner and talent show. We graciously receive funds to pay for our transportation from the rummage sale committee. Thrivent committee donated funds and many other individuals have made generous contributions.

This year, the parents of our travelers cooked a pasta dinner and the congregation provided entertainment; we raised over $1,200. We just want to thank you all for your generous support. We really couldn’t afford this trip without you.

This trip is a big expense, about $1,200 a person, which includes transportation, hotel, registration, site seeing, and food. Therefore, we really couldn’t have done it without your help.

We have one more fundraiser coming up. On Saturday, June 29th, we will be holding a Car Wash, Brat and Burger Fry in the church parking lot. We’ll begin at 9am and end at 2:30pm. We have 100 brats and 50 burgers to grill and we’re hoping to sell them all! If you would still like to support our big trip to the National Youth Gathering, please stop by, have your car washed, eat a brat or simply make a love offering.

We look forward to our return so that we can tell you all about our wonderful experience. Again, thank you for your ongoing support.

Shalom,
Pastor Jim