Click here to view the March First Word.

Stories this month include:
Moving forward: Comments from the annual meeting

Choral Institute offers summer music opportunity for youth

Be a collector and make a difference

From a program targeting hunger, a new ministry forms

Augusta Victoria Hospital: Providing care, promoting peace

There are many ways to become closer to God this Lenten season:

1. Read through the First Lutheran Church Lenten devotional. Catch it on the blog. Or, pick up a copy at the church. They are available in the Atrium and at the church entrances.

2. Take part in the Youth and Family offices post-it note Bible verse project. Read more about it here.

3. Attend midweek Lenten services. See the schedule here.

Join Sela Nagelhout (BSN, MS, NCC), an associate with Dr. Mark Britzman, to gain insight and support while exploring questions and insights related to depression, a common experience in our society.

Come to the Trinity Room on Wednesdays starting March 3 through April 7 from 5:30 to 6:50 p.m. Space is limited, please call Sela at 351-3090 or Pastor Barbara Wangsness at 339-1983, ext. 19, or bwl [at] flcsf [dot] org to reserve your spot.

Book study on the 3D Plan for Eating Right, Living Well, and Loving God 

Your Whole Life: The 3D Plan for Eating Right, Living Well, and Loving God by Carol Showalter, with Maggie Davis, nutritionist, will be the book used for a 12-week study beginning Wednesday, March 10, from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. in the Parish Meeting Room.

Registration is required by Sunday, March 7. Suggested cost of materials is $10. For more information or to register, contact Paula Bartels, parish nurse and book study facilitator, at 339-1983, ext. 24, or nurse [at] flcsf [dot] org.

Check out the latest offering from First Lutheran Church's Music Ministry. The Sioux Falls Choral Institute at First Lutheran Church offers a weeklong music camp for those in middle school and high school. Read more about it here.

Lenten Midweek Services

Soup and Bread Meals will be served each Wednesday starting Feb. 24 through March 24 from 12 to 1 p.m. and 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. Read more here. The services schedule is below.

Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17
11:15 a.m. & 7 p.m.
(KSFY at 3 p.m.)
Communion and Imposition of Ashes
Theme: Jesus as Teacher
Preacher: Pastor John Christopherson

Lent I, Wednesday, Feb. 24
11:15 a.m. & 7 p.m.
Theme: Jesus as Friend
Preacher: Pastor Jason Burggraff

Lent II, Wednesday, March 3
11:15 a.m. & 7 p.m.
Theme: Jesus as Healer
Preacher: Pastor Dave Johnson

Lent III, Wednesday, March 10
11:15 a.m. & 7 p.m.
Theme: Jesus as Prophet
Preacher: Pastor John Christopherson

Lent IV, Wednesday, March 17
11:15 a.m. & 7 p.m.
Theme: Jesus as Son of God and Son of Man
Preacher: Pastor Barbara Wangsness

Lent V, Wednesday, March 24
11:15 a.m. & 7 p.m.
Theme: Jesus as Savior and Lord
Preacher: Pastor Natanael Lizarazo

Holy Week Services
Palm Sunday, March 28
8:15, 9:45, 11:15 a.m.
Preacher: Pastor Barbara Wangsness

Maundy Thursday, April 1
11:15 a.m. & 7 p.m. Communion
Preacher: Pastor John Christopherson

Good Friday, April 2
12 noon Family Service
Preacher: Pastor Jason Burggraff
7 p.m. Tenebrae Communion Service
Preacher: Pastor John Christopherson

Easter Vigil: Saturday, April 3
5 p.m. Communion
Preacher: Pastor Natanael Lizarazo

Easter Sunday, April 4
6, 8, 9:45, 11:15 a.m.
Preacher: Pastor John Christopherson

Click here for resources from the South Dakota Synod: www.sdsynod.org/content/view/58/158/

Are you ready to make a pledge?

More than 200 people helped kick off First Lutheran's new campaign, "God's Gifts. Our Responsibility.," on Thursday, Nov. 12. The theme "God's Gifts. Our Responsibilty." communicates that everything we have comes to us as a gift from God. It is each person's responsibilty to be a good and generous steward of those gifts. The goal of the campaign is to raise as least $4.7 million in order to meet a number of congregational proirities. The top three include: eliminating First Lutheran's debt, repairing and maintaining the Aeolian-Skinner organ and commiting a tithe to mission and outreach. After that, a number of projects are planned to update and improve the campus. For more information about the various project please click here to schedule a visit.

Click here for a list of frequently asked questions about the campaign.

The committee has been hard at work making visits, but First Lutheran is a big family! We’ll be making visits for the next several months. The committee respectfully asks that you recieve these fellow members of First Lutheran with joy and open your hearts and minds to what God is calling you to do at this time.

If you are ready to make a pledge to "God's Gifts. Our Responsibilty." please click here to fill out a form.

Visits are also being conducted at the church on:
• Sundays from 9 to 11:15 a.m.
• Wednesdays from 5 to 7 p.m.

Or, just walk in on Sundays or Wednesdays and we’ll try to accommodate your schedule as best we can.

Lenten Soup and Bread Meals start on Feb. 24. (No meals will be served on Feb. 10 or 17.) Meals are served from 12-1 p.m. and 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. Meals are $3.50 each and proceeds will support First Lutheran seminary students and the Union Gospel Mission.

Volunteers keep this tradition of homemade soup and bread alive. Are you able to help? Contact Linda Carpenter at lcarpenter [at] flcsf [dot] org. The menu is below:

Feb. 24: Chili
March 3: Chicken noodle
March 10: Ham and vegetable
March 17: Hamburger
March 24: Potato ham

Meals from the Heart has wrapped up the second cooking session and is ready to distribute meals. Is there someone on your mind and heart who could benefit from a homemade meal? Meals from the Heart invites all ages to make a difference in someone’s life! Pick up the freezer key at the Information Desk; go to the Luther Lounge; select a meal; sign the log; deliver the meal to someone who would appreciate a homemade meal. Want to take the mission a step further? Purchase a Hy-Vee or Sunshine card from the Youth and donate the card to Meals from the Heart. (Card sales benefit Youth and Meals from the Heart!) Give a gift from the heart to someone special! Cards are available for you to give as a gift. For more information, contact Linda Carpenter at 339-1983, ext. 36, or Jody Gust at 338-7511.