God’s Grace: Our Heritage and Future

april 17, 2024

Palm Sunday we began to use the new sound system, and it is wonderful. We do have some tweaking to do and Mid-States along with Dave Palmer, from First Lutheran, will handle the tweaking. Dave Palmer and Jodi Hoyt will handle training people on the new soundboard. The church is grateful for the members who helped pay for the sound and video system as well as the talented people who did the installation work. Let’s praise God for His blessings!

march 11, 2024

The sound system is still being worked on and the sound designer will be in Sioux Falls on March 20. It is anticipated that we will use the sound system on March 23 in the Chapel and March 24, Palm Sunday, in the Sanctuary. We will begin using the new video system that day as well.

The asbestos removal started on March 11 in the Gathering Room. Prairie Environmental is doing the work. They will be here for at least one week. The carpet installer will, hopefully, begin their work on March 18. The Gathering Room is sealed off, and no one is allowed to enter. All activities that usually happen in the Gathering Room have been rescheduled to other rooms. Please make sure to check the TV in the Atrium for the new room locations.

february 13, 2024

Mid-States was at the church on Monday, February 12, to review wiring access. This job will require Mid-States to pull some old wiring and to install new wiring for the sound system. The work of pulling and installing wiring will begin in earnest on Monday, February 19. The church is closed that day (for President’s Day), but Jean Hoff will be here to let Mid-States in and will be available to answer questions. The goal is to be able to use the sound system on March 9 in the Chapel and March 10 in the Sanctuary.

Yes, the Chapel is getting a new sound system if you did not know this previously. We will also be getting some new cameras and updating the video equipment in the Sanctuary.

Thanks to those worshiping on Wednesdays at 11:15 a.m. during Lent as you will be in the Chapel so Mid-States can be in the Sanctuary until 5:30 p.m. That allows the workers time to clean up before the evening service begins at 6:30 p.m.

november 29, 2023

The sound system project is a GO! Praise God for getting us to where we are currently. We are finalizing the contract, and equipment will be ordered. It will takes months for all the equipment to arrive. We are looking for completion in March in time for Easter. The church is blessed to have the money to pay for this project, thanks to members who made a financial commitment to the sound system. Look for updates on when the project actually starts in the Sanctuary and the Chapel.

July 19, 2023

We invite members of the congregation to attend our Atrium Completion Celebration Saturday, July 29 after 5pm service, and again Sunday July 30 between services at 10am. Look forward to photos of the progress of this project, ice cream, and lemonade. We look forward to seeing you soon!

May 31, 2023

With a short delay in receiving the stone, we have completed the Atrium remodel. Members can look forward to the updated reception desk and carpeting. The desk is complete with two monitors and two TVs showing the latest happening around the church. One of the entrances to the Sanctuary was converted to a back office workspace for our receptionists, but members can still enter the Sanctuary through the Welcome Center!

march 17, 2023

The reception desk is being worked on with the cabinetry arriving on March 20. It will take a few days to install everything. The template of the stone will take place after the cabinetry is installed. It will take 6 weeks to get the stone and for it to be installed. The receptionist will be able to use the reception area while we wait for the stone to be installed.

january 25, 2023

There is a lot done on the Atrium remodel, but the big question being asked is: “When is the reception desk going to be started?” 

The church purchased monitor lifts so that the computer monitors would be able to be lowered into a cabinet at night. The lifts arrived at the church on January 24. The cabinet company needed the lifts to be able to design the cabinetry. The work is beginning on the cabinets, but it will be another 6-7 weeks for them to be completed.

october 27, 2022

The Atrium remodel project will begin on Monday, November 14. Construction hours will be 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays except Wednesdays when construction will happen from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

september 20, 2022

The bids for the Atrium remodel were opened on September 15. The Church Council will select a contractor at the September 22 council meeting. An announcement will be made to the congregation on the company that is chosen.

june 29, 2022

The architects, engineers, and design team are meeting with staff and members of the council. We are looking at details at this time and picking out the finishes. Another meeting was held on June 24, where we could see options for the reception desk and storage area. Things are progressing, and you will see changes as we move from summer to fall. The custodial staff will be removing things from the walls in preparation for the Atrium remodel. Summer is the best time for them to get their part done as there are not as many activities as in the fall. Please let the staff know if you can’t locate something that you need.

june 21, 2022

W have news about the 10% that the Capital Campaign has given to the Evangelism & Outreach Board. The campaign gave the Outreach Board $116,770.72. The money was sent to the following ministries:

• St. Francis House: $15,000

• Lutheran Outdoors: $18,750

• The Banquet: $15,000

• Shetek Bible Camp: $11,250

• Lutheran Social Services: $7,500

• Emmaus Road Foundation: $7,500

The remaining $6,770.72 was put in a special account here at First Lutheran for a future outreach program.

february 8, 2022

Following congregational approval at the Annual Meeting, the Capital Campaign has been refocused on the following projects:

• Tuck pointing $121,000

• Atrium remodel $160,000

• Sanctuary ceiling $750,000

• Sound system $250,000

• Mission support $350,000

Please prayerfully consider a gift to the campaign to complete these projects. Submit a pledge above, or contact Jean Hoff.

december 28, 2021

YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is with joy and celebration that we share with you that the HVAC loan has been paid in full. This is MARVELOUS news! We perhaps don’t see the $1.4M that was paid for the heating and air conditioning, but we can sure feel it when we are attending worship and other activities at the church. Thanks be to God for this wonderful blessing!

december 15, 2021

We are making progress, and it is so exciting to see that the balance of the HVAC loan is now at $38,228. Let’s keep the momentum going and get the balance to ZERO by December 31.

november 29, 2021

It is a beautiful November day, the beginning of a new week at work. What a way to start the week!!! A large payment was made on the HVAC loan, bringing our remaining balance to $59,158. Thanks be to God!

september 27, 2021

We are excited to share with you that the new HVAC loan balance is $120,168 as of September 27, 2021. Way to go…you are so awesome, First Lutheran!!

august 26, 2021

Great news to share with the congregation! The HVAC loan balance is $159,018. Be proud FLC members for helping to get the loan balance down from $1,400,000 to $159,018. Wonderful job!

august 2021

The new HVAC loan amount is $174,518 as of August 1, 2021. The Church Council will be prioritizing the list of the campaign projects yet to be completed at their August Council meeting.  The congregation will be updated on the priority list once it has been established.

june 2021

The HVAC loan is now $286,518. There is great hope that the loan will be paid in full by the end of the year. The congregation has done a wonderful job fulfilling their pledges. The Council will begin looking at and prioritizing other projects on the God’s Grace: Our Heritage and Future Capital Campaign. The list of priorities will be listed on the website as the list becomes available. It’s exciting to think we can start looking towards improvements like the sound system, tuck pointing to preserve the integrity of the building or repairing cracks in the wall throughout the sanctuary. I am looking forward to seeing the priority list.

Another payment was made on the HVAC loan. The balance as of June 17, 2021 is $286,518.

The loan balance on the HVAC is now just $297,857. What an amazing number! Praise God!!

may 2021

The loan balance on the HVAC is now at $355,962.

Did you know you can direct your gift to the capital campaign to a project that is meaningful to you? Is it the wall repair work in the sanctuary or the moving of the receptionist desk for greater safety?

april 2021

The HVAC loan is now at $409,495. The loan balance is dwindling each month, which means the interest on the loan is decreasing as well.

march 2021

The balance on the HVAC loan is $444,055. A few details about the sanctuary improvements: We have budgeted $250,000 for the sound system, $650,000 for the sanctuary ceiling, and $265,000 for the wall repairs.

february 2021

Another $20,103 has been paid on the HVAC loan, bringing our remaining debt amount to $444,055. This is good news.

A beginning date for the campaign to start visits again has not been determined. As the conversations take place about the renewing of the campaign visits, you will be notified via First Word and the website to that start date.

I thought this month would be a good time to remind the congregation of some projects that are still outstanding on the capital campaign. This month I am highlighting the needs in the Sanctuary and Christ the Victor Chapel.

Sanctuary Improvements—$1,415,000

Sound system: The entire current sound systems ($250,000) need to be replaced in the Sanctuary and Chapel. Our speakers and controls are outdated and obsolete, and dead spots inside the Sanctuary cause sound echoes and sound to not be heard evenly. 

Sanctuary ceiling: The Sanctuary ceiling ($650,000) needs to be replaced. The current ceiling tiles are degrading due to age and condensation between the ceiling and roof. This is a concern for safety, and it also affects the Sanctuary sound quality.

Sanctuary wall repair: Our Sanctuary walls (265,000) are cracking, and though some interior wall repairs have been done every few years, what is being suggested is a longer lasting repair. This project also includes artistic painting ($250,000).

october 2020

The HVAC loan is $648,694 as of September 30, 2020. How AMAZING that we have paid $900,000 in the last year. We have not been scheduling visits since March 13, which makes this news even more exciting. Many thanks to those who have continued to meet their pledges this year to the capital campaign.

august 2020

The Church was able to pay $33,065 in the month of July on the HVAC loan. With this payment, the balance of the loan is $672,224. What an amazing blessing!

april 2020

While the capital campaign is on hiatus, we are not making calls or visits, but we are still receiving money and making payments on the HVAC loan. The good news is the church was able to make a payment on the loan in March. The loan balance is now $743,082. Amazing! We will continue to update the congregation as we receive money and make payments.

march 2020

As of March 5, pledges totaling $2,114,935 have been made to the capital campaign. The HVAC loan has an outstanding balance of $801,082. Our interest payments will change now that we owe less on this loan. Please consider a gift to the capital campaign to help eliminate the debt as well as the interest payments.

february 2020

As of February 19, the capital campaign has now received $1,904,935 in pledges. The majority of these pledges are for five years, so it will take a number of years to pay off the HVAC loan. The balance owing on the HVAC is $1,054,048. Let’s all work together to get that loan paid off. Call the church to schedule a visit, or attend the next Dave Munson forum on March 3 at 6:30 p.m. in the Gathering Room.

The capital campaign has received pledges totaling $1,579,318 as of Monday, February 3. The majority of these pledges are for five years. In other words,  the church will be paying interest on the HVAC loan for the next five years. Please consider a pledge to help eliminate the debt so we can work on security and building maintenance.

january 2020

The capital campaign has now received pledges from 93 households totaling $1,470,718. We are thankful to these families for their pledges, and we Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow. We are making phone calls to schedule home visits.

Dave Munson will hold a forum on his vision of what this means for First Lutheran on Wednesday, February 12, at 11:15 a.m. in the Gathering Room. We will serve cheese and crackers along with some cookies since the meeting will run for an hour.

December 17, 2019

Former Sioux Falls mayor, Dave Munson, will share with First Lutheran members his vision of what the God’s Grace: Our Heritage and Future capital campaign means to the future of First Lutheran. Two sessions will be offered in the Gathering Room:

• January 7, 10 a.m.

• January 14, 6:30 p.m.

We would appreciate an RSVP to these events. You may call the receptionist at the church (336-3734) to put your name on the list.

The total for the capital campaign is now at $845,558. We are thankful for these first 46 pledges that have helped us achieve this goal.

december 9, 2019

The Annual Meeting and Celebration Launch of the Capital Campaign, God’s Grace: Our Heritage and Future, is scheduled for Sunday, January 26, at 12:15 p.m. There will be a light lunch beginning at 11:30 a.m. with sloppy joes, chips, and salad. Come join us for some exciting news about the capital campaign and hear about what has happened in the church during 2019. This is your church; please make plans to attend and be part of the decision-making process!

The campaign has reached $775,000. We have had some very generous gifts, and we are thankful to all the members who have made pledges thus far.

november 2019: visits begin

Letters to full- and part-time time staff members, who are members of First Lutheran, have been sent out as well as letters to all board members and the Executive Committee. The pastors have begun visits to members. Pledges are being received in the finance office.

architect renderings

september 2019: forums and all-congregation meeting

On September 29, 2019, the congregation approved the $5.3M campaign, “God's Grace: Our Heritage and Future.”

Congregation forums are scheduled for September 8, 11, and 15 to discuss possible renovations and to present the entire proposed campaign. An all-congregation meeting will be held on Sunday, September 29, at 12:15 p.m. to vote on the campaign.

august 2019: forums scheduled

In late August, a letter was mailed to all FLC members, informing of upcoming forums to be held with Architecture Inc. as well as members of the Church Council and pastoral staff. Read the full letter here. Join us in the Gathering Room for one or more of the forums:

• Sunday, September 8, 9 a.m.

• Sunday, September 8, 10:30 a.m.

• Wednesday, September 11, 11 a.m.

• Sunday, September 15, 9 a.m.

• Sunday, September 15, 10:30 a.m.

A congressional vote will be taken at the all-congregation meeting on Sunday, September 29, at 12:15 p.m. in the Sanctuary.

july 2019: architect updates

Following the May congregational focus group follow-up meetings, the Task Force met with the Architecture, Inc. in late May and June to further discuss the needs of the congregation. The Task Force will meet with the architects again on July 12 to view proposals for the Atrium, Welcome Center, and Gathering Room. After reviewing these proposals, another series of meetings will be scheduled to welcome the congregation’s input. We will announce these meeting dates soon.

june 2019: hvac update

While work continues on our HVAC system, we are finding both cool and warm places throughout the building and particularly in the Sanctuary. We recommend bringing a light jacket to worship or sitting in a different area of the Sanctuary to find a comfortable place for your liking. Unfortunately, we are unable to make adjustments on site. Thank you for your patience!

may 2019: focus group follow-up

In March 2019, our First Lutheran Council began investigating potential facilities upgrades and renovations that might accompany our much-needed HVAC system installation. These potential changes were shared with the congregation through a series of focus group meetings held in March and April. Thanks to the congregation’s feedback, participation, and critical input in the focus group meetings, the Council appointed a Task Force to interview and select one of three local architecture firms to engage in further conversation as to how three main areas of the campus (The Atrium, Welcome Center, and Gathering Room) might better serve the various ministries and missions of FLC now and in the future.

The Task Force recommended Architecture, Inc. to the Council to prepare a preliminary design for the proposed renovation. This proposed renovation will make the campus more secure, welcoming, and functional. FLC member and constituent input is critical to the final configuration of these areas. Please attend one of the meetings below to provide your input:

• Monday, May 6, 5:30 p.m. – Wednesday Night Volunteers

• Tuesday, May 7, 6:30 p.m. – General Congregation

• Wednesday, May 8, 11 a.m. – General Congregation

• Thursday, May 9, 5 p.m. – FLC Women

• Monday, May 13, 6:30 p.m. – Recent New Members

• Wednesday, May 15, 5:30 p.m. – General Congregation

You are welcome to attend any meeting, but you'll notice some will be geared toward specific interest groups. All meetings will be held in the Gathering Room.

March 2019: focus groups

First Lutheran is investigating potential facilities upgrades and renovations to accompany our much-needed HVAC system installation. These potential changes have been discussed among church leaders who are excited to share this preliminary planning with the congregation.

Congregation suggestions, questions, and input are vital in this process. Upcoming Focus Group meetings, held in the Friendship Room, will include presentations and question and answers sessions. Presentations will last approximately 20 minutes. You will then be able to ask questions and answer a brief questionnaire before concluding.

Families are encouraged to attend; times marked with an asterisk will have free childcare available in the nursery. Middle and high school students are encouraged to attend; we value their input as well! Mark your calendar to attend one of these important sessions.

FOCUS GROUP MEETING TIMES

Sunday, March 3 // *9:15 a.m., *10:45 a.m., 12:15 p.m.
Wednesday, March 6 // 12 p.m.
Saturday, March 9 // 6:15 p.m.
Sunday, March 10 // *9:15 a.m., *10:45 a.m., 12:15 p.m.
Wednesday, March 13 // *5:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 16 // 6:15 p.m.
Sunday, March 17 // *9:15 a.m., *10:45 a.m., 12:15 p.m.
Wednesday, March 20 // 12:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 23 // 6:15 p.m.
Sunday, March 24 // *9:15 a.m., *10:45 a.m., 12:15 p.m.
Wednesday, March 27 // *5:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 30 // 6:15 p.m.
Sunday, March 31 // *9:15 a.m., *10:45 a.m., 12:15 p.m.
Wednesday, April 3 // 12:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 6 // 6:15 p.m.
Sunday, April 7 // *9:15 a.m., *10:45 a.m., 12:15 p.m.
Wednesday, April 10 // *5:30 p.m.