Steve Marking Hired as New Choir Director/Music Coordinator

We are pleased to announce that Steve Marking has accepted our position of Vocal Music Coordinator and has started to plan for the fall. We welcome him on board!

Steve is a Holmen resident, a Viterbo grad who sang here at OSLC as a student with Byron Blackmore, and went on to do graduate work at Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. He was a founding member of the Lyric Opera Company of New York, and has lived in upstate New York for some years, where he has over 10 years experience directing church choirs. Steve has now returned to Brice Prairie.

He is a professional singer who does concerts in styles ranging from Sinatra to opera. He hopes to help us develop a praise service over time, and enlarge our choir participation. Steve is known as an excellent and patient teacher, helping people exceed their goals with new vocal techniques. He is also teaching vocal students at Studio di Canto in Onalaska with his friend Dean Stude Witz and has recently taken a leadership role with the Coulee Region Gospel Choir.

Adult Inquiry and New Member Classes Begin September 26th, 2010

We received new members at the end of July, and now are eager to bring into our fellowship others who have expressed a desire to learn about our Lutheran faith and our congregation. Classes are for all who joined in July, anyone seeking membership or adult confirmation, anyone wishing to be baptized, anyone coming from another faith or denomination, and anyone who is returning to worship after being gone from church for some years. You can also come if you just want to ask questions, whether a life-long Lutheran or brand new to our faith.

We meet at 4:00 pm for five Sundays beginning on September 26th. If that is not a workable time or if you need to miss some sessions, Pastor Jolivette can do some Saturday morning alternatives. We have spouses and partners and children of members who could surely be invited to join with us. We have neighbors and work acquaintances who may have talked about faith and asked you questions whom you can invite. Come along with your neighbor, partner or spouse.

Our next new member Sunday is All Saints’ Sunday, November 7th. Help us welcome a new group of saints!

September Book Club Selection: The Year of Living Biblically

What would it require for a person to live all the commandments of the Bible for an entire year? That is the question that animates The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible, a hilarious, quixotic, thought-provoking memoir from A.J. Jacobs.

Our discussion will take place on September 30th at 6:30 p.m. Everyone is welcomed to take part. We are a very fluid group and love to see new faces. Many of us cannot read every book every month, but when you do read a book we’ve selected, we’d love for you join us for discussion and dessert. Books may be ordered through Sandra Hansen for $11.00.

Register for Sunday School and Confirmation on September 12th

Please join us Sunday, September 12th for Rally Sunday! This will be a time to register for Sunday School and Confirmation, meet the Sunday School teachers and participate in a fun activity. Registration will be held in the Fellowship Hall after worship. We do not have a registration fee for Sunday School, but we do have a “Gathering Supplies Tree” for needed items. Come take a look Rally Sunday at the “leaves” and see where you might be able to help out.

If you have a question or concern, please feel free to contact the Family and Youth Team. See you Rally Sunday and welcome back to Sunday School!

Men’s Group Meeting on September 11th

The Men’s group will meet in the fellowship hall on Saturday, September 11 at 8:30 for fellowship and coffee. We will also be discussing a couple items for October. We will once again be helping load the Lutheran World Relief Boxcar on Saturday, October 16 and provide wait staff for the Women’s Clothes Closet fashion show on Saturday, October 30. Please contact Mikel Hampel with any questions.

Choir Begins September 12th

Our first choir rehearsal will be Sunday, September 12th. The 12th is also Rally Sunday, our springboard to all the activities that take place here at OSLC during the school year. Practice is 8:00 am on Sundays which the choir sings. Steve Marking, our new choir director, will have a schedule ready when we return and practices will be according to that schedule. We meet in the choir room, practice and sing for the service at 9:00 am that same day.

We welcome all who wish to praise the Lord in song, whether a long time member or joining for the first time.

WELCA Meeting on September 16th

WELCA will meet on Thursday, September 16th at 1:30 pm. Dan Lintin will be sharing stories from his trip to Peru. Please try to attend – it will be very interesting!

Servers are Doris Modahl, Ardis Bolstad, Janice Beeler, Marie Beissel, Ruth West, and Myra Smaby. Contributors are Delilah Wehrs and Lois Nelson. See you there!

Synod to Discuss ELCA Genetics Statement

On Sunday, September 26th, the La Crosse Area Synod will discuss the ELCA Social Statement on Genetics at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. The discussion will begin at 6:30 pm and last about two hours. All are welcome to attend.

More information about the genetics study and a draft of the social statement can be found on the ELCA website.

See Eat, Pray, Love with the OSLC Book Club on August 26th

The OSLC Book Club will NOT be meeting at church on Thursday, August 26th! We will be meeting in the lobby of the Marcus Cinema Theater (2032 Ward Avenue) at 6:30 p.m. to see the movie, Eat Pray Love. The movie runs from 6:50 p.m. to 9:20 p.m. After the movie, all are welcome to join us for a discussion of the book and the movie at a place to be announced that evening.

Ticket prices are $9.00 for adults and $6.50 for those 60 and over. Please call Sandra Hansen if you have any questions.

Order Pizza Hut Pizza To Help La Crosse County Foster Care

The La Crosse County Foster Care Program is partnering with Pizza Hut to raise funds to benefit La Crosse County Foster Care families. If you place an order at Pizza Hut 20% of the profits will be donated to the La Crosse County Foster Care Program; these funds will be used towards events and trainings that will continue to strengthen our community and help support children in foster care. What a great reason to enjoy a pizza night with your family! We greatly appreciate your support!

Fund raising will be held on the 3rd Tuesday of August, September and October. Upcoming dates are Tuesday, September 21st and Tuesday, October 19th. Call or visit your nearest Pizza Hut and present this voucher at time of payment.