Emanuel Happenings

Here is your update for the week; only four weeks to go: -Important Dates Link: emanueltigertalk.blogspot.com/2024/04/important-dates-week-of-4292024.html -School Health Update Pink eye continues to present itself at school. Please also be aware that, as we near the end of the school year, student mental health bears watching. The anticipation of leaving the extremely structured days of the school year can cause anxiety and uncertainty in children; maintaining some of that throughout the summer can help. -Call News Mr. Luebke continues to hold his Call to Kingdom Prep in Wauwatosa, WI. Continue to pray for him and his family, and if you haven't yet, consider letting him know what a blessing he is to Emanuel! -Fast Direct Convenience Fee You may recall that a few months ago, the Emanuel School Board voted to add the online convenience fee for Fast Direct transactions to the transactions themselves. This will take effect THIS WEEK on Wednesday, May 1. When you pay online, you will no...

Generally, our actions are shaped by our beliefs. People who eat low-carb diets do so, probably not because they hate pasta, but because they believe it is healthiest. If a man buys stock in a company, it probably is because he believes in their business plan. Our beliefs shape our behavior. This is true of Christians’ belief in the resurrection. We believe that Christ’s resurrection means our resurrection to a glorious eternal life is guaranteed. That inevitably shapes how we will act now. However, it is not simply the facts of the resurrection that shape our behavior. It is the person of the resurrection. Jesus is not some wise, dead sage whose advice is contained in dusty books. Jesus lives! Therefore, through His Word, he is able to work on our minds and hearts, molding them to his perfect will. Here is a resurrection reality. Jesus fills us with his Spirit, not only so that we have faith, but also so that we produce the fruits of faith he seeks. Want to hear more? See you this wee...

 

Big shoutout to our amazing administrative team, Michelle, Nikki, Kim, and Scarlett! You're the unsung heroes who keep this office running smoothly. They truly do it all, and we wouldn't be achieving our goals without their dedication and hard work. Thank you, ladies! "I thank my God every time I remember you. Every time I pray for all of you, I always pray with joy." Philippians 1:3 #administrativeprofessionals #gratitude #dreamteam

Looking at you, Beth! We feel your pain with the yard sign after that crazy snowstorm a few weeks ago. On a brighter note, thanks to our awesome members who displayed our signs around New London! Whether your sign is still up or not, we can't wait to "See You Sunday!"  

Mr. Luke Zeamer has accepted our Divine Call to serve as Emanuel’s fourth-grade teacher. He currently serves at Our Savior’s Lutheran School in Peridot, AZ. Please keep Mr. Zeamer and his family in your prayers as they transition to Wisconsin. Mr. Chris Luebke, our upper-grade math and 8th-grade homeroom teacher and vice principal, continues to deliberate the Call extended to him to teach high school math at Kingdom Prep Lutheran High School in Wauwatosa, WI. His wife, Katie, who teaches math at FVL, also received a Call to teach math at Kingdom Prep. We pray that God leads them to a decision that brings them peace and benefits his kingdom.

Good morning everyone, Here is your update for the last full week in April! -Important Dates Link: emanueltigertalk.blogspot.com/2024/04/important-dates-week-of-4222024.html -School Health Update We still have a few cases of strep throat, stomach virus, and pink eye hanging around in our building; we are hoping that as the weather improves, the increased time out in the fresh air and sunshine will help to combat those. -Divine Call News Mr. Chris Luebke, our upper-grade math and 8th-grade homeroom teacher and vice principal, continues to deliberate the Call extended to him to teach high school math at Kingdom Prep Lutheran High School in Wauwatosa, WI. His wife, Katie, who teaches math at FVL, also received a Call to teach math at Kingdom Prep. We pray that God leads them to a decision that brings them peace and benefits his kingdom. -MAP Testing NWEA MAP testing for all grades K-8 begins this week and will run for the next three weeks. Please make sure your children are getting qualit...

Scripture frequently pictures spiritual care in terms of a shepherd watching over sheep. Even folks unfamiliar with shepherding can grasp the meaning. Sheep are helpless animals—an easy meal for predators. For sheep to survive they needed a shepherd who not only leads them to sources of food, but who also is willing to tangle with a pack of wolves. Jesus is such a shepherd. He proved he is willing to lay down his life for his sheep. The word “pastor” comes from the Latin word for “shepherd.” Today, there are plenty of people—pastors, religious leaders, etc.—who claim they can provide healing for your soul. Yet, Scripture warns that “many” of these are “false prophets” (1 John 4:1) who “distort the truth” (Acts 20:30). Many! But the resurrection reality is that our Good Shepherd is faithful. He will raise up true sub-shepherds who know Christ and proclaim the truth of his gospel. Want to hear more? See you this weekend: Saturday at 5:15 p.m. • Sunday at 8 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. **Please ...

Much is happening with our Forward renovation project. You can see by the photos here that our sanctuary is undergoing a massive change, as workers have already set up scaffolding and begun work on the ceiling.  You can see our full collection of photos at our Forward Progress Photo Gallery . Be sure to check it out! 

Tickets are now on sale for Emanuel's spring musical, The Little Mermaid, Jr. Performances will be Friday, May 10 at 6:30 p.m., Saturday, May 11 at 2:00 p.m., and Sunday, May 12 at 6:30 p.m. General seating tickets are $5.00 and may be purchased in the church office. Join us for some great entertainment by Emanuel's upper-grade students!  

Good afternoon everyone, Here is your weekly update: -Important Dates Special note: NO BUS ON FRIDAY, APRIL 19 Link: emanueltigertalk.blogspot.com/2024/04/important-dates-week-of-4152024.html -School Health Update While the cases of respiratory illness seem to be lightening up, we have a resurgent stomach bug that is beginning to circulate. Please note that if a child vomits at school, we will send them home, and they need to stay home until they are free of vomiting for 24 hours. If a child is sent home during the day due to illness, that day DOES NOT count toward their absence limit for the year. -Divine Call News This weekend, Mr. Chris Luebke received a Call, along with his wife, Katie, a teacher at Fox Valley Lutheran High School, to serve as a math teacher and department leader at Kingdom Prep Lutheran High School in Wauwatosa, WI. Mr. Luebke also serves as our vice principal. Please keep the Luebke family in your prayers as they deliberate where they may best serve the Lord in h...

A platitude is a statement aimed at helping soothe some sort of emotional unease. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Or “Life is a mystery.” Or “Good things come to those who wait.” While platitudes may be well-intentioned, at best they come off as trite. And since platitudes provide no real help, they can actually make a situation worse. Tell the one whose heart is shattering, “Life is a mystery.” They won’t appreciate your platitude or you. The resurrection gives believers the ability to offer more than platitudes. We have a meaningful message to share—of repentance, of forgiveness, of peace, of power. The reality is we have something important to say to every single person that God brings into our sphere of influence. And our risen Savior gives us the courage and power to share that meaningful message. Want to hear more? See you this weekend: Saturday at 5:15 p.m. • Sunday at 8 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. **Please remember that during renovation, worship will be in the school com...

We're thrilled to announce that Kim Lodewegen, our amazing school administrative assistant, has been nominated for the 2024 New London Chamber of Commerce Educator/School Personnel of the Year Award! This prestigious award recognizes outstanding educators, school personnel, or anyone who works directly with students in our public or private schools.  We'd also like to take a moment to acknowledge Mr. Chris Luebke for his well-deserved nomination for this same award in 2023. Chris, your dedication to Emanuel's students is truly inspiring. Kim and Chris, we echo to you the words of St. Paul when he prayed for the Philippians (Philippians 1:3-6):  I thank my God every time I remember you. Every time I pray for all of you, I always pray with joy,  because of your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now. I am convinced of this very thing: that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Congratulations to bot...

We noticed some of our "See You Sunday" yard signs have come down. Here are some possible reasons: Easter Sunday has passed: Many people take down seasonal decorations after the holiday. Combined with political signs: If you had other yard signs displayed, you might have removed them altogether. Wind and snow damage: Our recent strong winds and heavy snowstorms might have bent the metal stakes, making it difficult to keep the signs upright. No worries if your sign is gone! But, if your "See You Sunday" sign is still in good shape and you'd like to keep it displayed, that's fantastic! It's a great way to continue welcoming our neighbors. 

St. Peter Weyauwega (312 W. Main St.) is hosting the 43rd annual WELS Northeast Regional Handbell Festival. The public is cordially invited to attend the sacred handbell concert at 2:00 PM on Sunday, April 14, in the school gymnasium. Handbell choirs from 9 different WELS congregations made up of 120+ individuals will be participating in the event. The concert will also include a vocal choir with singers from St. Peter Weyauwega, Immanuel Waupaca, and Emanuel New London, as well as instrumentalists who will accompany the bells on several selections. We hope you can join us as we “Pray, Praise, and Give Thanks” through music!

Easter JAM! was a wonderful morning filled with Jesus, His death and resurrection, wonderful people, and lots of fun! Thank you to all who came out for the morning! We had over 90 people in attendance!  Thank you to our church family for all of your support, financially and through prayers! Keep up the great work of spreading the Good News and inviting young families to our JAM! events! 

Mark your calendars for Emanuel's Fine Arts Fair on Friday, April 19th from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. This year's fair will be an open house-style event, so families can arrive and stay whenever works best for them. Come admire amazing art projects created by all our students, displayed in the gymnasium. But the fun doesn't stop there! We'll have six interactive art stations set up, perfect for families to create art together. Please note: Due to ongoing renovations, we won't have our usual all-school music performance this year. However, enjoy the sounds of talented upper-grade students performing solos throughout the evening. Join us for a night celebrating the artistic talents of Emanuel's students!

 

Good afternoon everyone, Praise God, it looks like spring weather is heading our way! As we speed toward the last weeks of the school year, please continue to tune in to these "weekly update" messages; the schedule can become quite hectic around here in April and May. -Tiger Cub Care Sign-Up 3 more Tiger Cub Care sign-ups for the year! Please enter all care needed for the last 2 weeks of April by Thursday, April 11! The other sign-ups are there as well if you can finish out the year! Link: docs.google.com/document/d/1V5qByRQ5Llk5vS8bPqUupoGdmngW2G7_f2TFHaDdNls/edit?usp=drivesdk -Important Dates Link: emanueltigertalk.blogspot.com/2024/04/important-dates-week-of-482024.html -School Health Update We continue to battle a particularly stubborn strain of strep throat. Even if your child tests positive and receives antibiotics, please keep an eye on them and make sure that the treatment is effective. Several students and adults went through a treatment of common antibiotics (usuall...

 After many years of planning, it’s finally time to move Forward. The sanctuary where we have gathered to worship for more than a century is about to undergo a major renovation. Over the next few months, we anticipate that the improvements are going to be a great blessing to our church. And the process of seeing it come together will be a blessing, too. Every so often, God’s people have to answer the question, “Where do we go from here?” or “Where will we worship?” It’s a question that calls for patience and trust. Read More

In most world religions, the alleged foundational event was experienced by only one person. A self-proclaimed prophet would allege he alone had some special encounter with God. “No really! Just trust me. It really happened.” The resurrection reality is so very different. In the Great Resurrection Chapter (1 Corinthians 15), St. Paul writes an entire paragraph listing all the people to whom Jesus appeared after he rose, including a group of over five hundred at one time. It is like St. Paul is telling skeptics, “You don’t need to take my word for it. Hundreds of us saw Jesus back from the dead.” The proof of Jesus’ resurrection brought peace and strength to those early believers. They knew there was more to their existence than just their time on earth. They knew the reality that eternal life was theirs, a gift from their living Lord. It gave them incredible joy and courage. May the resurrection reality give us the same. Want to hear more? See you this weekend: Saturday at 5:15 p.m. • S...

Good afternoon everyone, I pray you had a blessed Easter celebration! I was hoping the snow that started coming down was an April Fool's joke, but it looks like it will stick around for a couple of days. Here is your weekly update: -Church Service Changes As you may have seen on Facebook (or in person if you were helping), our church sanctuary has been completely emptied out and is ready for construction to begin! Consequently, worship will be changing beginning on Saturday this week. All worship services (Saturdays at 5:15 and Sundays at 8:00/10:30) will take place in the school Commons. Monday night services have been suspended for the time being. This also means that beginning next week (4/8), all students will be eating lunch in their classrooms for the duration of the renovation. Hot lunch will still be available, as will microwaves for reheating food from home. You will also still be able to enter the Commons for pick-up as normal, but you will see rows of chairs instead of b...

There will be no PSI, Crossroads, or SOAR this evening, April 3, 2024, due to inclement weather. See you Sunday, and see you next week at PSI, Crossroads, and SOAR.

 

Once again, a huge thank you to our incredible volunteers who prepped the church for its makeover earlier this week! In only a few hours, workers were able to remove and store all items in the narthex and church balcony, remove the altar, lectern, pulpit, and all church pews, along with the organ and pianos. This work has been instrumental in getting the Forward renovation project physically underway.  We praise the Lord for providing such a willing workforce, so eager to get this project underway. This removal and storage work paves the way for Miron Construction to set up and begin their work later this week. We can't wait to see the beautiful transformation together!

St. Paul writes, “Christ has indeed been raised from the dead” (1 Corinthians 15:20). Big word: Indeed! Paul is stressing that we must not think of Jesus’ resurrection as a happy ending to another epic fable. The resurrection is not a legend. It really happened. Easter is not just a holiday. Easter is history. On time’s infinite line, Jesus’ resurrection is the punctiliar moment that defines reality for us all. If Christ remained dead, he is a fraud and failure. But Christ has indeed been raised. So, the reality: Jesus is exactly what he claimed to be—the Son of God, our Lord and Savior. If Christ remained dead, then the grave is the final, ugly, rotten end of us all. But Christ has indeed been raised. So, the reality is Jesus’ resurrection proves that “all will be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22). The reality of the resurrection does not just change our future, but the way we look at life now. The greatest theologian of the early church, Augustine, called the season of Easter “a joyf...

A huge thank you to our incredible volunteers who prepped the church for its makeover this morning! In only a few hours, workers were able to remove and store all items in the narthex and church balcony, remove the altar, lectern, pulpit, and all church pews, along with the organ and pianos. This work has been instrumental in getting the Forward renovation project physically underway.  Since volunteers finished by noon today, there's no need for additional volunteers on Tuesday or Wednesday of this week.  We praise the Lord for providing such a willing workforce, so eager to get this project underway. The work done today paves the way for Miron Construction to set up and begin their work later this week. We can't wait to see the beautiful transformation together!