Living Faith Weekly News (Week of April 5, 2026)

Kay Michaelson
Apr 6
5 min read

Updated: Apr 6

**Easter Sunday capped off a week of Living Faith's journey to New Life!**

Living Faith gathered on Maundy Thursday in the chapel of the PUCC for a service which featured foot washing, Holy Communion and the stripping of the altar. Pastor Paige McGrath led worship with Gail Kass accompanying worship on the piano. Travis Balt read scripture and Kim Lang assisted with Holy Communion. Helping Pastor Paige to strip the altar were Todd Lang, Yvonne Law, and Kay Michaelson. Tim Kass ushered for the service.

On Good Friday, Living Faith joined together to worship in the chapel of the PUCC. This service was led by Pastor Paige with readers Travis Balt and Bailey Quanbeck and pianist Dawn Richards. Tim Kass served as usher. Worshipers heard readings from Isaiah, the Psalms and Hebrews. One of the emphases of the service was the time of prayer Pastor Paige led. Worshipers were invited to pray and record their prayers according to ten categories Pastor Paige offered. Recorded prayers were then put on a cross that was brought into our worship space. On this most solemn day, worshipers left in silence.

Living Faith gathered on Saturday and started their worship in the narthex of the PUCC with

the Blessing of New Fire and the lighting of the paschal candle. Worshipers then lit their own candles and processed in the darkness to the chapel to continue worship. This service featured 10 readings, and for each, a response and prayer. The readings were presented in several different forms with congregation participation throughout. The service also featured the Affirmation of Baptism, Holy Communion, and a choir anthem.

Many assisted to make this service special: Pastor Paige, ushers and greeters Yvonne Law and Kay Allen, candle bearer Todd Lang, worship assistant Kay Michaelson, readers Bailey Quanbeck, Travis Balt, Karen Schroeder, Kim Lang, Angela Catton, and Kari Kopperud, accompanist Travis Balt, violinist Jess Kopperud, choir members Rich Ziettlow, Dave Curry, Kevin and Dawn Richards, Conor and Kjersten Rathke, Kim Lang, Kari and Jess Kopperud, Travis and Pixie Balt and Kay Michaelson, and communion assistant Todd Lang. Thank you to all who remained after service to rearrange the chapel.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/9366cc_8c9d75e4b4bd435aa55ae814afbb5621/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/9366cc_765419b5abb54e25ae6f784b4c1414f1/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/9366cc_0d5250120eb74aa5a8b8756c70147885/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/9366cc_80d2983bd88f4dd08f02a0d237aac1ea/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/9366cc_ae7ceac493364e389a6836c68454fc37/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Living Faith celebrated the risen Lord on Sunday in the sanctuary of the Presbyterian United Church of Christ. Pastor Paige McGrath led the celebratory service with Travis Balt accompanying us on the piano. Mark Catton read scripture and Peg McAllister assisted with Holy Communion. An Easter Choir offered the anthem "Easter Festival" directed by Travis Balt and accompanied by Pixie Balt on piano and Michael Prichard and Chloe Witt on trumpet. Tim Kass ushered and ran the sound board. Angela Catton live-streamed our service. John and Peg McAllister provided bread for communion and prepared the elements.

(Click on the right side arrow and then click on the picture to see each slide which shows how beautiful the sanctuary looked yesterday! Thank you to all who donated flowering plants and the PUCC who set the plants up and decorated the beautiful cross!)

Flowering Plant Donations

In Memory of:

Don Law by Yvonne Law

Bob Gibson by Debbie Gibson

Roger & Daniel Utesch by Sharon Utesch

Our Parents by Tim & Gail Kass

Herb & Jo Michaelson and Dwight & Sally Puttmann by Kay & Brian Michaelson

To the Glory of God by Mark & Cheryl Juhl

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/9366cc_52a6b775e2874e45b51f178ec69d324c/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Thank you to all who helped after worship: Tim Kass, Jim and Sandy Heeren, Yvonne Law, Sharon Utesch, Anniston Van Otterloo and Brian and Kay Michaelson.

Prior to our Easter worship, Living Faith hosted an Easter buffet and egg hunt for Living Faith and our PUCC friends! There was also a photobooth in the Fellowship Hall! The

Fellowship Hall was full and buzzing with the excitement of Easter!

Thank you to Sharon Utesch, Kay Michaelson, Mark Catton, Peg McAllister, Kari Kopperud, Gail Kass, Yvonne Law, Kay Allen, Debbie Gibson, Karen Kass, Cheryl Juhl, Audrey Scholten, and Amy Riccio-Beveridge who contributed food and beverages for our Easter buffet!

Thank you to Brian Michaelson, Kortney, Jordan and Jess Kopperud and Clara Kass for setting up our Easter Egg hunt!

(Click on the right hand arrow and click on each picture to see who stopped by our photobooth! If you had a picture taken but it is not in this slideshow, send it to Kay via text or email and she will get it included!)

Thank you to Angela Catton and Todd & Kim Lang for setting up the photobooth and Kay Michaelson for setting up the Easter egg hunt.

Honoring Pastor Paige!

Sunday was the one-year anniversary of Pastor Paige's ordination and Living Faith recognized this anniversary with a bouquet of flowers which decorated our altar and a card created by Peg McAllister!

Living Faith welcomes all to worship on Sunday, April 12th, the second Sunday of Easter! We worship in the sanctuary of the Presbyterian United Church of Christ located at 858 7th Ave. SE in Le Mars. Pastor Paige McGrath will preside over worship and Gail Kass will accompany us on the piano. We are in need of a scripture reader and a communion assistant. If you would like to help with either of these tasks, please let Kay know. Tim Kass will usher and Jenni Mack will live-stream our service.

9:30 AM Bible Study will resume with Pastor Paige on Sunday in Room 105. Grab a cup of coffee from the Fellowship Hall and join in!

Confirmation classes will resume this Wednesday at 7:00 PM. Students meet at Christ Lutheran Church, rural Brunsville.

The next Church Council meeting will be on Monday, April 13 at 6:30 in Room 105.

Noah's Ark Preschool will be hosting a Sunday Brunch on April 19th from 10:00 - 10:45 in the Fellowship Hall of the PUCC. There will be a free will offering with donations benefiting the mission of Noah's Ark Preschool. The classroom will also be open for tours at this time!

Living Faith celebrates and congratulates Kari Kopperud who was named the Teacher of the Year for Le Mars Community Schools and she will receive the 2026 Decades of Excellence Crystal Bell Award at this year's Le Mars Community Schools' Foundation banquet on April 15. Kari is the elementary guidance counselor for Franklin and Clark Schools. She, indeed, brings excellence to her position every day - a well-deserved award, Kari! Congratulations!