Living Faith Weekly News (Week of August 16, 2026)

Kay Michaelson

Aug 20

5 min read

Updated: Aug 21

**Students and School Personnel: Bring your backpacks to church on Sunday!**

Sunday, August 16

Thank you to all who joined Pastor Paige in helping with worship on Sunday: Pixie Balt, Mark & Angela Catton, John & Peg McAllister, Tim & Gail Kass, Yvonne Law, Sharon Utesch, Cheryl Juhl and all others who pitched in!

Sunday, August 23

Welcome, Rev. Deb Mechler!

Rev. Deb Mechler of Spencer, Iowa will lead worship at Living Faith on Sunday, August 23rd at 11:00 AM. Living Faith worships in the sanctuary of the Presbyterian United Church of Christ at 858 7th Ave. SE in Le Mars. Pixie Balt will accompany us on the piano and Mark Catton will assist with Holy Communion. Angela Catton will live stream our service. Tim Kass will usher and run our soundboard. If you would like to read scripture during the service, please let Kay know.

At the conclusion of worship, all students and school personnel will be invited to come forward with their backpacks and we will have a blessing for all and their upcoming school year! A special charm will be handed out which can be attached to the backpacks as a reminder of the blessing given Sunday!

Fellowship hour with our PUCC friends takes place at 10:00 on Sunday morning, prior to worship, in the PUCC Fellowship Hall. Thank you to Sharon Utesch who hosted Fellowship time last Sunday!

Sunday, August 30

On Sunday, August 30th, Living Faith will join in worship with the PUCC as Pastor Jan's last Sunday is celebrated that day. Following the 10:00 service, there will be a brunch reception in the Fellowship Hall. **Please RSVP to the PUCC by August 23 to indicate if you will be coming to the reception**. See the invitation pictured above for RSVP information.

Please let Kay Michaelson know if you would like to assist with Holy Communion that day. Also, in taking up the offering for that service, if you intend to give a cash offering to Living Faith, please pick up an offering envelope from the Living Faith table in the narthex and insert your cash in the envelope to place in the offering plate during the service.

**Sign Up Alert!**

There will be a sign up sheet on the Living Faith table for volunteers needed to bring a fruit bowl, vegetable tray, and beverages for the reception for Pastor Jan's retirement! Those who can bring these items, if possible, should bring them in a cooler next Sunday as refrigerator space will not be available.

**Sign Up Alert!**

Sunday, August 30

**Picture yourself here on August 30th!**

Jim and Sandy Heeren invite you to their home at 4:00 PM on August 30th at 30561 150th St. for a porch party! Bring your lawn chairs and a snack to share! Come relax and enjoy the view from the Heeren's new porch!

Wednesday, August 24th

Students in 8th grade and older and their parents are invited to Room 105 on Wednesday, August 24th at 7:00 PM to hear about the 2027 ELCA Youth Gathering happening next summer in Minneapolis. Pastor Paige has details to share about this exciting youth event!

Wednesday, September 2nd

Students in 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th grades and their parents should plan to attend a Confirmation information night with Pastor Paige on Wednesday, September 2nd at 7:00 PM in the PUCC Fellowship Hall.

Opportunities to Serve

Living Faith is partnering with the PUCC to deliver Meals on Wheels for the next three weeks. Delivery routes have been consolidated to one route which has 6 stops. Because there is only one route, two people are needed each week. Yvonne Law and Kay Michaelson will make deliveries the week of August 24. Please let Kay know if you would like to help with deliveries the week of August 31. Meals are picked up at the Le Mars Senior Center (behind City Hall) at 10:30 and deliveries should wrap up around 11:15.

**Give a Leg Up: Donate Pants and Leggings!**

Each year, Living Faith helps out our schools by filling needs our school nurses have. The elementary school nurse, Rhonda Lassen, reports a big need she has for each elementary building are pants and leggings for the younger students in sizes appropriate for kindergarten through second graders. Quite frequently the younger children need a change of clothing during their day at school for a variety of reasons and having comfortable, elastic waist pants/leggings are good items to have on hand in the nurse's office.

Living Faith will conduct a "Give a Leg Up" drive from August 23 - September 13. There will be a basket on the Living Faith table in the narthex for you to put any pants or leggings you purchase OR if you wish to give cash donations for the nurse to do the purchasing, look for the donation box on the table.

On God's Work. Our Hands. Sunday, Living Faith will have a lay led service at 11:00 AM. During this shortened service, there will be a special Hand Blessing and following the service, members will convene in the Fellowship Hall to make cookies for first responders and essential workers in Le Mars. We will bake the cookies, package the cookies and deliver them between 11:30 and 12:00. We need ALL HANDS to complete this service project on the 13th!

**Mark your calendars! Living Faith will pack snacks for the Le Mars Backpack program on Monday, September 28th at 4:30!**

Pastor Paige has some special events coming up soon and as such, she will be away from the office! Here are the dates when there will be no office hours: August 24, September 7, September 10 and September 14.

Kortney Kopperud is off to the University of Iowa as she begins her freshman year! Her address is: Kortney Kopperud, 100 Burge Hall, Room 1521; Iowa City, IA 52242.

Living Faith Enjoys the State Fair!