Living Faith Weekly News (Week of July 26, 2026)
- Kay Michaelson
- Jul 27
- 5 min read
Pastor Paige McGrath led services on July 19th on the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost where we heard about the God's gift to Solomon of wisdom, we are encouraged to come to God in prayer as Solomon did and that the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure that is hidden and found.
Thank you to all who helped with worship before, during and after: Pastor Paige, Mike Rathke, Kay Michaelson, John & Peg McAllister, Tim & Gail Kass, Sharon Utesch, Yvonne Law, and Bailey Quanbeck.
YOU are welcome to join in worship with Living Faith on Sunday, August 2nd at 11:00 AM, at the Presbyterian United Church of Christ, 858 7th Ave. SE. Pastor Paige McGrath will lead worship and preside over Holy Communion. Gail Kass will accompany us on the piano. Karen Schroeder will read scripture. If you would like to assist with Holy Communion please let Kay know. Tim Kass will usher and run our sound board. John & Peg McAllister will provide bread for Holy Communion and set the table for us. Angela Catton will be livestreaming our service. Sandy Heeren will be giving us an overview of her experiences at the recent WELCA Gathering in Des Moines!
The Living Faith Church Council will have two meeting dates in August:
On Monday, August 3rd, the Council will hold a working supper meeting to start to process all the input from our three visioning meetings with the goal of crafting at least two mission statements for Living Faith members to consider.
The Council will hold its regular meeting on Wednesday, August 19th, at 6:00 in Room 105.
On Sunday, August 16th, Sharon Utesch will host the Fellowship Hour prior to worship at 10:00 in the Fellowship Hall of the PUCC! Come and spend some time visiting with our PUCC friends and fellow Living Faith-ers!
Living Faith will partner with the PUCC to deliver Meals on Wheels from August 17 - September 11. (No meals will be delivered on Labor Day, September 7.) Volunteers will arrive at the back side of City Hall and enter the Senior Center doors by 10:40 AM each day. There are 2 routes of delivery and it is ideal to have 2 people per route. Deliveries generally are finished by 11:15 at the latest. There will be a sign up board in the PUCC narthex on Sunday. Please consider helping with this ministry by choosing a week to help and a route to take!
Backpack Blessing Sunday will be on August 23rd at our 11:00 service. All school children and school personnel are invited to bring their backpacks to church that day. There will be a special time in the service for all to come forward to receive a blessing and a reminder of that blessing to be put on the backpacks. We will also have a guest pastor that day, Rev.
Deb Mechler of Spencer, Iowa.
The ELCA Youth Gathering will take place next summer in Minneapolis! On Wednesday, August 26th at 7:00 PM, Pastor Paige will host an informational meeting for all youth eligible to attend. She will be personally contacting those who are eligible to encourage them and their parents to attend this meeting.
Pastor Jan Christensen will be retiring from the ministry on August 31st. Her last Sunday to lead worship at the Presbyterian United Church of Christ will be Sunday, August 30th. Details about this day will be shared soon.
Jim and Sandy Heeren will host a Porch Party at their home (30561 150th St.) on Sunday, August 30th at 4:00 PM! Bring your lawn chairs and a snack to share! If you have lawn games that families would enjoy, bring those along too!
There will be a Parent/Student Confirmation meeting on Wednesday, September 2, at 7:00 PM in the Fellowship Hall of the PUCC hosted by Pastor Paige!
God's Work Our Hands Sunday is coming up on September 13th. The church service that day will be a lay led Service of the Word. There will be no Holy Communion that day. After the service, the Church Council would like to conduct a half hour service project that all ages could participate in. Please be thinking of projects that would fit that description and pass along your ideas to any Council member.
The Plymouth County Fair runs from Wednesday - Sunday this week. Good luck to all exhibitors at this year's fair! Please text or email Kay pictures of your fair experiences this week!
The PUCC Women sponsored a mission project of sewing and filling school bags with school supplies. 40 bags were filled and will be distributed in the United States and abroad. Living Faith members Yvonne Law and Kay Michaelson helped with filling the bags last week.
Living Faith assists with the costs of snow removal at the PUCC and the Council also offered to help with lawn care costs during the summer as well. Last week Living Faith members Brian and Kay Michaelson put down an application of weed and feed on the church lawn.
Janice Kooiker has relocated to a care center in Sioux Center. She loves to receive mail and her new address is: 1400 7th Ave. SE, Unit 1209; Sioux Center, IA 51250. In-person visitors are being limited right now but if you would like to visit, please contact her daughter Stacy at 816-916-0961 or her son Daniel at 712-540-9313 to set up a time that would be suitable for Janice. Pastor Paige reports that it sounds like Janice is adjusting to her new living arrangements well and is happy.
Travis Balt is settling into his new home in Fort Dodge and is preparing for the upcoming school year. He has joined a church family and has already been hired to help with their music needs! Travis' new address is: 1644 8 1/2 Ave. N; Fort Dodge, IA 50501.
Everyone needs a Little Jesus and the Little Jesus has been out and about!
Best wishes to all who are celebrating in August!
Birthdays
August 6 - Atlas Shipley
August 6 - Troy Shipley
August 23 - Sharon Utesch
August 25 - Cheryl Juhl
We acknowledge Bob Gibson's birthday on August 15.
Baptismal Birthdays
August 4 - Angela Catton
August 14 - John McAllister
Anniversaries
August 3 - Rich & Jean Ziettlow
August 5 - John & Peg McAllister
August 9 - Judd & Kari Kopperud
August 29 - Nick & Melinda Shipley
We acknowledge the anniversary date of Sharon & Roger Utesch who were married on August 8.
Sunday, August 2 - 10:00 AM - Fellowship Hour with the PUCC
Sunday, August 2 - 11:00 AM - Living Faith Worship
Sunday, August 2 - Sunday, August 16 - Sign up for Meals on Wheels
Monday, August 3 - 5:30 PM - Church Council meeting
Monday, August 17 - 10:40 AM - Meals on Wheels Delivery begins
We pray for:
Trish Underberg
Eli Mack
Tim & Gail Kass, Phil & Karen Kass, Clara, Sybil and Emmett
Rick, Sue & Marley Stream and the Stream-Brennan Family
Janice Kooiker and the Kooiker-Wood Families
Jolene Odens and Family
Ruth Peters Family
Kristy Pecks Family
Mike Rathke - Mike is home from having surgery on his right hand this morning here in Le Mars. Kjersten reports the surgery went as planned. He will be having another surgery in the future on his left hand, the date to be determined by his recovery from his first surgery.
Sue Moller
Amy Beveridge
Rod Hallberg
Sherry Jo Wittkop and Family
The Matthew Kenny Family
The Ostermyer Family
Marilynn
Ali
Pastor Paige
Living Faith
Comments