Living Faith Weekly News (Week of March 1, 2026)
- Kay Michaelson
- Mar 2
- 5 min read
Wednesday Nights at Living Faith!
Lenten activities this week on Wednesday:
6:00 - Lenten Meal
Soup and Sandwiches in the Fellowship Hall
Contributors to the meal will be Kari Kopperud, Kay Michaelson, Dawn Richards, Sandy Heeren, Kim Lang, Debbie Gibson, Karen Schroeder, Sharon Utesch, Mark Catton, Yvonne Law, and Rachel Cunningham.
7:00 - Lenten Service
Journey Toward Easter Vigil
Story of Noah's Ark and Re-Creation
Pastor Paige will lead our time of reflection. Nate Rathke will read the Noah's Ark story. Travis Balt will accompany us on the piano. Tim Kass will usher. Angela Catton will live stream our service.
Living Faith will worship on Sunday, March 8th at 11:00 AM in the sanctuary of the Presbyterian United Church of Christ at 858 7th Ave. SE. Worship will feature Holy Communion. Pastor Paige McGrath will be leading us in worship, Gail Kass will accompany us on the piano, Tim Kass will greet you at the door and usher, Angela Catton will live stream our service to be viewed in real time on Living Faith's Facebook page. We are in need of someone to read the scripture lessons for this service as well as someone to assist with Holy Communion. If you would like to help, please contact Kay Michaelson to volunteer!
Last Week's Gatherings!
Wednesday
Lenten Potluck and Conversation!
Thank you to all who brought such delicious food to share!: Kim Lang, Kari Kopperud, Karen Kass, John and Peg McAllister, Karen Schroeder, Kay Allen, Jenelle Van Otterloo, Yvonne Law, Sharon Utesch, June Ferguson, Gail Kass, Rich Ziettlow, Sandy Heeren, Clara Kass, Angela Catton, and Kay Michaelson.
Thank you to Pastor Paige for orchestrating the conversations all engaged in while enjoying the meal!
Lenten Service
The theme for our Lenten services is "Journey Toward Easter Vigil" and our time together is centered on familiar stories from the Bible. Wednesday we re-heard the Creation Story and asked these questions:
Where is God? - What is God up to?
What does God call humans to do or be?
Describe the relationship in the reading.
Thank you to Pastor Paige, Gail Kass, Jess Kopperud, Tim Kass and Angela Catton for all their contributions to our service!
Sunday
Here is a poem written by Pastor Paige which summarizes her sermon which she delivered on Sunday:
"A Blessing of Faith."
God blesses you with the gift of strong faith,
not that comes from within you but from God.
God blesses you with a curious faith,
one that asks questions of God,
not seeking answers but inviting confusion, welcoming uncertainty,
and embracing what is not yet revealed.
God blesses you, so that you may be a blessing to others.
God blesses you, so that your faith may nourish another’s faith,
so that your curiosity may stir up wonder in another,
so that God’s love may ooze out of you into all that God has created.
God blesses you –
in the dark of night,
in the baptismal waters,
through the Spirit.
You are made new again and again and again.
Amen.
You are encouraged to find Living Faith's Facebook page to hear Pastor Paige's sermon in its entirety! Are you curious?!
Thank you to all who were involved with worship prior, during and after: Pastor Paige, Yvonne Law, Gail Kass, Sandy Heeren, Todd Lang, Tim Kass, Brian Michaelson, Angela Catton, Kay Michaelson, and Sharon Utesch.
Sunday Invitations!
Living Faith's Bible Study meets every Sunday morning at 9:30 in Room 105 of the PUCC. During Lent we are previewing some of the Bible stories featured in the Easter Vigil service we will be having on April 4. Each story we discuss is also featured in the following Lenten service. The door is open and a spot at the table is ready for you!
The PUCC is hosting a Sunday brunch in the Fellowship Hall from 10:00 - 11:00 during the season of Lent. Living Faith is invited to come enjoy some delicious food and fellowship during the hour!
How Can I Serve My Neighbor During the Season of Lent?
The Sleep in Heavenly Peace Egg tree is in the narthex by the Living Faith table and it is full of eggs labeled with needs for this organization. You are invited to take an egg and purchase the item for SHP. Bring your item(s) back to Living Faith and place them by the egg tree with the egg you took. Items must be returned by Easter Sunday, April 5. (There are additional directions on a flyer on the Living Faith table but if you have questions, please contact Kay Michaelson.)
Our monetary Lenten offerings will go towards Sleep in Heavenly Peace's ministry. There will be a box out on the table in the Fellowship Hall on Wednesdays during our meal time for you to drop off your donations.
There will be a Sleep in Heavenly Peace bed build in Le Mars at Le Mars Chevy & GMC from 1 - 3 on Saturday, March 28. There will be a sign up sheet for this volunteer activity on the PUCC table in the narthex but you must also register at https://volunteer.shpbeds.org/opportunities/eZcuDCUV1A
There is absolutely no experience needed to help with this effort! Ages 5th grade on up would be able to find a station with a task that would be at a good comfort level!
John and Peg McAllister are helping to deliver Meals on Wheels this week.
The PUCC and Living Faith are welcoming donations of flowering plants to decorate the sanctuary on Easter Sunday! Flowering plants may be brought to the Fellowship Hall on Good Friday, April 3rd, and donors will be able to take plants home following Living Faith's 11:00 worship on Easter Sunday. (Please do not donate Easter lilies as those plants can cause allergies to worshipers.)
Message from the Committee:
We are still working on having one on one's being scheduled with people. If you haven't already gotten contacted, please reach out to someone on the committee at church, and we will get you scheduled in. Our goal is to have touched base with everyone by the end of the school year. If you have any questions or concerns please let us know. If you feel more comfortable writing in an email or text, please ask one of us for our contact info, and we would be happy to provide that avenue for you.
Committee members:
Travis Balt
Dave Curry
Rose Curry
Karen Kass
Bailey Quanbeck
Thank you!
Living Faith Church Council News
The Church Council will meet on Monday, February 9th at 6:30 in Room 105.
The Council has purchased a copier/printer for the church office. Bulletins can now be printed from the office and Pastor Paige can print from her laptop making copies as she needs. The PUCC had graciously offered the use of their copier and Pastor Paige had been utilizing it for her needs - we are grateful. Since the PUCC copier is a larger model, we are invited to use that copier if we have a large job that needs to be run - Thank you!
Wednesday, March 4 - 6:00 Lenten Meal, 7:00 - Lenten Service
Sunday, March 8 - 9:30 - Bible Study; 10:30 - PUCC Brunch; 11:00 - Worship
Monday, March 9 - 6:30 - Church Council meeting
We hold in prayer:
Kevin Richards
Pastor Trish Underberg
Mark Juhl
Rick, Sue and Marley Stream and the Michael Brennan Family - Michael is the Stream's 22 year-old great-nephew and he passed away unexpectedly on Saturday. He was employed at the Plymouth County Jail and was engaged to be married in August.
The McAllister Family
The Kirsty Pecks Family
The Easton Riddle Family
The Ruhrer Family
The Ostermyer Family
The Matthew Kenny Family
Sherry Jo Wittkop and her family
Rod Hallberg
Mitch Lang, Derek and the Iowa National Guard - MItch and his fellow Guardsmen and women are now back in the United States. There will soon be a welcome home ceremony for them.
Marilynn
Ali
Marie
Pastor Paige
Living Faith
The Living Faith brother or sister you are praying for
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