Living Faith Weekly News (Week of October 4, 2026)

Kay Michaelson

Oct 5

4 min read

Updated: Oct 7

**Palm Branch Burning to Prepare for Ash Wednesday 2027**

Sunday, October 4, 2026 - 19th Sunday after Pentecost

Three scripture readings for Sunday contained vineyard language and imagery. Check out Isaiah 5: 1 - 7, Psalm 80: 7 - 15, and Matthew 21: 33 - 46. Thank you to Pastor Paige for leading worship - you can view Sunday's Living Faith worship by clicking on this link, https://www.facebook.com/100088436872154/videos/986391503733399.

Thank you to all who helped with worship on Sunday: Tim and Gail Kass, Karen Schroeder, Bailey Quanbeck, Jenni Mack, Yvonne Law, Sharon Utesch, and Brian and Kay Michaelson.

During worship, Pastor Paige revealed the first draft of the Living Faith Mission Statement that the Church Council crafted from the input given at the three Visioning Sessions earlier this year!

Nine core values were also shared and, as well, these were derived from the Visioning Sessions: Love, belong, serve, engage, worship, nurture, share, connect, and learn.

Input is desired from the congregation on both the Mission Statement and Core Values. Pastor Paige has created a feedback form for this input. This form was distributed to those in attendance Sunday. Watch your email for your form and a more thorough explanation of the core values if you were not at church Sunday. If you would like to listen to the information Pastor Paige shared on Sunday, click on the Facebook link shared at the beginning of the newsletter and go to the 45:10 minute mark. All forms should be returned to Pastor Paige by Sunday, October 18.

This coming Sunday we welcome individuals who wish to become members of Living Faith and also celebrate all who are part of the Living Faith community!

Pastor Paige Quanbeck will lead worship and welcome at 11:00 AM. Living Faith worships in the sanctuary of the Presbyterian United Church of Christ (858 7th Ave. SE) in Le Mars. Tim Kass will greet you at the door with a bulletin, Pixie Balt will accompany us on the piano, Jenni Mack will live stream our service, Nathan Summerside will read scripture, Kim Lang will assist with Holy Communion and John & Peg McAllister will prepare the elements for communion.

There will be no Bible Study on Sunday, October 11th (Belonging Sunday) or October 18th (Worship at Hillview). Study at 9:30 on Sunday mornings will resume on October 25th.

Fellowship time with our PUCC friends takes place from 10:00 - 11:00 AM on Sunday mornings in the Fellowship Hall. Come join in the lively conversations that always happen around the tables Sunday mornings!

Confirmation students meet on Wednesday, October 7th, at 7:00 PM in the Fellowship Hall. They will be working on making tie blankets for clients of the SAFE Place this week.

Living Faith October Mission Project

Living Faith will collect items for a care package for our college student, Kortney Kopperud, who is a freshman at the University of Iowa. There is a box on the Living Faith table in the narthex for items to be dropped off. There is also a shopping list for members to pick up with ideas for the package. The deadline for dropping of items is Sunday, October 27.

Here is the list you will find on the table:

You are also encouraged to include a note of encouragement for Kortney!

Special October Worship Days!

Sunday, October 18th - Worship at Hillview

Living Faith will join with the PUCC to worship at Hillview Recreation Area outside of Hinton on Sunday, October 18 at 10:00 AM. Please note the earlier worship time! After worship, plan to stay for the taco bar for lunch!

Look for this bulletin board in the PUCC narthex to volunteer to help with set up, worship, lunch or clean up!

Sunday, October 25, 2026

October 25th will be Confirmation Day for Nathan Rathke and Dakota Utesch!

Pastor Paige is in Chicago this week for ELCA Mission Leadership Training. She was nominated to attend this training by the Western Iowa Synod's DEM, Rev. Melissa Pickering. Pastor Paige will be attending the Evangelism Track of the training which includes sessions on storytelling, outreach and fundraising. She will be returning to Le Mars late Thursday.

Because of Pastor Paige's attendance at the conference in Chicago this week, there will be no office hours. Office hours will resume next week.

**The next Church Council meeting will be Monday, October 20 at 6:00 PM.**

Living Faith in Service and Fellowship Last Week!

Packing Snacks for the Le Mars Backpack Progam

Thank you to all who came out to Nohava's last Monday to pack snacks! We had a great turnout and made quick work of the task at hand! We packed close to 330 bags for the elementary students of Le Mars. Our next scheduled time to help with packing will be Monday, November 16 at 4:30 PM.

S'mores and Ashes

(The Fire Party!)

On Sunday, Living Faith and PUCC friends gathered in the parking lot of the PUCC for our annual burning of the palm branches for Ash Wednesday! The palm branches burned quickly and Shawn and Carmen helped to turn those ashes into the fine ashes needed for Ash Wednesday. Then it was onto the roasting of marshmallows for s'mores! Thank you to Mark & Cheryl Juhl for providing the s'mores fixings and the fire pit for the s'mores. Thank you also to Dell & June Ferguson for bringing the firewood, creating a great bonfire and tending it! Such a fun, relaxing time to be together and enjoy a beautiful fall afternoon!