A Message From Pastor Bob:

 Good Morning! This is Pastor Bob Friese from Peace Lutheran Church in Menomonie, WI. Here are some updates on what’s going on with our congregation. Due to the Corvid-19 situation, our building is on lockdown. Only staff members are allowed to use the building. Even if you have your own key, for the safety of all concerned, do not enter the building. Every person that enters the building increases the chance of a longer lockdown and infecting the staff. While our measures seem drastic, they are necessary and based on reliable information and legal expectations from local, state, and federal resources.

WEDNESDAY WORSHIP DURING LENT: A small group will lead Wednesday Lenten worship (Holden Evening Prayer) at 6 p.m. on March 18, March 25, and April 1. The building will not be open to worshippers. You may access these services only through Facebook Live at our page, Peace Lutheran – Menomonie WI. We discontinued our Wednesday Lenten Soup Suppers.

THURSDAY MORNING WORSHIP: Our Thursday morning (11 a.m.) worship services are cancelled until further notice.

SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP: Again, the building will not be open to worshippers. Similar to Wednesday Lenten worship, a small group will lead worship that will be available only through Facebook Live or the radio broadcast at 8:30 a.m. on WMEQ AM880. PLEASE NOTE: Sunday worship will be LIVE on WMEQ from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Sunday School and Adult Choir will not meet until further notice.

We are exploring how to use social media to offer weekly Sunday School lessons, weekly Children’s sermons, and daily devotions, and will do so ASAP. Our church leadership is seeking opportunities for our members to work with local organizations and other congregations to serve our community. Our daily lives and routines are being upended, and new ways of serving others are emerging. Please share your ideas with us. Updated information will be posted to our Facebook page and our website (plcmenomonie.com) as often as necessary.

Concerning home, nursing home, and hospital visits, Pastor Bob and our home communion ministers are “on lockdown” as well. Phone calls will be used by staff to keep in touch, and we suggest that all our members use phone calls to stay connected to their family, friends, and church family. We need a strong sense of community right now, and since we cannot meet face-to-face, we must find alternate ways to care and support one another.

Under these circumstances, it is incredibly easy to be upset or insulted by the changes being imposed on us. Please remember that all decisions are being made with the desire to help our entire community, and must not be seen as punitive. As Jesus followers, we are freed from sin and fear in order to put our future in God’s hands and serve the world as Christ serves us. Our feelings of privilege and autonomy must be rendered useless. Our desire to serve others in Christ-like ways must be pervasive and unconditional.

Finally, the better we comply with these difficult expectations, the sooner we can gather to worship, continue our ministries, and use our building. As usual, church secretary Kate Donicht will be in the office from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Monday-Thursday. The church office can be reached at 715.235.2500. I am still available anytime at 715.308.0681.

Please stay posted, and may we all strive to love God, love others, and serve the world.

With gratitude.

Pastor Bob Friese

Peace Lutheran Church + ELCA + Menomonie, WI

Office: 715.308.1681

Facebook: Peace Lutheran – Menomonie WI

Website: www.plcmenomonie.com

Email: pastor@plcmenomonie.com

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 HOLY WEEK - Tentative Schedule - To be determined at a later date

• Palm Sunday, April 5 • Worship w/Holy Communion at 9 a.m.
• Wednesday, April 8 • NO worship, meal, or Confirmation Class
• Maundy Thursday, April 9 • Worship w/HC at 11 a.m. and
           Worship w/HC & First Communion Celebration at 6 p.m.
• Good Friday, April 10 • Worship at 6 p.m.
• Easter Sunday, April 12
       Resurrection Celebration w/Holy Communion at 8:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
                   Love God, Love Others, and Serve the World

 Confirmation students are required to attend worship during Lent.