Announcements
Weekly Announcements
June 29, 2025
For those of you who were at Immanuel 4 years ago, you remember Dr. Ross Stueber helping Immanuel create our strategic plan. Our members attended listening sessions to share their ideas on where Immanuel was and what direction they wanted Immanuel to go. A group of members took those insights, found the common threads, and created Immanuel’s strategic plan. You can review the highlights of that plan through the 4-year-old booklet reprinted at the Red Wall table. As you can see, Immanuel’s people have moved in the direction we said we wanted to move.
Immanuel’s Board will now ask you to help create our next strategic plan. Dr. Ross Stueber will return, along with his associate Ken Gaschk, to once again ask Immanuel’s members to evaluate where we are and what direction Immanuel should go.
Why do we need another strategic plan? Immanuel has over 200 new members since we set direction. We need to hear their voices. Further, we have met our goals, and need new direction. Finally, setting direction together helps to create and maintain a healthy congregation.
We are asking you to set aside time in August to participate. The listening sessions will take place August 13-15 at various times throughout the days. Pencil it in your calendar now. We will get the official session times and signups to you in the next two weeks.
There is quite a bit of news from the group working to create a new Central Wisconsin Lutheran High School. At their request, Immanuel had issued a call to Preston Sunderman to act as principal for their school. He has now declined that call.
On the positive side, the high school now has a website and Facebook account set up where you can keep up to date and give donations. The group is hosting a Family Fun Fair and Square Dance at St. Paul’s Stevens Point. The event will take place on July 12. Check out the link below for more information. cwlhs.com
The summer months are a great time for outdoor activities and gatherings, which make great neighboring opportunities where we can seek and respond to what Jesus is doing in the lives of the people around us. We want to encourage and support your efforts to get to know your neighbors as you also Join Jesus on His Mission.
Some very thoughtful and generous members have put together two party pails which have supplies for you to throw a themed party this summer. Each pail also contains a gift card to purchase food and beverage items appropriate for your party. One pail has a 4th of July theme, and the other pail has an Ice Cream Social theme.
If you are interested in planning a neighborhood get together in the next few weeks, be among the first to use our new party pails! The pails will be available in church before or after worship services through July 10. Just tell a staff member at the Red Wall and take one home!
After your party, bring back the bucket – along with some stories from your neighborhood gathering. If possible, consider refilling the bucket for the next person’s gathering. God bless you as you Join Jesus on His Mission!
What: Immanuel’s blood drive with Versiti
Where: The Mission Center
When: Wednesday, July 9
Who: You and those you invite!
Please take time to sign up right now through the link below!
donateblood.versiti.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/11612842
We announced last week that Immanuel will serve at the FOCUS Neighborhood Meal on Thursday, July 10. In one short week, we have already had 16 people volunteer to help! As of this writing, we still need 7 additional people to serve community with us by serving free meals to community members. Please register to help by this Wednesday, July 2. You can register to help by using your Church Center App, by stopping at the Red Wall, or by using the link below.
immanuelrapids.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2995416
Immanuel Youth: Lifest is one of the largest Christian music festivals in the nation, a place where you can celebrate the love of God and connect with a family of faith.
When: Saturday, July 12th, 1PM to Midnight
Where: Sunnyview Expo Center, Oshkosh, WI
Cost: $20 for tickets + money for food.
Drivers/Chaperones will be needed for this event. We will leave for Oshkosh from the church parking lot at 1pm (1.5-hour drive), enjoy a day of live Christian music and plan to be back by midnight. If you are interested in seeing the music lineup you can find it at lifest.com. Sign up today!
immanuelrapids.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2900093
You received a thank you in the mail from Love INC expressing appreciation for the kindness shown by Immanuel’s people who volunteered at the Love It Again Thrift Store. A group of our people served at the thrift store as a service project during our Eph4 Spring Classes. Many other Immanuel members volunteer directly with the store, as well. Visit the thrift store at 401 12th Ave. S.
From Ron and Char Karnatz: No, we’re not having a celebration. We’re having a planning meeting to “brainstorm” ideas for what Christmas decorations might look like in our new church building. If you have some ideas or want to be part of the planning, we’ll meet at the church Monday, July 21st at 7pm, following the 6pm worship service.
Our Church and School Fall Kickoff Picnic is officially set for Sunday, August 24. During the 10:30am worship that day, we will install new teachers, bless our students, and bless our teachers. Then, we will head to the Mission Center for an afternoon of food and fun! Help us plan for food by submitting your RSVP today!
PS – Immanuel’s “Feed the People” Group is taking the lead for the event’s food. Using our Church Center App, more than two dozen of them had responded to cover the food needs within a day or two of the initial request. Thanks, team, for your incredible service! And thank you for making good use of Church Center!
immanuelrapids.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3010842
Last week’s storms brought some damage to our area. Immanuel did have a bit of damage to our property, as well. Thankfully, it was fairly minimal. The first bit of damage you may notice as you drive in was to Immanuel’s sign. The billboard that stood for the past 20 years is no more. The wind snapped our three 6×6 boards clean off at the ground level – knocking the sign straight down to the ground. We had planned to save some money and keep that sign until next summer. We will now reassess our plans and move forward appropriately. The second bit of damage was to an oak tree along our north driveway. If you look closely at the broken top, you will see some charred wood where the tree was hit by lightning.
Through the generous contributions of many in our Immanuel family, we have made great progress on our office buildout donations. We initially had $25,000 in giving, which was turned into $50,000 through a matching gift. A second $25,000 matching gift was offered. Over the last two weeks, $19,200 of that amount has been given and then doubled with a $19,200 match.
We now are down to a $5,800 need to complete our offices. Want to give and receive a dollar for dollar match? Use the link below. Thank you to all who have given throughout Immanuel’s building project!
immanuelrapids.churchcenter.com/giving/to/office-buildout
Bring your wheelbarrow and shovel. We need to finish our landscaping! Pick one of the following times to help beautify our site:
• Wednesday from 9am to 2pm
• Wednesday from 4pm to 8pm
• Thursday from 3pm to 7pm