Latest News and Happenings
Finance Administrator Changes
Tristan, our Finance Administrator, has left English Lutheran. She has accepted a full time position as an Accountant in New Richmond. Thank you to Tristan for her hard work and dedication this past year at ELC!
The Council has made the decision to combine the Finance and Communications positions into one job, so Sydney will be taking over the Finance position responsibilities. Please contact the office with any questions!
2022 Pierce County Fair Church Food Stand
Summer is right around the corner! Volunteers are needed to work in the English Lutheran fair stand. You can work in the kitchen, dining room, or be a fryer.
Sign up forms are located in the back of the sanctuary or contact the office to get your name in for this great fellowship opportunity. The fair runs from August 11th-August 14th.
ELC Softball Team
The ELC Softball season is starting! The softball schedule can be found on the church calendar.
Our Saviors will be hosting a refreshment stand during the games, and congregation members and families are encouraged to attend!
If you have any questions, please contact the church office!
Church Summer Office Hours
Sydney will be working from home on Monday's, but will be in the office Tuesday- Thursday ~ 9:00 am - 1:00 pm. Church will be closed on Friday's.
Pastor Charlie will be in the church on Monday's and Wednesday's.
Pastor Schedule Changes
When I began working at English Lutheran in November of 2021, I replaced a Tuesday morning golf league in Red Wing with my work in Ellsworth to engage in worship planning and visits with parishioners here. Now, 6 months later, the golf league is starting back up again!
I hope to change my scheduled office times to being at the church on Mondays and Wednesdays beginning April 25th.
I will be on vacation the week after Easter, so I will not be in the church. Please contact me if you have any questions!
Call for Volunteers
Since Pierce County remains in the green category, indicating a low rate of risk for COVID infections in our church, the council has approved a return to more interactive worship. This means we need more communion helpers to offer communion, volunteers who help with the passing of the peace, the passing of offering plates, ushers to welcome worshippers, readers, acolytes, and technical assistants to run the slideshow and stream the service.
We will be gathering names of potential volunteers, and will be using that to schedule helpers for both the 8:30am and 10am upcoming worship services.
Call Committee Update
After meeting with Rev. Randy Olson on April 24, the Ministry Site Profile was submitted to the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin by the Call Committee.
The submission officially starts the Synod's search for prospective call candidates. The Call Committee continues to meet to prepare for the interview process, welcoming of potential candidates and future plans for helping the new pastor acclimate to English Lutheran and the Ellsworth community. Please feel free to contact any members of the committee with questions, suggestions or comments.
We welcome your input and prayers during this transition for our church.
Confirmation Classes
Our confirmation program is for our 7th-10th graders.
Confirmation will start back up in the Fall!
Please contact the church office or the CYF Team with questions.
CYF Members include: Kayla Zimmer, Trina Groen, Mark Groen, Denise Hager, Renee Van Nocker
Welcome Missy!!
Hello~ I am a native to Pierce County and have lived most of my life here. I graduated from Ellsworth Community School District. After graduating, I did my undergraduate work in Psychology at UW-Stevens Point. In 1994, I graduated from UWSP and married my high school sweetheart, Wade Kowalchyk. Over the years, I have been blessed with many experiences and opportunities.
Professionally, I completed a Master of Science in Education, earned a reading interventionist license and a reading specialist/administrator license. I have had a diverse work experience at both the elementary and middle levels. Outside of the classroom, I was the music director for St. Francis Catholic Church for almost 25 years.
Personally, Wade and I have built a strong marriage and have been blessed with four amazing daughters. We have learned so much from them and are better people because of them. Throughout everything, our faith in a loving, compassionate, and inclusive God has helped us through times that have been difficult to understand and rejoice in the times we have been blessed.
We feel very blessed that I have been hired as English Lutheran’s Music Director, and we look forward to experiencing what we believe God has guided us to.
Pastoral Update ~ New Interim Pastor
The next step in the process of calling a new pastor will be to convene a Transition Task Force. The Task Force will be developing a document called the Ministry Site Profile. This is a description of our community, our congregation, and what we are looking for in a new pastor. Our Synod will use the Ministry Site Profile to communicate with pastors who are interested in finding a new church to work at.
Our new interim pastor, Charlie Bunk, will be assisting the Transition Task Force in the process. Since he will need a little time to get settled in, and then launch right into Advent and Christmas, we have decided to wait until after the 1st of January before getting the Transition Task Force started. A Call Committee will start working once the Ministry Site Profile has been completed.
Sunday School
Sunday School for children 3 years old to 6th grade will start back up in the Fall!
Every Sunday at 10:00 am. (once it starts back up). Children should start out in church with their families and will be dismissed following the children’s sermon.
Please contact a member of CYF (Children, Youth, and Family Team) or email the office if you have any questions or are interested in volunteering.
CYF Members include: Kayla Zimmer, Trina Groen, Mark Groen, Denise Hager, and Renee Van Nocker
Worship In-Person
We are holding in-person worship on Sunday mornings:
8:30 am ~ Traditional Worship
10:00 am ~ Contemporary Worship
Worship with us Online
Join us at 8:30 am Sunday mornings, for live-stream worship on Facebook. Click on the Facebook Video icon for the service to watch anytime. No worries if you don't have Facebook - you can click "not now" to the pop-up box asking you to join, if it comes up.
Electronic Giving
Did you know we offer electronic giving? You can make a one-time, weekly, monthly, or semimonthly donation. Donations can be changed at any time. You can use your credit card or have funds moved directly from your bank account. We offer a variety of ways to set this up.
Sharing Shed
English Lutheran Church has a “Sharing Shed.” This is a place you can come to drop off items you wish to donate to someone in need. Donations accepted are listed below. No electronics, only necessities. Our shed is a small garden shed, so smaller items only, no furniture. Thank you for your generosity!
It is also a place you can come to take items you are in need of. There is no charge and no strings attached. The shed is not locked and can be accessed at any time. The Sharing Shed is located just outside the back entrance of the church. Please feel free to help yourself at any time.
Prayer Shawls
If you have a loved one who is going through a tough time and could use the comfort of being wrapped in prayers with a blanket/shawl, you may provide a prayer shawl for them.
Please contact the church office if you need a shawl. There is no cost for the shawl.
