2727 East Main Street - Richmond, Indiana 47374

Phone: 962-5773   Fax: 962-4003

    Email: FELC@felconline.org    

WCTV Broadcast of Weekly Worship - Channel 21

 Wednesday 9:00 pm & Thursday 5:00 am & 1:00 pm

First English Lutheran Church Staff  

Senior Pastor: John R. Walker Ext. 222, JWalker@felconline.org

Associate Pastor: Brian D. Derrer Ext. 226, BDerrer@felconline.org

Intern: Candida Turner Ext. 233, CTurner@felconline.org

Music Director / Organist: Carolyn Duning Ripp Ext. 224 CRipp@felconline.org

Handbell Director: Carol Walker Ext. 227

Music Director Emeritus: Edwin L. Eby

Parish Administrator: Karen S. Pauly Ext. 223, KPauly@felconline.org

Servant Coordinators: Barbara Portzline Ext. 228, Amy Reeves Ext. 229, Linda Schultz Ext. 225

 SCC@felconline.org

Health Ministries Coordinator: Donna Reising

Children’s Ministry Coordinator: Ashley Valentine-Derrer

Receptionist: Virginia Coleman Ext. 321 Receptionist@felconline.org

Bookkeeper: Margy Smith MSmith@felconline.org

Nursery Attendant: Rachel Hooker

Upcoming Events / Opportunities    

Sunday School Classes with its NEW FORMAT for preschool – 8^th grade students takes place each Sunday morning at 9:15 am in the Fellowship Hall. This fall season, our bible stories will focus on the miracles of Jesus. We are excited about exploring the bible stories in depth to grow and learn through our many “learning stations”…..art, computers, drama, food, games, music, puppets, science, storytelling and DVD! Invite someone to Sunday School today!!!!

Small Groups are now beginning to form – let’s all “COMMIT TO CONNECT” by taking part in a Small Group for the initial six-week pilot program. This effort to form Small Groups is intended to form and strengthen the connections that we feel between one another, and in doing so, deepen our connection to the living God as we live out our faith in this community called First English.  This isn’t another committee, Bible Study or task group – but gatherings of people who share some similar life situations for the purpose of connecting with each other and sharing the journey of faith as another expression of the “Body of Christ”. 

We are excited to see where this ministry effort will go – which is really up to each group and the members of each group!  Just take this initial six weeks to determine whether or not you find the Small Group experience to be nourishing and beneficial to your faith journey!  If it’s not for you…you can step away with no strings attached or guilt feelings!  Those who wish to continue on in the small group setting will define what the next chapter of their life together will look like – deciding together on schedule of gatherings, content to explore, purpose and mission, and the like!  Please – COMMIT TO CONNECT today!  If you have any questions, or would like to express your interest in participating in Small Group ministry, don’t hesitate to call Pastor Brian or the church office!

 Monday Night Bible Study – 7:00 – 8:00 pm every Monday evening.  There is an open invitation to anyone who would like to join us as we study God’s Word.

The Baby Boomer Bunch, a group of single folks from the baby boomer era will meet each Sunday evening beginning at 6:00 pm in the Youth Room! Come out and enjoy fun, study, food and fellowship!!! Hope to see you here!!!

THE FUN BUNCH ~ will have its third gathering for the Fall tomorrow - Monday, September 29 at 11:30 am.  We will meet in the Fellowship Hall, spend some time as one of the small group ministries, and play some cards!  The Fun Bunch is for ALL WOMEN, perhaps slightly older, who like to get together for fellowship and FUN!  We are hoping this fall might be a time for YOU to be a part of the FUN BUNCH!  Please do sign up at the Information Desk so that we know how many are coming.  Please bring “finger foods” to share with the group.  Table service and drinks are provided.  All women are welcome and encouraged to be A PART of the fun bunch. See you TOMORROW, monday, september 29, 11:30 a.m.

HEALTH NEWS   It’s time to play Pickleball!!!! Pickleball is for the men of First English. We play on Sunday evening at 7:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall. Come out and join in the fun and fellowship of Pickleball!!!  

Attention Men……… Come and join us on Tuesday nights at 5:30 pm! We meet here at First English at 6:00 pm and go bicycling. Men of all ages are welcome to join us! 

 FIRST ENGLISH LUTHERAN is a congregation of the largest Lutheran denomination in North America, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), which was formed January1, 1988.  The Rev. Mark S. Hanson is Presiding Bishop of the ELCA with offices in Chicago, Illinois.  The 10,721 congregations of the ELCA, with over five million baptized members, are organized into regions (nine), synods (sixty-five), and conferences.  First English is a congregation of the Indiana-Kentucky Synod, one of two hundred twenty-eight; and the I-K Synod is one of six in the ELCA’s Region Six, comprised of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. The Rev. James Stuck is Bishop of the Indiana-Kentucky Synod. There are 1,139 ELCA congregations in the six synods of Region Six.  Within the synods, congregations are organized into conferences. First English is part of the East Central Indiana Conference (ECIC), one of twenty-two congregations in the central section of eastern Indiana.

            For more information, contact First English’s church office, (765) 962-5773 or  FELC@felconline.org , or see our website (felconline.org); the Indiana-Kentucky Synod Office, (317) 253-3522 or iksynod@iksynod.org; or the church - wide offices of the ELCA, (773) 380-2700 or sec@elca.org.  (Source:  2004 Yearbook Evangelical Lutheran Church in America).

Our “Small Group Prayer” Ministry Team meets every Monday, from 12:30 to approximately 1:30.  We pray for specific needs raised within the community and around the world, those listed in the weekly announcements on the blue prayer page and also the blue prayer cards collected on Saturday evening or Sunday morning during the worship services.  You are surely welcome to join us! We begin in the Conference Room and then spend prayer time in the Chapel.