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 Worship Services
Our church uses a liturgy for its worship services (liturgy = a set order of worship). The liturgy which we use originated almost a thousand years ago and has proven itself to be a meaningful way to praise God in a "fitting and orderly way" (1 Corinthians 14: 40).
Our liturgy provides worshipers with some very important human needs: repetition and varity. Repetition happens in two ways: 1) the sequence of events in the worship service follows a fixed pattern, and 2) the dialogue between pastor and parishioners uses specified songs and sentences. This repetition gives a sense of direction and orderliness. At the same time hymns, choir songs, readings, prayers, and the sermon provide variety; they change weekly, accenting each Sunday's theme. This interplay between repetition and variety seeks to strike a balance between God's gracious promises to sinners through Word and Sacrament and the worshiper's reponse to God through prayer, praise, and song.
Our worship also incorporates two special acts in which God graciously promises and seals salvation to us, Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. In Baptism, God adopts sinners as his children, giving them his name and the right to inherit his kingdom. In Communion, Jesus gives us his crucified body and blood to personally assure us of forgiveness. We celebrate Communion on the First Sunday and Third Sunday of every month). Baptisms are scheduled as requested.
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CHURCH YEAR
Our need to worship God in an orderly way extends beyond our individual worship services to encompass what we call the "church year." This is a calendar which sets the theme and mood for every worship service.
This calendar, for example, influences the choice of sermon topics, music, even the colors which appear on the alter and pulpit.
The church year in divided into two parts: the Festival half of the year begins in December and ends approximately in May, while the Non-festival half begins in June and ends in November. The Festival half focuses attention on the life of Jesus, beginning with his birth and ending with his ascension into heaven; Christmas and Easter belong to this season. The Non-festival half reviews the work of the Holy Spirit, examining how Christians respond to God's love.
The church year, like each Sunday's liturgy, seeks to give worshipers repetition and variety. By following the church year, we review the main body of Christian teaching on an annual basis, but because the themes change weekly, the calendar provides worshipers with the needed variety.
Like our liturgy, this church year dates from many centuries ago; in his reformation of the church, Martin Luther (1483-1546) kept it, believing it to be the best way to review Christian doctrine and practice.
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 WISCONSIN LUTHERAN SCHOOL
Wisconsin Lutheran School exists to carry out the church's mission. It is a fully-graded elementary school (pre-K through 8th Grade), taught by instructors holding a B.S. Ed. degree from Martin Luther College, New Ulm, MN, or its equivalent.
At Wisconsin Lutheran School, God's Word reigns supreme. The school's philosophy of education states that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Psalm 111:10). Consequently, students learn what it means to live as heirs of heaven, while in addition they study to become good citizens of America. Their teachers aim to make them "wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:15) and to equip them "for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:17).
The school is a joint effort by First Evangelical Lutheran and Epiphany Lutheran Churches. Our church is home to the Middle School (grades 4 to 8), while the Lower School (pre-school to 3) is housed at Epiphany Lutheran Church, 2920 Bate Street. The Racine Unified School District provides busing for students that live 2.0 miles or more from the school proper. The school sponsors many athletic and academic activities and belongs to the Lake Lutheran Athletic Conference of Wisconsin and Illinois. A hot lunch program while not provided is offered for both lower and middle schools.
The Home and School Society links parents with the school's teachers in a mutual effort to keep the lines of communication open and also to serve as a support group. The Middle School provides a hot lunch program for each full day of the school year.
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 SHORELAND LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL
Our concern for a Christ-centered education for our children continues past their elementary education and extends to their high school years. For this reason our church, along with 24 other Lutheran congregations in SE Wisconsin and NE Illinois, owns and operates Shoreland Lutheran High School. The school is located midway between Racine and Kenosha on a 17 acre parcel of land on Highway E, just west of Somers in Kenosha County. The Racine Unified School District provides busing to the school for residents of Racine County.
Within its program of studies, Shoreland seeks to integrate intellectual, social, and physical development with the maturing of the pupil's faith in Christ. The faculty is committed to the pursuit of academic excellence, the development of a sound mind and body, and healthy, emotional and social growth. Shoreland students are taught to develop a lifestyle with Jesus Christ as the center.
The school has established a reputation for academic excellence, providing its students with the choice of a general high school education or pre-college program. School activities involve many student in recreational and co-curricular areas: Shoreland is a member of the Midwest-Classic Conference.
Shoreland is operated by a federation of Wisconsin Synod Churches, and enrollment is open to the public.
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 BIBLE STUDIES
We study the Bible in many ways in our church; Biblical instruction extends beyond the hours of Sunday worship and the curriculum of Wisconsin Lutheran School and Shoreland Lutheran High School.
We operate a Sunday School between our Early and Late worship services, which instructs children from pre-school age through 8th grade. The Sunday School is divided into a Senior and Lower Department and is staffed by approximately 18 volunteer teachers. The course of instruction parellels the church year with a recess during the summer months. The annual Christmas Eve service and the Easter program are the highlights of its curriculum. During the summer a Bible Day Camp is held for one week during the month of
For adults, the pastors and lay instructors teach two Bible Classes which meet conveniently between Sunday worship services. These classes most often examine books of the Bible, but at times doctrines or issues are treated topically.
The pastors also teach an Adult Information Class. This class presents the doctrines of the Lutheran Church for those seeking membership in our church.
Children also receive Catechism Instruction from the pastors, preparatory to their Confirmation and receiving Communion. This instruction is part of the curriculum of Wisconsin Lutheran School; for children who attend public schools, classes are also held on Thursday evenings.
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 MUSIC PROGRAM
The psalmist wrote, "Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord" (Psalm 95:1). Music, therefore, plays a fundamental part in our worship services; it enjoys the attention of many of our parishioners who volunteer their time and talents to serve their Lord in our many musical groups.
Starting with our robed Choirs, the Senior and Cherub choirs are the singing groups heard in our worship services most frequently. Also adding their voices in song are the children from Wisconsin Lutheran School, and children from the Sunday School. And from time to time our congregation is privileged to hear the Festival Choir from Shoreland Lutheran High School.
We enjoy a strong musical tradition and program in our congregation, led by musicians and directors in a cooperative labor of love.
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 SUPPORT/SERVICE GROUPS
A number of groups and societies have grown up in the life of the congregation. While fellowship opportunities occur within the scope of their activities, these groups exist to provide needed services and support.
Altar Guild - A women's group which cares for the chancel's furnishings and paraments, and assist the pastors in the setup for Communion.
Evangelism Committee - A group of men and women who meet monthly to welcome church visitors and to plan outreach programs to the community.
Greeters - A program staffed by individuals, couples, and families to greet worshipers before services.
Ladies' Aid - A monthly women's group which sponsors fund raisers for the purchase of church equipment and other needs of the church. The women also serve food for special events and occasions.
Mission Circles - Groups of women (9 circles) who meet montly to carry out programs of support for evangelistic work.
Sewing Circle - Quilters who meet weekly on Wednesday to craft quilts for the sale to fund mission projects.
Ushers - An organization of males (16 and older) who oversee the order and protocol of the worship services.
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 YOUTH ACTIVITIES
Our church offers a total youth program to its families, which combines the talents of both professional and volunteer adult supervision.
Preeminent are the activities made possible by our operation of Wisconsin Lutheran School and Shoreland Lutheran High School, where the spiritual needs of our youth are integrated with social and athletic events. Youth activities at W.L.S. include interscholastic soccer, volleyball, basketball, softball, track; the school also offers its students forensic, math, science and art competitions, plus dramatic opportunities. Shoreland offers more!
Lutheran Boy and Girl Pioneers offer school-age children a fine program of handicraft projects and recreational outings. The groups, which are volunteer led, make use of Camp Oakridge (about an hour west of Racine and owned in part by our church) as a setting for their outdoor activites during the warmer months. Both groups meet approximately twice a month during the school year.
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 RECREATIONAL AND SOCIAL GROUPS
While many of the support and service organizations within the church offer fellowship indirectly within the scope of their activities, a number of groups exist for the sole purpose of fostering Christian fellowship.
Church Picnic - Once a year the congregation holds a picnic at Johnson Park on a Sunday summer afternoon. Brats, hambergers, hot dogs, sweet corn, ice cream, soda and all sorts of goodies make this a family favorite. Games for children and adults invite everyone's participation, featuring the annual favorite - the egg toss.
The Friendship Society - an organization of seniors who meet on a monthly basis for food and fun.
Men's Basketball - A team of men from the congregation who play in a league sponsored by the area Lutheran churches.
Couples Golf League - League play begins Sunday, May 20th, at Maplecrest Country Club. Tee times start at 3:30 p.m. and the cost is $16.00 per couple, per round. An additional charge for reservation fees, prizes and a banquet will be determined later. If you have an interest in joining or would like more information, please contact the church office. (Couples can be any combination of two people).
Women's Volleyball - A team of women from the congregation who play volleyball in our FEC on Tuesdays nights, during the fall and winter.
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FIRST EVAN CENTER (THE FEC)
Located at the corner of Grand Avenue and Eighth Street adjoining the school building stands the First Evan Center.
This 10,000 square foot building was built and dedicated in the spring of 1990. Designed as a multi-purpose building to fit the social and recreational needs of both church and school, the building sees varied usage by the congregation's many organizations.
The Center provides quick access to the two floors of the adjacent school building by a two story stairwell; the Center is also handicapped accessible at its main entrance on Grand Aveue.
The arrangement of the main floor features a maple basketball court (high school dimensions) with glass backboards and a regulation size volleyball court; two undersized volleyball courts also designed into the floor allow for non-regulation double match play. Locker rooms for men and women, including showers, are conveniently located in the Center's northwest corner.
The Center contains a stage centrally located on the building's west end. On the east end a mezzanine, running the length of the building and overlooking out onto the basketball court, sets over a cafeteria, modern-equipped kitchen, and rest room. Below the mezzanine and paralleling the main floor are bleachers for seating 120 people.
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CHURCH GOVERNMENT
The course and policies of our congregation ultimately rest with its voting membership. Voting rights --as well as its public ministry--are restricted to the male membership, according to 1 Timothy 2:12. When men reach the age of 21 they may apply for voting rights at a quarterly voters' meeting. At these meetings the budget is adopted and members elected to the Church Council which is charged with the administration of the church business. The Church Council in turn is divided into the following committees, each chaired by a Council member.
Stewardship Committee - meets monthly to study, oversee, and manage the financila stewardship of the church.
Board of Elders - meets monthly to monitor church attendance.
Board of Education - meets monthly to oversee parish educational programs.
Board of Operations - meets montly to manage business operations and costs.
Worship Committee - meets periodically to organize and perfect worship techniques and styles.
Ushering Committee - meets periodically to oversee service ushering.
Evangelism Committee - meets monthly to welcome church visitors and to plan outreach programs to the community.
Interparish Council - a Council member sits on this administrative board of Wisconsin Lutheran School.
Church Council - The Chuch Council consists of the church's pastor(s), the principal of the Christian Day School (provided he be a member of the church) and nine men elected by the voters, eight of whom function as chairmen of the church Council sub-committees. As such Councilmen assume important roles in the day-to-day operations of the congregation, as their public vows explain and charge that they be "associated with the pastors, the appointed ministers of the Word, in the work of upbuilding the kindom of God among us... to administer the temporal affairs of the congregation...and to assist the pastors in the cultivation of peace, hamony, and love among the members, in the promotion of the general welfare of the congregation."
Also: Look under "Leadership".
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262-633-8267
