News This Week
Both church and school offices are returning to their normal hours, which are as follows:
CHURCH AND SCHOOL OFFICE HOURS
Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm
CHURCH AND SCHOOL OFFICES CLOSED
Monday, September 7
On Wednesday, September 9, students in 6th grade through 12th are welcome to join us for our Back-to-Youth Group Party! We will meet at Immanuel from 6-8pm for taco dinner, ice cream, games, a devotion, and time by the firepit! Contact Emma at ehubble@immanuelloveland.org with any questions!
Next Wednesday, September 9th, Immanuel’s Men’s Movie Night will start our new season with the movie F1. We meet in the Immanuel Movie Room (room 36 – follow the signs). For those not familiar with MMNs, this is for guys who love movies. We meet every Wednesday throughout the school year from 6:00pm-7:00pm in our movie room which is equipped with a full-wall screen and HD surround sound. We pop popcorn and have pop, Gatorade, and water available. We watch most of our movies over two weeks and then spend the following week discussing them as far as how they pertain to us as men. All are welcome – you don’t need to be a member of Immanuel to join us! So spread the word and invite your guy friends.
Because of the length of our first movie, F1, we’re going to take three weeks to watch our opener. F1 is a high-speed fictional sports drama about a veteran racing driver who comes out of retirement to mentor a hotheaded rookie on a struggling Formula One team. F1 stars Brad Pitt and is directed by Joseph Kosinski (who also directed Top Gun: Maverick).
Come and join us for a fun time of snacks, games, devotions, and other activities as we gather together again!! Grades 4th-8th are welcome to join us from 5pm-7pm for pizza dinner, games, and a devotion! We hope to see you there! Contact Miss Emma to RSVP or for any questions - ehubble@immanuelloveland.org
The next Habitat for Humanity Immanuel Build Day is right around the corner – Saturday, September 12th. This is an awesome opportunity to share the love of Jesus with others in our community by providing safe and well-built homes. Mark your calendar and join together for a awesome day of fellowship and building. Even if your construction skills might be lacking, you are always teamed up with a skilled person to show you the ropes. Volunteers do need to be 16 years or older to work on the job site and need to wear close-toed shoes. If you have questions or if you plan to come, there is a sign-up sheet in the atrium, or you can contact Jeff Deaner directly (j_c_deaner@msn.com or 720-413-1349).
Ask a Pastor will be available next Sunday, September 13th following the 9:00 combined single worship service and then the weeks to follow after both the 8:00 and 10:30 worship services each week. Ask a Pastor will be set up near the library book display in the atrium. You are welcome to raise any subject of interest to any of Immanuel’s active and retired pastors and missionaries who serve in this capacity. Immanuel is truly blessed with a wealth of loving, servant-hearted, and knowledgeable pastors and missionaries who are all very willing to address any questions at any time!
All are invited to a brunch being served in the gym on Sunday, September 13th. The brunch will take place immediately following the 9:00am worship service (just one service that morning!). If you are interested in helping provide an egg casserole, juice, or fruit for the brunch, you may signup using this link, the signup sheets in the atrium, or by calling the church office, 970-667-4506: https://signup.com/go/sdWXRgL
Join us for a young adults meetup at Cattail Golf Course (2116 W 29th St, Loveland) for a round of S.N.A.G. Golf! Similar to Putt-Putt, this game is perfect for people who “don't know how to golf.” We will meet for tee time at 5:00pm. Friends are always welcome! If you are able to come or have questions, reach out to Emma Hubble to RVSP (317-946-7719).
Upcoming Events
- Sunday, September 6—Last Call for Breakfast Burritos!
- Sunday, September 6—Final Outdoor Worship
- Monday, September 7—Church and School Offices Closed
- Wednesday, September 9—Back-to-Youth-Group Night, 6:00pm
- Wednesday, September 9—Men’s Movie Night, 6:00pm
- Friday, September 11—First Faith Friday, 5:00pm
- Saturday, September 12—Habitat for Humanity Build Day
- Sunday, September 13—Young Adult Gathering – SNAG Golf, 5:00pm
- Sunday, September 13—One Combined Worship Service 9:00; Brunch and Ministry Showcase in the gym after worship (to sign up to help with food: https://signup.com/go/sdWXRgL)
Here’s the Sunday morning schedule for the rest of the summer months:
- Sunday, September 6th – Final Outdoor Worship service
- Sunday, September 13th – One Combined Worship Service 9:00; Brunch and Ministry Showcase in the gym after worship (to sign up to help with food: https://signup.com/go/sdWXRgL)
- Sunday, September 20th – Fall Worship Schedule begins (8:00am Classic Grace and 10:30am Contemporary Joy) along with new Bible Studies and Sunday School for all ages during the 9:30-10:20am Education Hour; stay tuned for the list of the many classes being offered!
Have you ever wondered what it was like ringing handbells? If so, you are invited to attend a 4-week Introduction to Handbell class to give it a try! This handbell class, for 2nd graders through seasoned adults, will meet on Wednesdays from 5:00-5:30pm on September 16, 23, 30 and October 7. If a month of handbell ringing was just the right length of time to try something new, great! If you decide a month wasn’t long enough and you’d like to continue ringing, we’ll find the right place for you in Immanuel’s handbell ministry. Please know that you do not have to be a musician to try handbell ringing—you just need to be able to count to four and enjoy trying something new! Questions? Contact Kathy Schlecht (kschlecht@immanuelloveland.org). P.S. children and parents are encouraged to try this together!
This year’s Christmas Musical, “Sing the Song of Christmas” includes familiar Christmas carols, exciting new songs, and readings from Scripture, all uniquely woven around the theme of song. We would love to have you experience the joy of celebrating the Christmas season by singing in the Christmas Choir! You do not need to be a professional vocalist to participate. In addition to rehearsals, helpful MP3s are available to assist vocalists in learning their part. Working together, the music comes together in a beautiful way, allowing the choir to gift the Immanuel congregation with their music during worship the morning of December 13th.
Don’t be shy! Come join us on Wednesday, September 16th, 7pm in the sanctuary, as we begin rehearsing “Sing the Song of Christmas.” The more vocalists we have, the bigger the gift! If you’d like more information, please reach out to Kathy Schlecht anytime: kschlecht@immanuelloveland.org or 970-203-4396.
Pastor Glen’s Immanuel 101 class will be starting up on Sunday, September 20th during the Education Hour from 9:30am-10:20am in room 112. If you’re curious about who we are at Immanuel or what we believe and teach, or if you’re interested in joining Immanuel, Immanuel 101 is where you want to be! Immanuel 101 is a 9-week class where those questions can be answered. There is no obligation to join after attending the class, but you will be given the opportunity to do so. If you or someone you know would be interested in attending the class, let Pastor Glen know so he can have enough materials prepared. It’s a great opportunity to invite a friend and then join them as a refresher for yourself! If you have any questions about the class, contact Pastor Glen (gschlecht@ImmanuelLoveland.org).
Serving and Giving
It's almost that time of year again! Time to start thinking about where God is calling you to serve in His ministry at Immanuel. We are blessed to have about 30 students enrolled in Sunday School ages 0-18. We ask that you prayerfully consider if serving in a class would be a gift you can share! Our classes are 0–3-year-olds (Nursery), PreK-1st, 2nd-4th, 5th and 6th, 7th and 8th (Confirmation), and high school. Please contact Emma if you are interested at ehubble@immanuelloveland.org. Thank you!
If you’ve ever had major surgery, brought home a new baby, or experienced the death of a loved one, you know what a gift it is to have some meals provided for you and your family. It can be a homemade meal but doesn’t have to be - it’s not the meal itself but the time taken to bring the meal and show Radical Hospitality that means the world to these families. We currently have a lot of needs in this area for our Immanuel community. If you would be willing to be added to the Meals Ministry Team, we’d love to have you! You would receive an email when a meal schedule is established, and you can then decide if one of the days when a meal is asked for would work for you. If so, you can sign up to provide a meal and, if not, you can wait until the next need is made known. When and how often you provide a meal will be completely up to you. To be added to this email group, let us know at churchoffice@immanuelloveland.org. Thank you!
Risen Savior Lutheran Church, Broomfield, is hosting a pickleball tournament September 20th to benefit Mission Experience, a mission that has served the people of Haiti—the poorest country in the western hemisphere—for over 10 years. Learn more about the pickleball tournament using the QR code on the poster below; learn more about this mission at www.missionexperience.org.
Immeasurably More: A Night for Life 2026 is an inspiring evening celebrating the life-changing work of Life Choices and the impact they make in our community. The Night For Life event is an incredible evening of food, fellowship, and encouragement from our special guest speaker, Melissa Ohden. Melissa is the founder of The Abortion Survivors Network, and she herself is a survivor of a saline abortion. This year’s Night For Life in Loveland is scheduled for October 16th at Good Shepherd Church.
LIFE CHOICES was founded in 1984 when a team of locals saw a need – to empower and support women, men and families experiencing unplanned pregnancy. LIFE CHOICES provides life-affirming support through unplanned pregnancy, emotional healing from abortion experiences, and sexual-risk avoidance education (SRAE) to equip youth for optimal health & life outcomes. Over 25,000 women have trusted LIFE CHOICES to provide understanding and expert medical care. LIFE CHOICES is a 501c3 non-profit that provides a safe place to explore all pregnancy options. We do not perform or refer for abortion – all our services are free and therefore we do not profit off of anyone’s choices.
Our free and confidential services include:
- Pregnancy Testing
- Dipstick Urinalysis
- Ultrasound Imaging
- Maternity and Baby Supplies
- Accurate Information on Abortion, Adoption, Parenting, Contraception, STI’s & More
- Post-Abortion Support and Healing for Women & Men of all ages and life stages
- Sexual Risk Avoidance Education for Middle and High School Students
Immanuel Lutheran School is launching a Sponsor-a-Student opportunity for congregation members who would like to help provide tuition support for a child in need. One of our beloved Preschool 4’s families, who has been part of the Immanuel family since their child joined our Toddler Program, is facing financial challenges. Your generosity can help this child continue to grow in a place where they are known, loved, and rooted in Christ. Several of you have responded to this need in part – thank you! For others, would you prayerfully consider sponsoring this child:
- A full year of Christ-centered preschool tuition: $2,964
- Preschool registration: $100 – PAID!
- Annual snack and classroom supply fee: $225 – PAID!
Every gift, large or small, helps remove financial barriers and invests in a child’s faith, education, and future. To learn more about sponsoring this child or another Immanuel student, please contact Matt Renquist at BCDSchair@ImmanuelLoveland.org or Cheryl Gilbert at cgilbert@ImmanuelLoveland.org.
Check out the image below to see where we’re at in the “race” toward our goal. Thank you again to all who have offered your commitments and are participating in Immanuel’s Run with Perseverance ministry campaign. The commitments we make through this 3-year emphasis – financial, spiritual disciplines (prayer, worship, time in God’s Word), and opportunities to grow and learn – is something we can all be part of. While this is the Lord’s ministry, He invites us to be His hands and feet, carrying out the mission and vision He’s given us. And what a joy it is that we can do that together! If you have not yet made a commitment, I would ask you to prayerfully consider doing that as we continue to Run with Perseverance together! You can stop in the church office for a paper commitment card, pick one up from the atrium, or fill out a commitment card online using this link – https://immanuelloveland.org/runwithperseverance/ then clicking the red “Online Commitment Card” button. Thank you!
On Sunday, I received word that there were some issues with our giving app, Pushpay. On Monday, I received the following email with an explanation and an apology, all of which I’m passing along to all of you.
Hello,
Yesterday morning, some of your donors may have tried to give online and had trouble connecting. If that happened in your church, I'm sorry — that's not the experience you or they should ever have on a Sunday. I want to tell you plainly what happened, what it affected, and what we've already done about it. Between 8:25 and 9:50 AM PDT yesterday, some individual donors were unable to connect to Pushpay’s web giving. Recurring giving was not affected. The cause: the additional server capacity we automatically deploy to handle Sunday traffic didn't deploy as it should have. Our internal systems identified the error early, and our team was already working to fix it before customers reached out to us. While this is the first disruption of this kind since 2020, we know that during peak Sunday morning services, any downtime is too long. We understand exactly what caused this, and we've already made the changes needed to prevent it from happening again. We continue to invest heavily in our infrastructure so we can remain the reliable, trusted partner you deserve. Your donors trust you in that moment of generosity, and you trust us to make it possible. Yesterday, for some of them, we didn't. We take that seriously, and we're committed to making sure we follow through on that trust every Sunday.
Sincerely,
Gruia Pitigoi-Aron
Chief Product Officer
Immanuel has been gifted with an electric mobility scooter, with the donor desiring to assist someone in need of mobility assistance and support. If this is something that would be helpful to you or someone you know, please contact the church office (churchoffice@immanuelloveland.org, 970-667-4506).
If you’re a 10:30am worshiper who prefers serving behind-the-scenes, this is for you! We are looking for an individual to complete one of our altar guild teams. The primary responsibility of this team member would be to serve following the 10:30am service once a month. If you would like more information about potentially serving on this vital ministry team, please contact Kathy Schlecht (kschlecht@immanuelloveland.org). Thank you!
Immanuel’s Worship Team. Immanuel’s worship team, Spirit Sounds, is looking for some new team members to join us in helping lead the 10:30am Contemporary Joy service (9:30am in the summer). We are especially looking for a drummer and vocalists. Those of us wh
o lead this way in our times of worship (high school and older) are not professional musicians; we are musicians who love the Lord and want to use the gifts of music He’s given us to return our thanks and praise back to him. If you would like more information about this yourself, or if you know of someone who would enjoy serving in this way, please contact Kathy Schlecht in person or by email (kschlecht@immanuelloveland.org). Thank you!
At Immanuel’s congregational budget meeting last July, credit card fees were talked about as a significant budget line. The actual costs we incurred last year were $22,104, so we budgeted the same amount for this year. Why share this? Because now you have an opportunity to help reduce those credit card transaction fees. There is now an option for online giving to add processing fees to your online gift or regular online offering. Simply go to Immanuel’s website, hit the red “Give” button, fill out the form, and before the transaction or recurring gift is finalized, you can click the button that says, “Add 2.2% to contribute to processing costs*” (*This rate represents an approximation of the applicable processing rates; actual processing costs may be higher or lower.) This will dramatically help reduce this cost that we incur as a congregation. Thank you for considering this new option! If you have questions, you can contact either the Church Office (ChurchOffice@ImmanuelLoveland.org, 970-667-4506) or Dawn, Immanuel’s Director of Accounting and Finance (dbowers@ImmanuelLoveland.org).
Yup. We still need ushers. It’s easy! Contact Kathy Schlecht if you’re able to help with this. Thanks! (kschlecht@ImmanuelLoveland.org). Thank you!
If you are interested in providing altar flowers for worship for a special occasion or for an individual in 2026, you may use the sign-up sheets located next to the Immanuel mailboxes or sign-up online using this link https://signup.com/go/GnbpHzF. We will order the altar flowers; you may either take them home with you after Sunday’s services or leave them to be used again the following week(s). Flowers are $60; when paying for flowers, please clearly indicate, “Altar Flowers,” whether paying by check (payable to Immanuel) or online. You may indicate the occasion on the sign-up or email the information to churchoffice@immanuelloveland.org. Thank you for helping beautify the altar and chancel area for our times of worship!
Immanuel has a volunteer Security Team that typically helps out at larger events for our school and church ministries, in addition to occasional support during Sunday morning worship times. With the recent violence last week, several of our security team members were able to come and walk the grounds prior to school drop-off and throughout the day to provide a safe and secure environment for our children and parents. If you’re interested or have questions about this, contact churchoffice@immanuelloveland.org.
FREE Money for Ministry! Everyone who is a client of Thrivent Financial is eligible for two $250 ministry grants a year. That’s $500 every single year for each Thrivent member! This is a huge blessing to Immanuel’s ministry. Just a few events that have made use of Thrivent grants so far this year include the Car Show, Vacation Bible School, Midweek Meals, and a congregational celebration. And we have many outreach opportunities coming up between now and the end of this calendar year for which a Thrivent grant would be helpful, including Fall Fest, Operation Christmas Child, the Christmas Bazaar, Lago Vista Christmas Shop, and Orchard Place Giving Tree. And there’s many more!
We want to make sure and capitalize on all grants available by keeping an updated list of Thrivent members and connecting those members with projects and events. We are also looking for an individual or two that would be willing to help Thrivent members make application for grants—the Thrivent member must make the application himself or herself, but they can have assistance in doing so. If you would be willing to serve in this role as an Action Team Grant Ambassador, or if you are a Thrivent member and would like your name added to our list of Thrivent members, please contact that church office (churchoffice@immanuelloveland.org). Thank you!
The Community Assistance Team will be collecting reusable shopping bags for the Lago Vista School Supply Drive. They will be collecting these throughout the year in preparation for the school supplies project later this summer. They will need 50-60 bags in total. There is a plastic tote on the table with food pantry items (across from the mailboxes) and shopping bags can be placed in the tote. Thank you for your support of this important caring ministry.
News
Occasionally we send out text messages for big upcoming events, changes in worship times, cancellations due to weather, etc. Save our church texting number (970-500-0878) to your contacts. This helps prevent our messages from being filtered as spam. When we send these occasional texts with important news and updates, you can always text the number back if you have a question or need assistance.
Click below for more information.
For everyone who wishes to give toward Immanuel’s three-year Run with Perseverance ministry campaign using envelopes, we now have specific envelopes that are available for you to use to ensure that your gift toward the campaign is correctly accounted for. You can find these envelopes (orange trim and the campaign logo) on the Information Station.
Rooted to Soar is our school's monthly newsletter from Principal Mrs. Cheryl Gilbert. It is designed to keep you connected to the exciting things happening at Immanuel Lutheran School. Read the August edition here to learn more about our Christ, centered, classically inspired learning. Each month, we’ll share academic highlights and faith-filled stories that show how we are living out our mission—partnering with you to provide outstanding care and education to help children soar academically, spiritually, and social-emotionally. Sign up for the monthly newsletter here to receive it in your inbox.
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Immanuel Lutheran Church & School
Voting Assembly 7.29.2025 2026-2027 Proposed Budget Assumptions
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A question was asked about giving toward Immanuel’s ministry campaign Run with Perseverance. First, you can starting giving toward the commitment you made for Run with Perseverance at any time. Second, someone asked if they could include it in one check along with their regular giving. The answer to that question is, “Yes!” All that we ask is that you write in the memo line of your check the amount going toward each designation so your intent is clear as to where your dollars are to be directed. Thank you for your generosity and your love for the Lord and His Church here at Immanuel!
f you are an Immanuel member and have thought about applying to have a booth at the Christmas Bazaar, don’t delay! We currently have more applications than space and will be making booth assignments in July. Application may be made online: https://immanuelloveland.org/christmas-bazaar/.
We are also looking for a couple more people who love attending craft fairs to help make our vendor selection the best it can be. If you are interested in helping with this, please contact the church office (churchoffice@immanuelloveland.org) or talk with Kathy Schlecht and she will pass your name onto the team lead. Thank you!
Immanuel has a Pictorial Directory, and you are welcome to pick one up to bring home with you! You can pick this up on Sunday morning or anytime you stop by Immanuel during the week. If we run out on Sunday morning, use the sign-up in the atrium and we’ll be sure to print one for you.
One of the quirks of our first run of a directory is this: by printing family photos, we are only able to print the contact information for the primary individual in the family. If there is a spouse or other family member for which you would like contact information, the best way to get there is to log into your Church Community Builder account. If you have never logged into Church Community Builder, now’s the time! In addition to all the photos and contact information, you’ll find Immanuel’s calendar, your Giving Statement, and more! You’ll find the button for CCB on the bottom-left of Immanuel’s website: immanuelloveland.org. If you need help logging in, contact the church office: churchoffice@imamnuelloveland.org or 970-667-4506.
If you don’t see yourself in this directory, it means we don’t have a picture of you – and we would like one and to have you in it! Or if the photo you see of yourself or your family in the directory is not a current one and you would like to update it before the next printing of the directory, please update the photo on your profile page in CCB, email a photo to churchoffice@immanuelloveland.org, or call the church office for assistance in getting a photo taken (970-667-4506). In addition, if there is information in the directory for you or your family that is incorrect, please update the information on your profile page in CCB, mark the “Church Copy” on the table with the correct information or email churchoffice@immauelloveland.org with the update. Thank you!
According to Immanuel’s by-laws, officers of the congregation are elected from the Executive Council members and that election takes place by the Executive Council at the start of the new calendar year, after the congregational elections are complete. That took place at the January EC meeting this past Tuesday. Our 2026 officers for the EC and Immanuel congregation are:
Shawn York, President (ECchair@ImmanuelLoveland.org)
Nathan Klein, Vice-President
Scott Siefert, Secretary
Eva Knight, Treasurer
As a point of information, here are the officers on both the Board of Elders and the Board of Christian Day School.
Board of Elders
Ed Bublitz, Chair (Elderchair@ImmanuelLoveland.org)
Jeff Deaner, Vice-Chair
Scott Gilbert Secretary
Board of Christian Day School
Matt Renquist, Chair (BCDSchair@ImmanuelLoveland.org)
Lori Aadsen, Vice-Chair
Bill Sandau, Secretary
We’ve discovered over the past several years that our email system will on occasion randomly remove people from various email groups. If you were on my (Pastor Glen’s) email prayer group or the daily Bring It Home devotions email group but now are no longer receiving them, this was not done intentionally! Or if you no longer receive either my Monday or my Thursday email updates or if you hear from someone who has experienced this, please email ChurchOffice@ImmanuelLoveland.org to let us know that you’re no longer receiving emails so we can get you added back onto those email groups. I apologize for this and don’t want you to feel like we’ve kicked you out – that couldn’t be further from the truth! It’s an ongoing mystery we haven’t been able to figure out so please let us know of any unwanted changes that you’ve noticed!
Don’t miss the opportunity to subscribe, listen, review, pray through, and apply God’s Word and spiritual encouragement that Pastor Glen shares weekly through his sermons given Sunday mornings. Yes, Immanuel has a weekly podcast! You can subscribe to receive them every week through your favorite Podcast provider – search “Immanuel Lutheran Loveland” to find the podcast or click one of the following links for your preferred platform: Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio Podcasts, or Spotify Podcasts. You can also find links on our website on the bottom of the page or on the Immanuel website “Sermons” page: https://immanuelloveland.org/sermons/ or subscribe to our YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/@immanuellutheranloveland). You will be blessed in your growing relationship with Jesus by making our weekly Podcast part of your life’s routine! In addition, you can share those episodes with friends! Thanks for listening and for sharing this resource with others!
Friends of Immanuel,
On Monday we celebrated 18 years in our current location at 4650 Sunview Drive. How can it be that long already? On Sunday, September 7, 2008, we had our Dedication and Grand Opening service for what was a 10-year project of faith.
In 1998 we determined that a decision had to be made as both our church and school were continuing to grow. We had built out as much as we could on our property at 1101 Hilltop Drive on the 3.5 acres that we owned. We were already using modular buildings to add needed classrooms and space. Now what were we going to do? We put several options to the congregation and in December 1998 the congregation voted unanimously to search for an appropriate larger site to relocate the church and school where it would be possible to more readily expand our ministries.
After exploring many different parcels of land all around Loveland, a 25.5 acre parcel of land on Highway 287 and 50th Street was brought to our attention. It seemed ideal! We put in our offer but we discovered that we were the lowest bid of three offers being made. One of many miracles we witnessed throughout the relocation process was that our offer was accepted in early 2000!
Building plans began to be made, a $2 million matching gift was generously given, ministry campaigns were put together, and many wheels were turning. On Sunday, October 30th, 2005, the members of Immanuel voted 148-32 to accept the proposal from the Thompson R2-J School District for the purchase of our current facility at 1101 Hilltop Drive. The offer was for the full appraised value of $2,250,000. However, this offer was contingent upon the passing of Referendum 3B on Tuesday, November 1st elections. This referendum, a bond issue, did pass by a margin of 51%-49%. With the passage of this referendum came an official, signed contract for the purchase of our current facility.
The contract with the school district stated that we had approximately 18 months to vacate 1101 Hilltop. During this time there were tremendous challenges and uncertainties – it was truly a leap of faith. Questions were raised second-guessing the decision to relocate. Families left Immanuel. Leadership struggled with how best to move forward and how to keep the congregation and Immanuel’s ministry together. And over and over again, we witnessed God performing the miraculous, most often just when miracles were needed – not well in advance but also not too late! We did receive several extensions from the school district as well as multiple extensions from the Loveland City Council to be able to keep using our modulars well past the normally-allowed-timeframe.
Everything came together on April 16th, 2007, when we broke ground on that Sunday afternoon, receiving front page coverage in the Loveland Reporter Herald the next day. It was a glorious celebration with over 300 people attending, and our men’s ministry group feeding the entire crowd. Over the next year, we held many different activities on the property, including outdoor worship all summer long, as we watched the building emerge. We had a stud-signing day where everyone was invited to come and write Bible verses on all the steel studs in the walls on the first floor – filling our building with God’s Word!
We had to move out of 1101 Hilltop Drive by June 5th and our last worship services at 1101 Hilltop were on Sunday, June 1st. We had the first of 7-10 tractor trailers delivered for us to fill on May 16th. We had several big “load days” where we filled those tractor trailers with most of Immanuel’s necessary furniture, files, and material goods. After worship on June 1st, we carried out all of the pews from the sanctuary, the altar, pulpit, lectern, and baptismal font, as well as the large 30’ high white metal cross that hung at the front of the sanctuary, with plans to use all of them in the new facility.
The following Sunday, June 8th, we worshiped together in one service on the new property. We then had a summer of waiting while the facility was completed and a Certificate of Occupancy was received from the City of Loveland. During this interim period, we had made arrangements for our offices to be housed at Edmonson Elementary School just to the west, across 287. Our 8:00am Classic Grace worship services were also held at Edmonson, in the gym, and our 9:30am worship service was held on the new property with needed equipment stored in a trailer for the summer.
Then, on Sunday, September 7th, 2008, we gathered together to dedicate this building to the glory of God with a wonderful celebration! We have been so blessed over these 18 years to see the wonders God has done and is continuing to do. I thank God for all of you who are here and call Immanuel your home. Yes, as the children’s song goes, the church is much more than a building – it’s the people! And as we continue to gather as God’s people, as His Church, and as we do so in this building at this location at this particular time in history, we continue to do so to God’s glory and for the furthering of His Kingdom! I look forward to seeing the awesome things He has in store for us in this coming season of our life together!
I’ve included pictures below of one of our loading days, the removal of the sanctuary cross on June 1st, Groundbreaking, the steel structure (which is the atrium), and Dedication and Grand Opening Day.
Serving together in Christ alone!
Pastor Glen
Friends of Immanuel,
With Labor Day weekend just ahead, for many this officially brings the summer to a close. Here at Immanuel, next week and in the weeks to come, many of our ministries that have taken a short break for the summer will be starting up once again. As we get ready for some fresh starts, I thought today would be a good opportunity to remember why we do what we do here at Immanuel.
The simplest answer to why we are here is “Jesus!” It’s simple and it’s true. Everything we do – from the big and obvious of worship and our school ministry, to the many ongoing groups and ministries with Small Groups, Bible Studies, Sunday School, and many age-specific groups that meet for fellowship, study, growth, and service, to the once-a-year big events like Fall Fest, the Christmas Bazaar, the Car Show, and Vacation Bible School – all have Jesus at the center.
We do what we do in order to share the Good News of Jesus and His suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension, which brings us forgiveness, shows us His love, and offers us real hope. At Immanuel we express what the Lord has asked of us in our Mission and Vision:
Immanuel’s Mission
Transform lives by Loving, Learning, and Living in Jesus
Immanuel’s Vision
We reveal the love and grace of Jesus to our community by our Radical Hospitality, Transformational Learning, and Fearless Living
We value creativity, innovation, and new ideas as to how we can better carry out this Mission and Vision in our world and, specifically, in our greater Loveland community.
Men’s Movie Nights at Immanuel (MMN) is one of those creative ways we have to accomplish this. MMN will be starting our 19th season next Wednesday, September 9th. This idea grew out of my personal enjoyment of movies, especially “guy” movies with plenty of action and lots of things blowing up! With MMN, we typically take two weeks to watch a movie (from 6:00pm-7:00pm) and then spend time the third week discussing it. We do not watch exclusively Christian movies, although we have watched a few over the years. By and large, we watch those “guy” movies.
For example, over the years we’ve watched Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, Gladiator, several Mission Impossible movies, Twisters, Lincoln, A Few Good Men, Nuremburg, American Sniper, Armageddon, and some of the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World movies, just to name a few.
We’re starting this new season out with F1, a fictional Formula One racing movie starring Brad Pitt. I’ve been partnering with Joe Sarr of our congregation, who for many years has been putting together our discussion guides and who does an amazing job of researching the movies and coming up with questions and discussion starters that are not just digging into the movie but which have us thinking about our calling to be men of God.
MMN has provided an open door for many of us guys to invite friends and other guys who enjoy movies. So for all you guys who are reading this (or wives who know your guy would enjoy this!), come and join me and some of the other movie-loving guys next Wednesday and check it out! I’ll have signs out to give direction to our movie room (equipped with a full-wall screen and surround sound), and we’ll have fresh popcorn popping and some pop and water to drink.
Serving together in Christ alone!
Pastor Glen
Friends of Immanuel,
It’s the last day of August, schools throughout our community are in full swing again, and here at Immanuel plans are well underway for another great year of adventure, growth, exploring, and following Jesus and where He’s leading us, and all that He would have us do as we serve together for the furthering of His Kingdom!
Next Sunday, Labor Day weekend, will be the last Sunday on our summer worship schedule, including our final outdoor worship service for the year. The following Sunday, September 13th, we will kick-off the fall with a single combined worship service at 9:00am followed by a brunch in the gym (that everyone is invited to) and a Ministry Showcase, highlighting some of the many ministries happening at Immanuel. If you can help with food, you can sign up with this link: https://signup.com/go/sdWXRgL. Thank you!
The following Sunday, September 20th, we return to our regular schedule of 8:00am Classic Grace worship, 9:30am-10:20am Education Hour, and 10:30am Contemporary Joy worship. Miss Emma is lining things up for the Education Hour for children, confirmation classes, and youth Sunday School (she could still use some teachers and helpers – if interested, contact her). For adults, there will be three classes options during the Education hour – Kathy Schlecht will be teaching Heaven on Earth: There’s More to Come—what we can know from Scripture about what happens after death, and Gail Hein will be teaching a class on the Augsburg Confession—a great opportunity to walk through some very foundational writings from the Reformation era in the late 1500s that have shaped our Lutheran heritage. I’ll be sharing some more details of those classes in some upcoming email updates.
I will be teaching the third class being held during the Education Hour this fall, Immanuel 101. This class is open to anyone interested in learning about who we are at Immanuel and what we believe and teach. For those interested in joining Immanuel or who are considering joining, this class is for you! There’s no obligation to join by simply attending the class. We’ll take 9 weeks to go through some of the basics of our core beliefs and talk about what makes us who we are. If you’re interested in joining me for this class, please email me to let me know so I make sure and have enough materials ready (gschlecht@ImmanuelLoveland.org). It’s a great opportunity to invite a friend or for our current members of Immanuel to get a refresher on what makes us Immanuel.
Be praying for the year ahead and how you can engage in some of the Transformational Learning opportunities that we’ll be offering all year long! Through the many learning opportunities, my prayer is that we grow in our faith and that our eyes are opened more and more to how God is working in and through each of us to spread His love and to share the hope we have in Jesus! As we talked about yesterday in worship, Jesus IS our Hope! And as a reminder, and for those who may have missed, here is this week’s What Now?
What Now?
How do you answer Jesus’ question, “Who do you say I am?”? Take time this week to consider this important question. Then look for an opportunity to ask that question of other people as a conversation starter.
Serving together in Christ alone!
Pastor Glen
Friends of Immanuel,
I want to thank those of you who have said something to me over the past month about our summer worship series, A Summer of Hope. This has been a series that has truly impacted many of you in different ways, and I’m humbled and thankful for how many of you have taken the time to share what a difference this series has made for you. As we on the Worship Planning Team brainstorm and work together to develop the different worship series that we have each season, that truly is our prayer. And it is also my personal prayer as I work on developing each week’s particular theme and direction, as I write each sermon, and as I prepare for each worship service. I pray that the Lord would guide us in speaking of Jesus and His Truth, His Love, and, especially this summer, His Hope, as clearly as we can.
As we near the end of our summer worship series (“Boo!” for the end of summer! LOL!), we are turning our eyes toward the fall and plans are well underway for the months to come. Today I want to highlight what I hope will be a fun and important transitional Sunday coming up soon. Our last Outdoor Worship service and the last Sunday of our summer schedule is Labor Day weekend, Sunday, September 6th. The following Sunday, September 13th, we will have one combined worship service beginning at 9:00am.
Over the past number of years, we have had a Ministry Fair on that first Sunday following Labor Day weekend. This year we are looking to try something a little different. Immediately following worship on September 13th, we will have brunch in the gym and what we are calling a Ministry Showcase.
The two main overarching goals of our time together that morning are celebrating the Community we enjoy together with food and fellowship and, second, providing opportunities to consider the part each of us can play as important members of this Community.
The goal of the Ministry Showcase is to provide information about the many areas available to grow in one’s faith as well as areas in which to serve using your unique giftedness. On all the tables where we’ll be eating there will be information about the many different opportunities to grow and serve, along with a place to indicate which ministries you’d like to receive more information about. Many of our ministry leaders will be available for casual conversation about the ministries they lead, and we are hoping to include a fun surprise as part of the Showcase.
My hope and encouragement is that all of us plan to be here that morning for worship and then hang around a bit longer for a delicious brunch and some good fellowship in the gym. It’ll be a great way to kick-off our fall season!
If you are willing, we could use some volunteers to make a breakfast casserole to share that morning. If you’re willing and able to do this, you can sign up using this link (https://signup.com/go/sdWXRgL), the signup sheets in the atrium, or by calling the church office, 970-667-4506. Thank you for helping in this way!
Thanks for being part of Immanuel – this is an amazing community of faith and I’m honored and grateful to be your pastor! I’m looking forward to all that the Lord has in store for us together in the weeks and months ahead!
Serving together in Christ alone!
Pastor Glen
Friends of Immanuel,
First of all, thank you very much for everyone who took the time to email me with your feedback, input, and thoughts on my use of screens for my sermons. I appreciate hearing both the pros and the cons from all of your personal experiences and opinions! If you haven’t given me your feedback yet, feel free to email your thoughts my way – it’s not too late to do that.
Yesterday’s sermon from 1 Kings 16-19 and the prophet Elijah with the theme, Hope in the Face of Success and Depression, is another section of God’s Word that has so much to say to us with regard to who this amazing God is whom we trust and follow, where hope is truly found, and so much more about ourselves.
For today’s update, I want to emphasize two important things from the end of my sermon that I hope and pray we all take to heart. The first thing is regarding God coming to Elijah in a gentle whisper and not in the strong and powerful wind, the earthquake, or the fire. We know, from other parts of God’s Word, that there are times when God has chosen to come in dramatic fashion, and times when His actions have been big and splashy.
But God is always filled with surprises – working in ways that He knows are best. And more often than not, the vast majority of times in history and in our lives right here and now, God comes to us through the ordinary, the UNspectacular, the everyday things of life. When we are looking for the Lord, He’s assured us of several places where we can count on Him being found – in words (Bible), in water (baptism), in bread and wine (Lord’s Supper), and in people like you and me (fellowship of believers). It can be easy to either take for granted, or even to entirely dismiss and NOT marvel at these seemingly ordinary things that we do and experience week-in and week-out in worship. My suggestion and encouragement would be for us to truly marvel at every baptism, every celebration of the Lord’s Supper, and every time we hear or read the Bible. Because that is how He comes, how He speaks to us, and how He reminds us of His love and promises, all of the places where we find HOPE!
The other matter I want to highlight from my sermon is the other gift the Lord gave to Elijah – it was a promise and an assurance that Elijah was not alone, even though that’s how he felt. It’s how the devil works, always trying to isolate us, trying to make us think that we’re all alone, that nobody else is dealing with what I’m dealing with, or going through what I’m going through. The facts of the matter are this. First, the Lord has made us a promise that He is always with us – always, no matter what; coming to us in those ordinary and sometimes even in miraculous ways! And second, He has put us in families and in community and in His Church together. We’re here to walk with each other and to be His presence in each of our lives. Let these promises and assurances from our Lord bring you hope!
Lastly, I leave you with this week’s What Now?:
What Now?
No matter what you are dealing with right now, from the highs to the lows, listen to God’s gentle whisper, speaking His love, His presence, and His very real hope into your heart and life. With the challenges, if needed, seek professional help (Pastor Glen can provide recommendations).
Serving together in Christ alone!
Pastor Glen
Friends of Immanuel,
I am looking for a little feedback from all of you today. During the summer months, we change a number of things up – we take a short break with our Education Hour, we change the worship time for our late service, we worship outdoors in July and August, and the order of service for the outdoor service is a bit different than our usual order of service. Another obvious change is that I don’t use screens for the outdoor service, because we don’t have screens out there! And this is where I’d appreciate your feedback.
You may have noticed that over the past year I’ve been using more and more screens during my sermons to help illustrate points that I’m making, to have questions I’m asking in front of you, and to put Scripture passages that I’m quoting up for you to see and read along. During July and August I have not been doing this for the 8:00 service and obviously not for the outdoor service.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you like my increased usage of the screens during sermons? Or would you prefer a minimal use of screens, as has been the case in July and August? You can email me your thoughts at gschlecht@ImmanuelLoveland.org. I would also welcome any other thoughts, questions, or ideas you may have on my preaching. Thank you for taking the time to provide me with this valuable feedback.
Serving together in Christ alone!
Pastor Glen
Friends of Immanuel,
On Sunday we tapped into another of the miracles of Jesus that is loaded with enough storylines for multiple sermons! From Matthew 14:21-33 we hear about Jesus walking on water and then Peter walking on water. There are a couple of things at the end of this account that I didn’t have opportunity to speak to in my message yesterday.
The most significant of these is how clearly Jesus demonstrates, and the disciples witness to the fact, that Jesus truly is the Son of God. How? He defies the natural laws of gravity and the make-up of land and water as He walks on water. When Peter is sinking, he cried out to Jesus, “Lord, save me!” Without a word, Jesus calms the wind and the waves. And we’re told in the last verse of this account, “those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’” The significance of this takes us to the very core of our faith. If Jesus is not true God and true man, our faith means nothing. But as true God and true man, He fully accomplishes the mission all of Scripture makes clear – that Jesus, by being born without sin, by living a perfect, sinless life, by being the perfect human being, He can be the needed sacrifice for the sins of the world. And it is that sacrifice Jesus willingly made, giving up His very life, that brings us hope. The fact that Jesus is fully God gives him authority to offer us and all who believe in Him eternal life through His victorious resurrection from the dead. Because of that, we, like Peter, can cry out in our sinking state, “Lord, save me!” and He does!
On this side of eternity, Jesus’ question to Peter and, by extension, to the other disciples and to us, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” is a valid question. Peter had faith – how else could he have walked on water as Jesus invited him to come to Him? But our faith is an imperfect faith. And at the same time, our imperfect faith is enough faith to be saved (search your Bible for what Jesus had to say about faith and a mustard seed!).
As I emphasized in the sermon, the focus of this miracle must be on Jesus and not on Peter. A focus on Peter takes us down paths we dare not go, such as: if you keep your eyes on Jesus, you won’t ever sink when you face difficulties; if you don’t get out of the boat, you’re not a real Christian; you have to get out of your comfort zone to really follow Jesus; if you have enough faith, you can do anything! What a heavy burden that can be, if we try to live by these unbiblical “mantras.”
Instead, as we walk through this life, let Jesus be the one to walk on water, die on the cross, rise again, pay the price for our sins, and love us with an unconditional love. He is our Savior – a Savior who invites us to follow Him. Sometimes the invitation may take us “out of the boat.” Other times it may prompt us to do the mundane things in life that have to happen – shop for groceries, pay bills, go to your child’s game or concert. Still other times it may ask us to walk alongside a spouse, friend, co-worker, or family member who is hurting, struggling, scared. As we take up Jesus’ invitation to follow Him, we can take comfort and encouragement in the fact that, even in those times, we are not alone. He is with us in all those moments, using us, speaking through us, helping us to share His love, His hope, and the Good News we know because of Jesus.
Is there hope in all of that? I pray that there is, for you and for all of us! Take this week’s What Now? and let it lead us to the hope our Savior brings us:
What Now?
I urge you to cry out, “Lord, save me!” with whatever you may be facing right now and in the week to come. Whether it is a life-threatening situation or a momentary stumble, let your faith and your hope rest in the One who is here for you to rescue and to save!
Serving together in Christ alone!
Pastor Glen
Friends of Immanuel,
Are you like me, feeling the last vestiges of summer quickly slipping away?! I know emotions are all over the board with this. Some parents are more than ready to have school start up and for their kiddos to get back into the regular routines of school and after-school activities so they stop hearing, “I’m bored, what can I do?” (LOL!) Children, depending on their age and personality, are either excited about getting back to school and their friends or are holding out as long as they can, not wanting to let go of summer freedom. And those who don’t have children (or who don’t have children in school any longer), are likely ambivalent because not much changes whether school is in session or not. While the weather certainly isn’t giving any indication of summer being done, other activities and events are pointing us in the direction of this annual change of seasons.
Our teachers at Immanuel reported back last week and have been working hard in meetings, room preparation, and getting themselves ready for the start of school. Today we had our annual All-Staff Kick-Off as 16 of us (church staff and teachers) met to worship together, to enjoy some fun team-building, hearing some encouragement about messaging and marketing from Ashley Jones, Immanuel’s part-time Director of Communications and Marketing for our church and school, laying some groundwork for creating a new Staff Covenant, getting updates and reminders about some of the basics (security, submitting work orders, our new phone system, etc.), and enjoying time to eat together and catch up from the summer. It was a very good morning – we are blessed with a very gifted, dedicated, and faith-filled staff here at Immanuel!
We, along with the Thompson School District, will start school next week, welcoming over 100 children through our doors. I’m looking forward to the privilege I always have of leading our opening chapel next Wednesday at 8:30am in the sanctuary (you are all invited to join us each Wednesday for chapel at that time!). See the article below for an awesome update on where Immanuel’s enrollment is currently at – praise God!
The other indicators of a change in season are football season right around the corner (the Packers’ first preseason game is tonight and the Broncos’ is tomorrow), Immanuel’s summer softball teams wrapping things up with their end-of-season tournaments tonight and next Tuesday, and writing about the start of various fall ministries. Stay tuned for more information coming on many of our regular ministries picking back up, which will be happening over the next two months.
To that end, I’ll put in a quick note for everyone’s calendars – our last summer worship schedule will be Labor Day weekend, Sunday, September 6th. The following Sunday, September 13th we will have ONE combined worship service that morning at 9:00am. Worship will be followed by brunch for everyone in the gym and a Ministry Showcase where, during brunch, we’ll be sharing some information on the fall and some neat opportunities that’ll be coming. Put it on your calendar now and plan to be here! If you’re interested in bringing something to the brunch, here is an online signup: https://signup.com/go/sdWXRgL)
Our Savior’s richest blessings to all as we walk together through these last days of summer, anticipating some of the awesome things the Lord has in store for us in the months to come!
Serving together in Christ alone!
Pastor Glen
Friends of Immanuel,
I’m going to offer a few follow-up comments from yesterday’s message on “Hope with Empty Hands” that I didn’t have time to address during the sermon.
Yesterday I didn’t travel down the path of speaking to those things that we thirst for that are not good for us. But that is an important part of the discernment that I alluded to when I said that we have to thirst for those things that are truly important. The Lord’s questions to us in Isaiah 55:2 – “Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?” But we do, don’t we? That is part of the battle we have to fight each day against the devil and the temptations he is constantly throwing our way to try to divert us from what truly is important. He’d rather us focus on the trivial, on self-serving matters, on those things “I want.” So often we try to fill our empty hands with things that are not helpful or good. Here, again, is where grace has to come into the picture. We need our Lord’s grace, that undeserved love He shows to us, to bring us the forgiveness we need when we lose focus on Him and when we stumble and fall into those temptations rather than listening to the Lord.
We need to keep our guard up. It’s not just a matter of living a strict straight-laced life. It’s not that the Lord doesn’t want us to have fun and enjoy His amazing creation and everything in it. But let’s keep first-things first! With Jesus, we know the love He has for us. Not only are His hands full, but He insists on filling our empty hands, not just with what we truly need, but He insists on filling our empty hands, as evidenced by the miracle of the Feeding of the 5000 (Matthew 14:13-21), far beyond what we can even hold. He truly is a God of abundance – abundant grace, abundant love, abundant life, and abundant hope!
Our living, loving, hope-filled Lord is eager and ready to quench our thirst and satisfy our hunger – no, not with every want and desire we may have, but with what He knows we truly need. I pray that day after day we seek to be attuned to His desires for us as we, with eyes on Jesus, continue to follow Him.
As I wrapped up yesterday’s message, that’s what I want to leave you with again today. Wherever you’re at right now – however thirsty, hungry, empty, uncertain, confused, angry, sad, or hopeless you may feel – take the Lord up on His invitation to you to come to Him and let Him give to you what you need, without cost and without money. Because He loves you and He’s got you – He’s holding you in His full, strong, powerful, and loving hands!
And to help with that, here’s this week’s What Now? for you to consider:
What Now?
This week thirst for what you truly need, listen to God speaking into your life through His Word, and let Him speak into your ears, into your mind, and into your heart, the hope He desires for you!
Serving together in Christ alone!
Pastor Glen
REGULAR SUNDAY MORNING SCHEDULE
Classic Grace Worship - 8:00am
Education Hour for all ages - 9:30am
Contemporary Joy Worship - 10:30am
SUMMER WORSHIP SCHEDULE
Classic Grace Worship - 8:00am
Outdoor Contemporary Joy Worship - 9:30am
No Education Hour during the Summer
Have questions for us? Ask!
Immanuel Lutheran Church
Immanuel Lutheran Church and School
4650 Sunview Drive,
Loveland, CO 80538
(on the corner of Highway 287 and 50th Street)
Church office hours:
Monday - Friday: 8am–4pm
Phone: (970) 667-4506