Welcome to Emmanuel!
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9:00 am Traditional Service in the Chapel
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10:30 am The ReFresh Worship Service is in the Sanctuary in person, on zoom,
and recorded on Facebook.
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If you would like to join us on zoom for the 10:30a.m. service,
please click the button below.
If you need to be added to the email list, you may sign up for the list(s) for the items you would like to receive, by clicking on the button ("sign up for E'-News") at the bottom of this page.
Upcoming at Emmanuel
Something for Everyone
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March & April Lenten Services
Palm Sunday & Easter Services Schedules
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Join Beth Campisi every Monday
for Cardio Drumming
Cardio Drumming 4:00-5:00 pm
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​Belly Dancing
Wednesday Nights, 6:00 - 8:00pm
New 8 week class starting January 8, 2025
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Yoga with Claudette Pirrello
every Monday, 5:00 pm - 6:15 pm
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​Art Show Opening, Friday,​
April 4th, 6:00 - 8:30 pm
"Keepers of the Light"
A Three-Woman Show
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Forest Preserve Hikes, times vary
See this page for the schedule.
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Women's Interfaith Potluck
See article below.
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Breathe Meditation Service
5:00 - 6:00pm Every other Month
The Next Breathe is May 10
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Breathe In Between
every other month at 5:00-6:00 pm
Saturday, April 12
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Spiritual Journeys Book Study
"Essential Spirituality"
by Roger Walsh
Tuesdays, 9:30 - 11:00am
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​​​MidTown Lutheran Parish Info.
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​​​​All are welcome @ Emmanuel!!!
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Spiritual Journeys
Tuesday mornings 9:30 - 11:00am
We are reading "Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind,” by Roger Walsh.
It is available on Amazon in various formats, used and new, and also through Thrift Books and other sites.
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We will be reading together and discussing it, so no need to read ahead.
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Please join us with this Zoom link on Tuesday mornings at 9:30 a.m. until
11 a.m.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89838350099pwd=O4Hu08ruXp2VHLOZLm9lsHyRKypPv9.1.
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Winnebago County Forest Preserves Interest Hikes
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Come hike with us.
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Join Soul Garden for continuing hiking experiences in the Winnebago County Forest Preserves. Dress for the weather!
Text Holly if you want to join the hikes
815-543-1191
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Please note the time of each hike.
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Thursday, April 3, 10:00am
J. Norman Jensen Forest Preserve10
14400 S. Bluff, Rockton, IL 61072
Saturday, April 26th 1:00pm
Deer Run Forest Preserve
5691 River Road, Cherry Valley, IL 61016
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​​Link to Descriptions of all 44 Forest Preserves
Join Beth Campisi
for Cardio Drumming in 2025
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​Regular Cardio Drumming
Every Monday 4:00 to 5:00 pm ( one class only)
Cardio drumming combines cardio exercise and drumming to music to provide an easy but effective workout. Using an exercise ball, a bucket and drumsticks, cardio drumming is a fun, fast paced way to increase your heart rate, burn calories and improve your coordination. It even helps to improve brain function and you don't need to be a drummer to do it! Cardio drumming is fun, engaging and accessible to everyone. All fitness levels welcome!
Contact Holly Blair-Cascio if you would like to Cardio drum with us!
815-543-1191 hollyblair@mac.com
Belly Dancing
Wednesday Nights
New 8 week class begins
January 8, 2025
6:30 – 7:30 pm Cost: $10/class
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Belly dancing is incredibly empowering. People of every size and ability level will have fun while building confidence, strength & grace. In the classes you will learn the Egyptian roots of Belly dance and the modern tribal & fusion styles. Short combinations will be incorporated into drills that focus on muscle group isolations, core stabilization, strengthening and lengthening of muscles, sharp & fluid motions, musicality & dance etiquette. No previous dance experience required and great for all fitness levels.
All classes are held at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 920 3rd Avenue in Rockford.
Register with Emily Rice - 773-456-1245
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At Emmanuel's Breathe Meditation Service we gather for one hour to enter a sacred time -- the "thin place" between the worlds -- and Breathe. We listen to sacred scriptures and poetry from many traditions, we chant, and we sit in silence as we open ourselves to the Great Mystery.
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The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.
Don't go back to sleep
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You must ask for what you really want.
Don't go back to sleep.
-Rumi
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Next Breathe will be May 1oth at 5:00-6:00 pm
Enter by the north parking lot entrance.
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Breathe
Women’s Interfaith Potluck
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All women are welcome and invited to attend the Women's Interfaith Potluck
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​UPCOMING WOMEN'S INTERFAITH POTLUCKS:
​​ - Monday, March 31, 2025, at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 920 Third Avenue, Rockford, 61104. Go to the back of the church to the parking lot and go in the door with the ramp.
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Christyn Rittenhouse will speak about fulfillment, purpose, and meaning.
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***NOTE: The potlucks always begin at 6:00 p.m., and are always on the LAST Monday of the month, UNLESS that is a holiday, in which case it will likely be the preceding Monday. We will NOT meet in December.
Breathe In Between
We who participate at BREATHE are a special community. We come together in a sacred space to meditate, sing, listen, hug, and know that we are not alone. All who come help to create a meaningful hour every other month. It's the “in between time” that can leave one longing for more togetherness and connection. The time just after the service ends is saved for sharing the peace, hugs, short conversations, or brief introductions.
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BREATHE IN BETWEEN will be offered as a “thread” to hold us all together in the months between meditation gatherings. It will also be a place for open-hearted soul talk. While many members know each other from other sources, we are now creating a time for us to get to know those we are not familiar with or to get to know those we do know even better.
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We will meet in the Benson room from 5-6pm and use the Esther Perel game cards 'Where should we begin?' as prompts.
Christyn Rittenhouse will be orchestrating our gatherings, so if you have any questions, you can reach her @ 815-289-7110.
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Our next gathering will be April 12th. Hope to see you there!
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Deep peace to each of you,
Christyn, Holly, Linda and Catherine
Sometimes we need a thread to hold us together during the months in between.
2025
Midtown Lenten Noon Services
Exercise Class before the services at 11:00 am, led by
the Faith Community Nurses
A simple luncheon will follow the services
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​March 26 at Noon at Calvary Lutheran (Emmanuel's Chapel)
920 3rd Avenue
Preacher: Pastor Frank Langholf
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April 2 at Noon at First Lutheran Church
225 S. 3rd Street
Preacher: Student Pastor Rachel
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April 9 at Noon at Emmanuel Lutheran Church
920 3rd Avenue
Preacher: Pastor Bill Dahlberg
There will be no exercise class before the April 9th Service
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There will be no Bible study at Emmanuel during Lent.
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An Invitation to Emotional Liberation
Thursdays, March 20th - April 10th
6-8 pm
$115 [Sliding scale available]
In this four week workshop we will dive into each of the concepts below, learn actionable tools to navigate difficult situations, increase inner peace, and strengthen relationships with yourself and others.
March 27th: From resentment to resilience
April 3rd: Managing assumptions, expectations,
and predictions to work in your favor
April 10th: Creating the intention of doing your best
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Registration and Questions, contact Christyn--815-289-7110
Coming...
Friday, April 4th, 6:00-8:30 pm
A New Art Show Opening
"Keepers of the Light", A Three-Women Show
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Palm/Passion Sunday
April 13th
Traditional Service in the Chapel at 9:00 am
ReFresh Service in the Sanctuary at 10:30 am
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Holy Week
April 17 Maundy Thursday 6:30 pm in the Sanctuary, washing of feet.
April 18 Good Friday 6:00 pm. Reading the Stations of the Cross around the block and ending in the Labyrinth.
Easter
April 20th
6:00 am Sunrise Service in the Labyrinth
9:00 am Traditional Service in the Chapel
10:30 am Festival Service in the Sanctuary
Ostara/Spring Equinox Celebration
Friday, March 21st
6:30 to 8:30 pm
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Emmanuel Lutheran Church 920 3rd Avenue,
Rockford, IL
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The Celebration will be both indoors and outdoors, weather permitting. Wear weather-appropriate clothing
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Call or text Pastor Frank with any questions, 390-509-5241 or use this
link to email.
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Dances of Universal Peace
Saturday, April 5, 2025
Emmanuel Lutheran Church
920 3rd Avenue
Rockford, 61104
(parking in the lot in the back of the church,
come in the door with the ramp.)
The Dances of Universal Peace are a participatory, embodied, unifying form of awakened practice, setting scriptures and prayer phrases to music and incorporating simple movement. Drawing on the sacred phrases, scripture, and poetry of the many spiritual traditions of the earth, the Dances blend chant, live music, and evocative movement into a living experience of unity, peace, and integration. No musical or dance experience of any kind is required; everyone is welcome to join in, and is encouraged to come as you are, gather with community for spiritual centering without being concerned about having a partner. The Dances originated during the 1960's in San Francisco's vibrant community, and have since spread worldwide, with new circles beginning in response to the need for action to promote peace, and new Dances constantly being created in various languages. A greater understanding and appreciation of other cultures, as well as one's personal path or religion, is often gained.
Patricia Kies has been a Certified Leader of the Dances of Universal Peace since 2007. She has traveled widely both to share the Dances in many communities, and to gain exposure to international leaders in retreat settings. Her work in the realm of education has been as a special educator, school psychologist, and mindfulness educator for both youth and adults, and she is utterly convinced that the brain and body store memory and associate meaning best when music and movement are infused into learning. She is dedicated to guiding others toward cultivation, development and integration of their inward and relational peace building skills.
Seeking out a personal belief system over several decades, Patricia has layered the spiritual components of Unitarian Universalism, Buddhism and Sufism over her Christian upbringing. She found herself at home within the Unity of religious ideals that forms the base for the Dances, and has been committed to sharing these practices to nurture and heal those who join the circle, and the collective heart of the interconnected world.
140th Anniversary of Emmanuel Lutheran Church
Emmanuel celebrated its 140th anniversary on July 17, 2022 and the 100th anniversary of our second church building in November 2023. Emmanuel’s history and evolution began with the Swedish immigrants’ courage, boldness, and hard work, conserving some of their Swedish Lutheran traditions all while adapting, in a new context with a new language.
Emmanuel continues to evolve, enriching the Spiritual Life of the Community with the Arts including music, poetry, artwork, dance, communing with nature, retreats, and other expressions of our Spirituality. We meet you where you are on your journey.
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Serving the people who live, work, worship, and play in the neighborhoods of Midtown
March 2025 MLP Newsletter
Check out our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Midtown-Lutheran-Parish-101030175425386
Opportunities in MLP—ALL ARE WELCOME!
Katie’s Cup is open Tuesday thru Friday 8 am -
2 pm
Katie’s Walking Club—Thursdays at 9:15 a.m., weather permitting
Katie’s Choice Book Club—Second Thursday of the month, 10 am.—11:15 am. Check with Katie’s Cup for book selection
Katie’s Cup Conversations— noon (11:30 room open):
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*March 18, 2025—Pastor Tom Jacoby “The Art of Lent”
*April 22, 2025—“You Don’t Have to be Wrong for Me to Be Right”—(communicating across religious divides) led by Pastor Denver Bitner with video and guest speaker.
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First Saturdays— Indoor Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Midtown Market Music:
Cars and Coffee—First Saturday April through October.
(June Cars and Coffee is on 2nd Saturday)
Soul Garden Forest Walk—Come hike for an hour in Winnebago Counties Forest preserves. Text Holly if you want to join the hikes: 815-543-1191. At Forest preserve entrances unless otherwise instructed.
Link to Descriptions of all 44 Forest Preserves
https://www.winnebagoforest.org/items
Wednesday, March 19th, 1:00 pm
Severson DellsⓇ
8786 Montague Road, Rockford, IL 61102
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Saturday, March 22, 1:00 pm
Blackhawk Springs Forest Preserve
5360 Mulford Rd & 5801 Perryville Rd
Cherry Valley, IL 61016
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RVC Lecture Series—Please Register through RVC’s CLR (Center for Learning in Retirement)
Call 815-921-3933 or email T.Lewis@rockvalleycollege.edu
*April 29, 2025— The History of Cars and Coffee with Pastor Michael Thomas
First Lutheran Naomi Circle meets the 1st Wednesday of the month at Katie’s Cup lower level, 11:30 am-2:00 pm, using “Gather” Magazine devotion. Buy a beverage or lunch, if you wish.
Special Events at Emmanuel Lutheran Church:
For the following Emmanuel events, contact Holly Blair-Cascio 815-543-1191
*Special Art Exhibit: “Life”, through March, during times when the church is open.
*Cardio-Drumming (Mondays— 4:00-5:00 p.m.) To sign up, contact Holly 815-543-1191
*Wednesday Night Belly Dancing. 6:00 -7:00 p.m. $10/class
Starting January 8, 2025.
Emmanuel Lutheran Church Pantry— Fridays 9:30-11:30 am
Emmanuel Lutheran Spiritual Journeys Book Study, Tuesdays, 9:30-11 am. by Zoom. We read together and discuss. Current book:Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind, by Roger Walsh
Join Zoom Meeting.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89838350099?pwd=O4Hu08ruXp2VHLOZLm9lsHyRKypPv9.1
Bible Studies:
Salem Lutheran: Tuesdays at 9:30 am in the Founders’ Room
Emmanuel: Wednesdays at noon. Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89356888344?pwd=dEw2NHVsS0JzYWdxUWdGVVk3OE5XZz09
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SERVICE TIMES
Sunday
9:00am - Traditional Worship (Chapel)
10:30am - ReFresh Worship (Sanctuary)
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Breathe Meditation Service:
(Breathe is held four times a year)
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All are welcome to come as you are to our worship services!
Parking is available on Third Avenue or the parking lot north of the church.
