holy communion is served the first and second sundays of the month
Weekly message & Upcoming Events
Dear friends and members of Highland and Big Canoe Lutheran Churches,
For this week’s devotion, I invite you to pray with me:
Lord, grant that each one who has to do with me today may be the happier for it.
Let it be given me each hour today what I shall say, and grant me the wisdom of a loving heart that I may say the right thing rightly.
Help me to enter into the mind of everyone who talks with me, and keep me alive to the feeling of each one present.
Give me a quick eye for little kindnesses, that I may be ready in doing them and gracious in receiving them.
Give me quick perception of the feelings and needs of others, and make me eager-hearted in helping them.
Amen.
See you in church!
Pastor Becker
3-12-2026
P.S. If the weather models are accurate, we could be in for blizzard conditions on Sunday morning. If so, please stay home and worship with us via the livestream on Facebook. I’m going to make a pastoral decision now regarding the adult Bible class, Sunday school, and confirmation class: they will be cancelled for Sunday. But I will still lead the worship service at 10am. (Detra and I will slide down the hill to the church on Sunday!)
P.P.S. The men’s breakfast will take place in the fellowship hall at Big Canoe on Saturday, March 21 (10:00-11:00am). Please let me know before Thursday, March 19, if you plan to attend. Send me a text (219-916-8535) or an email to RSVP.
Reminder: Both Highland and Big Canoe congregations have agreed to do a pictorial directory. The pictures for both congregations will be taken at Big Canoe on Tues-Wed, April 14-15, between 2pm and 8:45pm. People will be able to register online as well as on Sunday mornings at church. There is no cost for participating in the pictorial directory! Each family unit will receive a complimentary 8x10 portrait and a church directory.
To schedule your photo session online (one per family) for the pictorial directory: Go online to www.ucdir.com. Click on the box on the right side of the homepage entitled “photography session sign-up.” The church code (for both Big Canoe and Highland) is ia395. The church password is 395mem. Click on the desired date (either April 14 or April 15), click on the reserve time for your appointment, and then enter the appropriate information in all the required fields. Write down the date/time information for your records. (You will also receive an email containing your appointment info.) A printout of all appointments will be available to see on Sunday mornings before and after our worship service.
Upcoming Events:
Fri, Mar 13 (10am): The worship service at Green Lea Manor (Mabel) has been cancelled
Sun, Mar 15 (8:45am): Bible class at Big Canoe has been cancelled due to weather forecast
Sun, Mar 15 (9am): Children’s Sunday school has been cancelled due to weather forecast
Sun, Mar 15 (10am): Service of the Word (Big Canoe) will still take place (via Facebook)
Sun, Mar 15 (10am): Blessing of the Quilts will still be a part of the worship service
Sun, Mar 15 (after the service): Youth confirmation instruction has been cancelled due to weather
Wed, Mar 18 (9am): Midweek Lenten Bible class (Winneshiek Wildberry Winery)
Wed, Mar 18 (5:30pm): Shared Ministry meal and Lenten service (Hauge)
Sat, Mar 21 (10:00-11:00am): Men’s Breakfast (Big Canoe)
Sun, Mar 22 (8:45am): Bible class (Gospel of Matthew) meets in the Fellowship Hall at Highland
Sun, Mar 22 (10am): Service of the Word (Highland) – Fifth Sunday in Lent (purple)
Sun, Mar 22 (after worship): Planning meeting for the side-by-side event in August (Highland)
Wed, Mar 25 (9am): Midweek Lenten Bible class (Winneshiek Wildberry Winery)
Wed, Mar 25 (5:30pm): Shared Ministry meal and Lenten service (Burr Oak)
Sun, Mar 29 (8:45am): Bible class (Gospel of Matthew) meets in the nave at Big Canoe
Sun, Mar 29 (9am): Children’s Sunday school meets in the Fellowship Hall at Big Canoe
Sun, Mar 29 (10am): Palm Sunday service w/Holy Communion (Big Canoe) (purple)
Sun, Mar 29 (after worship): Big Canoe Church Council meeting
No youth confirmation class on March 29, due to the council meeting. We’ll meet by zoom this week.
Thurs, Apr 2 (6:30pm): Maundy Thursday service w/Holy Communion (Highland) (purple)
Fri, Apr 3 (6:30pm): Good Friday service (Big Canoe) (bare altar)
Sun, Apr 5 (8am): Worship w/Holy Communion at Big Canoe – Easter Sunday (white)
Sun, Apr 5: No Sunday School or adult Bible class on Easter Sunday.
Sun, Apr 5 (9am): Easter breakfast and pie auction at Big Canoe (to support the Luther League)
Sun, Apr 5 (10am): Worship w/Holy Communion at Highland – Easter Sunday (white)
Tues, Apr 14 (2pm-8:45pm): Photos of both congregations for the pictorial directory (Big Canoe)
Tues, Apr 14 (2pm): Gather Bible study (Highland)
Wed, Apr 15 (2pm-8:45pm): Photos of both congregations for the pictorial directory (Big Canoe)
Apr 16-18: Pastor Becker attends the annual board meeting of Lutheran Quarterly in Des Moines
Apr 19 (10am): Worship w/High School baccalaureate service for Karlee and Ryan (Big Canoe) – (white)
Apr 19 (after the service): Light reception for Karlee and Ryan in the fellowship hall at Big Canoe
Mon, Apr 20 (9am): Shared Ministry Group meeting (St. John, Locust)
Sat, May 2 (7am): Pastor Becker participates in the special ordination service in Jos, Nigeria (via Zoom)
Sun, May 3 (8:45am): Bible class (Gospel of Matthew) meets in the nave at Big Canoe
Sun, May 3 (9am): Children’s Sunday school meets in the Fellowship Hall at Big Canoe
Sun, May 3 (10am): Worship w/Holy Communion at Big Canoe – Fifth Sun. of Easter (white)
--Rev. Dr. Steve Albertin is our guest preacher
Tues, May 12 (2pm): Gather Bible study (Highland)
Fri, May 22 (5pm): Wedding rehearsal (Big Canoe)
Sat, May 23 (3pm): Wedding of Molly Oehme and Beau Benzing (Big Canoe)
Matthew L. Becker, STS, B.A., M.Div., M.A., Ph.D.
Pastor, Big Canoe and Highland Lutheran Churches, Decorah, IA
Treasurer, Lutheran Quarterly
Senior Research Professor of Theology Valparaiso University College of Arts & Sciences Room 314
1400 Chapel Drive Valparaiso, IN 46383 Phone: 219-916-8535 E-mail: matthew.becker@valpo.edu
