St. Luke's Communicator October 2006

Too often you hear only of shortcomings. (Who would want to keep going to church if you believe it is just one more trip to the woodshed?) Two years ago the Raising the Roof task force was formed to study and make recommendations regarding staffing and programming needs.

After you formed this group you took their recommendations and acted on them. We have staffed for youth, children’s and worship ministries as well as grown our worship resources. In addition we hired an office administrator to oversee the daily operation of the church. All of this was part of a program budget that you passed last June.

You, the members of St. Luke’s, have discerned the future of our ministry, made a conversation as to what program and staffing could best move us towards our vision and then supported your Board of Trustees (BOT) as they have provided leadership depending on your good will and prayerful support.

You have done the process. This direction of this ministry is truly the consequence of your participation. Thank you, this is truly a program-driven ministry.

I want to make you aware of the next significant activity that will continue to bless us as we move towards greater mission. During January and February of ’07 we will be hosting our next capital campaign. It will be one year since the completion of our last three year campaign that resulted in the building of our sanctuary and narthex. We are all indebted for your generous support that has resulted in our place of worship as well as the reconfiguration of Memorial Hall (our old sanctuary).

In part, as an expression of the celebration of our 50^th Anniversary which begins at our October 22^nd worship, the BOT will be recommending to the congregation at our November congregational meeting the goals for this campaign. There are three parts to this campaign. Included will be important “bricks and mortar” items to be completed, (e.g. finish basement for Sunday School classes, new roof, etc.) but there will also be significant monies to be designated towards supporting children, youth and music and worship ministries. The BOT will be recommending that 10% of monies raised will go towards supporting mission and benevolence projects.

This campaign proposal is a further expression of the programs you have prioritized as critical for growth. (You will hear much more in the near future.) You need to be honored for your vision and your support. This pastor does not know how to do it any better than to say, Thank you.

In my rush to put away something I knocked over the container of cat food with the result being cat food everywhere on the kitchen floor. Oh, no! That wasn’t how I wanted to spend my morning. Change of plans! I did have choices. I could have left it there. That wouldn’t have made Ken very happy when he returned home from the men’s breakfast. I could have asked the maid to clean it up (the one who exists only in my imagination). Sweeping it up and then scrubbing the floor seemed the most sane and logical thing to do.

Isn’t that like life? We make our plans and then something happens to change them. Sometimes (like the above example) it’s our own fault and sometimes things happen through no fault of our own. Either way, it doesn’t do any good to blame. We need to go on. Cat food spilled all over my kitchen floor is not the worst problem I’ve ever had in my life, however it’s a good example of how our plans change due to interruptions.

Sometimes the interruptions in our lives are more important than what we had planned. Sometimes God has plans for us that are even better than what we could have dreamed up. At the end of June, Ken and I planned a trip. It was postponed; however that allowed me to attend a course about LifeShapes and read the book,"A Passionate Life", by Mike Breen and Walt Kallestad. Reading that book gave me a fresh way of looking at my faith. When something happens out of the ordinary, I am hoping to stop and look at it from God’s perspective and see what I can learn from this experience.

“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” Jeremiah 29: 11

“The Lord works in mysterious ways!” Have you ever heard this saying? I have many times. What it means to me is that even though we might not know or question why God is putting us through a certain task or situation, in the end we will understand. The reason I mention this is because I have been given a task that includes much hard work and will require your help. This task is to teach, mentor, and challenge the youth of this congregation. This coming year we will focus more on community service and Bible studies while still having fun activities along the way.

We need everyone’s help to keep the youth interested and active in St. Luke’s while being educated and challenged in their faith and lives. There are many opportunities where you can help. Some of these are:

There are sign-up sheets on the Youth Board in the narthex. Take a look and sign up where you can best serve our youth. Also take a look at the Youth Calendar in this Communicator for some upcoming events.

Fall is so awesome! We see God at work all around us. God is in the leaves, the wind, the rain, and that wonderful fall aroma! God is here at St. Luke’s working in the congregation, in the Sunday School teachers, and in the children! I hope you all take a moment to enjoy God in the fall.

Our Rally Sunday was so much fun! The kids were hard at work making their hands to go on the bulletin board. They learned that they would be growing with Jesus this year in the verse 2 Peter 3:18. Also, all the teachers jumped right in and began teaching lifelong lessons of faith. Thanks to all the teachers who have offered their help this year!

This month there is an opportunity for a 1^st-5^th grade event! We will be going to Remlinger Farm in Carnation. On Sunday, October 22^nd we will meet after church and go to the farm. Lunch will be provided, and all you need is $5 and some money to buy a pumpkin. Please dress according to the weather! Also, we are in need of parents to drive to the farm. Look for sign-ups in the narthex.

There is a new resource that will be provided to families weekly. We will be handing out “Faith Life Weekly” to families to take home each Sunday. This resource is designed to help build patterns of faith in the home. It offers an at-home plan for nurturing faith and faith practices based on the readings, worship, and learning experienced together as the community of faith. I hope you take advantage of this resource.

We are now three months into our new program year. The ministry budget that was approved by the congregation for this coming year was based on the pledges received on Consecration Sunday. As you can see by the chart, our support for our ministries is falling behind our expenses.

Our budgeted ministry expenses average $48,728 per month and our budgeted giving average was projected to be $47,678. As you can see there is a small deficit between the approved expenses and income for this year. We historically take in more income than budgeted through building usage and special gifts throughout the year. We just signed a contract to allow parking by a local company during weekdays that will bring in about $1,200 per month. This is a wonderful blessing for us but the fact remains that once you get behind it is very difficult to catch up and our giving has not been up to what is needed for a number of months.

St. Luke’s ministries need the support that each of you pledged in order to continue to do the ministry God has planned for us.

Parish Life is in the process of restructuring. We have developed several areas of fellowship activities and would encourage any new suggestions. Our first goal is to redevelop the small groups. These groups will be responsible ONLY for one month every year to provide help with the Coffee Hour between services. Judy Ness has graciously accepted the responsibility to chair the Coffee Hour and will be working to organize this with group leaders.

Below is a diagram of a vision we see for Parish Life. Each of the categories will have a committee chairperson who will then be a member of the Parish Life Board. These folks will oversee the organization of the events listed.

Again we welcome ideas and are working to continually develop this board. If you have interest in working with any of these activities please let us know.

Coffee Hour	Sports and Games	Special Events	Lenten Activities	Receptions
11 groups One leader per group	Golf	Daroga	Soup/Bread Dinners	Memorials/ Funerals
1 group per year responsible	Bowling	Mother's Day Father's Day	Easter Brunch	Weddings
Holy Chow	Yoga	Christmas Party
Fellowship Dinners	Game Night	Picnics

It all begins on Sunday, October 22. We’ll be kicking off our 50^th anniversary celebration on that day. The theme for our anniversary is “Fire in the Church”. This theme is based on the first letter Pastor Larsgaard wrote to the congregation. Come and find how it still applies to St. Luke’s 50 years later. We will also be unveiling the 50^th anniversary logo and presenting the first of many visual displays documenting our history.

The first of our scheduled special events will be a Music Celebration Weekend. On November 11^th at 7:00 p.m. the church will be filled with music and dancing from the Big Band era. Prentis Drew and his band Swing Time Express will be performing; there will be hors d’oeuvres, refreshments and a raffle. Tickets will be $15 per person. Invite your friends and neighbors to join us for an evening of great music and dancing.

The second part of the Music Celebration Weekend takes place on Sunday, November 12 at 6:00 p.m. National Award Winning Christian Songwriter and Guitarist David Harsh will perform a concert. Although David was first trained as an opera singer, he has completely transformed into an acoustic Christian artist. He is rapidly becoming known as “the guy who plays a guitar with his feet”. (This is only for one song called “Four Limbs” where David plays two guitars at the same time.) Harsh’s vision for his ministry is to “share God’s love through music and through my life with a spirit of total excellence, for His Glory, until I am completely poured out.” Come and experience this truly unique and wonderful talent.

Calling all scrapbookers, crafters and anyone else who would like to be involved in a new and creative project. We have hundreds of photos and other memorabilia that we would like to display over the next 14 months. We need your help in creating presentations that will bring our 50 years of history to life. If you like to scrapbook, work on craft projects or just want to share your time, please contact Carolyn Norton or Roberta Johnson for more information.

Take Time to Take Care

Soon the flu season will be upon us. What can you do to minimize your risks this year? The first thing you can do is to take advantage of the flu shots that will be given here at St. Luke’s on October 9^th. (See article on page 10.) The second thing you can do is to know the facts:

Who is at higher risk?

Some people have a higher risk of flu complications, like pneumonia. If you are in any of these groups, you should get the flu vaccine every year:

All children aged 6 months to 5 years
All adults aged 65 years and older (age 50 is suggested)
All women who are or will be pregnant during the flu season
Residents in nursing homes and long-term care facilities
Individuals who have long-term health problems
Children aged 6 months to 18 years who are on chronic aspirin therapy
Health care workers who have direct contact with patients
Caregivers and household contacts of children less than 6 months of age

What is influenza?

Influenza (also called "the flu") is a viral infection in the nose, throat and lungs. About 10% to 20% of Americans get the flu each year. Some people get very sick. Each year, about 130,000 people go to a hospital with the flu and 20,000 people die because of the flu and complications.

The flu may cause fever, cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, headache, muscle aches and tiredness. Some people describe the flu as being like the worst cold of their life. Most people feel better after one or two weeks. But for some people, the flu leads to serious, even life-threatening, diseases, such as pneumonia. Influenza vaccine (the flu shot) is recommended for people who are more likely to get really sick to protect them from the flu.

What causes colds and the flu?

Viruses. Over 100 different viruses can cause colds. There aren’t as many viruses that cause the flu. That’s why there’s a shot for the flu and not for colds.

How can I avoid getting the flu?

The best way to avoid getting the flu is to get the influenza vaccine each fall, before the flu season. The vaccine is available by shot or by nasal spray. The vaccines work by exposing your immune system to the flu virus. Your body will build up antibodies to the virus to protect you from getting the flu. The flu shot contains dead viruses. The nasal-spray vaccine contains live but weakened viruses. You cannot get the flu from the flu shot or the nasal-spray vaccine.

Some people who get the vaccine will still get the flu, but they will usually get a milder case than people who aren't vaccinated. The vaccine is especially recommended for people who are more likely to get really sick from flu-related complications.

What can you do to feel better?

There’s no cure for a cold or the flu. Antibiotics don’t work against viruses. All you can do to feel better is to treat your symptoms while your body fights off the virus.

Stay home and rest, especially while you have a fever.
Stop smoking and avoid secondhand smoke, which can make cold symptoms worse.
Drink plenty of fluids like water, fruit juices and clear soups. Fluids help loosen mucus. Fluids are also important if you have a fever because a fever can dry up your body’s fluids, which can lead to dehydration.
Don’t drink alcohol.
Gargle with warm salt water a few times a day to relieve a sore throat. Throat sprays or lozenges may also help relieve the pain.
Use saline (salt water) nose drops to help loosen mucus and moisten the tender skin in your nose.

(Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff. This article provides a general overview on this topic and may not apply to everyone. To find out if this article applies to you and to get more information on this subject, talk to your family doctor.)

A service was held on August 19, 2006. She died at her home in West Linn, Oregon . The graveside service at Sunset Hills Memorial Park in Bellevue was conducted by Pastor Jim Fergin. Memorials in remembrance of Ann may be sent to the Music Fund at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church . Thank you to everyone for their love and prayers.

Rick will speak about how travel and faith have shaped his commitment and activism for peace. In the second part of the program, he will share the latest news on travel in Europe. 7:00 p.m. on October 8 at Bethel Lutheran Church, 17418 8th Ave NE in Shoreline. (A benefit for Lutheran Peace Fellowship)

Tickets: $15 in advance or $20 at door, $8 for students and limited income, $50 including reception with Rick at 6:00 p.m. Call (206) 720-0313 or visit www.lutheranpeace.org for tickets or more information. (Contact Roselyn if you would like to carpool.)

This group meets monthly to support one another in our losses. Sometimes it is a spouse; at other times it can be another person, a pet, or a dream. Bob Smith leads this group. Contact him at 425-415-6190 for more information.

The 2006 LATCH Auction “Field of Dreams” is just around the bend. Mark your calendar today for this exciting evening of fun, food and fellowship. October 14th will be your chance to bid on hundreds of exciting items including Fighter Pilot for a Day, exotic vacations, food and wines, beautiful items for home and garden and, of course, all things baseball. This auction supports LATCH’s mission and ministry. Look for your invitation in August!

To be added to the invitation mailing list, or for more information about the LATCH auction, please call Ada Cole, development associate, at (206) 789-1536 extension 105 or email ada@latch.org

77th Anniversary Gala Dinner and Auction. Bell Harbor International Conference Center, Saturday, October 14th beginning with Silent Auction at 5:30pm. Tickets are $85.

Saturday, October 14 at 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Lord of Life Lutheran Church (425—226-2871) 12819 160th Ave SE in Renton

Each of these gifts can bring hope, health and a future for a struggling village. All proceeds from the auction will be used to fund projects in the Morogoro Dioceses and to the MaaSae Girl’s Lutheran Secondary School in Monduli.

We are collecting children’s “gently used” or new lightweight jackets, fleece jackets and vests including hooded sweatshirts. Clean out those closets and consider donating those items. Look for the container labeled “Warm Coats for Kids” and bring them to church before October 15. We are joining many other congregations in this important ministry. Please, no adult coats, those can be donated to other charities.

This group of women meets on the third Wednesday of each month. After a break this summer, we blessed two shawls at our September meeting. A prayer shawl was sent to Renate at our sister church in Moscow , Russia . She sent a beautiful painted bowl to our prayer shawl group. You may see it in Roselyn’s office. If you like to knit or want to learn, join us on Wednesday, October 18^th at 1:00 p.m. If you are unable to come at that time, contact Roselyn. Another group may be formed at another time. For further information contact Donna Kobelin (425-822-4536), Norma Peterson (425-885-5114), or Karen Richards (425-828-9493).

2006 Fall Banquet, Saturday, October 28th at the DoubleTree Hotel - SeaTac Airport. For information and reservations contact; Judy Kiesz or Joan Jackson through the church office.

Hospitality To The Stranger

by The Reverend Wm Chris Boerger, Bishop

While on vacation, DeDe and I attended Redeemer Lutheran Church in Bangor , Maine . We arrived a couple of minutes before the start of the 8:00 a.m. service. As we were sitting down I notice that Pastor Hewes was talking to a woman in a back pew. Their brief conversation ended with the pastor escorting the woman to another pew to sit next to a couple about her age.

The pastor then stopped to greet us. She asked us if we had ever been to a Lutheran service before. I said yes, that I was the bishop from Seattle , to which she said that if we were new to the liturgy she would have asked a member of the congregation help us with the liturgy.

The service was well done. The word was proclaimed boldly and the table was a place where we were welcomed and fed. After the worship, three couples took time to introduce themselves to us. When they found out that we were tourists, they gave us tips on what to see during the next steps of our trip. We left with a welcome packet and a fresh loaf of banana bread.

This was one of the friendliest and honest welcomes I have ever received in visiting a congregation. Only the pastor knew of my call or that I was ordained. We were welcomed as Chris and DeDe and we knew that we had received their honest hospitality.

I want to hold Redeemer Lutheran up as a model of hospitality to the stranger. Pastor Hewes told us that we were invited to their "Sonrise Service" that afternoon. This service is for the developmentally disabled in the Bangor community. The welcoming of this congregation is apparent in this outreach ministry. They are focused in meeting people where they are as they come in to door and welcoming them into the community.

That is our job as well. Our congregations are here to serve the people who we meet inside and outside our front doors. We live in this mission field to invite and welcome those outside our doors into the Body of Christ. Our task is not to serve only the current members but to welcome the strangers in Christ's name. That is what it felt like in Bangor , Maine , that morning. The Body of Christ gathered around word and sacrament and we were welcomed.

It isn’t a new book. It was first published by Hazelden in 1990. The author is not new either. Melody Beattie is best known for her companion volumes, Codependent No More and Beyond Codependency. Those who are a bit tired of the word Codependency, and who may even have made fun of it, may still find her subsequent book refreshing.

The Language of Letting Go is dedicated to God, and then to all the readers of her first two books. It is a fact that they have helped virtually thousands to live healthier lives. As she says, we are people, not robots; there is real growth when we are willing to work through our feelings, both emotionally and spiritually.

Letting Go is a difficult concept. It often flies in the face of what we consider to be love and caring and compassion. Perhaps it tends to be extra difficult for women who are created with an extra amount of nurturing instinct. Alanon, the movement that has helped families and friends of those with addiction problems, describes “letting go” well, with the word “detachment,” in their literature. And they also make clear that it does not mean loving the person less.

Melody Beattie would agree with this. In her book, she is again generous in combining her life experiences with her meditations. She helps us see that there are practical ways we can face our problems and our fears, our feelings of victimization and overwhelm, our lack of trust and faith. She is supportive in identifying with us and giving us answers that have worked. You might want to give it a shot.

This is often a preamble to, “But I’ve decided to say ‘no’.” Maybe saying this is a little defensive. I don’t want you to be upset by my answer so I want you to know how much thought I have put into this. It isn’t arbitrary, really. But I’m not going to agree to the proposal.

Frequently we don’t believe that the person really tried to say yes or of course they would have agreed with us. Serious becomes a magnet for our anger. Yeh, right! You had your mind made up from the beginning, but you just wouldn’t be honest (as if we would have reacted better to an immediate denial).

What we are encountering here is disappointment. We usually don’t want to disappoint others. Having to say ‘no’ is often not easy. We can agonize over trying to find a way to say yes and equally agonize over how to let the other person down gently.

But maybe we did give the idea a genuine try and maybe even started out enthusiastically. Perhaps it was after consideration that the idea didn’t look so good after all.

The secret is in the trustworthiness of the relationship and a direct but caring honesty. Is that what your relationship with God looks like? Is that how you navigate your disappointments with God? Can your relationship with God tolerate such honesty?

If the answer is yes, then maybe our relationships with our fellow humans will be seriously loving and honest.

		Light in a world of darkness
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