|
 |
|
|||||
|
Children's Ministry Vision, Goals and Programs Formation for Spiritual Companions Good Start Back to School Drive Other News, Events & Ministries at St. Luke's 10 Surprises About The Unchurched Wednesday Evening Women's Study and Social Group
|
I enjoy seeing new places and having new experiences. Recently, Bren and I were in Connecticut where I officiated at the wedding of our niece. Becky and Craig make a lovely couple. Anyways, afterwards we took a couple of days to visit Long Island; we were in an area called the Hampton’s. Specifically, we stayed in Southampton. To say it is a bit on the hoity-toity side of the ledger is a classic understatement. It is my nature to be friendly, to greet people, strangers included. I wasn’t having much luck in engendering positive response from the locals, nary a grunt in response. After a while of this I paused wondering what it was about me that wasn’t having much luck in making a start with the locals. (Was I really wearing the wrong kind of shoes?) Anyways, I happened to look down at the tee shirt I was wearing…. Jesus loves you…
I thought it was pretty funny. I really don’t know if the lack of perceived hospitality was in fact connected to my shirt or not, but what did cross my mind was how grateful I am to have a community where hospitality is authentic and emotion spontaneous and safe. The next morning I went for an early morning walk (at 7:00 a.m. it was 80 degrees with 80% humidity). On the main street there was a Presbyterian Church with its doors pinned back – Open for Prayer – read the sign. I went in. For the next half hour I remained alone in a beautiful example of 18th century history. Curiously, I felt more in community than I did the day before on the crowded streets of Southampton. Thank you for being in community with me, thank you for your spontaneous demonstrations of affection and spiritual regard, thank you for being the church. I cannot imagine life without you, without Christ’s presence in you, without a church community, without Jesus. Jesus said, “You know where I am going.” The disciples said, “We don’t know where you are going?” I’d like to think that if it was summer Jesus could have playfully said, “I’m going to play!” The Gospel is serious business yet the Gospel is also the most liberating chromosome in our spiritually genetic make up. See, I think Jesus likes my tee shirt… and my Hampton story. If you have a good story you can share with me; that I could use as an example of the Gospel in summer play share it with me. Maybe I will use them for devotions. Do not forget your need of Jesus… he comes in the Word and Sacrament… and in his people.
Associate in Ministry - Roselyn Olson Tante Kari and Unconditional Love When I was 10 years old I lived in Norway for a year in the town of Aalesund on the west coast of Norway. My mother and two younger sisters lived with an aunt and our grandmother on one side of town; I was on the other end of town with an aunt, uncle, and two cousins. I attended school and learned the language. One of my most prominent memories was of the aunt I lived with —Tante Kari (tante means aunt in Norwegian). Tante Kari gave me unconditional love. She was special. Today when someone asks me to think of someone who gave me unconditional love, my thoughts immediately go to my Tante Kari.
Shalom, Remember when Pastor Ed Nesselhauf who ministered in prisons spoke at a worship service? People were moved and wanted to help in this ministry. Now is our opportunity. We have waited several months for our turn. On Saturday, September 8 we will visit the prison in Shelton and support and worship with those who are moved to attend services to help deal with their lives. Please give your name to Roselyn by August 15 so it can be sent in for a background check.
Sometimes life can seem long, and sometimes too short, but I don’t think it matters; it is what we do during that life that makes a difference. This last month a former mentor of mine passed away. I thought back over the times that we shared at Wooden Cross Lutheran Church while I was a teenager and realized how much he truly cared for the congregation and the world. He gave his time and money to help support great organizations like Camp Lutherwood in Bellingham. He put his whole heart into helping others in need and he did that until the day he died. It is a man like this that I aspire to be. We need good examples like him so we can have someone to emulate. We have many people at St. Luke’s who have the compassion and generosity this man had. We all have good hearts and at times we need guidance from others, but we always need guidance from God. In the Gospel of John 14:25-27, Jesus tells us “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” God sent us the Holy Spirit to help guide us, and it is with this gift — along with our friends, families and the church — that we journey down the path of God. Please take time to thank the people in your life that are a true inspiration to you. There are many youth events going on in August so please look at the calendar. Anyone who would like to be a leader in the youth group needs to talk to me immediately. There is a leadership training lock-in on August 17th starting at 6:30 p.m. If you have any questions, please let me know. Don’t forget to sign up for the Youth vs. Adult Softball game on August 26th at 2:00 p.m. The sign-up sheet is in the Narthex. See you there. The first Youth Council Meeting will be on Rally Sunday, September 9th at 7:00 p.m. All attendees will vote for the leaders of the youth group for the ‘07/’08 year. Please put this on your calendar. Take care and God bless! In Christ,
Experience vs. Flexibility Sunday, August 26 at 2:00 p.m. Let’s play ball! All youth 6th through 12th grade and adults of all ages can sign up for the challenge. If the youth win, the adults will pay for the barbecue following the game; if the adults win the youth will pay. All younger children and out-of-shape adults are encouraged to participate as a cheerleading squad and to help sell refreshments. The game will be at Ashwood Park (by the Bellevue Library) and the barbecue will follow at St. Luke’s. This will be a great family event. Sign up now on the sheet in the narthex.
Blessings are abundant this summer! We did it! Vacation Bible School 2007 is O’FISH’ALLY over. The event was a huge success, mainly due to the volunteers we had working with us on the program. Be sure to thank them if you see them wandering around. The kids had an amazing time and our Thursday evening program with David Harsh was so much fun that some kids were begging their parents to stay! Thanks again to all who helped make VBS possible this year. WE NEED TEACHERS! Beginning in the fall we will start our new year of Sunday School. We need teachers for all grades, and no worries — the curriculum is all picked out! All you need to do is look through it each week and talk to me if you need any materials. The lessons correspond to the church year’s calendar, and the kids have begun noticing that the lesson they hear in Sunday School is the same they learn in church. Prayerfully consider if this is a ministry you would like to assist with this year! You can contact me for any other questions or to sign up. Sunday School begins on September 9 — Rally Day. FUN EVENT FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY! Come one, come all to the Watermelon games! On Friday, August 10th , at 6:01 p.m. we will meet in North Bend at Mt. Si Lutheran Church. Come prepared with two watermelons. We will be doing CRAZY things with watermelons, so come and find out what! You won’t be disappointed, and you won’t leave the event without smelling like watermelon. For directions and more information contact me. I can be reached at (425) 281-8100.
~Natalie Larson~ Director of Children’s Ministry
Thank you to the following VBS volunteers: Lynette Torres, Aurora Charouhas, Kim Hanscom, Lindsay LeFever, Bob Smith, Nancy Quale, Michael Dunning, Ben Richards, Will Ziehl, Carolyn Norton, Ann Bollesen, Jeanne Gorder, Megan Caffey, Alison Lisle, Kelsey Caffey, Diane Spaulding, Hillary LeFever, Chad Larson, Roselyn Olson, Gina Jannetto
Vision, goals and program proposals for program year ’07-‘08 The following is a report on progress being made towards growing our children’s ministry at St. Luke’s. We are currently in the search process for a staff person who will augment our current program with music and drama gifts as well as assist us in the developing of a mid week program. With this in mind we invite your review and comments regarding the following. (Comments can be directed to Pastor Tom, Anne Bly or Lisa Ziehl, Faith Formation Chair.) For the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, St. Luke’s has a clear Vision to grow its ministry to children and their families. This would be accomplished by -
Our immediate goals are based on the belief that we can do a better job of creating and staffing a Sunday program that will have broader appeal to our own congregation, and then by extension, outreach implications. Upon conversations with Board of Trustees representatives and representatives from the Nurture and Parish Education, Youth and Family, Worship and Music Boards and Pastor Tom, the following process has begun with regard to the proposed upcoming program:
Search and interview process is to begin immediately and to be directed by the Board of Trustees with participation from before mentioned ministry boards and Pastor Tom. Hiring and program development should begin as soon as an appropriate candidate is identified.
Unity in a Book The rumors are true – the ELCA has a new church-wide hymnal! If you’ve visited other Lutheran churches, you may have already sung from it. The Worship and Music Board is very excited to announce that we plan to fill our sanctuary with the new hymnal in the fall. Look for displays and more information on how you can be a part of this process. Strong affirmation from the national assemblies of the Evangelical Lutheran church bodies in North America, along with the help of thousands of people from throughout the church, has moved us forward to the publication of a new worship book, Evangelical Lutheran Worship. This will be a core resource for our worship settings. Evangelical Lutheran Worship will serve as the centerpiece of an unfolding family of new worship resources. It is not so much comprehensive as it is richly representative, a grounded center that presents the breadth of a living tradition. This common mission reminds us that in Jesus Christ we are held together. Ongoing development of new resources will seek to promote the unity we share, rather than emphasizing uniformity. Having a printed book at the center of a new generation of worship materials provides access to and ensures stewardship of our shared treasury of worship texts, hymns, and patterns. Holding and worshiping from this book reminds us that we are a broad and welcoming church, a church with many places and practices that enrich us all. This new book of worship helps us all to know and celebrate the historic riches of our worship and the new treasures before us. As the primary worship book of the ELCA, Evangelical Lutheran Worship will contribute to the sense that congregations are connected. As a communion of diverse local assemblies, we share in the same mission of God. Peace be with you, ~Amy Corsini, Worship Coordinator
On June 24th at the Congregational meeting, the congregation was brought up to date on the deficit we are dealing with in our General Fund. In light of this deficit and the Board of Trustees wanting to make sure the congregation was aware of the whole situation, two program budgets were presented for congregational vote. Both options used the same projected income for the year based on the pledges made on Consecration Sunday. The 1st program budget would allow for the ministry areas to operate with the budgets they had submitted; the 2nd option reduced their respective program budgets by 8-10%. Both options would allow for funds to assist us in getting “Back into the Black”. After much good discussion, thoughts and questions, the congregation voted to approve the 2nd option and the ministry boards have re-submitted their budgets. This will be a challenging year for St. Luke’s. Throughout our history, as evidenced by the Jubilee moments, we have had good years and very lean years. We have had deficits and we have had no deficits. This is our 50th year, the year of jubilee. The tradition of the jubilee is most fully explained in Leviticus (25:1-55). There it states that the jubilee was a time to let the land rest and allow whatever it naturally produced to be shared by all, landowner and slave alike. It was a time to set slaves free and to return to its original owner any land that had been sold. The jubilee was also a time to cancel debts. "At the end of every seven-year period you shall have a relaxation of debts" (Deuteronomy 15:1-2). With God’s help this can be a year of true Jubilee for St. Luke’s. Carolyn Norton
Money comes in and money goes out… where your Facility dollars go Sometimes it is hard to see where the money you give to facilities actually goes. Over the past several months some of the work has been obvious — the roof was a big piece of the pie, but other projects that have been funded through the Facility Fund include: Fixing the irrigation system Several of the heads had been broken off and others needed to be capped (no sense in watering the weeds), large rocks were installed by the irrigation boxes at the north entrance to prevent trucks from running over them and a new spigot was added near the front entrance to Pierson hall to help facilitate watering the large flower pots. The leaking hose bib on the patio was also repaired. Upcoming work
We asked and you gave. We no longer have to beg for help or rely on the same few people to maintain the flower beds. With your generous support of the Adopt-a-Garden program we were able to raise $1,164.00. This will enable us to have the gardener come once a month to take care of the landscaping. Thank you for your “seed” money. Your help is always appreciated, both with gifts to the Facility Fund and with your help on projects. If you have some time available to work on a small, medium or large project please contact Carnel Hagen, Dana Kim or Jodi Daub.
We have recently updated and organized the congregation into 11 Parish Life Groups. These small groups will be involved for one month in helping with set-up and clean-up of the Sunday morning coffee and treats. Because we have 11 groups, they will rotate throughout the year and your individual group will only be committed to one month every 13 months. (During summer we have brunch served.) Each group will never serve the same month consecutively.
A leader will coordinate which Sunday you will be asked to assist. In addition, the groups could involve assisting with activities that occur in that month. The groups consist of approximately 20 members, so your individual commitment will be helping with one Sunday about every 13 months.
You will soon be provided with the name of your group leader. We look forward to this beginning this new Parish Life program in September.
Beginning September 9, Dr. Bruce Grigsby will lead Adult Forum on “John” at 9:45 a.m. Dr. Grigsby is active in several local churches as an adult education specialist and occasional preacher. He is currently teaching at Trinity Lutheran College and directing Trinity’s biannual study tour of Greece and Turkey. His research has appeared in numerous theological journals, including Biblica, Evangelical Quarterly and Novum Testamentum. He is preparing several manuscripts for publication. We are pleased to have him lead the Adult Forum in September. September 9 John’s Prologue: An Amazing, Other-Worldly Portrait of Jesus September 16 Wedding at Cana: Water to Wine as an Anticipation of Calvary and the Eucharist September 23 Walking on the Lake: Jesus Shows us the Way to the Father September 30 Healing of the Blind Man: Out Baptism as “Enlightenment” We invite you to bring your coffee with you and join us. Stay awhile after the 8:30 service or come early for the 11:00 a.m. worship. This is an opportunity for spiritual growth without making an extra trip to church.
The Board of Trustees is currently looking for people who would find meaning working in the area of “Missions and Benevolence”. In many ways this is the heart of any parish ministry in that how a church gives itself away speaks volumes about its health and vision. If you believe you might have an interest, or are already mindful of a passion for mission work, please speak to Pastor Tom.
Wednesday Evening Women's Study and Social Group All women are invited to take a relaxing walk at the Bastyr University Medicinal Herb Garden on Sunday, August 19. This unique, student-maintained oasis of medicinal herbs and plants plays an important role in Bastyr’s ongoing study of natural health sciences. Along with the fascinating plants is a reflexology foot path created from smooth Pacific Northwest river stones. We will meet at the church at 2:30 p.m. and car pool to the garden. Please join us! We will also have our regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, August 15 at 7:00 p.m. We meet in the library for fellowship, discussion and casual study. Questions? Email Pam Webber at pam.webber@fmglobal.com or call her at (425) 827-5861.
Formation for Spiritual Companions No other relationship is exactly the same as spiritual companionship. It has elements of spiritual direction, but is a relationship of peers. Over a span of time, the relationship can bless companions in a number of ways as it gives them …
In addition to showing participants how to be companions, this program offers spiritual formation through worship times and some of its presentations. The latter teach elements of Christian spirituality and give a deeper understanding of the One we worship and trust. Every class includes a triad practicum, a practice session to help participants experience the beginnings of being a spiritual companion. In real life this would ordinarily be a twosome; although a threesome can work. Some activities in the practicum are not ordinarily done in a real-life setting. For example, the role of the Observer is for learning purposes only. The goals of Formations for Spiritual Companions are:
The above is from the student handbook for the program to be offered at St. Luke’s this fall. Those who take this fall program will be blessed. It will be offered again later at another time. The opening retreat will be Saturday, September 15 — 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. After the opening retreat, there will be six weekly meetings held on the following Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. to noon: October 10, 24, 31, November 7, 14 and 28. The cost of the program will be $25.00 which includes a student workbook. Two texts will be available for purchase at the retreat. For more information, please contact one of the coordinators: Nancy Quale (425) 746-6559 Dorothy Scott (425) 453-1425 Roselyn Olson (425) 822-7907
At the congregational meeting it was decided that St. Luke’s would no longer pay for subscriptions of this magazine to be sent to homes. The church does get a reduced rate of $7.95 but we must have at least 50 subscribers to keep that rate. If you did not have the opportunity on July 29 to indicate your wishes, please call Pam in the office. If you want to continue to receive the magazine, we will need a check for $8.00 made out to St. Luke’s. We will be canceling all subscriptions in September or October depending on our organizational skills. We do want those people who read and enjoy The Lutheran to continue receiving it. If the church can help with a lower rate we are happy to do so. If there are not enough people, you may still subscribe personally through Augsburg Fortress for $15.95. We will have copies at the church that may be checked out. Please call Pam in the office if you have any questions. Other News, Events and Ministries At St. Luke's Good Start Back to School Drive Do you remember the joy of having new school supplies? Many eastside students will not have this opportunity without your support. A group of Eastside congregations will help these children and you can be one of them. We are hoping to help about 1,300 students this year. Your contributions will be greatly appreciated. Look for the list of these supplies in the narthex by the “Good Start Back to School” container. St. Luke’s has not participated much in the past years in this ministry. I’m hoping that this year will be different. Another way to participate is to volunteer to help sort supplies donated and pack backpacks. High school students can accumulate Community Service Hours if they are interested in this opportunity. We will be sorting and packing backpacks from August 6 through August 15th. Please contact Patty Drew at (425) 822-2992 for more details. And thank you in advance to anyone willing to give to this ministry.
You are invited to ring-a-long with a hymn every Sunday in August. You don’t need to be able to read music; you just need to be able to read! We will meet in the fireside room at 8:00 a.m. before the first service and at 10:30 a.m. for the second service each Sunday. Everyone is invited to participate.
We now meet from 11:00 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays. Occasionally some of us go out for lunch afterwards. We encourage one another through sharing our goals, successes and failures toward living healthy lives. All women are invited to join us. Good time had by all at Golf Tournament - especially Pastor Tom The weather was perfect for St. Luke’s summer golf tournament and all participants enjoyed the competition. A nine hole scramble was played, followed by a barbecue at Twin Rivers. Winners included: Becky Molander — Longest Women’s Drive Pastor Tom — Longest Men’s Drive Brenda Kidd — Women’s closest to the pin Pastor Tom — Men’s closest to the pin The winning foursome included Karl Olson, Dennis Nobis, Brenda Kidd and Pastor Tom. They received Titleist Pro V golf balls inscribed “St. Luke’s winning team ’07” .Other winners received “St. Luke’s Winner” golf towels. This was the first time Pastor Tom has been part of the winning team …. EVER. (Pastor Tom will not be allowed to win all the prizes for men for an undisclosed period of time.)
St. Luke’s has worked with Congregations for the Homeless (CFH) since it started. Two years ago CFH initiated the Life Coach program. The purpose is to: “Provide a pathway and services for men in transition leading to a return to productive, independent living. Further, to engage the men in the development of career, relationship, financial, spiritual, health and housing plans in support of independent living by providing resources, counsel and support.” (a quote from the manual) This is a successful program; since January 1st, thirteen men have started jobs and have moved into housing. I have been a life coach for about three months and it has been a rewarding experience. CFH needs more coaches; new coach training will start in early September. Let me know if you are interested. Ken Olson
Everyone has a dream. For low-income and homeless families, the dream is a simple one — a place to call home. Since 1990 LATCH has provided people in need with a firm foundation for a bright future by building safe, affordable housing and creating resident-managed cooperatives. There are three easy ways you can help dreams come true:
Contact John Lang at john@latch.org or (206) 789-1536 x 113 for assistance.
Habitat for Humanity at Snoqualmie Ridge Thrivent Financial has teamed up with Habitat for Humanity to build a home at Snoqualmie Ridge. This is the second year that Lutheran churches in our region have donated their labor and Thrivent financially sponsors the material for the home. St. Luke’s has been blessed with the opportunity to participate in this worthwhile project. Saturday, August 18th is “St. Luke’s Day” at the project site. We need to organize a group of 10 to 15 people to help with this project. There is no need to be a skilled carpenter or even a handy homeowner – there will be plenty of work opportunities for the day. Supervised staff will be on hand to make sure we are safe and not unintentionally redesigning the home. Please sign up in the narthex, so that we can make a strong showing and help our neighbors in need. For more information or questions, please contact Kent Kollmorgen.
Looking Ahead (for those who plan ahead) Future events to add to your calendar now Thursday, September 6 at 2:30 p.m. Care Team Saturday, September 8 (6:00-8:00pm) Prison Ministry at Shelton Saturday, September 15 (9:30 a.m.—3:30 p.m.) Spiritual Companions Retreat Wednesday, September 19 at 10:00 a.m. Grief Support Ministry Wednesday, September 19 at 1:00 p.m. Prayer Shawl Ministry
Lutherwood Counselor “Adoptee” Scott “Awed” Rehbein A picture of “Awed” with information and interests is located by the basket display in the narthex. Please take some time to write a note, pick up a gift card or small gift and Korynne Wright will see that it is sent. Let’s show Awed a good time at Lutherwood this summer and let him know what an “awesome” church we are! Statistics show that 22.5 million Americans were classified with substance dependence or abuse in the past year, and millions more live in households with people who have had abuse or dependence on alcohol and drugs. As many as 74 percent of Americans say addiction to alcohol has had some impact on them at some point in their lives, whether it was their own personal addiction, that of a friend or family member or another set of experiences. In the face of these daunting numbers, it is refreshing to sit back, take stock and remember that positive change is happening in our communities. Recovery Month, held in September of each year, is just such a time.
Cynthia Moreno Tuohy
On Thursday, September 6 our choirs will resume practice. Bell Choir meets at 6:30 p.m. and Vocal Choir meets at 7:50 p.m. Singers and ringers are always needed so contact Patsy Jackson or the office if you are interested in this ministry. NBC News set out to discover how joyous people found happiness. During one brief segment, a reporter interviewed several nuns who lived in a convent. They portrayed happiness, and their life expectancy was 10 years beyond that of the average woman. One nun, Sister Genevieve Kunkel, felt hope was the clue to inner joy. She said, “If you hope, you cope. If you don’t, you mope.” The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature.
The following is from Christianity Today by Dr. Thom Rainer. It gives you food for thought. Surprise No. 1 Most of the unchurched prefer to attend church on Sunday morning if they attend. Surprise No. 2 Most of the unchurched feel guilty about not attending church. Why then do they continue to avoid church? The answer is that the church intimidates the unchurched person. They do not think they can fit in a place they have never attended and are uncertain about church protocol. They just fear that they will feel out of place. Surprise No. 3 Ninety-six percent of the unchurched are at least somewhat likely to attend church if they are invited. More than nine out ten of the unchurched said they would come to church if they were invited. Only 21 percent of active churchgoers invite anyone to church in the course of a year. But only 2 percent of the church members invited an unchurched person to church. Surprise No. 4 Very few of the unchurched had someone share with them how to become a Christian. And Christians have not been particularly influential in their lives. Surprise No. 5 Most of the unchurched have a positive view of pastors, ministers and the church. Surprise No. 6 Many of the unchurched have a church background. Surprise No. 7 Some type of “cold calls” are effective; many are not. Showing up at someone’s home without an invitation was one of the biggest turnoffs articulated by the unchurched. Surprise No. 8 The unchurched would like to develop a real and sincere relationship with a Christian. Most of the unchurched would respond positively to a “genuine” Christian who would spend time with them in a gentle, non-judgmental relationship. Surprise No. 9 The attitudes of the unchurched are not correlated to where they live, their ethnic or racial background, or their gender. The only pattern where there was any correlation was related to income. The higher an individual’s income level, the more resistant to the gospel he or she is likely to be. Surprise No. 10 Many of the unchurched are far more concerned about the spiritual well-being of their children than themselves. If you would like to see (or have) a copy of the entire article, please call Pam.
A Place For Worship And Business I ask your prayers for the Churchwide Assembly, which will take place Monday, August 6 through Sunday, August 12 in Chicago, Illinois. Like our Synod Assembly, this gathering of God’s people will center its life in worship and in the proclamation of the gospel. It will hear reports and it will vote on business items that come from synods, units of the church, or from individual members of the assembly. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will lead and guide the debates and discussions of this assembly. We know in advance that the issues coming before this assembly will be elections of the Presiding Bishop and the Secretary. Bishop Hanson has expressed his willingness to continue in the office of presiding bishop. Lowell Almen will be retiring from the Office of Secretary after 20 years of service to this church. Lowell has been the only person to serve in this office. Pray for the assembly as it issues letters of calls to those it elects to serve in these offices. The assembly will be receiving the Evangelical Lutheran Worship as an official worship resource for this church. It will be receiving Bible Book of Faith, the study that will look at how Lutherans look at the Bible and the authority of scripture in the church. There will be responses to the numerous memorials that have come from synod assemblies over the past two years. The churchwide assembly is the highest legislative authority in the ELCA. That means that it is the place where decisions about the work of this church are made. The decisions then instruct the staff of the churchwide organization on programming and policy for the next two years. This is also the forum that allows synods and individuals members to bring their concerns to the attention of the whole church. This synod has 11 members of the assembly. The names and email addresses of these members are available at the synod website. I want to encourage you to contact one of these members to hear a report of the assembly. I would encourage you to pray by name for one or all of these fellow members of the Northwest Washington Synod. They will be making important decisions and they need to know that they are being supported in prayer.
THE MAIN INGREDIENT As a teenager at school in England, together with my classmates, I blithely learned by heart the thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians in “Scripture Class.” Obviously, I didn’t understand the significance of those verses. Growing older, I still do not grasp the amazing and ginormous (you may have noticed that this is a word in the updated dictionary these days!) meaning of agape love. However, sometimes God teaches me/us more about it, gradually—through positive or negative life experiences. This year, my good spouse and I found ourselves celebrating Norway’s National Day, May 17, in a very small town on the country’s south coast. The town size certainly did not dampen the citizens’ exuberance. Every age was represented in the procession, including many babies in decorated strollers, with bands accompanying the singing. The parade stopped traffic (without the help of police) as they marched over the bridge. The worship and celebratory service, in the centuries old church that morning, also followed tradition. The sanctuary filled up quickly, with colorful costumes in between the somber Sunday-best men’s suits. A festively clad woman ushered everyone. All went peacefully during the organ prelude until a tall, bearded guy entered the packed church. The only vacant seat was next to me at the back. As the usher showed him to his seat, she eyed his headgear, a huge Viking helmet with two curved horns. In an audible whisper she said, “That is not appropriate. Please take it off!” Without blinking, he countered, “Christ has set me free!” and resolutely sat down. She surrendered and went over to her place. On an impulse, I leaned over to him and whispered, “I think you look fine.” He gave me a big smile and the service started. This incident gave me pause. It is more than a quaint story. Acceptance of people, in all their various versions, as they come to our churches, is surely part of the challenging love of Christ. I remember once the dirty, bare feet of a young man as he knelt for communion in another church; and a friendly drunk playing hide-and-seek behind the pillars in a third. By the way, it turned out that my Viking neighbor was very much “with it” during the service and was more active than many other participants. Things are often not what they first seem—irrespective of the love factor, the main ingredient of our faith.
August 2007 Cycles
The Pharisees asked Jesus about the paralytic, “Who sinned, this man or his parents?” It must be somebody’s fault. I know I’m innocent, and if there are only two of us, that leaves only one left to be at fault, you! But maybe this isn’t as true as it seems. Couples, families, friends develop certain patterns, or cycles when they interact. Sometimes they are able to keep a strong emotional connection between them when there is conflict, so that the preservation of the relationship is more important than the conflict itself. Sometimes people lose that connection in the midst of disagreements. They start to believe that the other doesn’t really care, and they lose sight of their own caring. Then they react out of fear. Pursuers try to make connection by not letting things drop. Withdrawers try to keep the connection by not rocking the boat…endlessly. Both people hate it. Both wish it were different. Both dread it reoccurring. Both wish for some miracle that would halt the painful loneliness that develops. These cycles are Satan’s dirty trick. It is the Devil who seeks to divide. What might happen if both people cried, “Get thee behind us, Satan! Be gone!” What if both people claimed, at the same moment, the God given power of attachment to bind them together against evil? What if they cried out,” God deliver us from this thing that oppresses us!”? Perhaps if we ceased to blame each other, and blamed the one who was really at fault, we would make room for God to embrace us with love, compassion and healing.
|
||||
| Light in a world of darkness | ||
 |
 3030 Bellevue Way Bellevue Washington 98004 phone: 425-822-7907 e-mail:email@slukes.org fax: 425-889-4493 Newsletter Other Contact Info Map Driving Directions Site Map |