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Donation of goods to the church Eastside Academy Golf Tournament Formation for Spiritual Companions Other News, Events & Ministries at St. Luke's Pastor Tom's Sabbatical & Summer Worship Schedule Randall Jackson Studio Recital School's Almost Out Feeding Program
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“Sometimes we do not know what to do”… how’s that for a thesis statement? (It has been suggested that at times I possess a great ability to underwhelm people.) Pentecost is on May 11th. May 11th is also Mother’s Day… guess which event will get top billing in our planning? Now, I certainly do not want in any way to suggest that Mom should get dissed in our plans… huh ah, nope, not me. Moms are like in the top two or three who should merit in our planning. Yet, for purposes of meditating on the value of this Hallmark high festival celebration, consider the importance of how Pentecost plays a critical function in the role of mothering. I am well aware of the danger of sweeping generalities – not everyone can say that their experience with “mother” was positive. Not withstanding that reality, it would not come as a terrible shock to most of us that our mothers did not always know what they were doing. (I write this knowing that my 84 year old mother will read this.) Yet, that does not stop them from pressing on with whatever learned, instinctual or environmental influences have come to bear. They press on with the task of “mothering”. It is a verb. Compare that with our life as a Christian. We can no more stop being a Christian than Mom could stop being what life had called her to do. Admittedly, there are times when interest wanes and expectations seem insurmountable, yet we press on … because this life is what we have been called to. This is it! As a mother is called into a life where her life is no longer her own, we are called into a corporate life where our life is no longer our own. And at times we don’t know what to do… life is complicated and choices are difficult. Pentecost is the promise of help. It is the very Spirit of our Lord Jesus promised to strengthen and gift us with hope for along the way. Of course there will be mistakes along the way – did Mom always get it right? But that is the very cool thing; those are not the important issues, not at all. We are the church, we are the redeemed who have been called by God into a corporate life together because in the economy of God’s plan this is the vehicle for communicating the world’s salvation. Together … “Church” needs to be a verb. We do not always get it but with the promise of Pentecost we receive every blessing necessary to move beyond that stuff to do the good stuff of being hope for the world. Pretty fun, actually. Looking forward to seeing you and Mom on May 11th; if that is not possible (because of geographic considerations – Heaven or South Dakota) bring something of Mom with you to worship as a way of honoring the gift of life we enjoy together.
This fall Pastor Tom will be covering the book “Everything Must Change” by Bryan McLaren in his Monday night classes. A sign-up sheet for this book will be available in the Narthex so we can order the books for your summer reading.
It’s time for another get-together to socialize and eat. We’ll meet at Pastor Tom’s at 5:30 p.m. (after the 4:00 p.m. Choir Concert) on May 18. Pastor Tom will barbecue and we’ll have a chance to meet any new members who have signed on. Put the date on your calendar now.
Let’s All Take a Sabbatical! The big news is that Pastor Tom is taking a sabbatical June 15 to September 15. Why don’t we as members and friends of this congregation take our own sabbatical? We may not be able to take three months off from our regular activities but could we take a little bit of time off every day, every week, and every month to grow in our relationship with our Lord? Some of the purposes of a sabbatical are to rest, study, or travel. When Pastor Tom returns, he shares with us what he has learned and how he has grown. Wouldn’t it be great if we did the same? What would a sabbatical look like for each one of us? Just as we have different spiritual gifts and different interests, I suspect that a sabbatical would take many different forms. Let’s first think about our spiritual goals? Do we want to be closer to God? Do we want to learn more about God? Do we want to improve our prayer lives? Do we want to show our love to God through our actions? Here are some ideas to help you think about what you might like to do (or not do).
These are just a few ideas. Let me know what you are doing and whether I can share your ideas with others. Wouldn’t it be exciting if we as a congregation also grew spiritually while our pastor is on sabbatical?
Shalom,
Recently I had a discussion with the youth about dreams. I shared a poem with them that asks the question “Do I dare dream the dream of dreams?” It is an interesting question because what would that look like for each person. The poem goes on to say what those different kinds of dreams could be, for example: love, stargazing, or writing your life’s story in a book. One youth’s ultimate dream would be to invent something and have his/her name written in history. My dream is to walk along a beach holding my wife’s hand while our kids are making a sand castle. What would the ultimate dream be for you? We all have dreams that we love to dream, but what are our dreams that we can accomplish in real life? This is not a easy question to answer for most people. We have not thought about it too much — especially youth. For those in high school, now is the time to start thinking about what you can accomplish in your life. What do I want to do for the rest of my life? By asking these questions we cannot forget about our dreams. It is easy to just forget and go on with life without fulfilling those desires. I believe that with God’s help we can accomplish any dream that we have. We just need to figure out what those dreams are, and ask God to guide us and help us accomplish them. I encourage you to take the time to write down your dreams and see where the Spirit takes you; you will be much happier for it. Please see the calendar for all youth events. On May 4th at 6:00 p.m. we will have a parent meeting to talk about the youth program. Parents please attend so we can get your input. Take care and God bless!! Ben Richards, Director of Youth Ministry
The Easter Season is coming to and end. It lasts for fifty days, which takes us to May 11th and the celebration of Pentecost. The people of God have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit. In the second chapter of Acts we hear that the people “were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.” The chapter continues with Peter addressing the people and reminds them of the words of the prophet Joel, “In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh...”
Pentecost is the third most important celebration of the church year! A visible symbol of this celebration is the color red - the liturgical color for the day (May 11th). Be a part of the visible symbolism by coming to celebrate wearing your favorite red clothes! May 18th is Trinity Sunday. We celebrate the triune God – three in one – God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! We will also be blessed with the Kid’s Choir which will lead us in worship at both services this morning. So I believe last month’s article was too vague when I asked for PowerPoint assistance. While we do need help on Sunday mornings in the AV booth, I’m also looking for someone to volunteer in the organization and preparation of the visuals for our regular worship services. If your heart is so moved, but you are not confident in your PowerPoint skills, training will be provided. Please contact me at amy@slukes.org, or call the church office and leave me a message.
May 4 (Seventh Sunday of Easter) Acts 1:6-14; Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35; 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11; John 17:1-11 May 11 (Day of Pentecost) Acts 2:1-21; Psalm 104:24-34, 35b; 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13; John 20:19-23 May 18 (The Holy Trinity) Genesis 1:1—2:4a; Psalm 8; 2 Corinthians 13:11-13; Matthew 28:16-20 May 25 (Second Sunday after Pentecost Isaiah 49:8-16a; Psalm 131; 1 Corinthians 4:1-5; Matthew 6:24-34
Let us prepare our hearts and minds for worship. This is a reminder that beginning May 18 we will return to the contemporary Lord’s Prayer at all worship services, as included below to refresh your memory. Our Father in heaven,
Income & Expense for Program Year 2006/2007 and 2007/2008
We are going into the last 3 months of our program year. This has been a year of ups and downs for St. Luke’s as well as for some of our members. We started the year with the ($60,000+) deficit and have slowly reduced that in half. It was my goal that we could end the year with a positive $10,000 balance. Currently that may not be probable. Our pledged giving is down somewhat from where it should be at this time, but conversely our other income from ministry programs is up somewhat from where it was projected to be. All that being said I would ask you to prayerfully consider, with God’s help, fulfilling your pledge for this year. May 18th we will again participate in Consecration Sunday. Prior to that time we have the opportunity to pray and reflect on the following passage; All shall give as they are able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God that he has given you. Deuteronomy 16:17 God's Blessings I am always available to meet with you if there are concerns about St. Luke’s financial situation or any other financial matters.
Have you noticed? NO DUST! The first phase of FIF is complete. Pastor Tom and the team, along with Eastside Academy, have moved into their new spaces. Whew, we did it. Thank you for all the support. Total pledges for FIF are at $760,317. To date we have been blessed with $315,357 in contributions. This amount includes original seed money, memorials and interest. Thank you to all who have been faithful to your pledges. If you haven’t had a chance to make a pledge, there is still time to do so. For this first phase, the expenses totaled $346,512. A quick recap of the accomplishments so far -
Additional accomplishments during the first phase:
Now it is time to look at the next phase, which will include completion of the basement with classrooms, installation of an elevator (required by the City of Bellevue) and remodel of the stairway leading to the new downstairs space. The Fan into Flame campaign reminds me of the line the late actor Robert Shaw, captain of the small fishing trawler, utters in the movie “Jaws” when he first sees the great white shark: “We’re going to need a bigger boat.” Whether it’s more rooms for St. Luke’s to serve the community or more programs to meet the needs of those in need, “We’re going to need a bigger boat.” Author Elizabeth Gilbert in her book, “Eat, Pray, Love” recalls the same line from the film. She, too, realized she “was going to need a bigger boat” only her boat was herself and that she needed to have a bigger and more open heart to receive God’s will into her life. And that God’s vision for her life was beyond what she could fathom possible. As we move together to build that “bigger boat” don’t forget to build one for yourself. So where do we stand now? We are a bit in the doldrums (to continue the boating theme.) We obviously need your continued prayers and pledges. It is never too early to send in your ’08 pledge! We have continued expenses and we cannot proceed until we have the funds. If you like what you have seen and haven’t committed; it is never too late to make a pledge or to increase your current pledge. We welcome you. Blessings from the Fan into Flame Committee
With nicer weather and longer days in the forecast, many of us like to get out for a walk. While you walk, is your mind racing through a never-ending to-do list or a chronicle of worries? There’s a better strategy. It’s called “mindful walking” and it can turn your daily stroll into a way to relax and re-energize. As you walk you can focus your attention on the moment-to-moment experience of walking. Any type of walking can help you manage your weight, decrease your risk of heart disease and diabetes and increase your aerobic fitness. Mindful walking can also:
Try these ideas to make your next walk a new mood-enhancing experience.
(Taken from the BoeingWellness Health Letter, April 2008) Now for those of you who like to multi-task, prayer-walking might just fit the bill. Check out these resources and take “A Stroll with Your Soul.” "The Complete Guide to Prayer-Walking" by Linus Mundy and "Daily Prayer Walk" by Janet Holm McHenry Debra Caldwell
May 4 “Baby Boomers: Where are they?” We will discuss the article in the April edition of The Lutheran, pages 12-17. Extra copies are available in the narthex May 11 “Russia” — presentation by Eva Mader, who works for the Northwest Washington May 18 “Natural Church Development” — presentation by Jim Wiederaenders — learn about the
As you may or not be aware this is Pastor Tom’s third sabbatical at St. Luke’s Church. He has been our pastor for 21 years. In the past St. Luke’s has enjoyed the services of an associate pastor during these extended absences (Pastor Scott in ’95 and Pastor Deanna in ’02). At this time we do not have the blessing of an associate pastor for the summer so Pastor Paul Fauske will be serving St. Luke’s in Pastor Tom’s absence. To assist Pastor Paul, and to help provide a greater sense of community during these summer months, the Worship and Music Board has suggested to the Board of Such a proposed change undoubtedly will inconvenience a number of people … for that we are deeply troubled and sorry. For those who cannot come later, and those for whom coming earlier is impossible, (like many of our seniors) all we can do is apologize and offer some alternatives. Of those who responded 35 (26%) said they would appreciate an alternative to Sunday morning as well. Pastor Paul is prepared to lead a 1:00 p.m. Thursday service. This would be an informal experience but would involve the Word and the Lord’s Supper. There is also a good chance that at least twice a month a meal could be arranged prior to the service. Hopefully this would help address the needs of our congregation during the summer months and might offer an alternative for the rest of the year as well. Questions can be directed to Pastor Tom, Nancy Quale (Worship Board Chairperson) or Amy Corsini, Director of Worship.
While it is always with the best of intentions that people donate unwanted items to “needy” organizations; there are times when these donations are more of a burden than a blessing. Please make sure that before you donate items to the church that you contact someone in the office or on the Facilities Committee before you drop the item off. We have often found ourselves with items that we presently can’t use and have nowhere to store for future use or we receive items that we simply don’t need. When this situation arises we are often left with having to pay to dispose of these goods. We do want to thank everyone for their generous support of our church and we do appreciate the gifts of goods that we have requested. Please watch the Communicator for future “wish list” items.
Your continued generosity to St. Luke’s Good Samaritan Fund has been essential in helping many in our community during difficult times in their lives or for some who continually struggle day-to-day. We have had single mothers who are pursuing an education or training so they will be able to take care of their children. We have been able to help them with rent or electricity bills. Often those who come in need gas to get to a job, job interview or a doctor’s appointment. Many that we help are lacking in education, have a disability or have mental or physical problems that keep them from full-time employment. It has become so clear to me that the statement oft heard, “everybody can work — they can flip hamburgers!” is definitely not true. As Ruth points out in her article, we need to show compassion and not pass judgment on their situation. Unfortunately sometimes the problem becomes generational and then we can be thankful for a program like Eastside Academy which helps young people finish their education even though right now they may not realize how important it is for their future. Once again, thank you for your support of our Good Samaritan program. If you have any questions about it, please stop in the office and talk to Pam and Jodi.
The newly formed St. Luke’s Art Guild held its third meeting on April 22. We have adopted our mission statement: “To promote increased awareness and appreciation of art that Our focus continues to be on the new entryway on the south side of the church. As our funds are extremely limited our focus turned to raising funds to support the entry project. We are considering holding various workshops that would help in the effort. Some suggested workshops may include: spring flower pots; quilting; or stained glass. Any contributions would be greatly appreciated. Yum: The Art Guild is sponsoring a bake sale on Sunday, May 18 to get “seed” money for beautifying the entryway. Donations will be matched by Thrivent so plan on buying some homemade baked goods that day. We will also be joining with the Stewardship Committee in the Spiritual Gifts Tile Project. Watch for more details on this future project. Our next meeting will be held on May 22 at 7:00 p.m. Please come and join us! Hope to see you there! Cathy Lisle
My apologies for not having better organization for St. Luke’s participation in the Emergency Feeding Program for Seattle and King County. We now have a container for you to leave your donations. May Food of the Month MAY FIESTA! Help us celebrate Cinco de Mayo by donating these foods for 2 pound packages of dried pinto beans
The Emergency Feeding Program is also beginning a “Prevent Summer Hunger Food Drive” which runs until the end of the school year. When the final bell rings for the school year, many kids in the community lose their subsidized school lunch. They are requesting peanut butter (18-oz plastic jar); 6-oz cans of tuna; SPAM; canned Vienna sausages; cans or cartons of soup (low-sodium soup is particularly needed); 24-oz cans of beef stew; 15-oz cans of chili; 12-oz cans of evaporated milk and 1-qt envelopes of powdered milk. Your donations will help the Emergency Feeding Program insure that these kids have not only a fun-filled summer, but one free of hunger.
Student Perspective
I plan on continuing my education at
On Monday, June 2nd, 2008
Manager: mariannew@eastsideacademy.org or (425) 542-9920 ext. 4. Tony Martin Donor & Mentor Coordinator (425) 452-9920 ext #6
Other News, Events and Ministries At St. Luke's If you want to grow spiritually, worship with a small group, be listened to, or learn to listen to others, this may be the class for you. The second group completes their classes on May 19. If you are interested in a fall class, now is the time to let Nancy Quale, Dorothy Scott or
If you are interested in being a part of a small group of women that gathers once a month to study, share, pray and discern God’s will in our lives, let me know by May 14. Groups may be formed during the day or evening, depending on the interest. Please call Roselyn in the church office.
Are you planning surgery? If you let me know I can pray for you. (It may be in person, on the phone, or in my private prayers.) If you or a family member is in the hospital or a rehab center, please let me know. I love to visit people with their permission. Please call Roselyn in the church office.
We’re knitting prayer shawls this summer and will meet on Wednesday, September 17 at 1:00 p.m. to knit, visit and bless the prayer shawls. If you want more information over the summer, contact Donna Kobelin or Judy Hagen at the church office.
Even though the weather makes it difficult to even think of a picnic, we will have our annual picnic on Sunday, June 8 after the second service. On June 22 we will begin with one worship service at 9:30 a.m. followed by brunch. Your help is needed to make our picnic a success. Please contact Anne Bly at the church office to help with the different activities. We will have warm weather — guaranteed! Join us on Sunday, May 18 at 4:00 p.m. for a hymn sing and choir/bell choir concert. There will be solos, instrumental accompaniment and plenty of hymns from our new red hymnal. A reception will follow in Pierson Hall. A freewill offering will be taken to benefit St. Luke’s music program. On Saturday, May 10 at 5:00 p.m., students of Randy Jackson will perform a Showcase Recital at Sherman Clay on Bellevue Way. Many of these students have played for us at church services. You are cordially invited to attend.
Golfers of any experience are welcome and will enjoy the afternoon followed by dinner. We will be playing a Scramble format so anyone can win a prize! When: Sunday June 1 at 2:00 p.m. Look for the sign-up sheet in the Narthex. The Mirinesse Women’s Choir will present its 2008 concert, “Songs of Sky and Sea”, at St. Luke’s Friday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m. Under the direction of Beth Ann Bonnecroy and Rebecca Rottsolk, Mirinesse gave a beautiful and inspiring concert here last year. If you heard and enjoyed it, please spread the word. If you missed them last year, make plans to attend on May 16.
RAINFOREST ADVENTURE August 11—15........ 9:00 to noon Ages: Preschool to those leaving 6th grade
The Reverend Wm Chris Boerger Opening The Book Of Faith The Book of Faith initiative is a five-year project for every member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). This project is the result of a memorial from the North Carolina Synod to the 1995 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. Its goal is to increase Biblical knowledge and conversation among all of the members of this church. We are a church that affirms that the scriptures are the authoritative source and norm of our proclamation, faith and life. It is in the scriptures that we see Jesus. It is in the scriptures that we are confronted with our sin and the power of God’s grace. Luther noted that the Holy Spirit works faith in our lives through the means of grace, the Word and the Sacraments. Thus, for us, scripture is at the heart of our life together. We do not approach scripture in a literalistic manner. We are not interested in what scripture said to our ancestors, we are interested in what scripture is saying to us and our time. The Bible confronts us with the lively Word of God. It is a word that is active today in our lives. So the Book of Faith project is about getting us as individuals, in small groups, congregations and synods to commit to study the Bible. That study is not about just learning the facts. It is about using this gift of God to guide our lives and our faith. This is important, life giving work. Over the next few years, there will be new resources developed for our use. The key to this is not the resources, it is our commitment to read and study the Bible. Those attending the Synod Assembly this year will be given the introductory resource, "Opening the Book of Faith". If you are not at the assembly, you can purchase a copy through Augsburg Fortress (http://www.augsburgfortress.org ). I see the potential that this intentional study of the Bible could change the whole church. Lutheran reformation was strongly supported by the translating of the Bible into the language of the people. As the regular person read the Bible, the faith of the church was strengthened. We live in a time of Biblical illiteracy both in and out of the church. It is a time for us to grow in faith through our study of the Word.
Karuna: Sanskrit for Compassion. “FOR THAT STARFISH IT DID MAKE A DIFFERENCE” “What’s the use? What can one person really do?” Sometimes it may feel that way, whether it has to do with our evangelism attempts or our justice works. But of course Jesus gave messages throughout his life that the individual does matter. The starfish refers to a widely disseminated story. (Google, and then write in “The Starfish Story.”) As for “karuna,” I don’t read Sanskrit. (I’ll leave that to Pastor Jim Fergin.) I just like the sound of the word and absolutely the meaning, “compassion.” I don’t see how, as Christians, we can be compassionate toward some people and not compassionate toward others. So I am suggesting that when we see people on street corners holding their cardboard signs stating “anything helps”, let’s take their word for it. Whatever you feel called upon to have in your car for such occasions, have them: a pair of socks, a scarf, crackers and cheese packets, bananas (easy to eat with tooth decay), batteries, granola bars, small fruit juice containers, etc. A serendipity happening came along for me one day. A despondent-looking man with his head down was sitting in a wheel-chair on a corner in the University District. I had to stop at the red light there. I only had 1-dollar bills handy. “Hey,” I called and gave him three of them. “You have a nice smile,” he said to me. “You have a nice smile, too,” I responded – which he did. I added, “So – we both have nice smiles!” We both had to laugh. At that, the light turned green. A kind of a starfish story. The reason for this article is that there will be more needy people in our communities in the near future, given the downward trend of the economy. Note: Churches like St. Luke’s have to have some guidelines regarding help that can be given.
Submitted by Ruth Kverndal
May 2008 Southern Comfort Redeux Last month’s article was incomplete, wasn’t it? Of course those plantation owners had luxury, wealth and leisure time. It was possible because of the presence of one of the most inhumane institutions ever devised by humans. People owned other people and made them work without pay. Economies are ecosystems. If one person has gained wealth, that person has done it to some degree at the expense of others. Sorry, there is no free lunch. We are faith bound to ask, “Whose comfort did it cost and how much for me to have this luxury?” Ultimately comfort is a justice issue. The phrase, “You have to watch out for the other guy,” takes on new meaning in this context. Comfort ye my people, also takes on a different twist too. It isn’t just, “Tell them I’m going to make it better someday.” It is rather an order by God. “Comfort my people!” Action Not Optional. God says, “Excuse me, I provided comfort for you. Are you looking around for the least of these my brothers and sisters to see how you can provide comfort for them? It is part of the package you know.” We can’t just pass the peace. We must pass the comfort. Is your coffee or tea fair traded? Have you counted the cost of throwing that object away as opposed to recycling it? Do you notice where your clothing comes from? Do you oppose illegal immigration while buying goods from growers and manufacturers who keep their costs (and yours) down by hiring illegal immigrants? “Comfort my people!” Action Not Optional |
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