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Eat, Discover, Create for children & youth Formation for Spiritual Companions Other News, Events & Ministries at St. Luke's
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Hi! Got your summer plans all settled? I would like to make a couple of suggestions for your schedule. St. Luke’s will be joining with a number of Bellevue Christian Church’s on August 16th in an activity known as Jubilee Day. As many as 3,000 people that day will be joining together in a mutual witness of love of Lord and community by volunteering in our schools and parks. You can join in this servant project by spending 4-8 hours painting, gardening or assisting a teacher in preparing a classroom. Actually, there are a number of tasks for all ages. I would like you to consider joining me on that Saturday. I will return from my sabbatical for that day and would look forward to serving with 50 or so of you. There will be a presentation on June 1st and an opportunity to sign up the first couple of Sundays in June. Secondly, what are you reading this summer? For the second year I would like to make a book suggestion – this year it is Brian McLaren’s, Everything Must Change. Several of us attended a two-day workshop by Brian in April and were incredibly moved by this humble pastor’s insight and understanding of the challenges facing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in what has come to be known as a “post modern world”. Several of us have been motivated to the extent that we have underwritten the cost of 100 copies of his book which you will soon find available in the narthex. It is my hope that there would be one copy in each home for a summer read project. (There will be an offering envelope in each copy if you would like to make a reimbursement.) You will find this an easy read that will immediately resonate with the condition of our world and how the Church can be called to respond. To help the reader, McLaren borrows a line from Albert Einstein, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” As Christians how might we consider life differently, possibly as Jesus might call us to think? This is a challenge referred to by some as the second Reformation. The first in the 16th century was about belief. The second is about how the Church is called to respond to the world. In the fall I will be teaching on the themes McLaren elaborates. It is also a hope we could have small groups (home groups?) meeting to discuss the work. There are certainly issues that some may find difficult or contentious. Yet, if our church is going to be able to speak the language of hope in a post modern world we have to begin to learn its language. This is just a beginning and you are invited to prepare for a conversation this fall. I look forward to seeing you August 16th.
Note: Pastor Tom’s last Sunday to preach before leaving on sabbatical is June 15.
Did you know that Pastor Tom will be studying three weeks this summer at The Chautauqua Institute in upstate
Pastor Tom will also be writing a devotional using a number of resources, including children’s books. Do you have a favorite? Donate a new children’s book and Pastor Tom will try to incorporate it into the devotional. When done, the books will be donated to the library.
Prayer: First, Second, or a Last Resort? What is the place of prayer in my life? That’s a question I’ve asked myself recently. There are books and articles written on prayer: there are “how to” books, theoretical books, and theological books. It’s a wide topic. It’s impossible to cover the topic in an article, an hour, a day or even a life time. Allow me to share with you a little about my prayer life. When I was young and sitting in a church worship service prayer was a lot of big words that I didn’t always fully understand. I learned some simple prayers that I could memorize and use before meals. “Thank you for the food we eat; Thank you for the birds that sing. Thank you God for everything..” Before bedtime I would pray, “Now I lay me down to sleep.” — even as an adult I often started my bed time prayers with that childhood theme. Prayer is a dialog. I talk to God and God listens. God talks to me and I listen. What does it mean that “God talks to me”? Do I hear an audible voice? No, I don’t literally hear God. I hear with my heart. I have a sense of what God wants me to do. There are some things that I hear clearly; it’s usually easy to decide right from wrong. But then there are the more difficult decisions. What do I do in this situation? What is the loving way to act? What does God want me to do? It’s not always easy. I’ve found that there are several ways to help me hear God’s voice. The first way is through the Word, the Bible. When I read or study the Bible, everyday occurrences are seen in a new light. The people in the Bible stories were far from perfect but many of them trusted and loved God. They loved him with their whole hearts and minds. David in the Old Testament sinned, yet he was loved by God and he repented. If God can love David then God can love me and I in turn can love all the other people that God loves. A second way that I hear God’s word is through others. Often when I read a book, hear a sermon, or hear someone share from their own life experience, God speaks to me. I’m learning to listen better to others. It doesn’t mean I always agree but I can learn from everyone. A third way I hear God’s word is through the life of Jesus. I ask myself, “What would Jesus do in the situation I am in now?” Often the answer is self-evident. At other times I use a fourth method; listening to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is there for us all the time, not just on Pentecost. Sometimes it’s a still small voice speaking. At other times it is bold. When I listen for God, I hear God. When I don’t listen, God is very patient and doesn’t bother me. I am allowed to go my own way until I remember to initiate a dialog. God is always there. In worship services I am often reminded to pray and praying with a large group can be a moving experience. I know that God also listens to my prayers during my daily activities. When I wake up I like to lie in bed and say “Good morning, God” and ask for help in functioning throughout the day. While showering or washing my face I thank God for my baptism. While dressing I give thanks for clothes; while preparing meals I give thanks for food and pray that I will eat the type and amount my body needs. While starting out on the day’s schedule I ask for help in doing God’s will throughout the day. While swimming laps I pray for people I know and can remember. (I need a list in front of me for those I am not as familiar with.) Before a visit, with someone in a hospital or a nursing home, I pray that I will be able to listen and bring the love of Jesus. It’s always a special blessing for me to be able to pray with someone else. At the end of the day, I thank God for the day and the blessings of the day. In times of stress where do we go first? Is prayer our first thought or a last resort? During a recent time of stress in my life, I rediscovered that God was faithful. That doesn’t mean that everything worked out the way I’d like it to but I was aware that God was working in the lives of many people. I don’t always follow through on my good intentions and that’s when I’m thankful for grace. The grace of our Lord Jesus comforts us and sustains us through all trials. Where is prayer in your life? Is it first, second, or a last resort? Where do you want it to be? What one change will you make in your prayer life this summer?
Shalom,
Summer is almost here and the kids are on the edges of their chairs waiting for that final bell to ring so they can get 2½ months off from school before they have to go back and start over again. On the last day of school I remember we would all play the song “School’s Out” by Alice Cooper. You could hear it all over the high school parking lot. Playing that song was a tradition for me and my friends. Traditions are nice because you can expect it every year like family reunions or BBQ’s. They also can remind you of a loved one you may have lost who loved that particular outing. Do you have any summer traditions? The youth have some events that have now become traditions — going to
There are six youth going to the Western States Youth Gathering in
On June 15th we will have a car wash during the congregational meeting at 9:45. Any help you can give to reach our goal will be appreciated. I hope you all have a great summer and don’t forget to come to church and say hello. Take care and God bless! In Christ, Ben Richards, Director of Youth Ministry
June is truly a month of transition and change. Much of this occurs as we shift from spring to summer. For most people summer signifies a time of rest and renewal. We rest as our schedules change allowing for vacations and time off, and we find renewal as we grow in the light of God. The summer sunlight is a source of energy and strength, as is the abundant grace found in the light of God’s word. In the spirit of this renewal and growth, on June 8th at the 11:00 service, the Informal Worship Team is excited for the opportunity to lead worship as a joint effort with the Liberation Praise Team. The congregation of Liberation Ministries is as blessed as we are with the talents of our pianist Cheri for their weekly Sunday afternoon services. On this morning, the service will allow for abundant growth as we experience part of our worship in Liberation style. Likewise, they will be blessed by experiencing worship St. Luke’s style. Please join us as we welcome them with open arms! Summer Worship Schedule Beginning June 22 Sundays 9:30 a.m. Blended Service Building on the success of our blended services this last Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, our summer services on Sunday mornings will include a great mix of traditional liturgy and hymns and informal style music. We are combining the talents of Carolyn on the organ along with the Informal Worship Team to lead us through worship as we are Gathered to hear the Word, to partake of the Meal, and then be Sent to proclaim God’s love to the world. Thursdays at noon Word and Sacrament Beginning on Thursday, June 26th, Pastor Paul Fauske will lead a weekly Word and Sacrament worship service at noon. This is a great alternative both for those who may find the summer schedule for Sunday mornings challenging, and all who wish for mid-week spiritual nourishment.
Income & Expense for Program Year 2006/2007 and 2007/2008
As I write this there are 6 Sundays left in our Program year. We are holding on the deficit ($56,500) in the General Fund, for that I am grateful. Last year in April our deficit was ($56,510) and we challenged the congregation to step up to the next level of giving, on Consecration Sunday, trusting that God would provide for them and for St. Luke’s. People did indeed step up and we projected our ministry support on those pledges. We presented 3 budget options to the congregation and they approved the option that would make up $16,056 of that deficit. Individual giving started out the program year being right where it was projected to be. In actuality the Back into the Black auction reduced our deficit by $24,566 and then individual giving started going down. What happened? We can all make guesses as to what is causing this situation, but are we continuing to give back to God that which is his, praying and knowing that he will provide for us as individuals and as His church? Your Board of Trustees is praying that each and every one of us will honor our pledge to support his work. I am aware that most people don’t like to hear that the church needs money and that we always seem to be asking for it. The reality is …… we do need money and we try not to “preach” about it all the time! I think we do a good job of letting you know where we stand each month, ask you to prayerfully consider honoring your pledges and experience God’s blessings. St. Luke’s has trouble functioning as a healthy congregation when its members put giving to the church in something other than a first priority in their lives. Consecration Sunday 2008 was last Sunday. Pledges are down $40,000 from last year. Letters have gone out to those who did not attend church that day or pledge. The Congregation meeting is set for June 15th at which time the Board of Trustees will present you with a Ministry Budget recommendation for 2008-2009. I ask you to pray for guidance and discernment for your Board in the decisions they will have to make. God’s Blessings to You Carolyn Norton
A $1 bill met a $20 bill and said, “Hey, where’ve you been? I haven’t seen you around here much.”
The $20 bill answered, “I’ve been hanging out at the casinos, went on a cruise and did the rounds of the ship, back to the United States for awhile, went to a couple of baseball games, to the mall, that kind of stuff. How about you?”
The $1 bill said, “You know, same old stuff, church, church, church.”
Please plan on attending the Congregational Meeting on June 15th at 9:45 a.m. We have some difficult decisions to make. The Board of Trustees will have a budget based on pledges for the next program year — 2008/2009 and at this point we have a significant shortfall. We need your help in deciding which of the following options we will adopt: Here are the options:
It is not an easy economic time for anyone — but God puts these challenges before us in our personal life as well as our church life and we must decide as a congregation what steps to take. Please come and be part of the decision and hopefully a major part of the solution. God bless,
Is the high cost of food getting you down? Do you think trimming your food budget means an expanding waistline? Here are some ways to stay on track without breaking the bank.
One big money waster: Driving from store to store for all the “best” bargains. You’ll spend extra gas money for small savings. Pick one major market and become a mindful shopper there. For other helpful, healthy tips like this check out www.ivillage.com/health. (From Health Journal with Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom, ivillage Total Health) Debra Caldwell Parish Health Ministry Survey Results
The result are in! The #1 concern was nutrition/weight control with women’s health issues a close second. Then came flu shots, living will/directives, CPR certification, blood pressure screenings, caring for our parents, retirement planning, marriage enrichment, conflict/communication, standard first aid, depression/suicide, senior housing options, and babysitting classes. Looks like every age group weighed in and we have a great list of projects to get started on. By the way, out of the 68 responses so far, 24 of you volunteered to help us in some capacity and two of you agreed to serve on our committee! We will call on you. Thank you for your time and your suggestions. We look forward to being a resource for your health concerns.
This program is designed to get the whole family involved in discovering their spiritual gifts. What do you mean spiritual gifts? Well, God has given all of us, children, youth and adults, two very important gifts. The first is the gift of faith in Jesus, his work of redemption and forgiveness of sin and the second is the gift of one or more special abilities, which are to be used for the purpose of helping His ministry bring people to Jesus. Like any other present it is impossible to fully appreciate or use our spiritual gifts until they have been opened. Guess what? We are going to help you open them this summer. This summer during and after the brunches, or even during the week if you like, we will be working on a project of discovering our Spiritual Gifts and creating glass tile mosaics of those gifts. These mosaics will hang in the narthex. Children, youth and adults will have the opportunity to participate in this project. This is designed to be a family project. The program is being sponsored by our Member Integration Ministry and the Art Guild. It is guaranteed to be fun and something you won’t want to miss!! It is so easy—while enjoying brunch, take the inventory and turn in your results sheet. The following Sunday we will have your results sheet ready for you. After brunch come into the narthex and create your own personal line in the mosaic. That is all there is to it!! You can do the mosaic part of it yourself or have someone do it for you. We will have tables set up in the narthex, like we did for the Witness Window, so that everyone can see the progress we are making. There will be people there to help you if you need it. We will start on June 29th and run through the weekend before Labor Day. There will also be people here during the week, if you can’t do it on Sundays. Your Spiritual Gift results will be used to help you identify areas in which your gifts can be used to help support the many ministries of St. Luke’s. We encourage you to participate in this summer project and see what a colorful mosaic all of our gifts together will make. Member Integration Ministry and the Art Guild
St. Luke’s is making a concentrated effort to discover and nurture a child’s spiritual gifts as they emerge. Why? Because we need to honor their gifts just as we do our own. In order to do that we need to:
Children have many other talents and interests that God has provided them. We as parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. need to make sure they know that they are God-given talents and they need to thank God for them. Within this program, designed for K-5th grades, we will be concentrating on a child’s call to discipleship, leadership and service in our faith community. As they grow older other spiritual gifts will become more evident and appropriate for them to explore. For the youth of our congregation, 6th grade through high school, we also have a specifically designed survey. Their gifts will be more developed than those of the children. We need to encourage our youth to discover those gifts for the very same reasons as the children. We are just getting a little later start with them. We need to nurture those gifts and encourage them to use them for God’s ministry so that they too can see how blessed they will be when they do. There are no age limitations or requirements attached to spiritual gifts; it is not a test, and there are no wrong answers. Spiritual gifts emerge at any age as we are given opportunities to discover and nurture them. I would ask you to pray for God’s direction in nurturing these children and youth as they grow in faith and community and the use of their gifts.
An invitation to ALL WOMEN! Our annual combined circle Bible Study will be Monday, June 30 at 7:00 p.m. in Pierson Hall. Join us for some dessert and then we will share in studying the first session in the Summer Study-- “Come to the Waters,” by the Rev. Karen Bockelman. This Bible study expands on the theme of the 2008 Women of the ELCA Triennial Gathering in
At this meeting we will take an offering to be sent to the Triennial Gathering. Half of the offering will go to the Women of the ELCA churchwide organization for its ongoing ministries: one quarter to Lutheran Immigration Refugee Service for its work in the area of commercial sexual exploitation; and one quarter to the Stand with Africa/Lutheran World Federation Water Project.
Now that we are using the south entrance we need to make everyone aware of alarm and exiting procedures. If you are the last person to leave and are setting the alarm you must exit via the double doors in front of Pierson Hall. These doors are the only doors in the facility that have a delay for the alarm. If the alarm is set and someone goes out another door — even within a split second — the alarm will sound. Please be sure everyone has exited the building before setting the alarm, and then exit from the Pierson Hall doors.
One of the many blessings experienced by me and my family for the past 36 years as we moved to new churches was to be graciously welcomed into a church community. The blessing has continued for my wife Christine and me when we joined St. Luke’s as members in November 2007. We were sincerely welcomed and instantly made to feel at home by those already worshiping and belonging to St. Luke’s. Part of the welcome originated years ago as we developed a close friendship with Pastor Tom and Brenda and met many wonderful folks at St. Luke’s through our association with them. Just a little about me — I was born and grew up in Minnesota and Iowa and graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota (where I met New Yorker Christine Simonson), spent a year in graduate school at the University of Iowa and then graduated from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1972. I left the snowy sub-zero temps of the Twin Cities (Chris sighed deeply in relief) for the beaches and palm trees of my first Call to a church in
Along the way, Chris and I were blessed with two sons: Matthew who is married to Tessa and who has two daughters, Emily (5) and Siri (2), and Joshua who is engaged to Lindsey. Matt works for a Bellevue-based software company, Noetix, but runs their southwestern sales program from
I’m really looking forward to the next five months serving as interim pastor here at St. Luke’s while Pastor Tom is on sabbatical and vacation. I am eager to get to know all of you as we serve together in the ministry that God sets before us and I can’t thank you enough for the warm welcome and encouragement that you have so graciously extended to Christine and me in the past months. We are once again — richly blessed! A servant with you in Christ,
Save the date — Saturday, August 16 Demonstrate the
Steve Holmberg, St. Luke’s Director of Children’s Music has announced that St. Luke’s will host two summer camps for K – 6. These camps will consist of drumming, marimba and dance and will be taught by Steve and Emily Rose who also teaches music in the
Other News, Events and Ministries At St. Luke's Nine people completed this program on May 19. Comments from the participants have been positive. The coordinators will be planning the fall schedule this summer. Look for more information in an upcoming Communicator. You may still let me know if you are interested in a small women’s group that would meet on a regular basis. We would endeavor to grow together and individually, to strengthen our faith and to pray for one another. I’m hoping we will have enough women to have one group that meets during the day and another at other times. Contact me at (425) 822-7907, at home or roselynolson@slukes.org.
Kevin Kotecki from the Navigators is living in
It’s been a long time since we’ve heard that clink, clink, clink of change in the noisy offering cans — it’s like music to our ears! Start checking under your chair cushions, pockets and the bottom of your purse and bring it all on Sunday, June 29 for a melody of musical coins!
Everyone is invited to our annual picnic on Sunday, June 8th after the 11am service. We'll have entertainment for all and guaranteed sunshine. Hamburgers, gardenburgers, hot dogs and drinks will be provided, but we're asking you to help with the extras: A - H Salads Your help is needed to make our picnic a success. Please contact Anne Bly at the church office to help with the different activities. Be dure to weat your casual clothes, put on some suncreen and be ready to picnic. We still need people to BBQ for us! Can you smell your own perfume? If so, you may have too much on. Some people in the congregation have strong reactions to perfume or some flowers. Please be thoughtful and spray lightly so others may enjoy worship and go home headache-free. Thank you for your consideration. In 2000, YWAM was given a large donation to purchase a 13-acre property in
*Note: This is the organization St. Luke’s builds homes with in
The Quilters were so pleased to display our work on the pews on April 27 and have them blessed on their way to the community and around the world. We thank you who donated funds, and you who gave us fabric. Now, please keep in mind, our continuing need for sheets, which we use for backing. As you clean closets, visit thrift stores, estate sales, etc., we would appreciate having your “finds”. Twin size or larger flat sheets are used. Thank you for your support. We begin work again in early September. Family camping July 10-13 or any portion More details to follow Questions?
RAINFOREST ADVENTURE August 11—15........ 9:00 to noon As we begin one worship service at 9:30 a.m. on June 22, we will again be offering brunch afterward. Grab a few friends and sign up in the narthex. You don’t have to win a cooking competition to participate — we’re not fussy. On Sunday, June 8 we will be honoring our high school graduates during the 11:00 a.m. worship service. Be sure to come and wish the following young men and women best wishes in their future endeavors and enjoy cake after the service. Kenny Browning, Elle Glenny, Kimberly Hanscom, Ben Kappler, Congratulations also to our college graduates: Matthew Otten received a Law Degree from
Begin your summer with Herb and Holden. Join your
Helping Those Living In Poverty Hear this, you that trample on the needy, and bring to ruin the poor of the land, saying, "When will the new moon be over so that we may sell grain; and the sabbath, so that we may offer wheat for sale? We will make the ephah small and the shekel great, and practice deceit with false balances, buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and selling the sweepings of the wheat." Amos 8:4-6 NRSV Later this month every member of the ELCA who filed a tax return will be receiving a check from the US Treasury that is intended to stimulate the nation's economy. At the most recent meeting of the Conference of Bishops we were challenged by our "Ministry Among People in Poverty Committee" to tithe to a ministry working with the poor. We were also asked to encourage all of our rostered leaders to do the same. I am taking a step beyond that to encourage all of the members of this synod to tithe this stimulus package to those who will use it to address the issues of poverty in our communities. It is a sad commentary on our society when we who consume so much of the world's resources are encouraged to spend our way out of our economic dilemmas. It is also telling that those who might most need the buying power of these funds are left out of the distribution because they have not paid taxes. So, it is left to the people of God to respond to this. This is not the first time that God's people are left to act for justice in God's world. The prophets of the Old Testament spent much of their time and energy calling the economy of
So, I ask you to consider a tithe or greater to one of our social ministry organizations. Those specifically working with the poor in this synod are the Compass Center, LATCH, Lutheran Community Services NW, Lutheran Volunteer Corp. The numerous nursing homes and elder care facilities in this synod are always providing care beyond what society reimburses. In this way, by giving to one of our social ministries, we may use something we did not expect in a way that expresses God's preference for the poor. Editor's Note: The organizations that Bishop Boeger mentions in his article can be found on the synod's website at www.lutheransnw.org. The list of organizations can be found under Ministry Partners. To see how much you will be getting visit http://www.irs.gov and click on Stimulus Package . To learn more about what ELCA is doing to help others visit http://www.elca.org/churchinsociety/ . And, to learn what we are going here in our synod to fight hunger please contact the Kristie Necklason, Northwest Washington Synod World Hunger Committee, at worldhunger@lutheransnw.org.
TO CLUTTER OR NOT TO CLUTTER
Springtime in some cultures is synonymous with cleaning, throwing/giving away and creating more order. The spring and summer are certainly more comfortable periods for these activities than the traditional European pre-Christmas frenzy when every nook and cranny had to be tidied and scrubbed clean, and women attended the Christmas Eve worship services aching with fatigue. Experiences vary in households: Some give vent to anger and frustration by force-fully sorting and scouring. Others enjoy this undertaking and not least the finding of treasures—in the couch, in pockets, among papers… there is, however, sometimes a strange feeling of emptiness when nearly everything is placed and cleaned according to plan. For many of us there is also a looming danger: trying to reach perfection. Failing this, we might get so disheartened that we back off altogether. Raymond Vath, psychiatrist, put together the following in addressing perfectionism:
Perhaps even more shockingly, there is a book called A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder (Back Bay Books, 2008). Authors Eric Abrahamson and David Freedman say that moderately disorganized people often turn out to be more efficient and creative. A comfort? Franklin D. Roosevelt, in his State of the Union Message in 1945, speaking as a politician, came with a warning: Perfectionism, no less than isolationism or imperialism or power politics, may obstruct the paths to international peace. I’ll leave you to work that one out. And then we have our Lord himself, quoted in Matthew 5:48. The King James version, as well as other translations, tell us in that verse to be perfect, as our Heavenly Father is perfect. In The Message translation, Eugene Peterson helps us with that: “Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.” A help for us to understand that “perfection” is an aim, a guide. After all, we are not perfect—and yet we are not people of despair either. Hey, we have a Savior!
Submitted by Ruth Kverndal
June 2008 Some Comfort 1 This chair, this situation, this yoga position, this conversation… is uncomfortable. There are lots of ways out of the discomfort. Avoidance is one that comes readily to mind. Get out of the chair, don’t have the conversation, don’t do yoga or at least that position are all relatively simple solutions. But there are times when avoidance can’t solve the problem. Either it won’t work or it is too late. We must pass through the dis-comfort to get to the comfort. There is no choice. A woman being coached through a particularly painful part of her labor once said to her mid-wife. “I can’t do this anymore!” To which the mid wife said, “It’s a little late for that. You can and you will.” The mid-wife was being comforting. Yeh, like a drill sergeant! Exactly! All the comforts of boot camp! But comfort has a very different meaning here. Comfort means ‘bringing strength’ in this context. There is no way around, there is only a way through. The Comforter stands by our side and gets us through it when we honestly believe we can’t. We receive a “You can do it,” when we have no such belief. Comfort does not always mean soothing and relief. Comfort sometimes means being strengthened and encouraged by those who have pledged to stand by our side. Comfort sometimes means getting tough now, so that soothing can come later. |
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