Moments for Mission - Southwestern Washington Synod

Moments for Mission
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Southwestern Washington Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ by empowering congregations and church
leaders to grow in worship, education, outreach, stewardship and other ministries.
October 2015
Staff
Bishop Richard E.
Jaech
Rev. Kim Latterell
bishop’s associate
Rev. Melanie
Wallschlaeger
director for
evangelical mission
(ELCA staff)
Allison Ramsey
office manager
Phone
(253) 535-8300
Address
420 121st St. S
Tacoma, WA 98444
E-mail
swwsynod@plu.edu
Blog
http://swwsynodelca.
blogspot.com
Websites
www.lutheranssw.org
www.elca.org
Facebook page:
https://www.faceboo
k.com/pages/South
western-WashingtonSynod/1290477871
337786
Twitter
@SWWASynod
PLU Ministry Site Review Process
by the Rev. Dr. Melanie Wallschlaeger, Director for Evangelical Mission
Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) is riding several
waves of change in Campus Ministry and the
University Congregation. The Southwestern
Washington Synod is partnering with PLU, offering
support so that PLU may think clearly and act
faithfully in its understanding of ministry with
students, faculty, and staff, including its wider
communities of influence.
As the Synod’s primary educational partner
institution, PLU has engaged in a Ministry Review
process of the university’s Religious and Spiritual Life over the past several
months, modeled after a review process used in the synod and across the
ELCA. The ministry review at PLU has involved students, faculty, staff,
community partners, and the highest levels of administration. In a similar
review process to the one that I use in congregations across our synod, I
led a two-day process of listening to stakeholders in partnership with the
Student Life Office and administration of PLU. The inspiration for this
reflective action comes from an eagerness to clarify desired outcomes for
ministry, and a needs assessment for those outcomes. The process
involves numerous interviews, a student “Religious and Spiritual Practice”
survey, and group discussions spanning two school terms, Spring 2015 and
Fall 2015.
We have learned much about PLU’s Campus Ministry leading up to the
current portion of the process. For example, we learned that there is a
wide-spread respect and appreciation for the role of campus pastor and
campus ministry at the university. Participants who define themselves as
deeply religious as well as those who self-describe as “not particularly
spiritual” expressed gratitude for the Lutheran values of higher education
and an appreciation for the role and presence of campus ministry,
particularly in times of crisis. We heard appreciation for the variety of
chapel speakers. Along with these and other affirmations of Campus
Continued next page
PLU review process continued from page 1
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Ministry, we heard a desire for more active engagement of the student, staff and faculty. One
of the primary recommendations our ministry site review team made is for a more relational
and collaborative (as opposed to institutional) model of ministry. The review team
recommended that the campus pastor spend at least 50% of his/her time in relational
ministry with students, staff and faculty and in building collaborative partnerships with other
campus centers. Along with recommendations for pastoral and programmatic staff, the
review team made a recommendation for identifying appropriate sacred space.
Both faculty and students expressed a deep desire to have chapel and the University Chapel
move to a space that is more conducive to building community. While Lagerquist Hall (where
chapel was previously held) is a beautiful performance space, students and faculty mentioned
the space is overwhelming for smaller groups and contributes to feelings of alienation when
utilized for worship. Weekday chapel and University Congregation worship have since
relocated to the renovated Ness Family Chapel in the updated Karen Hille Phillips Performing
Arts Center. The space comfortably accommodates chapel while encouraging relationships
and allowing congregants to hear one another sing while sitting in the round. In addition to
relocating to appropriate chapel space, the review team recommended that campus ministry
seek to find space for multi-faith expression so that appropriate prayer and meditation space
is available for students of Christian and non-Christian backgrounds. The Spirituality and Faith
Practice survey that is being conducted with students right now will help the campus ministry
office identify the variety of religious and faith traditions on campus.
The administration of PLU and its constituents long for the university to have a vibrant and
thriving campus ministry environment. Whereas the basic chapel framework is well
established and the recent overall campus reduction in force led to move from two full-time
campus pastors to one, the immediate need is for PLU to discern what Campus Ministry can
accomplish and what it needs to do in partnership with others. Pastor John Rosenberg is
currently serving the university as Interim Campus Pastor. This a time of opportunity, hope,
and re-visioning for Campus Ministry at PLU. The review team believes that the University, with
the help of the Holy Spirit, is up to the task. I encourage you to attend PLU’s Chapel at
10:30am on Wednesdays in Ness Family Chapel and pray for Pacific Lutheran University
during this time of transition.
On the Road with the Bishop
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September 11
I enjoyed a wonderful Friday evening fellowship and Bible study time with the Chinese
Lutheran Church in Federal Way (shown below), led by Pastor Rowena Wang, bottom photo
left, with Bishop Jaech and Rowena’s husband, Pastor Mike Wang, bottom photo right. Church
members reflected together on their daily calling as followers of Christ. They do an excellent
job of welcoming newcomers into their congregation.
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September 13
First Lutheran Community Church in Port Orchard, led by Pastor
Adrian Bonaro, celebrated their Native Roots and committed
themselves to build bridges with the First Nation communities
in their area. Pastor Linda Smith of our Synod, shown right, a
member of the Tulalip community, and Roy DeBoers of the
Lummi community were present to help with worship. Within
our Synod there are fifteen recognized First Nation
communities.
Shepherd of the Hills
Lutheran Church in
Stevenson also
celebrated the gifts
and presence of their
First Nation
members and
neighbors, shown
left, I was not able to
attend this service,
but Pastor Jonette
Blakney (far left) sent
this wonderful photo
of their September
27 Sunday service.
Participating in the
service were Marva
Janik, a member of
Shepherd of the Hills
and a Siletz Tribal
elder, and Carl Afterbuffalo, of the Blackfeet tribe.
Continued next page
On the Road continued from page 4
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September 17 (above)
Together with nine other religious leaders from the State of Washington, I was invited by
Governor Jay Inslee to talk with him and share our ideas about caring for the environment in
this time of climate change. Present were leaders from the Lutheran, Methodist, Roman
Catholic, United Church of Christ, Jewish and Sikh communities. Top row left to right above,
Rev. Mike Denton, Dr. Anise Ahmed, second row, Bishop Richard Jaech, Jasmit Singh, Rabbi
Seth Goldstein; third row, Rev. Paul Benz, Donna Christensen, Sister Sharon Park, Gov. Jay
Inslee; bottom row, LeeAnne Beres, Rev. Meighan Pritchard, and Rev. Jenny Phillips.
September 20 (above)
Pastor Jeff Gaustad and Intern Matt Byrd hosted me at Trinity Lutheran, Parkland. It was a joy
to be with the community at Trinity who do such great outreach to their neighborhood and
provide on-going support to our Synod, including providing to us our Synod Office. Continued
On the Road continued from page 5
September 22-24
Together with Bishop Kirby Unti (Northwest Washington Synod) , far left above, Bishop Martin
Wells (Eastern Washington-Idaho Synod), far right above, and twelve other ELCA bishops, I
participated in the ELCA Advocacy Days in Washington, DC. Paul Benz, of the Faith Action
Network, and Darcy Huffman, who is an advocacy leader from Good Shepherd Lutheran,
Olympia, were with us as we visited six Washington State Congressional Representatives and
also Senator Marie Cantwell and the staff of Senator Patty Murray. We talked with them
particularly about development assistance for the hungry, both in the US and around the
world, and also about Native American concerns in our state. Pictured above is our visit with
Rep. Denny Heck, 10th District, who is also a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in
Olympia.
Continued next page
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On the Road, continued from page 6
7
There was no available seating to attend Pope Francis’ address to Congress in person, but I
was next door in the Dirksen Senate Building watching him on a large screen with all the other
ELCA bishops. It was exciting to be in DC at the same time as this pivotal leader of the Roman
Catholic community. Our Presiding Bishop, Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, was also present.
Southwestern Washington Synod Musicians Attend 2015
Lutheran Summer Music Academy Decorah, IA
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The 2015 Lutheran Summer Music Academy (LSM), a four-week residential camp for talented
high school musicians, was held at Luther College in Decorah, IA from June 21 to July 19.
Along with 70+ students from 30 states, the following students were chosen to participate in
the program:
Jakob Boers of Mountain View Lutheran in Milton, WA
Zoe Chapman of St. Mark Lutheran in Olympia, WA
Kacie Ciarelli of Spirit of Life Lutheran Church in Port Orchard, WA
Grace Tobin of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Olympia, WA
Founded in 1981, LSM’s mission is to transform lives and connect people through faith and
music. By offering programs for young people that teach and celebrate the extraordinary
musical heritage of the Lutheran church, LSM trains and inspires the next generation of
musicians for the church. Music and worship are at the center of LSM’s intentional, supportive
community.
Since its founding in 1981, more than 4,000 students have attended Lutheran Summer Music.
Hundreds of these alumni have pursued careers in music education, church music, and music
performance. LSM 2016 will be held June 26 to July 24 on the campus of Luther College in
Decorah, IA.
Extending Mission through Partnerships
Lutheran Music Program has two partnership opportunities for congregations and colleges
who want to support young musicians as they grow in their gifts and in service to the church.
These partnerships represent Lutheran congregations and higher education institutions across
the country.
The Young Musicians Partnership (YMP) encourages congregations to set up local scholarships
for youth interested in attending the Lutheran Summer Music Academy. In return, students in
“partner” congregations receive an exclusive 10% tuition discount plus matching dollars for
church’s scholarship. This partnership includes nearly 90 congregations nationally.
The Collegiate Partnership brings together colleges and universities who join LSM faculty and
staff in encouraging our students to consider studying music at your Lutheran institution. LSM
prepares students through our pre-college training and performance program and Lutheran
colleges/universities enhance their recruitment efforts by acknowledging their work when they
reach those institutions. Now, 26 schools have established collegiate scholarships exclusively
for alumni of LSM at those colleges and universities.
For more information about Lutheran Summer Music or the Young Musicians and Collegiate
Partnerships, please visit www.lutheransummermusic.org or call the LSM office at 888-6356583
Be Fed, Body and Soul
Pastor Jonette Blakney
It all started with a New Year’s Day hike to Wahclella Falls in the Columbia River Gorge.
Parishioners Tracy and Marva Janik invited my family to join them for this 2-mile hike on
the nearby trail. We met under blue skies and below-freezing temperatures. As we set off,
Tracy and Marva explained that the trail was one of their favorites, mostly because of a big
surprise at the turn around point. The trailside beauty was spectacular. The water that
usually runs off the steep rock walls forming the little canyon carved by Tanner Creek had
frozen, making the canyon look like a giant ice sculpture. Rounding the last curve at the top
of the trail the sound registered first; there, a thunderous rush of water came bursting
through a narrow opening high up in the rock wall, falling into a rounded rock pool below.
A breath-taking surprise, indeed. Our conversation turned toward how invigorated and
refreshed we felt by an encounter with this natural beauty. Though not with these exact
words, we were talking about being fed, body and soul.
I moved to The Gorge after accepting a call to serve as pastor of Shepherd of the Hills in
Stevenson, WA, in September, 2014. The dramatic natural beauty of this place continually
amazes me. And, though I do appreciate solitude, at that time I had been missing the
experience of my weekly group run in my former community. That New Year’s Day as we
hiked back to the car, I told Marva I was thinking of organizing a weekly walk/run at-yourown-pace, leaving from the church parking lot each Saturday morning. To my wonderful
surprise, Marva replied, “Why don’t we make it a hike? Tracy and I could help plan them.”
Thus began the weekly hikes of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. Now nearing the
end of September, we have gone on over 20 hikes, with 5-15 people each time, ranging in
age from 6 – 75. The organized group hikes provide opportunity and companionship to
many who have wanted to enjoy the trails, but hadn’t wanted to hike alone.
It’s true. This dream-come-true ministry just seemed to fall in my lap, and I’m so thankful.
Yet, I believe there is rhyme and reason to the ease of its birth. It grows from the alliance of
the natural interest and joy of the leaders with the natural assets of our context and setting.
I’m confident that the possibility is not unique. A ministry that attends to Mind, Soul, Heart
and Strength with intention, that is, Whole-Person Wellness,* drawing from the assets,
needs and desires of the specific context is possible in any congregational setting.
With this in mind, the SWWA Synod Wellness Team is sponsoring Living Compass
Congregational Wellness Advocate Training at Seabeck Conference Center, Nov 2-4, 2015.
This experiential retreat will devote equal time to the health and wellness of each
participant and to exploring ways of integrating faith and wellness in individual ministry
settings.
For more information go to http://www.lutheranssw.org/events/living-compasscongregational-wellness-advocate-training . To register, email the synod office with names of
attendees by October 16th ($10 late fee added October 4th) swwsynod@plu.edu.
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Churches’ Week of Action on Food
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by Annegret Kapp
Let us take action together to eradicate hunger, promote adequate nutrition, and strive
towards just and sustainable food systems!
The Churches’ Week of Action on Food, 11 October – 18 October 2015, is an opportunity for
Christians and others around the world to act together for food justice and food sovereignty. It
is a special time to raise awareness about farming approaches that help individuals and
communities develop resiliency and combat poverty. The Food for Life Campaign places a
particular emphasis on sustainable agricultural practices and the situation of smallholder
producers and their access to, and control over, natural resources such as land, water and
seeds.
All of us can examine our food choices and call for policy changes that will ensure the right to
food for everyone.
The global Food Week of Action includes World Food Day (16 October) as well as
the International Day for Disaster Reduction (13 October), International Day of Rural
Women (15 October) and the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (17 October).
2015 is the International Year of Soils, and World Food Day 2015 focuses on Social Protection
and Agriculture. These themes can help guide your actions for the week.
Action ideas
Plan a church service on 11 or 18 October to focus on the importance of soils and food
security.
Organize a “bring and share” meal at your church, with dishes prepared with produce from
local gardens and farmers.
Celebrate local foods and knowledge: Organize a community fair that showcases local food
producers and shares the stories of farmers and people involved in food justice.
Organize a “bring and share” meal at your church, with dishes prepared with produce from
local gardens and farmers.
Celebrate local foods and knowledge: Organize a community fair that showcases local food
producers and shares the stories of farmers and people involved in food justice.
Lobby policy makers and businesses to create a stable demand for local and seasonal
produce through school meal programs and hospitals.
Organize a study and discussion session for your church or community group focusing on one
of the films or resources suggested.
Get your hands in the dirt: Plan a trip to your nearest farm to meet (and help!) the farmer and
learn more about the challenges and joys of food production. Consider joining or starting a
community garden.
Share your food story with a captioned photo, video or written post (e.g. on Twitter, Instagram
and Facebook), using the hashtag #myfoodstory
Continued next page
Food continued from page 10
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Join other efforts around the world:
Join the Zero Hunger Challenge
Individuals and groups can join the Zero Hunger Challenge, an initiative of the United Nations’
secretary general to raise awareness and build a movement around eliminating hunger.
Double Up a Meal for a Hunger Free World
World Vision is inviting supporters and churches worldwide to share their vision of a hungerfree world by celebrating food and donating the cost of their favourite meal on World Food Day
to help end hunger. Proceeds will launch HungerFree, a new initiative investing in young
people in Kenya and South Sudan. Learn more and find church resources, stories and videos
at http://www.hungerfree.org
Celebrate the Winners of the Food Sovereignty Prize
See foodsovereigntyprize.org for this year’s winners (announcement on 26 August), and past
winners. Like www.facebook.com/FoodSovereigntyPrize to get updates.
Resources
Action guide - Churches' Week of Action on Food: Download, distribute and print this guide to
promote the week of action and help plan your activities. You can customize this guide on
page 7 with issues and actions specific to your region and campaign. To do this, you will need
a pdf reader that will allow you to edit, such as Adobe Acrobat Pro.
Web version (pdf, 750 KB) or professional print version (pdf, 10 MB)
Worship and Bible Study
From Hope to Harvest: A worship service, with prayer and action resources developed
by Canadian Foodgrains Bank intended to help your faith community focus on God’s provision
of food for all, while at the same time remembering that not everyone enjoys access to the
abundance the earth provides.
Bible Study Resources on Sustainable Food Systems for Food and Nutrition Security (World
Vision)
World Food Day Prayer (Presbyterian Hunger Program, pdf)
Study and Discussion
Seeds for Life: Scaling up Agro-Biodiversity (EAA, The Gaia Foundation, The African Biodiversity
Network, October 2013): English, French, Spanish and Portuguese
Right to Food and Nutrition Watch – 2015 edition to be launched in advance of World Food
Day:www.rtfn-watch.org
Nourishing the World Sustainably: Scaling up Agroecology (Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance,
October 2012, pdf)
Whose Alliance? The G8 and the Emergence of a Global Corporate Regime for
Agriculture (EAA and CIDSE, May 2013, pdf): English, French, Spanish
International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science, and Technology for
Development (EAA, pdf)
continued next page
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Food continued from page 11
Talensi Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) Project, Ghana, Social Return on
Investment Report (World Vision)
The Africa Climate-Smart Agriculture Initiative (World Vision)
Zero Hunger Challenge Resource Pack (World Vision)
These and many other organizations support the Churches’ Food Week of Action:
Agricultural Missions, Inc.
Food, Faith, and Religious Leadership
Alianza es Alianza para el Buen Vivir, la Paz
Initiative, Wake Forest University School of
y la Sustentabilidad
Divinity
Canadian Foodgrains Bank
Grassroots International
Christian Council of Nigeria
Interfaith Sustainable Food Collaborative
Church of the Brethren Office of Public
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
Witness
National Farm Worker Ministry
Churchwork
Oikotree: Justice at the Heart of Faith
Come to the Table, RAFI-USA
Presbyterian Hunger Program, Presbyterian
Commission on Justice, Peace and
Church (U.S.A.)
Creation of the National Council of
The Abundant Table/Bartimaeus
Churches in India.
Cooperative Ministries
EcoC2S
United Church of Christ (UCC), Justice and
Evangelical Lutheran Church of America
Witness Ministries
(ELCA)
US Food Sovereignty Alliance (USFSA)
World Vision International
A Crazy Adventure: The Beginning
By Kylie Whitehead, member at Christ Lutheran Church, Federal Way. Recent graduate of
Western Washington University beginning her 3 years of service in Japan with ELCA Global
Service
The story starts in March. There is a coffee shop in Wilson Library
called Zoe’s Book Side Bagels. It is cozy with dark wood
bookshelves, stained glass windows, and an assortment of comfy
arm chairs. For the last four years, much of my time not spent in
class or at work was spent in this coffee shop. This is where I
applied for the Young Adults in Global Mission program in late
March, where I wrote countless pieces for final portfolios, and
where I read dozens of novels and anthologies. It is also where,
about two weeks before graduating, I received an email that said
simply:
“Dear Kylie, Greetings from Global Mission! My name is Paulina
continued next page
Crazy Adventure, continued from page 12
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and I’m the manager for Global Service. We looked at your YAGM application and we would
like to explore a global service opportunity with you.”
I had been applying like crazy to programs like the Peace Corps and YAGM, so the words
“global service opportunity” piqued my interest. The “opportunity” was a salaried teaching
position in Japan for the next three years. Someone had seen my experience helping teach
VBS, my involvement in the Girl Scouts of America, and my Creative Writing degree and
thought that I would make a good English Teacher. There were (and still are) a lot of
unknowns; exactly where in Japan I would be living, who I would be teaching, when I would be
leaving.
There are two scenarios: In one I am teaching high school students conversational English at a
private Lutheran school in Kumamoto. I will be living in suite style apartments with other J3’s
(Japan, 3 years). Kumamoto is located on the Island of Kyushu and has a population of
731,286 – about 79,000 more people than Seattle.
In the other I am teaching community English classes and tutoring college students for a girls
dorm in Tokyo. I will be living in a small house. Tokyo is the capital of Japan and its largest city
with a population of 13.33 million – almost 20.5 times more people than Seattle.
In both scenarios I will be helping in a local church in any spare time that I have.
When I was first told that it would be three years in a country that I had never imagined living
in, it seemed crazy to say yes. I was applying for programs that were eighteen months long at
the most, I wasn’t sure that I could be away from home for three years. So, I waited until after
graduation to make any decisions. On Saturday, June 13th I walked across a temporary stage
set up in a stuffy and packed Carver Gym in my cap decorated with the words “Watch how I
soar” – a nod to a quote from the movie Serenity “I’m a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar.”
Then, two days later, I took a midnight flight to Chicago in order to officially interview for the
position. I spent less than twelve hours in the city before flying home to make the biggest
decision of my life so far. On Friday, June 19th I officially accepted a position that I knew very
little about. It was hard to explain, but it just felt like it was what I was supposed to be doing.
The story continues on July 12th when I left for Chicago once again, this time for a two week
orientation and A Crazy Adventure: The Beginning (continued — p. 6) Christ Lutheran News—
September 2015 6 conference. While there, I met thirteen others in the same boat as me:
newly hired missionaries about to leave their homes for various countries. These people are
incredibly kind, faithful, and inspiring. I feel so blessed to have had the chance to meet them.
Sarah and her husband, Daniel, are living in Malaysia for a year while Sarah completes her
seminary internship. They arrived recently and are keeping people updated on their adventures
on their respective blogs: lifelikeamorningfog.blogspot.com and loveohsowell.blogspot.com
continued next page
Crazy Adventure, continued from page 13
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Dominique and her husband, Max, are spending a year in Slovakia as Dominique also
completes her seminary internship.
Also spending a year in Slovakia are Marty (martyiswhere.blogspot.com), Aaron, and Melody
who will be teaching English in Slovakian schools.
Just a few hours from Slovakia, Kathrine is teaching English in a Hungarian school and
documenting it at abroadinaszod.wordpress.com.
Julia is spending two years in Tanzania.
Wal is leading a congregation in South Sudan. He is doing truly amazing things and you should
read about it here: https:// community.elca.org/southsudan.
Todd is living in Guatemala, where he is a music teacher and coordinator for the Guatemalan
Lutheran church.
Jenna will be the closest to me in Japan. She is living in Hong Kong for two years, teaching
English and taking seminary classes.
Apart from meeting these beautiful people, I was able to learn about the incredible things that
the ELCA is doing all around the world, to meet many long term missionaries, and people who
work so hard to make the world a better place. Leaving Chicago, I knew that the two weeks I
spent there would continue to shape my life long into the future.
It is strange to think about leaving for three years. A part of me foolishly expects life in the US
to pause, that I will come home to things exactly as they are. The more rational part of me
knows that I will return to married friends, a brother who is no longer in high school, and my
sweet cousins’ children three years older. It is hard to imagine missing the end of Nick’s high
school wrestling career, to miss three years’ worth of family traditions, to not be able to see
my best friends for so long. Despite all of these things, I remain more excited than
apprehensive. I cannot wait to see what these next three years bring.
Keep in touch with me — Follow my blog: bohemianscribbles.com; Email me at:
kylie.whitehead@comcast.net; Friend me on Facebook: Kylie Lynne Whitehead. I will also be
sending out quarterly newsletters. If you would like to be on my “mailing” list, email me at
kylie.whitehead@comcast.net with the subject “Newsletter List”.
God’s Work. Our Hands. Sunday- September 13, 2015
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#ELCADayofService #GodsWorkOurHands
Spirit of Life Lutheran,
Port Orchard, right,
created 65 teacher
appreciation gift bags
for the education
professionals in their
congregation, the Little
Doves Children's
Learning Center Staff &
The Entire Staff at
Mullenix Ridge
Elementary School. They
also prayed for all
students & teachers
who have begun the
2015-16 school year.
Resurrection Lutheran of Tacoma and Christ Lutheran of Federal Way joined forces this year to
serve their community. They had a huge community food drive, assembled care bags for
those experiencing homelessness, assembled LWR bags, built a sign for the community
garden, weeded
and brought water
to the community
garden.
Pastor Karen
Bates-Olson,
Resurrection of
Tacoma, left, wore
her ‘God’s Work.
Our Hands’ tshirt
atop her alb for all
to see.
Seven Things Church Members Should Say to Guests in a
Worship Service
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By Thom Rainer
Here’s a look at seven things we should say to guests at our church:
1. “Thank you for being here.” It’s just that basic. I have heard from numerous church
guests who returned because they were simply told “thank you.”
2. “Let me help you with that.” If you see someone struggling with umbrellas, young
children, diaper bags, purses, and other items, a gesture to hold something for them is a
huge positive. Of course, this comment is appropriate for member to member as well.
3. “Please take my seat.” I actually heard that comment twice in a church where I was
speaking in the Nashville area. The first comment came from a member to a young
family of five who were trying to find a place to sit together.
4. “Here is my email address. Please let me know if I can help in any way.” Of course, this
comment must be used with discretion, but it can be a hugely positive message to a
guest.
5. “Can I show you where you need to go?” Even in smaller churches, guests will not know
where to find the nursery, restrooms, and small group meeting areas. You can usually
tell when a guest does not know where he or she is to go.
6. “Let me introduce you to ___________.” The return rate of guests is always higher if
they meet other people. A church member may have the opportunity to introduce the
guest to the pastor, other church staff, and other members of the church.
7. “Would you join us for lunch?” I saved this question for last for two reasons. First, the
situation must obviously be appropriate before you offer the invitation. Second, I have
seen this approach have the highest guest return rate of any one factor. What if your
church members sought to invite different guests 6 to 12 times a year? The burden
would not be great; but the impact would be huge.
This article was originally published at ThomRainer.com on 5/20/2015. Used with permission. Thom S.
Rainer serves as president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources. Among his greatest joys are his
family: his wife Nellie Jo; three sons, Sam, Art, and Jess; and seven grandchildren. Dr. Rainer can be
found on Twitter @ThomRainer and at facebook.com/Thom.S.Rainer.
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Congregations in Transition
Lord, we pray for your wisdom, insight and peace for the congregations in our synod who are
working through a time of pastoral transition
Mobility- October 2015
Congregations in
Call Process
Bethel, Brush Prairie
First, South Bend
Immanuel, Vancouver
Key Peninsula, Lakebay
Salishan Eastside Mission
Stella Chapel, Vancouver
St. Paul, Vancouver
University Congr, PLU
Position
Status
Pastoral Care
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
NV
TR
TR
TR
TR
NV
NV
TR
Joe Aalbue
Janeen Smith
Julie Bracken
Dave Castner
Lauren Vignec
Carol Plummer (Nov)
Skip Getman
John Rosenberg
Mobility position key
P – Pastor
AP – Associate
Pastor
AIM – Associate in
Ministry
DM – Diaconal
Minister
DC- Deaconess
Mobility status key:
NV – New Vacancy
TR – Transition
I – Interviewing
C – Calling
Calls Accepted:
Pastor Eileen Hanson was called by the Synod Council as Hospice Chaplain for CHI/Franciscan
Health System. Eileen is transferring from the Northwest Washington Synod.
Installation:
Pastors Olaf and Kristin Luana Baumann are serving together as Pastors at Holy Trinity
Lutheran Church, Port Angeles, as of September 27th. They will be installed on November 8th
at 2pm. Holy Trinity invites you to celebrate their installation and invites all religious leaders
to wear their customary signs of office. The liturgical color of the day is green. The Baumann’s
transferred from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC).
Ordination:
Denise Arnold will be ordained by Bishop Jaech on Sunday, October 25th at Gull Harbor
Lutheran, Olympia. She has been called as Pastor at Faith Lutheran, Elma. All rostered
leaders are invited to vest (red), process and lay on of hands.
What is ‘Lutheran’?
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We have a particular way of understanding the Jesus story
By Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton
For the past two years, I’ve organized my work around these four
emphases: we are church, we are Lutheran, we are church together and
we are church for the sake of the world.
I want to spend a little time thinking with you about what is means to be
Lutheran in the 21st century. What do we mean when we say we are
Lutheran? The 500th anniversary of the Reformation is fast upon us, and
this month, as in every October, we will observe Reformation Sunday.
Maybe a good place to start is to ask why it’s important and helpful to have a Lutheran
identity. Some would say that denominations and denominational loyalty are things of the
past. There is some truth to this, especially if our denomination is defined by ethnicity and
culture and our loyalty is primarily to the denomination and not to our Lord.
There was a campaign during the 1980’s church growth movement to get rid of any
denominational markers whatsoever. The stolid St. Paul Lutheran Church on the corner was
supposed to be renamed something like “The Church at Pheasant Run.” How evocative! How
cool! How vaguely woodsy! A simple name change would accomplish two things at once: stop
scaring the denominationally averse away and attract tons of people. It didn’t.
In an attempt to become more attractive we became generic. Having a clear sense of who we
are and what we believe isn’t a detriment but an asset. If we are well-defined and welldifferentiated, we are more able to engage in ecumenical and interreligious dialogue and can
be a clear voice in the public square.
But what is “Lutheran”? We chuckle at author Garrison Keillor’s loving caricature of Lutherans.
He does describe many of us, but not all of us. I would never disavow the western and northern
European heritage of thousands of our people. It’s part of our story. But we also have
thousands of sisters and brothers of African, Asian, Latino/Latina, Native American, and Arab
and Middle Eastern descent, some of whom have been Lutheran for generations.
And the Lutheran church is experiencing its greatest growth in the “global south” (Africa,
Central and Latin America, and most of Asia). There are more Lutherans in Indonesia than in
the ELCA. There are more Lutherans in Ethiopia and Tanzania than in the U.S. There are
Lutherans in El Salvador and Japan and India and Mexico and Palestine and Jordan and China
and Ireland. The newest Lutheran church is being formed in the world’s newest country. We
are working with Sudanese Lutheran pastors to establish a Lutheran church in South Sudan.
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“What is Lutheran” continued from page 18
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Jell-O doesn’t routinely show up at the potlucks of these Lutherans. Being Lutheran is not
fundamentally about ethnicity.
If culture and cuisine don’t define us, our theology must. Lutherans have a very particular way
of understanding the Jesus story. It’s not a movement from unbridled freedom to submission.
Rather, it’s the story of God redeeming us from sin, death and the devil, setting us free from
our bondage to sin so that, liberated and alive, we may serve God by serving the neighbor. And
it’s not about our effort or goodness or hard work. It’s about God’s gracious will to be merciful.
Try this at home: ask family or friends what they must do to be in a right relationship with God.
After picking their jaws up off the floor that they were asked such a question, my guess is that
people will talk about keeping the commandments, being a better person, reading the Bible
more. No. The love of God at work in the crucified Christ creates this right relationship. Our
part is to receive this gift in faith.
This is a shattering reversal of the way things have always worked. We don’t have a
transactional relationship with God — if I do this then God will do that. It is a transformational
relationship. We who were dead in sin have now been made alive. We are free to respond to
that deep abiding love. What we eat, what hymns we sing, what jokes we tell, what counties
we hail from, what color we are, what we wear — none of this binds us together or makes us
Lutheran. It is God’s grace. And that is good news in any language.
A monthly message from the presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. This column originally
appeared in The Lutheran’s September 2015 issue. Reprinted with permission.
Living Compass Congregational Wellness Advocate Workshop
Monday, November 2 - Wednesday, November 4, 2015
at Seabeck Conference Center
15395 Seabeck Hwy NW, Seabeck, WA
These trainings grounded in scripture and the
tradition of the Church, are sponsored by SWWA Synod
Wellness Team for people excited about integrating
faith and wellness in their own lives and helping
others to do the same. Lay and rostered leaders are all welcome to attend.
Our team will help you develop skills to facilitate small wellness groups and lead wellness
classes in your community on a breadth of topics including adult, parent, and teen wellness.
Certification requires completion of this training plus leading two Living Compass programs
within six months of having completed the training.
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Wellness Advocate Training, continued from page 19
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Optional module for Teen and Family Wellness available on Wednesday afternoon of
workshop. May register for this module separately or as add-on to 3-day workshop.
Congregations are encouraged to send several people to be trained together whenever
possible.
Registration due October 16th. $10 Late Fee applies after October 4th: Call or email names
and congregation to Synod Office at 253-535-8300 or swwsynod@plu.edu. Fee due within one
week of registration. Make checks payable to SWWA Synod, 420 121st St S, Tacoma,
WA 98444. Include names of registrants and congregation on check.
Cost: Overnighters: $230/ double or single occupancy (incl 2 nights, includes all meals and
program.) (We only have 12 single rooms available at this price. After those are gone, it is
$275 since we have to change double rooms into single ones.) Free parking.
Commuters: $115 (includes daily program, dinner Monday and Lunch Tues and Wed). Add
$6/dy for breakfast, and $10/dy for dinner, if desired. Free parking. Make checks payable to
SWWA Synod, 420 121st St S, Tacoma, WA 98444
Teen and Family Wellness Module: Wed., Nov. 4th, 1-4pm. $20 add-on for registrants of 3-day
Wellness Advocate Wkshp. $40 for those registering only for Teen and Family Wellness
Module.
More Info: http://www.lutheranssw.org/events/living-compass-congregational-wellnessadvocate-training
Synod Global Mission Committee to Visit all Synod Congregations
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By Diane Armbrust, Global Mission Committee member
Marked with the cross of Christ forever, we are claimed, gathered and sent for the sake of the world.
This is the mission statement of the ELCA. As members of the ELCA, we believe that we are freed in
Christ to serve and love our neighbor. With our hands, we do God’s work of restoring and reconciling
communities in Jesus’ name throughout the world.
The mission statement of the ELCA serves as a foundation for the mission of our synod global
mission committee, to cultivate passion and opportunities for building and sustaining relationships,
listening faithfully, accompanying respectfully, and participating in global mission within the SWWA
Synod. We envision a world in which individuals are transformed through global relationships.
We know that many congregations have stories to share of the transformative power of global
activities. But in our large synod of consisting of 92 congregations spread out over one quarter of
the state, we often fail to hear those stories; and when we have them to share, we don’t know the
best way to go about it. Many congregations faithfully sew quilts, assemble school kits, support
missionaries or collect offerings to support the global work of our church; while still more write
letters in support of legislation aimed at bringing justice and sustainability to God’s creation.
We believe that all of our synod congregations participate in some sort of global activity, and we
want hear your stories. We want to connect your congregation to others that share your interests.
We want to be inspired by your faithful witness to God’s all-encompassing love.
Over the next 6 months representatives of the synod global mission committee will be completing a
survey of global activities in each congregation of the synod. During a 30-minute visit we will meet
with each pastor, and interested others from your congregation to hear your stories. So, watch your
inbox, for an appointment for a visit.
St. Andrew Hosts Interfaith Workshop to Explore Solutions to
Affordable Housing Crisis
Originally published in The Columbian 9/18/15
St Andrew’s (St. Andrew Lutheran Church, Vancouver, WA) strong tradition of hospitality was
highlighted when some 120 people came through the front door on Saturday August 29th to attend
an interfaith workshop which explored how the faith community might weigh in to deal with the
affordable housing crisis. The workshop was called God’s Work-Our Hands: Working Together to End
Homelessness.
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After sending invitations to churches that had participated in the Winter Hospitality Overflow
emergency shelter, fifty people pre-registered. The St. Andrew Working to End Homelessness Task
Force was surprised when 70 additional people signed in for the half-day workshop. The high
turnout is clearly a reflection of the severe crisis concerning the short supply of affordable housing
and the deep desire of many in our community to address the problem.
Mayor Leavitt opened the workshop with a positive message about what the city of Vancouver was
doing to expand the number of rental apartments that low income persons/families could afford.
He underscored that partnerships are needed to have a real impact over the longer term.
Paul Sundergelt gave a touching and powerful talk about his experiences with homelessness,
moving into Courtyard Village only to be given a vacate notice when the new owners wished to
renovate the 150-unit apartment complex and increase the rents. His story was the reason behind
the workshop and motivated the entire program.
Andy Silver, Chair Council for the Homeless, Amy Reynolds, SHARE, and Pastor Dave Tinney, First
United Methodist Church gave short presentations on the nature of the problem and some ideas on
how the faith community might partner with the service agencies to increase the stock of affordable
housing and facilitate the transition from homelessness to housing.
There were 14 different churches represented and the small discussion groups turned out to be the
vital core of the program.
Suggestions from these brainstorming groups covered a wide range of ideas from coordinated fund
raising for the Housing Relief Fund, to building a trained interfaith task force to work with SHARE to
expand the bank of landlords who accept housing vouchers, to exploring ways churches could come
together to acquire land and build affordable units or restore existing structures.
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Ten ideas that came from the small round tables were assembled after the workshop and emailed
to all participants. They were asked to highlight the top 3 or 4 ideas that they felt the faith
community could work on jointly or in a coordinated fashion. The idea is to narrow the options so at
the next meeting churches will be able to zero in on what is workable, what might be first steps,
where can the most impact be made and how the interfaith ecumenical structure might be
structured. This is a coalition-building process. To be successful every church must have input and
feel their perspective is being heard. “We are very fortunate to have a solid foundation for this effort
in that these churches have seen the face of homelessness in our gym during the winter months,”
noted Pastor Jim Stender. “It is our hope that we can build on that partnership to find some
solutions.”
Our Congregations (news and neat ideas from our synod congregations)
Gloria Dei Lutheran, Tacoma will host and celebrate its 25th Silver Anniversary
Reformation Sunday Hymn Festival on Sunday, October 25, 2015, beginning at 3:00
p.m. Once again the program will feature congregational singing, and a variety of musical
performances by guest choirs and musicians.
Hymn commentaries and congregational singing of favorite Reformation and other well-known
Christian hymns will provide much opportunity for mass participation and praise. The
congregation invites all Tacoma area Christians to join us as we remember and celebrate the
Protestant Reformation through both traditional and contemporary Christian music.
A reception with refreshments will follow the program in the church’s Goldenman Social Hall.
You are invited to join them for this music of the Christian Church past and present. The
church is located at 3315 S 19th St., Tacoma, WA 98405, across from the Allenmore Medical
Center. For more information, directions, or questions, please contact the church office
at(253) 383-5515, or e-mail us at: gloriadei@wamail.net
Gloria Dei, Olympia has started a new session of Financial Peace University. This 9-week
Christian-based workshop explores God’s financial plan for you and your family, including a
real -world look at credit card management, insurance, retirement/college planning and more.
With advise from the Bible, common sense and humor, host Dave Ramsey offers simple ways
for families to talk about the “elephant in the room” and gain confidence in their financial
future.
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