January 2014 - Immanuel Lutheran Church
Transcription
January 2014 - Immanuel Lutheran Church
Immanuel News January 2014 Celebrating Christ’s abundant presence in our lives, neighborhood and world. THE CHRISTMAS SEASON THE HOLY INNOCENTS On December 28 the Church remembers “The Holy Innocents.” We read the story in Matthew 2:13-18 of Mary and Joseph and the young child Jesus fleeing to Egypt to escape Herod’s soldiers who are headed to Bethlehem. And suddenly the child Jesus, together with his mother and father, become refugees, fleeing for their very lives. In Herod’s attempt to kill Jesus, the soldiers are commanded to kill all the children of Bethlehem two and under. . . .the Holy Innocents. And Matthew quotes Jeremiah speaking of matriarch Rachel weeping for her children because they are no more. This story has been part of the church’s telling of the Christmas story from the earliest of days. It becomes a shadow that reminds us who this child Jesus is, and how the places of power and military might react to him—both then and now. This story casts a long shadow that reaches to the cross. Matthew sounds an early warning that any kind of association with Jesus, even as a helpless child, can be dangerous—because of the hope he brings to earth. . . . and because this hope will undo injustice and overthrow oppression. In remembering the Bethlehem Holy Innocents of Jesus’ day, we are connected to the Holy Innocents of every time and place. . . .from Auschwitz to Gaza, from El Salvador to South Sudan. And we are invited to weep and lament with Rachel, refusing to be consoled until God’s promised and hoped for future is ours. As Jesus was chased from Bethlehem, he joined refugees who flee Syria in the middle of the night, immigrants in the United States who are raided in the middle of the night or at their workplace, and children who are the innocent victims of gunshots at school. When Jesus is grabbed from his bed as his family flees, he has company on every continent, in every century. Fleeing with him are Cherokee and Lakota, Palestinians and Tutsi, Serbs and Bosnians and Croations. Fleeing with him are Jews of every generation. And as Jesus grows up as a refugee in Egypt, he joins generations of Palestinians born in refugee camps in the West Bank. As the Bethlehem of Jesus’ day suffered under military occupation, so does it still today. It is not only genocide and refugee camps that haunt us. As Jesus is born in a stable because there was no room for him in the inn, children today in Seattle sleep outdoors with their parents, without housing. Others are afraid to sleep because of a loved one whom they cannot trust. On December 28, just three days after celebrating the birth of Jesus, we come both in praise of the child, and in lamentation for the children. And in this terrible story, we are invited to conversion—conversion from deafness and indifference to the suffering of our world; and also conversion from despair and cynicism at what seems so far beyond our control. We are invited to remember the little suffering ones and to tell their stories— for thereby, we open ourselves to God and to God’s word of hope for a new future. In the coming year let us take courage to listen for and to tell the stories of the holy innocents in our world, the stories of refugees and immigrants, of political oppression and violence. And let us agree to lament with Rachel, refusing to be consoled until God’s new day takes root and grows in our midst. And let us trust the word that God who became one of us in Jesus to share our life and our death. . . .this God loves us dearly. In this way we will be able to hear the angel’s words to the shepherds: Do not fear! Good news! Great Joy! Peace to all! A Blessed Christmas and New Year to you all! Pastor Susan Burchfield Immanuel Annual Meeting and Potluck Dinner Sunday, February 9 IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CONGREGATION Thank You January Sunday Partners 1215 Thomas Street – Seattle, WA 98109-5427 www.immanuelseattle.org Office: 206-622-1930 office@immanuelseattle.org January’s food bank item is: canned or boxed soup broth. Please bring personal size containers so they can easily be carried on the bus. Thank you! We are a Reconciling in Christ / Open and Affirming Congregation, welcoming all persons to our worship and to our Communion table Assisting Ministers: January 5 Robert Boreson January 12 Holly Lund January 19 Holly Lund January 26 Robert Boreson Lectors: January 5 January 12 January 19 January 26 Selima Carol Asmann Mary Ann Napravnik Karen Wahlstrom Sherianne Caldwell Altar Care: January 5 January 12 January 19 January 26 Holly Lund Mary Peterson Ann Wolfe Karen Wahlstrom Immanuel Council President: Terrill Chang Immanuel Lutheran Church Staff: Rev. Susan Vanhoy Burchfield, Pastor Candi Olson, Office Administrator Gil Proctor, Custodian Joan Lundquist, Music Director Jennifer Faul, Choir Director Ann Adam, Bookkeeper Immanuel Community Services President: Wayne Hillard Immanuel Community Services Staff: Patricia Turnberg, Executive Director Terrence Lewis Sr., Recovery Program Annaliese Stelzer-Terminello, Food Bank Coordinator Dave Saluskin, Hygiene Center Janet Watness, Community Lunch Coordinator Ann Adam, Bookkeeper Newsletter Staff: Candi Olson, Newsletter Editor Jack Colman, Thelma Colman, Sally Smith, Assembly January deadline: December 15th Ushers/Greeters: January 5 Sherianne Caldwell, Dena Lee January 12 Jan Faull, Terrill Chang January 19 Stan Sivesind, Jayne Riggs January 26 Carol Asmann, Karen Erlander Coffee Hour: January 5 January 12 January 19 January 26 Send articles to: office@immanuelseattle.org Immanuel Core Values As people called to be Christ’s living presence in the world, we value and are guided by our commitment to: Lori Roehl RubyJoy & Scheila Pikes Roger Carlstrom Community Lunch celebrate and share God’s love invite and welcome all build relationships, nurture community rekindle hope Expect God’s love to change us January Birthdays and Anniversaries Offering Tellers: January Carl Field, Iain Quigley 1 2 4 6 10 12 15 16 17 19 20 23 26 28 29 Inspired: Churches of Seattle—Author to make presentation during coffee hour on Sunday, January 19 Immanuel is featured in a new book: INSPIRED, a richly illustrated coffee-table book showcasing the ministry and architecture of 52 prominent churches in the Greater Seattle area. Written by Pastoral Counselor Rick Grant and photographed by award-winning photographer Lara Swimmer, the book can be found on Amazon.com and is and local bookstores. On January 19 we can purchase copies at a reduced price. Read about Inspired at www.inspired-seattle.com Marilyn Bode, Joey Lesh Harold & Martha Bakke anniversary Chris & Steve Christensen anniversary Al Roehl Alfie Koll-Williams Mikiah Rigg Hillard Jack Colman Diane Labrenz, Chris Lindberg Megan Eastman, Bron Taylor Zac Clark, Kristy Messler Fred Eastman Sarah Lundquist, Donna Opsal Kelly Goddard Jim Schoeld Josh Debner LaVonne Rasmussen Cate & Wayne Hillard anniversary If your birthday or anniversary is missing from this list, please contact the church office so we can update the church database. 2 Immanuel Goes to Olympia 9:00 am Sunday Adult Forum Jan 12 Immanuel Budget Discussion Immanuel’s Finance Committee presents the 2014 ILC budget for discussion and input. Let’s ask: how are our core values reflected in our budget? Does our budget reflect sabbath gratitude and sabbath relationships? Jan 19—Feb Mar 2 Sabbath Spirituality: The Journey of a Lifetime Leaders: Sally Parker-Henderson & Kathy Strand We meet to explore the spiritual/faith journey. The class will wrestle with such questions as: Is the spiritual journey a particular path or something different? Have you given any thought to your spiritual/faith journey since childhood? Was there an event in your life that was pivotal to my spiritual journey, perhaps sending it in a new direction, or inspiring me deeply? These questions and many, many others will be shared by people of our congregation in engaging and intimate ways. Each week will feature a panel of our fellow members sharing their own personal spiritual/faith journeys with us. Join us and be part of sharing the spiritual/faith journey with people we know and trust “Mudhouse Sabbath” Book Group Mondays in February we will reading Mudhouse Sabbath; An Invitation to a Life of Spiritual Discipline by Lauren F. Winner. After her conversion from Orthodox Judaism to Christianity, the author found that her life was still marked by traditions and spiritual practices of Judaism. She uses some of these practices in her everyday life. Come join us on Monday evenings in February to discuss 11 spiritual practices from Judaism that can transform the way we view the world, God, meals, grief, marriage, candle-lighting and other aspects of life. The book is available from the public library, many bookstores, and from Amazon. We will decide the time of the meetings once a list of interested folks has been compiled. There will be a signup sheet available in the office and at church starting on January 5th. Questions? Call or email Sherianne Caldwell at 206-892-8816 or countrysam@comcast.net or talk to her in church! Lauren Winner to speak in Seattle Feb 7-8 Lauren Winner, author of Mudhouse Sabbath, and professor of Christian Spirituality at Duke Divinity School, will speak on sabbath and “living in time” on February 7 and 8 at University Congregational. Tickets go on sale December 7th. More information at www.universityucc.org. InterFaith Advocacy Day is January 30 8:30 am to 3 pm InterFaith Advocacy Day in Olympia is a chance to listen to and speak to elected officials in Olympia. The theme this year is “Dismantling the Culture of Violence”. Some of the issues in Olympia in 2014 are: Preventing Wage Theft Preventing Violence Sufficient Revenue for the Budget Preserving Our State’s Safety Net The DREAM Act Meeting with legislators and/or their staff is one of the most important acts that faith advocates can take in bringing our voices of compassion and justice to Olympia. We partner at this event with people of all faiths. Early registration is $ 15.00 by January 15 and $ 20.00 afterwards. FAN provides lunch, materials, arranging workshops on issues, and scheduling of meetings with representatives. There will be a signup sheet available after January 1, 2014. Please register so we can arrange transportation to the event. You can register on-line at fanwa.org. “A Taste of Immanuel” Sunday, Jan 26, following worship 12 Noon to 1:30 pm Lunch will be served Are you looking for partners to explore faith questions and journeys? Are you hoping to find a community that is serious about following Jesus’ way of justice and peace, welcoming all people? Do you wonder if Immanuel might be such a place for you? Then join us on Sunday, January 26 for A Taste of Immanuel. “A Taste of Immanuel” will give you an opportunity to find out more about Immanuel and what we’re passionate about. It will be a time for conversation with Pastor Susan and other Immanuel folk; with an opportunity to ask questions, and also to meet others like yourselves who are finding out more. At Immanuel we receive members once a year—this year, on May 18 . The first step in the journey to membership is to check “interested in membership” on the worship welcome card, and attend a “Taste of Immanuel.” 3 New Immanuel Photo Directory Coming Compass Center Annual Service of Remembrance Smile for the camera! It's a new year, which means it's time for a new pictorial directory! The Community Life team is coordinating with Lifetouch for this important project, and we need YOU to make our directory complete. Friday, January 4, 4:00pm A time to remember, honor and pray for those who have died on the streets or as a result of being homeless. To celebrate our growing and vibrant congregation, Lifetouch provides the directory at no cost to our church. Lifetouch will be on site on Friday, Feb. 7 from 12:30 - 8:30 pm, and Saturday, Feb. 8 from 9 am - 5 pm. You can sign up for your free one-hour sitting on the church website at www.immanuelseattle.org, or after worship in the fellowship hall in January. Join us at 4:00 p.m. in the Compass Center chapel. 77 South Washington Street, (under the viaduct) Seattle, WA 98104. Christmas Pageant Every family or individual photographed will receive a free 8x10 portrait and directory. Lifetouch provides a nopressure opportunity to purchase additional poses or prints, if you're interested. Everyone is welcome and invited to participate! Please reserve your place today. The directory won't be complete without YOU! P.S. Interested in volunteering with the directory? Contact Christy Olsen Field at christy.olsenfield@gmail.com or 253-298-5280 to see how you can help! 4 Our Prayer Concerns “O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, still be our guard while troubles last and our eternal home.” [ELW #632] God promises to continue to be our guard, so we pray: For healing: for John Scherer for relief from his sciatica and other issues; for Martha and Harold Bakke, back at Foss Home; for Jan Faull for an eye allergy; for Jim Jagow for a Malaria medication allergy; for Mark Hsselbrock’s sister-inlaw diagnosed with cancer; for Jimmy Beamon’s son Tyrone, gang-beaten resulting in broken bones; for Roger Anderson’s knee surgery; for Diane Labrenz in home care with diabetes complications; for Kiersten Boreson diagnosed with MS; for Maryann Lund’s son-in-law, Fred Diedrich, for knee replacement; for Rev. Ron Storz, neighbor of M. Lund and LaVonne Rasmussen following a stroke. We give thanks: for answers to our intercessory prayers, and for our compassionate Pastor Susan! Women of Immanuel The Women will meet on Thursday January 3, 2013 at 11 a.m. The Bible Study is entitled “Getting Away” and is based on Mark 6:7-13 and Mark 6:30-34. We will have Pastor Mary Lindberg as our visiting Bible Study Leader. All women are welcome. Just bring a pot- luck dish to share. Coffee And desert will be provided. The remaining Thursdays of January will be spent making quilts for Lutheran World Relief. Just come at 10 a.m. with a sack lunch. Coffee will be provided. No experience is necessary. We would love to have you join us as we strive to produce more quilts than ever due to the world-wide need. Coming soon to the Immanuel Lutheran Community “Rotating Art Show” We pray for our shut-ins: Bob Erdman; Jim Gamrath; Carole Haney; Laurie McGibbon. The Visual Arts Committee is proud to announce Immanuel’s “Rotating Art Show”. There are so many talented artists of many different mediums; we feel our parish hall walls are crying out for a display of our talents! It is our intention to feature as many artists who are willing to share over the coming year. Each artist, or group of artists will have an opportunity to write a short biography for Immanuel’s newsletter as well as host an “opening” one Sunday over the 6 week run of each show following worship service. We pray for our Church: for Pastor Susan and the other pastors who assist her; staff; the church council; Children’s Church leaders, nursery care, ICS Director Patty, Staff and Board; for all who serve: music director Joan and choir director, Jan; lectors, ushers, altar care, assistants, choir, etc.; for those who are served by Immanuel’s outreach; for Lay Eucharistic Ministers who bring communion and minister to our shut-ins; and for our visitors. Bless us that we may be a blessing! For comfort in the loss of a loved one within the past year: Barbara Byrne Alver and family in the death of her husband, Ken; Terrill Chang’s family following his father’s death; John Griffen’s family—Kirsten, Aiden and Jackson on the death of father and grandfather; for Karen and Les Wahlstrom in the death of nephew. For all men and women in the Armed Forces. We pray for our President and Congress that they may keep the needs of people in their focus. We pray for all world leaders that they will reach out in compassion to help those in need—whether from natural disasters or oppression in any form. We invite you to join us on the Prayer Chain for intercessory prayer. If you don’t use the internet, you will be called by ‘phone. If you need prayer for yourself or a loved one, please call or email Maryann Lund, 425-347-0413 or jandmlund1@aol.com. MAY 2014 BE A BLESSED AND HAPPY ONE! 5 The visual fun begins February 2014 with a solo show by Peggy Haug. Mid- March will feature a group show featuring Dan Erlander, Holly Lund, Sally Parker-Henderson and a few other fine artists. We hope to feature art by youth from the Orion Youth Center at the beginning of May. An art contest/showing featuring our Children would be a fun thing to do… If you have art to display and share, contact Dena Lee to arrange your show! cdenalee@comcast.net or at 206-371-9446 everything from Pot Roast and mashed potatoes to more exotic recipes he has encountered in his travels. Doug shops, and does prep work on Mondays and then comes in on Tuesday to do the cooking and serving. All in all, this takes about 15-20 hours of his time a week. Doug also loves to travel as does Sally, whom he became reacquainted with in 1997, having first known her in 1965. This meeting was in the wine department in the QFC in Ballard. One of their long spring road trips was to visit all 13 Presidential Museums in the United States. Word has it they may travel to Alaska next spring, driving up the Al-Can highway. Doug got a taste for travel while working with Rick Steves. Immanuel Staff Back Row, L to R: Terrence Lewis (Recovery Program) Gil Proctor (Custodian); Annaliese Stelzer-Terminello (Food Bank); Janet Watness (Community Lunch) Front Row: Jennifer Faul (Choir); Joan Lundquist (Director Music Ministries); Patty Turnberg (Exec Director, ICS); Susan Burchfield (Pastor); Candi Olson (Office Administrator). Left: Dave Saluskin (Hygiene Program) Plus Ann Adam (Bookkeeper) Immanuel Story Corp Among Our Members— Doug Starup Many of you know Doug Starup as one of the assisting ministers on Sundays. Doug has been a Mr. Fix-it man for Immanuel although his shoulder now limits some of his activities. For the past 15 years now, Doug has been cooking once a week at Compass, (the men's housing program). This program provides a safe place for 80 men to live. In 1997, after many suggestions from Nyer Urness, Doug showed up to see how it all worked. He says it was "like being grabbed by the shirt collar. Here's where you belong"! Doug began at Compass by helping with breakfast then, he changed to doing dinner once a week. He makes up the menus, and shops for food on Monday, picking and choosing what he wants to cook for them. He cooks Doug says he has really enjoyed every job he has held. He retired from Pacific North West Bell in 1981. One of Doug's career highlights with the telephone company was opening up engineering jobs for qualified women. After retiring, he took a year off to see just what he wanted to do next. He went to Europe where he met Steves and discovered he really liked the travel business which he worked in for about 3 years. He then moved to a Charter Boat Business in Anacortes, skippering boats and overseeing boat rentals. He lived on his own boat while he did this job. After that, he worked for the Port of Seattle as a property manager for an office warehouse complex on Harbor Island. He retired from the Port in 2009. Doug and his wife, Gloria were married for 30 years before she died of cancer in 1978. They had four children, two boys and two girls. These children had 2 grandsons, and 2 granddaughters. The grand children had 2 great-grandsons and 2 great-grand daughters. Doug and Gloria often went camping and skiing as a family. His children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren all love to camp and ski. Since Doug feels travel broadens one's understanding of other peoples and cultures, he has funded a travel account for his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They can go study in Europe or where ever, for a semester or so. A little bit of World Peace may come from them getting to know that all people are really alike in very basic ways. Doug first came to Immanuel as a child. His mother's best friend lived in the Cascade neighborhood. They attended Dr. Stub's Christmas Eve Service once a year. Much later, during the church refurbishment, Doug and Sally came to Immanuel. He served on the Pastoral Call Committee which eventually called Pastor Susan. He finds the congregation to be a caring community. As we grow, more wonderful people come into the congregations to help with the mission. 6 Immanuel Endowment Fund Dear ILC Friends: As I write this, it is December 24th and it’s easy to feel the excitement in the air around the church in preparation of a lovely Christmas Eve service celebrating the birth of Jesus. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of taking all the men living in our Recovery Shelter to Target to shop with gift certificates provided to them by the members of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church on Mercer Island. They were all excited and happy about our little adventure. As we were walking through the church, one of the guys saw the empty manger and shouted “Amber Alert..baby Jesus is missing! “ We all had a good chuckle over that one. They made me chuckle throughout the afternoon with their funny comments. When I remarked that I was going slightly over the speed limit another guy laughed saying “if they pulled you over and saw you had a van full of homeless addicts in recovery, they would know this was a MISSION TRIP for charity and they’d let you go.” Despite their laughter, I know that the holidays are hard for these guys. Some of them will be with family on Christmas Eve for a few hours, but they will all be here together on Christmas day. For others, being with family is not healthy for them and their recovery and it is better that they are here. Still others have been rejected by their families because of their past histories with drugs and alcohol. The important point is that they have a home here with us for awhile and I can tell they feel loved and embraced by the members of this congregation. They can laugh at themselves on a shopping trip. There will be a delicious dinner cooked for them on Christmas Eve by three women of Immanuel. They will have gift certificates, hats, socks, underwear, sheets, blankets, cookies and other gifts provided to them by members of Immanuel and other Lutheran Churches. And they all look forward to graduating and earning their very own quilts!! Jesus in not missing…he is here working though all of you to help these guys, and the men and women in our Hygiene Center, and the individuals and families who come to our Food Bank and our Community Lunch. I thank you all for your support throughout the year and especially as we close 2013. You are an amazing congregation that makes it so clear that Jesus is not missing. He’s here in the hearts and actions of all of you. I’m looking forward to a great year working together in 2014! Blessings, Patty Turnberg, Executive Director The Immanuel Endowment Fund is a living example of how stewardship through thoughtful estate planning can ensure that ILC’s legacy of ministry continues for generations to come. Here are the disbursements for this year. Endowment Disbursements for 2013 Immanuel Church Capital Improvements Immanuel Community Services Immanuel Building Maintenance & Repair Ministries that Reach Out (see below) $12,000.00 $12,000.00 $ 4,000.00 $ 8,000.00 2014 Endowment Disbursements Church of Steadfast Love-Compass Center $ 900.00 Compass Cascade Women’s Center (next door) 800.00 Compass Housing Alliance 1,000.00 Pacific Lutheran University 500.00 Lutheran Community Services 400.00 Operation Nightwatch 200.00 El Camino de Emmaus –Burlington, (ELCA) 400.00 End Malaria Campaign (ELCA) 400.00 ILC Emergency Fund 900.00 ILC Women – World Relief Quilts 1,000.00 Matt Talbot Center 500.00 Columbia City Church of Hope (ELCA) 250.00 Foss Home Foundation 200.00 Cascade Neighborhood Council 300.00 The Garden (Seattle ELCA mission start) 250.00 Total $ 8,000.00 Immanuel Community Services received a special memorial gift in memory of Wyatt Shellmon. ICS was fortunate to receive a year-end gift from an anonymous donor who made the gift in memory/honor of the late Wyatt Shellmon, a dear friend and graduate of ICS's recovery program. As the donor states " his courage and final days inspired many of us." This generous contribution was leveraged to match gifts made to ICS from non-ILC members. We are so grateful for this wonderful remembrance of Wyatt. Wyatt Earl Shellmon October 10, 1952 — March 21, 2011 7 Immanuel Lutheran Congregation 1215 Thomas Street Seattle, WA 98109-5427 Non-Profit U.S. Postage Paid Seattle, WA Permit No. 289 Change Service Requested January 2014 Sunday 5 Epiphany Monday 6 Tuesday Wednesday Friday Saturday 1 NEW YEAR’S DAY Office & Hygiene CLOSED 2 11a Women’s Bible Study 3 4p Compass Housing Service of Remembrance 4 7 8 9 10a Quilting 10 11 12:30p Staff 11:30a Finance Team 16 10a Quilting 17 18 23 10a Quilting 24 25 9a Community Lunch prep 30 10a Quilting 31 NO Education Hour 10:30a Worship ILC Marketplace Thursday 7:30p AA 7:30p Choir 12 Baptism of Our Lord 9a Budget Forum 10:30a Worship 13 26 Epiphany 3 9a Education Hour 10:30a Worship 12p Community Lunch 12p Taste of Immanuel 15 newsletter deadline 6p Exec Committee 7p Church Council 7:30p Choir 20 MLK Jr Day Office & Hygiene CLOSED 11a-1p Food Bank 7:30p AA 21 22 27 10a-11a ICS Coffee Tour 11a-1p Food Bank 7:30p AA 28 7:30p AA 19 Epiphany 2 9a Education Hour 10:30a Worship 14 12:30p Staff 12:30p Staff 7:30p Choir 29 12:30p Staff 6p ICS Board 7:30p Choir
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