September 2014
John 16:33:
What do you make of the world these days? There is the
Ebola outbreak in Western Africa
and the wars in Syria, Israel, Iraq, and the Ukraine. We
are running “the eager gamut” of our
lives
“through hazards
of sickness and accident, beasts and bacteria, the
malignant power of the forces of nature, and the
vengeful hands” of our fellow human beings (Karl
Menninger,
Man Against Himself,
1938).
What shall we say to all of this? Nothing but John
16:33 – “In the world you have tribulation; but be of
good cheer, I have overcome the world.” When Luther
preached in 1538 on these words of Jesus, he exclaimed:
Wager on Christ! (Luther’s
Works
24:417). Yes, indeed, for it is only Christ who can
carry us through this life into the world to come –
which will surely be “a better country” (Hebrews 11:16).
So until that happens, thank God for the Savior, and
serve one another – “never flagging in zeal” (Romans
12:11).
Pastor Marshall
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Persecution Today
Christians Under Attack
Worldwide
By Pastor Marshall
American Christians need to wake up. Even though we enjoy
many religious freedoms in our land, many Christians
throughout the world do not. And they need our prayers.
A couple books to read on this worldwide catastrophe are
The Global War on Christians: Dispatches from the Front
Lines of Anti-Christian Persecution
(2013), by John L. Allen, Jr.; and
Christianophobia:
A Faith Under Attack
(2012), by Rupert Shortt.
Jesus warned that the world would hate Christians
because it had hated him (John 15:18-19). He even said his
followers would suffer more than he (Matthew 10:25).
So be warned and pray:
O Lord, protect your children when thrown into the lions’
den. Keep their faith strong. Give them brave and bold
hearts. And fill them with the knowledge that they’re
sharing in the sufferings of Christ Jesus. Amen.
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PRESIDENT'S REPORT....by
Larraine King
God, whose giving knows no ending, from your rich and endless
store:
…..Gifted by you, we turn to you, off’ring up ourselves in
praise…..
This is the beginning of Hymn #408.
It is a treasure trove of ideas for stewardship and
service to our Lord, Jesus Christ, and our brothers and sisters.
We have all been blessed with skills and talents that we
use in our daily lives to serve our families, businesses, and
churches.
Treasure, too, you have
entrusted ….. Ours to use for home and kindred, and to spread
the Gospel Word. (v.#3)
This being September it is Pledge Card time – a time when we
each review our previous years’ giving to the church and pledge
an amount for the coming year.
This gives us the opportunity to prayerfully consider our
stewardship as it assists the council in planning our budget for
the coming year.
Pledge cards will be available Sunday, September 14th.
We ask that they be returned by Sunday, October 19th.
The Fall schedule begins the first Sunday in September with
morning and evening Bible study, Sunday School and Sunday
morning adult education classes.
“With the Mind” will be on the 4th Saturday of each month
and the Fall Koran class begins in October.
These are outstanding educational opportunities.
Financially speaking, the church is currently running about
$3,600 behind the budget needs.
This was true in both June and July.
August has also started with very low giving.
In the first quarter of the year, we received over
$12,000 in giving that exceeded the pledged giving, and in the
second quarter that figure dropped to just over $1,500.
There was also a slight increase in the number of members
who were behind on their pledge, but that amounted to a
difference of just under $300.
Hopefully with the beginning of Fall, attendance will
normalize and members will remember to fulfill their giving
pledges. The church
council is also watching the expenses as compared to the budget
projections. As of
middle of the year, the expenses exceed the budget by just under
$1,500. Also it was
emphasized during the summer at worship and the mid-year meeting
that there are advantages to electronic giving.
It insures that even if you forget, the church will still
receive your pledge.
See “Why Pledge???” article for more details.
In August the Executive Committee met with Pr. Marshall to share
their Pastoral Review evaluations.
This review process is required by our church
constitution and occurs every two years.
Copies of the four reports and Pr. Marshall’s summary
responses are available in the church office to read.
In late June, the Sunday School held their annual Hymn School,
where students spent 2 days learning a selection of hymns from
LBW with the expert help of Jane Harty and Pr. Marshall.
The students also made crafts that they shared with
residents of Park West Care Facility when they sang the hymns
they had learned for those able to attend.
Many thanks to Gina Allen, Matthew Kahn, Janine Douglass,
Kari Ceaicovschi, Kendell Jones, and Rollie Storbakken, who
helped make the event a success.
The service project for the year had been Gospel for
Asia. With the
money donated, the students decided to purchase a camel,
rabbits, and chickens to be sent to needy families served by
Gospel for Asia.
The membership continues to be very supportive in giving to our
extended ministries with food donations for the West Seattle
Food Bank, school supplies for the West Seattle Helpline, and
“ornaments from the Christmas in July and August” tree for the
St. Nicholas Faire.
The response is a wonderful blessing to those individuals who
need the services of the Food Bank and Helpline.
We are a fortunate congregation.
We have a superb church which inspires worship and awe.
We have an excellent staff that is faithful to the
traditions and teachings of Scripture and the historic Lutheran
doctrine. We have a
committed membership that generously supports the work of the
church and its extended ministries.
We share ourselves and our gifts with others.
Open wide our hands in sharing, as we heed Christ’s ageless
call,
Healing, teaching, and reclaiming, serving you by loving all.
(v.#4) |
WHY PLEDGE???
2015 Pledge Card Drive
As we consider the 2015 pledge card drive, we might ask the
question, “Why pledge?”
We can think of so many reasons not to give;
our mortgage or rent, our
retirement fund, education funds for the kids and grandkids, the
new car we need, home improvements, credit card bills, that much
needed vacation…. The list is endless.
If we keep our focus on these, we will be tempted only to
consume and to
accumulate.
Both of these desires are constantly reinforced by our
society through media and advertising.
So
what are we to do and how do we counter these influences that
grab our attention?
Here are some simple principles of Biblical giving that were
published a number of years ago.
They provide much food for meditation and prayer.
• Everything we have belongs to God.
We are stewards of all these gifts, to be used for the
glory of God.
• The first gift we give is that of ourselves – our whole lives,
our time, our talents, and our money.
• The Bible challenges us to give both our tithe – 10% of our
total income – and offerings over and above the tithe.
• We give our best to our Lord through first fruits giving – we
pay the church first and intentionally plan our giving.
• The Christian life is first and foremost a life of sacrifice
and self-denial. We
follow Jesus’ example of sacrificial giving.
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ELECTRONIC
GIVING
–
YEA
OR
NAY?
It has come to the attention of the Church Council that giving
falls short during the summer months because attendance is
affected by vacation, etc. In June our giving was behind by
about $3,500. While
this is not yet a major problem, we want to encourage everyone
to remember to fulfill their pledges in a timely manner, as our
cash liquidity depends on this.
One way to solve this problem is to sign up for electronic
giving. This is
easy to do. Forms
are available on the office window counter.
You can complete them and turn them in either in the
offering plate or to the church office.
So what are the advantages??? First, your contribution will
always be on time and donated to the church without you having
to be present to put your offering in the collection plate.
Second, you don’t have to remember to write your check
because it is done for you on a date you specify.
Any disadvantages???
There are fees for this service that the church pays.
First, there is a $.20 per transaction fee for electronic
transfers. Second,
if the donation is by credit card, the church pays 2.65% of the
donated amount to the credit card company.
While they are very low fees for the convenience, you
could choose to put additional cash in the offering plate to
cover these costs.
Another way to lower what the church pays is to replace weekly
gifts with a single gift each month, (but still donating the
same total amount), reducing the number of electronic transfer
fees per month.
The bottom line is the Church Council depends on regular
donations to pay its expenses and support our designated
extended ministries.
When we forget to give, the donated amount comes up short
and then something may end up not being funded, or we have
outstanding bills going into the next month.
We are asking that each member remember to fulfill their
pledge regularly, via the offering plate, the US Mail, or
electronic giving.
All of our pledged gifts are needed.
Let’s pray we will all remember our commitment!
─The Church Council |
Stewardship
Budget
Received
Month (July)
$18,058
$16,512
Year to date (Jan-July)
$143,729
$140,131
Stewardship
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Everything Belongs to God
Merciful Father,
We offer with joy and thanksgiving what you have first
given us: Ourselves, our time, and our possessions,
signs of your gracious love.
–LBW pp.108
We
pray this prayer most every Sunday. It reflects what stewardship
is. In tithing not only our income, but also our time and our
gifts, we recognize that all of those things are not really
ours. They belong to God, and He has granted those gifts to us
so that we may further His kingdom on earth. In Haggai 2:8, God
instructs us that “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine.”
So, as a reflection of our joy for the sacrifice God has
provided for our redemption in His son, Christ Jesus, we are to
tithe our money, gifts, and time. This means we give a full 10%
of our income to the Church, but it also means that we use our
gifts to further the mission of the Church, whether that be
through public outreach programs, through singing in the choir,
or through helping with Golden Fellowship luncheons.
God
reminds us that He is the source of our wealth in other ways.
Hosea 2:9 states that “I [God] will take back my grain in its
time and my wine in its season.” In part, this is because we
forget the source of our material blessings. Let us never forget
that God is the source of our being, our time, and our wealth.
Regardless of our circumstances, let us always give generously
of all three to the Church and to God in order to glorify
Christ’s sacrifice.
-David King, Church Council |
1918-2018
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Preparing for Our 100th Anniversary
By Pastor Marshall
What was going on when our church was founded on September 25,
1918? Here is a copy of part of the front page of the newspaper
on that day:
The
front page news is about WWI – which was to end shortly after
starting in 1914. The caption reads: “Gunners in modern war
seldom see the enemy, their pieces being screened in the rear,
behind the infantry, and being guided by telephoned reports from
observers far up at the front. In this picture the soldier at
the foot of the tree is in communication by telephone with the
forward observer. The soldier is transmitting the observer’s
report to the officer, who, with megaphone in hand, is ready to
give the command to his men.”
Continuing down that road, the $1.4 billion each, M1A2 Abrams
tanks (70 tons each, 9 feet high, traveling speed, 40 mph) used
in the siege of Baghdad, are able – with onboard computer
equipment – to hit targets 2.5 miles away – that would be from
Morgan to Admiral Street (Jack David,
Abram Tanks, 2007).
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40th Anniversary
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Andrew J. King & Dean Walter Hard
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With the Mind
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in the Church Lounge, 3-5 pm, the fourth Saturday of each month.
2014-2015
Sept. 27
Brett McCracken,
Hipster Christianity: When Church and Cool Collide (2010).
Oct. 25
David Montgomery, The
Rocks Don’t Lie: A Geologist Investigates Noah’s Flood
(2012).
Nov. 22
Frederica Mathewes-Green,
The Jesus Prayer: The Ancient Desert Prayer That Tunes the Heart
to God (2009).
Dec. 27
Timothy Keller, The
Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism (2008).
Jan. 24
Thomas Bergler,
The Juvenilization of American Christianity (2012).
Feb. 28
Tosca Lee, Iscariot: A
Novel of Judas (2014).
Mar. 28
C. C. Smith & J. Pattison,
Slow Church: Cultivating
Community in the Patient Way of Jesus (2014).
Apr. 25
Martin Mosebach,
The Heresy of Formlessness: The Roman Liturgy and Its Enemy
(2006).
May 23
Ross Douthat, Bad
Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics (2012).
September Book
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3-5 pm in the Church Lounge, Saturday, September 22nd.
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Sunday Education
with Pastor Marshall
2014-2015
9:00 to 10:00 am, Room D
FALL SESSION
I, September 7 -
October 26
War & Religion: Remembering WWI as a Crusade
This eight week class will study Philip Jenkins’ new
book, The Great and Holy
War: How WWI Became a Religious Crusade (2014). Each week
excerpts from this nearly 500 page book will be handed out for
discussion.
In this 100th Anniversary of the beginning of WWI, we will want
to learn more about the religious dimension of this war “to end
all wars,” which has been under appreciated in the past.
FALL SESSION II,
November 2 - December 21
Saint Luke’s Two Volumes: Reading Luke & Acts Together
In this eight week class we will study the two books of
Saint Luke – The Gospel of Luke and Acts. Each week we will
correlate passages from the two books.
Before each class session, a worksheet will be handed out for
the next class.
WINTER SESSION,
January 4 - 25
All Bound Up – Luther’s Great Treatise on the Human Will
In this short, four week class, we will study Luther’s
greatest book, The
Bondage of the Will (1525). The class will study a
collection of excerpts
from Luther’s treatise. This class is the nineth in our
series of studies in the Reformation leading up to its 500th
anniversary in 2017.
SPRING SESSION I,
February 1 - March 29
The Key to the New Testament: A Study of the Book of Romans
In this eight week class we will study the Book of Romans
that Luther thought was the most important book in the New
Testament or its “chief part” (Luther’s
Works 35:365). He also thought it was worth memorizing!
Each class session will be based on a worksheet of questions
handed out the week before.
SPRING SESSION II,
April 5 - May 31
Luther’s Battle Cry: His 1518 Heidelberg Disputation
This eight week class will study in detail Luther famous
“Heidelberg Disputation,”
Luther’s Works 31:39-70.
This class is the tenth in our series on studies in the
Reformation leading up to the 500th anniversary in 2017.
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Schedule for
Wednesday Bible Classes
with Pastor Marshall
2014-2015
Morning 10- 11:30 am
Fall: Hebrews
Spring: Proverbs
1) Hebrews
1.1-14
9) Hebrews 9.1-14
1)
Proverbs 1.1-33
9) Proverbs
16.1-17.28
2) Hebrews
2.1-18 10) Hebrews
9.15-28
2)
Proverbs 2.1-3.35
10) Proverbs 18.1-19.29
3)
Hebrews 3.1-19 11)
Hebrews 10.1-18
3)
Proverbs 4.1-5.23
11) Proverbs 20.1-21.31
4)
Hebrews 4.1-16
13) Hebrews 10.19-39
4)
Proverbs 6.1-7.27
12) Proverbs 22.1-23.35
5)
Hebrews 5.1-14
13) Hebrews 11.1-40
5)
Proverbs 8.1-9.18
13) Proverbs 24.1-25.28
6)
Hebrews 6.1-20
14) Hebrews 12.1-17
6)
Proverbs 10.1-11.31
14) Proverbs 26.1-27.27
7)
Hebrews 7.1-28
15) Hebrews 12.18-29
7)
Proverbs 12.1-13.25
15) Proverbs 28.1-29.27
8)
Hebrews 8.1-13
16) Hebrews 13.1-25
8)
Proverbs 14.1-15.33
16) Proverbs 30.1-31.31
Evening 7:30 -
9:00 pm
Fall: Daniel
Spring: Revelation
1) Daniel 1.1-21
9) Daniel
7.1-14
1)
Revelation 1.1-20
9)
Revelation 12.1-17
2)
Daniel 2.1-30
10) Daniel 7.15-28
2)
Revelation 2.1-29
10) Revelation 13.1-18
3)
Daniel 2.31-49
11) Daniel 8.1-27
3)
Revelation 3.1-22
11) Revelation 14.1-20
4)
Daniel 3.1-30
12) Daniel 9.1-27
4)
Revelation 4.1-5.14
12) Revelation 15.1-16.21
5)
Daniel 4.1-18
13) Daniel 10.1-21
5)
Revelation 6.1-7.17
13) Revelation 17.1-18.24
6)
Daniel 4.19-37
14) Daniel 11.1-19
6)
Revelation 8.1-13
14) Revelation 19.1-20.15
7)
Daniel 5.1-30
15) Daniel 11.20-45
7)
Revelation 9.1-10.11
15) Revelation 21.1-27
8)
Daniel 6.1-28
16) Daniel 12.1-13
8)
Revelation 11.1-19
16) Revelation 22-1-21
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Mark 9.24
Monthly Home Bible Study, September 2014, Number 259
The Reverend Ronald F. Marshall
Along with our other regular study of Scripture, let us join as
a congregation in this home study. We will
study alone then talk
informally about the assigned verses together as we have
opportunity. In this way we can "gather
together around the
Word" even though physically we will not be getting together
(Acts 13.44). (This study uses the RSV translation.)
We need to support each other in this difficult project. In 1851
Kierkegaard wrote that the Bible is "an extremely dangerous
book.... [because] it is an imperious book... – it takes the
whole man and may suddenly and radically change... life on a
prodigious scale" (For
Self-Examination). And in 1967 Thomas Merton wrote that "we
all instinctively know that it is dangerous to become involved
in the Bible" (Opening the
Bible). Indeed this word "kills" us (Hosea 6.5) because we
are "a rebellious people" (Isaiah 30.9)! As Lutherans, however,
we are still to "abide in the womb of the Word" (Luther's
Works 17.93) by constantly "ruminating on the Word" (LW 30.219) so that we may "become like the Word" (LW
29.155) by thinking "in the way Scripture does" (LW
25.261). Before you study, then, pray: "Blessed Lord, who caused
all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so
to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that
we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of
everlasting life, which you have given us in Our Savior Jesus
Christ. Amen" (quoted in R. F. Marshall,
Making A New World: How Lutherans Read the Bible, 2003, p. 12).
Week II.
Read again Mark 9.24 noting the phrase
help my unbelief. Now
what about that coercion, mentioned last week? On this read Acts
9.3-22 noting the words
flashed, fell,
eyes, led,
suffer and
scales. So was Saul forced to believe? On this read Philippians 2.12
noting the line work out
your own salvation with fear and trembling. Did Saul
struggle? Or was he closer to the
gift in Ephesians 2.8
– coming down from heaven as James 1:17 says? Or did Saul
draw near to God, so that God would draw near to him, as James 4.8
puts it? Did it have nothing to do with
man’s will or exertion,
as Romans 9.16 points out? Did God
choose Saul, and not the other way around, as John 15.16 says? On
all these matters, read Luke 1.26-38 noting the words
troubled, afraid,
favor,
how, overshadow,
Elizabeth,
impossible, let and
word. Are all of our
concerns gathered up in this account of Mary’s faith? If so, how
so? Where are the gifts and where are the struggles in her case?
Week III.
Reread Mark 9.24 noting that same phrase
help my unbelief. On
coming to faith, read John 20.24-29 noting the words
seen, see,
finger,
believe, faithless,
answered and
blessed. So did Thomas believe because he touched the risen Lord? If
he did, it’s not mentioned here. If he did touch Jesus, no one
thought it should be written down. So how do these three cases
of coming to faith – Saul, Mary and Thomas – compare? One thing
they have in common is Romans 10.9 and its line
if you confess with your
lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart,… you will be
saved. All three of them are bold and forthright – no
anonymous faith or private believing with any of them. But where
did they get this nerve? On this read John 3.3-11 noting the
words born,
anew, kingdom,
womb,
water, Spirit,
wind,
know, how and
understand. Note also
the words believes and
baptized in Mark 16.16. What sort of factor is the baptismal
birthing? Does it combine gift and suffering into one event?
Week IV.
Read Mark 9.24 one last time noting again
help my unbelief. But
will faith stay – once it’s here? On this read 1 Timothy 1.19
noting the words shipwreck
and faith. How does
this happen? In that same verse it says
by rejecting conscience.
It also says we must be engaged in
the good warfare. On this collapse read Mathew 7.21-23 noting the
contrast between says
and does. This
contrast has to do with James 2.26 that
faith apart from works is
dead; and with 2 Peter 1.5 about
supplementing faith with
virtue and knowledge. So faith that’s held in the heart but
not acted upon in everyday life, withers away. Does this tie
into the phrases provided
we suffer in Romans 8.17; and
receive glory from one
another in John 5:44? Apparently. But what about miracles –
do they lead to faith? On this read John 2.11 which says they
do; and John 12.37 which says they do not. Where does that leave
you? Apparently with some hope here, but no guarantees. So what
about the guarantee in John 10.29? See 2 Timothy 2.13. Does that
help? |
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EXTENDED MINISTRIES…..
trips. Quite an undertaking.
Pr. Benitz assists with celebrating the Eucharist for
La Iglesia Episcopal de
la Resurrection, which is the sponsoring church of the day
camps. El Camino has also sponsored various youth events,
musical presentations, and potluck get-togethers, in additions
to offering weekly church services.
We will be featuring El Camino de Emmaus in September and
October this year.
We will be collecting donations during the next two months.
Just note on your check, payable to FLCWS, that the money
is to go to El Camino de Emmaus.
There are some newsletters on the bulletin board in the
Parish House for you to read.
Keep them in your prayers.
They are doing a valuable work for many marginalized
members of our community.
It is a way to help the poor and weak.
It helps us extend our ministry.
Want more information? www.burlingtonlutheran.org/partners/el_camino_de_emmaus
─The Church Council |
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Homeless in Seattle
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Interviewing Nadine Nyambi
By Pastor Marshall
Nadine Nyambi was an AmeriCorps volunteer at the West Seattle
Helpline in 2011-2012. After leaving the Helpline, she started
the MPA graduate program at Seattle University, while working at
Plymouth Housing in downtown Seattle. She graduated in June
2014.
Ron: What is your job at Plymouth Housing?
Nadine: I'm responsible for screening clients to see if they
qualify for our homeless housing program. This includes
explaining program eligibility requirements, program
policies/procedures and referring applicants to other supportive
services throughout the community if they are unqualified to be
housed by our organization.
Nadine: We have 13 housing units, mostly in downtown Seattle.
When everything is going the way it’s supposed to I can assist
up to 8 applicants per month through our housing process. Other
employees in the organization do an excellent job of helping the
homeless get housed. We roughly house over 200 people right off
the streets and other transitional housing programs.
Ron: Do you work with any other non-profits?
Nadine: Yes, there are other organizations that we work with. To
name a few, Compass Housing Alliance, REACH, Solid
Grounds....etc they provide about the same type of service that
we do.
Ron: Are you able to meet the need?
Nadine: Three-four years ago the homeless population was able to
have their needs met. (Many larger organizations could report
that roughly 50% of their clients were able to be housed and
smaller organizations reported about 33% when it came to
assisting with rental assistance, housing and other basic needs.
The West Seattle Helpline one of the smaller in that category
was able to deliver at 33%.) However, now it’s hard to predict
due to the influx of people from other states who had heard
about our wonderful housing programs and services. It hasn't
been the same since and the desperation for housing is clear to
the homeless population from the time period of 5pm-7am when
people are searching for a warm place to sleep every day.
Ron: What is the unmet housing need in Seattle now, then?
Nadine: There are a lot of homeless people in Seattle. More
than I have witnessed prior to working directly with the
homeless population. This year Seattle/King County Coalition
on Homelessness (SKCCH) reported that 3,123 people had no
shelter during the annual one-night count of the homeless.
The numbers have increased since the last two one-night
counts
I have been a part of with the West Seattle Helpline. However,
the 2013 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress conducted
by the Department of Housing and Urban Development reports that
about 17,760 people are homeless in Washington State. The
definition of homelessness and other factors alters the above
figures...etc
Ron: Who are the homeless?
Nadine: The definition of homelessness is not a one size fits
all type of definition. There are the chronically homeless who
have been homeless for 1 year or more and have experienced four
or more episodes of homelessness in the last three years. There
are the sheltered and unsheltered homeless. Sheltered meaning
you are without permanent housing but in some type of
transitional housing or emergency shelter. The unsheltered are
the homeless living on the streets or places not designed for
shelter stays i.e. cars, bus stops, bridges...etc
In my
opinion, policies define the homeless not the situation that
someone’s in. For example, one has to be sleeping on the
streets, in transitional housing or emergency shelters to
qualify for most homeless housing programs. If you sleep on a
friend's couch, you're not considered homeless. If you are
working and make more than $18,540 for a single household, or
applying for a 30% unit that’s subsidized you do not qualify for
homeless housing. There are a lot of factors that contribute to
the homeless definition and some folks might not meet them
because they are going through some type of transitional phase
out of homelessness. But a majority of the mentally ill and
homeless with substance abuse problems remain homeless and have
for quite some time.
Ron: How many work at Plymouth Housing?
Nadine: It’s a large organization. We have three administrative
offices and have about 100 employees. There are staff that
oversee and maintain the buildings as well. The number of
employees can be more than the above estimate since some work on
call.
Ron: Who has the toughest job?
Nadine: In my opinion the building staff has the toughest job.
They are faced with a very difficult task of maintaining the
building, providing supportive services to people who don’t know
how to live in a stable housing environment. It’s really
difficult for the mentally ill and many who have been on the
streets for long to follow procedures that are designed to
better one’s life. Then there are the people who work in
compliance. For example, I have a hard time telling someone that
they do not qualify for the opportunity to apply for housing. It
becomes a problem because some feel they are being discriminated
against, some become angry because they have been hopeful for
2-3 years and then I give them the, “sorry you have been staying
with a friend for 6 months until present, that is considered
couch surfing. You are not homeless.” It’s frustrating
sometimes.
Ron: What is the outlook?
Nadine: Plymouth Housing is working on a new building for
occupancy. Progress is being made and everyone is excited.
Our partner non-profits and other advocates are working hard
as well. The issue of homelessness and lack of housing is
something that’s hard to tackle especially at this time more
than ever, but many are working on it every day. It gives me
hope.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS:
DEO GLORIA CANTORES
– Choir will start their practice sessions at 7:30 pm on
Thursday, October 2nd, in the gallery.
Fall Schedule
starts on Sunday, September 7th.
Adult Bible Class, rm. D and Sunday School, rm. 4, 9:00
am. Confirmation
(6th – 8th grades) meet in the library. The Wednesday pastor’s
classes (10:00 am & 7:30 pm in rm. D), and confirmation (3:30 pm
in rm. D) start on September 10th. |
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| FOOD BANK DONATION suggestion for September is canned, boxed or instant soup. |
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X
PARISH PRAYERS
X
Remember in prayer before
God those whom He has made your
brothers and sisters
through baptism.
Sam Lawson, Jim Coile, Anelma Meeks, Kyra Stromberg, Mildred
Nikula, Nora Vanhala, Natalie Nesvig, Mary Goplerud, Michael
Nestoss, Cynthia Natiello, Leah Baker, Clara Anderson, Peggy &
Bill Wright & Wendy, Bob & Barbara Schorn, Cameron Lim, Ion
Ceaicovschi, Luke Bowen, Tabitha Anderson, Max Richardson, The
Jones Family, Kurt & Jenny Alfano, Robin Kaufman, Rosita & Jim
Moe, Asha Sagmoen, Dano, Karen & W. Erick, Anna & John Bertelsen,
Marie & Rick Collins, Karen Klein, Dee Grenier, Gary Coy, Ron
Tjerandsen, Paul Sponheim, The Rev. Bill Hampton, Jeanie
Goodwin, Victoria Thoren, Nathan Arkle, Mark Jarvimaki, The Rev.
Doug Lindsay, Lauren Kinney.
Pray
for the shut-ins that the light of Christ may give them joy:
Clara Anderson, Donna Apman, Pat Hansen, C. J. Christian,
Louis Koser, Anelma Meeks, Dorothy Ryder, Lillian Schneider,
Crystal Tudor, Vivian Wheeler, Peggy & Bill Wright.
Pray
for those who have suffered the death of a loved one:
Pray that God will bear their grief and lift their
hearts: Pray for
family and friends of
Vera Gunnarson
on her death. Also
pray for Melanie Johnson and family, on the death of her mother
Agnes Arkle;
and pray for the family and friends of Olive Morrison on her
death.
Pray
for our bishops Elizabeth Eaton and Brian Kirby Unti, our pastor
Ronald Marshall, our deacon Dean Hard and our cantor Andrew
King, that they may be strengthened in faith, love and the holy
office to which they have been called.
Pray
that God would give us hearts which find joy in service and in
celebration of stewardship.
Pray that God would work within you to become a good
steward of your time, your talents and finances.
Pray to strengthen the stewardship of our congregation in
these same ways.
Pray
for the hungry, ignored, abused, and homeless this September.
Pray for the mercy of God for these people, and for all
in Christ's church to see and help those who are in distress.
Pray
for our extended ministries: El Camino de Emaus in the Skagit
Valley, and the Gospel for Asia that God may bless and
strengthen their ministry. Also, pray for our parish and its
ministry. |
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O Lord God, give
me a humble, quiet, peaceable, patient, tender and charitable
mind. Give me also a lively faith, a firm hope, a fervent
charity, and a growing love for you. Take from me all
lukewarmness in meditation and dullness in prayer. Give me
delight in thinking of you, and grace in working for you. In
Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
[For
All the Saints
(ALPB, 1994-1996)
IV:1026, altered]
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