Faith Community Church holds first worship service

 

 

KINGSTON — Faith Community Church, a federated Lutheran/Episcopal group, met for the first time in worship Sunday, May 6, in a small theater a few steps from the ferry dock in downtown Kingston.

It is the newest synodically authorized worshiping community of the Southwestern Washington Synod. About 20 people worshiped. 

On hand to mark the occasion was the Rev. Joe and Claudia Wagner of Peace Lutheran Fellowship of Port Ludlow, communicator Rachel Pritchett and others representing the Lutheran faith.

The small congregation is led by the Rev. Ray Sheldon.
 

The ELCA until now has had no presence on the north end of the Kitsap Peninsula, with the nearest church being First Lutheran Church of Poulsbo. The area is growing in population. 

The former Faith Episcopal Church has been meeting for a number of years in a nearby Veterans of Foreign Wars hall, flooded and heavily damaged last winter. 

The new worship group is the result of an effort by the synod and the Rev. Melanie Wallschlaeger and the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia, as well as other church leaders in the area who have lended their support in planning, including the Rev. Kent Shane of First Lutheran Church of Poulsbo.

The Rev. Sheldon said he looks forward to growing the new federated church.

Pictured top to bottom:

From left to right, the Rev. Joe and Claudia Wagner, the REv. Sonjy Selboe from Bethany Lutheran Church of Bainbridge Island, and the Rev. Ray and Jere Sheldon.

Worshipers have built by hand an altar for the service, which takes place in the Firehouse Theater in downtown Kingston.

Members of the former Faith Episcopal Church formerly met in this nearby VFW hall for many years. They will use the sanctuary there now as a chapel, and fellowship takes place in the hall as well, which has now been repaired.