Consider becoming one of 1,000 Mission Friends

Just $100 a year makes you one of the Southwestern Washington Synod’s 1,000 Mission Friends.

As such, you help support not only new mission starts, but also those in need of renewal.

One recipient of 1,000 Mission Friends is the Living Stones Prison Congregation at the Washington Corrections Center for Men in Shelton. Each week, 100 incarcerated men meet in worship. The Rev. Eric Wangen-Hoch leads them, and a team from one of the synod’s congregations joins in.

If helping 1,000 Mission Friends would put you in the Christmas spirit, please send a check to the Southwestern Washington Synod, Att’n: 1,000 Mission Friends, 420 121st St. South, Tacoma, WA 98444-5218. Make the check out to the synod, and write “1,000 Mission Friends” in the memo line.

Thank you.

Posting

Church administator: Mountain View Lutheran Church of Edgewood seeks a church administrator. Duties include managing church finances and operations, and linking to the Mountain View Community Center. Necessary skills include knowledge of financial and accounting software. A degree in business is preferred. To apply, visit www.mtviewlutheran.org and follow the prompts. For more information, contact Julie Williams at (253) 232-3559 or jules.williams@yahoo.com.

AP weighs in on Christmastime writing style

Church writers — I received this at work today from The Associated Press on style relating to the holidays. I use AP style in my writings, so I can have one standard. Here it is, Rachel

Advent
The four Sundays preceding Christmas.

"Auld Lang Syne"
Sung to greet the New Year, poem by Robert Burns set to Scottish music.

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) -
Dateline for AP stories from the biblical site of Jesus' birth.

Bible
Capitalize in reference to the Scriptures; lowercase biblical in all uses.

Boxing Day
Post-Christmas holiday Dec. 26 in British Commonwealth countries.

Champagne
Capitalize sparkling wine from the French region uncorked to celebrate New Year's.

Christmas Eve, Christmas Day
Capitalize Dec. 24 and Dec. 25 Christian feast marking the birth of Jesus.

Christmastime
One word.

Christmas tree
Lowercase tree and other seasonal terms with Christmas: card, wreath, carol, etc. Exception: National Christmas Tree.

dreidel
Toy spinning top for Jewish celebrations.

hallelujah
Lowercase the biblical praise to God, but capitalize in composition titles: Handel's "Hallelujah" chorus.

Hanukkah
Eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights starting Dec. 20 this year.

Jesus, Jesus Christ
Pronouns referring to him are lowercase, as is savior.

happy holidays, merry Christmas, season's greetings
Such phrases are generally spelled lowercase, though Christmas is always capitalized.

Holy Land
Capitalize the biblical region.

Kriss Kringle
Not Kris. Variation of Santa Claus. Derived from the German word Christkindl, or baby Jesus, for gift sharing.

Kwanzaa
African-American and Pan-African celebration of family, community and culture, Dec. 26-Jan. 1.

Magi
Three wise men who brought gifts to the infant Jesus at Epiphany, celebrated Jan. 6.

menorah
Candelabrum with nine branches used for Hanukkah.

Messiah
Capitalized in references to Jesus or to the promised deliverer in Judaism.

Nativity scene
Only the first word is capitalized.

New Year's Eve, New Year's Day
Capitalized for Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

North Pole
Mythical home of Santa Claus.

poinsettia
Decorative plant for Christmas; note the "ia."

regifting
Passing along an unwanted present to someone else.

Santa Claus
Brings toys to children in a sleigh pulled by reindeer on Christmas Eve.

"A Visit From St. Nicholas"
Beloved poem by Clement Clarke Moore that begins, "'Twas the night before Christmas..."

"The Twelve Days of Christmas"
Spell the numeral in the Christmas carol.

yule
Old English name for Christmas season; yuletide is also lowercase.

Xmas
Don't use this abbreviation for Christmas.

PLU temporily shuts down campus news site

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/12/02/1930229/plu-temporarily-shuts-down-papers.html

Coming here soon; Early discussions on a new place of worship

Readers,

I attended a meeting of Lutheran and Episcopal pastors and administrators Thursday in Poulsbo on the possibility of starting a federated synodically authorized worshiping community in Kingston, which is on the north tip of the Kitsap Peninsula. Perhaps in a theater; perhaps starting on Palm Sunday. This group has been meeting for two years on this subject. Thursday's meeting was hosted by the Rev. Kent Shane at First Lutheran Church of Poulsbo, and I'll share it here in a story I plan to do soon. Pictured: the group meets Thursday in Poulsbo.

Rachel Pritchett, communicator

Soul Café strives for shared sacred space, online

By the Rev. Melanie Wallschlaeger, director for evangelical mission

Soul Café, at www.soulcafe.org, a new Region 1 online community, provides sacred space for pastors and lay leaders to share resources and conversation about ministry and mission in the Pacific Northwest. The idea for a community commons grew out of a series of listening events in the Oregon Synod. As congregational leaders shared their need to learn from colleagues and congregations facing similar challenges, the idea for Soul Café emerged. Soul Café currently is in the beta phase of development, which means it is now ready to serve all the congregations and lay leaders of Region 1 who will benefit from this transformational resource tool. While Soul Café currently serves Region 1, the community commons has the capacity to expand for use by the larger church body of the ELCA should it become a useful and valuable tool.

Soul Café is not an “online church.” It is not designed to replace communities or face-to-face ministry. Much in the same way that Facebook is “me-focused,” a community commons is “us-focused” in that it is a tool to bring people together who share similar interests, values and passions, such as the ELCA congregations in the Pacific Northwest. Soul Café is a new collaboration tool designed to lift up our passions, help us coordinate efforts, shape best practices and mutually empower ministry.

Soul Café enables geographically separated Lutheran congregations, church-affiliated organizations, and individuals to meet, interact and get to know each other through idea-sharing and communication for solutions to the shared problems, issues and challenges facing the church today.

Edwin Rourk serves as community director of Soul Café. As a PK (pastor’s kid), Edwin has been shaped by faith and life in the church. Through his day-to-day vocation, Edwin has worked with large companies that have been strengthened by relationships and ideas that were brought together through online communities used in a corporate context. Edwin’s hope for the online community commons is that the church will be strengthened as congregational leaders share similar concerns and solutions about living out the mission as disciples in a changing context.

How can you experience Soul Café yourself or invite others in your congregation to get involved?


- Sign on to Soul Café and fill out a profile.

- Join at least one group and maybe even start one.

- Share Soul Café with others outside of your congregation or church organization.

- Help a friend sign up with Soul Café.

Thank you for your support and prayers as we seek to build community for the sake of God’s mission in our Church and the world.