Date changed for advocates-against-hunger training

A training session for  congregational hunger advocates tentatively scheduled for Nov. 18 and been rescheduled for Dec. 8 in Vancouver.

Members of the Southwestern Washington Synod Hunger Committee soon will hold training workshops for congregational hunger advocates as part of the committee’s work to implement a synod assembly resolution to increase awareness of and participation in the ELCA’s World Hunger Program.

The committee has been recruiting people to be hunger-program advocates in congregations. Advocates’ activities would include prayer, speaking with pastors and leaders about hunger issues, and using ELCA Hunger Packets to promote hunger related activities in congregations. Hunger committee members will hold training workshops in their regions to review available materials and to present a slide program about the hunger program.

The first training is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 18 in at Messiah Lutheran Church. Another training is being planned for a Pacific County church on Jan. 12, and one will be scheduled in early February in Longview. — Rick Nelson, ernelson@teleport.com

Westphal to host ELCA missionary gathering this coming Sunday

The Rev. Lanny Westphal of the ELCA Global Mission will host a gathering for ELCA missionary sponsors from 3 to 4 p.m. Nov. 4 at Redeemer Lutheran Church of Fircrest. Participants will see how ELCA missionaries are making a difference around the world, and learn of new developments in missionary sponsorship. The church is at 1001 Princeton Avenue.

Discover what turns a trip into a pilgrimage

What turns a trip into a pilgrimage? Presenters will take up that topic at the all-day event “Global Stories: From Trip to Pilgrimage,” taking place Nov. 10 at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church by The Narrows in Tacoma.

The Rev. Dave Ellingson, professor of children, youth and family studies at Trinity Lutheran College, will tell about the friendships he made during his 2,350-mile paddle down the Mississippi River last summer to the ELCA Youth Extravaganza in New Orleans.
The Rev. Jan Ruud of St. Mark’s will share what he discovered through pilgrimages in Europe. 

Lyle Morse, chair of the Namibia Task Force, will give a presentation on Namibia. And, youth from Mountain View Lutheran Church of Edgewood will share about the relationships they forged during work in Appalachia in July.

The event, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. also will include worship, time for fellowship and lunch. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. The suggested donation of $10 will be split equally between support for the ELCA’s campaign to battle malaria and Namibia. The church is at 6730 North 17th St. No advance registration is necessary. The synod’s Global Mission Committee is sponsor. Contact Ed or Diane Armbrust at dparmbrust@hotmail.com for more information. 

Pictured: The Rev. Dave Ellingson paddles the Mississippi to the ELCA Youth Extravanganza last summer in New Orleans.

Klavano's send latest family member into mission field

By Rachel Pritchett, communicator

PUYALLUP — Bob and Byrna Klavano of Pilgrim Lutheran Church recently said good-bye to Bob's sister, the Rev. Ann Klavano of Wisconson, as she departed for Papua, New Guinea. She will serve as an ELCA missionary at a seminary there for the next four years.

"Living and serving overseas is a special kind of calling, and I think people need a sense of adventure, because it certainly isn't going to be what you're used to," Bob said.

He ought to know; he and Byrna's families have grown missionaries for generations.

Bob sister Ruth, a teacher from the Vancouver, Wash., area, taught in Tanzania and China with the ELCA. She was preparing for work in Namibia when she died in 2008 at age 58. 

Byrna's father, a physician, worked in Tanzania. Her brother, also a doctor, plans to work in Tanzania when he retires.

Bob's grandparents were Methodist missionaries in China when the communists seized power. 

"I think it kind of goes in families. Once it starts, it tends to repeat," Bob said.
Ann, 56, spent a career in library work before receiving seminary training at Wartburg Seminary of Debuque, Iowa. She won't be alone while continuing her library work in New Guinea.

"I think that there's kind of a special bond that develops among overseas missionaries, that they are able to support each other pretty well," Bob said.

The pull of grandchildren are keeping Bob and Byrna grounded in Puyallup. But Bob, who just retired from teaching middle school, serves on the synod's Namibia Task Force.

Fosum voted women's leader

OLYMPIA — Carol Fossum of Puyallup was voted president of the Southwestern Washington Synodical Women’s Organization at its annual convention in October at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd. Also taking office were Vice President Mary Ann Nelson, Secretary Kathy Ifft and Treasurer Shirley Hines. Linnea Glover, Beth Lindell, Janean Moriarty, Kathy Newton, Dorothy Reed, Lori Schmidt and Sue Anna Tucker will be board members.

Some 110 women attended the event with the theme “Sunday People in a Monday World.”
 
Past presidents were honored during the organization’s 25th Anniversary Celebration banquet. They included B. Nancy Lynch, Nancy Jo Armstrong, Kay Ronde, Sue Ferber Goodspeed, Kathy Jacobson, Elaine Rodning, Georganne Robertson and Anita Christian. Offerings collected helped support the Living Stones Prison Congregation of Shelton and others.

Hunger-advocate training to be scheduled

By Rick Nelson, member of the synod's Hunger Committee

 

Members of the Southwestern Washington Synod Hunger Committee soon will hold training workshops for congregational hunger advocates. The training is part of the committee’s work to implement a synod assembly resolution to increase awareness of and participation in the ELCA’s World Hunger Program. 

The committee has been recruiting people to be hunger-program advocates in congregations.

Advocates’ activities would include prayer, speaking with pastors and leaders about hunger issues, and using ELCA Hunger Packets to promote hunger related activities in congregations. 

Hunger committee members will hold training workshops in their regions to review available materials and to present a slide program about the hunger program.

A training is tentatively scheduled from 3 to 5 p.m. Nov. 18 in Vancouver; watch the synod blog for details once the site is confirmed. Another training is being planned for a Pacific County church on Jan. 12, and one will be scheduled in early February in Longview.

In other committee news, members met Sept. 22 to review applications for ELCA Hunger Grants. Eight congregations applied for grants totaling $41,000. The committee evaluated the applications and forwarded the recommendations to the churchwide hunger office, which will make final awards, to be announced next spring.

Media is a power too; use it to advantage

 By Rachel Pritchett, synod communicator 

Years ago before we had security, the Rev. George Larson burst into the Kitsap Sun office, where I was and remain a reporter. The van from Spirit of Life Lutheran Church of Olalla had been stolen. What were we going to do about it?

I don’t remember, but I never forgot Larson. Since then, I’ve watched him grasp the media's attention before leading countless moments of blessings, cross walks, blessings of the animals and responses to tragedies. Each time within hours, Larson and his words of salvation were splashed across Page 1 and on the websites of local media. Once again he had successfully harnessed the power of the media to deliver his message to thousands more than he ever could have reached in
Olalla. Larson is unusually gifted, but you can and must use the media to advance your mission. Here are some first steps: 

It starts with regular notices: Most news outlets reserve Saturdays for church news. They consider submissions about congregational events with larger community connection news. Examples are homeless meals, Advent suppers, the bishop coming, vacation Bible school, Bible-study series, or a pastor’s arrival, installation or retirement. In addition, most outlets have portals on their websites for submitting self-written notices. Both are free.

It continues with relationship: Every news outlet has a journalist who fields the religion news. Find out who that is in your town. Cultivate the relationship and occasionally invite a reporter to your biggest events.

Turn routine church happenings into community events: Rather than having a blessing of the animals in your sanctuary, get a few congregations together, have it in a park, and invite the media. If you’re having a block party, notify the news outlet, tell why you are doing it, and invite a reporter. That goes for church anniversaries, as well as for special services at Christmas and Easter, including the bigger children’s plays.

Be novel: Moments of blessings, animal blessings and 100^th anniversaries invite media attention. But their novelty is wearing out. The Episcopalians for the last couple of years have shown up at transit hubs on Ash Wednesday to spread ashes on the foreheads of commuters. We are lapping it up.

Tell us a people story: Tell the media about people in your congregation who are doing something extraordinary.

Invest in a regularly appearing ad, particularly a web ad, inviting people to worship services: This is especially true in transient, military communities. It beats telepathy every time.

Write a column, guest editorial or letter to the editor: For a long time, the Rev. Kim Latterell of Creator Lutheran Church of Bonney Lake has written a column for his local weekly. I'm guessing more people recognize him by that than anything else. Rotate the task with other clergy or lay people.

There’ve been some wonderful media moments in our synod. For a few days after last year’s shooting of a Mount Rainier ranger, unshaking words from the Rev. Galen Gallimore of Spanaway Lutheran Church were heard by millions coast to coast. We’ll never know how many people received the message for the first time. On a smaller scale several years ago, the Rev. Chris Ode, then of Chinook Lutheran Church, was intent on generating interest in his church, and so sat alongside a highway for an entire summer fielding questions from curious passers-by. He got noticed. Brilliant.

Fight for coverage your congregation deserves and needs to carry out its mission. Contact me if I can help set you up with a plan. — Rachel, 206-498-0920 or rachelpritchett@msn.com