New Lutheran/Episcopal group has Methodist surroundings

To help spread the word about the synod’s eight mission starts, Moments for Mission and this blog are highlighting each of them. The synod’s two federated Lutheran/Episcopal worshiping groups, one new and one that’s been around a long time, are featured below. Contributions through 1,000 Mission Friends help support new mission starts. Contact the synod office. — RP

KINGSTON — “It feels like getting to know somebody after you’ve married them,” laughed the Rev. Ray Sheldon of Faith Community Church, one of only two federated Lutheran/Episcopal worshiping groups in the Southwestern Washington Synod.

Unlike St. Christopher’s Community Church of Olympia with its long multi-faith history, Faith has only eight months under its belt. Faith members are tentatively feeling their way along a new path, and getting to know their other half. 

“It’s not in a book anyplace,” said Sheldon, an Episcopal priest. 

The Episcopal half comes from the former Faith Episcopal Church of the Episcopal Church, which about 18 years ago broke off from St. Charles Anglican Church of Poulsbo. The Lutheran half comes from a long-held desire of the synod to have a presence on the remote north end of the Kitsap Peninsula.
 

Faith resulted after two years of planning by the “Dream Team," a group of area pastors, priests and lay leaders led by the Rev. Dr. Melanie Wallschlaeger and her Episcopal counterpart.

Finding a place to worship has been very difficult for the tiny congregation of two dozen. A theater was too dark and lacked parking. An old community hall was prone to floods. Leaders considered an old house, a former liquor store, and the community room of a future independent-living facility now under construction.

But for a couple of months, now, Faith has worshiped at 11 a.m. at Redeemer United Methodist Church of Kingston, at 9900 NE Shorty Campbell Road, Kingston. 

Lutherans in remote North Kitsap are invited visit and join. Synod Communicator Rachel Pritchett is a member and can be reached at 206-498-0920.  

Pictured: Father Ray Sheldon and Connie Aurand.

St. Christopher’s: Less ‘high church,’ more about community

OLYMPIA — A mountain of Christmas presents bound for the needy clog the narthex at St. Christopher’s Community Church of Steamboat Island one recent Sunday morning.

Children hoist the gifts out into the chilling rain for delivery as some 60 worshipers flow into the sanctuary. Jeff Sprengel plays a restored 1888 tracker pipe organ, once the biggest in Washington state and formerly at St. John’s Episcopal Church of Olympia.

Like Faith Community Church of Kingston, St. Christopher’s is a federated Lutheran/Episcopal worshiping community, but members come from other faith backgrounds, too. It’s the only church for miles.

“We have so many denominations,” said Sharon Parker. “Everybody’s welcome.” The Rev. Andy Willis, a Lutheran pastor, has led the worshiping group for nearly two years. 

“Worshiping holds us together,” he said, and the decisions of how to worship “are very small ones.” All agree that services now are less “high church” than in 1959, when it began as a mission of St. John’s. Around 1990, the Rev. Pete Van Zanten, an Episcopal priest, folded St. Christopher’s more fully into the community. Later, Lutheran pastor Sandra Kreis helped lead worship. 

Like Faith, St. Christopher’s is a mission start of both the Southwestern Washington Synod and the Olympia Diocese of the Episcopal Church. Deacon Patti Sells of St. Christopher’s had this advice for Faith members: “Change is difficult for people. You have to hang in there for a while. Trust the Lord.”

St. Christopher' is at 7902 Steamboat Island Road NW, and worships at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays. All are invited. — Rachel Pritchett

Pictured: A boy helps gather presents collected for the poor.

Calendar

Feb. 2: Synod Nominating Committee’s Listening Post for bishop election, Gloria Dei of Tacoma and St. Andrew of Vancouver

Feb. 9: Synod Nominating Committee’s Listening Post for bishop election, Gloria Dei of Olympia

Feb. 23: Synod Nominating Committee's Listening Post for bishop election, Poulsbo First

March 10: Lutheran Community Services NW annual fundraiser, Tacoma, www.lcsnw.org and ltennebee @lcsnw.org

March 16: Southwestern Washington Women of the ELCA Olympic Cluster spring celebration, Silverdale Lutheran, carolfossum@comcast.net

March 31: Easter

April 4: Boundary training for clergy, synod office

April 5: Boundary training for lay leaders, more information with synod office

April 19 to 21: Southwestern Washington Women of the ELCA spiritual retreat, “Fully Rely on God” with the Rev. Mary Sanders, Dumas Bay Centre, Federal Way, carolfossum@comcast.net

June 7 to 8: Assembly of the Southwestern Washington Synod, Hotel Murano Tacoma

June 21 to 23: Region 1 gathering including Southwestern Washington Women of the ELCA, featuring author Jane Kirkpatrick and Bishop Kay Ward, Heathman Lodge, Vancouver, Wash., carolfossum@comcast.net

July 24 to 27: Triennial Gathering of Women of the ELCA, Charlotte, N.C.

People around the synod

Synod's Newest YAGM has new address: Patrick Cudahy, the synod’s newest ELCA Young Adult in Global Mission currently serving in Malaysia, has a new mailing address. It is Patrick Cudahy, ELCA/YAGM c/o BCCM Central County Wisma BCCM, Lorong Passir off, Jalan Passir, Likkas 88400, Lota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. Cudahy is the son of the Rev. Sigi Helgeson of Family of God Lutheran Church of Bremerton.

New youth director: Kristin Fowell-Foulger is the new youth director at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Castle Rock. Originally from Arizona, she has served as a youth leader, worship-team member, in women's ministry and as a youth pastor. She and husband Frank have four children and stepchildren ranging in age from 11 to 22. They came to Castle Rock from Sequim.

IRS mileage rates increase for 2013

The Internal Revenue Service has announced the new 56.5 cents-per-mile reimbursement rate for 2013, effective immediately. That’s up form 55.5 cents for 2012. Most synod reimbursements, including pulpit supply, reflect that rate. The exceptions are travel related to moving or medical, and travel for charitable work, which is 14 cents.

Ellingson receives fellowship

The Rev. Dr. Dave Ellingson has been named a 2013 fellow of GreenFaith’s National Fellowship Program, which trains religious leaders for environmental leadership, advocacy and justice. Ellingson is a professor of children, youth and family studies at Trinity Lutheran College of Everett. The program is the only one of its kind in the nation, and Ellingson joins 20 other leaders from a variety of faiths who will work in a wide variety of academic, religious and charity organizations.

Leaders eye new direction as after-school program turns 20

OLYMPIA —  The After-School Tutoring Program at The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd has changed many of the lives of the middle-school students it serves, as well as the volunteers who run it.
So when the program turned 20, dozens from the large, suburban church turned out on Dec. 2 to celebrate, including Devin Hustoft, who received tutoring when he was a sixth, seventh and eighth grader. Today, when he isn’t acing advanced-placement classes in high school, he’s helping the younger students who gather twice a week at Good Shepherd to do their homework.

 “I’m trying to give back by becoming a tutor myself,” Hustoft said. 

Director Jennifer Meyer said she found unexpected fulfillment on the job. “This program has been such a blessing in my life,” she said.

Longtime ASTP volunteer Dotty Fehring said, “Being with you people keeps me young. It is encouraging to be able to channel their energy in positive directions, and see them gain confidence in the ability to succeed in school and life.”
The initiative was begun two decades ago by Bishop Robert D. Hofstad, then a pastor at Good Shepherd, and others after asking the community about needs of young people that weren’t being met. ASTP quickly grew, with congregation members, parents and teachers volunteering not just with tutoring, but also as van drivers, activity helpers and snack-preparers.

The program currently serves about 18 young people.

Meyer and Bishop Hofstad hinted ASTP may be close to having run its course. Meyer said leaders are looking at switching the focus to high-schoolers. Hofstad challenged the group to again look to the community, just as it did 20 years ago, “and ask what else is needed.”  

Pictured: ASTP Director Jennifer Meyer and volunteer Devin Hustoft