Upcoming events

Chance to help women exiting prisons and their families

Once again this year, a fundraiser will be held to benefit Empowering Life, the group that helps formerly incarcerated women and their families success in the community. The fun evening is from 7 to 9 Feb. 9 at St. Mark's by The Narrows Lutheran Church of Tacoma, 6730 N 17th St. For a suggested donation of $15, participants hear intimate stories from some of the woman, share in fabulous desserts, take part in a silent auction and enjoy the music of the Peninsula High School Jazz Band. To register, contact Joan Nelson at joan2nelson@comcast.net or 253-208-3307. Checks for $15 can be mailed to her at P.B. Box 1803, Gig Harbor, WA 98335. Nelson is seeking auction items.

Advocacy Day approaches as FAN voices legislative priorities

OLYMPIA — Faith Action Network, co-directed by the Rev. Paul Benz, has laid out its priorities as the 2013 legislative session gets underway.
Those priorities include working for legislation to:
— prevent wage theft;
— provide adequate funding for food assistance, farm-to-school programs, the Housing Trust Fund and the expansion of Medicaid;
— create enough revenue to balance the budget;
— support gun-control legislation and repeal of the death penalty; and
— improve immigration laws.
All are encouraged to come join the Inter-Faith Advocacy Day, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 20 starting at the United Churches of Olympia, 110 11th Ave. SE, Olympia. The day begins with worship and workshops. Then groups take their messages to the offices of their legislators. Registaer at bit.ly/IFAD2013. For more information about the day, email FAN at fan@fanwa.org or 206-625-9790.
Benz suggests congregations pray fervently for their lawmakers and regularly call them to share views on the free legislative hotline at 800-562-6000. FAN is a merger of the former Lutheran Public Policy Office and the Washington Association of Churches. Benz can be reached at benz@fanwa.org or 206-390-4133. To stay current on FAN's work in Olympia, go to www.fanwa.org.

Lutheran Community Services Northwest fundraiser coming

Lutheran Community Services Northwest's annual fundraising event takes place March 10 at the Landmark Convention Center in Tacoma. With the theme "Growing in Strength," the event for the social-service provider will start with at 12:30 p.m. social hour, followed by a buffet lunch. The program begins at 1:30 p.m. and ends at 3 p.m. For more information or to register, contact Lee Tenneboe at ltenneboe@lcsnw.org or 253-722-5694.

Mark your calendars for boundaries training

Barbara Keller, ELCA consultant for misconduct prevention, will lead required boundaries training for clergy, lay leaders and youth directors Friday and Saturday, April 5 and 6, at locations yet to be announced.
Training for clergy will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 5, at a cost of $30. Training for lay leaders will be from 9 a.m. to noon April 6, followed by training for youth directors. The cost for the April 6 sessions has not yet been announced. Look here for further details. To register, contact the synod office at swwsynod@plu.edu or 253-535-8301. The training is sponsored by the Southwestern and Northwest synods.

Pastoral-theology conference focuses on Book of Matthew

"God is with us: Preaching, teaching and living the Gospel of Matthew," is the title of the 2013 Pacific Lutheran University Conference on Pastoral Theology.
The conference takes place June 17 to 19 at the Tacoma university, and will precede a period starting in December 2013 when congregations will engage in the Gospel of Matthew. Pastoral scholars John Pilch of Georgetown University and the  Rev. Dr. Melinda Quivik of Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia will share the cultural context that shaped the gospel. Workshops will focus on congregational planning in 2013 and 2014. More information and registration is at www.plu.edu/congregations, 253-535-7424 or crel@plu.edu.

Our congregations

Information gleaned from throughout the synod, for keeping up

Message is loud and clear: Resurrection Lutheran Church of Tacoma recently started a "Noisy Offering" that demonstrates the joy and giving loud and clear. Each Sunday, the children collects coins from worshipers in glass or metal jars, with much clanging and jangling. In the past two months, the young people have collected almost $300 (with matching gift, too) to help buy animals through the ELCA Good Gifts program. This has become a fun and meaningful project for our little ones. — Allison Ramsey

110th anniversary: St. Paul of Vancouver celebrated its 110th anniversary Dec. 15 and 16 in part with a luncheon at the Red Lion at the Quay. Some 100 people celebrated. The 100th anniversary task force included Geri Hiller, Lorraine Anderson, Veronna Sjothun, Marlene Janneck, Edie Cotton and Steve Friebel. St. Paul, by the way, has started a second, more informal worship service at 4 p.m. on Sundays, with the hope of appealing to new populations.

Winter lock-in: Vancouver Lutheran churches were planning a Winter Lock-in for youth Feb. 1 and 2 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Vancouver. Some 70 middle-school youth are going to take part, diving into God's word and having lots of fun.

Teen center fundraiser: March 11 is the date for the annual fundraiser to support the RockSolid Community Teen center at Bethel Lutheran Church of Brush Prairie. More information about the "Auction on the Rock" is at www.rocksolid-teen.com.

Resources

Opportunity to hear from Nigerian preacher

Dorthea Hustoft-Hamman, longtime volunteer missionary in Nigeria, Southwestern Washington native and friend of the synod, plans to visit here this coming summer with her pastor husband, Amson, and some of their three children. Amson will be available to preach to synod congregations about his four-point ministry in and around Jos, Nigeria, or meet with Bible-study and other groups. 
Congregations, particularly those in the the Vancouver area where Dorthea has family, with an interest in meeting and hearing from Amson are invited to contact Diane Armbrust, co-chair of the synod Global Missions Committee, at dparmbrust@hotmail.com. Dorthea, who teaches social studies in Jos, Amson, and children Annette and Daniel last visited the synod in August 2011.

Augsburg offers all-new 2014 music planner

Augsburg Fortress, the publishing arm of the ELCA now is offering the all-new 2014 Prelude Music Planner, a web-based subscription resource for church musicians. The resource is designed to help church musicians spend more time making music and less time planning for it. The resource allows musicians to browse hundreds of pieces based on lectionary days, keywords and skill level, and everything needed to create comprehensive plans is accessible from one place.
Augsburg is offering a free 14-day trial period and free webinars. Visit http://Preludemusicplanner.org.

April 16 is deadline for health-ministry grant applications

Wheat Ridge Ministries of Itasca, Ill., invites Lutheran congregations to submit proposals for its Congregation Health Ministry Grant program at www.wheatridge.org/chmgrants. The one-year, $2,000 matching grants are to support ways congregations are supporting whole-person health. Proposals including anti-violence themes are preferred. The application deadline is April 16, and funds are distributed in June. For more information, go to  grants@wheatridge.org or call 800-762-6748.

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. 9: Empowering Life celebration and fundraiser, St. Mark's, Tacoma
Feb. 20: Inter-Faith Advocacy Day, 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
Feb. 28 to March 5: Conference of Bishops
March 16: Synod Council meeting, 10 a.m. to 3. p.m., Redeemer of Fircrest
March 16: Southwestern Washington Women of the ELCA Olympic Cluster spring celebration, Silverdale Lutheran, carolfossum@comcast.net
March 31: Easter
April: Southwestern Washington Women of the ELCA Fort Vancouver Cluster, Highland Lutheran, La Center, date to be determined
April 4: Boundaries training for clergy
April 5: Boundary training for lay leaders, youth directors
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 17 to 19: PLU Conference on Pastoral Theology
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, 2014: Ninth Triennial Gathering of the Women of the ELCA, Charlotte, N.C.

Impressions from the convocation

 

 

Readers,

We've returned from the synod's annual prayer retreat and convocation, held Tuesday and Wednesday at the Seabeck Conference Center. This was Bishop Robert D. Hofstad's final time leading one, as he soon will retire. 

I'd call it intimate, among pastors, with Rob sharing what he'd learned during 40 years of ministry. The Rev. Valinda Morse gave a powerful, personal sermon. And in a prayerful moment, the pastors laid hands on the synod staff, which soon will disband as one that serves at the will of the bishop.

One extraordinary personal note from the convocation I'd like to share: I was having a conversation with Pastor Dennis Hartsook of Faith Lutheran and I was reminded that for years he'd served at St. Mark's Lutheran Church of Lacey.

As it turned out, I suddenly remembered, Hartsook was the one who visited me 30 years ago after I worshiped at St. Mark's a few times. I was young and alone in the world then, trying to claw my way into journalism and working for the Senate Republican Caucus in the meanwhile. I remember Hartsook's visit at that time was one of those mileposts that made a difference in my faith journey. Imagine how I felt realizing that Hartsook was the one who visited me way back then. I didn't make the connection until the convocation.  — Rachel Pritchett

Here are some images from the convocation, top to bottom.

Pastors lay hands on Rob's soon-to-dissolve staff.

The Rev. Sandra Kreis, retired, talks with the Rev. G. Lee Kluth, director of congregational relations at Pacific Lutheran University.

The main dining hall at the historic hillside retreat on Hood Canal

On choosing a bishop ‘from base up, not top down’

By Rachel Pritchett, communicator

Who will be the next top pastor to lead the Southwestern Washington
Synod?

That question is being asked with increasing frequency as the New Year unfolds, according to the Rev. Nina Body, who as chairwoman of the Synod Nominating Committee is in charge of the process that will 
result in a replacement for Robert D. Hofstad.

“There’s a lot of buzz,” said Body, pastor of Bethlehem 
Lutheran Church of Tacoma. “I think this synod is rich in 
leadership, and while looking outside our synod is an option
I don’t think we have to do that.”

The election process, which takes place at the Synod 
Assembly next June, starts with an “ecclesiastical ballot.” 
That’s when nominations come from the floor in the first 
round of voting. 
Later, the field is reduced to seven, then to three as successive voting rounds continue, with profiles and statements from the candidates emerging along the way. The Rev. John Rosenberg of The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd of Olympia and a churchwide representative will lead the election. 

There’s no way to predict whether just a few nominations or dozens of nominations will flow forth at the assembly, or who those nominations will be. 

“It could go anywhere from five to 50 or more,” Body said.

Until then, for the Nominating Committee, it’s a matter of reaching out to synod Lutherans to get their input on the qualities they want in their new bishop, and to show congregational leaders that the process of electing a bishop is similar to calling a pastor to a congregation.

In February, the Nominating Committee will hold four “listening posts” at different locations (See below) for assembly voting members and anyone else interested in joining in the process.

“We’re from the base up, not top down,” Body said.

Coming up in Moments for Mission and on the synod website will be articles on the results of those listening posts, as well as the results of a demographic synod profile preformed by the ELCA Office for Research and Evaluation. The profile will be valuable to the voting members, and also to the new bishop, as he or she designs a six-year term.
In April, a biographical-information form will be available on the synod website and in Moments for Mission for any ELCA ordained clergy to share their interest and willingness in being nominated. The form is not a nomination in itself.

Twelve years have gone by since Bishop David Wold turned the office over to Bishop Hofstad, who is retiring. The next five months will be exciting and a time for fervent prayer.

“The bishop is our local top pastor who is pastor to our pastors,” Body said.

Body invites any questions at pastornina@gmail.com or 253-474-0525.

Lend your voice at upcoming listening posts

Four opportunities to provide input into the selection of a new synod bishop and to learn more about the process take place from 1 to 3 p.m. on the following Saturdays at the locations listed:

Feb. 2: Gloria Dei Lutheran Church of Tacoma and St. Andrew Lutheran Church of Vancouver

Feb. 9: Gloria Dei Lutheran Church of Olympia

Feb. 23: Poulsbo First Lutheran Church

Registration now open for synod assembly

Registration for the Southwestern Washington Synod Assembly in which a new bishop will be elected opens Jan. 15.
 

“Always Being Made New” is the theme of the assembly, taking place June 7 and 8 at the Hotel Murano and Bicentennial Pavilion in Tacoma. In addition, participates will hear presentations, take part in workshops and Bible studies and have time for fellowship and celebration. The Rev. Donald McCoid, assistant to the ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson and the ELCA’s executive for ecumenical and interreligious relations, will be the churchwide representative. The Rev Dr. Terence Fretheim, Old Testament professor at Luther Seminary, will help lead. 

To register and to obtain more specific information on fees and room reservations, visit the synod website at www.lutheranssw.org. Select “The Synod Assembly” at left. Discounts are offered before May 16.