Unity in the midst of diversity theme of Bible study event

SILVERDALE - Unity in the midst of diversity was the theme of the Women of the ELCA Bible Study Event held Aug. 21 at Silverdale Lutheran Church.
Almost 200 women from the Southwestern Washington and Northwest Washington synods of the ELCA turned out to hear the Revs. D. Jensen and Linda Seyenkulo lay the groundwork for those who will take part in the Lutheran Women Today magazine Bible study for 2010 and 2011.
Pastor Jensen Seyenkulo called on the passage from Amos 3:3, which asks, “Can any two walk together except they be agreed?”
“Our responses is come and see,” he told the listening crowd.
“There are a lot of things we disagree on in the church, but we can still walk together,” he said.
Jensen Seyenkulo is director for rostered and authorized ministries in the ELCA’s churchwide Vocation and Education unit and is originally from Liberia. Wife Linda is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church of Park Forest, Ill. The couple met in seminary in Minnesota, and lived in Liberia before war forced them out of the country.
Jensen Seyenkulo also spoke of the ELCA’s Book of Faith initiative, to better acquaint followers with the written word of God. Some people new to the faith desire “milk” from the scripture, similar to a brand-new infant, he explained. Learning more, they eventually transition to the “solid food” of scripture, he said.
Linda Seyenkulo urged participants, in studying the Bible with others, not to keep exclusively to groups of like-minded people who agree on all aspects of the faith. She urged them to get to know others they may disagree with on some issues, to foster “cross-fertilization of thinking.”
“In the body of Christ, we believe there is room for differences,” she said.
To order the materials for the Lutheran Woman Today nine-month Bible study titled, “The People of God: Unity nthe Midst of Diversity,” call Augsburg Fortress at (800) 328-4648.

Attention pastors: Are you doing a green funeral?

Southwestern Washington Synod pastors,

The Lutheran magazine wants a piece on the greening of the funeral industry. I said I'd do it if I could find a green funeral taking place in our synod. If any of you have a funeral planned, or come across one in the next couple of months, and it has an aspect of green in it, please contact me. Family need not be involved. Green would be choosing not to embalm, basket caskets, ashes at sea in biodegradable container, burial in section of cemetery designated as green, etc. I have a bunch of research on this already. Thank you. Rachel Pritchett, communicator, rachelpritchett@msn.com.

Vocal quartet in concert this Sunday

Liberty Quartet of Nampa, Idaho, will sing in concert at First Lutheran Community Church of Port Orchard at the 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. services this coming Sunday, Aug. 22
The community is invited to the free event. The church is at 2483 Mitchell Road SE, a few blocks south of South Kitsap High School. - RP

Check in with the Rev. Allen Cudahy

The Rev. Allen Cudahy, formerly of First Lutheran Community Church of Port Orchard and now is in Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica, hopes to start worship services next month in a church he's started there. Find out how it's going by clicking on the headline. - RP

Tough guys on Harleys invade St. John's

CHELALIS – The deafening roar of Harleys arriving at St. John’s drowned out the final stanza of the pre-sermon hymn at St. John’s Lutheran Church on Aug. 1.

Worshipers’ eyes grew wide as seven tough guys in black leather and chains burst and sat down. The Rev. D. Randall Faro was nowhere to be seen as sermon time arrived, so the head dude of the gang, a scary-looking guy with long, straggly hair took over.

Church, he said, is where the rubber meets the road, where tough guys who might have led a life they’re not too proud of come for forgiveness and acceptance.

What’s your reaction when they arrive? he asked the startled congregation. Are you welcoming and see these tough guys as children of God, or do you judge?

He and his boys really need to be welcomed, he said, and invited to hear the Word."We need you," he told worshipers, "and it means a lot to us that you welcome us here."
It turned out that the head dude was Pastor Faro in disguise, and his boys were all familiar faces in the congregation – Douglas Lee, Larry Moir, Tony Miles, Bernie Schreck, Ron Kuxhausen and John Haworth.
And with that, the St. John’s congregation got a reminder to be welcoming they’ll not soon forget. - RP

Sometimes the words just come out wrong ...

These church-bulletin and announcement bloopers were forwarded by the Rev. Valinda Morse, who promises they're funny, and she's right.

“Silence is the language of God, all else is poor translation.” - Thomas Keating

The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.

The sermon this morning: "Jesus Walks on the Water." The sermon tonight: "Searching for Jesus."

Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.

Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say 'Hell' to someone who doesn't care much about you.

Don't let worry kill you off - let the church help.

Miss Charlene Mason sang, " I will not pass this way again," giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.

For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.

Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.

Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.

A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.

At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What is Hell?" Come early and listen to our choir practice.

Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.

Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.

Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.

The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.

Potluck supper Sunday at 5: p.m.; prayer and medication to follow.

The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.

This evening at 7 p.m. there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.

Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 a.m. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B. S. is done.

The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.

Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 p.m. Please use the back door.

The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the church basement Friday at 7 p.m. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.

Weight Watchers will meet at 7 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church.. Please use large double door at the side entrance.

The associate minister unveiled the church's new campaign slogan last Sunday: "I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours."

LWR launches new line of fair-trade coffee with Equal Exchange

BALTIMORE — Lutheran World Relief and Equal Exchange, a fair-trade supplier and worker-owned cooperative, are introducing a new line of fair-trade coffees. They are available to both individuals and congregations through the LWR Coffee Project and help support small-scale farmers.
Included in the line are Organic Sisters' Blend, Organic Gumutindo, Organic Breakfast Blend, and Organic Breakfast Blend Decar.
To find out more, visit www.lwr.org/coffee. — RP

New Chinook service amid coast's beauty

CHINOOK — Every Sunday at 7 p.m. this summer, members and friends from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Chinook head to the shore overlooking the confluence of the Columbia River and the ocean to worship.
It's part of the congregation's new "Sunday Summer Sunset Service at Seven," held in a member's back yard overlooking Baker Bay.
"We have much better sunsets that sunrises around here," said the Rev. Chris Ode, "and it made sense to take advantage of that."
Pastor Ode hopes the service will attract tourists and visitors and to help that along, congregation members have put notices in RV parks and grocery stores along the Long Beach peninsula.
The service even has music, provided by Matthew Downs.
"We were expecting to be a cappella, but then Matthew was dropped into our laps; truly the Lord will provide," Ode said.
Worshipers cam up with the idea for the unique summer services after one of their Easter sunrise services at nearby Fort Columbia State Park. To learn more about the smmer services or about Chinook, visit the congregaton's Facebook page at www.tr.im/chinooklutheran. — Rachel Pritchett

Back from Namibia

Hi friends,

This is Rachel Pritchett, synod communicator. Thanks, Allison, for this blog. I hope it's used frequently.

I am newly back from our synod's mission trip to Namibia that was led by Bishop Robert D. Hofstad, and am only just now completing five stories and a video about the trip. I am available to speak on what we saw and contributed on congregations' behalf starting this fall. I'm at rachelpritchett@msn.com.