A series of upcoming training sessions and webinars to train youth leaders in the Southwestern Washington Synod have been announced.
Sponsored by the synod's Youth Committee and churchwide partners, the events are free.
The first in-person training event presented by Associates in Ministry Ingelaurie Lisher and Justin Snider is titled "The Landscape of Youth Ministry and Youth Ministry as Faith Formation."
It will be in two locations.
The first is from 9 a.m. to noon April 16 at St. Mark's Lutheran Church by The Narrows, 6730 N 17th St. in Tacoma. RSVP by April 8 with names and number attending to Lisher at ingelaurie@smlutheran.org.
The second will be from 9 a.m. to noon June 11 at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 1515 Harrison Avenue NW Olympia. RSVP to Lisher by June 3.
More information on in-person training events and webinars will be coming.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Synod giving to world hunger decreases
Baptized members of Southwestern Washington Synod congregations contributed $158,931 to the ELCA World Hunger Appeal in 2010, according to an ELCA tally.
That amount was down from the previous year, when the total was $196,754.
In total, congregations across the ELCA contributed $17.7 million to the World Hunger Appeal.
That amount was down from the previous year, when the total was $196,754.
In total, congregations across the ELCA contributed $17.7 million to the World Hunger Appeal.
Our Saviour's of Bremerton seeks contemporary worship leader
Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church of Bremerton seeks a worship leader finalize and implement a new contemporary service.
The ideal candidate will have a strong relationship with Jesus, consistent in nature with the beliefs of this congregation and lived out in a manner consistent with the teachings of this church, have an understanding and appreciation of the ELCA beliefs and heritage, have prior music and/or service leadership and interests, be familiar with contemporary Christian music and non-traditional worship, have the ability to engage the congregation and be able to lead members with various talents and capabilities and exhibit the ability to help individuals and the group grow musically, spiritually, and in their ability to lead worship cohesively.
Interested applicants can view the job description at www.oslcbremerton.org and should submit a resume and letter of interest to Our Saviours Lutheran Church, 1015 Veneta, Bremerton, WA 98337. Position open until filled.
The ideal candidate will have a strong relationship with Jesus, consistent in nature with the beliefs of this congregation and lived out in a manner consistent with the teachings of this church, have an understanding and appreciation of the ELCA beliefs and heritage, have prior music and/or service leadership and interests, be familiar with contemporary Christian music and non-traditional worship, have the ability to engage the congregation and be able to lead members with various talents and capabilities and exhibit the ability to help individuals and the group grow musically, spiritually, and in their ability to lead worship cohesively.
Interested applicants can view the job description at www.oslcbremerton.org and should submit a resume and letter of interest to Our Saviours Lutheran Church, 1015 Veneta, Bremerton, WA 98337. Position open until filled.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
South Sound's first federated congregation comes online
By Rachel Pritchett, synod communicatorOLYMPIA — Two bishops, one Lutheran and the other Episcopalian, were on hand March 15 to install the Rev. Andy Willis as pastor of St. Christopher's Community Church.
It took two of the because this unique congregation is "federated," half Lutheran and half Episcopalian.
"This is the first federated Lutheran/Episcopal congregation in the South Sound," said Robert D. Hofstad, bishop of the Southwestern Washington Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Just-ordained Willis will be the full-time pastor, something this congregation hasn't had for a long time. The agreement between the ELCA and the Episcopal Church in the United States of America stipulates that future pastors will alternate as Lutherans or Episcopalians. Before Willis, the Rev. Sandra Kreis, a Lutheran pastor, served here. Kreis now is retired.
"The fact that St. Christopher's was formally served by Pastor Kreis in many ways paved the way for this relationship as her service gifts and leadership were warmly welcomed and received in the congregation," said the Rev. Melanie Walschlaeger, the synod's director for evangelical mission who helped lead the journey toward federation.
St. Christopher's is the only church on this remote peninsula, and over the years has drawn worshippers from many faiths. Conversations that started in 2009 between Lutheran and Episcopal leaders began to focus on setting up an officially shared congregation with stronger combined resources.
"We began to believe that we could do more in that particular area of Olympia than either denomination could do alone," Walschlaeger said.
Some 50 members and friends were at the installation, along with more than a dozen pastors and priests. Joyful singing, a procession and Communion marked the service.
In his sermon, Episcopal Bishop of Olympia Greg Rickel told Pastor Willis he would have his hands full.
"It's not the load that you are carrying that will bring you down; it's how you carry it," he said.
Willis was presented with many gifts in his installation, including a Bible, stole, prayer book and keys.
The federated church counts as a new mission start for the Southwestern Washington Synod. Pastor Willis can be reached at pastorwillis3@gmail.com or (360) 628-6828. The church is at 7902 Steamboat Island Road NE, and the church phone is (360) 866-2111.
The congregation worships at 10:30 a.m. each Sunday and all are welcome.
InterFaith Advocacy Day: 'Reclaiming our house, our capitol'
By Rachel Pritchett, synod communicatorOLYMPIA — Two hundred and seventy-five people from many walks of faith converged on the Capitol Campus on March 17 demanding justice for the poor.
This year's InterFaith Advocacy Day came at the half-way point of a grueling 105-day session in which lawmakers will make vast cuts to the upcoming biennial budget as the state faces a $500 billion-plus shortfall.
Welcomed by the Lutheran Public Policy Office of Washington State and others, participants learned that even the most basic safety-net programs are threatened this time around. Those include Washington Basic Health, which provides health-insurance to the working poor, and a portion of Disability Lifeline, which provides small monthly payments to those who cannot work.
The Rev. Paul Benz, executive director of the Lutheran Public Policy Office, has been tirelessly working to minimize impact to the poor.
"We as people of faith do not support an all-cuts budget," he said.
Participants later took Benz's message to their lawmakers. A third of them had never lobbied before. Contact Benz at lppooffice@lcsnw.org or (206) 464-4133 to see how your congregation can help in the crucial weeks to follow.
The following voices were overheard at the event:
"We want to reclaim that this is our house, and this is our capitol."
— The Rev. Paul Benz, executive director, Lutheran Public Policy Office of Washington State
"It is not your obligation to complete the task, but neither can you desist from it."
— an ancient Jewish teaching recalled by Rabbi Seth Goldstein, Temple Beth Hatfiloh, Olympia, on advocating for the poor
"The budget is a moral document."
— Alice Woldt, executive director, Washington Association of Churches
"We consider our lobby work a spiritual exercise."
— Tom Ewell, lobbyist with Friends Committee on Washington Public Policy
"None of you has faith unless you want for your brother what you want for you."
— Shaykh Hamzah Maqbul Chaudhry, Thawr Institute, Seattle
"In some traditions, the spirit is called the advocate."
— Michael Ramos, executive director, Church Council of Greater Seattle
"In our brutish, nasty short existence, there are instances when we have compassion."
— the Rev. Guo Cheen, TCN Buddhist Center of Seattle
Friday, March 4, 2011
Lutheran Public Policy Office: Board opposes death penalty
By the Rev. Dr. Eugene Wiegman, board member
The legislature is
considering two companion bills (HB 1921 and SB 5456) that will eliminate the death penalty in Washington. The board of the Lutheran Public Policy of Washington has studied both sides of this argument through research and the ELCA’s commitment of justice. The death penalty is controversial with Christians and individual members of ELCA coming down on both sides of this social issue.
Let’s look at some of the key facts and highly regarded opinions. Most European countries do not have the death penalty. In our country, 35 states have the death penalty, 15 do not. Geography and race play pivotal roles. The South accounts for approximately 80 percent of all U.S. executions. In 96 percent of the states where there have been reviews of race and the death penalty, there was a pattern of either race-of-victim or race-of-defendant discrimination, or both. According to a survey of the former and present presidents of the country’s top academic criminological societies, 88 percent of these experts rejected the notion that the death penalty acts as a deterrent to murder (Radelet & Lacock, 2009). In fact, the Northeast, which accounts for only 1percent of all executions in the U.S., also boasts the lowest murder rate – 3.8 per 100,000 population. Correlation or coincidence?
Despite attempts to provide legal safeguards, the death penalty has not been equally carried out. In Washington, Gary Ridgeway, who confessed to murdering 49 young women, plea-bargained for life imprisonment in place of the death penalty. Since 1973, more than 130 people have been released from death row with evidence of their innocence.
Because of the ELCA commitment to justice for all, efforts should be directed to areas of racism, poverty, abuse and chemical dependency. In America, executions have done nothing to restore a fractured society. It is because of the church’s commitment to justice, we the LPPO’s board, oppose the death penalty.
The legislature is
considering two companion bills (HB 1921 and SB 5456) that will eliminate the death penalty in Washington. The board of the Lutheran Public Policy of Washington has studied both sides of this argument through research and the ELCA’s commitment of justice. The death penalty is controversial with Christians and individual members of ELCA coming down on both sides of this social issue.Let’s look at some of the key facts and highly regarded opinions. Most European countries do not have the death penalty. In our country, 35 states have the death penalty, 15 do not. Geography and race play pivotal roles. The South accounts for approximately 80 percent of all U.S. executions. In 96 percent of the states where there have been reviews of race and the death penalty, there was a pattern of either race-of-victim or race-of-defendant discrimination, or both. According to a survey of the former and present presidents of the country’s top academic criminological societies, 88 percent of these experts rejected the notion that the death penalty acts as a deterrent to murder (Radelet & Lacock, 2009). In fact, the Northeast, which accounts for only 1percent of all executions in the U.S., also boasts the lowest murder rate – 3.8 per 100,000 population. Correlation or coincidence?
Despite attempts to provide legal safeguards, the death penalty has not been equally carried out. In Washington, Gary Ridgeway, who confessed to murdering 49 young women, plea-bargained for life imprisonment in place of the death penalty. Since 1973, more than 130 people have been released from death row with evidence of their innocence.
Because of the ELCA commitment to justice for all, efforts should be directed to areas of racism, poverty, abuse and chemical dependency. In America, executions have done nothing to restore a fractured society. It is because of the church’s commitment to justice, we the LPPO’s board, oppose the death penalty.
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