Faith Lutheran Church October 2011 Newsletter

for a special coffee hour in honor of Sidney Evans, who is retiring from her position as office administrator here at Faith after over 10 years of service to this congregation. We will all miss Sidney, but our loss will be her family's gain. Sidney and Steve Evans are about to become grandparents again - daughter Alyssa expects twin baby boys early in November. Grandma is going to be busy helping with the babies and also keeping 2 year old big brother Marcus amused!

New Staff Face!

Alana DiMarco is Faith's new staff childcare attendant!

While not entertaining and caring for the children, she may be found helping in the kitchen, organizing the nursery, or spending time with the families at Faith. If you see her around, introduce yourself!

Fundraiser for Severe Weather Shelter

Barbershop and Dixieland music featured in fundraiser for Interfaith Coalition!

Vocal harmony will be spotlighted at a fundraising event to benefit Interfaith Coalition's severe weather shelters on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 7:00 P.M.

"Cabaret of the Arts" at Lynden United Methodist Church, 500 North 14th St. in Lynden, features the sounds of Bellingham Blend, a men's barbershop gospel chorus; Causin' Treble, a women's barbershop quartet; Harmony NW Chorus of Mount Vernon; and Valley Acappella Chorus, a women's barbershop chorus, which is sponsoring the event. Also featured will be The Clearbrook Dixie Band.

Tickets cost $10 and are available at the door or by calling Jody at 360-961-3189 or Barb at 360-966-2300.

Among favorite tunes you'll enjoy are "Basin Street," "Java Jive," "Operator," "Mood Indigo," "Sentimental Journey," and a finale sung in eight-part harmony by the men and women choruses. Plan to arrive early and, if you wish, you can dress in costume for the cabaret and participate in a silent auction before the performance.

Food Drive Sunday:

October 16, 2011

Please bring items from list and donation checks to the church; checks can be made out to Faith Lutheran Church (Memo: Food Bank).

Wednesday Evening Supper & Prayer

6:00-7:00pm

Every Wednesday, we gather for supper and prayer--all are welcome. Suggested donation for supper is $4 per person or $10 per family.

As an extension of Jesus' table, we consider it important to gather together regularly for a community meal. Wednesdays are casual and family-oriented. The supper is usually a simple, nourishing spread (with vegetarian options), and we gather for Holden Evening Prayer directly following supper.

Here's what some have to say about Wednesdays:

"There are many reasons I come to Wednesday evening service but probably the biggest reason is for the fellowship. I get more opportunity to interact with and get to know other members of Faith over a communal meal. Having a common meal and evening prayer together in the middle of an ordinary week makes me feel connected like a large family, which is especially meaningful because we don't have any relatives close by." --Cindy Early

"I attend Wednesday evening supper and service because I come already for choir practice, and the food is tasty and affordable. But there's more! Our children love playing with their friends at church, and it helps them feel more a part of it... that this is someplace special to them. Our family lives way out in Lynden, so this lets us have someplace in Bellingham to call home. Also, I don't get to socialize much (since having kids and living in the county), so this is a chance for me to talk with adults (even if just a little)--it helps me also feel more a part of FLC. To top it all off, I love Holden Evening Prayer. It's a simple and beautiful setting to meditate through." --Brian MacNevin

Music at Faith

Adult Choir Wed, 7:15pm & Sun, 9:30am

Chime Choir Sun, 11:30am & Special services

Faith's Adult Choir has a wonderful blend of singers incorporating all kinds of voices--singing to God, for God, and about God.

Faith's Chime Choir is a mixed-age group who play instrumental music with hand chimes--musical experience is not required!

Join us!!

Because people have varying schedules, there are new options this year: join for a season, through Christmas, or longer. Some seasonal break downs for participation could be:

Early Fall:

August 31, through October 30, (Reformation).

Late Fall:

November 6, (All Saints), through December 18, (Advent 4), including Thanksgiving Eve.

Christmas & Epiphany:

(Rehearsals from Dec. 7), December 24 through February 27.

Interested? Call Renee King at 733-3970 or 927-6331

Or email:

renee.king@faithbellingham.org

Education @ Faith

All Ages

Godly Play (Pre-K through Grade 3) Sun, 8:45am

Godly Play is a Montessori-based children's curriculum that invites the young children into the sacred stories and the act of "wondering." Each session also includes a time for a creative response from the children as well as time for the feast (snack)! Godly Play sessions include a storyteller and a doorperson--roles filled weekly by a team of GP volunteers.

Life and Stories (Grade 3 - 5) Sun, 8:45am

For the older elementary-aged children, this class incorporates some of the elements of Godly Play yet with a slightly more practical tone. It engages the children, based one who and where they are, still incorporating sacred story, creativity, and the feast! Life and Stories is taught by Jared Ogle.

Confirmation Class (Grade 6 & 7) Sun, 8:45am

Confirmation class delves into the basics of the faith and the Lutheran tradition. Students who have completed confirmation class are confirmed into full membership in the church on Reformation Sunday in the Fall. Confirmation is taught by Don and Cindy Early.

High School Convo (Grades 8-12) Fourth Sun, 11:30-1:00pm

High school students are invited to a monthly (fourth Sunday of each month--after church) study and discussion on what it means to be young people of faith and justice, what it means to be advocates, and how we recognize and respond to need around us. Study is led by Jessie Twigg-Harris.

Adult Study Sun, 8:45am

The adult study group will going through the "First Light" DVD and discussion series by Marcus Borg & John Dominic Crossan. Study is led by Pam Behee.

Mid-Week Bible Study Tues, 12:30-1:30pm

The mid-week study group will also be going through the "First Light" series by Marcus Borg & John Dominic Crossan. Study is led by Renee King.

Faith Reads! Fall, 2011

We would like to introduce a new version of a book club at Faith! Faith Reads is an opportunity for us to coordinate our personal reading schedules and collectively read one title per season. This program will not have formal meeting/discussion times but will rather serve as an opportunity to inform our group consciousness, to stimulate coffee-hour conversation, and to open a common dialogue. For FALL 2011, the Faith Reads title will be: Jesus Freak, by Sara Miles. Pick up your own copy, or inquire about a loaner copy in the office!

Special Thanks...

Faith would like to thank Dick and Karen Clark for their donation of three new DVD players for use in the classrooms throughout the building. We are grateful for tools such as these to help with Faith's educational program!

Middle & High School Youth

Fall Program

High School Youth Nights:

Every Wednesday 7:15-8:45pm

We gather for games, activities, food, and laughs! Join us early at 6:00pm for dinner and Holden Evening Prayer with everyone else!

Second Wednesdays, serve CAST (6-7:30pm), followed youth night!!

Middle School Youth Nights:

First Wednesday of the Month 7:15-8:45pm

The high school youth welcome middle schoolers on the first Mondays!

Confirmation Class:

Sundays, 8:45am

Taught by Cindy & Don Early--meets in Room 2, Church Annex.

Monthly High School Discussion Forum:

Fourth Sunday Monthly 11:30-1:00pm

Join us this month on Sun, Oct 23, 2011, for lively conversation about how we as young people of faith and justice can develop relationships and foster advocacy. Come and share your thoughts--join in the conversation!

Contact Jessie Twigg-Harris for more info:

jessie.twigg-harris@faithbellingham.org
or get more information on our Facebook Page!

Recent Events at Faith

Celebration Sunday at Faith, Sept 11, 2011, was the official fall kick-off to our program year. The regular service included a litany of remembrance for the events of Sept 11, 2001, and at the end of the service we processed out of the sanctuary into the bright air for The Blessing of the Wheels. Following the service, folks road bikes and others drove to Cornwall Park for the annual Church Picnic/Potluck! A delicious feast was shared on a sunny day, some healthy relay-race competition was enjoyed by all, and it was all topped off with root beer floats! Thank you to all who contributed and participated in all the events of Celebration Sunday! Enjoy below a few shots of the day!

Blessing of the Wheels...

Blessing of Bikes Image 1

Picnic/Potluck @ Cornwall Park...

Faith Community Garden

Food & Community: Planting, Growing, Harvesting, Building

garden image A

Garden Block Party!!

We'd like to invite neighbors, community members, gardeners, volunteers, and anyone who's interested to join us for our end-of-season BLOCK PARTY and fundraiser!!

Sun, Oct 2, 2011

4:00-6:00pm

ALL ARE WELCOME!

Special Thanks!

Faith Community Garden would like to especially thank David Campbell, Joe King, and other volunteers who spend a series of Monday nights moving dirt and draingage rock into the garden! The mountains have been moved! Thank you for your hard work, time, and dedication to tasks such as these!

Faith Community Garden would also like to thank Glen at Hohl's Feed and Seed for the recent donation of rye seed for use as a winter cover crop in the garden, and Inocencio Valderrama of Hosanna Tree Service for the donation of a large truck-load full of wood chips! All donations to the garden help make the project such an important act of community, and we are very grateful.

Volunteer Opportunities

Faith Community Garden is still seeking an individual or pair to act as Community Garden Coordinator--a volunteer position, working along with Faith staffer, to take this project from its first year into a successful second! Position will require periodic meetings during the winter, and increasing involvement next spring and summer. Please contact us if you or someone you know is interested!

Winterizing Your Garden!

Tips from your local Master Gardeners, Geri Walker and Marilyn Johnson, who have worked throughout this season in our garden...

1. Harvest all ripe, tender vegetable (tomatoes, cucumbers, summer squash, peppers, etc.) before they are damaged by the frost. Root crops, such as carrots, turnips and beets, can be left in the ground will keep as long as you mulch around them to protect them from the frost, so you can continue to harvest them. Other cool weather crops (kale, broccoli, leeks, chard, Brussels sprouts, garlic, etc.) can withstand mild frosts.

2. Cut plants down to the soil level and toss them into the compost (as long as they aren't suffering from any disease or bugs). Leaving the roots in the ground will help add organic matter to the soil.

3. There are ways to improve the soil over the winter. The raised beds have compacted over the summer and can be topped off with a bit of the extra garden soil along with chicken or steer manure to add nutrients (chicken manure would probably be best for this garden).

4. Once you no longer have plants growing in the bed, the soil should be covered using mulch (leaves or compost). This will keep the nutrients in the garden and the weeds out. You can also plant a cover crop to protect the soil. The local garden stores sell mixes that contain rye, crimson clover, and legumes. Cover crops keep the soil in place and add organic matter and nutrients to the soil when they are turned over in the early spring.

5. If you decide to keep your garden producing as long as possible, you can plant winter crops such as leeks and garlic. These will grow throughout the fall and winter (unless we have a prolonged freeze) and be ready to harvest in the spring.

To volunteer in the garden, to contact a committee-member, or for any other questions, contact:

communitygarden@faithbellingham.org

Find the garden on Facebook!

Greening Your Congregation

"Earth News" from the 2011 Creation Care Stewardship Event

Contributed by Renee King

On Saturday, September 24, Karen Clark, Bob Reisenberg and I traveled to St. John's Lutheran in Seattle for a symposium on conservation for churches and individuals. We attended a great keynote address and several workshops designed to lead congregations into better conservation.

Dr. Paul Johnson, UW Professor of Marine Geology, spoke on the science behind climate change (I'd be happy to share more of that with you in conversation!). Bishop Chris Boerger also attended and spoke to us about his participation in a group that goes to Washington, D.C. each year to speak with legislators about stewardship and climate change. Check out www.earthministry.org for more information and resources.

We attended as intentional stewards of God's world--and as learners in the process. As stewards, we both care for creation and want to take our place within creation. We truly want creation to be more healthy in 15 years, not more degraded. And we believe we must lead so that others will follow!

Here are some ideas for conservation here at Faith!

Improve our recycling practices by having several large, marked containers in the building for all groups to sort their waste.
Purchase only post-consumer recycled paper products, then recycle or compost them again (we've already begun!).
Take bulletins home as weekly reference material.
Use china cups during coffee hour, and individuals could even wash their own after use (just a thought)!
Purchase only fair trade coffee.
Use homemade cloth napkins during community meals, as our group did during the symposium (the quilters had made them).

Karen, Bob, and I will be sharing more ideas in following newsletters. But for now, as you go about your day, try to think of ways you could begin a conservation program of your own. Simple changes can really make a difference!

Peace! Renee King

A Note From the Pastor

By Pastor Sharon Swanson

The harvest is coming in and the weather has turned.....nights are cooler now and the temperatures are dropping. This weekend we celebrate the life of a Saint who cared for all of God's creation: Francis of Assisi.

Francis was the son of a wealthy cloth merchant. In a public confrontation with his father he renounced his wealth and future inheritance and devoted himself to serving the poorest of the poor. Under his leadership the Franciscan Order was formed - the monks took Jesus' words to his disciples literally when he told them to take nothing for their journey and receive no payment for their work.

Francis had a spirit of gladness and gratitude for all of creation, and it is in his honor that we bless the pets, thanking God for our animal companions. According to Francis we should preach the Gospel at all times - if necessary use words.

As we thank God for the lives of the saints who have gone before us, I thank God for each one of you - the saints at Faith Lutheran Church.

God's peace,

Sharon

Stewardship Workshop

Making a Difference: Sharing your time, talents and treasures

Did you hear? The Seahawks have a Bye Week and I know you all are wondering what to do with your Sunday Afternoon. Why not join us after church on October 16th for a free educational workshop, "Making a Difference: Sharing your time, talents and treasures." Tailgate themed refreshments and childcare will be provided.

Join us for a free workshop!

Chances are, you already share your time, talents and treasures. So how can you make your giving even more meaningful? Making a Difference is an interactive workshop that can help you learn how to make more intentional giving choices that align with your values. During the workshop you'll:

· Identify the values that are most important to you.

· Explore ways to share your resources to make a difference.

· Create a personal giving plan.

The workshop will be presented by Thrivent Financial representative Don Early.

When: Sunday, October 16th, from Noon to 1:00 p.m.

Where: Gathering Room, Faith Lutheran Church

don.early@thrivent.com for more information.

The Making a Difference workshop is intended only to educate you about financial decisions. It is broad in scope and does not consider your individual personal financial situation, which is unique. The information and advice may not be appropriate in all cases. No products will be offered for sale.

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and its respective associates and employees cannot provide legal, accounting, or tax advice or services. Work with your Thrivent Financial representative, and as appropriate, your attorney and/or tax professional for additional information.

For additional important disclosure information, please visit Thrivent.com/disclosures.

A Note from your local Thrivent Financial Representative...

By Don Early

Use your values to guide financial decisions

Your values serve as an important foundation for how you manage your money. They're the things that are most important to you-for example, your faith, family, friends, health, education or giving back. These values give you a rock-solid sense of who you are and what you believe in.

Your values come from experiences in life. They also drive your decisions and actions. For example, if you value your health, you may exercise daily. If you value learning, you may continue your education by attending classes.

Developing a clear and compelling list of your values makes it easier to choose how you want to use your time, talents and treasures.

When it comes to your money, you have three choices:

1. Share

2. Save

3. Spend

As a steward of your resources, having a guideline for how you use your money can be helpful.

What's more, your values can be a clear, consistent guide to who you are and what you want to become. Investing time and energy to define your values and then aligning them with your actions is a powerful way to help you achieve your financial goals and live the life of your dreams.

For more information on how your values can help you achieve your financial goals, contact Don Early, Financial Associate, FIC at (360) 752-3386 or don.early@thrivent.com today, or visit Thrivent.com.