Faith Lutheran Church
Bellingham, Washington
A "Reconciling in Christ" Congregation of the ELCA.
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Go in Peace, Remember the Poor, Serve the Living God!
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Volunteer for the Fall Fair!
If you are able to contribute your time, your creativity, and/or your skills, we would love your help! Check out the following categories and consider how you can be involved in the Faith Fall Fair...
- Sign up for Set-Up or clean-up.
- Donate or procure a Raffle Prize.
- Contribute homemade baked goods or preserves.
- Donate your quality handmade items to the sale.
- Pick up a flyer and post it in the community.
- Invite your friends.
- Come to the Faith Fall Fair on November 12!
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If you are a man of Faith and are interested in being a part of Men of Faith (Faith's new men's group), please join us on the first Thursday of every month (alternating hosts and locations)!
Thursday, Nov 3, 2011 6:00pm
@ Dick Clark's House
For more info, contact:
Leonard Hicks
Don Early
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PARSLEY, SAGE, ROSEMARY AND THYME... There are plenty of fresh culinary herbs in the Faith Community Garden. Please help yourselves - your turkey dressing will be especially delicious with the addition of a combination of the above. Extra parsley may be snipped from the flower bed just outside the front doors! |
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Upcoming Dates to Note:
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Mid-Week Study
First Light Series
Every Tuesday
12:30-1:30
Wednesday Supper & Prayer
Every Wednesday
6:00-7:00pm
Women's Evening Study:
Royal David's Line
Oct 27, Nov 3, 10, 17
4 Week Study
7:00-9:00pm
Interfaith Fundraiser for Severe Weather Shelter
Sat, Nov 5, 2011
7:00pm
All Saint's Sunday
Nov 6, 2011
Parish Council Meeting
Mon, Nov 14, 2011
6:30pm
Fall Fair Set-Up
Fri, Nov 11, 2011
All Day
See office for sign-ups.
Faith Fall Fair
Sat, Nov 12, 2011
10:00am-4:00pm
Maple Alley Inn Thanksgiving Meal
Thurs, Nov 17, 2011
11:00am-1:00pm
Food Drive Sunday
Sun, Nov 20, 2011
Bring food bank donations to church!
Response Ability Builders Informational Coffee Hour
Sun, Nov 20, 2011
Following service
Thanksgiving Eve Service
Wed, Nov 23, 2011
First Sunday of Advent
Sun, Nov 27, 2011
With special organ recital to follow the service.
High School Discussion Forum
Sun, Nov 27, 2011
11:30-1:00pm
Labyrinth Walk + Baby-Food Drive
Mon, Nov 28, 2011
4:00-8:00pm
Community Coffee Hour & Open House
Tues, Nov 29, 2011
11:00am-12:30pm
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Response Ability Builders
Haiti House to be featured at Faith!
During the month of November, Faith will be hosting the Haiti House (on the lawn outside the social hall)--a prototype structure created by Response Ability Builders, a local non-profit organization, dedicated to developing and implementing sustainable home-building practices in response to homelessness, both locally as well as in Haiti.
Retired ELCA pastor, urban engineer and director of Response Ability Builders, Eddie Fowler-Linder will be at Faith for the Faith Fall Fair (Nov. 12), as well as during the coffee-hour after Sunday's service on Nov. 20 to talk about the work of RAB, which includes WWU student engineers in the developing of technology that converts plastic trash into building materials.
So keep your eyes peeled for the Haiti House and Eddie Fowler-Linder! We look forward to learning more about Response Ability Builders and the ways we can support their work!
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Faith's New Staff Member!
Faith welcomes Debbie Brubaker as our new office administrator!
Debbie is taking over the helm in the church office, and that is no small task! She has been a Bellingham-ster for 18 years. She enjoys gardening, biking, and hiking, as well as spending time with her family--husband Jeff, daughter Paige, and Daisy, the family dog! Debbie loves the Bellingham community and is excited about the work Faith is doing within that! We are happy to have her as a part of the team at Faith!
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EMERGENCY SEVERE WEATHER SHELTER:
Faith continues to serve as the site for the men's shelter, and there will be training for volunteers in December. Please phone Laura DaRose at the Interfaith Coalition office: 734-3983 for more details.
Charee Tillotson will continue to serve as site manager for the shelter here, assisted by Rebekah Swanson.
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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.
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Food Drive Sunday:
November 20, 2011
Please bring items from list and donation checks to the church; checks can be made out to Faith Lutheran Church (Memo: Food Bank).
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Book Drive for Children @ Interfaith Clinic
On the third Sunday in Advent, Dec. 11, 2011, Faith will hold a book drive for the Interfaith Clinic! When young patients have doctor's appointments at Interfaith, they are given a book to take home with them after seeing the doctor. This helps take the sting out of the visit, and it can really bring a smile to the faces of the kids. Help us keep the clinic stocked with books!
Bring children's books (for up to age 10--new or gently used) to Faith Lutheran.
(Books should not be gift-wrapped.)
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Faith Reads
Want book recommendations on faith, life, and the church? Would you like to be reading material at the same time as others in order to begin threads of dialogue throughout our community? Faith Reads is not a book club with formal meeting/discussion times but simply serves as an opportunity to encounter material together that can inform our group consciousness, perhaps stimulate coffee-hour conversation, and serve an ongoing dialogue.
During November 2011, pick up a copy of Reading the Bible for all the Wrong Reasons, by Russell Pregeant, and let's read together!
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Music at Faith
Musically Speaking...
Have you noticed how beautiful the colors have been this fall? My head knows it's because of the right combination of moisture, temperature and sunlight. My heart just tells me to appreciate what I see, thanking God for the beauty.
The music we make together is like this too. My head knows that it takes the right combination of notes, rhythm, and words to make a great song. My heart tells me to listen, appreciate the beauty, and offer it to God.
Several regular choir members will be away during Christmas this year. Can you join us in making the season bright? If you've sung before in choir please join us during December for rehearsals, the late Christmas Eve service, and the Christmas Day service.
Peace and grace, Renee King
Adult Choir Wed, 7:15pm & Sun, 9:15am
Chime Choir Sun, 11:30am & Special services
Interested? Call Renee King at 733-3970 or 927-6331
Or email:
renee.king@faithbellingham.org
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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.
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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!
Upcoming Wednesdays: Nov 2, Dec 7!
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, Nov 27, 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!
Upcoming Events
Peace Gear Fundraiser @ Faith Fall Fair
Sat, Nov 12, 2011 10:00am-4:00pm
Contact Jessie Twigg-Harris for more info:
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Stewardship
Stewardship and the Kingdom of God: Part II
By Dick Clark
I spoke at the October 15 service about Jesus' alternative vision for this world, a world based on distributive justice. Simply, this is a world where those who live in abundance see a calling to help meet the needs of those who lack such abundance.
However, you might ask, after almost 2000 years since Jesus walked on this earth, why is this not our world? Jesus repeatedly used the metaphor "the kingdom of God is like ..." in his parables to describe his alternative vision for this world. I encourage you to spend quality time studying his parables. Jesus' parables are sometimes difficult to understand. The gospels even report the disciples having a problem understanding them. I think the failure to understand his parables, both then and now, is for the same reason. That is, we are not willing or we are afraid to see Jesus' alternative view of the world, which is nothing less than the Kingdom of God here on earth. In other words, we consciously, subconsciously (unconsciously?) try to see how much of Jesus' world view we are willing to accommodate without compromising our own world view. Do you find Jesus' parables provocative, radical, disturbing, or subversive? Do they make you feel uncomfortable? If the answer is no, then I strongly suggest reading them again, using whatever additional resources you can find (understanding the first century context helps tremendously), until your answer is yes. To be a disciple of Jesus means to have your world turned upside down. A church full of disciples could turn the whole world upside down!
The English writer G. K. Chesterton once said "the Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried". We all dedicate our time, talent, and treasure for something. Are you dedicating your time, talent and treasure for the benefit of all of God's creation?
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WHO ARE THE NON-PROFITS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD?
In an effort to let our members get to know more about the ministries and organizations who partner with us, we will have a monthly guest from one of the local non-profits who will talk about their work and how we can become more involved.
The Interfaith Community Health Center
On Sunday, October 16th, we were pleased to welcome Muriel Handschy, a Nurse Practitioner at the Interfaith Community Health Center.
Founded in 1982, the Interfaith Community Health Center has been providing services for almost 30 years. Originally a project of the Interfaith Coalition (of which former Faith Pastor Dick Christensen was a founding member, and Faith continues to be a member) and of the Opportunity Council.
The Center became an independent organization and received federal designation in 2007. The board that governs ICHC is community based and the majority of members must be patients at the facility.
Providing medical, dental and behavioral health services in Bellingham, medical and dental services in Ferndale, and medical services at Point Roberts, the ICHC also operates a mobile dental van serving children at schools, Head Start locations, and day care centers in rural areas. In addition, ICHC has programs like Healthcare for the Homeless and Ryan White (HIV/AIDS) services which address special needs.
With more and more people losing medical coverage due to unemployment and a reduction in employer and state-sponsored insurance programs, there is dramatic growth in demand for services, especially among the uninsured. From 2008 - 2010 there has been a 30% increase in patients. Despite this , ICHC continues to provide services to all people who walk through the door, regardless of ability to pay.
The CAST program from Faith is a guest of the ICHC - sandwiches and soup are served on the patio in front of the clinic Mondays - Thursdays. Many of clients of ICHC are our guests at Maple Alley Inn and the Emergency Severe Weather Shelter.
Volunteer opportunities abound at ICHC.....for more information call the office at Faith.
Next guest: Pastor Eddie Fowler-Lindner, Response Ability Builders, November 20 after worship.
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Faith Community Garden
Food & Community: Planting, Growing, Harvesting, Building
Volunteer Position Available
Faith Community Garden Committee 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!
To volunteer in the garden, to contact a committee-member, or for any other questions, contact:
communitygarden@faithbellingham.org
Find the garden on Facebook!
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Greening Your Congregation
Contributed by Karen Clark
In Genesis God tells us to Care for Creation!
On Sept. 24 at the Greening Your Congregation event held at St. John's Lutheran Church in Seattle, I attended a workshop entitled 'Reducing your Carbon Footprint' .
Did you know:
- That Americans contribute 18% of the world's CO2 to the atmosphere but we are only 6% of the world's population?
- One pound of charcoal burned in your BBQ is equal to an automobile being driven for 1 mile?
In October's newsletter, Renee King touched on a few ways that we as a congregation can do our part to conserve energy at Faith. Here are a few more:
- Train our young people as Junior Garbologists. Their job would be to help members and guests determine which bin/container to dispose of their waste at church events: recycle, compost or trash.
- Heat the church building in zones. That is, if only the office areas are being used why heat the entire building?
- Install motion sensor lights in offices, classrooms and meeting rooms. This would prevent accidentally leaving the light on.
The ideas above are some of the things that can be done here at Faith; as stewards of God's creation we are called to conserve in our daily lives as well. Some ideas for individual conservation are:
- Avoid using the car - walk, use public transport, carpool, consolidate errands, drive hybrid or electric.
- Insulate and weatherstrip doors and windows.
- Drink tap water in reusable containers. Those plastic bottles aren't good for you anyway!
- Buy local
These examples and ideas are just suggestions. Be creative and look for ways in your own life to help reduce your carbon footprint. You can check what your personal/families carbon footprint is by going to these websites: www.nature.org/greenliving/carboncalculator
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WINDOW UPDATE
From the Finance Committee
Thanks to the generous donations from the Parish family we have finished the stained glass window renovation.
Here is a recap of how the project was funded:
Window Renovation Donations $28,560.00
Property Fund 8,289.07
Carpet Fund 3,120.04
Memorial Fund 3,000.00
Total Cost of Project $42,969.11
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Thank you members of Faith.
We are very grateful for our church family and the support you showed us through cards, prayers and assistance with the reception for my father's funeral. Your kindness is very much appreciated.
Thank you,
Mike, Diane, Ryan & Adam Bates
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Receiving Communion at Faith
Contributed by Pastor Sharon Swanson
The Sacrament of Holy Communion (sometimes called the Lord's Supper, the Eucharist, or simply the Meal) is a central event in our worship on Sundays. All five senses are engaged in communion, and it's the most interactive part of the service. Local customs for receiving communion can be diverse and sometimes confusing for visitors, so here's how we do it in this parish.
All people are welcome at communion at Faith.
Communion here is "continuous" - that is, we come up row by row, from front to back. People in the pews on both sides can come up at once because there are two sets of chalices on either side of the presiding minister, who has the bread.
Communion doesn't need to be rushed. Take time for prayer as you come up. Let the person in front of you have space to commune before you step forward.
Receive the bread with hands extended and palms facing up. Luther called this "making a cradle for the Christ Child." After the bread has been placed in your open hands, grasp the piece with the fingers of one hand. If you are going to drink from the "common cup" eat the bread after the server has said, "The body of Christ, given for you."
To practice intinction, retain the bread in your hand and move to the second chalice.
Note: here at Faith we use both bread and wafers on occasion. Either is acceptable.
To use the common cup, stand in front of the server and he or she will extend the cup to you with the words, "The blood of Christ, shed for you." Place one hand underneath the cup and the other hand on its side. Drink a sip from the cup and pass it back to the server.
Intinction is from the Latin intergere, meaning "to dip."
When the wine from the intinction chalice (usually the second one) is offered to you, grasp the piece of bread tightly and dip just the edge of it into the wine. When the server says, "The blood of Christ shed for you," eat the wine-soaked bread.
After receiving the bread and wine, which are gifts from God, you may respond with "Amen."
Pastoral blessings are available for children or adults who are not communing.
Once you have communed you may return to your seat and continue to participate in the service by singing the communion hymns or praying until it's time to stand for the post-communion blessing.
The information within this article has been adapted from The Lutheran Handbook, published by Augsburg Fortress. |
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A Note From the Pastor
By Pastor Sharon Swanson
Reformation Sunday will have come and gone by the time you read this newsletter. Our worship as always reflected the ancient tradition of the church as well as new sounds and harmonies from parts of the world that weren't even on the recognizable horizon when Martin Luther penned his 95 theses.
We are baptized with water and the Spirit. Through our baptisms we are brought into the family of God. It is the beginning. Just as the Spirit moved upon the face of the waters at the moment of creation and is still active in the world, the moment of baptism starts us on our faith journey and the Holy Spirit accompanies us throughout our lives.
Ethan Behee and Allie Zuehlke affirmed their baptisms this past Sunday. Both of them have grown up in this congregation. They have gone through Sunday school and confirmation class with many different teachers. They have known where to find the hoard of jelly beans in Pastor Dick's office, squirmed through many sermons, helped out in worship as acolytes and readers, and taken part in their share of Christmas programs and youth services.. They know all of you and you know them.
At their baptisms and every time we gather for worship, Ethan , Allie, and all the faithful are surrounded by the great communion of saints from all times and places. Next Sunday is All Saint's Day - that time in the church when we remember the beloved ones from this community who have completed their baptisms in the past year and who now rest in God.
We will also celebrate a new beginning on All Saints with the baptism of Cooper Robert Aanestad. From age to age, as the generations rise and fall, the church continues to re-form while the center remains constant in the presence of our gracious and loving God.
Grace and peace be with you all,
Sharon
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