Faith Lutheran Church
Bellingham, Washington
A "Reconciling in Christ" Congregation of the ELCA.
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Wishing you peace throughout this season of Advent, as we live into the wonder of the incarnation!
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for Interfaith Community Health Center
On the third Sunday in Advent, Dec 11, 2011, Faith will be holding a Children's Book Drive for the Interfaith Community Health Center. The drive will help supply the clinic with books to give to children on the day of their doctor's visit. Bring unwrapped books--new or like-new--to church for the drive!
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Severe Weather Shelter
Volunteer Training
On the coldest nights in Bellingham, the Interfaith Coalition organizes emergency shelter for those who have no shelter from the cold. Faith Lutheran Church is the site for the men's emergency weather shelter; Garden Street Methodist is the site for women and children.
If you are able to be a volunteer for emergency shelters, please contact Laura DeRose at Interfaith Coalition, (360) 734-3983, and plan to attend:
Emergency Shelter Volunteer Training
Thurs, Dec 8, 7:00-8:30pm
@ Faith Lutheran Church
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Change in Christmas Eve Service Times
Please take note of this year's service times for Christmas Eve, as the late service time has changed from previous years (previously 11:00 pm, changed this year, one hour earlier, to 10:00pm)!!
Christmas Eve Services:
Sat, Dec 24, 2011
5:30 pm
Family Service of Story, Carols, & Holy Communion
10:00 pm
Candlelight Service of Holy Communion
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Men of Faith
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)!
Thurs, Dec 1, 2011 6:00pm
Thurs, Jan 5, 2011 6:00pm
For more info, contact:
Leonard Hicks
Don Early
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Upcoming Dates to Note:
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Wednesday Supper & Prayer
Every Wednesday
6:00-7:00pm
Men of Faith
Thurs, Dec 1, 2011
6:00pm
Saint Nicholas Sunday
Sun, Dec 4
Interfaith Coalition--Severe Weather Shelter Training
Thurs, Dec 8, 7-8:30pm
Saint Lucia Sunday
Sun, Dec 11
Children's Book Drive for Interfaith Clinic
Sun, Dec 11
At Sunday Service.
Parish Council Meeting
Mon, Dec 12, 6:30pm
Faith Women's Breakfast
Wed, Dec 14, 8:30am
Faith Children's Sunday (Bring your Creche to church also!)
Sun, Dec 18
Food Drive Sunday
Sun, Dec 18
Youth Christmas Party
Mon, Dec 19, 7-9:00pm
Maple Alley Inn Holiday Meal
Thurs, Dec 22
11:30am-1:30pm
Christmas Eve Services
Sat, Dec 24
5:30 pm
10:00pm
Christmas Day Service
Sun, Dec 25, 10:00am
Men of Faith
Thurs, Jan 5, 2011
6:00pm
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Food Drive Sunday:
December 18, 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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Faith's New Staff Member!
Faith welcomes Joni Sutten as our new staff bookkeeper!
Joni works in the office on Fridays. We welcome her expertise and her presence on the staff team!
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HELP WANTED!
Apart from all the regular volunteer/service opportunities such as helping with worship and serving on committees, we sometimes have a need for people to take on special programs or projects. Here is one such occasion...
Wednesday Lunch Host/Hostess
JOB DESCRIPTION:
Set table in Gathering Room for a group of 12 people - plates, napkins and cutlery are in parish kitchen. Things can be as fancy or simple as desired (re: touches like flowers, candles etc.). Church is from 12.15 - 12.40pm (approximately). As the service of Holy Communion is coming to a close, pick up food from Maple Alley Inn coordinator Anne Paulson. Set food out on table and help guests to be seated, pray the table blessing, and serve themselves.
After the meal, clear table, wipe down surfaces and return dishes and leftover food to kitchen.
ATTRIBUTES:
Someone who is flexible, organized, and of a cheerful disposition. This can also be taken on as a "team effort" with two or more people involved.
HOURS:
Wednesdays - approximately from 11.45am through 1.30pm, year round with some exceptions during holiday seasons.
REWARDS:
Grateful thanks and praise.
Interested? Please call the church office at (360) 733-3970!
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Faith Fall Fair News!
We would like to thank all members, volunteers, community members, and generous donors for your hard work in making the annual Faith Fall Fair another successful event! The day was filled with festivity as people bought tickets to stuff in the boxes of 52 fabulous raffle prizes as well as took time to sit and enjoy the Chapel Tea Room. The social hall was filled with local vendors, local non-profit informational booths, and many tables full of handmade items and homemade baked goods!
Due to all the incredible efforts, we raised over $2,500! This money has been designated for purchasing new furniture for the narthex, the chapel, and the worship space.
We are immensely grateful for all who helped make this event such a community success.
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Come To the Table
Announcement About Sunday Hospitality
Faith is an active, growing assembly that worships, serves others, eats and plays together. There are many ways that we gather, and within the Faith family, many committees, groups, and teams form. These include: Stewardship Committee Finance Committee Worship Committee Property Committee Youth (Middle & High School) Women's Breakfast Group Men of Faith Quilters Adult Choir Chime Choir Godly Play Children & Families Faith Staff In order to provide a continuous flow of volunteers for Sunday Hospitality time, and to creatively share the responsibility, I'm asking each group to provide snacks, set up, and clean up once every quarter, or 4 times per year. These won't be fund-raising events. We share fruit, cookies, cheese, crackers vegetables, coffee and tea the way we share the Lord's Supper. It's available for all, with no conditions. It's grace. As each of these groups meets at least once a month, figuring out who will bring what can be a simple task. Just make sure you sign up quickly. I will post a list of snack suggestions and sign-up calendar on the Parish Activity bulletin board near the office. This is a great opportunity for others to know what groups are available and encourage new members to join them! Peace and grace, Renee King |
Our Newly-Installed Parish Nurse!
Faith welcomes Jodi Greene as our newly-installed Parish Nurse! Jodi is eagerly working on jump-starting Faith's Healthy Ministry Team--read below!
A Message from the Health Ministry Team
By Jodi Greene
Is there really a connection between health care and spiritual care? The bible says a lot about the importance of the inter-relationship of body and soul. Almost one-fifth of the material in the Gospels is devoted to stories of Christ's healing and the discussions that resulted from them.
Remember, Jesus sent His disciples out not only to preach the Word of God, but also to heal the sick (Luke 9:2). And Jesus promised that we would do even greater works than He did (John 14:12). The Book of Acts tells how the early church attempted to carry out this commission to care for whole persons--not souls or bodies alone.
As recently as 100 years ago, Christian churches were leaders in the health field, building the finest hospitals the world and educating thousands of religiously-motivated nurses. But during this past century, communication between health care specialists and spiritual care specialists has been practically non-existent.
Having become aware of these limitations, scientific medicine today is looking for assistance in preventative medicine, in health education, and in helping motivate people to care for their own health. And it is faith that motivates people to examine themselves and to ask serious questions, such as, What is it that I need to change about myself or my life to feel happiness or wholeness?
At this moment, the church is sorely needed to help motivate people to put body, mind, and spirit together, and to convince them that the integration of all three can lead to true health and wholeness.
Faith Lutheran Church is starting an exciting new health ministry focusing on health education/awareness, healing through support, and living a happy, healthy lifestyle. Check out our new health ministry bulletin board in the hallway for health tips and upcoming events. Blood pressure screenings will be on the 2nd Sunday of every month following worship service (and before coffee hour). Please contact Jodi Greene if you would like to be involved in this exciting new movement at Faith. You do not need to be a health care professional to volunteer!
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New Faith Members!
On the first Sunday of Advent, Nov 27, 2011, Faith welcomed several new members into the parish family at Faith Lutheran! We are excited to welcome each one. Take a few minutes to read about these new members below, and introduce yourself next time you see them!
Liz Herseth (with granddaughter, Allegra)
A life-long Lutheran and Northwest native. I grew up in the rural community (at least it was rural in the 50's and 60's) of Woodinville, WA. Bellingham got under my skin when I started college here in 1969 and I am very happy to be returning.
Life after college was full with raising two children and attending medical school at the University of Washington. I did my family medicine residency at the University of Washington, followed by a very rewarding full spectrum family practice in Monroe, WA during the 80's and 90's.
I retired 5 years ago from the practice of medicine, but stay close to the pulse of the medical community through my daughter, Anneliese Floyd, who is a family doctor in town, but more importantly, also a member of Faith. I am rarely blessed by being able to play a supportive role in her family, spending wonderful quality time with granddaughters Cora and Mieka. My son Saul lives in Missoula with his wife and 2 year old daughter, Allegra AND a second baby due in June.
My wonderful husband of 9 years is Phil Kuyper. In a stroke of serendipity, both of our daughers live in Bellingham. We are in the process of relocating from Seattle. His son in on Vashon Island and also has 2 daughters, so if you have been keeping track, we have 5 granddaughters, keeping fingers crossed for a grandson in Missoula!
I enjoy hiking, gardening, reading, music, travel, staying in touch with friends, making new friends and most of all, being a grandma. I look forward to getting to know more of you better and being an active member at Faith.
Ron & Anne Kucera
(No picture at this time.)
Anne
I was born and raised in the Midwest as a Roman Catholic, attending Catholic schools through high school. After graduating from college and working in a variety of jobs, a former employer asked me to move to Seattle to help start a business. I looked on a map to make sure where Seattle was located and saw that it was near mountains and ocean. That looked exciting! Upon arrival, with my first glimpse of green hills, snow-capped mountains and deep salt water, I became a "native" of the Pacific Northwest. After completing a year of WA residency, I entered graduate school at UW and got a degree in special education and learning disabilities. That led to twenty years of working in the field of special education. I loved every minute.
While at UW, two women who worked with Campus Crusade for Christ befriended me. We spent many lunch hours discussing the Good News of Jesus...all news to me. I began attending a nondenominational Bible-teaching church. What a revelation! Throughout the ensuing years I attended other excellent churches. From each one I received wonderful teaching. While attending a Messianic Foursquare church I met Ron, my husband. We moved to Bellingham in 1996 and hoped to find a new church home. Last spring we moved to a condominium where we met wonderful new friends. Ron and I are both people of deep faith and commitment to the Lord but somehow did not find that special church home until we began attending Faith Lutheran after meeting the Markwoods, Omans and Gayle Gouran. Faith Lutheran is a wonderful gift to us and we are grateful that we have finally found a warm and welcoming home where we know they (you) are Christians by their (your) love.
Ron
My nickname is Ron but my full name is Rowland Wright Kucera. I was born in 1926, which makes me 85 now, but that assured me of living through the Great Depression and World War II. I served 26 months in the Navy in WWII but saw no action. After getting out of the Navy in 1946 I began college, graduated in 1949 and married my first wife. We raised 7 children who, at this time, range in age from 50 to 61. We have 15 grandchildren and 2 "greats." During the Cold War, from 1950 to 1992, I worked for Northrop and Boeing as an engineer on several missile and bomber programs.
During the last 15 years of her life my first wife had many illnesses, finally succumbing to cancer in 1993. I had just retired and, thank God, we had a little over a year to enjoy those final moments together. A year later I met Anne and we were married in 1994. We are enjoying an extremely happy marriage. However, 18 months after we were married I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, but have been blessed by several great doctors who helped put in under control. In April of 2008 I had a severe vertigo attack from which I have recovered only about 20%. I use a cane to keep from falling. In 2009 I had both knee joints replaced and am doing fair with those. Other than those, I am in great shape, especially with the Lord who I have known intimately since I was a teenager. I did a lot of church hopping in WA in the last 25 years but have never felt at home until we began attending Faith Lutheran.
David Campbell David Campbell has been on staff at Faith since January, 2009 as a pianist and multi-instrumentalist. He moved to Bellingham from Holden Village in 1999. He worked previously as a musician at Garden Street Methodist Church. David spends his time on music, horticulture, and a relationship with his daughter Eric (who was a big part of Faith's youth program until she graduated from high school last spring). David has spent many volunteer hours in Faith's Community Garden and on the garden committee. 
Betsy Holte Betsy comes to us as a transfer from Zion Lutheran Church in Montana. She is the granddaughter of Bill and Marjorie Burkitt. She moved to Bellingham after college graduation, has a job working with children here, and is active in Faith's choir! Heather, Russ, Olivia & Addison Wildenberg (No picture at this time.) Russ and Heather Wildenberg and their daughters Olivia and Addison live in Ferndale. They formed a friendship with Jodi and Brent Greene while watching the children at swimming lessons. An invitation to worship at Faith brought them to us. We are glad to have them and look forward to getting to know them better as they become more and more involved in this parish family.
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Music at Faith
If you hear the choir on Sundays and enjoy the offerings of music, perhaps you'd like to be involved? Faith's choir is comprised of adults with ALL levels of experience, and so is the chime choir! If you are considering any involvement in Faith's music program, we'd love to have you!
Contact Renee King, Music Director.
Ph: (360) 733-3970 or (360) 927-6331
E: renee.king@faithbellingham.org
Adult Choir Wed, 7:15pm & Sun, 9:15am
Chime Choir Sun, 11:30am & Special services
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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 has been going through the "First Light" DVD and discussion series by Marcus Borg & John Dominic Crossan. Study is led by Pam Behee.
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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
Faith Youth Christmas Party
Mon, Dec 19, 7:00-9:00pm
Bring: $5, a White Elephant Gift, and a Friend!
Contact Jessie Twigg-Harris for more info:
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A Note From the Pastor By Pastor Sharon Swanson 
Our time is a time of waiting; waiting is its special destiny. And every time is a time of waiting for the breaking in of eternity. All time runs forward. All time, both history and in personal life, is expectation. Time itself is waiting, waiting not for another time, but that which is eternal.
Paul Tillich puts Advent in perspective. We are in waiting mode.
The blues and greens of Advent find us drawing closer together - we huddle against the darkness. We sing hymns of longing and anticipation: " O come, O Dayspring from on high and cheer us by your drawing nigh... Prepare the Royal Highway...." The Scriptures talk of God coming to comfort the people, speaking tenderly to them and carrying them carefully like little lambs or newborn babies. They speak of garlands and gladness in place of ashes and mourning.
Take time for quiet in what remains of the Advent season. Light candles against the darkness and listen to the music of the season. Think about shepherds waiting outside Bethlehem. Of a pregnant young woman on a journey. Of a city filled with busy people. Of a sky filled with angels, and of the cry of a tiny child in the night.
Because a baby is coming. It won't be long now. The darkness in which we wait is heavy with threat, to be sure, but also with promise. The promise of light dawning on a weary world. The promise of life.
Jesus came so that we may have love and light and peace and joy. Give thanks to God for the blessing of anticipation and waiting.
Peace be with you !
Sharon
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