Faith Lutheran Church
Bellingham, Washington
A "Reconciling in Christ" Congregation of the ELCA.
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Upcoming Meetings:
Thurs, May 3, 2012 6:00pm
Thurs, June 7, 2012, 6:00pm
The men's group meets monthly for dinner and discussion.
Contact Don Early for more information (don.early@gmail.com).
May's meeting will include a main course of lamb, to go along with our next book:
Lamb, The Gospel According to Biff,
Christ's Childhood Pal.
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COMMUNITY GARDEN WORK PARTY
Sat, May 12, 2012, 10:00am-2:00pm
Join us for a work party in the community garden! We'll be doing chores of all kinds--filling new beds, planting pumpkins, relocating the compost pile, and spreading wood-chips--anyone can help!
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Sign up outside the office to receive training and certification in child and adult CPR. Cost is $25 per person. Contact Jodi Greene, Parish Nurse, for more info!
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PERENNIAL PLANT SWAP @ FAITH Sun, May 20, 2012 Do you have extra plants in your garden? Are you taking plants out that someone else might like? Wish you had some new plants to fill out your garden? Bring your perennials to church in containers you don't mind giving away! Bring plants to donate, and take something else home!
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FAITH LADIES...SAVE THE DATE!
Sun, June 3, 2012
After worship
We'll gather to shower Cindy Early with love, presents, and snacks in anticipation of the birth of the Early's new little girl! Bring a snack to share, and some of that lady Lutheran spirit!
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Upcoming Dates to Note:
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Weekly Sunday Worship
10:00am
Wednesday Supper & Prayer
Every Wednesday
6:00-7:15pm
Men of Faith
Thurs, May 3, 2012
Thurs, June 7, 2012
6:00pm
Worship Committee Meeting
Tues, May 8, 2012
5:30pm
Community Garden Work Party
Sat, May 12, 2012
10:00am-2:00pm
Blood Pressure Sunday
Sun, May 13, 2012
Following worship
Every Second Sunday
Parish Council Meeting
Mon, May 14, 2012
6:30pm
CPR Clinic @ Faith
Thurs, May 17, 2012
6:00-8:30pm
NW WA Synod Assembly
May 18-19
Food Drive Sunday
Sun, May 20, 2012
May Youth Weekend @ Holden Village
May 25-27
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FOOD DRIVE SUNDAY
Sun, May 20, 2012
Please bring items from list and donation checks to the church (made out to Faith Lutheran Church, memo: Food Bank).
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FAITH COMMUNITY GARDEN
Every Monday Work Crew
6:00-8:00pm
Faith Community Garden Spring Work Party
Sat, May 12, 2012, 10:00am-2:00pm
Faith Community Garden is in the process of building 5 new raised garden beds to accommodate a waiting list of gardeners for this season, as well as a bee garden and a pumpkin patch! If you are able to volunteer your time or contribute donations of garden tools for ongoing use in the garden, we welcome your offerings!
For info, email the garden team at:
community.garden@faithbellingham.org
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BAPTISMS AND NEW MEMBERS
Easter is the season for baptisms! On Easter Sunday, April 8, we baptized Sarah Lee Aanestad, and on Sunday, April 15, we baptized Chloe Delores Martin, Jamison David Hyatt, and Jace Parker Matthews! In addition, we welcomed Robyn and Will Martin as new members of the parish!
Welcome to the family!
 
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RECENT EVENTS AT FAITH
MAUNDY THURSDAY SERVICE
This year Faith held a special Maundy Thursday service, celebrating elements of the Passover, Foot-washing, and the Eucharist. The interactive worship experience seemed to be meaningful for many who were in attendance.
EASTER
In the past month, Faith has been alive with all kinds of Easter celebration!
Within the community, we remind each other life and renewal.
  
RADICAL THEOLOGY WORKSHOP
Faith recently hosted a one-day workshop with Dan Peterson, called "Radical Lutheran Theology." Around twenty-five adults attended the event, a series of three sub-sessions, fueled by coffee, shortbread, and lunch prepared by the pastor! While the adults dove into the theology of the Incarnation and the history of radical theology within the Lutheran tradition, the kiddos enjoyed pizza, face-painting, and hanging out in the garden.
Here is a comment from one parishioner who attended the workshop....
"I really enjoyed the class from Dan Peterson on Radical Lutheran Theology. It was refreshing for once to shift the focus from the Ascension to the Incarnation as the primary vehicle for the salvific experience and think about things in a new way. It was great to see such strong attendance too with so many different perspectives which I think really added to the class. I'm very much looking forward to the class on the Creeds coming up this fall and plan to invite some friends!" --Cindy Early
DINE OUT FOR MAPLE ALLEY INN
On Tues, May 1, 2012, many parishioners, community members, and volunteers dined out at participating restaurants in Bellingham--restaurants who by participating donated 20% of their sales for the day to Maple Alley Inn. As many of you know, MAI is a feeding program of the Opportunity Council, offering fresh, weekly, homemade meals to anyone who wants to join and eat! Twice per week those meals are served right here in the social hall at Faith.
Below is a shot of one group, enjoying local fare and each others' company, while also supporting this incredible program!
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MUSIC AT FAITH
Adult Choir Wed, 7:15pm & Sun, 9:15am
Chime Choir Sun, 11:30am & Special services
Musically Speaking...
"It Is Well With My Soul"
The Horatio Spafford family of Chicago planned an exciting vacation to Europe for the fall of 1873. When the time came, however, business matters in the Spafford law firm prevented Mr. Spafford from accompanying his family, but he expected to join them as soon as possible.
Anna Spafford and four of their daughters kissed him good-bye, then settled in on the beautiful French steamer Ville du Havre for the long journey. As the ship slipped out of port the children waved good-bye to their father for the last time.
Within a few days, on November 22, an English shipping vessel struck the hull of the ship carrying the Spaffords. It was cut apart and sank quickly. The girls were swept into the icy waters of the Atlantic with 222 other people, never to be found.
Their mother was rescued along with other survivors who were taken to Cardiff, Wales. There she wired her husband a brief but heart-wrenching message: "Saved alone." He left immediately to join his wife. As his ship neared the spot where the tragedy had occurred, the distraught father prayed. His words, written in the form of a poem, have since become the well-known hymn: "It is Well with My Soul."
Spafford's strong faith, revealed in the three verses of this beloved hymn, is a witness to the power of a loving God who can heal the broken-hearted. The soulful music that carries this prayer-hymn was composed by Phillip Bliss, who was killed in a tragic accident a few days after its completion. He was only thirty-three years old.
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
--Exerpt From 52 Hymn Story Devotions by Lucy Neeley Adams
For more info on music at Faith, contact Renee King, Music Director
Ph: (360) 733-3970 or (360) 927-6331
E: renee.king@faithbellingham.org
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EDUCATION AT FAITH
ALL AGES
Godly Play (Pre-K through Grade 5) 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.
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, Chris Behee, and others.
High School Discussion (Grades 8-12) 4th Sun, 11:30-1:00pm
High school students are invited to a monthly study and discussion on what it means to be young people of faith and justice, our identity in the community of faith, and advocacy. Study is led by Jessie Twigg-Harris and Kevin Wolber. This month, our study will be held on Sun, May 20 (instead of 5/27) due to the May Youth Weekend at Holden Village!
Mid-Week Adult Study Tues, 12:30-1:30pm
Renee King leads an ongoing mid-week adult Bible study and discussion on the Gospel of Mark.
Embracing An Adult Faith Sundays, Starting 4/22
Pastor Sharon Swanson leads a 5-Week study on this Marcus Borg series "What It Means To Be a Christian: Embracing an Adult Faith." Series will be held Sundays, following worship. Materials cost: $20. Sessions" 4/22, 4/29, 5/6, 5/13, 5/20.
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SAVE THE DATES!
Mark your calendars now for these learning and discussion opportunities in the fall!
Are the Creeds Credible?
With Dr. Dan Peterson
Sat, Oct 6, 2012
Every Sunday many Christians profess their faith in the words of the Nicene or Apostles' Creed. But what do the words of these creeds mean? Why were they written, who wrote them, and what was their original function? Designed especially for those who wonder about the relevance of the creeds for faith today, this series brings to the surface what the creeds actually say-and do not say-about the "essentials" of Christian faith. The study concludes by considering what the creeds might mean for us in a context radically different than the one(s) in which they first appeared.
www.soundtheology.net
How Did We Get the Bible?
With retired professor of church history,
Rev. Dr. Gerald Hobbs
Sat, Oct 27, 2012
Where did the biblical Canon come from? How was it assembled? Where did we get this collection of Scriptures, and how does that effect our experience within the modern church?
A Reformation weekend event paired with Faith's first "Beer & Hymns" event!
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FAITH YOUTH
PROGRAM:
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 (6:30-7:30pm), followed by youth night!! (Upcoming dates: 5/9, 6/13)
Confirmation Class
Sundays, 8:45am
Taught by Cindy & Don Early and Chris Behee--meets in Room 2 of the Annex.
Monthly High School Discussion Forum
Fourth Sunday Monthly 11:30-1:00pm
High school youth, join us for pizza and lively conversation about how we as young people of faith and justice can develop relationships and foster advocacy. This month, we'll meet on May 20 (instead of 5/27) due to May Youth Weekend @ Holden Village!
MAY YOUTH WEEKEND @ HOLDEN VILLAGE
Fri, May 25 - Sun, May 27, 2012
Contact Jessie Twigg-Harris for more info:
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NOTE FROM THE PASTOR
By Pastor Sharon Swanson
"Amid the world's bleak wilderness, a vineyard grows with promise green, the planting of the Lord himself."
The promise of new growth always delights. The Swanson family garden plot here at Faith is sprouting kale, potatoes, lima beans, carrots, parsnips, onions and whatever else Steve planted there such a short time ago. The herb beds are healthy and everything made it through the winter in good shape. Several new families have taken on garden plots, and more are waiting for new beds to be built.
There was newness and excitement throughout the building last Saturday among the group of almost 30 who spent the day considering Radical Lutheran Theology under the leadership of Dr. Dan Peterson from Seattle University. Conversation continued through lunch and on into Sunday, and will have people pondering for some time to come.
New growth is happening in other ways too- Liam, the first of the trio of new babies expected this year arrived on the scene in March and made his way swiftly into everyone's heart. All the generations of the women of the parish gathered to welcome him at a baby shower hosted and organized by Karen Clark.
In the face of all this growth and newness, the Gospel texts for the Easter Season bring us metaphors about who Jesus is, and what life will be if we abide in him: last Sunday we heard about Jesus the Good Shepherd. This week and next, Jesus is the Vine and we are the branches. God is the Vine-dresser. The fruit of the Vine is the enduring relationship that we have with Jesus, and the way we live out that relationship in community and in the world.
"His love selected this terrain; his vine with love he planted here to bear the choicest fruit for him........Vine, keep what I was meant to be: Your branch with your rich life in me."
May it be so for us all. God's peace in this springtime of the year!
Sharon
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