| Come As You Are!
All Are Welcome!
Sunday Schedule:
10:30 AM Worship
11:45 AM Coffee Hour
Location:
500 Brodway East
Seattle, WA 98102
Mailing Address:
509 10th Avenue East
Seattle, WA 98102 |
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 Greetings from Rev. Nina Merkle Nestlerode
To Challenge or Survive?
I've been rereading a book on congregational change recently [1][1]. In this book, the author tells the story of Two Brothers: Aaron and Moses. You may remember these two were leading the Israelites through the wilderness ---
At first it was an exciting time. The people were free from slavery! They were no longer captive in Egypt but free to go! Free to go; free to seek the Promised Land; free to follow God to find the Promised Land!
God did lead them. However it was a long journey, a hard journey and they found their saved resources dwindling. Eventually there was no relief in sight and no indication that they were approaching the Promised Land. Should they turn back? Many rallied for this option, yet they had come too far. So the people grew more anxious. They became critical of their leadership, Aaron and Moses --- and dubious of God.
"WHY AREN'T YOU DOING SOMETHING????" the people of Israel demanded of Moses and Aaron... And this is where the brothers differed.
Moses took time away. He went to pray, to center himself in God's message, to reflect, to look outside his immediate concerns and the pressure of the people's call for action. He went to have words with God. The Bible tells us that Moses was gone for 40 days, meaning "a long time".
As the people waited, wondering, concerned, worried, they turned to Aaron, who was there in the interim. The author describes that "The people's physical weariness turn[ed] into spiritual despair." "DO SOMETHING!!!" they cried. "Under the intense pressure of the moment, Aaron reacts. --- Yielding instantly to their feverish anxiety, he offers them a quick fix. Out of the melted golden jewelry, Aaron shapes a golden calf to satisfy the people's need for tangible assurance." Most of us know where the story goes from here.
Aaron reacted in order to survive. Moses stayed firm, grounded, courageous even in significant criticism in order to challenge the people to stay on the path that God was leading them on.
God is calling us to seek the Promised Land for the ministry of All Pilgrims Christian Church. And we are beginning to wonder why it isn't happening yet. Many of us are on the journey together, so why hasn't something happened? Where's the change? Why aren't we doing something??? --- Here's the question: do we make quick fixes now to address people's anxiety and show some "tangible assurance"? Or do we continue to journey on this roundabout path that God is leading us down in faith that it will lead us to the change we are meant to be?
I preached last week on the verse from Psalm 23 that reminds us that "[God} guides me in straight paths for [God's] name sake". I talked about the Hebrew for "straight paths" being anything but direct, instead meaning roundabout, quirky paths that eventually lead us just where we were meant to be.
Quick fixes aren't going to be enough for the longevity of ministry here at All Pilgrims. Quick fixes are merely for our survival, which we all agreed a year ago, meant the slow but certain death of our congregation.
As Mahatma Gandhi's words remind us, "We must be the change we want to see in the world." We must seek to change how we do church. We must seek to change how we are church. Notice he says "WE". Can you stay firm, grounded, courageous even in significant criticism in order to stay on the path that God is leading us on? Are you up for the challenge?
In God's Care,
Nina
 [1][1] Steinke, Peter, Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times, (The Alban Institute, Herndon, VA, 2006), chapter 9.
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 Helen Sutton Passes Away at 95
Ms Sutton was well-known to a number of people here at APCC. She was very active in the life of First Christian Church, one of the two predecessor congregations that merged to become APCC, and was much admired in a number of Seattle area civic circles as well. Dr. Van Bobbitt, Horticulture Instructor and Arboretum Coordinator at South Seattle Community College, has announced a memorial celebration of her life to be held in the SSCC arboretum on Thursday, August 13th at 2 PM. We hear that Fauntleroy UCC is also planning a service of remembrance although we do not have details at this moment. She was active in that congregation later in life.
Helen was an elder at First Christian and, in 1972, a member of the pastoral search committee that secured our own Bob Brock as pastor of FCC years before he became Northwest Regional Minister of the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ. In addition to her many contributions at the local level she was also a frequent volunteer at the Regional Office of the DOC.
There are two gardens in the South Seattle Community College's arboretum, one named for Helen and the other for her husband, Milton. Dave Beck has conferred with Dr. Bobbitt in planning the memorial event at South Seattle, and says that Ms Sutton was an important part of his own early life, encouraging his musical skills in a variety of ways. "She was a formidable woman," according to Dave, "whose service to the city and community were truly remarkable."
Widely appreciated for her civic contributions as well, Ms Sutton was known as "Mrs. West Seattle" by many in the community. She and her husband, Milton, who preceded her in death by many years, owned and operated LaGrace Fashion Apparel for more than 40 years. Many young people got their first job at LaGrace, and were mentored by Ms Sutton, including our own Bob & Berlena's two sons who both worked there. The Brocks and the Suttons were close friends for many years.
Among her many other accomplishments, she was the first woman President of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce and was once named "Citizen of the Year." She served a term as President of the Washington State Federated Women's Club and was a board member emeritus of the West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA.
Helen, we are told, passed away peacefully with her family around her, having completed a full life, well-lived in service to others. |
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 APCC All Church Picnic
Fun and food for everyone at All Pilgrims' Annual Church Picnic.
This years' picnic is only two weeks way and will be held here at the church. We will be assigning dishes, deserts and salads by last name. Drinks, plates and utensils will be provided. We are also looking for some people who could bring small barbecues to cook meat. And of course, the kitchen can be used for any dishes that need to be warmed up.
A-I, please bring a salad/side dish.
J-R, please bring a main dish.
S-Z, please bring a dessert.
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 Looking for Coupons to Buy Banner Material
Are you a fabric store shopper? If so, please put aside any discount coupons you may receive to JoAnns Fabric. The church is interested in purchasing new banner material in other liturgical colors. Your 40-50% off coupons can really help! Please give coupons to the Church Office or contact John Stapleton. Thank you! |
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 Cornucopia Concert Band Event
The Cornucopia Concert Band, led by APCC member Al Rustad, will be presenting two free public concerts in August:
Thursday, August 6th, 6:30-8:00 PM at Madison Park, end of Madison St. At 42nd Ave. East, by Lake Washington.
Saturday, August 15th, 6:30-8:00 PM at Leschi Park, on the shore of Lake Washington, just North of the I-90 bridge.
One of the band's singers, Michael Beach, also attends All Pilgrims frequently.
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