Thanks and More Thanks: We want to thank all who made the May 20 Salad Pot Luck such a successful event. We want to thank all who helped with preparation including setting the tables and chairs, and the colorful napkins and the beautiful flowers at each table, all who brought food; all who helped with the setting of food and the hosting, and those who helped with the cleaning up; from putting tables and chairs back to the doing of dishes. For those of you who were not there we want to give you a flavor of the event. We had about 70 people coming to the lunch. We had two lines of food with and incredible variety of salads and finger food, and the dessert was fresh strawberries, whipped cream and different types of angel food cake to go with strawberries. And then the crown of the event was the brief program, by Rev. Lina Thompson, as she helped us to celebrate who we are as a community. In a way it was a continuation of the service as we were challenged to be a community that is with Jesus, talks about Jesus and acts with Jesus. (This is Margarita's summary; Lina's homily was more than that). Lina shared the importance of history, and started with some data about the beginning of Burien, and then asked about how LBPC was started.... She then recognized the several people in the room who had birthdays in May, as well as the celebration of the birth of Asha Marguerite Shull Pruyn, Dean Shull's granddaughter. So we celebrated the birthdays of a baby and some of our members in their early 80s. Then Lina guided us in singing and ended with How Great Thou Art. Many of us left with the words in our mind and heart.

Coffee Hour: We still need cookies! As we shared last month we have started bringing some "healthy snacks" to go with some of the cookies for the Sunday Coffee hour. People had volunteered to bring things like fruits, and/or cheese and crackers. We now have a signup sheet for anyone who wants to help with this (it is on the same board with the flowers and readers signup sheets); check with anyone from the committee if you have questions. So we hope we can get one person or family per Sunday to be part of this. We still need cookies, so those you who want to do this, please continue! As we announced earlier, on July 15 the Committee will do the coffee hour, and as we did last year, we will have a Sundae-Sunday, plus still give some healthy choices. By the way, we could all have a good dialogue about what is really "healthy." But for now we will give that adjective to things like fruits, veggies and low calorie/low sodium crackers and cheese. We will review this in our October meeting, and then decide what we would like to do for 2013.

Ok this is all for now; contact any of us if you have questions and or ideas for continuing to encourage community.

From the Health Care Team

(pictures already uploaded to Constant Contact: seated bridge, standing calf raise, triceps dip)

Simple Strength Training Tips

If you've never lifted weights in your life - and many people haven't - why should you start now? The answer is simple: Muscle tissue, bone density, and strength all dwindle over the years. So, too, does muscle power. These changes open the door to accidents and injuries that can compromise your ability to lead an independent, active life. Strength training is the most effective way to slow and possible reverse much of this decline.

Having smaller, weaker muscles doesn't just change the way people look or move. Muscle loss affects the body in many ways. Strong muscles pluck oxygen and nutrients from the blood much more efficiently than weak ones. That means any activity requires less cardiac work and puts less strain on your heart. Strong muscles are better at sopping up sugar in the blood and helping the body stay sensitive to insulin (which helps cells remove sugar from the blood). In these ways, strong muscles can help keep blood sugar levels in check, which in turn helps prevent or control Type 2 diabetes and is good for the heart. Strong muscles also enhance weight control. On the other hand, weak muscles hasten the loss of independence as everyday activities - such as walking, cleaning, shopping, and even dressing - become more difficult. They also make it harder to balance your body properly when moving or even standing still, or to catch yourself if you trip. The loss of power compounds this. Perhaps it's not so surprising that, by age 65, one in three people reports falls. Because bones also weaken over time, one out of every 20 of these falls ends in fracture, usually of the hip, wrist, or leg. The good news is that the risk of these problems can be reduced by an exercise and fitness routine that includes strength training.

Beginner's simple strength boosting exercises

A sturdy chair with armrests and athletic shoes with non-skid soles are all you need for these simple strength building exercises.

Seated bridge

Sit slightly forward in a chair with your hands on the armrests. Your feet should be flat on the floor and slightly apart, and your upper body should be upright (don't lean forward). Using your arms for balance only, slowly raise your buttocks off the chair until nearly standing with your knees bent. Pause. Slowly sit back down. Aim for 8-12 repetitions. Rest and repeat the set.

Triceps dip

Put a chair with armrests up against a wall. Sit in the chair and put your feet together flat on the floor. Lean forward a bit while keeping your shoulders and back straight. Bend your elbows and place your hands on the armrests of the chair, so they are in line with your torso. Pressing downward on your hands, try to lift yourself up a few inches by straightening out your arms. Raise your upper body and thighs, but keep your feet in contact with the floor. Pause. Slowly release until you are sitting back down again. Aim for 8-12 repetitions. Rest and repeat the set.

Standing calf raise

Stand with your feet flat on the floor. Hold onto the back of your chair for balance. Raise yourself up on tiptoe, as high as possible. Hold briefly, then lower yourself. Aim for 8-12 repetitions. Rest and repeat the set.

Harvard Medical School, Healthbeat, August 23, 2011

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From the Children's Department 

Everyone Can Give

Something that the Lord has been impressing upon my heart lately is the importance of giving, but specifically the giving of time. I believe that no matter how young or old you are, and no matter how much or little you have, everyone has something to give. I'd like to think that if this value of giving is instilled in children at a young age then they will grow up to be generous, serving adults. Now, I know that is probably not always the case, but I would love to see kids learn now how important it is to give. This is the reason why I got some of them involved in Clean Sweep Burien at the end of April. I wanted these kids to experience the joy that can be felt when we choose to deny our own agenda for the sake of others. Here is a picture of them before we spent the next several hours picking up trash:

Something that all of us can embrace is the ability to give. Just being aware of the needs of others and our community can transform our hearts and minds to be more like Jesus... this is what I want to impart into the children and families of LBPC.

In Christ,

Sarah

Vacation Bible School - July 16 through 20

Hey all you kids - and you grown-ups who used to be kids! Please reserve the week of July 16-20 for the 2012 LBPC Vacation Bible School. We'll be having activities from mid to late afternoon with snacks for all. We would love to have LBPC grown-ups help us with the kids and the programs. Please call Carolyn Carpenter at 206.242.3303 if you can help. Don't miss out on this fun activity.

Adult Ed

"...A complete education not only teaches a new set of skills but ushers in a new way of being, a new way of seeing the self in relation to the rest of the world."

Dr. Jeremy Delamarter, English teacher, Bellevue Christian School, The Seattle Times, The Noble Power of Education, May 4, 2012

Mr. Delamarter went on to say that the true power of education is "to open the mind to worlds that have yet to be, worlds in which we might play a meaningful and dynamic roles. Education allows us to rethink our places in the cosmos, to imagine a future different from the past, to wrestle with the ideas and misconceptions that have bound us and to move beyond them...." I agree with Mr. Delamarter, his insight and forward thinking on education in Washington State. I also find that these are perfect words to describe my Christianity, what I seek to know and be. Substitute the word "Christianity" for the word "education" and see what happens.

The Engage team urges all of you to consider joining us in the fireside room June 10 and June 24, for the class, How to Speak to One Another, with Margarita Suarez. This will be a practical presentation and discussion on the three-part process of communication: self, the other, the context.... We will talk about how this applies in personal, family and communication at LBPC. Imagine living God's kingdom now, speaking and listening to and with each other with respect, patience, kindness and love...just imagine!

Adult Ed goes on sabbatical for the summer months.

Melinda Mackey-O'Brien, Engage

New Horizons Opportunity

For many years we have been providing dinners for homeless youth at New Horizons in downtown Seattle on those months with a fifth Wednesday. This occurs about four times a year and we have always had many volunteers who put together a dinner and drive to the center in town and serve the meal and help with cleanup. We are looking for someone in the congregation who would be willing to help coordinate this task. It involves getting four to six people who are willing to commit to providing and serving the meal for approx 40 youths four times a year. There is a list of volunteers who have helped in the past. What is needed is an individual to help coordinate the dinners. Please consider this as a way in helping LBPC further its mission outreach. Please contact Steve Glass at 206.242.1765 if you would like to take this on.

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