Faith Lutheran Church
Bellingham, Washington
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SUMMER EVENING BBQ'S
WE NEED GRILLERS & SUMMER DINNER VOLUNTEERS!
During the summer, on Wednesday evenings, we begin our time together with a BBQ dinner. We need grilling volunteers to sign up for Wednesdays, as well as volunteers to bring salads and sides. Check out the sign-up sheet on the office window for dates!
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WEDNESDAY SUMMER SCHEDULE
The following Wednesday evening schedule begins officially Wed, June 26! Find the full summer program schedule later in the newsletter as well as posted throughout the church building---including Wednesday evening activities through August!
BBQ DINNER 6:00 PM
ALL-AGES ACTIVITIES 6:30 - 7:30 PM
HOLDEN EVENING PRAYER 7:30 PM
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THE FEAST GOES ON
NEW COOKBOOK AVAILABLE NOW!
Purchase your copy today of the new edition of Faith's cookbook,The Feast Goes On, edited by Rebekah Swanson. Cookbooks are $15 each. Available after church or through the office.
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THEOLOGY PUB
Save the date!
Thursday, July 11, 6:30pm
Theology Pub is an event for folks to gather for a loosely-guided discussion as well as to enjoy social time and a beverage! More details coming soon!
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THRIVENT BUILDS/HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
A new Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity project has begun! An energy-efficient home in Bellingham!
Volunteers are still needed (for building projects, providing coffee, snacks or lunch, or worksite clean-up). Please contact Donna Matthews (360-714-0163) for more information.
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NORDIC HERITAGE MUSEUM DAY TRIP
Tues, July 30, 2013
Sign up now to coordinate rides. Adult Admission: $6. Individuals & families independently responsible for expenses such as lunch and gift shop.
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POINT DEFIANCE ZOO & AQUARIUM
DAY TRIP
Save the date!
Tues, Aug 6, 2013
All ages welcome. Sign up for a ride and for possible group rates!
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Weekly Sunday Worship
10:00am
Wednesday Supper, Activities, & Prayer
Every Wednesday
6:00-8:00pm
Wed, June 12
Wed, July 10
8:30am
Youth Serve CAST
Wed, June 12
Wed, July 10
6:00-7:00pm
Parish Council Meeting
Mon, June 10
Mon, July 8
6:30pm
Worship Committee Meeting
Tues, June 11
5:30pm
Bellingham Schools Out for Summer
June 19
Food Drive Sunday
Sun, June 16
Summer Program at Faith Begins
Wed, June 26
Theology Pub
Thurs, July 11
Youth Trip to PLU
(And Canoeing)
Thurs, July 18
Nordic Heritage Museum Day Trip
Tues, July 30
Pt. Defiance Zoo & Aquarium Day Trip
Tues, Aug 6
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FOOD DRIVE SUNDAYS:
Sun, June 16
Sun, July 21
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING CARE FOR THOSE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
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WEDNESDAY EVENINGS
SUMMER ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE
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PEACE CRANE INSTALLATION
In August of 1945, when an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, Sadako Sasaki, just two years old, lived with her family near the bomb site. Ten years later, her diagnosis of leukemia from bomb radiation was confirmed. At age 12, Sadako was hospitalized. She began a quest to fold one thousand origami cranes based on a Japanese legend that when you fold a thousand cranes, you will be granted one wish. Sadako's wish was to live. She died months later, even before she was able to complete the thousand cranes. After her death, Sadako's classmates and friends-and people all over the world-continued folding cranes as both a tribute to victims of war and violence and as a wish for peace for all people, in all places, everywhere.
Over one month ago, we announced Faith's peace crane challenge-asking all of you to join in our own in-house effort to create at least one thousand peace cranes for Pentecost Sunday-to pray for peace in our own lives, in our community, and in our world. Approximately 4,000 paper cranes were brought in-folded by you and those beside you in the pews! This collaborative and magnificent installation will remain in the worship space through the summer months.
May the peace of Christ be with you always, and may peace prevail on earth!
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LIFE AT FAITH
As we transitioned from the Easter season to Pentecost, we see the liturgical colors change, and Faith is alive with color and energy! We continue to enjoy the magnificent peace crane installation in the worship space. Volunteers pitched in on a myriad of work party tasks. The weather is changing, and the days are longer! We look ahead to a bounty of summer activities together as we shift from spring program into our summer schedule. The construction has begun to wind down with the roundabout road project outside. Folks continue to pour into the facility throughout the week for a Maple Alley Inn meal, for supervised visitations arranged through Catholic Community Services, for meetings, for refreshment, and for community. The Spirit is alive and moving in this place and around us, and we are grateful.
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FAITH COMMUNITY GARDEN
 
We recently held our first community garden work party of the season, and we were able to tackle a long list of chores! Thank you for all who came out and volunteered your time and energy. A garden shed is underway (being built entirely on volunteer time), new grape vines have been planted along the fence line, and the butternut squash patch has been planted! We are looking forward to a vibrant and fruitful season.
If you would like to volunteer in the garden this season, please contact: community.garden@faithbellingham.org.
 
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Youth Serve CAST Downtown
Second Wednesdays monthly
(Upcoming dates: 6/12, 7/10)
PLU Tour and Canoeing Day Trip
Thurs, July 18
Contact Jessie Twigg-Harris to sign up!
Contact Jessie Twigg-Harris for more info:
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A BRIEF WORD ABOUT OUR NURSERY
By Chris Behee, Parish Council President
As our parish community continues to grow we are making some adjustments to how we provide nursery and childcare. This is a fantastic issue to have to deal with as the youngest of our members provide some of the greatest joys to our life together! First, because of the increased numbers of infants and toddlers, we ask that parents begin to move their kids out of the Nursery at age 4. Limiting the Nursery customers to the infant to 3-year-old age group will ensure our nursery staff can maintain order and give the required attention where it is needed. Second, when children are left in the nursery it is imperative that parents remain on-site and accessible. Third, when dropping children off in the nursery, please take a moment to assess the situation and determine if the room is "at capacity" already. As always, children of all ages are completely welcome in worship and parents are strongly encouraged to include them in our community's worship experience. There are rocking chairs and toddler floor space in the back of the church, and canvas coloring/activity bags are available by the worship space doors. Finally, we feel very fortunate to have Megan and Colleen as our capable and cheerful Nursery staff. They are a great addition to our Faith family!
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MEMBER NEWS
REBEKAH SWANSON TO PLTS
As many of you know, Rebekah Swanson is preparing to move to Berkeley, California this summer. She will be pursuing her Masters in Theological Studies at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary with an eye toward teaching and relief work. We look forward, with Rebekah, to this new adventure and look forward to hearing about her learning and future pursuits. Godspeed, Rebekah!
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NEWS FROM INTERFAITH COALITION
By Sue Cole
Faith Lutheran is one of the founding member organizations of the Interfaith Coalition. This nonprofit of over 40 congregations in Whatcom County has been providing low-cost medical, dental and mental health care for our neighbors for over 30 years. Interfaith has also cared for the homeless through Severe Weather Shelters (we host the men's shelter here), warm clothing drives and housing/counseling. But we want to do more.
Interfaith now has eight single family homes in Bellingham and one in Ferndale for families in need. Over 90% of the families staying in Interfaith housing find stable housing within three months. We are breaking the cycle of homelessness.
There are too many people here who don't have homes. There are too many children in our community who live in cars, camp out or couch surf. We can do better. That's where Our House comes in.
Our House is an Interfaith campaign to raise $500,000 to build two additional homes in Ferndale. These will give three families a place to call home while they move towards self-sufficiency. Their children will be able to stay in north county schools and avoid the stress of constantly moving around.
Our House is almost there! We have raised over $430,000 and will soon break ground, with the goal of having families settled by the start of the school year. But we are asking for your help. Please pray on how you might be able to help with Our House. Can you make a cash donation or a pledged donation over three years? Every dollar, every gift is important. If you have building skills or would like to volunteer to help with finishing work, such as painting or even decorating a room, Interfaith welcomes your contribution.
Faith has a powerful connection to the most vulnerable people in our society. Some people think we will never eliminate homelessness. I choose to think differently. I think you do the right thing, you do what you can, you work as hard as you can for what you believe, and you will see change, with God's guidance.
If you can help, please visit our website at interfaith-coalition.org, contact Interfaith at 734-3983 or 2401 Cornwall Avenue. You can also contact me (Sue Cole, 671.3810) if you have questions. Thank you.
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FROM THE PASTOR
School is almost out. Summer is here. The worship space is light and airy, filled with peace cranes as a symbol of hope in our future. We have the luxury of time as things slow down just a little. Come and spend Wednesday evenings with the parish family. Visit while the children run around in the playground. Pull a few weeds in the garden. Enjoy the BBQ. Give thanks to God for the harvest which is already coming in - fresh salads, vegetables, strawberries, cherries.
Summer is also a hungry and anxious time for children whose safe place is at school-whose parents are underemployed and can't afford nourishing food or the luxury of recreation. There are over 800 children and youth currently known to be homeless in Whatcom County.
Early in July some of us are meeting at the Whatcom County Health Department offices to hear about the local programs and resources for those who are homeless. This is part of our conversation regarding the application to the Government Services Administration for use of the vacated U.S. Border Patrol Station across the road from Faith (the building is available for use by a non-profit organization for programs which will benefit homeless people).
Obviously we will need to have a meeting of the congregation before any final steps are taken in this process, but at the moment we are trying to discover the best way in which this opportunity might fit with our existing mission, and also ways that we can expand our ministries if we have access to this facility.
It's also clear that any expansion of the ministries of this congregation which would result from the acquisition of the Border Patrol facility cannot be funded or staffed within our present budget. We will have to apply for grants and other funding in order to proceed. It is also clear that we will need to be in partnership with the Opportunity Council and the Health Department.
If you are interested in being part of this initial process of information gathering, please let us know at the office.
Gather with your parish family on Sundays and Wednesdays. There's always room at the table. There's always time for conversation over coffee and dinner.
Help us dream about the future. Pray with us for guidance. With God, anything is possible.
Peace and grace be with you,
Sharon
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