 Newsletter
Lake Burien Presbyterian Church
March 2013 |
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| Mission Statement and Slogan |
Imagine living God's kingdom now as disciples of Jesus' radical way, just imagine.... "A place to Encounter God in worship, Encourage one another in life and faith, and Engage the world for Christ." |
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From the Pastor's Desk | |
God trembles when we tremble...
The ancient poet Micah 6:8 wrote in the Message, "God has made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It is quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, and don't take yourself too seriously-take God seriously."
The twin motifs of doing justice and loving forgiveness are grounded in the serious love of God. This is the seedbed of all true Christian growth. I thought I would encourage us to continue in forgiveness and justice with two practical examples.
To love mercy, grace and forgiveness. A Muslim Imam told a story about Christ that has strained my personal imagination this Lenten season. It goes something like this. Jesus was walking along a road with his disciples, where they came upon a rotting carcass of a wild dog. The smell and stench and decay was overwhelming. The disciples urged them all to pass by quickly. As they passed by, Jesus was heard muttering to himself and his disciples, "But what beautiful teeth that dog has."
This is a powerful story of forgiveness. Let me explain. First there is the hiding, covering and putting away of the decay. The second movement is to see beauty after the decay. In Scripture there are many metaphors about God "hiding God's face" from sin, and "love covering a multitude of sin," and your "sins are forgiven as far as the east is from the west." I am struck by this notion of covering, hiding, and placing the offense behind God's back so as not to see it any longer. Then there is the notion, in the midst of the rotten carcass, one being able to see something beautiful. How often do we say that we have forgiven but still harbor negativity, sarcasm, hurt, and decay? We say, "I forgive him/her, but...."
If this is the case then we have not truly forgiven.
We have truly forgiven when we set the decay behind us to see something beautiful in the midst of the decay that has been hidden. Remember your teeth are beautiful and so are the ones who have done wrong. I am leaning into this picture during Lent. That is the kind of mercy and forgiveness that Christ dishes out.
To do justice. I just received a letter in the mail from the Mayor of Burien today that I wanted to share with you.
Dear Pastor Wilson:
On behalf of the city of Burien, I would like to extend our sincere gratitude for the Lake Burien Presbyterian Church's assistance for the victims of the January 28 Tra-Lee Apartment fire.
Under your leadership, your church members coordinated promptly with the American Red Cross volunteers to set up an emergency shelter for the victims. During the event, the Lake Burien Presbyterian Church and the American Red Cross hosted 149 overnight shelter stays, served 687 meals and assisted 114 individuals.
This is not the first time LBPC has stepped forward; you also opened your church June, 2008, and sheltered our residents left homeless after a fire at the Tara Apartments. Your church has time and time again looked beyond its traditional role and come to the aid of the community in tangible fashion. The Tra-Lee fire is only the latest example.
The City of Burien is truly blessed to have you as a community partner. Please keep us in mind if there is any opportunity at all for us to return the many favors you have done this city over the many years.
Sincerely,
Brian Bennett, Mayor
On behalf of the Burien City Council
Congratulations Lake B for forgiving and doing justice because all you care about is taking God seriously. As God was in the Crucified Christ, God is in the midst of humanity's suffering, resonating with the trembling of every fear-stricken heart abounding in forgiveness and mercy.
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Daylight Saving Time |
Spring ahead!
When local standard time is about to reach Sunday, March 10 at 2:00:00 a.m. clocks are turned forward one hour to Sunday, March 10 at 3:00:00 a.m. local daylight time instead.
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New Member Class | |
Those interested in becoming members of the church or just learning more can join Pastor Tobin in the Fireside Room on Sunday April 14 and 21 from 11:15 to noon. Have your questions answered and consider joining the church.
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Your Council |
Moderator of Council
Tobin Wilson
Vice Moderator of Council
Lina Thompson
Clerk of Council
Melinda Glass
Encounter God in Worship
Dave Hall
Kathy Reed
Encourage One Another in Community
Norma Kastien
Margarita Suarez
Engage in the World As Transformers of Culture
Steve Turner
Carolyn Carpenter
Property
Gordon Shaw
Finance
Paul Larson
Anne Tiernan
Capital Improvements
Paul Larson
Personnel
Tim O'Brien
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Clerk's Corner |
We are well into the season of Lent and continue to learn how to experience our faith journey during this time. Peace to all of you!
Your council continues to work hard to make decisions and bring the vision and mission of LBPC to life and action! I continue to be impressed with the dedication of each leader and the service each of them bring to this church.
The council heard an update from Alex Collier, UGM, about the middle school program. LBPC has been working for a few years to partner with several organizations in creating a program for middle school kids both in the community and those that graduate from our after school program. Stay tuned as we may see a program at our church in the near future. Details are still being worked out. It is an exciting time!
The council approved several documents brought forth from the Encourage Team that will help them connect with those members and attendees who are homebound or are not fully engaged in the ministry of the church. This will be an easy way to connect or re-connect them to a ministry within LBPC. A lot of work has gone into these documents and they will be implemented soon.
The council approved $400 donation for camper scholarships for a Youth for Christ camp. This money will come out of the Special Funds Campership fund. It will benefit middle school kids, some of which are our graduates from our after school program.
The council received the January 2013 financial report and approved the minutes of the council meeting and the annual congregational meeting, both held in January.
If you have questions or concerns or joys that you want to share, please let an elder or me, the clerk know, and they will forward that to the council.
Respectfully submitted,
Melinda Glass, LBPC clerk
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Bookmark |
LEANING INTO LENT
a sermon series designed to provide meaningful
Lenten thoughts utilizing the lectionary readings
March 3
Lean Into Your Thirst
Is 55:1-9; Psalm 63:1-8
March 10
Lean Into a "New You"
2 Cor 5:16-21; Luke 15:1-3,11b-32
March 17
Lean Into "No Resume'"
Phil 3:4b-14;John 12:1-8
March 24
Lean Into the Story
Luke 23:1-49
March 29
TENEBRAE SERVICE 7 PM
March 31
EASTER SUNDAY
The Two Christianity's of Les Miserables'
Acts 10:34-43
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Fireside Book Club
The Gift of Years: Growing Old Gracefully
by Joan Chittister | 
You are invited to a Lenten Fireside Book Club on March 3, 10, 17 and 24 from 11:15 to noon. Bring your own book, which you can purchase from amazon.com or just get a cup of coffee and join in.
Joan Chittister, one of our most celebrated spiritual writers, invites us to embrace older age as a natural part of life that is both active and contemplative, productive and reflective, and deeply rewarding. She encourages us to cherish the blessings of agina and to overcome its challenges. And she shows us clearly that this is a special period of life--maybe the most special of them all. Older age gives us wisdom, freedom, and prosperity of another kind. Older age enlightens--not simply ourselves, but also those around us. To live these years well, we need to look at every one of them head up and alive. Life is not about age, about the length of years we manage to eke out of it. It is about living into the values offered every day, about growing older with grace.
The Gift of Years looks at the many dimensions of aging, the purposes and concerns, struggles and surprises, the potential and joys. It deals with the sense of rejection that comes from feeling out of it. It reflects on the temptation to isolate oneself from the changes taking place, and on the need to stay involved. It discusses issues of health and well-being and the need to put one's affairs in order. It describes what happens as old relationships end and shift, change and disappear in favor of the many new people and new challenges that come to take their place. It talks about the fear of tomorrow and the mystery of forever--and how to cope with it all. It is a panoply of central issues that emerge with age to bring us to the fullness of life, to make us new again.
And perhaps the most important dimension of older age, Joan Chittister illuminates, is to become aware of its profound purpose: These are the capstone years, the time in which a whole new life is in the making again. The gift of these years is not merely being alive, it is the gift of becoming more fully alive than ever.
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ENCOUNTER | |
Charge: To provide for the maintenance of divine worship at all levels at LBPC as God is encountered in worship and the sacraments.
*Elders Dave Hall and Kathy Reed, Deacons Jennette Robertson and Andrew Carpenter, at large member Melinda Mackey-O'Brien and Dr. Tobin Wilson
"To live open to what is,
Cultivate beautiful,
Hold it all loosely"
These are my words. I wrote them down over a year ago and I have thought on them since. I want them to become the very DNA of my wellbeing - the rhythm and harmony of my days.
*To live open to what is - Marcus Borg in his book, "The Heart of Christianity" speaks of Paul Tillich's "point that the word 'God' does not refer to a particular existing being" but "rather, the word 'God' is the most common Western name for 'what is,' for 'ultimate reality,' for 'the ground of being,' for 'Being itself', for 'isness without limits'."
*Cultivate beautiful is to see the beauty all around me, to see God (what is) in all nature/humanity, to find the joy, to be thankful.
*To hold it all loosely - to "live the questions" because sometimes (most of the time actually) I just don't know the answers, let alone the questions and because it's not about me....
Melinda Mackey-O'Brien
Good Friday Service
Your presence is respectfully requested: To the Tenabre service, Friday, Mar 29, 7 p.m., in the sanctuary. A service of darkness and shadow... before the light and love of Easter
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ENCOURAGE | |
Elders: Norma Kastien and Margarita Suarez;
Deacons: Penny Hickman and Lee Weber
Others: Barbara Carlsen; Jan Cox, who also works with the Heath Care Team; Priscilla Stephenson, Natalie Sarantos and Beth Williams
Thanks again to all who are helping with the healthy snacks on Sunday. Now mark your calendar for Sunday, April 7, for our Salad Potluck lunch after the service.... Remember how much fun this was last year?
What we need is for you and your friends to attend and join us in fellowship and food. For those of you who can bring something, it should be easy, simple and fun, so you can bring your favorite salad, fruits or veggies plates, and of course those favorites-- devil eggs--or other finger foods. Of course there will be the coffee, tea, water and cookies. Please ask any one of us if you have any questions. Please do plan to attend even if you cannot bring something.
From the Health Department
Mini-relaxation exercises: a quick fix in stressful moments
Mini-relaxations are stress busters you can reach for any time. These techniques can ease your fear at the dentist's office, thwart stress before an important meeting, calm you when stuck in traffic, or help you keep your cool when faced with people or situations that irritate you. Whether you have one minute or three, these exercises work.
When you've got one minute
Place your hand just beneath your navel so you can feel the gentle rise and fall of your belly as you breathe. Breathe in. Pause for a count of three. Continue to breathe deeply for one minute, pausing for a count of three after each inhalation and exhalation.
Or alternatively, while sitting comfortably, take a few slow deep breaths and quietly repeat to yourself, "I am" as you breathe in and, "at peace" as you breathe out. Repeat slowly two or three times. Then feel your entire body relax into the support of your chair.
When you've got two minutes
Count down slowly from 10 to zero. With each number, take one complete breath, inhaling and exhaling. For example, breathe in deeply, saying "ten" to yourself. Breathe out slowly. On your next breath, say "nine", and so on. If you feel lightheaded, count down more slowly to space your breaths further apart. When you reach zero, you should feel more relaxed. If not, go through the exercise again.
When you've got three minutes
While sitting, take a break from whatever you're doing and check your body for tension. Relax your facial muscles and allow your jaw to open slightly. Let your shoulders drop. Let your arms fall to your sides. Allow your hands to loosen so there are spaces between your fingers. Uncross your legs or ankles. Feel your thighs sink into your chair, letting your legs fall comfortably apart. Feel your shins and calves become heavier and your feet grow roots into the floor. Now breathe in slowly and breathe out slowly.
For more relaxation techniques and other solutions to control stress, check out the Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School, Stress Management.
source: Harvard Medical School, HEALTHbeat, Nov. 10, 2012
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ENGAGE | |
Charge: To provide for spiritual nurture and growth for all ages to an engaging faith that articulates the Gospel with words and demonstrates the Gospel in love, justice and action
Carolyn Carpenter and Steve Turner, Chairs; Committee members: Gail Lane, (Presbyterian Women) Sally Mackey, Peggy Meyer, Sarah Pham (staff) Linda Shaw, Nola Sparks, Sonya Vasilieff, Don Weber, Dawn Wilson, Dee Wix.
From the Children's Department
Greetings LBPC! Here are some updates from the children's department:
- The children and I are looking forward to celebrating Easter with everyone on March 31. The kids will be involved in the main service on this day with singing and possibly a short skit.
- March will mark our fifth month of sending home bags of food with 15 families from the after school program. A special thanks to Maddie Wilson and her friends for getting the bags of food put together and sending a personalized note with each bag.
- UGM and Youth for Christ will potentially be launching a middle school program at LBPC on March 19. This is VERY exciting news since we have been anticipating starting a middle school program at LBPC for some time. For now, the program will be held on Tuesday afternoons. If you are interested in helping out with the middle school program OR want to help out with the elementary school program on Tuesdays (since we will need more tutors on this day), please contact me.
- The increase in children's attendance on Sunday mornings has been encouraging to me. We have been averaging about seven children and working with all of them, particularly singing with them during our children in worship time, has been amazing!
Happy March!
Sarah
Vision Trip to Africa with ORR:
led by Dr. Tobin Wilson
Liberia. West Africa, Nov. 5 - 15, 2013
Impact the World. Renew Your Passion. Transform Your Life.
What is it?
An 11-day journey of the heart that will give you a first-hand understanding of the ways Orphan Relief and Rescue (ORR) impacts the world. You will be given a clear vision of how you can be changed by a customized partnership with ORR and your life will be renewed with a robust and refreshed passion. You will have the opportunity to visit each orphanage to participate in our life-changing children's programs. Two days will be dedicated to serving the orphans by utilizing the skills and/or interests of each team member (i.e., tutoring, assisting in our clinics, renovations, etc.). The trip will also include a beach-front cultural getaway.
What is the cost?
The total cost of the Vision Trip is $3,995, which includes airfare, hotel, meals, visa, and the beach-front cultural getaway.
Meet the Vision Trip leader: Tobin Wilson
Dr. Wilson's passion is to teach for life change with a winsomeness that soothes, transforms, motivates, challenges and incites an active faith. He has appeared on all Seattle local television news channels, been a guest Chapel speaker for the Seattle Mariners, and been adjunct faculty at Daystar University in Nairobi, Kenya, and Fuller Seminary Northwest. Walking with people in hard places is a specialty, and currently he is pastor at Lake Burien Presbyterian Church. "Grace is like water; it flows downhill and gathers in low places." If you are interested in learning more about Tobin, you can visit his website at http://www.tobinwilson.com and/or read his recent book, Areté Again.
If you are interested in receiving more information or have any questions/concerns, please contact Deb Baliko at info@orphanreliefandrescue.org. You can also check out LBPC's website; on the opening screen is a link to additional information about the Vision Trip.
Save the Date of April 25-27
All Presbyterian Women from the Alaska-Northwest Synod are invited to a retreat at Camp Berachah in Auburn, Washington for the annual Presbyterian Women in the Alaska-Northwest Synod Gathering. The Gathering begins on Thursday evening April 25 with dinner. It concludes on Saturday after lunch. This is a great time to meet, sing, and worship and attend workshps with other women from all the churches in our Synod. Watch for more details in the April newsletter. The PW Seattle Presbytery Spring Gathering will take place during the Synod Gathering.
Presbyterian Women Express Our Thanks
Our Lake Burien Presbyterian Women are very thankful for all those who participated in our All Church Dinner sponsored by Presbyterian Women on Saturday, Jan. 26. After paying all our expenses we raised over $2900 for this annual fundraiser. This will allow us to continue to fund the food program for the UGM families who need help in providing nutritious food on the week-ends. We also give support to our Boy Scout Troop 360. Ten Boy Scouts and three adults gave us such wonderful support that evening by setting up tables and chairs, serving our food and by helping with clean-up. We are also supporting the Roma people in Eastern Europe and those who help prevent human trafficking. Each year we send a mission pledge to the Presbyterian Women in Seattle Presbytery. These funds pay for both Presbyterian Women in Seattle Presbytery, Presbyterian Women in the Alaska-Northwest Synod, and Presbyterian Women Churchwide which funds gatherings, mission projects nationally and worldwide and Leadership Training events for Presbyterian Women.
Each year our Lake Burien Presbyterian Women Coordinating Team plan events, raise funds, and choose our mission causes. Over the years in addition to supporting mission each year, in recent years, we have also bought the church refrigerator, the stove, the freezer, the dishwasher, dishes, and pots and pans. These are used both by our church members, wedding and memorial reception attendees, UGM families on Wednesday evenings, and children who attend the after-school UGM tutoring program Mondays through Thursdays. Women interested in joining our PW Coordinating Team can contact Gail Lane or Lucille Wheeler.
We want to give special thanks to Gail Zuncs who donated and also ordered our food for the dinner. She also made the arrangement for Chef Preston Hagan to be our cook. The two made a delicious chicken cordon bleu dinner enjoyed by all. Gerry Flaten and Barbara Carlsen coordinated volunteers to help them in the kitchen. Lucille Wheeler, Barbara Carlsen and the children from the UGM program made the decorations. Gail Lane arranged the Hobby Display and Talent Show. We thank Tom and Rhonda Duncan, Stan Lane, Dolores Allen, Jim Jennings and Clyde Sparks, Margaret Schindler, Lucille Wheeler, Natalie Sarantos and Sue Spence for displaying their hobbies. Dave Hall, the Master of Ceremonies, led our Talent Show. Jim Jennings and Clyde Sparks gave a "How-To Grow Dahlia" presentation. Calista Bechtold played a solo on the cello. Ruben Sparks and Owen McLean presented a demonstration of Tae Kwan Do. Sarah Pham played the saxophone and Madeline Wilson and Sasha Johnson presented a dance that they choreographed. Andrew Carpenter and Dave Hall arranged the sound equipment. We also thank those volunteers who donated desserts for the dessert auction, which raised over $1,000.
Gifts of Women Sunday on March 10
Presbyterian Women celebrate the Gifts of Women Sunday each March. Our Lake Burien Presbyterian Women will celebrate this special day on Sunday, March 10. As we each think of women we have known who have used their God-given gifts to honor and worship God, we can remember them and also those in our own congregation as we celebrate. Our Presbyterian Women Coordinating Team has chosen two women from our congregation whom we will honor on that Sunday. They will be presented with Honorary Lifetime Memberships to Presbyterian Women.
Following worship, baskets made by the Roma women of the Carpath-Ukraine will be sold. There are about 30,000 Roma people (Gypsies) in that region. They are the largest minority group in Europe and suffer great discrimination. They are victims of impoverishment, toxic living situations, human trafficking and a lack of access to medical care.
After Presbyterian Women visited them in 2008, they helped the women to set up a microenterprise, which offers them income to feed their families, provide fuel for their homes and pay for education for their children.
Buy a basket to bring baked goods to a friend, put one on your dresser for your earrings, coins and trinkets. Fill one on your table with fruit or breads. Buy a large basket for a child's doll. There are many ways to use these versatile baskets. Ramona sent her thanks because she could now buy medicine for her daughter. Delores thanked us since she could pay school fees for her child to go to school. These women are hopeful that we can help them. Look for the baskets in the Fellowship Hall.
We will also have on display information on human trafficking, both internationally and locally. This tragic activity is getting more much-needed attention. Thank you for all the gifts you share with God's people all around the world.
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PROPERTY and FINANCE | |
Bathroom Remodel
Pardon our dust.... We're working hard to provide better rest rooms for everyone who uses them. In just about two weeks you'll see brand new bathrooms in the daylight basement: new flooring, new paint, new partitions, new fixtures. In the meantime, of course, you'll find dust (kept to a minimum) and the smell of paint. It'll be worth it in the end when the new bathrooms live up to the new fellowship hall.
2013 Budget as of January 31, 2013:
Budget $322,692
Income 15,182
Expenses 24,607
(9,426)
Per Capita
Per Capita assessment for 2013 is $40 for each member. Please help offset this expense by submitting the assessment to LBPC. Thank you!
Email Address
The LBPC Finance Office has its own email address. If you have any questions regarding contributions, bills, payments, income or expenses or anything to do with church finances, please send an email to the following address:
finance@lbpc.org
Emails will be answered promptly. If you have any questions please let me know.
Anne Tiernan
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