FEATURED - Advent Words from Bishop Meggan

Dear Friends in Christ,


Advent brings with it many wonderful characters and stories and gifts. Here are three words I commend to you as we enter into this joyful and hopeful season and look ahead to the new year.

 

Listen:

The angel Gabriel announces to Zechariah, father of John the Baptist, that he and wife Elizabeth will bear a son, but Zechariah questions how this can be, given their ages. Gabriel responds, "'But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.'" I would not wish this on anyone, and yet I think that wondering about Zechariah's experience can be helpful. What if we listened more deeply, particularly to those with whom we often disagree? We might have to break silence to ask questions that help the conversation deepen. If you are familiar with the Morning Prayer Canticle, you know that after his many months of silence, Zechariah sings this amazing blessing (Luke 1:67-79). Will all that listening make us so poetic? I don't know, but it will surely bring about deep spiritual wisdom.

 

Welcome:

The story of Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus landing in a barn with a manger because there was no room for them in the inn, is surely a reminder that God shows up in the hidden and unexpected places of life. It is also a reminder for us to welcome the strangers and the outcasts. Moving over to Matthew’s narrative and the holy family’s flight to Egypt, we are reminded that Jesus himself was a refugee fleeing danger. From Global Refuge, formerly Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, “For the over 120 million people currently displaced worldwide, this sacred story has similarities to their lived experiences. After all, Jesus was a refugee, God with us as the most vulnerable among us, an infant without a safe place to call home. We invite you to download our Advent Story Calendar. Each day of Advent, as you reflect on the Holy Family's journey as a displaced people at the vulnerable time of childbirth, experience stories of immigrants, former refugees, and supporters in their own words as together, we build a more welcoming world.” Maybe your community does not have many refugees or immigrants. Who, in your context, needs a welcome?

 

Ponder:

On Christmas Eve, the gospel from Luke 2 includes this remarkable verse, “But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.” Amidst the flurry of the season, give yourself time and space to ponder the wonder of the incarnation. The incarnation and the resurrection are the mysteries and gifts at the center of our faith, but sometimes I worry that we gloss over them. While you are doing something mundane (stirring a pot of soup, riding a chair lift, going on a walk, sitting in the pew after receiving Holy Communion) breathe deeply and give thanks for Immanuel, God with us. We trust that God came as a human being and lived among us. That’s worth taking some time to ponder.  

 

Light o'er the land of the needy is beaming;

rivers of life through its deserts are streaming,

bringing all peoples a Savior redeeming.

Come and save us soon! Come and save us soon!


(Lost in the Night v. 4)

 

Blessed Advent,


Bishop Meggan Manlove

 

AROUND THE SYNOD

Rooted in Place - Internship Site Grants

This Giving Tuesday (Dec. 3, 2024) our synod will make one final push for Rooted in Place, our 2024 Regional Gathering Offering.

 

A donor has made a special gift of $15,000 toward this appeal. With our Regional Gathering offerings, we have raised $19,983. Will you help us raise an additional $10,017 on Dec. 3 so we can reach $30,000?



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EcoFaith Survey - Your Input Is Wanted!

The synod’s EcoFaith Action Network is planning its first offering of 2025. What should it be? A book study? A workshop? Something else?


We’re considering several possibilities. Please tell us what you think about them by answering three simple questions at this link https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QCRQFV2.


You can also submit your thoughts and suggestions for future activities via email to EcoFaithNWIM@gmail.com

Christmas Carol Fundraiser

Save the Date for Manna and Mercy

Registration information coming soon.

 

DEM Pastor Liv Larson Andrews will be leading a series on Dan Erlander's classic Manna and Mercy on Thursdays, beginning January 9, at

6pm Pacific/7pm Mountain Time.

 

Watch Pastor Liv’s video promo:

https://www.youtube.com/live/MvwwTLZyGG4?feature=shared

 

You can order a copy of the resource through Augsburg Fortress: https://www.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/9781506457017/Manna-and-Mercy

Synod Companionship Results in Such

Wonderful Things

Pr. Moses and Charlie pictured with the newly purchased thresher.


The Northwest Intermountain Synod has a Companion Synod, the Ulanga Kilombero Diocese (UKD) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania. This is a relationship that has been nurtured over for nearly 35 years in many ways. There have been visits both here and in Tanzania. There have been prayers and joint worship services held online. We have helped build a Dining/Assembly Hall for the Tumaini Lutheran Secondary School and have supported the Lugala Lutheran Hospital, both mission projects of the UKD. We offer scholarships for girls attending Tumaini school. Several congregations in our synod offer regular financial support for the UKD.


Pastor Moses Nwaka recently inquired of the NWIM Companion Synod Team about the purchase of a threshing machine for Tumaini school. This would not only help them save money when they harvest their crops but would also produce income by renting out its services for other local farmers. The Companion Synod Team discussed this and felt it was a win-win situation! Funds were transferred to the school and they have made the purchase of a used thresher. There is a local man who has often worked at the school who will maintain and manage the equipment. This gift was possible because of the generosity of donations from individuals and congregations. 


Bwana Yesu Asifiwe is Kiswahili for Praise the Lord! It is the best response when our companionship can result in such wonderful things that benefit so many!  Asanta Sana is Kiswahili for Thank you Very Much! Your financial gifts are what make this small part of our relationship possible!  Asante Sana!


Deacon Heidi Cryer, on behalf of the Companion Synod Team of the NWIM Synod

Now Hiring

The Financial Services Officer is an essential accounting management role that supports the ministries of the six synods* of Region One of the ELCA with financial administration - working closely with synod administrators and synod treasurers. Based in Mill Creek, WA, this is a full time position - with excellent benefits.

 

THANK YOU in advance for helping us get the word out about this position. Please share in your circles. Applications are due Dec. 16, so time is of the essence!

 

Find the position description on the NW Washington Synod Website .

 

Find the position posted on Indeed.com.


ELCA NEWS

Holiday Shopping

with ELCA Good Gifts

 

Wondering how to make a positive impact in the world right now? With ELCA Good Gifts, choose from over 60 charitable gifts to give in honor of friends and loved ones this Christmas! New gifts include safe birth, a climate resilience kit and supporting a Young Adults in Global Mission volunteer for a month. Each gift goes on to make a difference in the world and share the love of Christ with our neighbors in need. Give online and you can personalize free, printed cards to be sent directly to your loved ones. Find several special-edition Christmas cards for select gifts now. Browse gifts.

SMART WAYS TO GIVE BEFORE 2024 ENDS

The end of the year is the perfect time for a charitable gift that makes an impact and reduces your taxes. Whether through cash gifts, appreciated securities, IRA contributions or a gift annuity, you have powerful options to support ELCA ministries and benefit financially. Don’t miss key deadlines — learn how you can give wisely and finish 2024 on a high note.

ELCA Congregations,

the time for clean energy is now.

As faith communities, we are not merely bystanders in a transition to clean energy—we are leaders. Guided by our shared values of care for one another and the Earth, we have the potential to drive significant change. By leveraging new federal programs and financial incentives, we can make impactful energy and resiliency improvements that inspire others to follow our lead.


Enacted in August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) represents U.S. history's most substantial climate and clean energy investment. Its aim is clear: to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 44% by 2030, a significant step towards a cleaner, healthier future.


The IRA offers key provisions, including Clean Energy Tax Credits for wind and solar power, electric vehicles (EVs), efficiency upgrades, heat pumps, and more. And now, the IRA provides a unique opportunity for nonprofits, congregations and ministries to access rebates (instead of tax credits) through the Direct Pay Program.


The Direct Pay rebate available through the IRA is 30 percent of your clean energy project’s equipment cost, and the rebate is paid once the equipment is installed and operational. Your ministry can also realize energy savings for the long-term. 

 

Partnering with the Mission Investment Fund and the ELCA Federal Credit Union can provide you with the up-front financing you need to get your project underway.1 


Join the increasing number of faith communities that are adopting solar energy benefits. Visit our website for more information, resources, and ways to get started. We are here to help every step of the way.


As a financial ministry of the ELCA, the Mission Investment Fund provides financing for a wide range of building projects for congregations like yours. Whether your congregation is considering taking advantage of the clean energy rebates or tackling other projects on the list, we are here to help. New construction. Renovations. Accessibility projects. Refinancing. We’re here for all of it.


When you borrow with us, you help fund the loans we make to congregations and ministries nationwide.


You can even participate in this good work with an individual or ministry investment that funds the work of this church while earning you as high as 4.40% APY*.

Learn More

2024 Coaching Sessions 

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