Pastor Berg's Blog

Mothers

I have often thought that Mary, mother of our Lord, must have been a very unique human being. From the moment that she was visited by a heavenly host with the most improbable of news, she set her face forward to a future that was sure to be chaotic. And it was. In the sporadic stories of her oldest child's childhood, it is clear he was difficult. I wonder if he and his cousin John got into trouble together. The prophet and the savior playing tag or hanging out with kids from the wrong side of town.

It is easy to layer my childhood memories onto Jesus and John, thinking about how their mom's parented them. I was the fourth of five boys. My mother, I am sure, attained sainthood just by getting us all to adulthood. My memories are often of her baking bread or boiling potatoes, ironing every cloth article that went through the wash,



Sunday Morning Adult Education - After worship.

Harbour Homes is planning to build an apartment building on the old Wells Fargo lot and has asked FLC for a temporary shoring easement to drill tiebacks (stabilizers) at varying subterranean depths under our building and under a portion of our parking lot. In order to determine what is in the best interest for our church, the Building & Property Committee and the Church Council are working through the discovery process, including pursuing guidance in areas such as legal, engineering and insurance. We don’t have a timeline yet on when a decision will need to be made, but we do plan to hold an in-person meeting and a Zoom meeting with the membership to share information prior to making a decision.

We are still seeking 1 member to complete the 6-person Nominating Committee. This position is a 1-year term, with the option for 1 additional year. Pastor Berg will convene the committee sometime in the fall to begin their work for the 2025 elections. If you’re interested in serving, please contact any Council member or Pastor Berg. 

Yours in His service,

Ho Brown

Council President

[email protected]

Cub Scout Pack 584 Helping Hands Day - Saturday, May 4, 10 am to 12 pm. 

First Lutheran’s chartered pack are going to be helping with some Spring Cleaning! Special thanks to the FLC's Garden Guild, who’ll help lead and supervise several of their projects.

First Lutheran Church is the sponsoring organization for Cub Scout Troop 584. We are looking for a FLC member who has served in leadership in scouting who will be willing to be the congregation's liaison to the troop. It is a non-uniform role and should only take 1-2 hours a month. Please let Roger or Pastor Berg know if you are interested.

Widows Support Group

May 13, 10 am

(formerly known as Friends Supporting Friends)

We are not a therapy group, but we are a place for widows to find friendship, support, and fun.

We meet the 2nd Monday of the month at 10:00 am in the library. Please join us!

Call Paula Glandon for more info. 425-483-1783

Men’s Breakfast and Bible Study!

Saturday, May 18, 9 – 10:15 am. 

Join other congregation and community members for breakfast and conversation! There will be “food for the body, food for the soul and food for thought!” A group of 17 men typically attend. Please join us for discussion and enrichment. Questions to Roger Steinke

End of the School Year Party at Pump it Up!

Sunday, May 19 11:30 am - 2:30 pm

Kids in Preschool through High School are invited to celebrate an “End of Sunday School Year” Party at “Pump It Up!” in Lynnwood. We will leave First Lutheran at 11:30 AM – right after Sunday School Ends and return to the Church by 2:30 PM. You can either ride in the Church Bus (round/trip) or drive with your own family. A Pizza Lunch will be served at a Party Room at “Pump It Up!” reserved for our First Lutheran Church group.

Our Play Time is for 1 Hour and starts at 11:50 AM. If you are driving yourself, please arrive at 11:45 – 11:50 AM. Socks and a Completed Waiver are required to play at Pump It Up. Waivers can be completed at the front desk or save time by completing your Waiver online. Simply visit online at pumpitupparty.com and click “Waiver.”

“Pump It Up!” in Lynnwood is located at 18027 Highway 99 (Suite J). Our discounted price for First Lutheran Church Members and Friends is only $20 per participant. Please pay Roger the $20 per person cost. The Church will pay Pump It Up after the party. Price includes admission and pizza lunch. Scholarship help is available. Questions? Please contact Roger Steinke for more information. 

To help with planning, PLEASE Sign Up on the Youth Board. JOIN US!!!!!

Youth - Looking Ahead!

Affirmation of Baptism (Confirmation) - Sunday, June 2, 9:30 am Worship Service

High School Graduation Recognition - Sunday, June 9, 9:30 am Worship Service

NWWA Synod Youth Pregathering Event - Sunday, June 9th, sometime in the mid-afternoon. Come and meet other Western Washington New Orleans bound youth and adults. Please watch for more information, coming soon…

New Orleans Youth Gathering & Disneyworld - July 14 -July 24 Grades 9 - 12.

17 Youth and adults are attending. Please pray for us as we prepare, travel and experience this gathering.



Vacation Bible School - Together! Monday, July 29 – Thursday, August 1 

“As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”   Colossians 3:12-14 

All children ages 3 through 6th Grade are invited to attend.  

Preschool and Kindergarten students meet from 9 AM to 12 PM/Noon. ($35 per week)

Students in Grades 1 – 6 will meet from 9 AM to 3 PM (includes lunch). ($50 per week)

Registration will open this month! A Day Camp Team from Camp Lutherhaven will help lead this Vacation Bible School!

FLC Book Club!

Remarkably Bright Creatures by

Shelby Van Pelt

May 28, 7 pm on Zoom

Discussion Leader: Katie Pyne

Remarkably Bright Creatures, an exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope, tracing a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus.

After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.

Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova's son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it's too late.

Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.

Please contact Ann Aagaard, Linda Siebert or Roger Steinke for additional information about the Book Club. A copy of this Featured Book of the Month is available in the First Lutheran Church Library. Please join us!  

FLC Library News: 

The new 2023 honoree  photos are now on display in the FLC library. Stop by and enjoy photos from near and far from our own fabulous FLC photographers. 

This month, in honor of Mother s Day, we re featuring books about inspiring women who put their faith into action.

Daring to Hope  The author moved to Uganda at age 18, founded a non-profit, adopted 13 orphans, and encountered God in surprising places. 

The House that Love Built  An inspirational story of a young woman who opened her home and her heart to immigrants and their families as they worked their way through a broken immigration system.

More than my Scars  One of only two survivors of a plane crash that killed over 100, the author refuses to be defined by her trauma and learns to see herself as God sees her.

Riley Unlikely  The inspiring story of a 13-year-old who went to Kenya on a mission trip and has been back every year since. She responded to God's call, and it transformed her.

Check It Out!  

Monthly Outreach

CHANGE FOR CHANGE All money received in the Change for Change jar will be used to support HOPELINK food bank.

FLC Faith Partner Opportunities:

Ongoing Community Food Drive: First Lutheran Church has partnered with the Northshore Nourishing Network to collect donations of non-perishable food items. Food donations can be dropped off at any time. Food is distributed to local food pantries, the Northshore Senior Center and to several school food banks on a weekly basis. Thank you for supporting the First Lutheran Food Drive and giving what you “CAN!”

Monthly Financial Outreach

January Outreach: Compass Housing Alliance

February Outreach: Hopelink

March Outreach: Lutheran Community Services

April Outreach: Poor People's Campaign

May Outreach: ELCA World Hunger

June Outreach:

July Outreach:

August Outreach:

September Outreach:

October Outreach:

November Outreach:

December Outreach:

CREATION CARE

International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) is celebrated annually during the first full week of May, both nationally and throughout the world. Its goal is to raise awareness as to why we should compost and how to use compost. This year ICAW is from May 5th through May 11th. The theme is “COMPOST... Nature’s Climate Champion!” Participating international partners chose this theme to help spotlight an initiative of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: “Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.” For more information about the benefits of composting.

Endangered Species Day 2024 - Each year, on the 3rd Friday of May (May 17th this year), people all over the world recognize Endangered Species Day by celebrating and learning about these species as well as actively protecting endangered and threatened species. In Washington State, our Department of Fish and Wildlife has identified 268 species that are in the greatest need for conservation help. These include golden eagles, pygmy rabbits, and wolverines, each identified with its own level of vulnerability to climate change (moderate; moderate high; and high, respectively for the 3 listed). For a downloadable pdf, dated March 2024, that lists the 47 species that the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission has classified as Endangered, Threatened, or Sensitive and a list of the 70 species that have been identified as candidates to be classified as the same, please click here: 

If you’d like to get involved, research the status of various species, or find family education resources, click here.  

King County 2024 Household Hazardous Waste Collection – May Event 

King County’s traveling Wastemobile program provides a safe and easy method for King County residents and small businesses to dispose of household hazardous waste such as oil-based paint, batteries, antifreeze, or pesticides, all at no cost. The Wastemobile location nearest FLC is at the University of Washington - Bothell campus (18115 Campus Way NE) in Bothell. May’s dates for this location are May 17th thru 19th. If you’re interested, check out the detailed instructions, acceptable items, allowable quantities for each, and the complete 2024 schedule of dates, times, and locations here.

First Lutheran Church has purchased the Northwest Washington Synod's LiVE bundle for 2023-24, so any LiVE events are free to our congregation! See the complete LIVE Project Catalog and register using FLC's Confirmation Code to register for free!

Upcoming events:

• FREE - "Abide" Weekly Synod-Wide Bible Study (join anytime!)
• Changing Church Cohort - 2nd Mondays on Zoom
• Becoming an Anti-Racist Cohort - 2nd Thursdays on Zoom 7:00 -8:30 pm

June 10, 5 pm - Movie Review of God and Country in the youth room.

• ELCA News
• Northwest Washington Synod
• January NW Washington Synod Bishop's Message
• Living Lutheran
• Lutheran Counseling Network
• Faith Action Network
• Gay Church
• Poor People Campaign Washington
• Reconciling Works