NWWA Synod Weekly Update for 2/21/23

February 21, 2023

Weekly Update

announcements & events

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Synod Gatherings!

This year we will not be be holding a Synod Assembly. Instead, all members of the synod are invited to attend one of two Synod Gatherings that will be held in May. Join us for worship, fellowship, and forums to inspire, educate, and equip members of the NW WA Synod!

Cost is $40/person.

While registration will not open until April, please look for a promo pack to be emailed to all congregations and rostered ministers by the end of this week! Please share the info with your congregations and get ready to register a group from your church!

Saturday, May 13, 8:30am-3:30pm - Salem Lutheran Church in Mount Vernon

Saturday, May 20, 8:30am-3:30pm - Saint Andrew's Lutheran Churn in Bellevue

Support Earthquake Relief

through Lutheran Disaster Response

Since the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria the ELCA’s Disaster Response team has been mobilizing resources and proactively engaged in providing assistance to victims of the crisis. Working with the ACT Alliance, emergency supplies and relief items are already being provided, and analysis of a comprehensive assistance program is underway.

Gifts to this important work can be provided through Lutheran Disaster Response HERE.

Support Earthquake Relief

through Lutheran World Relief

THANK YOU to our quilters and kit-makers. Because of your commitment to making quilts and kits year-round, Lutheran World Relief is able to send these valuable resources and bring hope to our neighbors who have lost everything - now. Watch this video from Lutheran World Relief showing our congregations' faith in action as the LWR warehouse team prepares a shipment of LWR Mission Quilts, Personal Care Kits and Baby Kits to be delivered to Turkey.

At this time, financial gifts are the number one need to assist our neighbors who are injured, hungry and displaced from multiple earthquakes. Your generosity will ensure that we are able to deliver quilts, kits and urgently needed aid to hard-to-reach places as quickly as possible, and expand our response into the future.

Gifts can be made now at lwr.org/quake

Synod Women’s Organization

February 2023 ECHO available

Inside this edition of the ECHO you will find information about the upcoming Triennial Convention in September, a scholarship application for the Triennial Convention, an introduction to the newest board member, and wonderful articles about what is happening around the synod.

Read it HERE.

Trinity Education Foundation

Scholarships Available

Continuing the legacy that inspired the founders of Lutheran Bible Institute and Trinity Lutheran College, Trinity Education Foundation (TEF) is providing educational opportunities to new generations of promising college and seminary students.

Learn more about TEF and their scholarships here: https://www.trinityeducationfoundation.org/

Apply for the scholarships here: https://trinityeducationfoundation.awardspring.com/Home/Scholarships

Fresh Change

Tool Kit for Welcoming Immigrants from LIRS

When immigrants are released from Customs and Border Protection custody, it is often with nothing but the ill-fitting government-issued clothes on their backs. In partnership with Border Servant Corps, the LIRS network welcomes them with dignity, offering a place to stay, a warm meal, and, with your help, a fresh change of clothes.

The new Fresh Change program offers an opportunity to welcome immigrants with a bag of new clothing. Using our toolkit, volunteers can pack as many bags as they’d like and send them to our neighbors at the border. You can even host a Fresh Change packing party!

Learn more here: https://www.lirs.org/a-fresh-change/

Celebrate Black Herstory Month

Stories of women, especially women of African Descent, are often left out of our collective history. Yet, these are stories that connect us. Together we live herstory every day with significance and impact-- and leave a legacy that must be uncovered and shared.

We'll celebrate Black History Month this month and Bold Women's Day during Women's History Month in March. During this time, we'll reflect on the lives of bold women and the impact of how their collective voices are changing the lives of women and girls every day.

Valora Starr, director for discipleship, Women of the ELCA, will offer a short story on Women of the ELCA's blog each week in February. Visit our blog to read about the history of several bold women. Valora will include discussion questions and prayers. Read more here.

Grace Grants

We are excited to be able to offer one final year of Grace Grants!

The 2023 Focus Areas:

Ministry Innovation

Equity and Justice for Marginalized Communities

Community, Inclusion and Belonging

Youth and Young Adult

Our online application form will open February 1 and close May 31.

You will find information and the link for the online application form on the synod website HERE

Camp Lutherwood is Seeking:

A Program Director

and

Adopt-a-Building Volunteers

Lutherwood Camp and Retreat Center is actively seeking an outstanding year-round program director. If you know of a potential candidate, please contact camp immediately as we need the person to be in place ASAP so we can hire and get the camp programs all planned before summer! If you know of quality college-aged students to be on summer staff, please send them our way!

ALSO, please gather some folks from your congregation to “adopt a building” at camp to get it cleaned and in tip-top shape. To make a referral or ask questions, please call the camp office at 360-734-7652 or email judy.engh@camplutherwood.org. Thank you for your partnership in ministry!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Synod Events this Week:

Tues, Feb 21, 10am-1pm - Synod Staff Meeting

Tues, Feb 21 - NO First Call Meet Up this month!

Tues, Feb 21, 6:30pm - FREE Synod-wide Online Study of Acts (see below)

Wed, Feb 22, 6:30pm - Interrogating Privilege (see below)

Thurs, Feb 23, 10-4 - Candidacy Committee

Thurs, Feb 23, 5pm - Hunger Team

Trauma & Its Healing

Sponsored by the Lutheran Faith Community Nurse Association

Non-members and non-nurses are welcome to attend!

Tuesday, February 21, 4-6 pm on ZOOM

Trauma is characterized in three ways: acute, chronic, and complex. This presentation will offer information as to the types of trauma; how they present/how they can be recognized; what damage they can do to those experiencing them; strategies for beginning the healing process; and vicarious trauma (the trauma suffered by those witnessing trauma suffered by others, including caregivers).

Registration fee: $20 for LFCNA members/ $30 for non-members

To register, please go to: https://elpna.org/event-5115478

Synod-Wide Bible Study on the book of Acts

A FREE NW WA Synod LiVE Project Offering!

Tuesdays, 6:30pm - 7:30pm | on Zoom

Continues weekly - drop into any session!

The Synod's LiVE Project is offering this free, weekly online Bible Study Series! Various rostered ministers from around our synod will co-facilitate a study of Willie James Jennings' book, Acts: A Theological Commentary on the Bible. Purchase of the book is encouraged, although not necessary to fully participate.

Join any or all Zoom Sessions HERE. (Zoom Meeting ID: 822 0985 0836 Passcode: Acts)

ELCA Coaching Network - Weekly Sessions

Every Wednesday at 11am (Pacific)

All lay leaders and rostered ministers are invited to join this weekly opportunity to hear from various leaders across the Church - and share in small group conversation - on the theme of COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP.

Learn more about this week's topic and get the registration link here: https://www.elcacoaching.org/

Talks at the Desk Trailer

Season 2 in February

African Descent Ministries of the ELCA celebrates Black History Month with “Talks at the Desk,” a four-part video series that will explore diverse expressions of the church. A new video will premiere each Wednesday in February at 5:30 pm (Pacific)

Watch live on Facebook, stream on YouTube or download at https://ELCA.org/ADM

For more information: https://ELCA.org/TalksAtTheDesk

Interrogating Privilege

A LiVE Project Course

Class continues to meet THURSDAYS during Lent

Feb. 23, Mar. 2, 9, 16

6:30pm - 8pm on Zoom

Presenters:

Rev. Priscilla Paris-Austin & Rev. Dr. Beverly Wallace

This 8-week course is designed specifically for lay leaders to open up transparent, and honest conversations around the ways privilege shapes and impacts our lives and communities of faith. If you’ve read anti-racist books, and are looking for the next, best steps as an individual, family or congregation, this course offers additional ways to move forward. Participants will also have an option to explore their own bias through the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI).

Read about our presenters and get registered HERE!

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We give thanks for our partner collaboration with Trinity Education Foundation who, through a generous grant, is helping us to reach and make accessible these learning opportunities to more and more communities of faith. This gift helps us to further expand on the great offerings that we can make available.

Suicide Alertness Training

Satruday, February 25, 9am-1pm

at Freeborn Lutheran Church

2416 300th St. NW, Stanwood

LivingWorks safeTALK is a four-hour face-to-face workshop featuring powerful presentations, audiovisuals, and skills practice. You’ll learn how to prevent suicide by recognizing signs, engaging someone, and connecting them to an intervention resource for further support.

Who should attend safeTALK? safeTALK is for everyone who wants to help prevent suicide: teachers, front line workers, clergy, volunteers, coaches, parents, youth (15 and older), teachers, law enforcement, social workers, anyone who wants to help prevent suicide.

FACILITATORS: John and Shirley Swanson Certified LivingWorks safeTALK and ASIST trainers.

Note: Class size limited to 40. Cost of training materials has been donated.

To pre-register email ASIST.Lifeguard@yahoo.com, or text 360-271-9896

Choir Concert

Saturday, March 4, 7pm at Faith, Redmond

9041 166th Ave NE, Redmond

Fine Arts at Faith is pleased to announce the next concert on our 2022-2023 season featuring Columbia Choirs of Metropolitan Seattle. Entitled "Gratitude and Belonging," it will feature Con Brio and Concord, the two adult choirs of Columbia Choirs of Metropolitan Seattle. Join these two Eastside choirs for an evening concert featuring choral works that explore the themes of Gratitude and Belonging. Suggested donation of $10/person or $20/family of two or more. Cash and checks will be accepted at the door. If paying by check, please make your checks payable to Faith Lutheran Church.

Rick Steves -- Travel as a Spiritual Act

March 5, 6:30pm Worship; 7pm Presentation

at Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church

7500 Greenwood Ave. North

Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church invites you to join them for worship and a presentation by Rick Steves.

Rick has spent a third of his adult life living out of a carry-on size bag overseas. In this presentation, Rick shares how travel can be a force for peace, how we learn more about our home by leaving it, and how the road can be church. He will draw from experiences ranging from Guatemala to India, Ethiopia to Iran, and throughout Europe. For Rick the best souvenir is to come home with a vivid understanding that, if you believe in God, you know that we are all children of God, brothers and sisters, and by traveling we get to know the family. This event is free and open to all.

Make It Count –

Evangelical Lutheran Education Organization (ELEA) National Conference

March 8-10 – in Seattle

Here in Washington at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Seattle Airport

Join other ELCA School and Center Administrators, and Pastors for our National Conference in partnership with ELEA Region 1! This event is packed with 25 workshop offerings, a keynote from Lesley Moffat, an opening reception with entertainment, a keynote from Deenna Eley, the ELEA Awards Banquet recognizing award winners from 2021 and 2022, an affinity lunch, exhibit hall, worship, and so much more! Learn more here.

Online Trainings from ReconcilingWorks!

Find these two online trainings and more here:

https://www.reconcilingworks.org/trainings/

The Let’s Talk About SOGIE training and “Lutheran Introduction to Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, & Gender Expression” are complementary resources, to be used side by side in your learning of language, and ways to extend hospitality to our LGBTQIA+ siblings. The training is great for those who are hoping to support their faith community in ongoing education, or for individuals who have an open heart and mind on learning more about God’s diversity of creation. The training is 1.5 hours long and held online through Zoom in real-time; registration is $35 per person.

Upcoming Trainings: March 2 / May 4 / June 1

Building an Inclusive Church (BIC) training helps you design and implement a journey for your faith community to publicly and intentionally welcome people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions, and incorporate a commitment to the work of racial equity. Building an Inclusive Church equips you with ways to create dialogue, deepening relationships throughout your faith community rather than sparking debate and division. The training is 4.5 hours long, and held online through Zoom in real-time; registration is $75 per person.

Upcoming Trainings: March 4 / May 6 / June 3

Elementary Retreat at Lutherwood!

March 10-11th at Camp Lutherwood, Bellingham

Our theme is “You Have a Friend” for the 24 hours

Cost is $60/camper; $40/adult.

Checkin begins at 7pm on Friday, March 10th with activities beginning about 7:30pm. We’ll have bible encounter, nature hikes, camp games, crafts and activities – all the things we love about camp. We conclude on Saturday at 6pm with closing circle.

Each congregation is invited to register as a group.

Each congregation gathers the registration info and sends it to Camp Lutherwood - by March 5th: office@camplutherwood.org.

See downloadable flyers for your promotional use HERE.