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Synod Events This Week:
Mon -Thurs, Sept 30-Oct 3 - First Call Theological Education Event at Seabeck
Mon -Thurs, Sept 30-Oct 3 - Mission Developer Training
Mon -Thurs, Sept 30-Oct 3 - Synod Administrators Gathering (SYNOD OFFICE CLOSED)
Tues, Oct 1, 7pm - LiVE Abide Bible Study - see below
Wed, Oct 2 , 7pm - LiVE Faith & Public Life Course - see below
Sat, Oct 5 - Sacred Spaces Event - still time to register! see below
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WISH TO SHARE THIS EMAIL WITH OTHERS?
Instead of forwarding this email (and risking them unsubscribing you!), the best way is to send them to our News Page - https://www.lutheransnw.org/news
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Synod Office is closed this week
Multiple week-long offsite events are taking place for many of our staff members this week, including our administrative staff: Tabetha Myatt and Susan Berg. While they will be checking emails and voice mail messages as they are able, response time may be delayed. Thank you for your patience!
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World Food Day &
Celebrating 50 Years of ELCA World Hunger
Zoom Webinar on Tuesday, October 15, 5pm (Pacific)
Register here to receive reminders, event information, World Food Day resources and the event recording.
Join hosts The Rev. Amy Current, bishop of the Southeastern Iowa Synod, and Imran Siddiqui, vice president of the ELCA and hear firsthand stories from ELCA World Hunger partners — including Educación Popular en Salud (EPES), a community health organization in Chile founded over 40 years ago, and more recent starts such as Tapestry Farms, a Midwestern urban farm system in the Quad Cities of Iowa and Illinois. You’ll hear about their work with ELCA World Hunger and their impact on these communities — all as we celebrate 50 years of ministry and recommit to our shared work toward a just world where all are fed.
What is World Food Day? World Food Day takes place every year on Oct. 16. It is an official date on the United Nations calendar to raise worldwide awareness of hunger and promote action for the future of food, people and the planet. Collective action across 150 countries worldwide, in up to 50 languages, makes World Food Day one of the most celebrated days on the UN calendar. Join ELCA World Hunger on Oct. 15 to start this important time of awareness-raising and to end hunger for good. Learn more about World Food Day here.
ELCA World Hunger 50th Anniversary - Fifty years ago, Lutherans in the United States launched the World Hunger appeals to stand with their neighbors experiencing hunger. Now a core ministry of the church, ELCA World Hunger embodies our hope in God’s promise and our faith that God is revealed in the neighbors we accompany together. Since 1974, hundreds of thousands of generous people from across this church have contributed more than $650 million to support ELCA World Hunger. Countless more have prayed for our shared mission, led their congregations in special fundraising efforts, volunteered at local hunger ministries, or advocated to change policies and systems that perpetuate injustice. Together we have made great strides against hunger and poverty, providing food to meet immediate needs while equipping communities to foster long-term change through access to education and quality health care, sustainable solutions in agriculture, advocacy for just laws that make ending hunger possible, and more.
While we reflect on how far we’ve come, we know how far we have to go. Fifty years after ELCA World Hunger was founded, we find ourselves at another critical moment in history. Amid rising costs, global conflict, the lingering impact of COVID-19 and the intensifying effects of climate change, the world once again faces a startling rise in hunger that is undoing decades of progress.
This year we have an opportunity to commemorate the great strides we’ve made against hunger and poverty even as we commit to increase our support of programs around the world. Join us and be part of the story of our next 50 years together — boldly and hopefully pursuing God’s promise of a just world where all are fed.
How can people get involved in World Food Day and the ELCA World Hunger 50th anniversary?
- Learn more about the 50th anniversary at ELCA.org/WH50.
- Use special ELCA World Hunger 50th anniversary resources in your congregation or for ideas on how to take action in your community. Resources include an action guide for congregations, a brochure, a poster, a PowerPoint slide, social media ideas, offering envelopes and more!
- Support ELCA World Hunger with a gift. Your generosity will help fund the next 50 years of our church’s work to end hunger and poverty. You can give online, by mail or by phone here.
- Connect with your synod's ELCA World Hunger leader/team here: https://www.lutheransnw.org/ministries/hunger-ministries
- Read impact stories from ELCA World Hunger and find the recent issue of “Lifelines”
- Find stories about ELCA World Hunger and other ELCA ministries on the Living Lutheran website.
- Explore the new ELCA Good Gifts catalog, which has several new gifts benefiting the work of ELCA World Hunger. Consider giving ELCA Good Gifts to friends and family this holiday season or raising money as a congregation for a larger gift that benefits a whole community.
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NEW Position Posted
We are now seeking applications for a Financial Services Officer for Region One of the ELCA. The person serves the six Evangelical Lutheran Church of America Synods of the Pacific Northwest (which includes Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska) who equip and connect their congregations, people, communities and ministries.
In cooperation with management of the six synods, the Financial Services Officer is responsible for all areas of fiscal administration for the six synods and their ministries. The Financial Services Officer will interact with each synod’s executive management as well as their administrative staff, synod personnel, committee members and outside auditors. Find the complete job listing (and how to apply) here.
Completed applications due November 1st. PLEASE SHARE this opportunity in your circles!
ADDITIONAL new positions have been posted on our synod website.
Check out opportunities around the synod here
https://www.lutheransnw.org/resources/employment-opportunities
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October Spirit Available
Find articles from Bishop Shelley Bryan Wee and Synod Vice President Kay Edgerton in our October edition (and additional months) of The Spirit - HERE!
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Have you ever pondered Jesus’ words about visiting and freeing the prisoners?
How do we as disciples faithfully follow those calls to action?
Underground Ministries' One Parish One Prisoner offers a two year journey of relationship with one person coming home from prison. As this relationship brings us closer to the world of prisons, we glimpse resurrection.
Join us for our quarterly Zoom Office Hours to ask questions and learn more:
Wednesday, November 13 at 5pm! Join the zoom here: qrco.de/OFFICEhrs
Learn more about Underground Ministries here.
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Children, Youth, and Family Cohort
We are excited to announce another year where children and youth leaders gather to collaborate and share ideas, experiences, trainings, and resources in CYF ministry. We are excited to announce that this year we are meeting for three retreats. The retreats are from 9:00am – 2:00pm and include lunch.
We are exploring the topics of Belonging, Engaging, and Celebrating using the resources “Design for Belonging”, “Growing Young”, and others. Join us as we dive deeper into these topics and how these are at the core of all ministries. We encourage you to bring your volunteers to these as well. More details about the fall retreat on October 12 will be available the first week of September. Join us as we gather to support and encourage one another in the pursuit of sharing the Gospel with children, youth, and families. To be a part of this group, please complete our registration form https://forms.gle/V6W33PwoUoQK1edt6
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Strategy Towards Authentic Diversity Gants
Since its inception, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has grappled with the profound challenge of achieving authentic racial diversity. This struggle, deeply rooted in our history, has led to a church membership that currently represents less than 10% of People of Color. In 2016, a resolution was presented to the Churchwide Assembly to create a task force to develop recommendations to assist the church in increasing more diverse representation.
The task force, composed entirely of people of color and those whose primary language is other than English, listened to the experiences of communities historically underrepresented within the ELCA and society. Mindful of working constructively with white allies within the church, the European Descent Lutheran Association for Racial Justice (EDLARJ), now known as the Association of White Lutherans for Racial Justice, worked alongside the task force as allies. Working in partnership with the staff of the Churchwide Organization, the task force developed a series of recommendations and actions to engage the whole church in removing inequitable barriers, recognizing the diversity already within this church, the importance of leadership development, the woundedness of racism, greater accountability of policies, programs funding, and governance to ELCA People of Color. The document, How Strategic and Authentic is Our Diversity: A Call for Confession, Reflection, and Healing Action (STAD), was adopted by the fifteenth triennial Churchwide Assembly on August 9, 2019, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. To view the document, visit: Strategy_Toward_Authentic_Diversity.pdf (elca.org)
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is pleased to announce the Strategy Towards Authentic Diversity Mini-Grants. $33,000 has been allocated to support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives across the ELCA. Faithfulness to the Biblical mandate to proclaim the Gospel requires fostering actions that promote equity, fairness, and justice across all three expressions of the ELCA and society.
Grant-funded projects, activities, programs, events, and plans must relate to an area of focus named in the STAD: Theological Education, Leadership Development, Partnerships with Ecumenical and interreligious partners, Healing Actions from racism and other forms of oppression, Antiracism education, and Structural Accountability through policy and/or programs focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Mini grants are seed grants designed to launch and support new or existing projects, policies, and events that promote or relate to the Strategy Towards Authentic Diversity themes. Individuals, associations, congregations, synods, and organizations affiliated with the ELCA are eligible to apply. Mini grants in the requested amount of $500-2,500. The total funding disbursement amount is $33,000, and the average grant funding amount will be $800.
WHO CAN APPLY?
Individuals, associations, congregations, synods, and organizations affiliated with the ELCA are eligible to apply.
Registration opens: September 3 and closes November 1.
Register to apply here
Funding decisions will be made through the STAD Advisory Committee. Funding will be announced on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, the National Day of Racial Healing.
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Cultivating Generous Congregations: Fall Cohort
ELCA Stewardship and Generosity team offers this opportunity to grow generosity in your congregation in cooperation with the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving.
Begins October 22 —4 sessions (10/22, 10/29, 11/12, 11/19) all online via Zoom 3-4:30pm Pacific
How do we, as communities of faith, change our thinking on stewardship and generosity to meet the challenges of the moment? In partnership with the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, the ELCA is offering congregations the opportunity to reexamine their stewardship thinking and imagine ways to act on their findings in their communities - discuss, dissect and collaborate with others on how generosity might work more effectively in their contexts. Consider signing up some of your stewardship team! Register HERE
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FREE LiVE Project Weekly Online Bible Study
Abide: Going Deeper
Tuesdays via Zoom, 7pm-8pm
We invite you to abide curiously in God's Word together. The LiVE retreats and courses are not meant to be stand alone offerings. Go deeper into the Biblical grounding of the course/retreat themes in this weekly synod-wide FREE Bible Study. No need to pre-register.
Join us any week! More info and Zoom link here.
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Faith in Public Life
a LiVE Project 7-week course via Zoom
7pm - 8:30pm on Wednesdays | through October 30
In preparation for our election and the times we find ourselves in, what does it mean for us to be Church in today’s world? Through a variety of voices and disciplines, we’ll explore what it means to be people of faith in today’s public life, growing in our awareness of how we’ve been formed in our culture and how we’re being called into new places.
Each week we'll learn alongside guest-faculty from different disciplines and places in the public sphere:
Learn more and get registered here: https://www.lutheransnw.org/events/faith-in-public-life
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Sacred Spaces: Opening The Holy Invitation Even Wider
THIS Saturday, October 5, 9am-3:30pm in Seattle
Join fellow ELCA Northwest Washington Synod members, dreamers and experimenters for a day of inspiration and exploration!
The synod's Cultivate Project invites you to come and learn, experiment and dream about what God is calling you to in your own context. Dive into workshops and experiences that will spark your creativity and equip you to create inclusive, life-giving gatherings in your community.
This is your chance to:
- Learn from experienced facilitators.
- Network with like-minded individuals.
- Experiment with new ways to gather.
- Discover how to expand God's invitation in your own backyard.
Registration is open!
Don't miss this opportunity to ignite your ministry and welcome everyone into a vibrant, sacred space!
P.S. We encourage carpooling as parking is limited.
Street parking is also available. See https://www.7400woodlawn.org/ for more details.
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Faith Action Networks' Interfaith Network for Indigenous Communities presents:
Understanding the Impacts of the US Indian Boarding Schools
October 11, 12noon-2pm on Zoom
We will hear from: Jewell James, Lummi Nation, Master Carver, Activist, Elder and boarding school survivor; Theresa Sheldon, Tulalip Tribes, National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition and Tulalip Tribal Council; and Edward Washines, Yakama Nation, WA State Truth & Reconciliation Advisory Committee (WA Attorney General’s Office)
No Charge to join, please register here: https://forms.gle/T1MWMRhn9eYx2M7o9 or scan the QR code in the graphic.Learn more here about Interfaith Network for Indigenous Communities
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Family Story Circle
October 13 & 16, November 17 & 20, December 15 & 18 – 4:30pm ONLINE
Families are invited to join us online for a special story time that offers all ages a way to grow in faith and to build community with others. Hear a bible story told in the Godly Play method, followed by space to wonder, respond, and reflect, using art or story materials in your own home. Each gathering will end with a blessing to celebrate our circle of families and to inspire us for the days to come.
Offered monthly with two date options, we hope this practice can become a part of your family rhythms!
Learn more and get registered here: https://circles.godlyplayfoundation.org/event/family-story-circle
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Rostered Minister Fall Gathering
A Rostered Leaders Day of Professional Development
Breathing Womanist AIR:
Accepting, Interrogating & Reading Scripture from a Womanist Perspective
Guest Teacher Dr. Angela Parker
Friday, October 18th, 1-5pm
First African Methodist Episcopal Church; 1522 14th Ave Seattle (AKA Fame Church)
Description:
In this day of mutual enrichment, Dr. Angela Parker will discuss:
- How whiteness became the norm in biblical interpretation
- How to move from whiteness to womanist
The title “Breathing Womanist Air” is an interpretive proposal of Accepting, Interrogating and Reading (AIR) Scripture from a Womanist perspective.
What is Womanist?
The term womanist was derived from African American author and activist Alice Walker, and her 1993 book In Search of Our Mother’s Gardens. In contrast to “girlish”, a gendered term precluding race, Walker coined womanish to signify the African American woman’s experience. This involved womanism as a courageous way to embrace identity as a Black woman, and to serve as an expansive and equitable way of loving other women, themselves and all humanity.
About Dr. Angela Parker
Rev. Dr. Angela Parker is associate professor of New Testament and Greek at McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University in Atlanta, GA. She received her M.T.S. from Duke Divinity School and her Ph.D. in Bible, culture, and hermeneutics from Chicago Theological Seminary. Dr. Parker wrote If God Still Breathes, Why Can’t I. She is a regular contributor to the Bible For Normal People podcast and social media account and was also a featured presenter in the 2022 documentary: “1946: the Mistranslation that Shifted a Culture.”
Registration
Registration is $50 for this day of professional development.
Register HERE
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All are invited!
LiVE Project Fall Retreat:
Faith & Freedom
Saturday, October 19, 9am - 3:30pm
First African Methodist Episcopal Church; 1522 14th Ave Seattle
(AKA Fame Church)
Drawing on the book of Galatians, Rev. Dr. Angela Parker will guide us through how to make sense of God’s Word in light of today’s cultural challenges. We’ll especially explore how to navigate our identity and witness in an age of Christian Nationalism. All are welcome to register!
What to Expect
5 Interactive learning sessions in one day:
- Session 1: Addressing assumptions of biblical interpretations
- Session 2: Intro to Galatians, ch 1&2: from faith in Jesus to the faith of Jesus
- Session 3: Galatians 3&4: Law & gospel/The promise of faith in Christ
- Session 4: Galatians 5&6: How we bear one another’s burdens
- Session 5: “Making it Home” - Freedom to what end?
About Rev. Dr. Angela Parker
Rev. Dr. Angela Parker is associate professor of New Testament and Greek at McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University in Atlanta, GA. She received her M.T.S. from Duke Divinity School and her Ph.D. in Bible, culture, and hermeneutics from Chicago Theological Seminary. Dr. Parker wrote If God Still Breathes, Why Can’t I. She is a regular contributor to the Bible For Normal People podcast and social media account and was also a featured presenter in the 2022 documentary: “1946: the Mistranslation that Shifted a Culture.”
Location & Registration
- First African Methodist Episcopal Church
- 1522 14th Ave Seattle, WA
- Free parking is available on site at the venue location First American Methodist Episcopal Church. Carpooling encouraged. It is also 7 blocks from the Capital Hill Lightrail Station.
- Lunch will be provided.
All are welcome to register and attend! Click HERE to register!
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Workshop: From Empathy to Action: Supporting Transgender and Gender Expansive Youth
Saturday, October 19, 9am-11am
hosted by Holy Spirit Lutheran Church
10021 NE 124th St., Kirkland
Cost is $25 - Register here
Rooted in her own personal experience, Jamie will share some of the joys and challenges of raising a transgender child in a world that all too often isn't ready for them. We know these youth face devastating rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide, but the data overwhelmingly shows that support and affirmation greatly reduces those risks. What does that affirmation look like? How as parents, family, educators, faith leaders, and community members can we be that support? Jamie will inspire, empower, and equip us to better show up for the young people in our lives and in our community.
Jamie is also the author of Raising Kids Beyond the Binary: Celebrating God’s Transgender and Gender-Diverse Children, one of the books we reviewed as part of our summer book club. She will be available for signing copies of her book at 4:00 pm. There is no charge for the book signing.
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Upcoming Installation
we lift our prayers for these leaders & their congregations.
God bless these new ministry partnership!
Christ Lutheran Church in Ferndale has welcomed Rev. Leigh DeVries (PCUSA) as their new pastor - her Rite of Beginning service will be Saturday, October 20 at 2pm.
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Lutherwood Fall Work Day
Want to help your local camp while getting your hands dirty? Lutherwood is hosting the second of two fall work Saturdays, October 26, 9am-5pm! Join us as we close out summer needs and prepare camp for winter. All ages and skill levels welcome! Lunch will be provided. A sample list of jobs includes general organizing, demolishing a deck, painting, replacing smoke detectors, deep cleaning facilities, winterizing buildings, and so much more!
Sign up here: https://forms.gle/6SvBYQ7Fif3eKRjC8
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Lutherwood Fall Family Retreat
Fall Family Retreat, November 1-3
Registration is open!
Have you wondered what Lutherwood is like in the fall? Now’s your chance! Our beautiful 105 acres on Lake Samish offers opportunities for all ages, year-round, and we invite families, couples, and individuals to join us the first weekend in early November. We’ll enjoy a low-key weekend that will include opportunities for family time, fellowship, campfires, songs, strolls, and more. You can even bring your costume for a Talent Show!
Visit our website at https://www.camplutherwood.org/non-summer-programs to register.
For questions, please reach out to ashleigh.ek@camplutherwood.org. We hope to see you here soon!
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Lutheran World Relief InGathering
Seattle 2024 Fall Ingathering of kits and quilts!
November 1 and 2
at Our Redeemers' Lutheran at 2400 NW 85th St, Seattle.
Deliver your boxes of quilts or kits:
8am-2pm on Friday Nov 1st and 8am - 11:30am on Saturday Nov 2nd
We need a few more volunteers to direct traffic, or to help load boxes into the containers.
If you can help for one or two hours, please contact Rich Mathes at 206-384-1183 or lwrmathes@aol.com. Boxes are generally 30 pounds or less. Traffic directors do not need to lift boxes - just direct cars and trucks. THANK YOU!
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2024 Fall YOUTH Retreat – Yonder is the Sea!
at Camp Casey
Friday, November 8 at 6pm – Sunday, November 10 at 11am
We invite you to join in our 2024 Fall Youth Retreat at Camp Casey, November 8-10. We hope that your 6-12 grade youth will join us! Over the weekend we will explore the deep and playful relationship between water and faith, the sea and spirituality. Using Psalm 104:24-30 as our guide we will explore themes of playfulness, abundance, loss, and promise, among others as we connect the Psalm to our faith and daily lives.
Cost is $100 per participant. (This lower cost is due to the gracious support of the Northwest Washington (NWWA) Synod Children, Youth, and Family Committee)
Learn more and register you group here.
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Adult Leaders Needed! – 2024 Fall Retreat
It was so wonderful to have so many different leaders share their gifts and talents at last year’s Fall Retreat at Camp Lutherwood. We hope that leaders to share their gifts once again. We are looking for large group session leaders, middle school small group leaders, high school small group leaders, musicians, and any other sharing of leadership you may want to participate in. If you are interested in participating in leading during this year’s retreat, please contact Doug Johnson, doug@salc.church or Bobbi Cyr, bobbi@stmatthewsrenton.org by 8/31. We will be looking to have our leader planning meeting the first two weeks of September via Zoom.
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Want an item included?
Email Susan Berg, Communications Administrator
All items due by 2pm on the prior Thursday
Northwest Washington Synod / ELCA
5519 Phinney Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98103
206-783-9292
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