Bishop's Sabbatical Update & Thank You

A BIG THANK YOU to Bishop Emeritus Chris Boerger

It was a gift for him to accompany the synod staff while Bishop Shelley was on sabbatical! We are so grateful for his wisdom, encouragement, and care - not to mention great history lessons!

We anticipate that Bishop Shelley will be back in the office on October 5

Please know that while Bishop Shelley's sabbatical has concluded - she will be out of office until Oct 5 due meetings and bereavement leave following the death of her father. If you need a more immediate response, please contact Tabetha and Susan in the synod office - they can best direct you: 206-783-9292 or office@lutheransnw.org. Thank you for your patience and grace in these days.

Gather Groups for Young Adults

Learn more about these groups for those aged 18-30/35 years

in Snohomish and King Counties by clicking on the images below!

(or on the synod website here)

ELCA Truth Seeking & Truth Telling Initiative

This initiative is intended to organize Lutherans for truth-seeking and truth-telling about Lutheran and broader Christian involvement in Indian boarding schools in the US and their impact on Native peoples. Read about their process, progress, and needs moving forward here: https://www.elca.org/how-we-serve/elca-in-society/mdcc/indigenous-ministries/indian-boarding-schools - and/or speak with Pastor Kristy Daniels at Church of Steadfast Love in Seattle, as she has been part of this churchwide conversation. HERE is a 2-page resource for your use.

One piece of their work was to help pass a memorial at the 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assembly to equip congregations, synods, and affiliate ministries to observe the National Day of Remembrance for Indian Boarding Schools (September 30) and to carry out ongoing education and communication about Indian boarding schools. YOU are invited to take time to learn more about this history, prayerfully consider how you might respond, and wear orange on Sept 30. Resources are available on the above website.

Living Lutheran: “Beyond remembrance: Truth telling means taking action”

Rev. Wanda K. Frenchman, who was raised by survivors of a Catholic boarding school, shares this

personal reflection.

We pray this prayer, adapted from an ELCA worship resource:

Loving God, we remember the innocent children who were torn from their families, taken to boarding schools and abused by their caregivers, and who died so far away from their communities. Hear our prayer for the innocent sacred lives of all Indigenous children who survived, who have been found and who remain lost. Move our hearts by your mercy as we acknowledge and repent all the suffering that our churches caused. Guide and restore us to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly. Amen.

Portico - Health Plan Zoom Update

Please join our Portico Regional Representative, Andrea Arey, for a Zoom presentation on Stewarding the ELCA Health Plan Together. Learn about the current health care environment and what’s changed, claim trends, why the 15% increase in contributions, 2027 plan design changes, and what resources and personal support available for discernment. The session for plan members was held Sept 10. The session for congregational leaders is coming up on Sept 21.

Sept 21 at 6:30pm - for Congregation Council / Board Leaders

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/stL7URP-SASd4ywpc6NQkw

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

We are looking forward to this year's LiVE Project offerings!

Time to register for our upcoming fall course & first retreat below!

Learn more about the courses and purchase a congregational bundle here:

www.lutheransnw.org/ministries/the-live-project

NWWA Synod Council approves support of "No Hate in WA State"

The NW Washington Synod Council, in their Sept. 19 meeting, approved supporting the No Hate in Washington State Campaign which opposes two initiatives coming before our state for a vote in November. We stand alongside Faith Action Network and other faith communities who believe every child has sacred worth and deserves safety, dignity, privacy, and belonging.

We will be signing on as a synod - and encourage local clergy and congregations to consider doing so as well. Learn more about this campaign here: https://nohateinwastate.org/

A Message from our Synod Hunger Team

Application Time for the ELCA Daily Bread Grants opens soon!

Daily Bread grant funding is available in the form of a one-time $500 grant and is meant to supplement existing public serving food-based programs at ELCA Congregations and ministries. 

Who is eligible to apply?

• ELCA Congregations
• New starts
• SAWCs
• Strategic Ministries
• Congregations in Development
• SAOMs
• ELCA Campus Ministries

What is the timeline to apply?

• Letter of inquiry form open: Thursday, October 1st – Wednesday, October 21, 2026
• Award notifications shared with applicants: November 2026
• Banking & Payment dispersal: December 2026

Is the application available before October 1st? No, but you can find some of the questions to prepare on our website at https://elca.org/dailybreadgrants as well as links to the application in English in Spanish which will be live beginning October 1st. 

Fall Synod Women's Organization Day Retreat

Our theme - Seek Inspiration

Saturday – October 3rd / 9 am ~ 4 pm

(Doors open @ 8:30 am for registration)

at Our Saviors Lutheran Church

(215 W Mukilteo Blvd, Everett, WA 98203)

Please join with women from our Synod as we learn & grow as Women of the ELCA

Our speaker will be Pastor Kacey Hahn of St Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Renton

Learn more and register here

Come to the Table —

A Gathering for Ministry Sites with Schools!

Join us for a time of connection, conversation, and community as we gather with school and early childhood teachers, leaders, board & council members, church leaders, and rostered ministers from across the Northwest Washington Synod.

This gathering is about coming together — sharing our stories, learning from one another's experiences, and building relationships across our schools and congregations. Along the way, we'll also learn more about the ELEA (Evangelical Lutheran Education Association) and how it can support the work we're already doing together. We hope to see a couple folks from each of our ministry sites (teacher/director cannot get away during that time? send someone else - perhaps a board member and your pastor!)

When: Thursday, October 15 | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Where: Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 3215 Larch Way, in Lynnwood

Who's invited: School and early childhood teachers, directors, principals, board & council members, church leaders, and rostered ministers - whether your school is Lutheran or other affiliation

Cost: Free - lunch included!



Come ready to connect, develop, and be inspired — and bring your questions about ELEA!

Please register here by October 1 -

https://members.elcaschools.org/events/details/come-to-the-table-an-nwwa-synod-gathering-296

Part-time Pastors Meet Up

October 21, 1-3pm on Zoom

There are growing number of ministry sites that are - or are moving to - less than full-time pastoral ministry.

The Synod seeks to best support ministries and ministers in this reality. Join us for this conversation about challenges, joys, best practices, and needs moving forward. 

Register Here for the Zoom Meeting

Items to share!

Saint Andrew's Lutheran Church (Bellevue) has furniture and some office supplies the share.

The dynamic list is at: https://trashnothing.com/user/4934990/posts



Please email Kurt if you are interested in any of the treasures - kurt@salc.church.

Enrollment Open for Lutheran Summer Music 2027

Youth musicians in grades 8-12 are invited to Lutheran Summer Music (LSM) 2027 at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN! LSM is the nation’s premier faith-based music academy for high school students. Churches from around the country send students to LSM for an unforgettable summer of musical growth and connections in faith and community. Students work with nationally recognized faculty and gather daily to share musical gifts in worship. Academy offerings include large ensembles (band, choir, orchestra), chamber music, private lessons, and electives like handbells, intro to the pipe organ, jazz, musical theatre, composition, conducting, church music, and more.

Churches are encouraged to nominate students, and students can apply now through December 1 for a Priority Enrollment $100 discount.

LSM Program Overview: LSMacademy.org/program 

Nominate Students: LSMacademy.org/nominate

From Luther Seminary

The Death of Jesus and the Message of Life:

According to the Gospel of John

Tuesday, September 22, 4-6:30pm ONLINE

“Life” is the heart of the gospel John proclaims. It defines who God is and what God gives. The gift is both physical and relational. It begins now and shapes a way of life in the world, and it holds within it Christ’s promise of resurrection. Jesus’ crucifixion remains the stubborn fact that challenges our understanding of what the message of life means. His death was the outcome of social and political forces that culminated in state-sponsored violence. But in putting to death the Giver of Life, the world reveals the depth of its estrangement from God. Using different interpretive lenses, John presses us to see how God, through the death of Jesus, does indeed give life. The Gospel takes us beyond popular notions of sin and sacrifice by presenting a more radical message. Through the crucifixion, God conveys the fullness of his love for the world in order to evoke the faith that gives life. This cruciform love is militant, confronting the forces of deception and hate, and giving urgency to contemporary Christian witness that seeks fullness of life for individuals, communities, and the world God made.

Register for this live, interactive webinar here: https://www.luthersem.edu/news/2026/07/09/join-craig-koester-in-september-for-the-fretheim-lecture-on-biblical-theology/

You're invited to the ELCA Church Property Resource Hub Webinar:

“Land Back as Property Stewardship Ethic”

Thursday, Sept. 24, 4pm Pacific Time

Honoring our commitment as a church through the social policy resolution “Supporting ELCA Land Back Efforts and Indigenous Ministries,” this webinar is focused on land return. Indigenous leaders from within and beyond the ELCA will share about the Land Back movement and repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery. Participants will also hear from congregations and synods taking part in land return and reconciliation efforts. 

Register here today.

Signs of Rebound, Uneven Recovery: What Five Years of Change Mean for Clergy and Congregations

Sep 24, 9:15am

More than five years after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted congregational life, what has changed—and what have clergy learned along the way? Join the Hartford Institute for Religion Research for a conversation about findings from the new national study Signs of Rebound Amid Uneven Recovery: The Changing Congregational Landscape. Drawing on responses from more than 7,400 congregations across 79 denominations and faith traditions, the report offers a comprehensive look at how congregations have changed since 2020.

The webinar will highlight the biggest trends of the past five years—including changes in attendance, finances, volunteering, congregational strength, and clergy well-being—and explore how clergy have responded to this period of disruption, adaptation, and recalibration. Together, we’ll consider what the data suggest about where congregational life is headed and what these changes mean for ministry leadership in the years ahead.

Register here: https://hartfordinternational.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_8bWYQImdQUi5jaZjaOJBPg#/registration

You’re invited to attend…First Lutheran Church of Bothell’s Creation Care team will have a booth at Bothell’s Sustainamania 2026 festival on Saturday, Sept. 26th. This free event will be held at the Bothell City Hall Plaza from 10 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. and provides a variety of experiences and opportunities, including a free Repair Café; food trucks; music; crafts; and Touch-A-Truck, where visitors can explore vehicles such as a fire truck or police car. Free parking is available in the City Hall garage. For more information about the festival and a list of participating vendors, please click on the link: https://www.bothellwa.gov/227/Sustainamania. Don’t forget to stop by FLC’s booth and say hello!

How to Understand White Christian Nationalism & The Other:

Dusting Off the Niebuhrs for the 21st Century

Join us at Ballard First Lutheran Church (2006 NW 65th St. Seattle) on September 26th at 7pm for our inaugural talk in the Erik Wilson Weiberg Lectureship! This year we will be joined by Dr. Suzanne Holland from the University of Puget Sound, where she holds the John B. Magee Distinguished Professorship in Science and Values for her work in bioethics. Professor Holland’s research and teaching interests have always focused on social justice issues at the intersection of society, health care, religion, and new technologies in medicine and science, and more recently, artificial intelligence. Holland’s current passion is the course she teaches on Ethics & The Other, which is the inspiration for her lecture.



This event will be immediately followed by a reception. We hope to see you there!

LINC NW 10^th Anniversary Fundraiser & Celebration

Linc NW is a community collaboration with Faith Lutheran of N Lakewood (Marysville)

For the past decade, LINC Northwest has had the privilege of serving our local community alongside faith partners who share a heart for seeing lives restored and families supported. YOU are welcome to join the celebration of this ministry milestone on Sept. 26 at 5pm at the Marysville Opera House. Learn more about how to participate in this 10th Anniversary Fundraiser and Celebration here: lincnw.org/events

Congrats to LINC!

Learn more about this online discernment event here: https://elcaseminaries.org/

FAN (Faith Action Network) Regional Gathering

for South Snohomish and North King Counties

Please join the Faith Action Network, fellow faith communities, and other individuals of conscience for the FAN South Snohomish/North King County Regional Gathering! Together we will discover what we care most deeply about in this moment. We will create community locally and build power regionally and statewide. We will share stories and food, listen for your advocacy priorities, strategize for the election and 2027 legislative session, and join in an activity to share our priorities with our state legislators.

Legislative districts 1 and 32 will have break-out sessions, and we can plan more if others join too.

Sunday September 27, 2:30-4:15 pm

First Lutheran Church of Bothell

PLEASE REGISTER HERE

**There will also be Regional Gatherings in Seattle and the Eastside. Invitations coming soon.

FAN always posts the E-News to their website at fanwa.org/news/.

Budgets are Moral Documents: Why We're Defending the Millionaires Tax

Faith Action Network Zoom Panel Discussion

Tuesday, September 29, 6:30 PM

Join us for a conversation on the Millionaires Tax! Learn about this important source of funding for our schools, families, and small businesses and why we are voting No on I-645 this November.

At Faith Action Network, we believe that budgets are moral documents. The choices we make about raising and spending public resources reveal whose lives we value, whose needs we prioritize, and whether we are willing to share responsibility for the well-being of our neighbors. 

I-645 would repeal the Millionaires Tax package, a historic new law that will modestly increase taxes on just the top one percent of Washingtonians - while cutting taxes for the other 99%. Washington already has one of the most upside-down tax systems in the nation, where low-income and middle-class families pay a far bigger share of their income in taxes than the wealthiest. I-645 would make this worse by increasing costs for working families and putting critical tax breaks at risk of repeal, including those for lower-income families and small businesses.  

That's why FAN is joining the effort to fight this repeal and is convening a conversation to educate faith communities and speak from a moral voice about why this matters from a faith- and conscience-based perspective.

Join us for this zoom session - where we will be joined by these guest speakers:

• Rick Steves, Founder and Owner of Rick Steves Europe
• Emily Vyhnanek, Associate Director of Campaigns at Washington Budget and Policy Center
• The Rev. Dr. Kelle J Brown, Senior Pastor at Plymouth United Church of Christ, Seattle
• Rep. Osman Salahuddin, Representative for Washington's 48th Legislative District
• Teresa Bendito, Organizing Manager at Rural People's Voice

A Study Resource for Groups

The 2022 ELCA Churchwide Assembly invited the whole church into a reconsideration of a section of the social statement Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust—specifically the section often referred to as “bound conscience.”  The task force called to lead this work is happy to share a new study leaders can use to open conversation. We hope that you are able to use it in your setting - soon!

The study, “Conscience and Conversation: A Study during the Reconsideration of the Social Statement Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust” offers activities, discussion questions, and a survey link for participants to submit feedback to the task force by September 30. This feedback will help inform the draft phase of the reconsideration process.

For more information on the Reconsiderations process, go to elca.org/reconsiderations.

Why We’re Always Working Upstream:

A New Story of Drugs for Faith Communities

FREE webinar hosted by the Center of Addiction & Faith

Sept. 30 from 10am-11am

If you've spent years helping people in crisis, fighting apathy, and combating stigma, but feel like you are always fighting an uphill battle, you're not alone. The webinar presenter Rev. Timothy McMahan King will make the case that faith communities have developed powerful resources for responding to addiction but have been missing the foundation that makes that work sustainable: a theology of what drugs are actually for. He is author of a new book "What Are Drugs For? An Exploration of Stolen Fire" being released in September. This webinar is for clergy, counselors and people of faith who are already doing the work and want to know what it keeps feeling so hard -and what a different starting point might make possible. 

The link to register is https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/T7bRgNMzTn2RiCfJSa8dGw?mc_cid=767c59feb5&mc_eid=UNIQID#/registration

Soup Supper & An Evening with Lutheran World Relief

Enjoy a soup supper at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 30 at Ballard First Lutheran Church, followed by a presentation from Rev. Lisa Kipp, Director of Congregational Engagement for Lutheran World Relief. Discover how Lutheran World Relief is responding to humanitarian crises around the world and disasters here in the United States. Hear stories from Ecuador and Lebanon, learn about the impact of LWR Quilts and Kits, and explore how you and your congregation can be part of bringing hope to neighbors in need around the world. All are welcome!

Camp Lutherwood

Next Camp Work Day: October 3rd!

Join us from 10-4 (lunch included) to help maintain YOUR camp!

For more information and to register – go here: camplutherwood.org/volunteer

Please reach out to Tristan at tristan.ipock@camplutherwood.org with questions, or if you’d like to volunteer in an ongoing capacity!

Worship Amid Social Turmoil

A regional conference sponsored by PLU's Wild Hope Center for Vocation and Associated Parishes for Liturgy and Mission. Open to musicians, worship committees, clergy, educators, and every Christian who cares deeply about the church's public witness in a time of unprecedented chaos and turmoil.

Oct 3 at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma

Rev Dr Gordon Lathrop, former PLU university pastor and professor of liturgy at United Seminary, Yale Divinity, and Virginia Theological, will serve as the keynote speaker. Workshops on hymn texts that form conscience (Paul Tegels and Shari Shull), worship as critique of injustice (Barbara Rossing), and "political" preaching and teaching (Samuel Torvend) will be offered - as well as a panel on church-sponsored public demonstrations (Rebecca Hughes), songs of hope and protest (Andrew Drewes), and questioning the behavior of the nation's president (Bishop Rick Jaech).

Find the full schedule, speakers, and registration here: https://www.plu.edu/vocation/worship-amid-social-turmoil/#1786059758747-c693d294-460b

Luther Seminary Sampler Weekend

Immerse yourself in the Luther Seminary community.

Spend time in conversation, study and discernment with others considering seminary.

• Meet with current Luther Seminary staff, faculty, and students.
• Learn about the different programs at Luther and which might be the best fit for you.
• Enjoy a weekend in Minneapolis and St. Paul as you wonder how God is calling you forward.

Schedule

Friday, October 9 – Gather for an optional group dinner and fun in the Twin Cities 

Saturday, October 10 – Full Day Seminary Sampler (10 am – 6:30 pm includes snacks, lunch & dinner)

Sunday, October 11 –If you're still in town attend a local congregation and brunch with a member of the seminary community 

Register Here: Seminary Sampler Weekend - Luther Seminary

Housing (for those outside of the Twin Cities) is provided as well as a modest travel stipend. 

Monthly Bible Study with ReconcilingWorks

October 15, November 19, December 17

1:00pm Pacific

Online via Zoom (Register here for the Bible Study to receive the link)

More Info: Bible Study - ReconcilingWorks

• The Zoom link will be emailed two days in advance to those who register.
• The Bible Study is led by a rostered leader.
• The text for the Bible Study is for the Sunday ten days after the Bible Study Zoom gathering. 
• Sermon Notes are also available on the website.

Previous study materials are available on the ReconcilingWorks Bible Study webpage. (Click on image next to "Sermon Notes" or Register here for the Bible Study to receive an email)

Find ReconcilingWorks most recent newsletter here: https://www.reconcilingworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/June-2026-RWKS-Newsletter.pdf

The Wild Hope Center for Vocation has a host of fall opportunities for alumni and friends of PLU to consider our common vocation to promote human and ecological flourishing, especially in a time of increasing polarization and environmental degradation. These presentations focus on the core of PLU’s mission to link learning with care for others, their communities, and the Earth. As a university committed to life-long learning, we are eager to welcome thoughtful discussion among our alumni and friends on pressing issues of the day. Join us as we explore various dimensions of our vocations in the world.

Learn more about each of these fall presentations here.

The Bishop and the Traveler - Sunday, October 18, 7 p.m.

Eastvold Auditorium in the Karen Hillie Phillips Center

Wild Hope welcomes Mr. Rick Steves and Bishop Shelley Bryan Wee ’88 as they discuss the growing threats of fascism and Christian nationalism in American life. This is an in-person event though the event will be live-streamed (CLICK HERE to watch the livestream at the time of the event). Seating is limited.

Step in to a world of wonder - Tuesday, November 17, 4 p.m.

Women have made foundational contributions to physics, from discovering radioactivity and nuclear fission to pioneering work in quantum mechanics and astrophysics. Join Dr. Katrina Hay, the first woman to serve as the PLU Physics Department chair, as she discusses the vocation to teach physics: its wonder, challenges, and relevance in today’s world.

Weary of digital and physical noise? - Thursday, December 3, 4 p.m.

Health professionals and social scientists warn that urban and suburban living produce an increasing harmful though often “silent” toll on human health and wellbeing. In this busiest season of the year, join Dr. Samuel Torvend as he discusses an ancient yet contemporary antidote to the noise and cognitive fatigue of modern life.

Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (PLTS)

Discernment Weekend

Are you wondering if seminary might be right for you? Consider joining PLTS visit and discernment weekend, Signs Along the Way, October 30 — November 1 in Berkeley, California. This weekend is a great opportunity to connect with others in discernment, get to know PLTS faculty, and explore what it’s like to be an online student in the Master of Divinity, MA in Spirituality and Social Change, or Lutheran Year programs. PLTS covers lodging and meals during the event and can offer travel assistance for those who need it.

Details:

• When: 4:00pm on Friday, October 30 through 2:30pm on Sunday, November 1
• Where: PLTS Campus in Berkeley, CA 
• Who: Anyone discerning a call to ordained ministry in the ELCA or another vocational path. People at all stages of discernment are welcome.
• What is included: PLTS covers lodging and meals during the event and can provide some travel assistance for those who need it. 

Visit plts.edu/signs to learn more and sign up.

18th Annual Powell-Heller Conference for Holocaust Education:

More Than Dust: Reclaiming LGBTQ+ Voices of the Holocaust

November 4-6

Thanks to the generosity of donors this event is free and open to the public.

Pacific Lutheran University will host this annual conference, a gathering dedicated to challenging traditional archives to recover the intimate histories of queer and marginalized histories of the Holocaust. This year’s conference focuses on LGBTQ+ experiences of the Holocaust. We are honored to welcome historian Anna Hájková as our Raphael Lemkin speaker. Her book, People Without History Are Dust: Queer Desire in the Holocaust, serves as the foundation for this year’s programming. As Dr. Hájková argues, “thinking about the marginalized can help us to develop a less judgmental, more inclusive past” – a project we aim to collectively engage in during our time together.

The conference features a special theater performance and a film screening alongside its academic components. Attendees will hear from leading international scholars in the field, including Laurie Marhoefer and Samuel Clowes Huneke, as well as a workshop from educators at The Pink Triangle Project and pedagogy sessions from educators at Yad Vashem. Through theater, film, keynote lectures, and panel discussions, participants will discover new methodologies for confronting historical erasure, ultimately reshaping how we archive, remember, and honor the Holocaust.

PLU’s mission to support the education of our students and larger community on issues of diversity and justice are intimately connected to the study of the tragedy of the Holocaust. Students can see that marginalization of a minority group, such as the Jews of Nazi Germany, can lead to life-threatening situations culminating in one of the world’s modern genocides. Issues of distortion and denial make the process of reconciliation and healing less likely and serve as an insult to the memory of all those whose lives were destroyed in the Holocaust.

Learn more and register here: https://www.plu.edu/holocaustconference/#:~:text=Dr. Edward Kissi, Associate Professor in

“Homelessness: A Renewal of Commitment” social message

Your feedback is desired!

All ELCA members are invited to share feedback on draft revisions to the social message “Homelessness: A Renewal of Commitment,” first adopted in 1990. At the request of the 2022 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, the ELCA Church Council authorized a reconsideration for possible substantive revision of a section of the social message.

Reconsideration is a formal process of communal discernment about social issues in the church. This reconsideration allows the ELCA to revisit the social message in light of the church’s growing understanding of homelessness, the current lived realities of people who are unhoused or precariously housed, and changes in civil law and the economy that present new challenges to housing in the United States.

Visit ELCA.org/homelessness to read the draft and to submit your feedback via a survey before Nov. 30. Feedback, questions and concerns can also be sent to DraftSocialMessage@ELCA.org.

Executive Skills for

Church Leaders

January 4 - 8, 2027 - at Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center in in Carefree, Arizona

Learn more and register here:

https://spiritinthedesert.org/events/executive-skills-for-church-leaders-3/

Byberg Preaching Conference

Preachers - join us this winter in Seaside, Oregon on January 25-27, 2027, when we will welcome Assistant Professor of Homiletics from Wartburg Seminary, Rev. Dr. Samantha Gilmore. Dr. Gilmore will present “Christ for You and Me: A Lutheran Theology of Preaching & the Embodied Imagination." 

Registration opens Sept 25 - learn more here: https://www.bybergpreachingworkshop.com/

Baseball Retreat in Arizona 2027

Back by popular demand, Play Ball & Connect, March 16-20, 2027, Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center in Carefree, AZ. Mornings: Spirituality and Sport Dugout Conversation, Afternoons, Spring Training Games, Evenings: Classic Baseball Movies.

Warm days, delicious food, fun and fellowship by the pool. All are welcome. Spaces are limited, so register soon. https://spiritinthedesert.org/programs/retreats-in-arizona/play-ball-and-connect-retreat/

Recreation & Revelation (formerly known as Theoprobe) is an annual winter theological retreat that takes place every February at Winter Park, Colorado. Clergy and lay people from across the country ascend the Rocky Mountains of Colorado for continuing education, spiritual renewal, and winter play.

Recreation - Winter Park has something for everyone. Many participants spend the days downhill skiing, while others choose to cross-country ski at some of the local groomed trails. Snowshoeing and winter hiking are other popular alternatives. Daily worship and fellowship over meals also nourishes body and spirit.

Revelation - Each year features two theologians. The week-long format and limited size of the retreat allows participants to build real relationships with our faculty and each other. The presenters for 2027 are Mary J. Streufert, PhD, Gender Justice and Women’s Empowerment in the Office of the Presiding Bishop and Rev. Dr. Rachel Wrenn, Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Trinity Lutheran Seminary.

"R&R," usually slang for "rest and relaxation," is often the prescription for rejuvenation. This R&R strives to invigorate not just the student inside you, but your whole self. Registration is capped, facilitating a relaxed and intimate cohort. Each day begins with breakfast, morning devotions, and lecture. Participants are then free to enjoy the wonderland of Winter Park, Colorado. Activity occupies the body as the mind is allowed to marinate with and mull over the material presented. Informal discussions unfold on chairlifts and trails. The evening brings everyone together for a meal, lecture, a question & answer session, and evening worship.

Participants stay on site at the Vintage hotel. There is plenty of time to relax in the outdoor pool, hot tube, and Sauna. The Vintage is only a short Cabriolet and free ride from the base of Winter Park. Daily breakfast and some dinners are served on-site and catered by the hotel and its staff.

Learn more at www.recreationandrevelation.org or contact Pr. Andy Arnold with questions.

Want an item included?

Email Susan Berg, Dir. Communications & Events

All items due the prior Thursday by 12:00 noon

Regular Office Hours - Mon-Thurs, 10am - 4pm

Northwest Washington Synod / ELCA

5519 Phinney Avenue North

Seattle, WA 98103

206-783-9292