How Hymns are Chosen at First Lutheran Church

Recently I had a conversation with a congregation member inquiring about how the hymns are chosen and if we could sing more “favorite” hymns. This person is not the first person who has brought up this topic. We had a good talk about how the Lutheran Church and other mainline churches approach hymnody and hymn selection. 

First and foremost we read the prescribed scripture for the day and make note of the themes that arise with the text. We then look for hymns that support those themes. Our hymnbooks have helps in the back that show which hymns may go with which text. We also have an online application that helps us build the liturgy and choose hymns based on topic and scripture.

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All are welcome! Invite a friend - and be sure to sign-up so order enough pizza!

Questions? Speak to our Game Day Hosts, Jeff Kosman & Susan Berg!

Registration is happening now! Please turn in your registration forms ASAP!

Widows Support Group

November 9, 10 am

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

First Lutheran Church Book Club Meeting Via Zoom      

Martin Marten by Brian Doyle

Tuesday, November 24 at 7 PM

Discussion Leader: Nora Strothman

Please contact Katie Pyne 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! 

Check out the special books on the display table outside the library!



We live in a beautifully diverse world. On display this month are books to help us appreciate this diversity and understand our calling to welcome and care for all people as a reflection of God’s love. Titles for adults include:

* The Dangerous Act of Loving Your Neighbor: Seeing Others Through the Eyes of Jesus

* Accidental Saints: Finding God in All the Wrong People

* The Origin of Others 

* Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope

We have plenty of books to help kids appreciate diversity too. One of our newest is Just Ask!: Be Different Be Brave, Be You. This New York Times best seller, written by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, helps kids realize that it’s our unique differences that make us each special.

Check it Out ! 

CHECK IT OUT! 

From FLC Music Director, Lucy Kay Osborne:   

Please join us for the annual Christmas concert, “Noel,” Dec. 6 at 3 pm. 

An amazing reception will follow the concert with hearty appetizers, desserts and beverages. Please join us for rehearsals if you like to sing. We will rehearse the concert pieces first on Thursday nights beginning Nov. 5 at 6:45 pm in the music room downstairs.

The above link will be updated with the previous month's financial information after the Finance Committee is able to review the financial statements at their monthly meeting.



2026 Tax Rules for Non-Itemizers (Standard Deduction)

* Universal Charitable Deduction: If you take the standard deduction, you can claim an "above-the-line" deduction for cash donations up to $1,000 for single filers (or up to $2,000 for married couples filing jointly), as established under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). 

* Eligible Gifts: This applies to cash donations (checks, credit cards, online payments) made to qualifying nonprofits. 

November Ministry of the Month

CHANGE FOR CHANGE 

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

Monthly Financial Outreach

January Outreach: Camp United We Stand

February Outreach: Hopelink

March Outreach: Lutheran Community Services/Compass Housing Alliance

April Outreach: Global Refuge

May Outreach: Camp United We Stand

June Outreach: Lutheran World Relief Quilt & Personal Care Kits shipping

July Outreach: Northshore Schools Foundation

August Outreach: Northshore Senior Center Food Pantry

September Outreach: Lutheran Disaster Reposnse

October Outreach: Faith Action Network

November Outreach: Northshore Threads and Treads

Scrip Card Purchases are Available Online

You don't have to wait until Sunday to purchase Scrip. Purchase scrip cards directly from RaiseRight for your gifts and everyday purchases, and benefit First Lutheran Church’s Social Ministries programs!

Follow this link to easily set up your account. The RaiseRight app is available in the IOS App Store or Google Play Store.

Happy Shopping!

 Food donations are distributed to local food pantries and to school food banks.

NEWS FROM THE MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE:

FLC Liturgical Calendar

In 2025 the Membership Committee developed a New Member Welcome Packet that contains items such as FLC’s constitution; the current annual report; the Congregation Council roster; a list of committees and guilds; our FLC organization chart; building floor plans; and a Creation Care magnet. This year the Committee has created a liturgical calendar that will be added to the packet. The calendar features the Luther Rose in its center and includes the ELCA seasons and principal festivals. In addition, the double-sided document provides a brief description of each festival day. The printed calendar is available in our Information Center. It can also be downloaded from our website. If you have any questions, please contact Membership Committee members Kathy Chester, chair, Ho Brown, or Kathy Telford-Luiz.

CREATION CARE

America Recycles Day 

America Recycles Day, also known as National Recycling Day, falls on November 15th each year. What can we do to reduce the waste that we create? First, we can minimize food waste and use a compost bin or a worm farm. Second, make sure you fully understand the recycling rules of your local service provider. Different service providers may use different processing facilities and have different requirements. This helps to avoid "wishcycling," which means putting non-recyclable items into the recycling bin in the hope that they might be recyclable. Also, clean recyclable food containers before you toss them into the recycling bin. Otherwise, all your efforts could go to waste, literally. Unclean containers and wet paper/cardboard can create curbside contamination, which could then cause the entire load of recyclable materials to end up in a landfill anyway. Third, buy recycled and recyclable products. And last, practice the 3 Rs - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle  in your daily lives.

When you celebrate the holidays, give our earth a gift: buy recycled and/or recyclable decorations and wrapping paper, use natural raffia (recyclable) for ribbons or reuse those you already have. For a copy of FLC s guide on how to deal with holiday waste, please go to the Creation Care page.

November 22, 3 pm

Lyric Arts Concert at First Lutheran Church, Bothell

...peace, joy, cheer...

All are welcome to this free concert. (Freewill offering to benefit FLC's Musical Instrument Repair Fund.)

Who we serve with:

• ELCA News
• Lutheran Disaster Response
• Northwest Washington Synod
• Global Refuge
• Living Lutheran
• Lutheran Counseling Network
• Faith Action Network
• Gay Church
• Poor Peoples Campaign Washington
• Reconciling Works