Mary Oliver: Poem 133

The Summer Day



Who made the world?

Who made the swan, and the black bear?

Who made the grasshopper?

This grasshopper, I mean—

the one who has flung herself out of the grass,

the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,

who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down—

who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.

Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.

Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.

I don't know exactly what a prayer is.

I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down

into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,

how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,

which is what I have been doing all day.

Tell me, what else should I have done?

Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?

Tell me, what is it you plan to do

with your one wild and precious life?

Registration is open! Click on the picture to learn more.

Please contact Joyce Thode or Kristi Pyne with questions.

Dear Saints at First Lutheran Church, thank you for sharing your Ministry with me! 

As Paul writes in Philippians 1:3-5, “I THANK my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with JOY because of your partnership…”  

After serving this congregation for 21 years, first as Director of Youth Discipleship and now as Director of REACH Ministries, I look forward to a NEW season of life in retirement, where I plan to spend more time with family and friends.

First Lutheran Church is blessed to have so many active members who serve this congregation’s mission of caring, growing, sharing and proclaiming God’s love. Many dedicated and skilled volunteers share God’s love with children, youth and adults. In reviewing the past years, I am reminded of the number of people who generously give of their time and talents in serving God and the mission of this congregation. Thank you all for your support!

I also want to thank the many staff and coworkers that I have worked with in my years of service, Pastor Tor Berg, Pastor Doug Stensby, Pastor Richard Edmonds, Office Staff Kristin Smith, Preschool Teachers and Directors, Beth Bowers, Amy Case, Stephanie Corrigam, Kathy O’Connell and Music Director Lucy Kay Osborne. 

I am very grateful for the opportunity to serve God and this Congregation since April of 20005. Serving alongside this Community has been a profound JOY. I am thankful for the ways we have shared the Gospel, Served the needs of a broken world, supported one another in Faith and grown together in Love. Watching the Children of First Lutheran come forward with such excitement and enthusiasm for the Children’s Message has filled my soul with much joy and love for many years. Truly - the young people of this Church are an amazing group of Disciples!

Thank you for the wonderful Retirement Party on Sunday, June 14th! The Good-Bye Party was so very much appreciated! Special thanks to the families who planned, helped and served at this party. I also give thanks to the many affirmations, expressions of love, generous gifts and kind words that I have received!

In conclusion, I want to thank this community for the support, care and friendship you have shown to me and my family. So, while my role as your Director of REACH Ministries is coming to an end in July, I look forward to prayerfully supporting the ongoing ministry of First Lutheran Church as I transition into retirement. 

With JOY and THANKS,

Roger 

Roger Steinke,

Director of REACH Ministries

Widows Support Group

July 13 and August 10, 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

Men’s Breakfast and Bible Study!

Saturday, July 18 and August 15, 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!” Please join us for discussion and enrichment. Questions to Pastor Berg.

First Lutheran Church Book Club Meeting Via Zoom      

The Summer Book by Tove Jannson

Tuesday, July 28 at 7 PM

Discussion Leader: Karen Thomas

“An elderly artist and her six-year-old granddaughter while away a summer together on a tiny island in the Gulf of Finland. Gradually, the two learn to adjust to each other's fears, whims and yearnings for independence, and a fierce yet understated love emerges—one that encompasses not only the summer inhabitants but the island itself, with its mossy rocks, windswept firs and unpredictable seas. Full of brusque humor and wisdom, The Summer Book is a profoundly life-affirming story. Tove Jansson captured much of her own experience and spirit in the book, which was her favorite of the novels she wrote for adults. This new edition sees the return of a European literary gem—fresh, authentic and deeply humane. (Summary by GoodReads)

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! 

First Lutheran Church Book Club Meeting Via Zoom      

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

Tuesday, August 25 at 7 PM

Discussion Leader: Marilyn Sides

“Nearly 25 years after Housekeeping, Marilynne Robinson returns with an intimate tale of three generations, from the Civil War to the 20th century: a story about fathers and sons and the spiritual battles that still rage at America's heart. In the words of Kirkus, it is a novel "as big as a nation, as quiet as thought, and moving as prayer. Matchless and towering." GILEAD tells the story of America and will break your heart.”   (Summary by GoodReads)

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! 

Summer brings thoughts of travel, so this summer our library will feature several interesting books and DVDs on travel, with a special focus on journeys of pilgrimage. You can find these on the display table outside the library:

* A Pilgrimage to Eternity: From Canterbury to Rome in Search of a Faith

* Walking the Bible: A Journey by Land Through the Five Books of Moses

* Findings

* Martin Sheen: The Way [DVD]

* Faithful Travel with Rick Steves [DVD]

Our little ones can travel in their imaginations and learn about children all over the world with these fun and informative books:

* Monkey Sunday: A Story from a Congolese Village

* The Spider Weaver: A Legend of Kente Cloth

* Children Just Like Me: Celebrations!

* The King's Children: A Bible Book About God's People

CHECK IT OUT! 



July Ministry of the Month

Northshore Schools Foundation

August Ministry of the Month

Northshore Senior Center Food Pantry

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

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!

Campaign for "Top 5 for Compass Housing Alliance" a Huge Success!

THANK YOU!

The Social Ministries Committee and Compass Housing Alliance want to THANK YOU for the generous donations of the “TOP 5” needed supplies for Compass Housing Guests and Families during May and June 2026. Your help and donations are so very much appreciated!  

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

CREATION CARE

July Is Plastic Free Month 

Plastic Free July® is a global movement that encourages everyone to reduce plastic use and waste by eliminating single-use plastics; recycling everything that’s recyclable; and by choosing other options besides plastic in our daily lives. Will you challenge yourself to try to live a plastic-free life not only in July, but throughout the year? Remember the 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle!

Leave No Trace (LNT)

Planning an outdoor activity this summer? Whether you’re heading to the back yard or the back country, following the 7 principles established by Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics will help minimize the impact anyone might have on the outdoors. What are they? Plan Ahead; Leave What You Find, Minimize Campfire Impact, and Respect Wildlife are 4 of them. Click here for the complete list along with an explanation for each. Want to know/do more? Click here to learn ways we can incorporate Leave No Trace into our daily lives and make a difference for ourselves, our world, and our Creator. 

National Clean Beaches Week 

In 2007, Congress passed the National Clean Beaches Week Resolution by unanimous consent. The week is recognized annually from July 1st through July 7th and is considered the “Earth Day” for our beaches. July 4th is the most popular day of the year in the U. S. for people to visit our beaches. This means it’s also the worst day for beaches and marine life because our beaches become littered with all the trash that’s left behind. So, when you’re heading home from the beach, just leave behind sand castles or your footprints in the sand and either properly dispose of your trash or take it with you when you leave. 

King County 2026 Household Hazardous Waste Collection

King County’s traveling Wastemobile will be at the University of Washington - Bothell campus on July 10,11,12 and August 21, 22, 23. If you need to dispose of household hazardous waste, check out the detailed instructions, acceptable items, allowable quantities for each, and the complete 2026 schedule of dates, times, and locations, check out their website.

World Honey Bee Day

World Honey Bee Day is celebrated on the third Saturday of August – this year it’s August 15th. These small contributors impact our lives in a big way. They are valuable pollinators for plant life, including agriculture, so have impact on our food diversity and food security, However, factors such as pesticides and urbanization have caused bees to be in decline, which has negative consequences for many of our earth’s ecosystems.

Camp Registration is OPEN for Camp Lutherwood in Bellingham and Camp Lutherhaven in Coeur d’Alene!  

FLC members are eligible for a $150 Summer Camp Scholarship. Please contact Pastor Berg for information.

Find Summer Camp information for Camp Lutherwood (Bellingham, WA) at: www.camplutherwood.org.

Find Summer Camp information for Camp Lutherhaven (Coeur d’Alene, ID) at: www.lutherhaven.com. 

“WE THE PEOPLE!” CONCERT at First Lutheran Church, Friday, July 3rd, 2026, starts at 7 PM

“Songs of Love, Life and Country” Featuring the Music of Jeffrey Moidel and the Spotlight Concert Choir

ALL Are Welcome! A FREE Concert! (A Freewill Offering will be Received)  

Join us for “We the People: Songs of Love, Life, and Country,” an inspiring musical celebration of the American experience featuring acclaimed soloists and the Spotlight Concert Choir.

Thoughtfully curated by Jeffrey Moidel, the program explores themes of love, identity, community, and country through beloved Americana classics, moving spirituals, and original works by Moidel himself. Blending powerful choral performances with expressive solo selections, We the People offers a rich and memorable journey through the stories, values, and experiences that connect us all.

Sponsored by the City of Bothell, 4Culture and Spotlight Repertory NW.

“ANDEAN – Land From the South” Music Concert! at First Lutheran Church, Sunday, July 19th, 2026 at 5 PM

Join SurLlajta for an afternoon of vibrant Andean music, culture, and community! 

“Land from the South” brings traditional sounds from across the Andes—featuring panpipes, flutes, strings, and rhythms that carry stories from Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and beyond.

FREE to the public! Bring your family, invite your friends, and experience an afternoon of music that connects cultures and generations. 

We are pleased to present this concert with the generous support of the City of Bothell and 4Culture, whose sponsorship helps bring live cultural experiences to our community.

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