Hiring a new NWWA Synod Coach Coordinator

The NWWA Synod Coach Coordinator will steward Coach Northwest, the coaching ministry of the Northwest Washington Synod. This is a part time role - approximately 5 hours a week; $45/hour.

Find the full position description HERE.



If you have questions - or wish to apply, please reach out to Pastor Judy Brennan (dem@lutheransnw.org)

Seeking Subcontractor Bids

Columbia City Church of Hope (Columbia City neighborhood of South Seattle) is currently seeking experienced, licensed subcontractors with expertise in electrical, drywall, painting, finish carpentry, and tile setting to submit bids.

For the first time in a generation (since the 1990s!), the NW WA Synod is celebrating the building of a brand new church! Building on the legacy of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, which closed in 2010 and who graciously gifted their land for affordable housing and a new church. Today, this property is transformed through the partnership of Columbia City Church of Hope (an ELCA congregation organized in 2017) and El Centro de la Raza.

This property now has 87 affordable family homes, a child-care center, and the building of a new church. The housing is complete and fully occupied, and Church of Hope is poised to begin construction. This space will be a high-quality, versatile space that will be both sanctuary and community. But we need help in completing this project. If you are an expert in the above categories or you know of someone who would love to help with this new church, please let them know of this need. At this moment, we are especially looking for commercial, licensed electricians.

Please email office@lutheransnw.org and we will get you started with the bidding process!

Deep Formation. Shared Faith. One Bundle.

Still time to purchase the LiVE 2025–26 Congregational Bundle!

This all-in-one bundle purchase gives an unlimited number of members of your congregation access to an entire year of spiritual formation — including retreats, multi-week courses, digital resources, and leadership tools — all designed to cultivate lay ministry, nurture community, and deepen lifelong faith.

The LiVE Project Offerings for 2025-2026 | Practicing Faith in Woven Ways 

NOTE: The fall course begins on Wednesday! More info below...



• Fall Course: Practicing Faith Beyond Certainty - Online Wednesdays, Sept. 24- Nov. 12, 7-8:30pm
• Retreat 2: Practicing Faith in Woven Ways on Sat, Nov 1, 9am-3pm, in-person
• Retreat 3: Practicing Faith in the Wilderness: Mystics and Mysticism on Sat, Feb 7, 9am-3pm, in-person
• Lenten Course: Practicing Faith in the Wilderness: Mystics and Mysticism - Online Thursdays, Feb. 19-March 25, 7-8:30pm

Purchase bundles here: https://nwwasynod.regfox.com/live-project-bundle-registration-20252026

Beautiful Oak Pews Available

Central Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity (Seattle) has FOUR 12-foot oak pews available for a new church home. They are 150 pounds each, with some scratch marks. We would like to donate the pews to another local congregation or a good cause.

If you are interested, please contact their church office at:

(206) 322-7500 or office@loveiscentral.org

Youth Musicians Invited

to Lutheran Summer Music 2026

Enrollment is now open for Lutheran Summer Music (LSM) 2026 at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN! LSM is a faith-based residential music academy for high school students who come together to immerse themselves in musical excellence and build a supportive and fun community. Musical experiences include large ensembles (band, choir, orchestra), chamber music, private lessons, and electives like handbells, jazz, musical theatre, composition, conducting, church music, and more.



Priority enrollment deadline: December 1

Standard enrollment deadline: March 1

Learn more at LSMacademy.org/program 

Ending at the Beginning -

Presiding Bishop Eaton's farewell address

“I started my ministry as presiding bishop with these four emphases: We are church. We are Lutheran. We are church together. We are church for the sake of the world. I will end as I began.”



In her final Living Lutheran column as presiding bishop, Elizabeth Eaton reflects on the core values that have shaped her leadership. She reminds us that the heart of the church is the gospel — and that God's work through the ELCA is far from over.

Read the address and find it in Living Lutheran’s fall print issue.

National Day of Remembrance for Indian Boarding Schools

ELCA Indigenous Ministries and Tribal Relations 

September 30 is the National Day of Remembrance for Indian Boarding Schools.

As a Church, we are committed to understanding our role in the tragic and sinful history of Indian boarding schools so that we can journey towards healing together.

You are encouraged to wear an orange shirt and/or raise an orange flag and post a photo on social media.

Learn more - and find resources here: https://www.elca.org/our-work/congregations-and-synods/ministries-of-diverse-cultures-and-communities/indigenous-ministries-and-tribal-relations

Hymnal Holders Available

Sammamish Hills Lutheran Church (in Sammamish) has 20-30 hymnal holders avialable (used on the back on pews/chairs to secure hymnals & bibles).

If you are interested, reach out to their office at 425-392-7799

From Luther Seminary’s Pivot Podcast:

What if your small church isn't broken but actually strategic? That's the burden Brandon O'Brien carried early in his ministry. Growing up in a large Southern Baptist church, he expected to eventually pastor something similar. But when his first appointment was in a tiny rural Arkansas congregation with just 15 regular attendees, he'd internalized the message that "small churches are small because they're unhealthy."

Then something surprising happened. The people he encountered were "deeply mature spiritually. They were generous. They were missional ... very concerned about their neighbors and getting people connected to the church and to each other and to Christ." Brandon began to realize he'd bought into a false narrative: one that says bigger automatically means better, healthier, or more faithful.

But what if that isn’t true? What if the 90% of American churches with fewer than 200 weekly attendees aren't failed megachurches, but uniquely positioned for authentic ministry in our current cultural moment?

That's exactly what Brandon discovered after nearly two decades serving pastors and church leaders worldwide. As director of global thought leadership for Redeemer City to City and author of the newly revised The Strategically Small Church, Brandon offers a refreshing perspective on why smaller is often more strategic.

In this week's episode of the Pivot Podcast, Brandon shows us how to shift from a scarcity mindset to abundance thinking about small church ministry.

You'll discover:

Why authenticity and simplicity appeal powerfully to skeptical generations

How to leverage your congregation's assets instead of viewing size as liability

The key advantages small churches have for worship, leadership development, and mission

How to focus on worship, formation, and mission as your minimally viable ecclesiology

Practical ways to contextualize ministry for specific populations in your community

Brandon's insights are especially valuable if you're tired of feeling like your small church is somehow deficient and ready to embrace the strategic advantages of being smaller.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V68J0mB6UzA

ELCA Evangelical Outreach Network MONTHLY Zooms

12:00 Noon on the following dates - all are welcome to attend!

This is the Zoom link for each gathering - begins at 12:00noon, Pacific time

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89614417505?pwd=OGRHUDdtM1VVVGtxc0QxbllndnQzZz09

September 22: “Strengthening Evangelism with Discipleship” 

October 27: “Oh, the Places You Will Go! Implications of the Great Commission” 

November 17 early: “The Invitational Christian: A Second Lens” 

(December 22 no meeting online-share Jesus in your context at Christmastime!)

January 26, 2026: “Ethics for Evangelism”

Addiction & Youth: Trends & Challenges

Wednesday Sept. 24, 10am-11am online

A one-hour free webinar titled "Addiction & Youth: Trends & Challenges" hosted by the Center of Addiction & Faith. Guest presenter will be Michael Durchslag, Director of P.E.A.S.E. Academy, the longest running recovery high school in the U.S.A., and Board Chair of the Association of Recovery Schools. Nine out of ten adults who have a diagnosed substance use disorder started when they were adolescents. Compounding the problem, youth are the most underserved demographic when it comes to addiction and recovery services. Attend this webinar to learn about the current trends in adolescent drug use and the different approaches that can make a meaningful impact on a young person's life.

The link to register is https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/jzsW9NdDSnuhdtaV4zjUyw?mc_cid=319edda909&mc_eid=UNIQID#/registration

Welcome NEW to the Synod Rostered Ministers & SALMs

We hope you will save the date and be able to join us for conversation and dinner on Wednesday, September 24 at 4:00pm (until 7-ish). We will be gathering in Edmonds.

All rostered ministers and SALMs (and their partners & families) are encouraged to attend!

No need to bring a thing – BUT please RSVP to Susan@lutheransnw.org by Monday, September 22 at 5pm.

Please specify how many will join us for dinner – and if there are any dietary restrictions.

Register now for the LiVE Project's Fall Online Course:

Practicing Faith Beyond Certainty            

7pm-8:30pm on Wednesdays:

Sept. 24, Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Nov. 5, 12

This is a 8-week course to explore how faith can thrive in the midst of doubt, ambiguity, and change. Grounded in Scripture, community practices, and real-life questions, participants will reimagine faith not as rigid belief, but as a dynamic and courageous way of being in the world. This course invites leaders to embrace mystery, cultivate trust, and practice faith with humility and hope. 

How to Register:

Registration for this course is FREE if your church purchased a Congregational Bundle. Ask your church office for the Bundle promo code.

Without a bundle, individual registrations are $50.

Register here: https://nwwasynod.regfox.com/practicing-faith-beyond-certainty-a-live-project-online-course

Resisting Christian Nationalism

Hosted by Pacific Lutheran University

September 25, 4pm Online

Join Dr. Seth Dowland, PLU scholar of American religions, as he discusses the dangers of growing Christian nationalism and the ways in which this oppressive force can be resisted. 

This event is part of the Vocational Vista series, presented by the Wild Hope Center for Vocation and Alumni & Student Connections. The presentation will be held virtually

Learn more here: https://calendar.plu.edu/event/resisting-christian-nationalism

The Church Council of Greater Seattle Fall Fundraiser

The CCGS invites you to our Fall Fundraiser on September 28th from 5-7pm at Quest Church (1401 Leary Wy NW)! 

Join us as we celebrate the collective power we've been building and invest in the sustainability of our shared work to come.

This year's theme is "Deepening Our Solidarity, Strengthening Our Movement." As the Church Council has been operating more deeply into our role as a bridge between our historic faith partners and communities most impacted by systemic oppression, we've witnessed our faith partners' growing desire to build closer relationships with secular community organizations and to follow their leadership. As attacks on migrants, LGBTQ+ communities, Black and brown communities, and more continue to rise, we need to build a deeply-rooted movement to protect and care for one another. Our keynote will be a panel of community leaders we've partnered with over the past year, speaking to how people of faith can show up in true solidarity with their communities. You won't want to miss this dialogue, nor another fantastic spread by DayoSense Catering!

Learn more and resgier here: https://www.thechurchcouncil.org/fallfundraiser

Braving Budget Season for Women in Ministry

One series over five days to feeling more confident during budget season. When it comes to fraught conversations, difficult meetings and uncomfortable asks this is the place for you. To be supported in community by an expert coach so you know exactly where to go from here. 

Join Braving Budget Season for Women in Ministry. 

Click this link to enroll for free now. 

Fall Garden Meditation

A Center for Ecumenical & Interreligious Engagement (CEIE at Seattle University) Event

Join CEIE Assistant director Rev. Dr. Kara Markell, CEIE Staff Fellow Shannon Britton and Jill LaPointe, Sr. Director of SU's Indigenous People's Institute in a celebration of the Season of Creation. Through meditation, story and poetry, we’ll practice the art of peace with creation. 

⏰Date: Oct. 2, 2025 10-11:30 a.m.

🌐Location: Seattle University Green

🎫 Tickets: FREE 

 RSVP Here!

Learn more and register here: https://www.wartburgseminary.edu/CTLM/

Welcoming the Stranger Speaker Series

Mark your calendar for Burlington Lutheran's fourth annual Fall Speaker Series. This year's theme is “Welcoming the Stranger: Yearning to Breathe Free.”

The subtitle references the poem on the Statue of Liberty; welcoming strangers is supposed to be a strong value of our nation. Welcoming Strangers is also an irrefutable biblical mandate. Each speaker will add their own perspective on why and/or how we welcome others, providing hospitality and reconciliation.

The schedule (all talks are 7-8:30pm):

Wed, Oct 2: Jodi Spargur, who has just published a wonderful book, Mend. Her reconciliation work between churches and First Nations persons and tribes is remarkable.

Sun, Oct 19: Dr. Jimena Berzal, an Art History professor at WWU. She will focus on the topic of hospitality, specifically the story of Martha in the book of Luke, through the lens of art.

Date TBD: Iris Carias, a Mount Vernon Councilmember who works tirelessly for migrant rights. She will offer insight into the current status of immigrant issues and rights in Skagit County.

Sun, Nov 2: James Alison, an internationally renowned Catholic theologian who has just finished a new book, You Can, If You Want To, which focuses on addressing fear-based binaries, especially in regard to the church and queer folx.

Download the series flyer here.

Greetings to the Women of the NW WA Synod~

Our Bi-Annual Convention will soon be here, and it would be great to see you all there! It is October 4 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lynnwood.

For information and to register, CLICK HERE.

Our speaker for the day is Pastor Mary Lindberg who will be using Psalm 16:11as she shares “You (God) Show Me the Path of Life”. During our time together, we will explore both our own journeys and the way our journeys intersect with other women's paths, such as Lutheran women from different times and places. God shows us the path of life one step at a time, some of which are only clear in hindsight. Let's help each other reflect on the path of life we walk as women of faith.

Please fill out the registration form and send it with your check to our board treasurer, Linda Rudy, by September 12. Please think about bringing a friend, carpooling, and enjoying a delightful day with other women of faith!

I’m looking forward to seeing many of you at the convention!

With Hope and Thankfulness ~ Twyla Lucas, president of NW WA Synod Women's Organization

Hope in Practice: Applying Solution-Focused Communication 

Techniques in Response to Crisis

Presented by Laurra Aagaard, MA, MS

The Lutheran Faith Community Nurse Association (LFCNA) is hosting its next educational event on Tuesday, October 7. Whether you are a parish/faith community nurse, clergy, or in another professional and/or ministry role, there will be content of interest to you. Also, please pass this information on to others who may be interested. 

Course Description:  As a faith community nurse, or other professional in ministry, you are on the front lines of mental health and substance use care. It is possible that you engage with people and their families during some of their most vulnerable moments. This interactive session introduces attendees to the Solution Focused model, an evidence-informed, strengths-based approach that emphasizes hope, possibility, and patient resources over pathology, diagnosis and problems.

Rather than focusing on what's wrong, this model guides faith community professionals in helping people move toward hope, and what is possible. Participants will learn and practice strategies such as the miracle question, scaling techniques, and exception finding, all tailored for use in time-limited, high-stress community environments.

Learn more and register here: https://lutheranfcna.org/event-6302058

Children & Youth Leader Retreat 

October 9-11 at Lutherwood, Bellingham

Our theme is "Being an Inclusive Community" and we will be at Camp Lutherwood in Bellingham. Connect with other volunteer leaders and staff during a weekend of relaxation, learning, and growing!

Topics include neurodiversity programming and training, children/s spirituality and reflection through the scope of Godly Play Teachings, learning about the Bible from a Middle Eastern Perspective, and digging into what it means to belong.

Also, part of the weekend will be fun, connection, and an enjoyment of the incredibly beautiful scenery that Camp Lutherwood provides! The cost is $75 per person. We ask that if your church can contribute extra to offset the cost, our true rental and food cost is $125 per person. We invite you to reflect in your payment what your church or community can pay.

If you plan to attend, please complete our online registration form at https://forms.gle/CFc76B3r3gMx7T1G8. 

Emmaus Table @ 7400 Woodlawn (one of our Mission Starts located at 7400 Woodlawn in Seattle's Greenlake area) is hosting a Fall Community event:

POP UP AND GROW on Saturday, Oct.18, 10am-3pm

Please consider: 



Attending the Event & Inviting Others:

We will be happy to share digital or paper flyers for you to share.

Donating Plants or Gift/Craft Items to be Sold at the Event:

Or Volunteering your time where needed at the event.

Creating a Booth:

Would you create and host a booth at the event? This could be a children’s activity, nature based fun for the whole family, a craft you enjoy sharing, merchandise you want to sell and then share some of the profits with 7400 Woodlawn. We hope to make this easy for anyone who wants to join us in the fun.

Learning Lab:

Would you consider being a speaker in our Learning Lab? We hope to have a slate of speakers, gardeners, teachers of Natural Sciences, environmentalists to offer guidance for care of Earth and each other.

Main Stage:

Would you perform your talents on our Main Stage? We are inviting singer songwriters, music ensembles, jugglers and other performers.

If you can say yes to any of these questions, please let us know very soon. We will follow up with you to discuss your ideas, needs and details. Contact us at info@7400woodlawn.com. Call/text: 206-582-2926.

If you are not able to join us, please consider making a donation, by scanning the QR code on the attached flyer or visiting www.7400woodlawn.org. We are grateful for your support!

Learn more about this event here:

https://www.lutheransnw.org/events/united-in-faith-a-call-to-action

Center for Ecumenical & Interreligious Engagement (at Seattle University)

CEIE Leadership Fall Lecture

CEIE presents our Leadership Academy Lecture with renowned teacher and author, Dr. Tod Bolsinger, Professor of Leadership Formation, Fuller Seminary.

⏰Date: Oct. 30th at 7:00 p.m.

🌐Location: Oberto Commons, Sine 200, SU

🎫 Tickets: $10 (students free!)

Register Here: https://events.seattleu.edu/event/discerning-leadership-lecture

Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (PLTS)

Discernment Weekend

PLTS is hosting Signs Along the Way Oct 31 – Nov 2 for anyone who is discerning a call to seminary and is interested in online education. Please find a blurb below as well as some attached graphics you could use.

Are you wondering if seminary might be right for you? Consider joining Signs Along the Way at PLTS in Berkeley, California to connect with others in discernment, get to know PLTS faculty, and explore what it’s like to be an online student in the MDiv, MA in Spirituality and Social Change, or Lutheran Year programs. PLTS is transitioning to only offer online study with in-person intensives, so this weekend is designed for those interested in online learning. PLTS covers lodging and meals during the event and can offer travel assistance for those who need it.

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

Middle School and High School Retreat –

Finding God in Unexpected Places

at Black Diamond Camp

Friday, November 7 at 6:00pm – Sunday, November 9 at 11am



You are invited to join us for the 2025 Fall Middle School/High School Retreat at Black Diamond Camp with a theme of “Finding God in Unexpected Places.” The cost is $125 per person, thanks to a generous donation from the NWWA Synod Children, Youth, and Family Committee. We are going to explore all of the places we find God, including those where we don’t expect it.

Registration is open!

Learn more and register here:

https://www.lutheransnw.org/events/middle-school-high-school-fall-retreat/2025-11-07

If you have any questions, please email cyflutheransnw@gmail.com. 

January 31, 9am-3pm...

Join us for a day of inspiration and exploration of Fresh Expression style ministry. Lay people from around our synod will share their experiences of experiments - as they try new ways to gather in faith, worship, service, and experience the love and community of God. More info and registration will be coming, but please save the date now! Questions - Contact Judy Brennan, NWWA DEM at dem@lutheransnw.org

Want an item included?

Email Susan Berg, Dir. Communications & Events

All items due by 2pm on the prior Thursday

Northwest Washington Synod / ELCA

5519 Phinney Avenue North

Seattle, WA 98103

206-783-9292