Inside this Issue: Church Potluck Picnic. Shepherd s Staff... page 2. RRCC Happenings...page 3. Chair Corner...page 4. RRCC Family News.

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1 Monthly Newsletter August 2017 Inside this Issue: Shepherd s Staff... page 2 It s a lot easier to spread a layer of pastoral beauty bark over the recurring weeds of someone s soul, than it is to sit with them while they do the long, hard work of uprooting them. Pastor Brian Wiele RRCC Happenings...page 3 Chair Corner...page 4 RRCC Family News. page 6 Kid s Ministry...page 7 Church Potluck Picnic Youth Ministry..... page 8 Sunday, August 20 4 pm at Woodland Creek Community Park Calendar. page 11 Sign up in the lobby, or call the office, to let us know you plan to attend. It will help our coordinators to plan. For details see page 3 of this newsletter. (next to the Lacey Community Center on Pacific) Church office: / office@rrcov.org Website:

2 Shepherd s Staff... by Brian Wiele Linda and I returned from our vacation just a few days ago, which might be described as a family vacation. Two events determined the itinerary the baptism of our granddaughter Reese at Ben & Ashley s church in Fresno, and the wedding of our niece Cambria. After driving to Los Angeles to spend some time with Linda s mom and older brother, we flew to Colorado for the wedding. Since we hadn t seen Linda s younger brother s family in years, it was wonderful to connect with them. Our drive south also included a meal with my brother and sister-in-law near their home in the Sacramento area. Good times! Vacations are often about family, but they should always be relaxing, a time for turning off the mind and turning on the sunshine. However, when I ve described the rest of our time off, most people have grimaced rather than grinned That doesn t sound very relaxing! Before we started south 2200 miles round trip I worked in our yard for three days, spreading bark and laying edging around our lawn. At Ben and Ashley s we helped them prepare Reese s bedroom, which included cutting, hanging, and painting the new shiplap siding. We also cleaned and moved furniture into the new family room, and filled up a dumpster with the remodeling debris. With Linda s mom, we helped her interview and sign with a realtor so she can sell her home next year, and made a sizable dent in the task of clearing out sixty years of stuff. Lots of stuff. That may sound exhausting to you, but it had a very different effect on me. Not only was it a joy to help family members, I found these tasks to be relaxing. How so? Because in each case, I could see be finished. After spreading the bark around our garden, several times I looked out the windows and admired the completed results of my labor: that looks great! Ministry is an unusual vocation. Stated simply, the most important work is never completed. Yes, bulletins get finished and budgets get hammered out, but there s never been a pastor who went into ministry in order to complete those tasks. Being a pastor is about walking alongside people in their highest moments and their deepest mourning. I m called to bless marriages in God s name, and bring a sense of His presence in miscarriages. I may rejoice with you at your hospital bedside about your successful heart surgery, but the real work of renovating your heart, spiritually speaking, is an ongoing work. Ah, but therein lies the temptation for pastors to try to fix hearts. In our natural inclination to like to tidy up and complete our tasks, we can easily seek to solve people s problems for them. When that happens, quoting verses and dispensing advice becomes part of our job description, which, ironically, is exactly what people want. It s a lot easier to spread a layer of pastoral beauty bark over the recurring weeds of someone s soul, than it is to sit with them while they do the long, hard work of uprooting them. I went to a pastor s conference at Whitworth University in 2003, where Craig Barnes preached on Exodus 13:17: When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. Surprisingly, Moses was not allowed to take the Israelites on the shortcut through the wilderness. Instead, they had to take the long route and wander for many years, with all of them learning lessons of faith and providence on the way. Barnes reminded the pastors about why that s still important today. As much as I might want to provide the quick fix for you and for your problems, that s not my job. My role as one of your pastors is to walk with you through your dark nights and bright days as you navigate this perilous journey, and to remind you that God is still by your side. Always. The pastoral vocation of walking alongside God s people is never fully completed on earth, but is one that brings a very different sense of fulfillment and joy. I m glad to serve in that way. 2

RRCC Happenings Office Hours at RRCC Tuesday Thursday: 8:00 am noon, 1:00 pm 3:00 pm Friday: 8:00 am 2:00 pm Youth Ministry 2017 Fall Kick Off: Wednesday, September 6

We ll be sharing about new opportunities, direction, and our 2017-2018 calendar. Everyone is welcome. Questions? Contact Pastor Dan.

(next to the Lacey Community Center on Pacific) This park has a large kids play area, a pond, a disc golf course, and restrooms.

3 RRCC Happenings Office Hours at RRCC Tuesday Thursday: 8:00 am noon, 1:00 pm 3:00 pm Friday: 8:00 am 2:00 pm Youth Ministry 2017 Fall Kick Off: Wednesday, September 6 August 5: Shepherding Team Mark your calendars and plan to join us for a BBQ as we kick off the school year. We ll be sharing about new opportunities, direction, and our calendar. Everyone is welcome. Questions? Contact Pastor Dan. August 14 & 26: Quilters August 17: Church Council August 20: Church Potluck Picnic Church Potluck Picnic Sunday, August 20 4:00 pm at Woodland Creek Community Park (next to the Lacey Community Center on Pacific) This park has a large kids play area, a pond, a disc golf course, and restrooms. We have a covered picnic shelter reserved for this potluck. Please plan to bring some lawn chairs, a main dish and a side dish. Your friends & neighbors welcome too! Sign up in the lobby, or call the office, to let us know you re coming so our coordinators can plan. Questions? Contact Phyllis Brock or Vicky Lyons. 3

Chair Corner - submitted by Council Chair Jim Larson The Church Council did not meet in July. I am offering a recently completed report on 2016.

4 Chair Corner - submitted by Council Chair Jim Larson The Church Council did not meet in July. I am offering a recently completed report on Annual Report Building on a solid Foundation the Council continued to focus on the primary initiatives established during the 2015 Council Retreat. The primary focus was: cultivate discipleship, give the congregation the ability to learn about their God-given strengths and channel that into needed service, develop and mentor leaders, update policies and governance documents, connect the congregation inter-generationally and increase our social media presence. We modified our policy on sabbaticals to reflect the Lilly Foundation language that emphasizes renewal. This was done in preparation of applying for a $50,000 Lilly Foundation grant that would be given to the church and pastor to facilitate a time of renewal for both pastor and congregation. Unfortunately we were notified in the fall that our grant request was not accepted. Much thanks to the Sabbatical Committee for doing an outstanding job. It was decided later in the year to reapply for the same grant in Our 20 year old building is showing her age. In 2014 we painted the exterior of the building and this year our sound board died and our fire alarm panel needed replacement. Thanks to the generosity of many answering the call to help financially, we were able to replace both of these pieces of equipment. Jim Smith, our Facilities liaison on the Council, also put together a team and painted the interior of the multipurpose room and re-hung and reinforced the sound panels. Dennis Anderson led a team to revamp our by-laws. We had already proposed a new constitution in December Dennis brought sections of the Bylaws that the team worked on to the council to review and offer changes throughout the year in preparation of our annual meeting in December Both the Constitution and Bylaws were approved. Fiscally, we had a very remarkable year with our cash balance maintaining at the $30,000 level even though we had unusually high expenses for our facility and equipment replacement. We are very thankful for God s provision and the spirit of generosity on behalf of our congregants. We held a retreat in May, led by Jim Sedore, where we acknowledged the initiatives that had been reached and narrowed and doubled our effort on those with a high priority such as disciplining others. While we were intrigued by the DiscipleShift model, we shifted and we met with Michel White from Gig Harbor Covenant Church to hear about their method of disciplining others a very organic process. The SHAPE spiritual gifts inventory occurred in the fall accompanied by a sermon series for each of the elements of this inventory. Bits and pieces: Pastor Dan was ordained, our overall attendance increased by an average of 1. We continued to serve in Neah Bay but with a new twist of mutual support of both congregations. Dan took a team to Mexico to serve youth there. Pastor Brian was involved in a Covenant cohort on Living Forward Sustaining Pastoral Excellence initiative. We had a wonderful time at a joint picnic with our Hispanic speaking congregation Casa de Alabanza.. 4

Feeding the Homeless Saturday, August 26 We will be joining Joyful

We will be serving a hot breakfast, a bag lunch, distributing

Plan on meeting at the Youth Building at 8am. We ll return by 11am.

VBS 2017 Women s Tuesday Morning Bible Study Tuesdays, beginning

Camp & Conference Center in Yelm WA This sounds like an exciting

5 Feeding the Homeless Saturday, August 26 We will be joining Joyful Hands Ministries as they serve the homeless in downtown Olympia. We will be serving a hot breakfast, a bag lunch, distributing toiletries and clothes. Plan on meeting at the Youth Building at 8am. We ll return by 11am. Everyone is welcome. Questions? Contact Pastor Dan. VBS 2017 Women s Tuesday Morning Bible Study Tuesdays, beginning September 19 9:30-11:00 am Mark your calendars! More details to come in the September newsletter PAC-NWC Women s Fall Retreat September 22-24, 2017 Cascades Camp & Conference Center in Yelm WA This sounds like an exciting year to attend as the speakers will be the mother-daughter team of Ruth Hill and Rebecca Worl. Register online and choose to stay with your church. Sign up in the lobby so we can all see who s going. For more information, pick up a flyer in the lobby or go to Questions? Contact Pastor Peg. 5

RRCC Family News Splashes, big & small Marathon Faith Are you a part of the River Ridge family? Do you have news from your life that you d like to share with others in the RRCC family? Wedding? Birth?

Submit it to Hilda in the office (923-1569) or office@rrcov.org.

6 RRCC Family News Splashes, big & small Marathon Faith Are you a part of the River Ridge family? Do you have news from your life that you d like to share with others in the RRCC family? Wedding? Birth? Anniversary? Retirement? Accomplishment? New job? Celebration? Cast in a play? In a reality TV show? Selling a house? Back from a vacation? Other? Submit it to Hilda in the office ( ) or office@rrcov.org Wisdom from James about running with Jesus Sermon Series Marathon Faith Wisdom From James About Running with Jesus August 6: The Spiritually Healthy Runner James 3:1-12 Thinking About Expletives & Expectorants August 13: The Peaceful, Harmonious Runner Free Financial Coaching How Do You Treat Others? Are you in trouble financially? Are bills going unpaid? Aren t sure how to get out of debt? River Ridge Covenant Church can help with free financial coaching based on the Christian principles found in Dave Ramsey s Financial Peace University. This ministry is available to church members and regular attenders. Please contact Pastor Brian. August 20: Don t Run With the Devil James 3:1-13 James 4:1-10 Be Careful About Your Running Partner August 27: Letting God Lead James 4:11-17 Running Ahead of God is Never Advisable 6

7 Children s Ministry Update... By Children s Pastor Peg Melhaff Check out the kids page on our website! Maker Fun Factory 2017! Created by God, built for a purpose! We have 100 kids registered for VBS this year and 55 volunteers! The church is full of kids and music and fun at this fun factory! Thanks to all of RRCC family for supporting this ministry. It is an honor to speak God's truth to these kids and often their families all week! Pray for us as we finish the week! Thanks! Pastor Peg and VBS director Lisa McCart 7

Youth Building) Middle Schoolers go to Cascades! Something powerful happens when we get outside of our comfort zones, outside of our routines, and engage God in new ways.

Every year we try to get as many kids to camp as possible. This year we sent seven to Cascades Camp. There were many highlights. And in many ways our students drew closer to God.

He felt God affirm and reinforce his call to be a leader.

8 YOUTH PAGE... by Pastor Dan Meyerpeter Middle School Youth Group: Tuesdays, 6:30-8:00 pm High School Youth Group: Wednesdays, 6:30-8:00 pm (There are some exceptions pick up the youth flier at the info booth or Youth Building) Middle Schoolers go to Cascades! Something powerful happens when we get outside of our comfort zones, outside of our routines, and engage God in new ways. I love camp ministry for this reason. Camp is a breath of fresh air. At Camp teens have mountaintop experiences with God, and experience Him in new ways. Every year we try to get as many kids to camp as possible. This year we sent seven to Cascades Camp. There were many highlights. And in many ways our students drew closer to God. This was Austin Kunkle s first camp experience. Austin said that he was amazed by how close he feels to God. Sullivan Tyler enjoyed reconnecting with friends, and going deeper in relationships. He felt God affirm and reinforce his call to be a leader. Relationships were also very important for Cierra Larson who says that her highlight was hanging out with friends in her cabin and learning how they see the world. She is learning to experience God in the everyday things. Bryan Angelov enjoyed dominating at paintball. I m the real juggernaut, he said. Bryan has been in church for a while, but at camp he began to understand God s love for him in a new way. Tie- dye and the zip line were some of the highlights for Bella Ralston, who looks forward to going to camp all year. Bella experienced God in silence and solitude, I just knew He was there, she said. Christian Ralston experienced God in the chapel sessions where students would worship and hear relevant messages. God is moving in the lives of our students. Thank you for being a church that believes in our young people and gives them opportunities to grow. Thank you for your generosity! Closing Worship on the waterfront Questions? Contact Pastor Dan Meyerpeter in the office or dan@rrcov.org 8

Missions On July 6-12 a group of nine from River Ridge Covenant went to Baja, Mexico to minister in the mountain village of Eucalipto. Our church has an ongoing relationship with this community.

The trip was also the result of a partnership our church has with Merge Ministries, our denomination s short term mission program.

After three years we ve been able to go deep together, sharing joys and trials, and laughing together. Men from the rehab center remembered the message that Jacob Warrick had shared one year ago.

9 Missions On July 6-12 a group of nine from River Ridge Covenant went to Baja, Mexico to minister in the mountain village of Eucalipto. Our church has an ongoing relationship with this community. We have been going to Eucalipto for three years. Our Mexico team We partnered with Remnaicento, a local church that has an ongoing ministry in the village. The trip was also the result of a partnership our church has with Merge Ministries, our denomination s short term mission program. One of the highlights for our group was the deepening relationships we ve established with the community. After three years we ve been able to go deep together, sharing joys and trials, and laughing together. Men from the rehab center remembered the message that Jacob Warrick had shared one year ago. We were touched that some of our friends remembered team and family members that had gone in previous years. On one of the nights we had a community-wide fiesta. We BBQ d carne asada. The party went into the evening. This was a great time of connection. Late Night Party One of the things that stood out to the team was the power of love. Our team was limited by the language barrier and our ability to communicate with words. Despite this, we were continually amazed by how love was expressed. One evening we were visiting with a family. Our communication was spotty, but there was lots of laughter and love. You could feel the Holy Spirit present as we talked and stood together. You don t always need words. Selfie with the kids Another thing that stood out was the leadership exhibited by our teens. Our young people came up with a ministry project proposal, and prepared, and executed well. You should be very proud of them. It was also exciting to see our team use their gifts and life experiences to minister to others. Brian, a Physician's Assistant taught a class on First Aid to adults in the community. Chance Smith, a teen who loves robotics, taught elementary kids how to build a robot. Aarayana Short, taught kids how to play softball, her favorite sport. Thank you for being a sending church. Thank you for your generosity in sending this team to do God s work in Baja. Christ was glorified through you! If you are interested in going in 2018, please contact pastor Dan. Neah Bay update: Two things are going on in Neah Bay that you should know about. One is that Winston and Connie Wilson retired as pastors at Makah Lutheran. They are being replaced by Ben Maxson. A small team from our church had the privilege of being present as the mantle of leadership was passed. Our next trip will be on October 6-8. We will be hosting an informational meeting on September 24 th. Check out September s Newsletter for more information. 9

A Note from Grow Group Coordinator Jim Sedore: "We believe that everyone is called to a lifelong, upward path of discipleship as we Love, Grow, Serve and repeat." (RRCC Mission Statement).

Several Grow Groups are having monthly fellowship gatherings this summer. If you're not in a Grow Group, go to one or more of these gatherings and get to know the group.

10 A Note from Grow Group Coordinator Jim Sedore: "We believe that everyone is called to a lifelong, upward path of discipleship as we Love, Grow, Serve and repeat." (RRCC Mission Statement). Check the RRCC Adult Ministry website ( for the summer Grow Group schedules or pick up the flyer in the lobby. Several Grow Groups are having monthly fellowship gatherings this summer. If you're not in a Grow Group, go to one or more of these gatherings and get to know the group. This is a good way to select the group where you feel most comfortable. Many people are thinking about September and school-year routines. If you're not in a Grow Group, think about joining one in September when all of the groups resume weekly meetings. We re blessed as we grow together. Are you a Fred Meyer shopper? Our church can benefit from your purchases through the Fred Meyer Community Rewards program if you register your FM rewards card at under the Community Rewards program. You will still get your regular rewards and personal benefits from your FM card. Go to fredmeyer.com - click on Rewards - then Community Rewards. Under "Are You a Fred Meyer Customer?" click "Link your Reward Card Now". It will have you create an account with your basic name & address and your card number. Then enter organization # select River Ridge Covenant Church and click Enroll. 10 7th Annual 5K Run for Recovery September 16, :00 am 1:00 pm At Yelm Middle School This run will celebrate National Recovery Month and bring a message of hope to our local community! Now in its 7th year, Truly Motivated's Annual 5K Run for Recovery is both a fundraiser, (helping to raise vital monies for the organization) and an opportunity to raise awareness in our local community about recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. For more than ten years now, Truly Motivated has offered services to men and women seeking freedom from the bondage of this disease of the mind, body and spirit. By offering an environment of grace, competence, love and accountability, we have witnessed miraculous results. We invite you to be a part of this process by signing up for our 5K. This event will feature testimony from one of our Truly Motivated Success Stories, vendors booths hosted by our event sponsors and a free raffle drawing and an easy 5K route. The Run will start at 10 AM but we encourage you to come early for check-in and gather before we begin. Registration is $24 when you sign-up before August 10th ($30 after) and early birds will receive a free event t-shirt! To sign up go to

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 14 (Office Closed) 6 Worship Service 10 am 13 Worship Service 10 am 20 Worship Service 10 am Church Potluck Picnic 4pm at Woodland Creek Community Park 27 Worship Service

11 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 14 (Office Closed) 6 Worship Service 10 am 13 Worship Service 10 am 20 Worship Service 10 am Church Potluck Picnic 4pm at Woodland Creek Community Park 27 Worship Service 10 am August (Office Closed) 8 Quilters noon-4pm Middle School 6:30-8:00pm Prayer meeting 7pm Middle School 6:30-8:00pm Prayer meeting 7pm (Office Closed) (Office Closed) 29 Middle School 6:30-8:00pm Prayer meeting 7pm Middle School 6:30-8:00pm Prayer meeting 7pm Middle School 6:30-8:00pm Prayer meeting 7pm 2 High School 6:30-8:00pm 9 High School 6:30-8:00pm 16 High School 6:30-8:00pm 23 High School 6:30-8:00pm 30 High School 6:30-8:00pm 3 4 Men s Bible Study at Cutters 6:45 am Men s Bible Study at Cutters 6:45 am 17 Council meeting 6:30pm 18 Men s Bible Study at Cutters 6:45 am Men s Bible Study at Cutters 6:45 am 31 5 Shepherding Team 8:30am Quilters noon-4pm 11

12 Please pray for the pastors and leadership members listed below. Feel free to contact any of them with questions or concerns. Staff: Brian Wiele Lead Pastor Peg Melhaff Children s Pastor Dan Meyerpeter Pastor to Youth & Families Dennis Anderson Church Administrator Hilda Beirne Administrative Assistant Sue Harwood Office Volunteer Council/ Board of Administration 2017: Jim Larson Chair Daidre West Vice Chair Phyllis Brock Secretary Nicolas Garcia Treasurer Paula Reiner Financial Secretary Jill Shanda Youth Liaison Jim Smith Facilities Liaison Gary Southwell Serve Team Liaison Pat Keeley Christian Formation Liaison Shepherding Team: Judith Upton, Lynette Anderson, Nathan & Bethany Doak Sabrina Williams, Brian Knutson, Eric & Ellen Scott September Deadline August 22 Please send your articles by to office@rrcov.org or call the office at (360) Office Hours: Tuesday - Thursday from 8:00 am-noon, and 1:00 pm-3:00 pm Fridays 8:00 am - 2:00 pm Office Phone: (360) Sunday Worship Service 10:00 am Worship Service includes: Nursery *3s Pre K *Kids Club for K-2nd grade *Club 345 for 3rd, 4th, & 5th grade (*dismissed from regular worship after Komments for Kids ) Staff Lead Pastor Brian Wiele:... brian@rrcov.org Children s Pastor Peg Melhaff:... peg@rrcov.org Pastor to Youth & Families, Dan Meyerpeter:. dan@rrcov.org Admin. Assistant, Hilda Beirne: office@rrcov.org Church Administrator, Dennis Anderson. dennis@rrcov.org Office Volunteer, Sue Harwood.. sue@rrcov.org Visit our website at: Steilacoom Rd SE Olympia WA Love - Grow - Serve (repeat)

Inside this Issue: Shepherd s Staff... page 2. RRCC Happenings...page 3. RRCC Family News. page 6. Kid s Ministry...page 7. Youth Ministry...

Monthly Newsletter October 2018 Inside this Issue: Shepherd s Staff... page 2...Over the next four weeks we will be going on a journey. We will be exploring the Sabbath and what it means for our lives.