Tower Echoes. The Monthly Newsletter of Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church 7500 Greenwood Avenue North Seattle, Washington

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1 The Monthly Newsletter of Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church 7500 Greenwood Avenue North Seattle, Washington Volume 57, Issue Eight October, 2010 Fall into October The Pentecost Season is the longest season of the church year and it is now beginning it s slow winding down until the church year ends on Christ the King Sunday in November. There is no loss of momentum, however, in this winding down. There is something to look forward to in our worshipping life every week. Here s the lineup of coming Sundays: October 10 + St. Francis Sunday St. Francis helped us to see that God the Creator is present in all that God created. If God declared it all to be good and gave to humankind the stewardship of all creation, then in honoring the earth and all things, we honor and thank God. St. Francis and Blessing of the Animals at 8:30 service Creation Celebration for All Ages at 10:00 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall Pet-free worship focusing stewardship of creation at 11:00 October 17 + St. Luke Sunday Luke, disciple and apostle, is remembered as the Great Physician. More than any other Gospel, Luke recalls the compassion and healing that Jesus brought to the people of his place and time and continues to bring to us today. On this day we gather to offer our lives for the healing that only Christ can give. Feast of St. Luke with Healing Rites The WAY begins at 5:00 p.m. (call the church office for more info.) (Continued on page 3)

2 In the Family Transferred The Aaron & Kirsten Duke family Our Redeemers Lutheran Rick Steves Presents: Travel as a Political Event 17th Annual Travel Lecture Food! Friends! Fun! Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church 7500 Greenwood Avenue North Seattle, WA office@prlc.org Church Staff Addresses: Paul E. Hoffman, Lead Pastor (on sabbatical) phoffman@prlc.org Beverly R. Piro, Associate Pastor bpiro@prlc.org Debbie Boyce, Vicar dlynnboyce@comcast.net Patrick Meagher, Minister of Outreach pmeagher@prlc.org Darren Hochstedler, Parish Administrator dhochstedler@prlc.org Tim Sullivan, Child Development Center Director cdc@prlc.org Don Boelter, Office Administrator dboelter@prlc.org In support of Compass Housing Alliance. Don t miss Rick s wonderful stories, photos and travel tips. You Are Invited! Thursday, October 28, :30 p.m. Trinity Lutheran Church th St. SW, Lynwood $35 ticket price includes hors d oeuvres, drinks, and the lecture. Purchase Tickets Online at Questions? ; jschultz@compasshousingalliance.org Regular Sunday Schedule: Holy Communion at 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Education at 10:00 a.m. Evening Prayer, 4th Sunday of the Month at 7:00 Church Office Hours: Monday-Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Next Deadline: October 29 (for November 4 mailing) The mission of Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church is to provide a place to worship God, to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and to reach out to the community. 2

3 Fall Into October (continued from page 1) October 24 Rev. Sallie Shippen Preaches Retired Episcopal Priest Sallie Shippen has been part of our worshipping community for over a year. On this day we celebrate our full communion partnership with the Episcopal Church and welcome her into our pulpit. November 7 October 31 + Reformation Day This uniquely Lutheran day highlights the insight of Martin Luther that we are saved only by God s grace. We gather on a RED festival day to highlight the Holy Spirit that brought Brother Martin to that revelation and to recall that the Holy Spirit is the only source of our faith. Festival Worship at 8:30 and 11:00 Affirmation of Baptism (Confirmation) at 8:30 + All Saints Festival The Paschal Candle is lit and with the ringing of bells we remember the saints from our parish who have died in the last year. We bring photos of the saints in our lives who are at rest from their earthly labors and we also welcome into our family of faith through the death dealing and life giving water of Holy Baptism a new little saint, Oliver Ryan Raemakers. Dedication of Memorial Gifts Between services there will be an all congregation brunch as part of our stewardship program and to welcome Pastor Hoffman back from sabbatical. 3

4 Salem Circle Wednesday, October 20 9:30 a.m., Lois Huseby s Around the Parish The Chickens are coming! The Chickens are com- ing! At the October 10 Creation Festival, the 3rd, 4th & 5th graders are hosting a booth to help Don Maier, along with ELCA and Mekane Yesus Lutheran Church in Ethiopia, raise funds for a chicken hatchery. This project will help the communities provide a steady source of food and income for their families and friends. We will have a short DVD playing, a live chicken, our 5th graders are going to be reading picture books about creation and chickens to the younger students and we will have information about the project. There will be a "Happy Birthday" jar to collect coins (the same number as your age) if you would like to donate to this project. Call Tina Georgeson with questions Circles in October Come, be a part of one of the Circle meetings in Oc- Thank you. Dear Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church Congregation, tober. We ll be discussing the Parable of the On behalf of all of us at Compass Housing Alliance, especially the children and families at Bergan Place, thank Widow and the Unjust Judge (Luke 18:1-8). Jesus was instructing his disciples to pray always and not you so much for your generous donations of school supplies. Because of you, eleven children started the school to lose heart (v.1). Do you see yourself as the persistent widow, or as one who loses heart? Does this year off on the right foot and with confidence knowing parable challenge or affirm your prayer life? Join that they had all the supplies they needed. the conversation! The start of the school year is an exciting but also stress- Mary/Martha Wednesday, October 13 ful time for children and families. For many of the families that Compass Housing Alliance serves it is a time 1:00 p.m. in Tree of Life Bethany Circle Monday, October 18 9:30 a.m., Caroline Brakken s when parents struggle to meet their children s needs for back to school supplies and clothes. Your donations helped to ease some of the stress that accompanies going back to school. Thank you again. I hope that your participation in the school supply drive meant as much to you as it did to all the families you helped. Sincerely, Maggie Milcarek Resident Services and Resource Manager Compass Housing Alliance LYONS, Lutheran Youth of North Seattle Stay tuned to the LYONS website, for more details on upcoming events! 4

5 Abundant Living Abundant Giving! St. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth... We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia; for during a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For, as I can testify, they voluntarily gave according to their means, and even beyond their means, begging us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in this ministry to the saints 2 Corinthians 8:1-4 Even in times of distress, abundant joy remains. In the clutch of extreme poverty, there is a wealth of generosity. Giving according to one s means and even beyond is a privilege for those who share in the ministry of the Church. It is in these words of St. Paul that we find inspiration for the 2011 Stewardship Program. Certainly these are trying times across our country. No one disputes that fact. Unemployment is high; the occupants of Washington, DC are changing about as often as the towels are changed in our bathrooms. Many mortgages now secure property that is worth less than the paper. Health insurance and medical care is expensive. There is plenty about which to be woeful. Even so, there is abundant joy that comes from deep within, from the places that money cannot touch or steal away. Abundant joy comes from the freedom that Christ gives us to be loved not because of who we are or what we have done but because of who God is and what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. Abundant joy springs from God s great gift of grace. The Corinthian Christians gave abundantly even in their poverty because of the compelling love of Christ and the transforming power of the early Church. They BEGGED for the privilege of giving. The PRLC 2011 Stewardship Campaign is about to begin. You ll be hearing more about it in the weeks ahead. Until then, prayerfully consider the abundant joy that dwells within you and the privilege that is yours to join together in grateful, joyful giving to the ministry of the Church of Jesus Christ. 5

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7 St. Francis and Celebration of Creation Getting to Know* Phinney Ridge s Godly Play Sunday School Teachers Joyce Aasland teacher 3/4 year olds & Pre-K, room 303 Lori Chrisman teacher Kindergarten, room 418 Linda Ramsdell teacher 1 st and 2 nd grade, room 419 Each Sunday when the children at Phinney Ridge gather for Sunday School there are three classrooms that use the Godly Play curriculum. Godly Play tells the stories of faith to the youngsters in ways that recognize their need for a hands-on experiential approach that will tap into their innate spirituality, creativity and unique gifts. The boys and girls hear the story and then have the opportunity to wonder about it, respond through art, play or reenacting the story. These Sunday School teachers thoroughly enjoy using Godly Play in their classrooms. Linda points out that Godly Play gives her the ability to be present for the first and second graders that particular day, to celebrate who they are and the gift of each child to the community. She smiles when saying, We share an awful lot of love. Joyce notes that Godly Play allows the youngsters to explore the story and ask their own questions instead of trying to push them to one right answer. Lori added that she loves sharing the stories with her class and seeing what the kindergarteners will come up with in their wondering questions. The teachers note a variety of ways that Godly Play enhances the natural wonder of young learners. The setting itself is different than a traditional school setting. Stories are told in a circle without looking at the youngsters in order to allow them to interact with the story as it is being told. The boys and girls then use the creative part of the class time to highlight their best part of the story. The wonder questions continually nudge the children s imagination. All the teachers express that the richness of the stories emerge as the learners physically touch the stories and get their hands into it during the creative time. The kids in Joyce s class spend 3-4 weeks with one story so the little ones really know it and can tell the story themselves! That s remarkable learning about the stories of our faith! A favorite part of the classroom time for Lori is the wondering questions. She recalls saying during one class session, I wonder who the Good Shepherd is. Her kindergarteners replied in a variety of ways mentioning someone who takes care of them from parents to teachers. Joyce enjoys telling the story to her little ones and then hearing them retell it in their own words it s amazing what they absorb! Closing prayer is Linda s favorite time with her first and second graders. She asks for prayer requests from the kids and gives them the option to say their prayer request aloud or silently. She loves the attentive reverence her boys and girls have for prayer time, noting that the candle intrigues them. The class always says the Lord s Prayer and she blesses each child at the end. Phinney Ridge is blessed by the ministry of these Sunday School teachers. They express such joy when talking about their classes, and truly love the time they spend with our children. Each of the teachers has been teaching for quite some time and all indicate how they are blessed through this opportunity. Providing a safe, nurturing place for these young Sunday School learners allows their natural inquisitive, receptive thirst to be quenched with God s Word. Joyce, Lori, and Linda delight in in this ministry learning alongside, and from, the kids, exploring their own I wonder statements, and experiencing the stories of faith through the eyes of another. They welcome visitors as well as anyone who is considering teaching. Please take a moment to stop by the Godly Play classrooms on Sunday morning, enjoy the story and creativity, and thank these devoted teachers. * As your new Vicar I am getting to know so much about Phinney Ridge s community and all you wonderful people of God. Each month in I will highlight what I m getting to know! Please celebrate with me the people and ministry of PRLC! 7

8 7500 Greenwood Avenue North Seattle, WA RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED TIME VALUE Save a Tree Get this newsletter by ! Send your name and to office@prlc.org Save the Dates 14 November Pledge Sunday 23 November Food Bank Thanksgiving Boxes Distribution Tuesday Noon-3:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall 24 November 3rd Annual Interfaith Community Service Wednesday 7:30 p.m. Sanctuary, Reception following in Fellowship Hall 28 November First Sunday in Advent 21 December Food Bank Christmas Boxes Distribution Tuesday Noon-3:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall