Extraordinary time CHRIST LUTHERAN NEWS. Mark your calendar! Christ Lutheran Church

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1 CHRIST LUTHERAN NEWS Mark your calendar! June 3 CLC hosts Decatur Baccalaureate June 21 Father s Day June 24 Summer Bible Study begins JUNE 2015 Extraordinary time Ah, summer! It hasn t officially arrived yet, but we are starting to feel it in the air. We re seeing the sun more often, kids will be out of school soon, vacation plans will soon go into full swing... yes, summer is here. In the church, summer is when we get to take a deep breath and relax a little bit. The high holy days of Easter and Pentecost are behind us. Advent is still half a year away. We now enter into the post-pentecost season of Ordinary Time, when our paraments and banners turn green and stay green for a good, long time. Some people look at the long span of green ahead and think, Boring! Pastors and musicians wring their hands in frustration over worship planning. After all, how does one plan worship that is engaging and meaningful with only the theme of Ordinary Time to guide you? It can be tempting to feel blah about the season, and too easy to skip those early Sunday mornings during the summer months. But though this time may seem less exciting than the rest of the church year, it is actually just as important. More important, even! The green Ordinary Time is when we gather to simply be the Body of Christ and grow in our faith, learning how to be faithful through the out s and in s of daily life. We need this Ordinary Time in our yearly walk through God s calendar, times apart from the hype of Easter and Christmas, to simply worship, nurturing our faith on God s word, on song, and each other. One of the supplemental books to our hymnal, Evangelical Lutheran Worship, says this: The green Sundays make clear that the liturgical year is not primarily a teaching technique for narrating the biography of Jesus. Rather, week in and week out, the church gathers to worship the triune God,...to enact how word and sacrament inspire the assembly in its life of faith... Every Sunday, winter, spring, summer, and autumn, we proclaim Christ, the wounds on his hands illumining our year like the stars Extraordinary time (continued p. 2) Christ Lutheran Church 2501 SW 320th St. Federal Way, WA officeclcfw@gmail.com ChristLutheranFW.com

2 Extraordinary time (continued.) in the sky. (from Keeping Time, Using Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Volume 3). Though the big festival days and seasons tend to get a lot of attention, they are not the primary focus of our worship. Sunday, just your typical, average, ordinary Sunday, is the real star of the church year. Christians have gathered on Sunday, the day of Christ s resurrection, for thousands of years to pray, sing, and proclaim the story once again. How will we observe Ordinary Time together at Christ Lutheran? We will strive to keep our worship simple and meaningful, providing restful breathing room in your schedules that are busy with events and vacations. We will study the Bible together for a six-week series on the Gospel of Mark. We will gather together for fun and fellowship. Mostly, we open ourselves to new growth in the Spirit, watching for tender green branches of faith to grow within us and among us. May your Ordinary Time be nothing less than extraordinary! Pastor Chelsea Wednesdays June 24- August 5, 6:30 PM (Will not meet July 22) Join Pastor Chelsea in a six-week study of the Gospel of Mark and what it teaches about being disciples of Christ. Come for all or drop in for one class - all are welcome! Greetings from our new Music Director Dear Congregants, My name is Katie Stevenson and I am pleased to be your new Music Director! I have had a wonderful musical journey over the past 10 years, living and making music in Alaska, New York City, and Germany. I have performed as an opera singer, church pianist, and taught private voice and piano lessons for most of my adult life. Growing up in Oregon, I am happy that my husband and I will soon call the Pacific Northwest home. I come from a musical family that is very involved in the Lutheran Church in Oregon and I remember fondly sitting beside my mother while she played the church organ. It gives me great pride to follow in her footsteps and I hope that my love of music will enhance your worship experience and strengthen your faith in Christ. Katie Stevenson Christ Lutheran is getting a NEW SOUND SYSTEM! Thanks to memorial funds from Cliff and Alta Muchow, along with a generous donation from a current member, we have been able to purchase a completely new sound system! We'll have all new speakers and system components, more microphones. We're working with a local company, Theatre Design Consultants, for the purchase and installation. Cliff Muchow had requested that his memorial funds be used for "hard of hearing issues," and we believe he would be quite happy with the use of funds given in his name. Since the whole service will be on microphone, it will be much easier for those with hearing loss to follow the service! Our new, improved sound system will be installed by the end of June! 2

3 TAILGATERS Social Event: House 30 Sun. June 28, 4:00 PM, starring Mik Kuhlman! House #30 is an original play written, produced and performed by Mik Kuhlman (Ginny s daughter), at West of Lenin Theater in Seattle. It s a small theater, so reserve your seat soon! Tickets: General $21.69, (incl. service fee); Seniors and Students $13.41 (incl. service fee); see Ginny Kuhlman for more information. Got stuff to donate? We re planning a Garage Sale this summer JULY 25! Items could include household, yard, sports, camping, hobbies, children's toys, appliances, tools, decorative items - gently used and in good condition. Proceeds benefit Christ Lutheran Church s Capital Improvement Fund SAVE THE DATE! Vacation Bible School with Calvary Lutheran Kids grades K-5 are invited to participate in VBS this summer! Come for songs, puppets, crafts, bible stories, and more. Youth (12+) and Adult volunteers are also needed! Helpers are needed to teach crafts, run game time, and set up snacks. Contact Pastor Chelsea to sign up! Calvary Lutheran Church, August 3-7, 9:00-11:30 AM plus evening performance on Fri. Aug. 7. Builders INC. We are builders of God's Kingdom! Computer Classes for Seniors: Want to brush up on your computer skills? There are ongoing classes at the Federal Way Senior Center. More information on their website: New Phone Number For pastoral emergencies outside of office hours, Pastor Chelsea can now be reached at: For your convenience, this number will be forwarded to the on call pastor when Pastor Chelsea is away. JULY/AUG NEWSLETTER DEADLINE: 6/23 3

4 The Three Great Listenings Southwestern Washington Synod Assembly Report May 15th-16th by Laura Olsen The Synod Assembly is a twoday business meeting to approve next year s synod budget, elect seats for the synod council, hear the church-wide report and keynote addresses, and attend workshops and worship. This years meeting was held at the Hilton Hotel in Vancouver, WA on May 15 th and 16 th. Christ Lutheran attendees were Pastor Chelsea, Guy and Laura Olsen, and Ann Murphy who was able to join the assembly for a few hours. The theme this year was The Three Great Listenings listening to God, self (congregation), and neighborhood. Keynote speakers - The Rev. Dr. Steve Bouman (Exec Dir of ELCA's Congregational and Synodical Mission Unit), Bishop Richard E. Jaech (Synod Bishop), the Rev. Kim Latterell (Synod Bishop's Associate) and the Rev. Melanie Wallschlaeger (Synod Director for Evangelical Mission) - took turns in presenting each area of listening. Two sessions of workshops based on the theme were held on Saturday afternoon. Bishop Jaech, keynote speaker, discusses ways to listen in our neighborhoods There was a lot of information to absorb in a short amount of time, many stories told and many points of view were shared. If I can attempt to distill it into a single concept, it s that we must become better listeners if we are to effectively participate in God s mission. Ask yourself why does God want a church here, at 2501 SW 320 th St. in Federal Way, WA? As the body of Christ, the answer is simple. We are here to engage in the mission that God is working on here. So many mission stories were told at the assembly stories of once struggling, now revitalized churches and congregations and what was the most interesting to me was that they all involved listening and responding to needs that were literally right next door or right across the street. The Rev. Dr. Steve Bouman talked about Setting Mission Tables (preparing the listening environment) and Restoring the Broken Table (listening in the midst of the challenges that divide us). Pastor Kim used the Chilean mine disaster as an analogy to the condition of the church (article elsewhere in this newsletter). Pastor Melanie talked about local churches who were engaged in successful missions here in our area. Bishop Jaech wrapped it up by suggesting a different way of seeing our neighbors. Rather than helping people in need, how are we building relationships? When we reach out, do we see that person as less fortunate or do we see that person as a dear child of God? Do we presume to know what they need (5,000 lbs of vegetables), or could they perhaps have gifts that WE need? We The Three Great Listenings (continued p. 5) 4

5 The Three Great Listenings (continued from p. 4) won t know if we re not willing to sit down and listen to get to know them. If you d like to continue the conversation, the Community Outreach Team is exploring this idea and applying what this kind of listening means for us, Christ Lutheran, here in our neighborhood. Beginning with Dot Sundays, the listening will extend from the congregation out into the neighborhood. Outreach meets on the 3 rd Tuesday at 6:30pm in Lewis Hall. Please see Trudy Sorensen for more info. There will not be a SW WA Synod Assembly in Instead, regional educational opportunities are being planned. The 2017 Synod Assembly will be held in June at Pacific Lutheran University. Suggested reading: The Evangelizing Church by Richard H. Bliese and Craig Van Gelder Vision and Call, and now Community Outreach is discussing Ch.5: Called Out of Our Comfort Zone The Mission Table by Rev. Dr. Steven Bouman, ELCA Exec. Director of the Congregational and Synodical Mission Unit (and a keynote speaker at the Synod Assembly) Synod assembly attendees were asked to read chapters 6 and 7: Setting Mission Tables and Restoring the Broken Table to expedite conversations about listening Living Lutheran: Renewing Your Congregation by Dave Daubert Our Church Council is currently studying this book together HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Marlys Chovil June 1 Joni Atkinson June 2 Ann Murphy June 2 Sharon Burke June 9 Guy Olsen June 15 Jason Savini June 19 Jeff Vossler June 22 Shelley Keeler June 27 Eric Olsen June 29 If we missed your birthday, please notify the church office! Worship & Music Committee seeking new member Do you appreciate good, thoughtful worship? Do you know your hymns pretty well, or at least have a list of favorites? Ever been curious to see how a worship service gets put together? Join the Worship & Music Committee! We are seeking one new member to join us for monthly planning meetings (1st Tuesday of the month at 5:30 PM) and discussion about worship at Christ Lutheran. We also oversee the Altar Guild. If you'd like to join us, please talk to Pastor Chelsea or a current member (Karen Kennedy, Ramona Soule, Brendon Mix, or Jane Henderson). Thank you, dear God, for this good life and forgive us if we do not love it enough. Thank you for the rain. And for the chance to wake up in three hours and go fishing: I thank you for that now, because I won't feel so thankful then. - Garrison Keillor 5

6 From the Assistant to the Bishop Rev. Kim Latterell Keynote address to SWWA Synod Assembly As reported by Laura Olsen Pastor Kim spoke of the state of the church, using the 2010 Chilean mine disaster as an analogy. There is a common perception that the church has gotten "buried" and is struggling to survive, hoping to be rescued before it's too late. Here's how the mine story unfolded. A rock fell in the mine, blocking the miners' exit. It was so big that it blocked many levels of exits - the rock was as heavy as the Empire State Building. The miners managed to reach a safe room they called "The Refuge," about the size of a public school classroom. There was enough emergency food and water for several people to survive several days. There were 33 men, and no way for them to communicate their location. Things didn't look good. On the surface, a rescue attempt mounted. A mini city grew, nicknamed "Camp Hope". A 4.5" oil drill was brought in on a convoy of semi trucks from several hundred miles away, up to the top of the mountain. They began to drill down in an attempt to find the miners, not knowing their current location or status. Over several weeks, the miners could hear the drill rumbling down, coming close to their room and passing them by. They prayed. They sang hymns and anything else they could think of. They rationed their food and water. They talked about their families. They prayed and rationed some more. After 17 days, the drill broke into the corner of their room, only a few feet inside of the wall. They quickly spray painted the drill bit, with red paint made specifically for that purpose (hoping that it wouldn't scrape off by the time it reached the surface) and attached a note inside a plastic bag "Estamos bien en el Refugio los 33" (We are well in The Refuge. The 33). The shaft was just big enough to send down food and water, which was indeed fortunate, because that morning for breakfast they had divided the last peach among them, sliced so thin you could see through it. They had been found, but there was still a long way to go before being rescued. There was another drilling effort to make the hole wider, which took a few weeks. And then another even wider drilling which took another few weeks. Also on top, while all of the drilling was going on, an escape plan was being devised and manufactured. The final hole was just big enough to shuttle a single man in a capsule, through thousands of feet of rock. (Anyone feeling claustrophobic?) The rescuer arrived in the room, and the men were taken up one by one. They had survived 69 days in The Refuge. There is a lot going on in this story, and a few different ways to look at it. One is that as a church, we cannot lose faith as we look above to "Camp Hope" for deliverance. We believe that Jesus will come again in a rescue pod and all will be well. But another way to look at it is a bit more intriguing and challenging: As baptized believers, we are sent to be Christ in the world. Doesn't that make us - the church - the rescuers? What if we're the ones who are thinking outside the box, implementing outrageous plans in desperate attempts to accomplish things that seem utterly futile and impossible? How relevant would the church be to those who have lost hope, who are in need of rescue, and would find it hard to believe that anyone is even looking for them? Who is willing to be so daring? 6

7 Community Outreach Save the Date: Sunday, September 13th. "God s work. Our hands. Sunday is an opportunity to celebrate who we are as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America one church, freed in Christ to serve and love our neighbor. The Community Outreach Team will be planning our day of service. Please share your ideas! Other Community Outreach activities include future planning using congregation feedback from Dot Sundays to focus our outreach in the community. Middle Age Mutant Ninja Mortals relay On May 29-30, a team from CLC gathered to participate in Relay for Life, American Cancer Society s annual fundraiser. The Transparent Blues Band, of which Laura Olsen is the drummer, kicked off the laps. A baton containing the names of loved ones who have been touched by cancer was prayed over and carried through the night by a member of the Ninja Mortals from 6:00pm on Friday until 11:00am on Saturday. After some rest, we plan to sign up the team for next year join us! Help Refugee Families in Our Area! Lutheran Community Services Northwest helps refugees set up their first home. This includes what's in the medicine cabinet. We are accepting toothpastes and toothbrushes. If you would like to help with personal items, please contact Trudy Sorensen or Mark Lorenzen If community outreach interests you, please join us! We meet the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 6:30 at church in Lewis Hall. Contact Trudy Sorensen or trumark1@msn.com for more information. Trudy Sorensen, Laura Olsen and Ann Murphy enjoy midnight pizza. Below luminaries in honor and memory of loved ones line the track Ninja Mortals not pictured: Mark Lorenzen, Guy Olsen, Kyle Olsen and Ian Olsen. Above: Eric Olsen carries the baton in the early morning. 7

8 Social Ministries Special thank yous go out to Marilynn Short and her team for assisting with the reception following the memorial service for Paul Swinehart on May 9th. Your efforts were very much appreciated. What's happening? June Tailgaters will travel to Seattle on June 28th for the matinee performance of House #30, written, produced and starring Mik Kuhlman. See proud Mom, Ginny, for tickets in advance. July The all-church "parking lot" sale, July 25th, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Bring your gently used items and join the fun. All proceeds go to the Capital Improvement Fund. Set up will begin at 8:00 a.m. August August 23rd is the date for the annual church picnic. It will take place at Camp Kilworth near Dash Point State Park. Watch for a sign-up and additional information coming soon. Sue O'Brien and Nancie Russ are "in charge". October Participation in the "Homespun Holidays" bazaar on October 24th, is gearing up with many people working hard on handmade items for the sale. Don't be left out of the fun. Get your hands busy - we can use all sorts of handcrafted items. We are also looking for assistance with baking, manning the "café", greeting at the door, advertising, set up, take down and more. It will take our "village" to make this work. The Social Ministries team meets on the second Tuesday of each month, at 10:00 a.m. in Lewis Hall. Everyone is welcome, there is much to do. Finance Team The Finance Team Audit Team met May 12 th and performed the First Quarter Audit of the Church Accounts. All accounts were in good order with no discrepancies. Janeen Whitehead continues to do a superb job in her role as Christ Lutheran Church Treasurer. Thank you, Janeen, and thanks also to Ann Murphy for her assistance in this audit! Remember Christ Lutheran While You Travel This Summer The great weather reminds us summer is just about here and many of us take vacations that keep us away from Christ Lutheran to take advantage of our Nation s God-given natural treasures and, of course, friends and family. Our church expenses continue during every season and we re especially sensitive to the potential for a summer slump in offering due to vacationing members. Alas, we have solutions! You can take care of your giving before leaving by dropping it off at the office, send it to the church via the mail, or just sign up for Simply Giving so your giving is automatic each month via electronic debit even while you re gone. So, why not save a stamp and/or the cost of writing checks and simply sign up for Simply Giving. See Tom Hagen for a quick 5 minute sign up! By the way, while you re traveling, consider bringing back the good ideas you see in other churches you visit, including their bulletins and your observations that might help us become an even better community of faith! Safe travels! 8

9 From the Prayer Team Resting In Christ Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls Matt 11: Please pray for: Health and healing: For Mary Otterness who is not recovering from surgeries performed a month ago, has been taken off dialysis, and has been moved to Palliative care. Please pray for Mary to be comfortable and free of pain, and for her family and friends who walk with her during this final phase of life. For Bruce O'Brien who had total right knee replacement this week. Pray for ease of pain and a speedy healing, recovery, and a full restoration of the range of motion in his knee. Pray for stamina for Sue as she ministers to Bruce during this time. For Ginny Kuhlman who fell last week. Pray for healing from any bruising and soreness from her fall, stability, strength, and good health for Ginny. Pray for an extra measure of God's peace and sense of God's presence during this season of busyness and transition for Ginny. For Ortrun Morlan, healing from a broken ankle and surgery. For health and stamina for Kari (Nancie Russ's sister-in-law) as she begins chemo for lymphoma. May God's good gift of medicine restore Kari to full health. For Raanah as she continues to transition to her new living environment, for peace and healing. For those who Grieve: Doris Schaffer and Lia Dills on the death of Todd, their son and brother; For the Nelson family, mourning the death of Korine Nelson on May 24th (Marilynn Short s aunt/ godmother); For peace and comfort for the family and friends of Audrey Thomsen who recently passed away, and also for Pat Hunt whose husband recently died. Kathleen Tennerelli and her family in the sudden passing of her mother on the Friday before Mother's Day; Jackie, Jane, Loni, CJ, Marilynn, and the family and friends of Pat (Marilynn's friend), in the sudden death of Pat's husband Mike. For God to heal broken family relationships Family and Friends: Mik Kuhlman (Ginny Kuhlman s daughter), suffering from migraines; Kirke Sutphen; Jan Olson (Sue O Brien s sister); Cheri Kinnamon (Janeen Whitehead s aunt, who is dealing with severe MS); Lynn Kuhlman coping with the effects of a brain aneurysm; Kathy Haley; Coleen Adams and family. Interested in joining the prayer team chain? Contact Ginny Kuhlman or Ann Murphy Christ Lutheran News June 2015 Women s Bible Study June 6 Women s Bible Study meets the first Saturday of the month at 10:30am. All women are invited. Please see Ginny Kuhlman or Lonnie McWilliams if you would like to attend. Men s Breakfast June 13 It s almost time to once again join in the fellowship foodfest we cleverly call The Men s Breakfast. By popular acclaim, this month s venue is again Biscuit s Cafe located at Enchanted Parkway South G105, Federal Way, WA (in the strip mall across the street from Olive Garden). Dress is manly casual and all are welcome that is, all men who remember to dress on a Saturday morning before going to Biscuits. And, if anyone needs a ride, also let me know and we ll arrange a pick up for door-to-door service. I can smell the bacon and sausage already Hope to see you there! - Tom Pastor Chelsea out of the office June for Continuing Education Pastor Chelsea will be attending a training with the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia, the College of Congregational Development. This is two-year program for pastors and church leaders to learn strategies for congregational assessment and development. The Southwestern Washington Synod of the ELCA is supporting Pastor Chelsea in this training opportunity by contributing financially to the enrollment fee. The College meets at the Dumas Bay retreat center, so while Pastor Chelsea will be close by, she will not always be immediately available during the week. For emergency pastoral care, please call during that time. 9

10 THE HOLY TRINITY 10:00 a.m. Worship Sunday Christ Lutheran Church 31 Dot Sunday #1 SECOND SUNDAY of PENTECOST 10:00 a.m. Worship 7 Dot Sunday #2 THIRD SUNDAY of PENTECOST 10:00 a.m. Worship 14 New Logo Launch FOURTH SUNDAY of PENTECOST 10:00 a.m. Worship 21 Father s Day Education Hour FIFTH SUNDAY of PENTECOST 9:00 a.m. Education Hour 10:00 a.m. Worship 28

11 June 2015

12 2501 SW 320 th ST. Federal Way, WA Tuesday Thursday 10am-2:30pm Pastor Chelsea Globe (253) Office Administrator Laura Olsen (253) Council President Steve Atkinson Council Vice President Guy Olsen Council Secretary Karen Kennedy Treasurer Janeen Whitehead Financial Secretary Pete Hupperten Church Council members: Steve Atkinson, Karen Kennedy, Ann Murphy, Guy Olsen, Marilynn Short, Janeen Whitehead Christ Lutheran Church 2501 SW 320 th ST. Federal Way, WA ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED