THE BRIDGE October 2018

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1 BURLINGTON LUTHERAN CHURCH THE BRIDGE October 2018 Fall shows us how beautiful it is to let things go. Grace & Peace BLC, The world is changing around us trees are turning from green to shades of yellow, red and brown, perennials are collapsing back into the earth for their winter repose and the temperatures are dropping. The world around us is dying to give way to the new life of spring. It is so compelling that every year we watch as the world dies and yet every year we get to see the world come alive renewed again. The pattern of death and resurrection surround us as we see the beauty of letting go for ultimate transformation. We are an inextricable part of the created world but somehow we forget that we too are called to the pattern of death and resurrection. As the maples turn yellow and shed their leaves we also are invited to let go of the thoughts, patterns, negativity, relationships, dreams, and regrets that are not life-giving to us. There is nothing more natural than letting things go, and there is no way to see what God will bring forth in new life without first having the courage to step away from our old patterns and into life abundant with the risen Christ. As you snuggle in your home with the weather and world turning beautiful shades of release outside, pray about what things you might release to walk in newness of life. Give these things to God, let them go and watch as the God of the Resurrection makes all things new. In the Love of Jesus, Pastor Bethany

2 PASTOR APPRECIATION MONTH Pastor Appreciation Month is a special time that congregations set aside each year to honor their pastors and pastoral families for the hard work, sacrificial dedication and multiple blessings provided by these special people. It is typically scheduled in October. It is also important to remember that appreciation, affirmation and prayer support of our spiritual leaders is appropriate throughout the entire year. The nature of the service provided by pastors and their families is unique. God has entrusted to them one of the most precious of assignments the spiritual well-being of His flock. When a pastor becomes ineffective, the very souls of his or her parishioners are endangered. When eternity is in the balance, we should all be concerned. Pastors and their families live under incredible pressures. Their lives are played out in a fishbowl, with the entire congregation and community watching their every move. They are expected to have ideal families, to be perfect people, to always be available, to never be down and to have all the answers we need to keep our own lives stable and moving forward. Those are unrealistic expectations to place on anyone, yet most of us are disappointed when a pastor becomes overwhelmed, seems depressed, lets us down or completely burns out. That s why God has instructed us to recognize His servants. The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching (1 Timothy 5:17). The good news is that we can make a difference! Pastor Appreciation Month is one way we can counter the negative erosion in the lives of our spiritual leaders with the positive affirmation they need. Don t your pastors and their families deserve this kind of recognition? Do something about it today! Pastor Appreciation Sunday is October 14! (This article is from Focus on the Family website.)

3 BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS Bring your furry, feathered, or scaly friends to BLC for a special blessing on Saturday, October 6th at 1 pm. We will enjoy a short prayer and celebration of our animal friends. Afterward, there will be a time for a blessing for each pet. Treats, too! 1st BREAKFAST Join us in the Fellowship Hall on Sunday, October 7, 8:45 to 9:45 am for our 1st Breakfast! On the menu: Make your own Burritos with fresh sausage, cheese, guacamole, sour cream, & salsa! Also, fresh scrambled eggs, fresh fruit & yogurt, pastries & muffins, plus cinnamon rolls for kiddos! WRITER S WORKSHOP Kathy Reim will facilitate a 6 week writer s workshop, creating an opportunity to write stories about faith and family. The classes will be on Wednesdays, 7-8:15 pm in the Library, September 19 through October 24. For more information, please contact Kathy at kreim@earthlink.net. BLC QUILTERS The quilting group will meet on Thursday, Oct. 11, at 9 am in the Fellowship Hall. If you are interested in helping in any way, please come. No sewing experience is necessary!

4 JOSEPHINE CARING COMMUNITY Dear Partner Churches, Christmas Talk? Let me start off as always by saying the word thanks. Your participation in our ministry here is wonderfully touching. Grace and peace to you as we continue our relationship together and continue to work together. Please don't throw stones at me for bringing up Christmas even as we just enter October. However, it is time to start preparing for our Josephine Christmas Giving Tree. If you haven't heard of this project before, let me briefly paint the idea for you first. For the past several years now, Josephine has tried on the undergo a major gift-giving project by trying to provide gifts for each one of our nursing home, rehab, and assisted living residents. For the past few years, we have opened that opportunity up to our Partner Churches. We have to tell you, that the response has been tremendous! So, we would love to offer the opportunity again this year to you. As you can imagine, as we prepare to coordinate with 18 of our partnering congregation in getting and matching meaningful gifts for over 200 of our residents, it takes some time to do this right. Our Activities Staff will be going around to each of those residents and asking them for three options of Christmas gifts, each under $20, that they might like. With the help of your Josephine delegates, we will then get those requests out to those of you who would like to participate in this project. Let me take the opportunity right now to give you at least one instruction that we will also repeat on the gift tags themselves...you do not need to get all three of the gift options - choosing one of those options is all that is needed (but of course if the some of those options are on the smaller side, and your heart moves you to give more, you are certainly free to get more of the options). Once you are able to get those gifts, we will then need to get the gifts back to Josephine and process them before eventually giving them out to the residents. I know it sounds like a lot of work, but it is a gift of love that we try to do for every resident who is spending their Christmas at Josephine. At this moment, I am asking you to pray about whether or not you would like to participate. The first step will then be your Josephine delegates helping us get the word out and then getting a list of names of everyone who would like to participate. So, ex- Cont d on next page

5 pect that to happen soon. Thank you in advance for participating with us in this act of love! Made in the image of God, I believe from the bottom of my heart that we are made to love. May this be one way we practice that love as we are church together. God s peace be with you all! -Chaplain Andy You can now listen to Pastor Bethany's sermons! Please visit our website at and click on the Sermons tab! The Protestant Reformation Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses, or thoughts, to a church door in Wittenberg, Germany, on October 31, 1517, and many Christians remember that day and the major changes, or Reformation, that resulted. Luther's theses contained three main pillars, which have stood for over 500 years: 1. Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone) - The Bible is the sole authority in matters of faith, life and conduct. "All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16, NRSV). 2. Sola Fide (Faith Alone) - Christians are justified, or declared righteous, only through believing in Jesus Christ as Savior. Although morality and good works are important, they alone cannot lead to salvation. "A person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ" (Galatians 2:16, NRSV). 3. Sola Gratia (Grace Alone) - Grace is God's unmerited, or undeserved, favor. Salvation is a free gift from our gracious God. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God - not the result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9, NRSV). Red is the traditional color of Reformation. This year, Reformation Sunday is October 28.

6 Calling all 7th & 8th graders join Pastor Bethany for confirmation! Confirmation is an opportunity for young people to grow and mature in their faith, making it their own. Confirmation at BLC will be a mixture of learning, service and fun (synod-wide parties, confirmation retreats, etc.) WHO: 7TH & 8TH GRADERS WHERE/WHEN: Right after church for 90 minutes every 1st Sunday of the month (plus retreats, service opportunities and special events at various times and locations). WHAT TO EXPECT: Lunch will be provided along with fun and fantastic theology. 1st session will be Sunday, October 7th directly after church. Please RSVP to Pastor Bethany ASAP: burlingtonlutheranpastor@gmail.com or ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CRAFT FAIR Mark your calendar for the Annual Christmas Craft Sale on Sunday, December 2! All proceeds from the sale support the Skagit Valley Herald Christmas Baskets. For more information, please contact Janice Burwash. SHOPPING FOR THE CHRISTMAS BASKETS It's not too soon to start checking the grocery ads and picking up a few items each week for our Christmas Food Baskets. Burlington Lutheran Church will be supporting 20 families in our community. A shopping list of the suggested staples that we give each family can be found on the tables in the Narthex and Fireside Room. Donations can be left on the table in the Fireside Room. Questions? Contact Janice Burwash.

7 MEET OUR NEWEST MEMBERS Ron Tingley Born and raised in Sedro-Woolley. Attended church most all my life, last being Trinity Presbyterian Church in Sedro. I have family here at BLC and like what I have been seeing here. I worked at the post office before retirement. The Hills, and Dorothy Winchell Meet Rochelle and Valerie Hill, daughter Maisie, and Valerie s mother, Dorothy Winchell. We welcome you all to Burlington Lutheran! NEW CHILDREN S CHURCH ROUTINE Children 3 and younger are invited to go downstairs to the nursery during Children s church for an age appropriate time with our nursery attendant, Elly. Children 4 and older will continue to go across the hall to the education building. NURSERY VOLUNTEERS Come and hang out with BLC s littlest members! We need helpers to assist our nursery attendant each week, especially since the little ones will be going to children s church in the nursery now. A Nursery sheet can be found in the Sign-up Book, located in the Narthex.

8 NOTES OF APPRECIATION We would like to thank the members and staff at Burlington Lutheran Church for letting us use your facility for our English classes during the month of August. You were so helpful and welcoming when we needed to find a spot right away. We really appreciate it! Sincerely, Tracy Montaron, Volunteer Coordinator ************************************** A note of appreciation to Berentson Plumbing from BLC: The small water heater in the upstairs kitchen was leaking and had to be replaced. We called Dave Berentson from Berentson Plumbing. The total cost of replacement was over $600, but Dave didn t charge us. This is what he wrote on our bill: I owe my success to the upbringing at Burlington Lutheran and great parents. Please accept this as a payback with my gratitude. ~Dave B. and Judy **************************************** Burlington Lutheran Church Women, Thank you soo much for your generous gift of $100 to Na Wokabaut in memory of Larry He loved your church and was so pleased that Bethany was serving so many wonderful people! God bless you all. ~Aarlie J. Hull **************************************** Thank you, Burlington Lutheran Church! I am grateful for your generosity. Thank you for your incredibly open hearts and financial donation. The summer was a wonderful time and knowing that my local church and community was in prayer and support was a huge blessing. ~Mette Rousseau MAIL CARTS AND NAME TAGS Remember to check your mail folders in the Narthex! If you d like a folder, please sign up on the clipboard located on the nametag table. You can also sign up for name tags.

9 BURLINGTON LUTHERAN CHURCH WOMEN (BLCW) All women of BLC are invited to attend a Bible study on Tuesday, October 16, 10:30 am. Meet in the Conference Room. For more information, please contact Avis Robinson or Fran Hansen. NEIGHBORS IN FAITH RE-MEMBERING OURSELVES AS NEIGHBORS: Answering Islamophobia & Living Into the Beloved Community Terry Kyllo, Director, Neighbors in Faith Moses, Jesus and Mohammad, peace be upon them, called people in times of deep inequity to be good neighbors. They knew that being a neighbor is not simply a religious or moral issue: Being neighbors with and for each other is the essence of being human. Being neighbors is crucial for the survival and thriving of the larger human community and the Earth of which we are a part. Join us for a NEIGHBORS IN FAITH FORUM at Burlington Lutheran Church on Sunday, October 21 after the worship service. Pastor Terry Kyllo is the director of Neighbors in Faith (NIF), an effort undertaken by Christians and Muslims to encourage neighborly relationships between Muslims and people of all faith and non-faith traditions so that together we can work for a more peaceful world. This ministry is supported by both Muslims and Christians and is authorized by the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia, the Northwest Washington Synod of the ELCA and the Southwestern Washington Synod of the ELCA.

10 COME, LORD JESUS Rev. Kirby Unti, Synod Bishop, Northwest Washington Synod Article from The Spirit, October 2018 The Unti family continues to meet at least once a week for a family meal. It is the rare occasion when we are not all in attendance. The meal always begins with the prayer, Come, Lord Jesus. We know not to move a fork until the prayer has been shared. I must confess that we do not always do the prayer with the reverence that it deserves but we always do the prayer. It would be so easy, and maybe even more pleasant, if we suspended this practice - but the truth is it is nonnegotiable. Not because of guilt or shame. Not because of our personal piety. The prayer is essential because it helps us as a family to know our rightful place in the world. We are, as Luther might say, beggars. We are dependent upon God. God is the provider. We are grateful receivers. Many of you know that Kim finds great delight in preparing meals. It is not only about the culinary challenge - it is about the gift that comes in gathering people around the meal. Kim knows how to turn a meal into an entire evening. Kim is also the first to sign up to provide meals for others whether it is a friend recovering from surgery or helping at any one of several feeding programs. We often prepare and serve these meals as a family. Our household has been shaped by meals because we have been shaped by the Biblical narrative. Meals play such a critical role in the story of God s people whether it is the cry for manna in the wilderness or breaking bread at home with Zacchaeus. Not to mention how central the meals of Passover and The Eucharist are. Meals are how God is known, faith is formed, forgiveness is experienced and remembrance of what matters most happens. Meals are also what the ELCA is about. We not only gather often as the people of God around meal but we believe deep in our bones the importance of seeing that all people have access to the means of providing and receiving meal. We call this expression of the ELCA WORLD HUNGER. Cont d on next page

11 Working with and through our congregations in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Lutheran churches overseas, and other partners, ELCA World Hunger is uniquely positioned to reach communities in need. From health clinics to microloans, water wells to animal husbandry, community meals to advocacy, your gifts to ELCA World Hunger make it possible for the ELCA to respond, supporting sustainable solutions that get at the root causes of hunger and poverty. (ELCA Website: ELCA Website: Development/ELCA-World-Hunger) Our Synod Hunger Team is ready for some new members to lead us in our local efforts. If you are interested in helping to shape this group, please contact the synod office. Additionally, on the flipside of this edition of The Spirit, you will find hunger facts and resources. COME, LORD JESUS! BLC WELCOME STATEMENT God is love. We are all God s beloved children and are recipients of God s radical love and grace. All are welcome in this church community. You are welcome here if you have ever felt excluded or judged because of your gender, ethnicity, race, religion, status, ability, sexual orientation, doubts or questions. We believe in Jesus commandments to love God and love neighbor. Join us! TREASURER S REPORT for August 2018 Average Attendance for the month of August: 66 Budgeted Total Income: $120,493 Received Total Income: $111,998 Over/(Under) Budget: $(8,495) General offering and building use, YTD Actual Income received, YTD Our attendance was down but the giving was closer to the monthly requirement. We re still running below our hoped for income year-to-date. Finance Committee: Linda Rudy, Treasurer Cindy Cohen, Finance Committee Chair Rhonda Brown, Shirley Osborn

12 October 3: October 6: October 7: October 7: October 10: October 11: Oct : October 16: October 17: October 21: October 24: October 24: October 24: Every Sunday: Praise Team practice, 9 am Worship Service, 10 am El Camino worship, 12 pm OCTOBER SCHEDULE Writer s Workshop, 7 pm, Library Blessing of the Animals, 1 pm 1st Breakfast, 8:45-9:45 am, Fellowship Hall Confirmation, after worship service Writer s Workshop, 7 pm, Library Quilters, 9 am, Fellowship Hall Fellowship Hall carpet cleaning BLC Women, 10:30 am, Conference Room Writer s Workshop, 7 pm, Library Neighbors In Faith forum, after worship Council, 6 pm, Conference Room Writer s Workshop, 7 pm, Library November Bridge deadline Every Wednesday: Praise Team practice, 6:30-8 pm, Sanctuary Private meeting, 6:30-7:30 pm, Room 3 Burlington Lutheran Church 134 E. Victoria Avenue, Burlington, WA burlingtonlutheran@gmail.com Office hours: 9 am-3:30 pm, Tues-Wed-Thurs Pastor Bethany Hull Somers burlingtonlutheranpastor@gmail.com Check in and Like us on Facebook. Follow the church on BLC Staff Rev. Bethany Hull Somers, Pastor Sean Bendickson, Worship & Music Leader Sheri Logan, Office Administrator Lynne Berg, Organist Matthew Ranten, Sound Technician Selena Guadamuz, Nursery Attendant Randy Dalaba, Custodian