The Progress. Faith Conversations. S u m m e r Melody Rath. What s Happening this summer in:

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1 The Progress is published monthly for members and friends of Pilgrim Lutheran Church. It is available in electronic (.pdf) and hardcopy formats. Submissions may be sent to the church via and are due in the office on the 15th of each month. Comments and subscription updates for The Progress may be ed to editor Melody Rath, What s Happening this summer in: The Progress The purpose of Pilgrim Lutheran Church is to glorify God by fostering: Vibrant Worship Pilgrim is a prayerful place of vibrant worship where the gospel of Jesus Christ is faithfully proclaimed in a family-oriented, intergenerational atmosphere. Varied worship expressions come together to provide a rich response to the love of Christ in our lives. Bible-centered growth and teaching Pilgrim is purposeful about nurturing faith and spiritual growth in all who enter its doors as well as for those who are not able to enter. Pilgrim is a place where, led by the Holy Spirit, all children, youth, and adults may grow up into the full measure of the stature of Christ. Faith Conversations S u m m e r Nurturing congregational care Pilgrim members strive to model Christ s love and nurturing care to one another. Pilgrim is a family; care for one another is evidenced in all aspects of congregational life. Pilgrim is a place of health and healing where people of all ages find help for their life journeys. Intentional outreach and evangelism Pilgrims share with others the abundant life that they have received through faith in Christ and intentionally reach out to people of all ages with the love of Christ beginning with South Hill, Washington, and moving outward to the ends of the earth through local, national, and world-wide outreach. Melody Rath Growth & Teaching Congregational Care 3 4 It is now the season of Pentecost. It is a VERY long season in the church year. Some churches (Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, etc.) call this Ordinary Time, along with the weeks we call Epiphany (right after Christmas). This part of Ordinary Time runs from Trinity Sunday through Christ the King Sunday (the last day of the church year). Outreach & Evangelism 6 Regular Features Faith Conversations Birthdays & Anniversaries 1 5 The Summer Calendar & Worship Assistant Schedule are in separate files. This time is definitely Ordinary. Gone are the exciting festival Sundays of Christmas and Easter. Gone are the times of anticipation (Advent) and preparation (Lent). Those times are known as Extraordinary Time. According to the Internet Monk website (internetmonk.com a blog written by a collective of pastors, chaplains, and other Christians), From Advent to Pentecost, we celebrate what God has done to inaugurate the new creation through Christ s finished work [extraordinary]. In the season after Pentecost, we celebrate what God does to empower us to live out the Gospel day to day and week to week in the context of our ordinary lives (emphasis mine). The liturgical color for Ordinary Time is green. Green is the color of spring, of growth, of quiet and calm. It s not the fiery red of Pentecost or Reformation. It s not the blue of anticipation during Advent or the purple of Lent s focus on both the glory and the suffering of the Messiah. It s not the pure, divine white of Christmas and Easter. It s green. It s Ordinary. (Continued on page 2)

2 2 On the Cover (Continued from page 1) STAFF PASTOR: Steven Schumacher DIRECTOR, FAMILY & YOUTH MINISTRIES: Jeff Hobson CO-DIRECTORS CHRISTIAN EDUCATION: Julie Halpin, Kim Waterstraat PARISH WORKER CARE & OUTREACH Rachelle Lessard CHOIR DIRECTOR: Maynard Hedegaard CONTEMPORARY MUSIC COORDINATOR: Mike Peluso MUSICIANS: Maggie Smith; Mark Reiman; Sheryll Rosevear OFFICE MANAGER: Melody Rath NURSERY ATTENDANT: LITTLE PILGRIMS PRESCHOOL DIRECTOR: Ruth Rhodes This Ordinary does not mean plain or boring, however. No, it is a time to celebrate what God does to empower us in our Christian walk. We have just experienced the extraordinary events of Holy Week, Easter, and the Ascension; we just felt the wind and the fire of the promised Comforter and Helper, God s Holy Spirit. Now is the time we translate those great gifts and assimilate them into our daily routine. It s also Summer Time here at Pilgrim. The program year has ended and we ve changed our worship schedule. It s a time to rejuvenate, to rest, to regroup. We will take time to look back via our annual report. Nevertheless, summer isn t all lazy days around here. It s a time to gear up for VBS a time of high energy and joy for children and adults alike and to look ahead, making plans for the coming year. Even so, there is still a feeling of calmness in the summer. The Internet Monk also quoted a devotion, which said Ordinary Time reminds us of a simple truth: most time is ordinary time, neither crisis nor climax, tragedy nor comedy, just ordinary. We need this kind of environment to listen and to grow. We ve had a lot of discussion about what Pilgrim is about, and where God is calling Pilgrim. Along those same lines, the theme for the Synod Assembly this year was The Three Great Listenings: listening to God, listening to the congregation, and listening to the community. Bishop Jaech shared the inspiring idea that The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world s deep hunger meet. In order for Pilgrim to be about God s work, we must practice listening for His voice. We must gather together and listen to each other. We must be attuned to what our neighbors and our neighborhood is hungering for. Calm, restful, quiet times are the best times for listening. Neither crisis nor climax, tragedy nor comedy What better use of this Ordinary Time? In Him, Melody Rath

3 Bible-Centered Growth and Teaching 3 go & make disciples... Christian Education Update Julie Halpin, Kim Waterstraat Co-Directors Matthew 28:20 So how are we doing? Our church year has come to an end and we re all gearing up for summer. We ve had a wonderful theme to propel us through the year. So, has it helped remind you to Love as Jesus Loves? Somehow that theme has really stuck in my mind and I ve felt that Loving Spirit constantly! Thank you, Pilgrim, for radiating that in all you do worship, Sunday School JAM, Youth, Adult Education, Pilgrim Wednesdays, Little Pilgrims, KidREACH, Weekend of Service, Mission Trip and Projects, Food Bank, Jazz Night, and now VBS is just around the corner. And on it goes. It really shows us the magnitude of God s Spirit at work, knowing that He is beyond all comprehension in His love for us. Wow! VBS is one of our biggest Outreach experiences of the year. We hope you will participate in any way you can another way to show the Love. Just because classes have ceased there is still plenty of opportunity to let the Spirit speak to and teach us: on a hike, or a bike ride, or a camping trip, or sitting on the beach, or simply taking a walk around the block how about knitting a prayer shawl? It s all still a place and a time for Prayer, Meditation on the Word, Reflection, and Praise. There is still some book learning if you want it Tuesday Morning Text Study (10 AM), Women s Study (9:15 AM through July), the Book Tribe gathering, and personal daily devotions. So use this summer to enjoy worship together as a family in Christ, and Praise Him in all you do. Continue to Love as Jesus Loves and be prepared for a new challenge theme come Rally Day. Blessings, Julie & Kim Pilgrim s Annual Report Available If you were unable to attend the Semi-Annual Meeting on June 28, copies of the Annual Report of the Congregation for the program year ending June 30 is available at the information counter or in the office. In it you will find an overview of the past year. Also included is the Mid-Year Treasurer s report (through May 31). It was decided not to duplicate that information in the Progress. If you would like an electronic copy of the report, please contact the church office. Thank you.

4 Nurturing Congregational Care Summertime Fellowship Opportunities use the gifts received to serve others 1 Peter 4: Take a Hike! We ve still got some great hikes ahead of us. Mark your calendar and plan on joining us on one of our upcoming scheduled hikes. Come enjoy some beautiful scenery, a little exercise and some great fellowship! Bring a friend! July 25 th Fremont Lookout August 22 nd Snow Lake September 19 th Naches Peak Loop (evening hike) Summer Picnic Join us after church on Sunday, August 16 th for some great food, awesome fellowship and a lot of fun at Pilgrim s summer picnic. Mark the date and watch for more information to come! Family Camping Series Continues Our first camping trip of the season to Thousand Trails Oceana, Ocean Shores was a huge success with more than Pilgrims participating. Come join in the fun and get to know your Pilgrim family at either one or both of the upcoming trips: July 17 to Thousand Trails La Conner August 28 to Thousand Trails Chehalis No experience needed! Just come and join the fun. Most families arrive around 6:00 PM on Friday and stay through Sunday. You will need warm clothing, a tent or camper, a sleeping bag and food for the weekend. If you have a camper or trailer; you will need to register with Thousand Trails at or thousandtrails.com. If you wish to tent camp, you are welcome to share a site with one of the trailers. Contact Ruth Rhodes for more information Dear Pilgrim Family, Thank you very much for all your love, support, and prayers for our family during the past few months. It has meant so much to all of us to know we have been kept in the loving arms of our Lord during this time. Blessings to you, Sandi, George and family

5 Nurturing Congregational Care Celebrating Your Special Days use the gifts received to serve others 1 Peter 4: Libby Kawamura 03 Molly Johnson 04 Fay Tomlinson 05 Arlene Pokrandt 05 Lee Swanson 06 Danielle Mills 07 Matthew Blumenschein 07 Madison Steinke 09 Steve Gohr 11 Gary Hagen 12 Steve Johannsen 14 Nelda Ryan 16 James Nelson 18 Jill Westwood 01 Darlene Wisness 03 Alex Perry 04 Cathy Ditsworth 04 Cole Griswold 04 Mary Ripley 04 Lisa Wilson 05 Penny Davison 05 Jenee Muench 06 Kim Waterstraat 08 Sandi Baker 08 Michelle Blumenschein 09 Paul Appel 10 Sarah Lieu 11 Amy Wilkerson 12 Rorie Altrichter 12 Averie Altrichter 12 Maynard Hedegaard 15 Michelle Strom July Birthdays August Birthdays 19 Roxy Larson 19 Terry Oliver 19 Carol Silvernail 20 Madison Haney 20 Jim Josephson 21 Rick Haughee 21 Jeff Hobson 22 Jim Wilkerson 23 Janet Johnson 26 Roger Stevens 28 Shelley Castro Estrada 28 Elise Johnson 30 Gabriella Strom 17 Avella Kuncl 18 Curtis Boyd 18 Erika Johnson 18 Tyler Johnson 19 Jaden Boyd 20 Daniele Brown 20 Daniel Sande 21 Haddie Hobson 21 Kyle Saxe 22 Rachel Johannsen 23 Mary Severeid 26 Jolene Womack 26 Linda Yates 30 Heather Jensen 31 Diane Berry 31 Natasha Trivitt July Anniversaries 11 Maynard & Lise Hedegaard 12 Jennifer & Michael Hayden 12 John & Kim Waterstraat 22 Wayne & Laurie Lerch 26 Rick & Sarah Lieu 31 Curtis & Joan Boyd August Anniversaries 01 Don & Meri Mattson-Alrick 03 Greg & Alli Melchert 03 Shawn & Michelle Strom 06 Mike & Patty Deal 06 Dave & Joanne Stein 07 Doug & Darlene Wisness 08 Jim & Julie Halpin 09 Christopher & Jill Westwood 12 Gordon & Carol Jurgensen 14 Victor& Libby Kawamura 15 Tony & Barbara Bina 19 Rik & Debbi Hall 19 Steve & Rachel Johannsen 20 Dave & Mary Severeid 23 Dale & Nancy Scott 23 Mike & Catherine Warr 24 Jim & Sue Russo 29 Nathan & Melody Rath

6 Intentional Outreach & Evangelism 6 Matthew 28:18-20 Weekend of Service 2015!...go & make disciples... Thank you to all who participated in this year s annual Weekend of Service! With 73 volunteers, we were able to reach out into our community, and beyond, to share God s love with others! With projects on Saturday and Sunday, we sewed 25 backpacks that were then filled with school supplies. Through Lutheran World Relief, these backpacks will be distributed to countries where they could mean the difference for a child in receiving an education or not. We prepared close to 300 rice pilaf packets for the Puyallup Food Bank. We made 50 sack lunches that we took to the New Hope Resource Center, a homeless shelter in downtown Puyallup, where we helped distribute the lunches and spent some time visiting with the director and some of the guests. There are a lot of great things happening in this place! We cleaned up, weeded and spread beauty bark at Firgrove Elementary; cleaned the offices of Love INC; did some yard work for Ardys Severeid and cleaned up the property of a disabled senior who was brought to our attention by Love INC. All in all, it was a very successful weekend! Pilgrim Lunch Club Each Wednesday during the summer (starting July 8th), from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM, we will have lunch, games, and crafts for kids and youth aged four to 17. Pilgrim Lunch Club is open to everyone in the community, as well as the congregation. This year will be the third year of Pilgrim Lunch Club and last summer we averaged 17 kids a week from the community! This is such a great way to connect with families in our community and it is such a blessing to touch these kids lives, if only for a short period of time! We are looking for volunteers who would be willing to help out by either helping prepare lunch or by helping with a craft or a game. If you have any questions, or would like more information, please contact Rachelle Lessard. Some Dates for Your Calendar Here are some upcoming opportunities you might want to put on your calendar: Next Dinner/Feeding at Mt. View Community Center Thursday, August 20 th ELCA-wide Day of Service God s Work. Our hands. Sunday September 13 th Associated Ministries Pierce County Hunger Walk Sunday, October 4 th

7 Intentional Outreach & Evangelism 7 Matthew 28:18-20 Serving Christ on South Hill & Beyond Rachelle Lessard, Parish Worker Outreach Report July 1, June 15, go & make disciples... Upcoming Outreach Opportunities Date of Event # of Vols Status Pilgrim Lunch Club July-August Program will begin July 8th. VBS July Participant/volunteer sign-up open. Ongoing Outreach Opportunities Date of Event # of Vols Results Next Volunteer Opportunity Pilgrim's Patch Community Garden May - Sept. Beds currently being planted. Worship at Silver Creek Monthly 5-10 Provide worship opportunity to residents. 7/9/2011 Worship at Rainier Vista Monthly 5-10 Provide worship opportunity to residents. 7/16/2015 St. Francis House Feeding Bi-Monthly 10 May feeding was one of the largest. 7/17/2015 Mt. View Lutheran Feeding Quarterly 12 Served meal to ~ 50 people on 5/21 8/20/2015 Previous Outreach Opportunities 7/1/2014-6/15/15 # of Vols Results Next Volunteer Opportunity "God's Work. Our Hands." Sunday September 100 Served Helping Hand House & Puyallup River Walk. 9/13/15 Pierce County Hunger Walk October 16 Raised approximately $ to fight hunger. 10/4/15 Holiday Basket Program Nov. - Dec. Served 132 individuals in 30 families. Jobs for Life Program Sept. - Jan. Seven students graduated from the program on January 21st! Fall 2015 Food Bank Jazz Benefit 13-Mar Raised $5, for the Puyallup Food Bank Freezing Nights Nov. - March Assist Light of the Hill United Methodist on Tues. evenings/wed. mornings. Fall 2015 Kid REACH Oct. - May 27 Tutoring students from Carson & Firgrove. Fall 2015 Weekend of Service May Completed 25 school supply backpacks for LWR, prepared/delivered 50 lunches to New Hope Resource Center, cleaned Love INC offices, weeded/spread bark at Firgrove, yard work for Pilgrim member, yardwork for disabled senior in the community, almost 300 rice pilaf packets for Puyalllup Food Bank. Spring 2016

8 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED P i l g r i m L u t h e r a n C h u r c h Serving Christ on South Hill th St. E., Puyallup, WA Phone - (253) , FAX - (253) office@pilgrimpuyallup.org Regular Sunday Worship Schedule 8:15 AM, 11:00 AM Fifth Sundays and Summer: 9:30 AM Sunday School for all ages: 9:45AM (September - May) Little Pilgrims Preschool (253) Mission Statement We are called to share the Good News of Jesus Christ, to live as God's servants and to reach out to all people. We re on the Web: Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/pilgrimpuyallup Bishop Jaech to Visit Pilgrim On Thursday, July 9th, we will have the pleasure of welcoming Bishop Richard Jaech from the Southwestern Washington Synod to Pilgrim! Please plan on joining us for a BBQ potluck dinner at 5:30 PM, followed by a time of conversation and singing. We ll provide the burgers and hot dogs, you provide the sides and dessert. VBS Work Days Join Cindy on Tuesdays 9:00 AM to 12 Noon. We ve got a mountain to build and lots of other decorations to prepare before we setup for our Everest adventure. Mandatory VBS Training and Set-up July 11 & 12 All volunteers must attend ONE VBS safety training. Choose from Saturday, July 11 at 9 AM or Sunday, July 12 after worship (~10:45). Please make sure you ve registered online at PilgrimPuyallup.org! After training, we ll work on staging and setting up our super COOL snow stations.