Land Acknowledgement statement soon, tax issues, addiction & faith conf, job openings

Southwestern Washington Synod E-News Week of August 29, 2021

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT STATEMENT COMING SOON!

Our Synod's Native American Task Force is finalizing a Land Acknowledgement statement for congregational use and will be sending it to all congregations and rostered leaders.

PSALM APPLICATIONS CLOSE SEPT 1

If you are interested in being part of the next learning cohort in the Program for Strengthening Active Lay Ministry (PSALM), please be sure to turn in your application before September 1st, 2021. You may download an application at www.swwasynod.org. Click on Leadership/Growing Leaders/PSALM.

Any questions? Contact Bishop's Associate Rebecca Shjerven at shjervrl@plu.edu

RENTING PROPERTY-WA STATE B&O AND IRS TAX ISSUES FOR NONPROFIT

Know when rental income is considered taxable

Did you know rental income received by your congregation may be considered taxable? There are unique tax rules that are different for Washington state and the IRS when it involves rental income.

Rental income may be taxable as unrelated taxable income for IRS purposes, but nontaxable for the State of Washington, or exempt from Washington State B&O tax, yet taxable for IRS purposes.
Washington State Business & Occupation (B&O) taxes may be due for the rental of parking spaces or cell towers in some circumstances, but exempt in others.
Rental income for a house may be taxable for IRS purposes for one church, but a similar rental home may not be taxable to a different church.

These tax regulations are often unknown or misunderstood by nonprofit organizations. If your organization earns rental income or is considering this in the future, we encourage you to attend this timely webinar. For this reason, Bathershell & Nichols, an accounting firm in Federal Way that helps ministries solve their tax and accounting challenges, will be hosting a one hour free webinar on September 8, 2021 at 12 noon to provide an overview of these tax provisions.

To register for the webinar, click on this link. The webinar is free. If you want to see this webinar but are unable to attend the live event, please register and we'll send you a link of the recorded webinar afterwards for you to view at your convenience.

The Synod Office staff have taken a couple of their free classes and found them extremely helpful. They are also contracted with several of our congregations for accounting services.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR GRIEF: Online Adult Grief Support Group

National Grief Day is September 1st.

The Grief Team at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Olympia is offering a 10-week virtual grief support group via Zoom beginning in September. The group will read the book Understanding Your Grief, complete a journal and discuss the reading together. Grief is like a journey through the wilderness—a vast, inhospitable forest. Finding your way out requires learning to follow the sometimes hard-to-find trail that leads to healing. There are ten touchstones, trail markers that are the signs to let you know you are on a helpful path. As we study these together, you will learn to identify and rely on the touchstones so that you can find your way to hope and healing.

Tuesdays, 7 – 8:30 PM for 10 weeks via Zoom

September 14, 21, 28

October 5, 12, 19, 26

November 2, 9, 16

Book are provided free of charge thanks to generous donations from past support group members. Support Group Leader Karen Barale is no stranger to grief. Her husband died following a head-on collision while they were vacationing in New Zealand. Karen, a retired Washington State University professor, received a Certificate in Death and Grief Studies from the Center Loss and Life Transition in Ft Collins, Colorado. She now leads the Grief Team at Gloria Dei.

For more information or to register, please contact Karen Barale kbarale@comcast.net or 360-789- 5178.

THE CENTER OF ADDICTION & FAITH

It’s Time to Register for Addiction & Faith Conference

The Center of Addiction & Faith will hold its third Addiction & Faith Conference October 7-9, 2021 in Bloomington, Minn., to give faith communities tools for responding to the addiction crisis. Registration is open for in-person and virtual attendance at www.addictionandfaithconference.com.

The Center grew out of the Fellowship of Recovering Lutheran Clergy. Founder Ed Treat was an active Lutheran pastor in 2018 when he held the first Addiction & Faith Conference. The success encouraged him to leave parish ministry after 25 years and dedicate himself full-time to the Center of Addiction & Faith, which became a 501©(3) nonprofit organization in 2020.

Contact: The Rev. Dr. Ed Treat, pastored@addictionandfaith.com, (651) 356-1073 or

CAF director of communications & advocacy Stephanie Werner,

stephwerner@hotmail.com, (804) 986-2953, @virtualdeacon

link to the one-page flyer: Addiction and Faith Conference Flyer

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Updated 8/26/21

Click on bolded position title for link to specific online information for position.

Minister of Music and Worship, Celebration Lutheran Church, Puyallup

Director of Faith Formation in the First Third of Life, Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, Vancouver WA

Pianist/ Organist, Pilgrim Church

Choir Director, Pilgrim Church

Musician, Immanuel Lutheran Church

Organist, Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church

Treasurer, Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church (click here to download application)

Music Director, Bethel Lutheran Church, Brush Prairie

Administrator, The Lutheran Church of The Good Shepherd, Olympia

Church Nursery Attendant, Mountain View Lutheran Church, Edgewood

Policy Engagement Director, Faith Action Network

Office Coordinator, Calvary Lutheran Church, Federal Way (pdf)

AUGUST 2021 SYNOD NEWSLETTER, Moments for Mission

BISHOP JAECH SABBATICAL August 1st - September 15th.

While Bishop Jaech is on sabbatical, any questions may be directed to our general synod email or phone for help from appropriate staff. 253-535-8300; swwsynod@plu.edu.