September 20, 2021
Weekly Update
announcements & events
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The LiVE Project: TODAY is the Last Day to Register!
We are very excited to be launching the LiVE Project this Thursday!
It’s not too late for YOU (or your congregation) to consider joining the cohort experience. Sign up deadline is TODAY!
How to think about the LiVE Project?
· As a way to deepen your discipleship calling with others
· As an extension of your congregation’s faith formation
· As an opportunity to find new partners across the synod experimenting with new ways of being church
· As a leadership development opportunity-form a team of lay leaders open and interested in learning and collaborating in new ways
What you get when you sign on for the full cohort experience?
· Access to online courses, resources, and guided conversations from our community learning platform
· Access to as many congregational participants as you desire for 42 hours of content in the full cohort experience
· Bi-monthly coaching to accompany your learning with your congregational team
TODAY is the final day for congregational groups OR individuals to register the full cohort experience OR for individuals to register for the fall course offering (the Bible Course).
+ COURSE CATALOG
Find the 2021-2022 course catalog and tuition costs HERE
Here is our new online community platform: theliveproject.mn.co. (All can join this - please pass the invitation along to your congregational leaders, even if they don’t sign on for these courses, as future learning and formation events, groups, and resources for the synod will be housed here.)
You may register as an Individual for the COHORT
For those individuals seeking to be part of the year-long cohort ($350/person) - Register HERE
(You may add a second attendee on this form as well.)
You may register as a Congregational Group for the COHORT
For those congregations seeking to register 3 or more members ($1000 total) to be part of the year-long cohort (you are also able to add additional participants for individual courses / retreats along the way) - Register HERE
Not able to commit for the full cohort experience?
You may register for just the Bible Course! (this is an 8-week course that begins on Thursday! $150/person) - Register HERE
Questions?
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Beware of Phishing Scams!
Unfortunately, we need to share a reminder that our staff will not email or text you requesting gift cards or sensitive information. Always verify the email/phone number to be sure it is authentic before you click on links or respond to a suspicious email or text. Please reach out directly to us at our official work email addresses or phone numbers if you have any hesitation about an email or text that you receive!
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Afghan Refugee Assistance
Please help support incoming Afghan Allies, Special Immigrant Visa holders, who are being evacuated to the United States. Join with these organizations:
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LCSNW - Familias Unidas
Hispanic Heritage Month
Since 1968, Hispanic Heritage Month has been observed to celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of those from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and South America, beginning on September 15th. The day of September 15th is significant because it’s the anniversary of the independence for Latin American countries from Spanish rule.
While we celebrate the rich cultural heritage our Hispanic neighbors bring to our community, you are encouraged to consider supporting the work LCS Northwest does at their Everett/Familias Unidas and Angle Lake Community Resource Centers. Unlike many communities, which have started to slowly rebound from the pandemic, the Hispanic clients we serve are actually worse off than they were a year ago. Unemployment within the Hispanic community in our area is running as high as 40%, and along with the loss of jobs comes housing and food insecurity, mental health challenges, issues with paying bills, and lack of access to healthcare. These supports are what LCS Northwest's Familias Unidas program help clients with every single day, including a complete food and hygiene pantry, rental and utility assistance, assistance applying for benefits, and even helping with school supplies and birthday gifts for our younger clients. Now, more than ever, your generosity toward our Hispanic neighbors is critical. Your support is greatly appreciated. Give HERE.
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2021 Hein-Fry Book of Faith Challenge
From our partners in the ELCA Churchwide Offices: Some people may hope for a return to normal after the world-changing events of the last 18 months, but sociologists tell us our future will revolve around living into a “new normal.” Presented by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the 2021 Hein-Fry Book of Faith Challenge will probe this new normal. Under the theme “Imagining Scriptural Encounters in the New Normal,” four online presentations by ELCA seminary students will help participants deepen their encounters with Scripture and strengthen their relationships with God in a time of extreme and continuous change.
The annual Hein-Fry Book of Faith Challenge is an endowed theological lecture series that seeks to enliven the biblical engagement of the whole church by encouraging the development of faithful, innovative and effective ways to teach and learn Scripture. The event is sponsored by the seven ELCA seminaries, the Hein-Fry planning team and the ELCA Book of Faith Initiative.
Every year, one student from each seminary is invited to develop and present a class or series for people both familiar and unfamiliar with biblical texts. The students are then invited to report their findings.
This year the challenge will comprise four online events:
• Kaylie H. Ines from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, Calif., will present “Hope Remains: A Creation Care Faith Study” on Wednesday, Oct. 20, at 1 p.m. Pacific time.
• Aneel Trivedi from Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa, will present “Return to Baptism, Return to a New Normal” on Friday, Oct. 22, 2 p.m. Central time.
• Katrina Steingraeber from Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago will present “Looking at Today’s World Through the Psalms” on Thursday, Oct. 28, at 10 a.m. Central time.
• Melissa J. Harris from United Lutheran Seminary in Gettysburg, Pa., will present “Environmental Stewardship: Reconsidering the Creation Narratives in the 21st Century” on Friday, Oct. 29, at 1 p.m. Eastern time.
The Rev. Dr. Diane Jacobson will serve as online host. The public is invited to attend these free online events, but registration is required for each of them. Registration information is available HERE.
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Living Lutheran Article from ELCA Presiding Bishop Eaton
One body: Reflecting on the early church, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton writes: “They were one body. We are one body. We are the body of Christ.” Despite cultural and political differences, she reminds us that we can’t dissolve this bond. Read her September column for Living Lutheran in English at https://bit.ly/3hMNz9G and in Spanish at https://bit.ly/3tVcAUM.
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Synod Events this Week
Tues. Sept. 21, 10am-12noon - Synod Staff Meeting
Tues. Sept. 21 - Downtown Seattle Cluster Wee Walk
Wed. Sept. 22, 12:30pm - Sno-King Cluster Wee Walk
Thurs. Sept. 23, 12:30-5pm - Candidacy Committee
Sat. Sept. 25, 12noon - Jenna Bergeson Ordination (online - see below)
Sat. Sept. 25, 1pm - Rev. Heidi Fish Installation (see below)
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Beyoncé Mass
Our UCC neighbors have invited us to the Lecture Series at University Congregational UCC. All are welcome all to experience this groundbreaking Christian worship service, created and curated by Rev. Yolanda Norton, Friday, September 24, 7 pm, free and online.
The worship service uses the music and life of Beyoncé as a tool to cultivate an empowering conversation about Black women—their lives, bodies, and voices—and create an experience of story, scripture, and song that calls for the liberation of all people.
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Camp Open House!
Saturday, September 25, 11am-4pm
Lutherwood is hosting an open house! You are invited to the camp to see the space and spend some time exploring Grace in creation. Please RSVP to Kelly 360 734 7652 or office@camplutherwood.org
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Ordination of Jenna Bergeson
Saturday, September 25 at 12noon (Pacific)
Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN / online
We are delighted to announce that Jenna Bergeson has accepted the call to serve as Associate Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lynnwood. God bless this new ministry partnership!
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Installation Service for
Pastor Heidi Fish
Saturday, September 25, 1pm
at Bethesda Lutheran in Mountlake Terrace
We give thanks to God as Rev. Heidi Fish is installed as the pastor at Bethesda Lutheran. All are welcome to the service - with a community lunch to follow. God bless this ministry partnership!
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Ministry Leadership Wellness Webinars
Fourth Tuesday of the Month at 1pm
(Sept. 28, Oct. 26, Nov. 23, Dec. 28, Jan. 25, and Feb. 22.)
These monthly webinars are open to all synod rostered and lay leaders for free - as part of a Synod Grant with Living Well! The interactive webinars will be designed to implement specific holistic wellness strategies within the ministry setting as a way to assist with stress management, maximize engagement, self-care, and self-compassion. Find more info and Zoom link here on our website.
Click HERE for more detailed information about the Living Well partnership.
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PLTS Founders' Day
Wednesday, September 29, 9am
Keynote Speaker Rev. Dr. David Vásquez-Levy (President of Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA) will present: Finding Level: Apocalypse, Prophets, and a Vision of the Possible. Extremes in weather conditions, ideological positions, and inequality are tearing at the fabric of our churches, communities, countries, and nations. At the same time, our connection to one another is made evident by everything from a global pandemic to global social awakening. What does this moment demand from and offer to the church and its leadership in the world? Register for the webinar lecture here: https://tinyurl.com/online2021foundersday
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Recognizing and Overcoming Resistance to Necessary Change in Church, Work and Life
Wednesday, September 29, 11am – 12:30pm
Hybrid event: via Zoom AND in-person at Pointe of Grace, Mukilteo
Change is hard and how people respond to change can be perplexing. This event, presented by Coach Northwest, examines the nature of resistance to change and how that resistance can be moved from rejection to acceptance and commitment. The 45-minute presentation will be followed by a dialogue.
(Meeting ID: 826 8895 2083 / Passcode: 332984)
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Opportunities from
Pacific Lutheran University
Pursuing a Meaningful Life
with Dr. Samuel Torvend '73
Thursday, September 30, 5:00-6:00pm
As part of PLU's Homecoming celebrations, this virtual workshop invites you to explore PLU’s distinctive understanding of vocation and how that view gives meaning and purpose to the lives of students and alumni. For more information and to register, visit plu.edu/homecoming.
The 11th Annual Lutheran Studies Conference
"Living with Mortality: Illness, Trauma, Joy and Hope" - featuring Dr. Deanna Thompson
Tuesday, October 5, including 12:00-3:00pm virtual sessions & 7:00pm Keynote Lecture
This year’s Lutheran Studies Conference will focus on finding hope and love in the wake of the pandemic and will address the various forms of trauma and loss we continue to face. We will look at how we carry both joy and brokenness as individuals and also what it means for our vocations of caregiving for one another and our community. For more information and to register, visit plu.edu/lutheran-studies-conference.
2021 Powell-Heller Conference for Holocaust Education
“Holocaust Denial And Distortion” - featuring Dr. Yehuda Bauer and Dr. Christopher Browning
Wednesday, October 27
PLU’s mission to support the education of our students and larger community on issues of diversity and justice are intimately connected to the study of the tragedy of the Holocaust. Students can see that marginalization of a minority group, such as the Jews of Nazi Germany, can lead to life-threatening situations culminating in one of the world’s modern genocides. Issues of distortion and denial make the process of reconciliation and healing less likely and serve as an insult to the memory of all those whose lives were destroyed in the Holocaust. For more information and to register, visit plu.edu/holocaustconference.
The 16th Annual David & Marilyn Knutson Lecture
"Bonhoeffer, the Church, and the Climate Question" - featuring Rev. Dr. James Martin-Schramm '81
Tuesday, November 2, at 7:00pm via Zoom
Where virulent anti-Semitism was the most important issue facing the church in Bonhoeffer’s day, Martin-Schramm argues Bonhoeffer would have grave concerns about the impacts of climate change on present and future generations. The lecture explores tensions between patriotism and resistance and considers how God is at work in the world today among all who are striving for climate justice. For more information and to register, visit plu.edu/religion/events/knutson-lecture.
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Crossways Bible Study
Pastor Mike Anderson, recently retired from Holy Spirit Lutheran, will offer a virtual Crossways Bible Study to begin October 3 to anyone interested.
Crossways is a two-year, in-depth, survey course of the entire Bible, Genesis to Revelation. Those registered will receive a video lecture to their email addresses each Sunday afternoon to watch at their leisure. An optional Zoom discussion group will be scheduled for the Thursday evening following each lecture release.
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Read The Koran in Four Weeks
Mondays October 4, 11, 18, 25 (7pm-9pm) via Zoom
Check out this unique class taught by Pastor Marshall, First of West Seattle, four times a year since 2003. The cost is $20 -- which covers sending you in the mail your own copy of an approved English translation of the Koran.
Call / email Pr. Marshall to register or ask questions (206) 935-6530 / deogloria@foxinternet.com. For more information on the class (including a half hour video interview) and some student recommendations, see flcws.org, “Reading the Koran with Pr. Marshall.”
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Installation Service for
Pastor Steve Jerbi
Sunday, October 24, 3pm
at University Congregational UCC
We give thanks to God as Rev. Steve Jerbi is installed as the pastor at University Congregational UCC in Seattle. Rostered Ministers are invited to vest - the color of the day is green. God bless this ministry partnership! See more info here.
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ReconcilingWorks -
FOUR online trainings!
+ Building an Inclusive Church
+ Consent in Community Building
+ Bias and Its Impact on Welcome
+ Let’s Talk About SOIGIE (Sex, Gender Identity, Gender Expression, and Sexual Orientation)
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Want an item included?
All items due by 2pm on the prior Thursday
Northwest Washington Synod / ELCA
5519 Phinney Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98103
206-783-9292
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