September 2021 Newsletter |
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Worship Schedule
Sunday, September 5
9 am and 10:30 am
Sundays after Labor Day
8:30 am and 11 am
Please join us for worship. Services will be both in person and live streamed. Contact Pastor Berg or Kristin Smith for the streaming information.
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I Am Thirsty
from Pastor Berg's Monthly Blog
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We are about to begin a new program year here at FLC. I have to admit that it is really hard to get excited in the midst of this pandemic, especially with the Delta variant raging around us. How about you? Are you having trouble navigating your feelings about school, work, or travel? Are you wondering, like me, where God is in the midst of this seeming chaos?
Many psychologists have been letting us know that we need to give ourselves permission to not be ok with all of this. Tired? Yeah, me too. Sad? Yeah, me too. Unmotivated? Yeah, me too. Sluggish, muddle headed, confused, frustrated, angry, done? Yeah, me too.
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From the FLC Council's Reopening Committee
Masks are required for all people entering the First Lutheran Church Building.
All people who enter the building must hand sanitze. We ask that you stay home if you were exposed to COVID or have any symptoms
The FLC Council uses Healthy Washington - Roadmap to Recovery in making re-opening decisions. To see the current state of cases and vaccinations, please visit:
In an effort to stop the spread of COVID, we have turned off all water fountains in the building. Although bottled water is available, we ask that you get into the habit of bringing a reusable water bottle with you when you visit. Did you know that it takes up to 1,000 years for every single plastic bottle to decompose? Bringing a reusable water bottle will help us to reduce the environmental footprint of FLC and it is a great habit to get into as we look at installing water bottle refill stations in the building.
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The Building & Property Committee is looking for
volunteers to come on September 11th to help
spruce up the church after our long COVID closure.
There are several chores that need to be done, and many hands make for light work! If you are not able to come on the 11th there will be a check list of things left to do. There are also family friendly chores! Here is a list of chores that need attention. We ask that you let us know what you’ve done, so it doesn’t get repeated. THANKS!
· Clean Library windows inside & out
· Clean Narthex windows inside & out
· Clean windows in the Landing inside & out
· Vacuum pews
· Dust/clean furniture in Narthex
· Dust stairway railings and choir loft
· Sweep down cobwebs as needed
· Vacuum inner Narthex
· Clean glass wall in inner Narthex
· Clean glass wall in fellowship hall
· Anything else you’d like to clean as needed.
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Women's Bible Study & Fellowship opportunities available:
Deborah Circle: September 14, 10:30 am. We start the fall season with three sessions on the Holy Spirit: Session 1, Spirit of God: Revealer & Resource.
Meet at church to carpool to Elodie Ragan’s home.
Rebecca Circle: September 15, 10:00 am.
Contact: Barbara Thieme 425-898-8982
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Men’s ONLINE Breakfast and Bible Study via Zoom!
Saturday, September 18, 9 – 10:15 am.
Join other men from the congregation and community for breakfast and conversation! There will be “food for the body, food for the soul and food for thought!” A group of 12 men attended the July 2021 In-Person breakfast. Please join us for discussion and enrichment. Please watch for more information.
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Roger Steinke's Notes
Director of REACH Ministries
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Reach Ministries
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL AGES
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Movie Review
Silver Linings Playbook
Sunday, September 26, 3 pm
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Nominated for 8 Oscars®, including Best Picture. An unexpected bond forms between a formerly institutionalized man (Bradley Cooper) and a woman (Jennifer Lawrence) who has her own issues. Former teacher Pat Solitano moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife.Things get more challenging when he meets Tiffany, a mysterious woman with problems of her own.
MOVIE REVIEW: Please watch the movie prior to our Movie Review. “Silver Linings Playbook” is available to watch on Hulu, Prime Video, Showtime and You Tube. Our discussion will begin with a review of the main plots of the movie. We will also explore the spiritual themes of the movie. Questions? Please contact Roger Steinke.
Please watch the Weekly News for additional information.
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The First Lutheran Book Club continues to meet on Zoom for thoughtful discussions of our monthly book selections. Please join us! |
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Book Club!
Discussion Book: Upstream
September 28, 7:00 pm on Zoom
Discussion Leader: Pastor Berg
Upstream, is a collection of essays in which revered poet Mary Oliver reflects on her willingness, as a young child and as an adult, to lose herself within the beauty and mysteries of both the natural world and the world of literature. Emphasizing the significance of her childhood “friend” Walt Whitman, through whose work she first understood that a poem is a temple, “a place to enter, and in which to feel".
The Zoom link will be sent on September 27. A copy of the book will be available in the FLC library.
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Questions to Clint Bastin (Book Club Coordinator) or Roger Steinke. Copies of the books are available on table outside the library. |
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The above link will be updated with August's financial information after the Finance Committee is able to review the financial statements during those months. |
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These are anxious and trying times for all of us. Physical distancing has changed how First Lutheran provides mission and ministry. We are all eager to have worship and all ministries return to normal.
What has not changed are the expenses for mission and ministry. Thank you to all who have continued their faithful giving.
Listed below are ways for you to share with First Lutheran.
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Mail in your checks. We are still doing weekly deposits.
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Set up electronic giving by using the Give Online button at flc.bothell.org, or calling Vanco services at 800-675-7430. Note: there is a one time fee to FLC for the set up of bank to bank transactions. There are approximately 3% transaction fees on all credit card donations, making credit card and debit card giving more effective if combined into a monthly transaction, rather than smaller amounts, weekly.
- Set up one time or auto payments through your bank’s pay service
Thank you for your faithfulness.
The Finance Committee
Bob Berg, Chair
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Thank you!
On behalf of REACH, I want to thank you for the generous $500 donation made on April 12. We run a shelter for homeless families - the Center of Hope, and a feeding program, the REACH Meal Coalition for those facing daily hunger in Renton. Community support such as yours allows us to live out our mission of Compassion in Action: Ending homelessness and hunger. Thank you for this blessing and may you all be blessed in your ministries as well!
With joyful gratitude,
Pattie Holt
REACH Program Manager
Thank you so much for inviting me to worship with you on July 25th. I really enjoyed being with you all! Thank you for your support of Lutheran Campus Ministry at UW!
Blessings,
Pastor Chelsea Globe
Thank You For supporting the Summer Community Food Drive!
Special thanks to the Northshore Nourishing Network for partnering with us. For more information, please visit: www.nourishingnetwork.net.
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First Lutheran Church Continues Support of Lutheran World Relief |
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Monthly Outreach
CHANGE FOR CHANGE All money received in the Change for Change jar will be used to support HOPELINK food bank.
HOPELINK helps homeless and low-income families, children, seniors and people with disabilities gain stability, while providing others with the tools and skills they need to exit poverty for good. Hopelink is not accepting food or other goods at this time. Click here for donation information.
January Monthly Outreach: Compass Housing Alliance
February Monthly Outreach: Hopelink
March Monthly Outreach: Lutheran Community Services
April Monthly Outreach: Earth Ministries
May Monthly Outreach: ELCA World Hunger
June Monthly Outreach: Lutheran World Relief
July Monthly Outreach: Open Door Ministries Seattle Chapter
August Monthly Outreach: Global Citizen Journey
September Monthly Outreach: Lutherwood Camp & Retreat Center
October Monthly Outreach:
November Monthly Outreach:
December Monthly Outreach:
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Scrip and Other Passive Fundraising for First Lutheran Church!
This is an excellent time to set up Shop with Scrip and Presto Pay for instant Scrip purchases and redemption on your smart phone. This is a super easy way to continue to support FLC's Scrip program. (See below for more information.)
Additionally, while worship is being celebrated virtually, you may mail a check to FLC Scrip, attention Gordy Phelps, with a note of what scrip cards you wish to purchase, and he will mail the cards back to you.
We have several other opportunities for earning money while you shop for FLC's many social ministry programs:
2. Sign up for Amazon Smile and name First Lutheran Church as your charity. Every time you shop with Amazon Smile FLC receive .05% of your purchase price. You can still use Amazon Prime. Get your kids to sign up, too!
3. Link your Fred Meyer rewards card to their Community Rewards program for First Lutheran Church. All of your purchases will result in a quarterly donation to FLC.
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