ANNOUNCEMENTS
It is with joy that we announce that Laura Sasaki Norton has begun serving as our Synod Administrator as of last Wednesday!
 
This position is an integral part of the synod staff team, centered around these primary responsibilities: documenting expenses & receivables, maintaining paper and digital filing systems, managing a variety of databases, supporting staff and various committees, and general office management tasks.

 We are delighted to welcome Laura with her extensive skills, creative spirit, and compassionate heart.
You may read more on our staff page. Please keep Laura in prayer as she settles into this role!
LiVE PROJECT

We are excited to embark on the next year of the LiVE Project!

There are a host of learning opportunities for congregations and lay, life-long learners. The theme for this year is Spirit Stirring. How is the Spirit stirring in your life? How is the Spirit informing your sense of call? 
 
All mini-courses (5-8 weeks) and the four day-long retreats explore how the Holy Spirit is igniting curiosity and fresh ways to integrate life, faith, and the public witness of the church. 

Congregations and individuals have a few options to register: Sign up (and save!) for the unlimited bundle of ALL of the offerings - or register for each one class/retreat individually.

Check out the 2022-2023 Courses and Retreats in the catalog.
Read the invitation email HERE.
Learn more about the LiVE Project HERE.
Register yourself or your congregation group soon!
Are you (or someone you know)
discerning a call to Seminary?

The seven ELCA Seminaries are partnering together to offer a virtual discernment event on Saturday, September 10th from 8am-12noon.

Learn more and register here by September 6:
Spiritual Direction Certification Program
at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary at Lenoir-Rhyne University
                            
Holy Listening – We believe holy listening is at the core of spiritual direction. It’s listening to one another, and most attentively to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. The real and most genuine spiritual director is always the Holy Spirit.

Everyone is Welcome to Apply – Our primary purpose is to train people who feel called to be such spiritual friends, spiritual companions; however, we welcome those whose main interest is to deepen their own spiritual practices. Intensive cycles begin in January of each year and are held in January and June over a two-year period. The next cycle of intensives is: Jan. 4-7, 2023; June 14-17, 2023 and Jan. 10-13, 2024; June 12-15, 2024. Total cost for the program is $3,000 (price includes tuition and food; participants find their own lodging - limited on-campus housing is available for $25 a night.
Learn more and apply here:
http://www.lr.edu/ltss/afl (select the “Certification Programs” pull down menu)
Questions? Pastor Melanie Dobson, Director at Melanie.dobson@lr.edu        
UPCOMING EVENTS
Synod Events this week:

Mon, Aug 22, 4:30pm - Synod Finance Policy Task Force Meeting
Tues, Aug 23, 10am-1pm - Synod Staff Meeting
Tues, Aug 23, 2pm - Living Stones Board Meeting
Thurs, Aug 25, 10am-3pm - Synod Candidacy Committee Meeting

Please note:
NO Deans' Meeting in August!
NO First Call Meet Up in August!
ELCA Coaching Network - Weekly Sessions
Every Wednesday at 11am (Pacific)
 
ELCA Coaching will continue with the theme of COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP.

Join Zoom Meetings here:
Meeting ID: 180 439 412 / Passcode: 648160
Recordings from prior gatherings can be found here: https://www.elcacoaching.org/podcasts/media/series/courageous-leadership
Monthly Drop In Gatherings with the European Descent Lutheran Association for Racial Justice

Upcoming Zoom Sessions:
Tuesday, August 23, 4:30pm-6pm
Tuesday, September 27, 4:30pm-6pm

Connect with others, pray together, consider next steps in anti-racism work and share resources. Open to everyone on the journey to racial justice from newcomers and long-time movers.

Advance registration required at https://bit.ly/DropInGathering
ELCA Advocacy Cafe

There's no shortage of ways we and our congregations can and do get involved in civic engagement around the electoral process. See one another and share stories on important themes in our lives as people of faith in our communities on Tuesday, August 30 (pick 10am or 5pm Pacific Time).

As a church, we do not endorse a particular candidate, party or form of government or strive for a Christian one. Yet in Lutheran teaching, one way God works to preserve creation and build a more peaceful and just social order in a broken world is through government. Let’s have a positive impact!
Offered in conjunction with the ELCAvotes initiative.
Register here:
Evening Session: 5pm – https://bit.ly/ELCAadvocacycafe-eve0830
Learn more about the full series at https://blogs.elca.org/advocacy/advocacy-cafe/
Webinar series: Building an Anti-Racism Team: Next Faithful Steps*
 
This is a follow up series to the ELCA European Descent Lutheran Association for Racial Justice (EDLARJ) webinar around How to Build a Congregation, Synod and/or Campus Anti-Racism team. (All are welcome to attend this next series, even if you were not able to participate in the first series.)

As with any team, having shared goals is important for doing effective work. The team should decide what their function will be by identifying their goals. Each racial justice team is unique to a specific congregation and community context. The goals of the team should be defined keeping that in mind. The main areas that a team focuses on falls into three areas: internal team goals, congregational goals, and community goals.
 
Hosted by: The ELCA European Descent Lutheran Association for Racial Justice (EDLARJ)
 
Audience/For whom: Anybody in the ELCA, specifically interested in connecting with other folks building or working at a synod, campus or congregational anti-racist team.
 
Register in advance
 
 
 
September 7, 4:30 – 6 pm Pacific time: Internal Team Goals
Team goals are generally focused on one or more of the following:
• leadership development of team members - trainings, etc.
• cultural competency work as individuals and a team
• intentionally examining personal unconscious biases
 
October 5, 4:30 – 6 pm Pacific time: Congregational Goals
These goals involve the whole congregation and are usually focused on one or more of the following:
• hosting educational events (i.e. movie nights and discussions, book studies, etc.)
• writing (and then getting the congregation to pass) a Racial Justice Mission Statement
examining the culture of the congregation
 
November 2, 4:30 – 6 pm Pacific time: Community Goals
Community goals put the internal pieces into action with goals like:
• connecting with local diverse community organizations or congregations in partnership
• engaging in local organizing and advocacy work that is meaningful to racially marginalized communities
• simply being present, active listeners to the voices of leaders of color in your context
 
* We thank and acknowledge the wisdom, experience and knowledge that Brenda Blackhawk put into creating this resource. She has offered it to us to use for our benefit. Our work will be better and stronger because of this resource…we acknowledge that as white-bodied people we cannot do this anti-racism work without siblings of color and culture. Please donate if you use this resource. 
Camp Lutherwood is Celebrating 75 Years!!
Join the celebration at their open house:
 
Saturday, September 10, 10am-2pm
 
It will be a joyful day - with fun for the whole family, including lunch and carnival games and activities!
 
Learn more and register by Sept. 2nd here:
God’s work. Our Hands. Sunday!
Sunday, September 11

Congregations of the ELCA will join together for “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday, our annual day of service. As you explore opportunities to participate in your community, ELCA.org/DayofService has everything you need to plan and promote your day: Planning toolkit. | Worship resources. | Posters, postcards and social media graphics.

Don’t forget to share your congregation’s participation with the synod and wider church!
Send stories and photos to LivingLutheran@elca.org and/or to susan@lutheransnw.org so that together we can celebrate what God accomplishes through you!
From Holy Rage to Holy Hope:
The Pastor as Public Leader and Congregation as Healing Community

This course is led by our synod’s own Rev. Dr. Rick Rouse. It is part of Luther Seminary’s “Faith+Lead” and offers an important learning opportunity for pastors and judicatory leaders prior to the 2022 Mid-Term election. Overcome the polarization that exists in American religion and politics by learning how you and your congregation can help bridge the divide. 

Offered Thursdays, 11am-12:30pm (Pacific) on Sept. 15, 22, and Oct 6-27. 
The cost is $125 and scholarships are available.
For more information and to register click on the following link today:
Sacred Spaces:
Opening the Holy Invitation Even Wider
September 24, 9:30am-2:30pm
at St. Andrews Lutheran Church (2650 148th Ave SE, Bellevue)
Sponsor: NW Washington Synod

Join Facilitators and Practitioners of unique gatherings and organic forms of church, for a day of stories, experiences, and workshops to explore together how we can open God’s holy invitation even wider.
There are so many ways to gather as faithful communities, whether it's outdoors, creating art, at the pub, or just eating around one big table. Why shouldn’t our gatherings reflect our uniqueness?

Let’s imagine how we can foster organic sacred spaces right in our own backyards. How can we create more inclusive gatherings for people to encounter God? How can we experiment with the gifts we have to meet the needs of those seeking the spirit in our own neighborhoods? What is sprouting up within you that is ready for germination?

Come with ideas, come with questions, come to dream about what sacred spaces can be!
Online Boundaries Training
for Rostered Ministers

LeaderWise’s online boundaries training workshop is lively and interactive, full of reflection and conversation. Attendees have given us feedback that our boundaries training was a great experience, AND caused them to re-evaluate some of their own practices.

This live online boundaries training is 5 total hours split over 2 consecutive days (2.5 hours each day). Following the first session, participants are asked to engage in a bit of reflection work in preparation for the second session. This online boundaries training will be conducted via secure Zoom video conferencing. Cost is $78.

Two upcoming training sessions are scheduled for:
  • October 12 and 13
  • January 31 and Feb 1, 2023
Learn more and get registered here: https://www.leaderwise.org/boundaries-training

YES! This counts for the required periodic training!
Be sure to ask for the certificate of completion and email to laura@lutheransnw.org
SAVE THE DATE!!

Bright Stars of Bethlehem
Fundraising Evening
with Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb & Rick Steves

Wednesday, October 5, 7pm-9pm
at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lynnwood

Bright Stars of Bethlehem is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the health, education, and cultural and spiritual development of the people in the Middle East in order to promote peace and harmony in the region. Bright Stars impacts the lives of over 60,000 men, women, and children in Palestine. Born out of the vision of Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb and his outreach ministry in Bethlehem, Bright Stars is now more than fifteen years old. The staff and volunteer leadership work together to provide support to the Palestinian people to help grow hope in the midst of occupation.

REGISTER NOW for this special evening of updates and stories with founder of Dar a-Kalima University and co-founder of Bright Stars of Bethlehem, Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb, and travel expert Rick Steves!
Fall Bishop's Convocation - Save the date!
 
All Saints Day, Tuesday, November 1, 10am-3pm
 
For All The Saints: Welcoming Immigrants and Refugees

ALL NW Washington Synod Rostered Ministers, Mission Developers and Interns, please plan to join us for our Fall Bishop’s Convocation for Rostered Ministers of the Synod. Our day will feature a live-streamed presentation and discussion with Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, as well as stories from local ministries who are accompanying immigrants and refugees. More information and registration link coming soon!
Want an item included?
Email Susan Berg, Communications Administrator
All items due by 2pm on the prior Thursday

Northwest Washington Synod / ELCA
5519 Phinney Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98103
206-783-9292