ANNOUNCEMENTS
Building a Culture of Generosity

This Fall there is an opportunity for congregations to participate in a cohort around “Building a Culture of Generosity.”

TODAY, Monday, August 15 is the last day to register: https://tithe.ly/event-registration/#/5634977
The cost for the congregation will be $250, with the ELCA and Synod picking up the additional $200.
You can have several members of your Stewardship Committee participate in the program.

QUESTIONS? Contact Dianne@lutheransnw.org
LiVE PROJECT Update!

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. 

Check out the 2022-2023 Courses and Retreats in the catalog.
Read the invitation email HERE.
Learn more about the LiVE Project HERE.
Join us for our last online Info Session of the summer - Wed. Aug 17 - see event below!
Calling All Organists! 

Dr. William Bryant is pleased to announce the full return of the Fine Arts at Faith Concert Series at Faith Lutheran Church in Redmond, WA.

The series has successfully completed its first year of concerts and the Fine Arts at Faith Committee is looking towards the future. One of the annual concerts this series will bring is a Halloween concert, alternating each year between a silent film improvisation and a Halloween “pops” concert. This year is the year for the “pops” concert. On behalf of the committee, Dr. Bryant is excited to extend an invitation to organists in the area with the opportunity to experience the wonderful Pasi Op. 2 pipe organ Faith proudly owns and participate in this concert.

The concert is currently scheduled for Saturday, October 22 at 7PM. If you would like more information and to be involved, please contact Dr. Bryant at: bryantw@faithluth.org.
PEWS for Sale

Edmonds Lutheran Church has 8- and 10-foot pews for sale.
There is enough to seat 200 folks.
Asking $500 for the lot.
Please reach out to their office if you are interested: (425)744-8090
(photo is an example, not the actual available pews!)
Free items to share!

Nativity Lutheran Church (Renton) is moving out of our current space while a new facility is being built and have a number of items we will not be storing that we would like to offer to other congregations in the area!
If you are interested in any of these items, please contact the church office (NativityLCoffice@gmail.com or 425-228-5464) for more information.

We’ll be holding a “No-Sale Garage Sale” on Friday, August 19th (9am-3pm) and Saturday, August 20th (9am-2pm). We’d love to get as many of these spoken for before then as possible!
  • Baptismal Font, Altar, Pulpit
  • Assorted Communion Ware: Chalices, Platters
  • Two Pianos
  • 100-cup coffee maker
  • Spotlight [multi-color] and 2 overhead projectors
  • Three 2-door cabinets, about 92" x 47" x 26" each.
  • Big projector screen. (about 10' wide and a little over 8' tall.)
ELCA Churchwide Assembly

The ELCA Churchwide Assembly is the highest legislative body of the denomination. It was held last week, Aug. 8-12, with more than 800 voting members from around the ELCA.

THANK YOU to the delegation of voting members from our synod who attended, helped lead worship, listened, raised concerns & questions, and discerned on our behalf: Bp. Shelley Bryan Wee, Synod VP Kay Edgerton, Eli Daheim, Curt Eidem, Frankin Lulan, Laura Sasaki Norton, Kasey Shultz, and Rev. Rachel Swenson, AND to Rev. Joanne Engquist from our synod, who serves on ELCA Church Council.

You are encouraged to read more about each day's events here:
or ...
Watch the plenary session recordings AND the worship service recordings here: www.elca.org/churchwideassembly.
(You can catch a number of our delegation members assisting in worship and speaking to memorials!)

Here are just a few of the highlights:
  • Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton issued an apology on behalf of the ELCA to Iglesia Luterana Santa María Peregrina following the abrupt removal of their pastor on the Feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe last year, along with a public commitment to be an anti-racist church.
  • Elected a new ELCA Vice President, Imran Siddiqui, a senior investigator for the U.S. Department of Labor, becoming the first Asian American elected to the national post. His six-year term will begin Nov. 1, replacing interim Vice President Carlos Peña, who himself took on the role after the unexpected passing of Bill Horne in 2021.
  • Members of the Repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery Task gave examples to the assembly of what the ELCA has been doing to live out the declaration, closed with remarks by Vance Blackfox, who began last year in his newly created position as ELCA director for Indigenous ministries and tribal relations.
  • Adopted en bloc 19 memorials that covered topics such as gun violence, parental and family medical leave, and communion practices. Twelve memorials were pulled from en bloc for separate consideration, including these two memorials (both of which passed) forwarded from our recent synod assembly:
  1. Memorial A8 – Land Back: Calls for ELCA ministries and partners to engage in deeper collaboration with Indigenous partners, including incorporating land acknowledgments as part of public gatherings, exploring the creation of restorative justice programs, and studying funding needs and sources for ELCA Indigenous congregations and service ministries.
  2. Memorial B5 – Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility (DEIA) ELCA Governance Audit:  Authorizes the Church Council to determine parameters, expenses, and revenue sources to provide for an external audit of the “Constitution, Bylaws, and Continuing Resolutions of the ELCA” that examines diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the church’s governing documents. The memorial calls on the Church Council to report the findings of the audit and directs the legal committee to recommend changes.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Synod Events this week:

Tues, Aug 16, 10am-1pm - Synod Staff Meeting
Wed, Aug 17, 6:30pm - LiVE Project, final online Info Session - see below!
Thurs, Aug 18, 12:30pm - Synod Personnel 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. On Wednesday, August 17, we will focus on the skill of listening and NOT fixing. We will gather online, begin as we usually do with an introduction and time of centering, then we will briefly learn (or be reminded of) the basics of one of a number of coaching skills. This time will be followed by small groups in breakout rooms to practice this skill with each other on real and relevant topics that you bring with you that day so that you may leave our time together feeling empowered, valued, and prepared for your next most faithful step.
We invite you to bring a spirit of curiosity to these gatherings and to all aspects of your life. What are you noticing? Where is Spirit moving? How are you being invited to participate?
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
LiVE Information Sessions
(Living into Vocational Engagement)

Join our last info session of the summer:
Wednesday, August 17 - 6:30-7:30pm on Zoom

Come and learn more about LiVE, get your questions answered, and see what this exciting opportunity holds in store for your own learning journey as a Christian public leader.

Please pre-register here:

Learn more about our LiVE Project here:
Check out the 2022-2023 Courses and Retreats in the catalog.
Read the invitation email HERE.
Kitsap Ride for Refugees
Saturday, August 20, begins at 9am

We are excited to be able to once again partner with Lutheran Community Services Northwest to bring back this great event for summer 2022. All proceeds go toward LCS Northwest and their refugee resettlement efforts.
Participants can choose between a 10- or 30-mile out-and-back course through beautiful Kitsap County, starting and ending at Silverdale Lutheran Church. This is an untimed, supported bike ride (not a race). Roads will still be open to vehicles and participants may need to stop at intersections.
Read more & REGISTER HERE.
Spiritual Leadership Development Intensive
For Rostered Ministers and Lay Leaders

August 22-23 and 29-30 (four days total)

The Spiritual Leadership Development Intensive (SLDI) is an opportunity to engage with deep questions about your gifts, the challenges confronting you and your community, what God is calling you to, and how to be a spiritual force-to-be-reckoned-with in this turbulent world.

During these four days of leadership development and spiritual discernment in a safe and supportive environment, you have the opportunity to explore the dynamics of your life and ministry, how you got to where you are, and how to use fresh awareness and insights to enhance, strengthen and expand your ministry - and who you actually are.

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
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.
Old Lutheran has T-shirts and other items available for purchase. The deadline for ordering your congregation’s personalized T-shirts is Aug. 19.
Don’t forget to share your congregation’s participation with us! Send stories and photos to LivingLutheran@elca.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!
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