Southwestern Washington Synod E-News Week of October 9, 2022
|
|
Updating Your Congregation’s Constitution
|
Our Churchwide Assembly voting members review and adopt any amendments to the constitutions that guide our churchwide office, synod offices, and congregations. The 2022 Churchwide Assembly adopted amendments which are included in the model constitution for congregations.
All congregations need to update their constitution.
From our Synod Attorney, James Hushagen:
The new Washington State nonprofit corporation statute became effective Jan 2022: The old constitutional statute allowed electronic meetings unless the congregational constitution prohibit them. The new statute turns that on its head by providing that a congregation can have electronic meetings only if its constitution or bylaws specifically permit them. It reads:
The articles or bylaws may provide that an annual or regular meeting of members may be held in a specified location and, if so provided under the articles or bylaws, through one or more means of remote communication through which members not physically present may participate in the meeting substantially concurrently, vote on matters submitted to the members, pose questions, and make comments. For any meeting at which one or more members may participate by means of remote communication, the corporation shall deliver notice of the meeting to each member by a means which the member has authorized and provide complete instructions for participating in the meeting by remote communication.
The good news is that, if a congregation adopted the 2019 and the 2022 Model Constitution for Congregations, its constitution probably permits electronic meetings. If a congregation didn't adopt the Model Constitutions, it may be limited to in-person congregational meetings until it amends its constitution, which it can do in one meeting if the purpose is to conform to the Model Constitution.
|
|
Synod Assembly May 5th-6th
|
|
Synod Assembly registration will be available in January. Get your voting members elected this fall. The event is May 5 (evening only)-May 6 (all day), 2023 at Messiah Lutheran in Auburn. All rostered ministers serving a congregation and at least 2 voting members from each congregation are allowed. Retired and OLFC rostered ministers' pre-notification requirements will be sent out soon.
|
|
Join this in-person event to hear from the founder of Dar al-Kalima University and co-founder of Bright Stars of Bethlehem, Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb, and Travel Expert, Rick Steves!
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.
REGISTRATION REQUIRED for this special evening of updates and stories!
This event is FREE to attend, your generosity in giving to Bright Stars of Bethlehem is encouraged!
R E G I S T E R H E R E !
|
|
Celebrate World Food Day with Rick Steves- Oct 16th
|
|
|
Celebrate World Food Day with Rick Steves
Join ELCA World Hunger for a celebration of World Food Day with Rick Steves and special guest Mark Jansen, CEO of Blue Diamond Almonds. This event will be streamed online, so you can celebrate with ELCA World Hunger wherever you are! Join the celebration on Oct. 16th at 4pm Central Time * (2pm PT).
Registration is not required; simply visit the ELCA's Facebook or YouTube page to attend. Can't stream it live? The recording will be available on Facebook and YouTube after the event is over.
Leave No One Behind
Better production, better nutrition,
a better environment and a better life
|
|
|
|
Our synod pastors from Light of Grace, Federal Way, Pastors Sang Soo Kim and Jenny Kim, were interviewed by Rick Steves and will be featured on this online World Food Day event on October 16th at 2pm PT! They will highlight the cooperative ministry of Light of Grace and Dasom Bicultural School helping their community build a sustainable program. Cooperative enterprises are owned and run by their membership, and are built on values that encourage cooperation, empowerment including job skills, and solidarity, rather than just profits. Dasom received a 3-year ELCA World Hunger Domestic Hunger Grant.
|
|
|
|
|
2023 Bishop's Convocation for Rostered Ministers
|
January 17-18, 2023
In-person at Seabeck Conference Center
Theme: Intersections between Native American religious traditions and Christian traditions
Keynote: Suzanne Crawford O'Brien, PhD, PLU Professor of Religion and Culture; Director of Native American and Indigenous Studies
Registration available in October.
|
|
Western States Youth Gathering 2023
The Western States Youth Gathering (WSYG) and Western States Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (WYLE) is back! Coming to California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, CA from July 4-9, 2023, the Western States Youth Gathering is open to high school aged youth in Regions 1-4 of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
WSYG and WYLE will gather around the theme, “Revive, Reunite, Rejoice”, grounded in Acts 2:1 “When the day [of WSYG] came, they were all together in one place.”
|
|
Current Job Openings
Updated 08/24/2022
-
Director of Finance & Operations, St Mark's Lutheran Church by the Narrows, Tacoma
-
Director of Administration, Mountain View Lutheran Church, Edgewood
-
Preschool Assistant Teacher, Christ Lutheran Church, Lakewood
-
Organist/Musician, Christ Lutheran Church, Lakewood
-
Director of Children's and Family Ministry, Christ Lutheran Church, Lakewood
-
Latchkey Director, Christ Lutheran Church, Lakewood
-
Coordinator for Faith Formation for Youth and Young Adults, Beautiful Savior, Vancouver WA
-
Treasurer (part-time), Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, Bremerton
-
Worship Musician, Mount Cross Lutheran Church, University Place
-
Treasurer (PT), Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Tacoma
-
Church Musician- Elim Lutheran Church, Port Orchard
-
Accompanist, Galilean Lutheran Church, Ocean Shores
-
Organist/Musician, Christ Lutheran Church, Lakewood
-
Piano Accompanist, First Lutheran Community Church, Port Orchard
-
Children, Youth, and Family Ministry and Outreach Coordinator, The Lutheran Church of The Good Shepherd, Olympia
-
Nursery Attendant (hourly), The Lutheran Church of The Good Shepherd, Olympia
-
Communication Coordinator (15 hrs/week) - Gloria Dei Lutheran Church Olympia
|
|
Upcoming Synod Dates:
Pastor and Deacon Appreciation Sunday- October 9, 2022
Pastor and Deacon Appreciation Month- October
World Food Day ELCA Livestream- October 16th 2pm PT
First Call Theological Education- November 14 (3pm)-November 17 (12:30pm)
Bishop's Eucharists for our rostered ministers will be in December 2022. Final dates for conferences will be available soon.
Under 45 Rostered Retreat- January15-17, 2023 at Seabeck Conf Center (tentative dates)
Bishop's Convocation- January 17-18, 2023 at Seabeck Conf Center
Synod Assembly- May 5-6, 2023 at Messiah Lutheran, Auburn (will be 1 or 1-1/2 days only)
|
|
A Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Rev. Richard E. Jaech, Bishop
|
|
STAY CONNECTED
through Links
to the Synod's Social Media
|
|
|
|
|
|
|