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Monthly Devotions for 2023
from our partners at Lutheran Counseling Network
Find "Faith and Everyday Life" devotions HERE.
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Registration REMINDER TO PREACHERS:
Byberg Preaching Conference
January 23-25 in Seaside, Oregon
Learn more and register here
Registration closes December 15!
This year will feature Rev. Traci Blackmon as the main speaker. Rev. Blackmon is a powerful preacher who was recently featured at the Festival of Homiletics. She is the associate general minister of justice & local church ministries for the United Church of Christ and senior pastor of Christ the King United Church of Christ in Florissant, MO. The Rev. Blackmon also has extensive pastoral experience on the national stage helping communities of color, and our nation as a whole, work through the strong social and institutional challenges and weaknesses that have brought us to this time of intense partisan turmoil.
Br. Stefan Andre Waligur will serve as our chaplain and musician. His music for congregational singing uses American rhythms, Celtic melodies, and the call and response style of Indian Kirtan.
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New Grant Opportunities from
ELCA Disability Ministries
We will begin accepting grant applications on Dec. 12 and will officially close the application process on Feb. 15, 2023. We will accept for consideration the first 30 grant applications we receive through the application process in GrantMaker. Once that number is met, correspondence will be sent out through our newsletter and blog. Please note that this may happen before the Feb. 15 deadline. Of those 30 received, our review team will approve up to five grants of up to $10,000 for projects.
Applicants for this grant can be congregations, synods or other ELCA organizations.
To be eligible for a grant, your project and proposal must reflect at least two of the three commitments of ELCA Disability Ministry:
- Preparing leaders for serving people with disabilities, raising up people with disabilities for leadership positions, and encouraging the participation of those with disabilities in the wider church.
- Equipping our synods, congregations and members with relevant and practical information that enables them to welcome and support individuals with disabilities so that they might participate fully in the life of the congregation and that, together, all might experience being the body of Christ.
- Gathering and connecting those with disabilities and various groups within the church so that they might help us become an inclusive, supportive and whole community of faith.
A successful grant proposal must supply the following pieces of information, which will be put together in the application on the ELCA GrantMaker system:
- Project leader information.
- Detailed summary plan that includes project’s name, location, timeline, targeted audience, etc.
- Goals and objectives.
- Budget and budget narrative detailing how the grant funding will be spent.
- Synod support (letter and/or financial).
- Proof of other funding sources outside the grant.
The ELCA Grants Management Team has made a tool to help grantees with the registration process on GrantMaker. You can find it here. The team has also included a document to help you navigate the tool: Managing the Grantee Tool.
Please do not hesitate to contact Disability Ministry as questions arise in your grant proposal writing and application processes. You can email Disability.Ministry@elca.org
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Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2023
January 18-25
The theme for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2023 is “Do Good; Seek Justice” (Isaiah 1:17). The theme was chosen, and the materials prepared, by the Minnesota Council of Churches. Resources including posters, bulletin covers and daily Scripture and prayer guides can be ordered from the Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute.
You can also access a detailed resource to aid preparations published jointly by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches.
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Synod Gatherings 2023
Save the dates!
In lieu of a Synod Assembly in 2023, we will have 2 Synod Gatherings.
They will be held on May 13 (at Salem in Mount Vernon) and May 20 (at Saint Andrew's in Bellevue.) At each location will be gathering for worship, fellowship, and a number of forums for exploring and learning!
We are gathering names of those who wish to help both with preparation and during the event.
Contact Susan (susan@lutheransnw.org) if you would like to help with planning or the day-of logistics!
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Synod Events this week:
Mon, Dec 12, 10am - Gloria Dei Endowment Committee Meeting
Mon, Dec 12, 4:30pm - Synod Finance Team
Tues, Dec 13, 10am-1pm - Synod Staff Meeting
Tues, Dec 13, 6:30pm - FREE Synod-wide Study - see below!
Wed, Dec 14, 4:30pm - Gathering Planning
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Synod-Wide Bible Study on the book of Acts
A FREE NW WA Synod LiVE Project Offering!
FREE | Tuesdays, 6:30pm - 7:30pm | on Zoom
Continues weekly - drop into any session!
Dec. 13, 20
The Synod's LiVE Project is offering this free, weekly online Bible Study Series! Various rostered ministers from around our synod will co-facilitate a study of Willie James Jennings' book, Acts: A Theological Commentary on the Bible. Purchase of the book is encouraged, although not necessary to fully participate. We welcome the Rev. Diakonda Gurning as our facilitator for Dec 13 and 20!
Join any or all Zoom Sessions HERE. (Zoom Meeting ID: 822 0985 0836 Passcode: Acts)
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Addiction, Faith, Science & Public Policy Webinar
Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 9:30-10:30am (Pacific) on Zoom
with a followup 30-minute Q/A discussion at 10:30am
Faith Communities play a vital role in recovery and prevention. This webinar will explore the reasons why faith and spirituality can be integral to recovery and the critical importance of faith-based groups adopting evidence-based practices. Joining the discussion is Regina LaBelle, former interim director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy and current director of the Addiction and Public Policy Initiative at the O'Neill Institute of Georgetown University.
You’ll learn about important policy initiatives at the federal level, how faith and science can work together, and this country’s first addiction focused public policy masters degree program. Co-hosting this webinar are Rev. Dr. Ed Treat and Timothy McMahan King.
Register for this webinar here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_yuqfgx0uSTOFEYub2ooLgw
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ELCA Coaching Network - Weekly Sessions
Every Wednesday at 11am (Pacific)
All lay leaders and rostered ministers are invited to join this weekly opportunity to hear from various leaders across the Church - and share in small group conversation - on the theme of COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP.
On Wednesday, December 14 we will hear from a surprise guest who has over 2 million YouTube subscribers and has learned a thing or two about public failures, ways to recover, and even how to thrive.
Learn more about this week's topic and get the registration link here: https://www.elcacoaching.org/
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Service of Remembrance
Friday, January 6 at 4pm
Live Streamed and In Person @ Immanuel Lutheran Church
(1215 Thomas St. in Seattle - limited parking)
A time to remember, honor, and pray for those who have died on the streets or as a result of being homeless.
Joining on-line? If you join at 4 p.m. for the service, you will have the opportunity to e-chat during the service. The service will be available any time after 4 but you will not be able to chat with the larger community.
Livestream will be on Immanuel's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/immanuellutheranchurchseattle
Contact PastorKristy@compasshousingalliance.org or (206) 474-1007 for more information OR to add names to the list.
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Refugees Northwest Foster Care
Virtual Info Session Registration
Tuesday, January 3, 5:30pm-7pm
At these orientations, Refugees Northwest Foster Care staff will share an overview of the youth we serve, the supports we offer foster families, and the basics of the licensing process. There will be time for your questions, too.
Refugees Northwest Foster Care actively seeks individuals and couples from diverse backgrounds to join our program as foster parents. We welcome adults of all sexual orientations, gender identities, marital statuses, and faiths, and we value the strengths a diverse foster parent community brings to help meet the diverse needs of our youth. Our program currently licenses households in or near King County. We are in urgent need of more individuals and couples in King County to become licensed foster parents, and we have several youth in need of affordable rental options (aka host homes) in the area as well. Youth are from countries around the world, with large majorities from Guatemala and Honduras.
If your community would like to stay up to date with our program, including seeing posts about specific youth in need of host homes, follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/refugeesNWfostercare or send us an email at fostercare@refugeesnw.org
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Bells of the Sound Concert
Sunday, December 18 at 4pm
at Saint Andrew’s Lutheran Church,
2650 148th Avenue SE, Bellevue
https://salc.church/concerts
Bells of the Sound is thrilled to perform for live audiences once again! This year it is time to Let It Snow!, get in the winter wonderland spirit, and experience the joy of live handbell music! They hope you’ll enjoy the concert as much as they enjoy performing for you. This concert is FREE and open to the public.
Bells of the Sound is a community handbell ensemble dedicated to musical excellence. They are nationally acclaimed and have been pioneering handbell artistry and excellence since 1989. This group of 15 auditioned musicians is known for their high-caliber, energetic and entertaining performances.
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Music that Makes Community Workshop
At The Lutheran Church of The Good Shepherd in Olympia
Saturday, January 21 from 9:30am-3pm
Join this event for a renewing day of building community through congregational singing, learning, and fellowship on We'll be led by Paul Vasile and Elizabeth Schroeder of Music that Makes Community, a non-profit organization working to empower and liberate communities through singing. For over 15 years, they have developed and shared transformative leadership practices with musicians, clergy, educators, and lay leaders throughout the United States and Canada. During our time together we will:
- Explore a practice of paperless (oral tradition) singing leadership
- Engage models of teaching and leading that welcome our bodies, hearts, and minds
- Experience music reflective of the growing diversity of our communities and celebrating varied spiritual traditions
Choir directors, clergy, cantors, educators, and those who love to sing are warmly welcomed. Each person will leave with new music to share, as well as experiences of learning and teaching songs applicable to their context.
Registration fees are $30 per person, including workshop materials and refreshments throughout the day. You can bring your own lunch or purchase a sandwich for $15. Scholarship support is available, and we do not want cost to prevent anyone’s participation. Please pay at the door: cash, checks and credit/debit cards accepted.
Register here: http://www.gsolympia.org/music-workshop
Contact conference@gsolympia.org if you have any questions.
Please note the COVID protocols: We will follow the guidelines at The Lutheran Church of The Good Shepherd in place at the time of the event and will take precautions to ensure the safety and well-being of all participants. The rooms will be well-ventilated, we’ll take regular breaks, and follow the CDC's best practices for in-person gathering.
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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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