November is Native American Heritage Month

A meaningful way to honor this month would be to attend one of the ELCA Truth & Healing Movement Online Events. The following four events are free and require no pre-registration. You can attend as an individual or organization an watch party with your family, friends, or congregation.

Learn more and find the links to join here: https://elca.org/truthandhealing

(NOTE: Times on graphic are Eastern Time. The times on the ELCA website are Central Time.)

Byberg Preaching Workshop

January 22-24, 2024 in Seaside, Oregon

Presenter: Dr. Shauna Hannan, Professor of Homiletics at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary

Chaplain: Rev. Liv Larson Andrews, DEM, Northwest Intermountain Synod

Hosted at: Best Western Seaside

Calling on all preaching colleagues of the Pacific Northwest to join in the annual Byberg Preaching Workshop in beautiful Seaside, Oregon. We have invited Dr. Shauna Hannan back to lead us in conversations focused on preaching and communicating in our changed environment. We have also solicited the wonderful worship talents of Rev. Liv Larson Andrews to be our chaplain for the week.

Cost for the event is $195 ($100/interns) and hotel rooms range from $87-$197.

Registration is open until December 15, 2023.

Cancelation requests need to be made by December 15, 2023.

Please visit www.bybergpreachingworkshop.com for registration links and more information.

NOTE: this is a two-step registration process.

One step is to register for the program and the second step is to register for housing with the hotel.

Christian Nationalism:

A Threat to the Gospel and Democracy

Rev. Dr. Rick Rouse explores the phenomena sweeping the country known as White Christian Nationalism and helps us discover why it threatens both our democracy and the future of the Christian Witness in the United States. 

View them on Our Savior's Lutheran Church (Everett) YouTube channel:

Session One - Unpacking the Myth that America Was Founded as a Christian Nation

Session Two - Christian Nationalism and a Democracy in Peril

Session Three - The End of White Christian America: What Comes Next?

Holiday Shopping with ELCA Good Gifts

Wondering how to make a positive impact in the world right now? With ELCA Good Gifts, you can choose from more than 50 charitable gifts to give in honor of friends and loved ones. Each of these gifts makes a real impact in the world — one goat, water filter or school uniform at a time. Start your holiday shopping now and order free, customized cards for each gift. Give by Dec. 9 to ensure that your cards arrive in time for Christmas. Print-at-home and online cards are also instantly available at any time. Browse gift now!.

Prayers for Bishop Eaton and Rev. Michael Burk

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s Church Council Executive Committee approved Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton’s request for a 4-to-6-month leave of absence. Her leave began Nov. 17, 2023.

The Church Council appointed the Rev. Michael Burk, former bishop of the Southeastern Iowa Synod, as Presiding Bishop Pro Tem to care for the responsibilities of the presiding bishop during her leave of absence. We give thanks for Bishop Eaton’s tireless dedication and leadership and pray for her during this time of rest and rejuvenation.

Celebrate the 300th Anniversary of the Johann Sebastian Bach St. John Passion

You are invited to participate by singing or playing an instrument in the creation of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians Virtual St. John Passion Chorale. Learn more here!

ELEA Newsletter Available

The Evangelical Lutheran Education Association Connecting, Developing and Inspiring Leaders of ELCA Schools and Learning Centers. Read the latest news here.

Trans Day of Remembrance Service

Monday, November 20, 6:30pm

at Holy Spirit, Kirkland

Salt House and Holy Spirit Lutheran Church invite you to a special Trans Day of Remembrance Service. Trans Day of Remembrance (TDOR) is a day set aside in the LGBTQ community to remember, honor, and grief the trans folx lost to anti-queer violence in the past year. Gatherings typically include a reading of names and obituaries of those folx murdered. All are invited to join us in an evening of queer lament and solidarity with our trans siblings. Visit this link or contact Zach Herzog for more information.  

Holy Closure Service

Sunday, November 26, 3:00pm

at Central Lutheran Church

925 N. Forest Street, Bellingham

All are invited to this holy closure service - rostered ministers are invited to vest and process (color of the day is WHITE) - gather in the conference room near the office at 2:30pm; items can be locked in the office during the service.

We give thanks to God for the legacy of this congregation - who has richly blessed their community by sharing God's love with one another and their neighbors. Loving God, hold them in your care as they celebrate their many years of ministry. Sustain them as they mourn - and inspire them as they discover where the Spirit will lead them next. 

Learn to Construct a Narrative Budget for Your Community: Step by Step!

Monday, November 27, 4:30-5:30pm (Pacific Time)

You’ve heard about narrative budgets. You’ve probably even seen some examples or a

demonstration explaining what they are, how they’re assembled and why they work to convey your

community’s impact. Rev. Tim Brown, director of congregational stewardship, will lead a webinar

going step by step through how to create a narrative budget. Bring your current (2023) budget and

pieces of your projected (2024) budget, and get ready to do some work in real time to start the

narrative budget process. Over the course of 45 minutes (with plenty of time for questions), this

webinar will prepare you to present a narrative budget for your next annual meeting. Pastors, council

members, stewardship teams and all other interested parties are welcome to attend.

Join the Zoom here! (Meeting ID: 813 1042 0337 Passcode: 327160)

Abide in the Word Bible Study - continues!

(NO session on Nov 21)

Resumes Tues, Nov 28, 7-8pm via Zoom

This is a year-long, Synod-wide weekly Bible Study that takes participants on a deeper dive into the coming Sunday's Lectionary text. Participants will have the chance to experience diverse perspectives and voices from various guest facilitators from across the synod.



This is a FREE LiVE offering! No registration needed!

YES, you may join in any week at this link: HERE.

The Center of Addiction & Faith is presenting a one-hour free webinar titled Addiction & Uncovery on Nov. 29, 2023 from 10am-11am. 

We are pleased to be joined by George A. Wood (author, speaker, Pastor at Sober Truth Project) for a discussion surrounding his brand new book, The Uncovery Devotional: Rethinking Recovery One Day at a Time, co-authored by Brit Eaton.  All of us are recovering from something. Whether it's an addiction, a painful incident from our past, or a daily challenge just to get by in this world, something is holding us back from the life God wants for us. Real recovery isn't a one-time event or a process that fits into twelve steps or a preset length of time. Uncovering how to live free of what holds you back is a lifelong journey and one best traveled with others. Register for the webinar HERE.

Movie/book conversation around "Killers of the Flower Moon"

Thursday, Nov. 30, 6:30-8pm

Hosted at Trinity, Lynnwood

Join Kay Knott (Upper Skagit Tribe) and Pastor Jenna Bergeson (TLC, Lynnwood) for this conversation - using a study guide that was written/provided by the ELCA. 

More info - and requested RSVP here: https://www.trinitylutheranchurch.com/event-details/book-movie-discussion-killers-of-the-flower-moon

Pacific Lutheran University Christmas Concerts

Join us for a beloved Northwest tradition as the PLU Choir of the West, University Chorale, and University Symphony Orchestra present our annual Christmas concert. Works by Dan Forrest, John Rutter, Caroline Shaw, Rosephanye Powell, and Mack Wilberg highlight our traditional carols and seasonal favorites. Tickets for this special Christmas celebration are on sale now. General admission tickets are $40. Discounts are available for senior citizens, military, children, and PLU alumni/students/faculty/staff. For more information, call 253-535-7602 or go to plu.edu/christmas.

Lagerquist Concert Hall, PLU

Saturday, December 2 at 7:30 pm

Sunday, December 3 at 2:00 pm 

Saturday, December 9 at 7:30 pm

Sunday, December 10 at 2:00 pm

Benaroya Concert Hall, Seattle

Monday, December 4 at 7:30 pm 

Journeying Together -- Spiritual Practices in Community 

Thursday, December 7, 9am-12noon - Online

Seeking a space for centering and grounding in your faith at the beginning of Advent? As spiritual leaders, you know first hand the joys and challenges of ministering in our rapidly changing, troubled and beautiful world. You are invited to rest in a variety of grounding, experiential practices to connect to God and to each other.

This FREE event, led by Spiritual Director, Ravi Verma, is intended for those in ministry—pastors, deacons and lay leaders who want to explore, together, in a brave space. As you head into the busy holiday and advent season, this will be a time to gather to rejuvenate and rest in a variety of grounding practices to connect with God and each other.



Registration is NOW OPEN. Once you register, the Zoom link will be sent closer to the event.

Calling all lefse lovers!

Lefse Making Classes

at Kent Lutheran Church

Learn how to make Lefse and take home a sampling of your work. You can join this hands-on class whether you are a beginner or a seasoned pro! Contact the Church office 253-852-2057 or jhelgeson43@gmail.com to reserve your spot as space is limited! Classes offered at these times:

Friday, December 8 @ 2:30 pm

Saturday, December 9 @ 10:00 am

Stewardship Webinar: “The Spiritual Side of Capital Campaigns”

Monday, December 11, 4pm-5pm (Pacific)

Many people view a capital campaign as a “necessary evil” (or even an unnecessary one!). But what if there’s a deeper spiritual calling inside capital campaigns that gets drowned out in the anxiety over the bottom line? Could God be inviting people to “dream dreams” in these often-ambitious endeavors? In partnership with the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, the ELCA will host a webinar in which the Rev. Meredith McNabb and the Rev. Tim Brown will explore the spiritual side of capital campaigns and invite you to think differently about the opportunity that awaits you. Join us on Zoom HERE.