Please join us for worship. Services will be both in person and live streamed. Contact Pastor Berg or Kristin Smith for the streaming information.
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HOLY WEEK '23
from Pastor Berg's Monthly Blog
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The disciples followed Jesus as he approached Jerusalem. We can imagine that they were nervous.
Depending on the Gospel writer, we know that Jesus has upset quite a few leaders in Jerusalem, both secular and religious. Also, they may have been nervous because a crowd was gathering around. Could they be a mob come out to hurt them? Or were they there to greet them?
Jesus then turns to one of the disciples and tells him to go into town and find a donkey and to bring it back to him. He turns to another disciple and tells him to go prepare the place for their seder meal. Then he ...
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Council Corner for April 2023
Many thanks to Stephanie Almeida for coordinating the Committee Fair that was held on Sunday, March 5th. Without her leadership and organizational skills, the fair would not have been such a success! Thanks also go to David Osborne, Gary Curtis, and Christy Freriks for assisting in the set up and/or tear down of the event and for all committees, guilds and members who participated.
The 2022 Annual Report has been updated to reflect the corrections noted during the annual meeting. You can find the link to the updated report on our website under “Council” or ask Kris for the revised copy. A link to the draft copy of 2023’s annual meeting minutes is also available under “Council.” In March’s monthly newsletter article, the link to the meeting minutes was mistakenly linked to the 2022 Annual Report instead.
The Council thanks Johannes Skjonsby for his time and service as Council Secretary these last 2 months and announces that Jean Peterson has been elected as the new Council Secretary.
FLC will be hosting a NW Washington Synod LiVE (Living into Vocational Engagement) project retreat on Saturday, April 1st, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The title of the retreat is “Spirit Stirring and Creation Care.” Lunch is included! A second Synod LiVE course offering called “The Kin-dom of God and Environmental Justice” will be on Zoom on Thursdays starting on April 13th. This course is a follow-up to the April 1st retreat, and will use ELCA’s Social Statement on Caring for Creation as a guide. Because FLC has purchased the LiVE congregational bundle for the year, both opportunities are available to our congregation at no charge. An email with a link to register for the retreat and with the dates and the Zoom link for the new 5-week course was sent out at the end of March. If you need help in registering or in participating, please let me know.
Yours in Christ because He lives,
Ho Brown
Council President
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'All are welcome to help with our spring cleaning/Easter spruce up! It's fun and many hands make light work! |
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Widows Support Group
April 10, 10 am
(formerly known as Friends Supporting Friends)
We are not a therapy group, but we are a place for widows to find friendship, support, and fun.
We meet the 2nd Monday of the month at 10:00 am in the library. Please join us!
Call Paula Glandon for more info. 425-483-1783
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Women's Bible Study & Fellowship opportunities available:
Rebecca Circle: April 19, 10:00 am.
Hannah Circle: April 15, 9:00 am.
Contact: Linda Siebert 206-369-7047
FLC circles welcome all women of the congregation! Please contact the persons listed above for meeting locations.
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Ecuador Travelogue
Friday, April 14, 7 pm
Ann and Dan Bormann will present experiences and photos of their recent Ecuador trip, Friday, April 14th at 7 pm in the fellowship hall. All are welcome!
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Men’s Breakfast and Bible Study! (Also available on Zoom)
Saturday, April 15, 9 – 10:15 am.
Join other congregation and community members for breakfast and conversation! There will be “food for the body, food for the soul and food for thought!” A group of 17 men typically attend. Please join us for discussion and enrichment. Questions to Roger Steinke
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The BMW Flute Ensemble: "In Treble again..." will perform the last concert in our concert series for this year on Sunday, April 23 at 3 pm at First Lutheran. Our own Patty Weston performs flute, alto flute and piccolo in this ensemble.
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Reach Ministries
Opportunities for all Ages!
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Easter Breakfast Prep is on Saturday, April 8, from 9 to 11 AM
Youth and adults are needed to help prepare food for the Easter Breakfast, set-up tables, decorate the Fellowship Hall and set up chairs. Please sign up to help on the Youth Board.
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The Youth of First Lutheran Church invite you to join your Church Family and Friends at the 2023 Easter Breakfast!
The Easter Breakfast will be served from 9:30 to 11 AM in the Fellowship Hall. A freewill offering will be received with proceeds supporting the Youth Fund. The Breakfast Menu features fresh baked coffee cake with streusel, fresh fruit salad, coffee, tea, juice and milk. Youth and adults are needed to help with serving the breakfast and with clean up afterwards. Please sign up to help on the Youth Board.
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Movie Review
Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Agent of Grace
Sunday, April 30, 3:00 PM
The story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German clergyman of great distinction, who actively opposed Hitler and the Nazis. Those close with the Lutheran Pastor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, advise him not to return to Germany, but a doctor insists that he must due to his religious beliefs. What is a moral person to do in a time of savage immorality? That question tormented Bonhoeffer. This film dramatizes his last years, his participation in the German resistance and his moral struggle. Despite the possibility of persecution by the Nazis, Bonhoeffer returns to Germany and preaches of the Jews and against Hitler and his Nazi agenda. His convictions cost him his life. (Summary by IMDb and Dove.org)
MOVIE REVIEW: Please watch the movie prior to our ZOOM Movie Review. “Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Agent of Grace” is currently available to watch on Amazon Prime Video, fubo TV, Hoopla, Pure Flix, the Roku Channel and Tubi. Our discussion will begin with a review of the main parts of the movie. We will also explore some of the spiritual themes of the movie and share corresponding Bible verses during our discussion. Join us! Questions? Contact Roger Steinke.
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Book Club!
Discussion Book: Search by Michelle Huneven
April 25, 7:00 pm on Zoom
Discussion Leader: TBA
Southern California Unitarian Universalist church’s search for a new minister. The search committee is a motley crew of eight, ranging in age from 20-something Jennie Kanematsu-Ross, a feisty former goth girl; to long time member and former church president Belinda Bauer, 82. There’s also 50-something Dana, who joins in order to write the book, sensing an opportunity to describe the meals that take place during the meetings. Along the way, she chronicles her own spiritual development, which involved her enrollment in a seminary two decades earlier. Huneven’s descriptions of the committee’s machinations are engaging, as are the group’s internecine struggles—the younger members favoring showmanship and originality in a minister, while the older set values more traditional qualities. Huneven injects humor and tension, but the endless cataloging of minutiae (meetings, “packets,” surveys, more meetings called “cottage groups”) wears thin, and the denouement may leave some cold. Readers will need to be patient and generous to get the most out of the insights buried in this slow-going affair.
Please contact Clint Bastin, Ann Aagaard or Roger Steinke for additional information about the Book Club. A copy of this Featured Book of the Month will be available in the First Lutheran Church Library. Please join us - Zoom link will be sent on Monday, April 24.
Your photos are amazing! Thank you for sharing your favorite 2021-2022 photos.
Linda and Joe Siebert prepared an impressive display of all submitted photos. Watch for the photos chosen for framing to be displayed in the library soon.
We are creating a new child/teenage/young adult category for next year’s Share your Photo contest. Linda is preparing an instruction sheet for the photo submissions—be sure to designate your age category. Start clicking!
Check it Out!
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The above link will be updated with the previous month's financial information after the Finance Committee is able to review the financial statements at their monthly meeting. |
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Thank you to all who have continued their faithful giving.
Listed below are ways for you to share with First Lutheran even when you can't attend in person:
* Mail in your checks. We are still doing weekly deposits.
* Set up electronic giving by using the Give Online button at flc.bothell.org, or calling Vanco services at 800-675-7430. Note: there is a one time fee to FLC for the set up of bank to bank transactions. There are approximately 3% transaction fees on all credit card donations, making credit card and debit card giving more effective if combined into a monthly transaction, rather than smaller amounts, weekly.
* Set up one time or auto payments through your bank’s pay service
Thank you for your faithfulness.
The Finance Committee
Bob Berg, Chair
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Monthly Outreach
CHANGE FOR CHANGE All money received in the Change for Change jar will be used to support HOPELINK food bank.
HOPELINK helps homeless and low-income families, children, seniors and people with disabilities gain stability, while providing others with the tools and skills they need to exit poverty for good. HopeLink is not accepting food or other goods at this time. Click here for donation information.
January Monthly Outreach: Earth Ministries
February Monthly Outreach: Hopelink
March Monthly Outreach: Lutheran Community Services
April Monthly Outreach: Poor Peoples Campaign
Volunteer Opportunities
FLC’s Social Ministry Committee wants you to join us for our monthly meetings. We steer the congregation’s involvement in a variety of local and global outreach and social justice activities. The committee meets via Zoom on the first Tuesday of the month for 1 hour at 7 pm. No experience necessary!
Please contact Kathy Konieczka or Roger Steinke for more information and for the April Zoom link.
Kenmore Bothell Interfaith Group is seeking a volunteer facilitator to email current members to set up and host a meeting at First Lutheran Church or Bothell United Methodist Church. Zoom meeting is fine, too. Meeting is to discuss the development and direction of the group moving forward.
Contact Ray Thomas or Roger Steinke for more information.
Camp United We Stand is housing approximately 30 campers at Northlake Lutheran In Kenmore through April. For a list of (donation) items and volunteer needs click here.
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Scrip is a Great Way to Increase Your Giving
with Purchases You'd Make Anyway!
Proceeds from FLC's Scrip program recently paid for the shipment of quilts and school/health kits to Lutheran World Relief. Your purchases really do make a difference!
Purchase your Scrip gift cards on Sunday morning before and after worship. (No Scrip sales on Easter Sunday, so get your Easter Basket gifts on Palm Sunday!) You can also set up Shop with Scrip and Presto Pay for instant Scrip purchases and redemption on your smart phone. This is a super easy way to continue to support FLC's Scrip program. (See below for more information.)
If you are unable to attend worship or purchase Scrip online, you may mail a check to FLC Scrip, attention Gordy Phelps, with a note of what scrip cards you wish to purchase, and he will mail the cards back to you.
Another other opportunities for earning money while you shop, for FLC's many social ministry programs:
Link your Fred Meyer rewards card to their Community Rewards program for First Lutheran Church. All of your purchases will result in a quarterly donation to FLC.
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Looking Ahead - Important Dates |
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Join our congregation as we attend the
NW Washington Synod Gathering
"Equip the Saints
for the work of ministry"
Saturday, May 13 at
Salem Lutheran Church, Mount Vernon
OR
Saturday, May 20 at
Saint Andrew’s Lutheran Church, Bellevue
8:30am – 3:30pm
Worship, fellowship, conversations, learning & lunch. There are 21 forum topics to choose from! $40 / person
The Church Bus will be
heading to both events.
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July 6 – 9, 2023 The Western States Youth Gathering (WSYG) at California Lutheran University. Youth entering Grades 9 – 12 in the Fall of 2023 (and 2023 High School Graduates) are all invited to attend. A group of youth and adults from First Lutheran Church Bothell is being assembled. Our group will leave Seattle on Wednesday, July 5th and return on either Tuesday, July 11th or Wednesday, July 12th. Please Sign-Up on the Youth Board. Registration for this event has opened. Please contact Roger with any questions regarding the WSYG.
Monday, July 24 – Thursday, July 27 Vacation Bible School at First Lutheran Church
Sunday, August 13 – Friday, August 18 Camp Lutherhaven Summer Mission Trip. This event is open to Middle School and High School students. Please watch for more information.
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A Publication of the NW Washington Synod
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