REMINDER - Purchase your LiVE Congregational Bundle

A Bundle allows an unlimited number of church members to attend an unlimited number of courses and retreats at NO COST to them! Once you register for a Congregational Bundle, your church office will be given a promo code to pass on to your members so they can register for any LiVE offering for FREE!

Purchase your bundle here.

Anniversary Celebration at Fir-Conway Lutheran

All lay and rostered folks who have a connection to Fir-Conway Lutheran Church in Mount Vernon are invited to celebrate their 135th Anniversary on Sunday, September 17 - worship at 10am, potluck lunch to follow!

https://www.firconwaylutheran.org/events/135th-birthday-celebration/2023-09-17

The ELCA Youth Gathering registration opens September 15! Are you ready?

The Registration Workbook is now available!

This resource has all the necessary information you'll want to collect from participants to register.

Additionally, it has walks through how registration works this year, which is different than previous year. View it now at https://bit.ly/3QMM79g. If you have questions, contact our Gathering Synod Champion, Becky Cole, at children@hslckirkland.org.

Truth and Healing Movement Events

Find opportunities to learn the true history and current realities of our Indigenous neighbors. It is these truths, truths that have been ignored by most for hundreds of years, that will bring healing for both Indigenous people and non-Indigenous people.

Find webinars, book lists, and more HERE!

“A Study Curriculum on Civic Life and Faith”

Your feedback is desired!

Feedback forms for “A Study Curriculum on Civic Life and Faith” are due Oct. 15. Your input is key to shaping a new social statement on church, state and civic participation.

The study’s six sessions are customizable and focus on topics such as the purpose of democracy and how we as Lutherans relate to government. To download the sessions, go to elca.org/civicsandfaithstudy. A Spanish translation is also available. 

NWWA Synod Trip to the Holy Land

January 14-25, 2024

You are invited to join with others in the NWWA Synod for a life-changing trip to the Holy Land. Not only will we visit holy sites, we will also meet with, talk with, and listen to those who live, work, laugh, worship, and struggle in this land. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) is one of our partners in the Lutheran World Federation. They are excited to share their stories with us. There is also an additional post-trip to Egypt that you are invited to sign up for, as well.

We want this to be a time for people to interact with and learn with the people of this land. Therefore, we are only taking twenty-four people. We hope that you will come and be a part of this important trip. Please click the link below to find out more information or reach out to me for any questions you might have.

https://www.eliastours.com/tours/northwest-washington-synod-holy-land-trip-with-bishop-shelley-bryan-wee-dr-rod-schofield

Synod Events This Week:

Mon, Aug 28, 2pm - Rostered Synod Staff Meeting

Tues, Aug 29, 10am-2pm - Full Synod Staff Meeting

Tues, Aug 29 - Staff Dinner Celebrating Bishop's 30th Ordination Anniversary

Mon, Sept. 4 - Labor Day Holiday - Synod Office Closed

The Center of Addiction & Faith is presenting a one-hour free webinar titled How to Create a Recovery Friendly Church on Aug. 30, 10am-11am with a follow-up 30 minute Q/A Zoom discussion.

As congregations seek to find themselves and refocus mission in this post-pandemic reality, perhaps they could take a clue from the growing addiction & mental health crisis happening in the U.S. right now. People are suffering and too many are dying. The church could play a major role in bringing healing, hope and new life. But where to start? Join Drew Brooks, Pastor John Sutherland and Center of Addiction & Faith founder Pastor Ed Treat as they share their experience, strength & hope for how to start and sustain meaningful addiction awareness ministry in the local parish.



The link to register for the webinar is https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Sydnha-nRYGMjU9uZvL52Q#/registration

United Farm Workers Event

Thursday, August 31

United Farm Workers is organizing on Thursday, August 31st at the Seattle Center. This is to support the Sunnyside, WA mushroom workers who have been experiencing harassment, intimidation, discrimination and poor working conditions for years now. (See details in attached flyer).

If you're interested in coming and/or bringing a group please let Rev. Josh Stromberg-Wojcik know.

If you're interested in signing up for the Farm Workers Ministry NW e-newsletter, you can do so here: 

In September, the Lutheran Faith Community Nurse Association will be offering a three-part series entitled This is How We Die. We will couple excellent content from Barbara Karnes’s 3 DVD series This is How People Die, with dialogue and reflection. Barbara Karnes is a registered nurse and well-known hospice pioneer and advocate. 

The events will be held on September 11, 18, and 25 starting at 4 pm (Pacific) While ALL are welcome to attend, nursing contact hours will be provided for the sessions attended.

For more information go here:: https://lutheranfcna.org/event-5361391.

Here is a flyer with the registration link is attached to post and to share with all who may have interest.  

Installation of Rev. Abby d'Ambruoso

As the new pastor at Holden Village on September 12

We are delighted to announce that Pastor Abby is returning to the Northwest and all are invited to head up the mountain to celebrate her installation as the new Village Pastor. The service will be in the midst of a wonderful retreat week - join the celebration - and the learning! God bless this new ministry partnership!

Holden Village Retreat

September 10-15

A partnership with Music That Makes a Difference!

It is a collaboration gathering for all people who are working toward wholeness, justice, and all those good things.

Learn more HERE.

Children and Youth Leader Retreat – Save the Date!

September 29-30 at Camp Lutherwood

Theme: Holy Trinity, Wholly Love

More details coming soon!

Crossways Bible Study

Ever had reading the entire Bible on your bucket list? 

Let Crossways and Pastor Mike Anderson be your guide.

This two-year program, hosted by Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, begins October 1 with Genesis, and will include pre-recorded lectures sent on Sundays to your email address to be watched at your leisure. 

Optional Thursday evening Zoom discussions will follow each lecture’s release. The course is academic in nature and works well for those with or without Bible background. Click on this link to register and to read endorsements from former study participants. www.hslckirkland.org/crossways

2023 Addiction & Faith Conference

The Center on Addiction & Faith will host its annual conference Oct. 5-7 in Bloomington, Minnesota. You can participate in this hybrid event either virtually or in person. The conference uses science, spirituality and personal testimony to raise awareness about the scourge of addiction. The Addiction & Faith Conference is open to everyone including rostered and lay leaders, health care professionals, people in recovery, those who love people affected by addiction, youth leaders and addiction specialists.

Register at addictionandfaithconference.com. 

Native Americans and the Church:

Working Towards Truth and Healing

Mark your calendars! On Saturday, October 14th, we are excited to welcome Vance Blackfox, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, and the ELCA director for Indigenous ministries and tribal relations. He will be leading a one-day seminar at Holy Spirit Lutheran Church in Kirkland about the history and struggles of Native American peoples, as well as conversations around working towards healing relationships with indigenous peoples and learning from them about their relationship to Mother Earth. The seminar will be from 9am-2pm and will include lunch. This event is open to the entire synod – all are welcome! We are asking for a donation of $25 per person, but scholarships are available, so don’t let cost dissuade you from coming!

Registration for the event will open September 13th.

For more information, contact Pastor Gina Herman at pastorgina@hslckirkland.org. 

FAN Events Coming Up!

FAN staff are working with faith communities in our network to find dates this Fall for geographical cluster gatherings across our state. These meetings provide a way to get to know your neighbors and talk about local concerns and responses to needs in your community, and perhaps create new collaborations. 

EAST KING COUNTY: Wednesday October 25, 6:30-8:00 pm

Hosted by Newport Presbyterian Church, Bellevue – Register here.

BELLINGHAM AREA: Sunday November 5, 4:00-5:30 pm

Hosted by First Congregational & Christ the Servant Lutheran. Registration to come.

AND...

Save the Date for the FAN Annual Dinner on Sunday, November 19, and stay tuned for more details. We hope to offer an in-person gathering in two locations with online attendance as well.

AND...

Earlier this summer, our friends at Paths to Understanding and Challenge 2.0 released this video conversation with host Jeff Renner about the 2023 legislative session. (click on the link - or watch below...) It’s helpful to review at this time as we prepare to work with our coalition partners, policy committee, and Governing Board to develop a legislative agenda for 2024. We invite you to listen and always welcome your feedback!