I’m with the DJ | 3.24.23

Church friends and family,

I pray that you are enjoying the sacredness and joy of Lent this season. This weekend, we are entering the fifth Sunday of Lent. I’ll be preaching on John 11. As always, I want to encourage you to read the whole chapter aloud. Readings aloud is similar to the way the early house churches shared Scriptural letters from one faith community to another.

For bonus points, you can also read Ezekiel 37:1-14. For both passages of the Bible, you can learn more by reading Sanctified Art’s daily devotional. If you don’t have a copy, feel free to reach out to the church office office@fwumc.org.

Here are some ways to stay connected with our faith community…

Clothes Donations

Meredith Hill Elementary is in need of extra

children's socks, underwear and sweatpants for

their health room In case of accidents. There will be a box in the gathering place where you can place your donations.

Thanks for supporting our students in need!

Soup suppers

During Lent, we have soup suppers and a program. The last one this year is on Thursday, March 30. Please join in for dinner and conversation during the last 2 opportunities of this year.

Tomorrow, the first of two services will be held honoring the life of Jan Crews. This first one will be held in Arizona and a livestream is available. The second will be hosted by our church on June 17th.
Please find the livestream link for this Saturday's service below.
vimeo.com/event/3187984/d09db27a62

Below, I’m sharing Hannah Garrity’s artwork and her statement she released with it.

Holy Week invitation

unbind him

by Hannah Garrity

Inspired by John 11:1-45

Paper lace over oil paint on linen

As I met with this text, I was drawn to Jesus’ call for Lazarus to be unbound. To represent the fabrics used in preparation for burial, I wrapped a canvas in linen. You’re not really supposed to do that. The canvas was already stretched and gessoed. It was ready to resist the oil paint medium I was applying. However, the texture of the binding cloth matters for this tactile text. I began to scrape the paint onto the woven strands. The linen fabric absorbed the paint as I scraped it on with a palette knife. In the final image, the linen shows through the paint and the paper lace design, representing the bindings.

Jesus’ call for unbinding also includes the community. The foreshortened hands of the community, tasked with unbinding his body, reach in toward Lazarus. They reach through the concentric binding lines so that he can go free. Can these bones live?

In the strength of community, they can. The community made up of Jews, Gentiles, Samaritans, and others all joined one another at the tomb to grieve for Lazarus that day. They came to support Mary and Martha. Jesus arrives as the community mourns together. Jesus cries in his grief. Their collective tears create the backdrop for this paper lace design. This diverse and neighborly community is who Jesus calls on to do the unbinding. Jesus makes sure that the community knows about this miracle so that they can share

the news. Can these bones live? Lazarus lives, and Jesus’ miracle lives on in the telling.

—Hannah Garrity

I’m with the DJ | 3.15.23

May the Peace of Christ be with you,

I pray that you are experiencing the sacred joy of this Lenten season. This week, we will study the Gospel of John 9:1-7. Please remember to take a look at your Lenten devotional booklet. It’s a really helpful way to stay calibrated with the Scriptures.

As always, our weekly Soup Supper Lenten study will be happening this Thursday at 6pm. It’s a great way to connect with our faith community this season. Just a heads up, starting next week, I’ll be moving the release of my weekly e-note from Wednesday’s to Friday’s.

Below, I’m including an artist statement from Sanctified Art.

son, rise

by T. Denise Anderson Inspired by John 9: 1-7 Oil on canvas

Jesus’ community saw this man’s blindness as a curse or a punishment for sin (either his parents’ sin or his own). While it is true that blindness comes with challenges in a world made for sightedness, it is important that we do not problematize blindness in preaching and teaching this story the way they did. What happened here was an apocalypse—a revelation of the nature of Jesus and the heart and mind of God. That revelation challenged the epistemologies of the community, and it is the ones in the story who’d been sighted all along who were ironically unable to perceive what God was doing.

Jesus said that he “must work the works of him who sent me while it is day” (John 9:4). Daybreak is also an apocalypse of sorts; it reveals what we couldn’t readily see at night and allows us to perceive the work in front of us. In my portrait, I’ve lit this man’s face as if the earth and the sun’s light are moving slowly across the surface, signaling the

dawn of a new day. His eyes remain closed in my portrait because, for me, his newfound sightedness is not the miracle or the most important part of this story. What’s most important is the revelation of who Jesus is. Jesus has been revealed to this man in a way that even the witnesses around him could not comprehend. His encounter with Jesus raises him to a new life and offers the whole community a new understanding of God’s works. It’s a new day for everyone, though that proves to be a difficult gift to receive.

—Rev. Denise Anderson

Special invitation to Federal Way UMC’s Sunrise service

I’m with the DJ | 3.6.23

Hello church friends and families,

Welcome to the 3rd week of Lent. Thank you to the many who joined us for the sacrament of communion yesterday. This weekend we continue our seeking journey by studying John 4:5-20. If you haven’t started using Sanctified Art’s daily devotional, please grab your free copy at our church office or reach out to our admin’s via email office@fwumc.org.

If you would like to watch our latest church service, click here.

Please remember that will continue our Soup Suppers every Thursday night starting at 6pm at the church. This is a great way to connect with old friends, make new ones and engage your faith in community.

Below, I’m including some poetry from our friends at Sanctified Arts. It’s worth reading aloud.

THE THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT

seeking: Will you give me a drink?

blackout poetry

Below is a creative retelling of John 4:6-15, written by Rev. Anna Strickland. As you read the story, use a black marker or pen to underline or circle the words and phrases that speak to you. Then, blackout the rest of the words on the page. From the words that remain, you may find that a new message, poem, or image emerges. Visit this link to view examples of blackout poetry: pinterest.com/sanctifiedart/ blackout-poetry-ideas

Around noon, a Samaritan woman came to the well to get some water. Jesus asked her for a drink of water, which surprised her. She asked, “Why are you, a Jewish man, asking me for a drink? Don’t you know that I am a Samaritan?” Jesus responded, “If you knew who I am, you would be asking me for living water.” The Samaritan woman was confused. She said, “You don’t have a bucket, and the well is too deep to get water without one. Where are you going to get this living water? This is the best well around—our ancestor Jacob drank from it himself!” But Jesus wasn’t talking about that kind of water. He said, “Everyone who drinks the water from this well will get thirsty again. But the water I have to give is like a spring that never runs out, so anyone who drinks it will never be thirsty again.” The Samaritan woman asked Jesus, “Please give me this water so I never have to come back to the well to get water!”

I’m with the DJ | 2.27.23

Church friends and families,

As we wade into this season of Lent together. I’m particularly grateful for our friends at Sanctified Art. Their artists and theologians do a masterful job curating this Lenten season so we may experience the Holy Spirit. If you haven’t picked up the daily devotion we are offering, please drop by the church office or email Sharon office@fwumc.org

I want to encourage you to join me in these daily devotions so we may focus our time and energies on the activity of the Holy one. This Sunday, we will dive deeper into the second week of Lent by studying John 3:1-7. For bonus points, read Genesis 12:1-4a as well. Both texts speak to the heart of our calling to seek in this sacred season. This Thursday, we will also continue our Lenten Soup Suppers at church at 6pm.

I’m including some poetry from our friends at Sanctified Art. It’s a lovely reading that’s worth reading aloud.

THE SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT

seeking: How do we begin again?

how do we begin again?

Do we slide into something new?

Do we make a formal announcement? Dearest reader,

I have decided to begin again. Do we turn gradually, a gentle yield in a new direction; or like a wave,

do we crash onto the shore of a new day?

Do we grieve the change? Are there breadcrumbs on the path? Will Nicodemus be there?

Will it ever be easy?

I’m not sure exactly how we begin again,

but I know that moths wrap themselves in silk,

and after quite some time,

after many long nights,

after days spent alone,

they break out of their shell.

They pull themselves out under open sky,

and they spend the rest of their days chasing the light.

Maybe it’s always that way with beginnings.

Maybe it feels like the protective layer falling away.

Maybe we have to go it alone at first.

Maybe it feels like pulling and dragging yourself into something new. Maybe there’s always open sky at the other end.

I’m with the DJ | 2.22.23

Come join us for the start of Lent as it begins tonight during our Ash Wednesday service at 7pm. Our series this Lenten season is entitled “Seeking”. We will begin tonight with the imposition of Ashes. We will continue worship this Sunday by studying Matthew 4.

I'm with the DJ | 2.9.23

Church friends and families,

It was great to see you online and in person this past Sunday. We started a three week worship series last week entitled “This too shall pass”. This week we continue our study on Jesus Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5. I encourage you all to spend time reading the whole chapter aloud in one sitting. It’s a great way to get a sense of the movement of Jesus teachings.

I also mentioned a project that I’d like to invite each of your to participate in. I’m calling it the “Joy Project”. The concept is simple, I’ll ask you three questions, record our conversation and turn them into both a podcast and add them in these posts as well. If you are interested in a 20 minute conversation, I think us listening to one another is a great way to learn more about one another and how the Holy Spirit is moving within our community. Please let me now if you are interested and we can figure out a time that works for us both.

1. Where are you investing your charitable energy and resources today

2. Who or what are you reading, watching or listening to something interesting?

3. What’s bringing you joy?

I'm with the DJ | 2.1.23

Hello church friends and families,

I’m looking forward to seeing you all this Sunday at worship. As always, we will be sharing worship both in person and online. During our service, we will celebrate the sacrament of communion. If you are planning on worshipping online and in need of communion elements, please contact the church office and we can provide some for you. You are also welcome to provide sacred elements to you. I’ve shared this before, but in the Samoan culture, I had a pastor use coconut milk and the meat as elements. Whatever items you choose, I pray that you join us for a time of gathering and worship together.

We will begin a brief 3-week series entitled “This too shall pass”. We begin with Matthew 5:13-20 this Sunday. I’d love for you to share your response to the question “what do you like to add salt to for flavor”? You can message me, respond in the comments below or by using our online poll here.

See you all in worship soon!

Pastor DJ

I’m with the DJ | 12.7.22

Grace and peace to you this Advent season,

This week, we move into our third week of Advent. If you want to catch up on the first two weeks of worship, you can find them on our Youtube page. This is a season of preparation, anticipation and waiting for the birth of Jesus. The curriculum we are using this year is used with permission from the fine folks at Sanctified Art. Our theme this year is Generation to Generation. I hope you remember that we are providing an Advent online devotional can be found here. We also have printed devotional books lets available in the church office.

This Sunday, we will be taking a closer look at the life of Joseph. In preparation for worship, I want to encourage you to list all of the things you know about Jesus earthly father. If you want a refresher, please feel free to fill out our online poll. We will share the results during worship.

During worship, we have been sharing a few ways that you can join us in being generous to our community. Please take the time to stay after church or come early to learn about the many ways we can support those who could use a little extra support this season. We also recognize that this season can be especially a challenge for those grieving among us. It’s been about a year since my fathers death and I still grieve our loss. If you would like to join us for a special service on December 20th, we will hold a Longest Night service at our church at 6:30pm. That night is literally the longest night of the calendar year. Liturgically, we acknowledge the darkness of the evening and also remember that every night for the next year, the night will yield to the light. Though hope comes in the morning, it can be healthy to acknowledge moments of darkness.

Something I want to make sure you know is what’s happening on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. We are intentionally creating space for December 25th and January 1st in order to provide a healthy break for our staff and incredible volunteers that come early and stay late each Sunday morning (and more). I pray that you join us online for worship these sacred Sundays. You can join us here.

Next week will be my last weekly post for 2022. I have a couple special announcements to share and I hope you get a chance to read it.

Peace be with you,

Pastor DJ

I'm with the DJ | Park on gravel parking lot

Hello friends and family of Federal Way UMC, 

I pray that you and your loved ones are staying safe and warm. Our church paved parking lot has ice over it. While we will still provide in person and online worship tomorrow morning at 10am. If you decide to join us for in person worship, we recommend that you  park on the gravel parking lot only. Another option is that you can also get dropped off at our entranced, we have great volunteers shoveling our entrance as I type this message. As always, we will provide YouTube live worship. You can join us online for live worship tomorrow morning by using this link shorturl.at/bsDH7. To stay up to date regarding Sunday morning worship services and changing weather conditions, we will keep our church webpage up to date as well as send an email out like this. 

Peace be with you and stay safe,

Pastor DJ and the leadership of Federal Way UMC