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Supporting the people of Maui

Lahaina/Maui Fire Relief

United Methodists were among the many people affected by the devastating fire on Maui.

The historic Lahaina United Methodist Church (built in 1922) was among the many buildings which were destroyed in the fire.  Ironically, the church sign survived. The pastor and family were displaced. The pastor reports that no members were killed but many are displaced.   Several worshiped last Sunday at the UMC church in Kahului.  

One way to support the United Methodists in Lahaina is with a financial donation.  Donate to our church and the funds will be forwarded through the United Methodist connections.  Visit our website or write a check with “Lahaina” or “Hawaii” in the memo line.  

For more information about the church, visit

  www.umnews/en/news/special-sanctuary-lost-in-Maui-fires

Last Sunday

On Sunday, I quoted two theologians Christine Valters Paintner and Walter Brueggemann, it’s entitled Blessing for Sabbath as Resistance.

“Multitasking is the drive to be more than we are, to control more than we do, to extend our power and our effectiveness. Such practice yields a divided self, with full attention given to nothing.”

“In our own contemporary context of the rat race of anxiety, the celebration of Sabbath is an act of both resistance and alternative. It is resistance because it is a visible insistence that our lives are not defined by the production and consumption of commodity goods.”

Here’s the poem from Christine Valters Paintner

Sanctifier of holy rest,

on the seventh day you paused,

laying

         down

                  the work

                                of creation

and entered into sacred stillness.

Let us remember we were freed from slavery

in Egypt and you continue to call us

to be people of liberation.

Kindle in us the strength to say no

to a world of perpetual busyness.

Inspire us to set aside our plans

and goals to receive the lavish gift

of rest for ourselves,

to rediscover the Paradise within.Christine Valters Paintner. It’s entitled Blessing for Sabbath.

Sanctifier of holy rest,

on the seventh day you paused,

laying

         down

                  the work

                                of creation

and entered into sacred stillness.

Let us remember we were freed from slavery

in Egypt and you continue to call us

to be people of liberation.

Kindle in us the strength to say no

to a world of perpetual busyness.

Inspire us to set aside our plans

and goals to receive the lavish gift

of rest for ourselves,

to rediscover the Paradise within.

This Sunday

This Sunday, we delve further into our sermon series, "Short Stories of Jesus," with a keen focus on Matthew 14:22-33. This poignant narrative recounts the awe-inspiring moment when Jesus strides upon the turbulent waters to join His disciples amidst a raging storm. While this miracle often spotlights Peter's audacious venture onto the waves, our attention this Sunday turns to the prelude of Jesus' repose and the profound implications that rest holds for us as ardent followers of His teachings.

As we gather to worship this approaching weekend, I invite you to contemplate the multifaceted essence of rest in the context of your faith journey. Reflect upon the intentional repose you seek as a means of nurturing your spiritual connection, and also ponder the significance of the solace you extend to others in their own faith quests.

Let us collectively unravel the layers of meaning entwined within this narrative, drawing parallels between the tranquility Jesus embraced and the sanctity of rest that we, too, can incorporate into the tapestry of our lives. In this pursuit, may we uncover newfound perspectives on rejuvenation, empathy, and the boundless grace that emanates from moments of profound stillness.

Last Sunday

I mentioned during worship Amy-Jill Levine’s book. I’m copying a picture of her book below. It’s well worth a read if you are interested in studying more of Jesus short stories.

Adventure Camp at Fusion starting August 14th!

Camp @ the Fusion Family Center - August 14 - 18, 9:30 - 1:30

We have been invited to partner with several churches in Federal Way to put together a week of day camp for the children living at the Fusion Family Center, which is an emergency family shelter in Federal Way. There will be many opportunities to volunteer to donate/ prepare/serve food, lead a small group, donate/prepare craft items or help lead an activity station. More specific information to come but I wanted to get it on your radar and your calendar! It's a mission trip right in our own backyard!!

Please contact Michelle Thompson if you would like to know more or want to volunteer. md.thompson@earthlink.net

To learn more about Fusion, you can visit their website or use this link.

Last Saturday

Our church was a sponsor of a local Pride event supporting our siblings in Christ. It was fun to visit Wayside UCC and see our church’s logo supporting LGBTQI+ persons. Here’s a photo I took from the August 5th event.

Annual Conference report from Ann M.

The 150th Pacific Northwest Annual Conference (PNWAC) session took place in Tacoma and online June13th, 14th, & 15th, 2023. (There were zoom focus sessions, and a live streamed area opening in the weeks

beforehand as well.)

It’s been 4 years since we had an in-person Annual Conference session, so it’s been a while since I’ve given you a report!

First, as you probably know, we have a new bishop. His name is Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth, and he is amazing. The theme he set for the Annual Conference season for the Greater Northwest Area (which includes Washington, Idaho, Oregon, & Alaska) was “Go and Do Likewise,” from the good Samaritan story in Luke 10: 30-37. In a series of messages beginning with his installation service on May 20th and ending with closing session on June 15th, Bishop Bridgeforth laid out a plan for ministry called MILE. He encouraged us to live it out by praying with our feet, healing with our words, and loving with our resources. He suggested our perspective depends on whether we are looking in a mirror or through a window. Looking in a mirror gives us a reflection of ourselves – a view of what’s familiar, and we see ourselves in relation to what is behind us. But a mirror blocks what is in front of us. Bishop Bridgeforth is encouraging us to look beyond the mirror, through the window, to see what is going on around and in front of us. He calls this “window work” versus “mirror talk.” He introduced the theme in the sermon at his installation service and opening of the Greater Northwest Area Annual Conference, and in each subsequent sermon, he stressed one of the letters in MILE. In the opening sermon for the Alaska Annual Conference, he explained that “M” is for Ministry that Matters, particularly in areas of housing and health. At the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference opening, he explained that the “I” stands for Itineration and location. At the PNW conference opening, he told us that the “L” is for lay ministry enhancement. And, at the closing, he talked about the “E”, which is elimination of racism. I would love to tell you more, but instead I strongly suggest you go to these sermons and take a listen. There are some repeats between them, but it’s well worth listening anyway!

Here’s the link: https://pnwumc.org/ac2023/

There were 17 petitions passed, as well as many ministry reports received during the session. 12 of the petitions were administrative, including the closing of two churches in the conference: Pe Ell UMC, and East Wenatchee Trinity UMC.

One petition, titled “Solidarity with the Filipino People,” urges our elected leaders to support the Philippines Human Rights Act, and pledges to “educate our members of our congregations on the existing conditions of the Filipino people, monitor the ongoing human rights crisis” and “advocate for a just and lasting peace” for the Filipino people. If you are interested in finding out more, click on the link to the petitions that I will put in at the end of this report.

We passed 4 petitions related to reducing our carbon footprint. Two of them were split and passed in two parts, so I will tell you about 6. (If you look up the link to the petitions, you will not see the splits!)

1. Directing the conference treasurer’s office to send a letter to the Faith Foundation Northwest

requesting they divest its funds and all funds held in trust from fossil fuels.

2. Inviting local churches to do an internal review of church investments, and invites churches to consider divesting all funds from fossil fuels

3. By the end of 2023, local churches are invited to begin to build relationships outside their local churches to hear stories of new practices of environmental justice, to better understand the expertise developed by those with lived experience of environmental harms. Local churches are

also invited to prioritize partnerships with environmental and climate justice organizations led by Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Women, and Youth, as well as those serving low-income communities.

4. A petition directing the conference to come up with a job description, and begin the hiring process for a full time Creation Justice Liaison was referred to the connectional table for further work, with instructions for them to come back with a report to the next AC session.

5. A petition asking for the conference secretary to write up a petition for the General Conference 2024, asking for “fossil Fuels” to be added to the investment screens in Paragraph 717 of the UMC book of Discipline.

6. Finally, a petition inviting the Conference to pledge to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040, and encourages local churches to pledge to increase their energy efficiency by 50% by 2030.

Here is a link to the original petitions as they were submitted: https://pnwumc.org/ac2023/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2023-Recommendations-revised-5-31-23.pdf

Ministry reports included more than I can list! (90 pages worth.) The link for these reports is here:

https://pnwumc.org/ac2023/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2023-Reports-6-1-23.pdf

We had several worship opportunities, including a retirement ceremony, a memorial service, ordination, as well as opening and closing worship. There’s so much I didn’t list here, and I’m happy to provide more

information to anyone interested! See a video of our conference secretary Shirley DeLarme giving a summary of the session here: https://pnwumc.org/ac2023/report-of-the-annual-conference-secretary-pnwac23/

Please let me know if you have questions or want more information!

In Christ,

Ann Mayer. Lay Member of Annual Conference

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This Sunday

Church friends and families,

I pray that you are all enjoying the lovely Pacific Northwest weather as we all venture into August together. We continue our sermon series this weekend as we study the teachings of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. If you would like to prepare for this weekend, the Scripture I’ll be preaching on is Matthew 14:13-21. Please remember that we will also be celebrating Holy Communion, for folks joining us online, please remember to have sacred elements ready after the sermon.

Last Sunday

I mentioned during worship Amy-Jill Levine’s book. I’m copying a picture of her book below. It’s well worth a read if you are interested in studying more of Jesus short stories.

Adventure Camp at Fusion

Camp @ the Fusion Family Center - August 14 - 18, 9:30 - 1:30

We have been invited to partner with several churches in Federal Way to put together a week of day camp for the children living at the Fusion Family Center, which is an emergency family shelter in Federal Way. There will be many opportunities to volunteer to donate/ prepare/serve food, lead a small group, donate/prepare craft items or help lead an activity station. More specific information to come but I wanted to get it on your radar and your calendar! It's a mission trip right in our own backyard!!

Please contact Michelle Thompson if you would like to know more or want to volunteer. md.thompson@earthlink.net

To learn more about Fusion, you can visit their website or use this link.

Coming up

A note from Steve Mayer -

It's time for the second annual Federal Way Pride Event.  Federal Way United Methodist Church is once again a sponsor of this event which will be held Saturday, August 5th, 2023 at Wayside United Church of Christ. The hours are noon-9pm and you can come for as long or short as you like.  Whether you are part of the LGBTQIA+ community or are an ally, we'd love to see you there.

Annual Conference report from Ann M.

The 150th Pacific Northwest Annual Conference (PNWAC) session took place in Tacoma and online June13th, 14th, & 15th, 2023. (There were zoom focus sessions, and a live streamed area opening in the weeks

beforehand as well.)

It’s been 4 years since we had an in-person Annual Conference session, so it’s been a while since I’ve given you a report!

First, as you probably know, we have a new bishop. His name is Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth, and he is amazing. The theme he set for the Annual Conference season for the Greater Northwest Area (which includes Washington, Idaho, Oregon, & Alaska) was “Go and Do Likewise,” from the good Samaritan story in Luke 10: 30-37. In a series of messages beginning with his installation service on May 20th and ending with closing session on June 15th, Bishop Bridgeforth laid out a plan for ministry called MILE. He encouraged us to live it out by praying with our feet, healing with our words, and loving with our resources. He suggested our perspective depends on whether we are looking in a mirror or through a window. Looking in a mirror gives us a reflection of ourselves – a view of what’s familiar, and we see ourselves in relation to what is behind us. But a mirror blocks what is in front of us. Bishop Bridgeforth is encouraging us to look beyond the mirror, through the window, to see what is going on around and in front of us. He calls this “window work” versus “mirror talk.” He introduced the theme in the sermon at his installation service and opening of the Greater Northwest Area Annual Conference, and in each subsequent sermon, he stressed one of the letters in MILE. In the opening sermon for the Alaska Annual Conference, he explained that “M” is for Ministry that Matters, particularly in areas of housing and health. At the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference opening, he explained that the “I” stands for Itineration and location. At the PNW conference opening, he told us that the “L” is for lay ministry enhancement. And, at the closing, he talked about the “E”, which is elimination of racism. I would love to tell you more, but instead I strongly suggest you go to these sermons and take a listen. There are some repeats between them, but it’s well worth listening anyway!

Here’s the link: https://pnwumc.org/ac2023/

There were 17 petitions passed, as well as many ministry reports received during the session. 12 of the petitions were administrative, including the closing of two churches in the conference: Pe Ell UMC, and East Wenatchee Trinity UMC.

One petition, titled “Solidarity with the Filipino People,” urges our elected leaders to support the Philippines Human Rights Act, and pledges to “educate our members of our congregations on the existing conditions of the Filipino people, monitor the ongoing human rights crisis” and “advocate for a just and lasting peace” for the Filipino people. If you are interested in finding out more, click on the link to the petitions that I will put in at the end of this report.

We passed 4 petitions related to reducing our carbon footprint. Two of them were split and passed in two parts, so I will tell you about 6. (If you look up the link to the petitions, you will not see the splits!)

1. Directing the conference treasurer’s office to send a letter to the Faith Foundation Northwest

requesting they divest its funds and all funds held in trust from fossil fuels.

2. Inviting local churches to do an internal review of church investments, and invites churches to consider divesting all funds from fossil fuels

3. By the end of 2023, local churches are invited to begin to build relationships outside their local churches to hear stories of new practices of environmental justice, to better understand the expertise developed by those with lived experience of environmental harms. Local churches are

also invited to prioritize partnerships with environmental and climate justice organizations led by Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Women, and Youth, as well as those serving low-income communities.

4. A petition directing the conference to come up with a job description, and begin the hiring process for a full time Creation Justice Liaison was referred to the connectional table for further work, with instructions for them to come back with a report to the next AC session.

5. A petition asking for the conference secretary to write up a petition for the General Conference 2024, asking for “fossil Fuels” to be added to the investment screens in Paragraph 717 of the UMC book of Discipline.

6. Finally, a petition inviting the Conference to pledge to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040, and encourages local churches to pledge to increase their energy efficiency by 50% by 2030.

Here is a link to the original petitions as they were submitted: https://pnwumc.org/ac2023/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2023-Recommendations-revised-5-31-23.pdf

Ministry reports included more than I can list! (90 pages worth.) The link for these reports is here:

https://pnwumc.org/ac2023/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2023-Reports-6-1-23.pdf

We had several worship opportunities, including a retirement ceremony, a memorial service, ordination, as well as opening and closing worship. There’s so much I didn’t list here, and I’m happy to provide more

information to anyone interested! See a video of our conference secretary Shirley DeLarme giving a summary of the session here: https://pnwumc.org/ac2023/report-of-the-annual-conference-secretary-pnwac23/

Please let me know if you have questions or want more information!

In Christ,

Ann Mayer. Lay Member of Annual Conference

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Last Sunday

Hi Everyone,

I hope that you had the chance to listen to the Reverend John Edgar, author of "A Front Porch for All People" join us as a guest preacher on July 23rd. Both his sermon and the conversation with our community after the service were inspiring. If you would like to watch his sermon, you can go to our Youtube page (Federal Way United Methodist Church) or use this link.

This Sunday

We start a new sermon series this weekend as we study the parables of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. If you would like to prepare for this weekend, the Scripture I’ll be preaching on is Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52.

Adventure Camp at Fusion

Camp @ the Fusion Family Center - August 14 - 18, 9:30 - 1:30

We have been invited to partner with several churches in Federal Way to put together a week of day camp for the children living at the Fusion Family Center, which is an emergency family shelter in Federal Way. There will be many opportunities to volunteer to donate/ prepare/serve food, lead a small group, donate/prepare craft items or help lead an activity station. More specific information to come but I wanted to get it on your radar and your calendar! It's a mission trip right in our own backyard!!

Please contact Michelle Thompson if you would like to know more or want to volunteer. md.thompson@earthlink.net

To learn more about Fusion, you can visit their website or use this link.

Coming up

A note from Steve Mayer -

It's time for the second annual Federal Way Pride Event.  Federal Way United Methodist Church is once again a sponsor of this event which will be held Saturday, August 5th, 2023 at Wayside United Church of Christ. The hours are noon-9pm and you can come for as long or short as you like.  Whether you are part of the LGBTQIA+ community or are an ally, we'd love to see you there.

I'm with the DJ

This Sunday

Hi Everyone,

I pray that as you are reading this, that you are having a lovely summer. I’m looking forward to seeing you all online and in person this weekend. We will have a special guest, the Reverend John Edgar, author of "A Front Porch for All People" will join us as a guest preacher this weekend. In addition, I’m excited to share that he will stay after the service for further conversation with those interested. For those interested, I have included a picture of his book below.

Adventure Camp at Fusion

Camp @ the Fusion Family Center - August 14 - 18, 9:30 - 1:30

We have been invited to partner with several churches in Federal Way to put together a week of day camp for the children living at the Fusion Family Center, which is an emergency family shelter in Federal Way. There will be many opportunities to volunteer to donate/ prepare/serve food, lead a small group, donate/prepare craft items or help lead an activity station. More specific information to come but I wanted to get it on your radar and your calendar! It's a mission trip right in our own backyard!!

Please contact Michelle Thompson if you would like to know more or want to volunteer. md.thompson@earthlink.net

To learn more about Fusion, you can visit their website or use this link.

I’m with the DJ

Last Sunday

What a wonderful Sunday this past week with our guest Ms. Katherine Parker! Ms. Parker shared some of the missions work she does with the people of Nepal. If you would like to watch last weeks service, you can use this link.

If you would like to know more about our global missionary partners, particularly Ms. Katherine’s work, click here.

Coming up

This Saturday on June 17th, we will celebrate the beautiful life of a beloved member Jan Crews. The service will begin at 1 pm. We plan to livestream her service via YouTube. You can use the link here.

Following the service, I will be going on my planed personal leave. Our church planter and community developer Caleb will be preaching and serving as pastoral care through July 13th. Rev. Brian will preach the 16th.

During this time, I’ll be taking a break from these weekly e-notes as well. As always, if you receive an email claiming to be from me or someone from the church asking for money or gift cards in any way that seems secretive or unethical, please call the church office to confirm.

Local Outreach Opportunity

Adventure Camp @ the Fusion Family Center – August 14 – 18, 9:30 – 1:30

A note from Michelle Thompson

We have been invited to partner with several churches in Federal Way to put together a week of day camp for the children living at the Fusion Family Center which is an emergency family shelter in Federal Way. There will be many opportunities to volunteer to donate/prepare/serve food, lead a small group, donate/prepare craft items or help lead an activity station. More specific information to come but I wanted to get it on your radar and your calendar! It’s a mission trip right in our own backyard!!

Please contact Michelle Thompson if you would like to know more or want to volunteer md.thompson@earthlink.net

Generosity update

Thanks for Supporting Meredith Hill Elementary (an update from our partners at Meredith HIll)

This year our church has helped Meredith Hill Elementary in multiple ways:

• Food4Families

• shopped, bagged and delivered meals for 16 families weekly

• provided additional food, gift cards and clothing to one family who had a house fire and needed some emergency assistance

• partnered with school on two very fruitful food drives that helped offset the cost of groceries

• purchased gift cards during the holidays for distribution to families through Meredith Hill Cares

• a member volunteered weekly in a second grade classroom

• bought socks and underwear for students in need of a change of clothes during the school day

• provided morning treats for teachers during student led conferences during the month of March

• prayed and provided help for a teacher battling brain cancer

Our partnership with this local elementary school makes a difference in the lives of students, staff, and families.  Thank you for reaching out in love to these members of our immediate community!

Resources

South King County Tools is a great resource for lending tools, learning more about how to do diy home repair and more. We hosted a table for them not long ago, if you want to learn more, click here.

Peace be with you church,

Pastor DJ

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Update

On June 17th, our church will host a memorial service for one of our longtime members, Jan Crews. The service will begin at 1 pm. We plan to livestream her service via YouTube. You can use the link here.

On June 17th, our church will host a memorial service for one of our longtime members, Jan Crews. The service will begin at 1 pm. We plan to livestream her service via YouTube. You can use the link by clicking the YouTube photo.

This week

This Sunday, our missionary partner, Katherine Parker, will be our guest preacher. It is a special gift that she will be visiting us. After the service, she will stay for a short while to deepen our conversation. If you would like to learn more about Katherine's work, you can click here.

Please also remember that we are still collecting "Jars for Jamaa Letu." This is an easy way to support the two orphanages in the Congo that our church helps fund. The money collected goes towards supporting operating expenses, including food, shelter, clothing, school fees, medical care, and staff salaries. Colorful labels for the jars are still available each Sunday. Please tape them to your own jar and collect cash until mid-June. Alternatively, you can make a donation in the offering plate or on the website.

Coming up

On June 17th, our church will host a memorial service for one of our longtime members, Jan Crews. The service will begin at 1 pm. We plan to livestream her service via YouTube. You can use the link here.

In July, we have a special guest coming. The author of "A Front Porch for All People" will join us as a guest preacher and for further conversation after the service on July 23rd. For those interested, I have included a picture of his book below.

Thanks for Supporting Meredith Hill Elementary

This year our church has helped Meredith Hill Elementary in multiple ways:

*provided meals for 17 families weekly through the Food Backpack Program (is this the correct name of the program?)

*purchased gift cards for distribution to families through Meredith Hill Cares

*a member volunteered weekly in a second grade classroom

*bought socks and underwear for students in need of a change of clothes during the school day

*provided morning treats for teachers during student led conferences during the month of March

*prayed and provided help for a teacher battling brain cancer

Our partnership with this local elementary school makes a difference in the lives of students, staff, and families.  Thank you for reaching out in love to these members of our immediate community!

I’m with the DJ

Last Sunday:

What a wonderful celebration of Pentecost! Thank you to the many who joined us for worship, both online and in person. During worship, I shared that we now have an official online greeter named Steve. Just like our greeters in person on Sunday mornings, Steve has volunteered to welcome people online and provide ways to engage during worship. We are extremely grateful for his creative leadership!

This Sunday:

We will be celebrating the sacrament of Holy Communion this Sunday. If you plan to worship with us online, please prepare sacred elements to join us remotely. For those worshiping in person, we strive to offer allergy-friendly options. If there is a way we can serve you better, please let us know.

This coming Monday marks the last online gathering of our weekly study on Amy-Jill Levine’s book, "The Difficult Words of Jesus." If you are interested in joining us, please inform me.

Coming up:

June 11th:

In just a few short weeks, our missionary partner Katherine Parker will be our guest preacher. It is a special gift that she will be visiting us. After the service, she will stay for a short while to deepen our conversation. If you would like to learn more about Katherine's work, you can click here.

Please also remember that we are still collecting "Jars for Jamaa Letu." This is an easy way to support the two orphanages in the Congo that our church helps fund. The money collected goes towards supporting operating expenses, including food, shelter, clothing, school fees, medical care, and staff salaries. Colorful labels for the JARS are still available each Sunday. Please tape them to your own jar and collect cash until mid-June. Alternatively, you can make a donation in the offering plate or on the website.

July 23rd:

We will have a special guest preacher, John Edgar, who wrote a fascinating book titled "A Front Porch for All People." Rev. Edgar will share some of his experiences and insights that Sunday. Additionally, we are working with him to facilitate a deeper conversation after the service. Please mark your calendars for this exciting opportunity to learn how we can serve our community together.

Peace be with you,

Rev.DJ

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Pentecost this Sunday

This Sunday we get to celebrate Pentecost. I want to encourage you to read Acts 1-2 to prepare for worship this Sunday. As you do, take some time to consider moments in your life when you gathered in large groups. What did you experience? How did if feel to be in a large gathering? Famed author Brene Brown worked on a project with The RSA defining Empathy and Sympathy. Here’s a link to a short video that is profound.

Amy-Jill Levine online study

We are off to a great start with our weekly study of Amy-Jill Levine’s book “The difficult words of Jesus”. If you are interested in joining us on Mondays at noon, please let me know.

Katherine Parker on June 11th

In just a few short weeks, missionary partner Katherine Parker will be our guest preacher. It’s a special gift that she’ll be itinerating our way. She will also stay after the service for a short while so we can deepen our conversation.

Bishop Bridgeforth

Our Bishop was recently installed as a newly appointment Bishop of the Greater Northwest Conference in Alaska. He preached a great sermon.I want to encourage you to watch his sermon, you can watch it by clicking here. If you want to learn more about Bishop Bridgeforth, please visit greaternw.org/bishop-cedrick-bridgeforth/.

I'm with the DJ

This Sunday

Don’t forget that we will be celebrating Ann M’s 10+ years of ministry serving at our church at the end of our service and afterwards. I hope that you are able to join us as we celebrate together.

Amy-Jill Levine online study

We are off to a great start with our weekly study of Amy-Jill Levine’s book “The difficult words of Jesus”. If you are interested in joining us on Mondays at noon, please let me know.

Jars for Jamaa Letu

Jars for Jamaa Letu is a way to support the two orphanages in the Congo which our church helps fund.  The money goes to support the operating expenses, including food, shelter, clothing, school fees, medical care and salaries for the staff.

A colorful label for JARS will be available this Sunday.  Tape it to your own jar and collect cash from now until mid-June.  Or, make a donation in the offering plate or on the website.

I’m with the DJ

Getting ready for communion

This Sunday, we will participate in the sacrament of communion together. Whether you join us online or in-person, I’m attaching a great article for you to think about as we prepare for Holy Communion. To read the article, click here.

New members

Toward the end of worship, we will also be welcoming two new members. You will get a chance to meet Theresa and Jessica. They have both attended membership classes. Theresa, her husband and uncle regularly attend our services. Jessica and her daughter have also been attending. I hope that you join us in welcoming them to our faith community.

After they share their desire to join our faith community and the United Methodist Church, In response, the congregation will have a chance to covenant as well by reciting the following words…

Congregational Response:  We give thanks for all that God has already given you and we welcome you in Christian love.  As members together with you in the body of Christ and in this congregation of The United Methodist Church, we renew our covenant faithfully to participate in the ministries of the church by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service and our witness, that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.

It’s a sacred and wonderful joy to welcome new members to our church family. Please be sure to take the time to get to know our newest members.

See you all soon this Sunday,

Pastor DJ

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Sunday worship

This Sunday, one of our groups the United Women in Faith (formerly United Methodist Women) will be leading us in worship. If you would like to learn more about the UWiF, use this link. Our organist Rev. Jan Skaggs will be the guest preacher for us. Jan serves as the organist of our church.

White Allyship: What It Means to Be an Antiracist Ally

The United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race is hosting a webinar on May 17th. For those interested in leaning more about how to be an antiracist ally click here.

Food for thought

I mentioned last Sunday, “How to feng shui your fridge -- and other happy climate hacks”. Here is a link to the great Ted Talk.

Want to be in a book study with me?

Recently I mentioned that I plan on offering an online study based off of Amy Jill-Levine’s book “The Difficult Words of Jesus: A beginners guide to His most perplexing teachings”. If you are interested in joining this study, will you please sign up here? Our 5 week study will begin the first week of May.

Faith in Action

I’m on Faith Action Networks email list and they sent me something that may be interesting to you. I’m copying what they wrote below.

“Stand with Airport Workers

You are invited to stand in solidarity with airport workers this week on Thursday, April 27, at 12:30pm at Gate 00 at SeaTac airport. We have just celebrated a month of sacred days — Eid and Ramadan, Passover, Easter, Vaisakhi Day, Buddha's birthday, and more. Let's move our faith into action with our friends at SEIU 6 this Thursday. Their monthly meeting will include prayers from faith traditions their workers belong to, as they organize for adequate healthcare coverage.

Learn more about the Healthcare for SeaTac Airport Workers campaign. Sign their petition here. And let us know if you can show up this Thursday 4/27 at SeaTac airport at 12:30pm.”

Peace be with you church,

Pastor DJ