In celebration of the faithful generosity of you and all the congregation we invite you to T he Pledge Harvest Luncheon sponsored by the Stewardship Committee. After the 10:30am service on November 11th. Come let us say ‘Thank you’ to you for your support. “Many of the best thank you’s are edible.” – Proverb of St. Rhonert the Forgotten. You can RSVP here.
By Rev. Kim Latterell, Synod Bishop’s Associate Given the craven state of affairs among our current political leadership, perhaps it is fitting, a ripe time to recall the Sixth Commandment, its prohibitions and encouragements. As the commandments are meant to both address human sin and guide civil life for the good of all, a refresher about fidelity seems timely. Regarding adultery, Luther in his Small Catechism explains the Sixth Commandment this way: We are to fear and love God, so that we lead pure and decent lives in word and deed. And each of us loves and honors our spouse. […]
Dear Sisters and Brothers, In the last few days we have seen the evil within our society erupt once more – the shootingof two people of African-American descent after a failed attempt to enter a predominantly African American Church; the mailing of pipe bombs to the Clintons, Obamas, CNN, and others; and the violent slaughter of worshipers at a Synagogue in an anti-semitic rampage. [click here for the CNN article] First, please add the victims, their families and friends to your prayers. Prayer is mystical. It can, in ways we often cannot see or do not expect, change things. What’s […]
Dumas Bay Conference Center, Federal Way | October 19-21 | $100 (includes all lodging, meals, materials!) Come and See… Go and Tell offers an experience of spiritual renewal. Guests will experience God’s unconditional love while deepening their understanding of Jesus’ teachings. Stories of faith presented on the weekend encourage living out our baptismal covenant in the world. Guest cost of $100 includes all retreat materials, all meals and snacks and 2 night’s lodging. MORE INFO
Our church Facebook page is publishing daily prayers for Lent. You can take a look at www.facebook.com/stchristopherolympia. And if you are looking for daily Bible readings they can be found at www.dailylectio.net.
Lent begins on February 14th and Bishop Greg Rickel (Episcopal Diocese of Olympia) introduces this year’s Lenten Book Selection – The Book of Common Prayer. Hear Bishop Rickel’s thoughts on this essential tool for our life together as the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia. The Diocesan Resource Center Coordinator, Sue Tait, has compiled a list of resources to aid in our exploration of the Book of Common Prayer.
Calling All Members! The All-church Annual Meeting is Sunday, January 28th. Everyone is invited. This is a required meeting for all church members. At the meeting we will… …review God’s blessings and the challenges of 2017. …look at our strategies and goals for 2018. …approve our spending plan for 2018 (i.e. the budget). …through spiritual discernment, elect our representative congregational leaders Come take part in the life, ministry, and direction of your faith-family! Refreshments provided.
Bishop Jaech (pictured left in the purple bishop’s shirt) says he’s honored to be part of an ELCA delegation, led by Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, which is on its way to Israel to attend the installation of the newly elected bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land. Bishop Sani Ibrahim Azar will be installed on Friday at the historic Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in the Old City of East Jerusalem. Representatives of Lutheran churches from throughout the world will be present to celebrate this event with Palestinian Lutherans, who play a crucial role within Israeli society at this […]
The words of the prophet Isaiah set the tone for the season of Advent, the time of expectation and preparation for the joy of Christmas. This Advent, we’re studying the words of Isaiah during our Sunday morning education hour at St. Christopher’s….
Jesus isn’t polite in this story—he’s something so much more than that. He’s generous. Jesus made a public display of it, made sure every knew he accepted Zacchaeus, the chief tax-collector, the guy no one accepted….
Because here’s the crazy thing about humility. The people who know the most about it probably never talk about humility. They probably don’t think about it, either. They’re too busy thinking and talking about things outside themselves; they’re too busy being humble.
We’re used to thinking of gratitude as something to do after our problem is solved, but the story of the ten lepers complicates that notion. In the story, gratitude is as much a part of the healing as the curing of the disease….
If you ask me, I think that’s a pretty good statement of what the church ought to be about: we’re to be a sign—big enough that anyone can read it—that God isn’t finished with this world….
How can we live with simplicity, joy, and generosity? This month we’re talking about our relationship to money and how it relates to our calling as people of faith. Join in the conversation….
How can we learn from the poor? What is our responsibility to care for the poor and to advocate for justice on their behalf? These are the sorts of questions we’ll be asking this September and October in our weekly education hour….
The poets are always calling us back to the here and now, and so is our faith. It’s the message of the gospel, really: God shows up in ordinary stuff. In human life; in words and in water; in bread and wine, broken and poured out….
Racing has never been one of my favorite images the Bible offers us for the life of faith. Maybe it’s because I often feel rushed in my daily life, moving so quickly from one thing to the next; maybe it’s because speed has never been what you might call my greatest virtue….
The St. Christopher’s grounds are now home to the Open Hands Food Bank Garden. Members of the church and wider community have planted a garden to grow food for the Thurston County Food Bank….
Where do you listen for God? This question is behind the short stories collected in Listening for God–and the challenge is to pay attention everywhere. The book promises both to be fun summer reading and to spark great conversation….
