Beacon News Article

December 18, 2018

5 Resources for Better Church Meetings

Reposted from ECF Vital Practices, by Brendon Hunter, Feb. 21, 2018. This month we offer five resources to help your vestry or other church group have more engaging and productive meetings. Please share this digest with new members of your vestry and extend an invitation to subscribe to ECF Vital Practices to receive Vestry Papers and the monthly digest. 1. The Consent Agenda: More Efficient MeetingsThe Consent Agenda: More Efficient Meetingsintroduces the concept and practice of using a consent agenda and how this makes space for strategic mission and ministry discussions without adding to the length of a meeting. – 2. Creative JuicesCreative Juices looks […]

December 18, 2018

The Children’s Pageant of 2018

St. Christopher’s children once again preached the Gospel to us in the form of a Christmas Pageant – a play telling of the birth of the Savior of the World, Jesus. The enactment featured 9 of our children reciting lines and singing two songs, the central piece “I Know Who He Was” followed by a fairwell in song, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” Many thanks to all the children who participated; to parents, grandparents, and guardians who where so actively helpful throughout the whole process; and to Annaka Thibodeaux who coordinated the Pageant.

December 18, 2018

Hope, a Blue Christmas, and Joining Hands with Steamboat Island Church

On December 13th St. Christopher’s jointly sponsored A Blue Christmas Service with Steamboat Island Church. Fr. James preached the sermon, Pr. Heather consecrated the Eucharist, and they both shared in the leading the other parts of the liturgy. The service is geared for anyone whose Holiday Season is more ‘blue’ in feeling than the “Holly Jolly” reds and greens. “Sometimes we feel forced into being all ‘happy and nice’ during the season of Advent and Christmas. The reality is that life isn’t always easy or pleasant, even during the Holidays and sometimes especially because of them. The Blue Christmas Service […]

December 12, 2018

Living Stones Prison Congregation: Views from the Inside

Reposted from “The Rock” , the newsletter of Living Stones Prison Congregation, Shelton, WA

December 12, 2018

When Students and Inmates are Classmates

Reposted from Living Lutheran. Click here for the original article. Victoria Rose Meek has a hard time choosing only one moment for when she realized how much of an impact the Inside Out Prison Exchange Program had on her, her California Lutheran University (Thousand Oaks) classmates or the students serving time at the Todd Road Ventura County Jail. Perhaps the moment she remembers most vividly started when an inmate admitted he signed up for the university course because he had nothing better to do. “By the end he [was] literally thanking each one of us because he said that after that class, he […]

December 11, 2018

The People’s Gathering: A Revolution of Consciousness Conference on April 2, 2019

3rd annual The People’s Gathering: A Revolution of Consciousness Conference on APRIL 2, 2019! Reposted from the Southwestern Washington Synod news. This one-day conference brings together individuals from local and state governments, business, education, non-profit, and health care sectors to have frank and open conversations about race, equity, and inclusion. Participants in the first two conferences have expressed that its format, high-caliber facilitators, and open, welcoming energy make it a unique personal and professional development opportunity. This year, you can look forward to the fantastic Dr. Kathy Obear as one of our featured speakers. Synod staff have attended the last […]

December 6, 2018

Episcopal Church Foundation Mourns Pres. Geo. Bush

ECF mourns the passing of President George H.W. Bush December 6, 2018. From the Episcopal Church Foundation newsletter. ECF FONDLY REMEMBERS PRESIDENT GEORGE H.W. BUSH The Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF) mourns the loss of George H.W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States and a fellow Episcopalian. He served ECF as a board member, a member of the Executive Council and the Advisory Council for a total of 24 years from 1968 to 1992. We knew President Bush as a man of great faith and humility. [Click here to read more.]

November 27, 2018

Bishop Rickel’s Advent Message

As we prepare to enter Advent, that season of preparation and expectation before Christmas, Bishop Rickel offers his blessings for the season and several resources for your journey through Advent. Advent Resources: Journeying the Way of Love Resources Preparing to Become the Beloved Community Contact Info The Rt. Rev. Greg Rickel Bishop of Olympia 1551 10th Ave E Seattle, Washington 98102 206-325-4200 206-325-4631 FAX grickel@ecww.org http://www.bishoprickel.com

November 27, 2018

Advent Festival Postponed Untill Next Year (2018)

“Wha’?! No Advent Festival?” Yep. Afraid so, for 2018 anyway. This year we’ve got pageant practices for the children going on at the same time and we’re just coming off of our Thanksgiving week, filled with service activities with the foodbank and a lovely pie feed and joint Thanksgiving service. So we’re pacing ourselves a little bit as we head towards Christmas. Don’t forget to join us on December 16th for the Children’s Christmas Pageant!

November 25, 2018

Pictures from our Thanksgiving at St. Christopher’s

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Our Thanksgiving Service on Wed, Nov. 21, 2018 was a lovely event! Present were worshipers from three other congregations – St. Benedict’s (Lacey), St. John’s (Olympia), and St. David of Wales (Shelton). Deacons, Barb Wesa and Teri Lolcama and Fathers R.C. Laird and James Thibodeaux lead worship. We gave thanks for many things and heard a good sermon by Fr. R.C about the history and nature of celebrating Thanksgiving. Then, following the service, we had pie.. lots and lots of pie! Thanks to all the pie makers and our kitchen hosts coordinated by Linda Karamatic. The event was a great […]

November 22, 2018

Bishop Rickel’s Thanksgiving Message

November 20, 2018

POW! St. Christopher’s Socks it to Hunger this Thanksgiving!

St. Christopher’s socks it to hunger this week combining forces with Thurston County Foodbank. On Nov. 19th Thanksgiving boxes were distributed to 20 local households! But we’re not finished yet, oh no! Our own Karli Plughoff organized a group of children and youth, many from St. Christopher’s including the Merchant’s, Plughoff’s, Hackney’s, and Thibodeaux’s, to serve through the Foobbanks’ FORKids program, packing weekend food bags for other youth/children in need. BAM! BOOM! Take THAT, Hunger!

November 13, 2018

Leadership Update: 2018 Goals in Review

[by Fr. James] I want to give thanks for the Bishop’s Council (our governing board) and their hard work this year. I also want to brag about them a little. They have worked very hard on your behalf, they kept focus, laughed together, shared their thoughts and values honestly, listened to each other, and made significant steps forward for our community. Here’s some of the stuff that’s been happening behind the scenes… At the beginning of 2018 the Bishop’s Council determined three goals to focus our efforts upon. We call these our Mutual Ministry Goals (or MMG’s). Building Presence (in the […]

November 6, 2018

Pledge Harvest Luncheon is Sunday, Nov. 11th

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.

November 5, 2018

St. Christopher’s Holds Candlelight Vigil Against Violence

On Thursday, November 1st, The Feast of All the Saints, St. Christopher’s opened its doors for Evening Prayer at 5:30. That’s not unusual since we have Evening Prayer every Thursday at 5:30. But this time there were more candles and more concerns. In the wake of 72 hours of violence the preceding week, children and adults gathered around the Christ Candle and the Baptismal waters to light our own candles and pray. It was simple. It was profound. It was healing. But this wasn’t just about us. It was also about our nation and our society. We prayed for us […]

November 5, 2018

Dio Olympia: “This is Us…” But who will be our bishop?

Bishop Greg Rickel of the Diocese of Olympia addresses the Convention and the Diocese in this video. He describes where we have been and where we are headed. The Bishop invites us into a time of discernment about the future of the diocese and its leadership… including who will be our bishop? See the video to learn more…

November 5, 2018

Leadership and The Sixth Commandment

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. […]

November 5, 2018

Church finds new life, focusing on ‘congregation’ outside its walls

REDEEMER LUTHERAN BECOMES ‘BEACON OF HOPE’ IN NORTH MINNEAPOLIS [Article from Faith & Leadership] The first time the Rev. Kelly Chatman stepped into the pulpit at Redeemer Lutheran Church 17 years ago, he looked out at his new congregation — 30, maybe 35 people at the most — and got a sinking feeling in his stomach. “I wondered if I had made a mistake,” he said recently. After 25 years spent mostly in education and church administration, Chatman had decided to try his hand at being a local church pastor. He had walked away from a prestigious and comfortable position […]