Moments 4 Mission February 2026

A Word from the Bishop

One of the great joys of my years serving in congregations was standing alongside people who saw a need and simply responded. I learned quickly that feeding ministries are never just about food. They are about dignity, relationship, trust, and the quiet proclamation that God has not forgotten anyone. Around tables and in food lines, stories are shared, grace is received, and the gospel is lived out in tangible ways, offering both nourishment and hope.

That is why I am especially grateful for our partnership with ELCA World Hunger and for the opportunity for the Southwestern Washington Synod, ELCA to receive and distribute Daily Bread Feeding Ministry Grants across our synod. In a year when ELCA World Hunger received more than 1,000 requests for support nationwide, these one-time grants of up to $500 are helping congregations continue and strengthen the feeding ministries they already carry with such faithfulness.

Through this partnership, the following congregations in our synod received Daily Bread Feeding Ministry Grants and are continuing this holy work in their communities:

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Port Angeles

Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Tacoma

Calvary Lutheran Church, Federal Way

Spirit of Life Lutheran Church, Port Orchard

Christ Lutheran Church, Lakewood

Silverdale Lutheran Church, Silverdale

First Lutheran Church, Poulsbo

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church by the Narrows, Tacoma

St. Andrew Lutheran Church, Vancouver

United Lutheran Church, Tacoma

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Centralia

Mount Cross Lutheran Church, University Place

Trinity Lutheran Church, Enumclaw

I am profoundly grateful for these, and every congregation in our synod who is engaged in feeding programs. In a world marked by increasing need, these ministries remind us that the church continues to show up with open hands, open hearts, and a living witness to God’s abundance.

Grace and peace,

Bishop Keith Marshall

On the Road with the Staff

January/February 2026

January 18

Bishop Keith preached and presided at Galilean Lutheran Church in Ocean Shores. Galilean is a joy-filled community, faithfully serving that corner of our synod.

January 25

Bishop Keith worshipped at Key Peninsula Lutheran Church this morning. The voting members from Key Peninsula at Synod Assembly told Bishop Keith after he was elected that if he came for a visit, they would have pie!

Week of January 25

Bishop attending the Byberg Preaching Conference in Seaside.

January 31

Ordination of Pastor Anna Czarnik-Neimeyer at Trinity Lutheran Church in Parkland. Pastor Anna is called to serve at Christ Lutheran in Belfair.

February 1

Retirement service of Pastor Ralf Kalms at Christ Lutheran Church in Lakewood.

February 6

Bishop attending and speaking at the ELCA Multiethnic and Intersectional Network Gathering at Peace Lutheran Church in Tacoma.

February 7

The Synod Council met for their annual retreat at Christ Lutheran in Belfair, to do some long term planning and discern where God is calling us in the future!

February 8

Bishop Keith preached a presided at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Centralia. They installed a new church council and received an exciting update from their call committee. Good things are happening at Immanuel!

February 8

Bishop’s Associate Pastor Michelle installed Pastor Anna Czarnik-Neimeyer at Christ Lutheran Church in Belfair.

Ministry Voices

In the Spotlight

Ministers in Specialized Setting

Rev. Dr. Dianna Cox

Hospice Chaplain

Kaiser Permanente Home Health and Hospice

Matters of the Heart: A Hospice Chaplain’s Reflection for Heart Month

February is often called Heart Month. It’s a time to celebrate love—especially on Valentine’s Day—and to recognize the importance of heart health, as highlighted by the American Heart Association.

Ministry is closely tied to matters of the heart, and this is especially true in chaplaincy. While all pastors offer care and compassion, chaplains frequently meet people in moments shaped by illness, grief, and the end of life.

When I visit patients, I often ask, “What’s on your heart?” These conversations reveal people’s deepest fears, hopes, and feelings, especially in hospice, where people confront their mortality. Our society avoids talking about death, yet facing it reminds us how precious life is.

In the words of the hymn “Here I Am, Lord”: “I will hold your people in my heart.” This line reflects the core of chaplaincy—and of ministry overall. We are called to support, comfort, and carry each other through life’s joys and struggles.

As we mark Heart Month, let’s care for our physical health and nurture our capacity for compassion. May we all remember to hold each other in our hearts.

A Word from Vinland Lutheran Church

In a time when we are more disconnected than ever, Vinland Lutheran Church in Poulsbo is finding ways to connect and bring people together.

Vinland had just a few families with young children who attended worship on a regular basis. We all love to see our friends in worship, and children are no different. So Vinland decided to provide a way for families to commit to attend on a more regular basis.

SECOND SUNDAYS began in the fall of 2023. The second Sunday of every month, we made a huge push to invite families to make it a priority to attend worship. Sunday school is staffed with an extra teacher, kids participate in the worship, and afterwards, we serve cookies and do a craft or a service project.

In February families made Valentines for the homebound. They have also packed “to go meals” for our local food bank and made calendars for the season of Lent. The hope was that when kids knew their friends would be there, they would be more likely to come other Sundays, and that is just what has happened. We now have several families who attend most Sundays, and those who attended sporadically have made Second Sundays a priority.

GRACE NIGHTS began in the fall of 2021. On Wednesday evenings, all ages gather for a home cooked meal and conversation. Parishioners take turns cooking a meal that is also offered to the community. Wednesdays have become a great time for lots of groups to hold meetings. The youth group, worship band, and others meet before or after dinner.

But even more than that, Grace Nights are a time to come together as a community. It’s an easy event to invite a friend to, and people are encouraged to do exactly that. The kids lead the prayers and then run around after eating. Grace Nights has quickly become a cherished Vinland tradition and one of our favorite nights of the week.

~ by Pastor Paula Burchill

ELCA Churchwide

Bishop Curry and Faith Leaders Urge Humane Policies in DHS Negotiations

February 12, 2026

Chicago — In a Feb. 9 letter to the U.S. Congress, ELCA Presiding Bishop Yehiel Curry, along with other faith leaders, shared requests as Congress faces a Feb. 13 deadline to determine Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding. 

The letter says, in part: “Our churches have decried denial of due process and recent violence by federal law enforcement agents, including the shootings of Keith Porter Jr., Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents. We call for investigation, accountability and justice in these cases.

“We also see this as a critical moment to legislate immigration policies that are just, humane and respectful of the dignity of immigrants who, like all people, are beloved children of God.”

The leaders urge Congress to “prioritize language that preserves the freedom to worship, to live in safety regardless of race or background, to love our neighbors, and to meet the basic needs and rights of all.”