Christmas Eve at St. Christopher’s (2019)
You, your family, friends, & neighbors are cordially invited to celebrate Christmas at St. Christopher’s Community Church…
A Blue Christmas Service – Dec 18, 7pm
Not everyone’s holiday is “Holly & Jolly.” Sometimes we feel more blue than red & green. Join us St. Christopher’s and Steamboat Island Church on Wed, Dec. 18th at 7pm for a service that recognizes Jesus was born into a world that was in the midst of turmoil and distress, and longing for a Savior who would speak peace and comfort the people (Isaiah 40:1).
We’ll be worshiping at St. Christopher’s located at 7902 Steamboat Island Rd. NW, Olympia, WA. Everyone is welcome.
Bishop Rickel’s Advent Message
Our Episcopal Bishop, Greg Rickel, sends greetings and offers these thoughts during the Advent season, the four weeks of preparation leading up to Christmas.
Giving Thanks: A Reflection from Bishop Jaech
As we enter the month of November, I find myself thinking about the act of giving thanks and the gifts that come to us when we do so.
Giving thanks is connected to the grateful realization that we are not here in the world on our own. Our daily existence can sometimes feel like an exhausting marathon where our survival is all up to us. We can quickly begin to feel lonely and overwhelmed when it seems that we are traveling through life alone. When we pray thank you, we are opening our eyes and hearts again to the blessed truth that God walks with us in every part of our journey. We are never alone; God’s strength and grace are always moving through us and with us.
Updates from Chaplains on the Harbor: Homeless Plaintiffs Reach Settlement in Lawsuit Against the City of Aberdeen
Early this year, a group of plaintiffs who lived along the Chehalis River filed a lawsuit as the city of Aberdeen announced its intentions to sweep and bulldoze their camps. Today, the city is settling with those plaintiffs. In the time since this lawsuit has been filed, it has become harder to survive as a homeless person in Aberdeen; you cannot rest on the sidewalks during the day, you cannot legally pitch a tent in most places, and public opposition around the issue has led to an increase in vigilante violence.
Border Belongings: A Photographic Essay
Photographic Essay: Border Belongings The public is invited to an art show at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church: 1515 Harrison Ave. NW; Olympia, WA, in their Gathering Space – noon to 4pm on Saturday, 30 Nov. and Sunday, 1 December. With permission of the artist, copies of photographs by Thomas Kiefer, from his collection “El Sueño Americano”, along with a multimedia contribution by artist Lucy Gentry, will be on display, sharing the realities of the U.S./Mexican border. As a janitor for Customs and Border Protection Mr. Kiefer found, through serendipity, the confiscated and discarded belongings of undocumented migrants. Being a photographer, […]
Bishop Greg on the Santa Clarita HS Shooting
I am deeply saddened by news of the shooting this morning at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, CA that has claimed the lives of two teenagers and injured three more. As is often the case in the immediate aftermath of such horrific events, we know very little about the shooter’s motivations and more details will doubtless be revealed in the coming days and weeks. And as is often the case, we will hear the usual litany of outrage and anger from our leaders, the same offering of thoughts and prayers for the victims and their families…
Oct. 4th: Blessing of Animals Celebrating St. Francis Day
We will be blessing animals as part of our celebration this Friday, 3pm-5pm at Companion Cove Pet, Feed, & Garden store on Sexton Drive. Bring your animal-neighbor whether furry, hairy, or scaled, four-footed, two-footed, or no-footed!
New Female Compline Choir at St. Mark’s, Seattle
For 63 years its been men who have made up the Compline Choir at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Seattle. But now, something has changed!
ELCA Churchwide Assembly 2019 Concludes – Here’s a summary…
CHICAGO (Aug. 14, 2019) — Gathering under the theme “We are church,” voting members of the 2019 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) made a number of key decisions to further the mission and ministry of this church. The assembly, the chief legislative authority of the church, met Aug. 5-10 at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee. Read more here about what was decided…
Sadness, Anger, Grief: Bishop Rickel Responds to the Shootings in El Paso and Dayton
Dear Ones, Yesterday, I was just about to blog some reflections on the Camino after being off the trail and home, and that will come… but it seemed so trivial when I received the word of yet another mass shooting in our country. I completely understand why the Mayor of El Paso felt the need to say the words to his fellow citizens, “Don’t worry, we are all safe.” But I had to wonder, how can any of us make that assurance? I am sure those words would be cold comfort indeed to the 20 families who lost loved ones […]
Finding a church to call home
A recent college graduate finds that how a congregation practices hospitality — encouraging true, deep human interaction — is more compelling than good preaching, music or other criteria.
Your Open Hands Foodbank Garden
If you haven’t stopped by the Open Hands Food Bank Garden at St. Christopher’s lately, I urge you to have a look. Open the gate and inside you’ll find fresh produce springing up. The terraced planting beds are full of tomato plants, snow peas, numerous squash plants, even some corn, various herbs and a very robust rhubarb plant! Thanks to the hard work of lead gardeners Bill Hanna and Tucker Smyth this past fall, winter and especially this early spring, with great support from John Nistler and others, the garden has a few new features this year with a drip […]
GNA Asks Local Businesses to Sponsor Food Drives in Support of TC Foodbank & St. Christopher’s
The following announcement comes from the Griffin Neirghborhood Association who is part of a local initiative to have regular, ongoing, rotating collections for the Thurston County Foodbank at Steamboat Island businesses. “We are once again encouraged, grateful, and impressed by Steamboat Island’s commitment to ‘love thy neighbor.’ Truly this is a wonderful community to belong to,” said Fr. James in response to this initiative, to the GNA’s active support, and to the participation of local businesses. Special thanks goes out to Lindy Vincent who was key for coordination on St. Christopher’s end. The GNA announcement follows: “The Griffin Neighborhood Association […]
A Call to Discipleship
In this invitation, Eaton unites with the Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church; the Most Rev. Fred Hiltz, primate, Anglican Church of Canada; and the Rev. Susan C. Johnson, national bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada.
Blueberry Bash 2019 to Feature Bluegrass Band, “Runaway Train”
We’re excited to be hosting another Blueberry Bash on the 3rd Sunday of August (Aug. 18 this year) from noon to 4pm. What’s more, we’re thrilled that local Bluegrass band, Runaway Train, will be joining us and bringing “Bluegrass with an attitude.”
This Week’s Sermon Series: ReThinking Outreach
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The Prodigal God by Tim Keller
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Everybody’s Somebody by Lucas Cooper
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From Atheist to Christian at Yale by Dr. Paul Lim
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