From the Pastor
We continue our discussion of the Eucharist, Holy Communion. In the last issue we explained the Biblical references to the breaking of bread, that it was done frequently (“day by day”), and noted that frequent Communion was strongly urged in the very early church.
So, why has the church through history urged frequent Communion?
As Lutheran Christians, one place to start is with what Martin Luther taught. Luther calls the meal around which we gather “The Sacrament of the Altar.” In discussing this sacrament in the Small Catechism, he focuses on the forgiveness of sin:
“What is the benefit of such eating and drinking?”
“The words ‘given for you’ and ‘shed for you for the forgiveness of sin’ show us that forgiveness of sin, life and salvation are given to us in the sacrament through these words, because where there is forgiveness of sin, there is also life and salvation.”
We need to know that God is not against us, but loves and cares for us. Luther starts with the assurance of forgiveness of sin—words spoken by Jesus at the Last Supper with his disciples. These are words spoken to the disciples, including Judas, who all fled when the pressure was on. These are words for us!
Sometimes words are not enough. Frequently, in our worship we have heard words of forgiveness earlier in the service. It’s not that those words are not valid. They are. However, sometimes we tend to think God can forgive this sin, or another sin, but surely not that sin! Being able to hold in our hands the bread, to taste it and the wine, gives us something more than just the vibrations on our eardrums. Here Christ gives himself, body and blood, for us, for the forgiveness of sin, all of them! Forgiveness is important.
Forgiveness, however, is not the only reason we receive Jesus’ body and blood. We call this meal Holy Communion. Communion means that we have something in common; we share. This sharing happens on several levels. Obviously, Jesus shares with us his life, given for us, by offering his body and blood in the bread and wine. We share our thanks to God for this great gift.
We also share with all who receive this bread and wine. We dare not think to ourselves: “God has been nice to me. I’m one of the forgiven. However, Charlie, over there. . .I’m not so sure about. Some of the things I’ve heard about him make me wonder if he’s a very good Christian!” As children of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus who gave his life for all those disciples (including ourselves) who denied him and ran away, it is not our role to evaluate and judge the level of faith of another. Rather, we are to love the neighbor, these brothers and sisters, with all their flaws, as Christ loved us and gave himself for us.
What might that mean? Do we sometimes feel, “I don’t need to go to Communion today. I haven’t done much sinning since the last time”? Then, let us put that idea out of our minds and go! Someone there today needs the support of the brothers and sisters. Someone needs to know he, or she, is not alone before God. Someone needs to know that we need God as much as he, or she. If we love the neighbor, we must go! We must commune, share. Think about it. We’ll have more to say.
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News and Notes
Preaching Schedule
| 5/4 | Andrew Potsko |
| 5/11 | David Reinke |
| 5/18 | Paul Winterstein |
| 5/25 | Eldon Olson |
Choir Schedule
| 5/4 | Men only |
| 5/11 | Everyone |
| 5/18 | Sing in church |
| 5/25 | Men only |
| 6/1 | Women only |
| 6/8 | Everyone |
| 6/15 | Sing in church |
Thank You!
Thank you to Andrew Potsko for instigating having the Fellowship Hall painted and finding the painter. Thank you also to Andrew and Rachel for helping with the painting. It took longer than estimated, but it looks great, and we didn't have to do it ourselves!
Thank you also to Esther Reese, Norma Kosche, Ken Hamada, Chris Sherman, Andrew & Rachel, Leroy Lehner, Dick & Elaine Lootens, and Laurie, Helen, Grant & Paul Chyz for helping clean and put everything back in place. Chris Sherman and Ruth Patterson helped with moving furniture and provided scaffolding for the painting.
~ The Property Committee
***
Dear Friend,
We are writing to thank you for your generous food donation. Gifts like yours are essential to Northwest Harvest’s ability to support a network of 300 food banks and meal programs that serves nearly half a million people every month.
Food gifts from donors throughout the community make a tangible difference in the amount and variety of foods we are able to offer to those in need.
We are nearing completion of a $13.5 million Warehouse for Washington Campaign, with our new larger and modern warehouse in Kent offering more cold storage and expanded work areas. This new space is transformational for the agency in every way, allowing us to increase our capacity and our efficiency. The Kent facility is one of the best ways we can continue to help fight hunger in Washington.
And your food donation is a part of this momentous time in fighting hunger in our state!
Thank you again for partnering with Northwest Harvest. Because of you, we are making a profound difference for many hungry people!
Sincerely,
Shelley Rotondo
Executive Director, Northwest Harvest
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Contributions
3/30/2008
General Ministries – $1771
Chapel - $30
Concordia - $70
Church Improvement - $100
Lutheran World Relief - $60
4/6/2008
General Ministries – $6253
Chapel - $55
Concordia - $30
Church Improvement - $100
Missions - $30
Ted Engelbrecht Missions - $45
Light on the Hill - $10
Tables - $20
4/13/2008
General Ministries – $3372
Chapel - $280
Concordia - $105
Church Improvement - $100
Missions - $50
Ted Engelbrecht Missions - $10
Light on the Hill - $10
Ghana Trip - $500
Bernice Mindemann memorial - $30
4/20/08
General Ministries - $2291
Chapel - $670
Concordia - $60
Seattle Lutheran High School - $10
Church Improvement - $165
Ted Engelbrecht Missions - $10
Tables - $20
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Upcoming Events
Church Picnic at Valley Camp
Beautiful Valley Camp has been reserved for the church potluck picnic on Sunday, July 20. The kitchen was remodeled last year and now has a new refrigerator, microwave, stove top, hot and cold water, 3 new sinks, counter, and bar-b-que! Anyone who would like to camp is to contact Teena Proehl at Valley Camp to reserve a spot (teena@valleycamp.org or 425.888.1852). New information about all the services at Valley Camp are in the church foyer. You may also contact Sharon Heckel for additional information.
Samuel & Althea Stroum Lectures
The Jewish Studies Program at the University of Washington invites you to the 33rd Annual Samuel & Althea Stroum Lectures in Jewish Studies. Professor Michael Walzer from the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, New Jersey, presents on Biblical Politics in these free lectures open to the public. All lectures are at 7:30 pm in 220 Kane Hall on the UW Seattle Campus:
- May 11 The Meaning of Kingship
- May 13 Prophecy and Social Criticism
- May 15 Where Were the Elders?
For more information about this series (and the Jewish Studies Program), call 206.543.0138, email jewishst@u.washington.edu, or visit jsis.washington.edu/jewish.
SLH Summer Sports Camps
Basketball: for boys and girls entering grades 5th through 8th, June 23-27, 9:00 am—12:30 pm.
Cheer: for girls entering grades 2nd through 8th, July 7-9, 9:00 am—12:00 pm.
Registration forms may be picked up in the school office at 4141 41st Ave. SW or downloaded from our website at www.seattlelutheran.org For more information, call 206.937.7722, ext. 28.
Love and Logic Seminar
Concordia Lutheran School is having our 2nd Love and Logic Seminar of the year. The focus for this seminar is preschool/early learning. Parishioners are welcome to attend. The seminar will be on Thursdays, starting April 24 at 6:00 pm. The cost is $75 for individuals and $100 for couples. Contact Lori Hartman at Concordia Lutheran School for details.
Potato Pancake Supper
The Potato Pancake Supper is coming on Saturday, May 3, at 6:00 pm at Messiah Lutheran Church (7050 35th Ave NE, Seattle). Cooked by members of our WA-AK District Lutheran Laymen’s League Board to raise funds for Lutheran Hour ministry projects, there will be a free-will offering at the supper. Come and enjoy this tasty treat with fellow Lutheran members of our circuit.
Jesus the Lion
A New Look at the Gospel of MarkCome and hear of the surprising ways in which Jesus is presented in the second gospel. We will find in the ministry of Jesus the awesome power of Baptism and a deep appreciation for our Lord’s Supper.
May 9, 6:00—8:00 pm
May 10, 5:00—8:00 pm
May 11,1:00—4:00 pm
Peace Lutheran School
1234 NE Riddle Road
Bremerton, WA 98310
(360) 377-6253/(360) 373-2116
May is National Foster Care Month!
No matter how much time you have to give, you can do something positive that will Change a Lifetime for a young person in Foster Care. For more information on how you can make a difference, contact Lutheran Community Services at 206.694.5713 or mreed@llcnw.org.
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Community News
Chapel on the Ave
Ghana Trip
Bikini-clad college girls, frat boys with six packs and six packs of beer, cavorting in licentiousness and other Biblical “sins” on the beaches of Daytona, Palm Springs and Cabo San Lucas.
This scene is usually where you would find most students on Spring Break, but lately there has been a shift in this demographic. More often one will find these same students traveling to New Orleans, Mexico, Indonesia, and other places where people are suffering from natural disasters and other tragedies. And so, it might not be so surprising that three of our students from the Chapel decided to travel to Ghana, West Africa to share Christ with those suffering not only from the poverty of their economy, but a poverty of the heart.
 The four of us took part in a program called “Out of Comfort Zone” which is a relational music ministry organized and executed by the youth of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana. After arriving in Ghana and visiting mission churches, schools, and the historic slave castle, we met up with a group of 16 young people committed to reaching out to those in the rural villages of their own country with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Every day we would meet people where they were, talking with them just outside their doors as they pounded fufu for dinner. We simply talked with them about their faith, shared an encouraging passage from Scripture, invited them to the team’s program, and prayed for them.
One might wonder, was this all worth it: the expense of airfare, malaria medication, vaccinations, the difficulty of travel, the loss of creature comforts, and, not to mention, the heat. And, from those three students from Seattle, Washington, to the seamstresses and school children of Sofokrom, Ghana, you will hear, “Yes!” Not only are these few minutes sitting down priceless, but in these moments something begins that cannot stop. A worldview. No longer will the world be so big, no longer will Seattle or Sofokrom be a dot on the map, and no longer will the Kingdom be missing that one seamstress.
“The Kingdom of God is near you.” -Luke 10:9
Andrew Potsko,
Director of Student Ministry,
University of Washington
***
Student Bio: Tyler DeBarthe
The Chapel has influenced me greatly during my time at the UW. The Chapel has helped me to develop my faith. I have made life-long friends here. It has given me a community at the UW; it brings the UW down to size and makes it personal. I have grown tremendously here, and much of that is thanks to the Chapel.
~ Tyler DeBarthe
Tyler has come to the Chapel for the past two years and has served on the worship team. He’s always willing to lend a hand around the student center and led many of our backpacking trips. He is a blessing to us all.
~ Andrew Potsko
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Concordia University
New Library and Learning Center
The physical transformation of Concordia University is underway! On Friday, April 11, Concordia University broke ground for the new Library and Learning Center. Church, community, and university leaders, along with students, faculty, staff, friends, and neighbors, celebrated this significant milestone in Concordia University’s legacy with thanksgiving, prayer and praise. This new state-of-the-art 74,000 square-foot facility will become the hub for both the university campus and the surrounding neighborhood. With traditional library spaces, technology, classrooms, community resources, a coffee shop, and more, this building will dramatically enhance our community engagement and the services we provide our students. On the heels of the Library and Learning Center will be a world-class Throw Center, a new residence hall, a new athletic complex for baseball and soccer, and the renovation of the current library to a student union. Praise God for His abundant grace to and through Concordia University!
New Music Major
The Concordia University Music program has always been an important part of the educational and spiritual lives of Concordia students, and their performances in congregations has been a meaningful opportunity for worshippers to share in the ministry of God’s great harmony. To help continue and grow this tradition, Concordia University is launching a new music major, and, to support this new music major, along with all of the music activities on campus, Concordia University has also enhanced our Friends of Music program. Please consider becoming a Friend of Music either individually or as a congregation. For more information, please visit our website at www.cu-portland.edu/giving or call the Foundation office at 503.280.8505. Please join us in sharing the joy and meaning of this unique legacy!
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