Seattle Presbytery Grant Helps "UNITE" Youth

Teamwork by Seattle-area churches is helping youth and leaders connect every Christmas. Lake City PC, Rainier Beach PC, Northminster PC, Seattle Community Church, & Snohomish First PC (North Puget Sound Presbytery) worked together to create "UNITE", a joint youth retreat open to local churches who want to bring youth leaders and students. 

"We started this retreat so we could unite youth from all around the Seattle area in the name of Christ and let them know they are not alone in their walk," said HT Lee (Seattle Community Church). "The awesome thing is that youth who went to the same schools but didn't know each other, ended up connecting at these retreats. The Spirit is flowing through these youth and allowing them to grow into the people God intended them to be." 

Months of prayer, planning and pre-rally fellowship gatherings led up to the big event. Each church participated in each step of the process. The retreat happened December 26-29, 2013 at Tall Timber Ranch, a picturesque and fun winter get-away in Leavenworth, WA.  Pastor Lina Thompson (Lake Burien PC) spoke to 70+ youth.  Churches also brought youth group leaders, teachers, parents, and other volunteers for a memorable time of bonding and fellowship. The retreat was funded in part by a Seattle Presbytery grant. If you're interested in joining next year's group, please contact HT Lee.

Kanye West, Evangelist of the 21st Century

By Erin Rodenbiker, intern at Rainier Beach and candidate under care of UPC.

Currently circling the country is one of the world’s most loved/hated figures: Jesus. No, wait: Yeezus. But I saw it with my own eyes: the new Yeezus tour features Kanye West’s very own personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Move over Bono, Christians have a new spokesperson.

Kanye’s depiction of Jesus may seem, at first, like farce or mockery—a caricature with the aims of postmodern indulgence or a racialized political statement. But, while iconoclasm and activism may be present, they do not dominate. Instead, the performance is a theological rap opera where religion and entertainment are weaved together in the imagination of the believer—and yet, completely conflicted—Kanye West, who inhabits the role of performance artist and, dare I say, evangelist. Yeezus is a Christian of the 21st Century.

Continue reading at Patrol Magazine.

Now Seeking YAAD Nominees for GA221

Seattle Presbytery’s Young Adult Advisory Delegate (YAAD)
221st General Assembly

The 221st General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) will meet June 14 – 21, 2014, in Detroit, Michigan.  Each presbytery is invited to send one person as a Young Adult Advisory Delegate (YAAD) at General Assembly expense.  The YAAD will be seated with the presbytery’s teaching elder and ruling elder commissioners on the floor of the Assembly.  The YAAD has the right to speak, and to vote in an advisory capacity on the floor of the Assembly.  YAADs are full voting members of the General Assembly Committee to which he/she is assigned.

Being a YAAD is a great way to connect with other young Presbyterians from across the country, and to learn about the full scope of the ministry and mission of the PC(USA).  YAADs have an extensive program planned just for them, in addition to regular Assembly business.

The Youth Advisory Delegate must be 17 – 23 years old the day the General Assembly convenes (6/14) and an active member for at least a year in a congregation within Seattle Presbytery.  Having some experience in the Presbyterian Church beyond the local congregation is a real plus for a YAAD.  The candidate should have sufficient personal maturity to be able to function independently and responsibly for nine days with other youth and adults, and to participate faithfully in the many meetings and activities associated with the General Assembly meeting.

A YAAD nominee must be endorsed by the Session of their congregation.

Nomination deadline is January 6, 2014.

Download the nomination & application form here and return it to:

YAAD Selection Committee/Janet DeWater, Newport Presbyterian Church, 4010 120th Ave SE, Bellevue, WA 98006

Nominations / applications due January 6th, 2013.

Queen Anne Historical Society Showcases Bethany

The Queen Anne Historical Society is holding its community meeting on Thursday, November 21st at Bethany Presbyterian Church, as part of its ongoing series of presentations on historic Queen Anne churches.  The meeting begins at 7:00 PM and everyone is welcome to learn about the "best kept historic preservation secrets" of the church at 1818 Queen Anne Ave. N.  Read more.

Call to Prayer for the Philippines

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) deeply grieves the devastation and loss in the Republic of the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda).  We are actively responding through Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and its partners and also calling for prayer.

Read more.

Trusting God to Provide

Debt assistance program helps new seminary grad who said yes to the big call of a small Seattle church. 

General Assembly Mission Council article featuring Mountain View's Tasha Hicks.   

Tasha Hicks assumed when she finished seminary in 2011 that she’d go on to be part of a large, multistaff church, which many graduates aspire to do. She found herself instead as the part-time solo pastor of Mount View Presbyterian Church, a 50-member church in White Center, an unincorporated area of Seattle.

When she first saw the job, Hicks admits there were many things that attracted her to it but also one big thing that made her hesitate.

“My passion has always been to be in a diverse setting and group, working with folks that are on the margins of society,” Hicks says. “Actually, when I saw this position, everything about it was exciting to me, but I saw ‘solo, part-time’ and I said no way. I just didn’t think that was my strength, to be a solo pastor preaching pretty much every week.”

Two of Hicks’s mentors who had worked with her for the last five years also saw the job description and encouraged her to apply for it.

Read the full story on pcusa.org. 

Presbyterian News Service Features BelPres Ministry

October 30, 2013 - Emily Enders Odom

'Jesus would want us to do it all' 

Bellevue church's outreach to at-risk youth transforms hearts, lives, schools, church, community.   

Picking up a basketball changed Brent Christie’s life.

Twelve years ago, the former hospitality industry executive walked away from his dream job at an iconic hotel company with no idea as to what he would do next.

“I was going to start another business when I was introduced during worship to the witness of a student at Eastside Academy, a last-chance, alternative high school for at-risk youth housed at our church,” said Christie, a member of First Presbyterian Church, Bellevue, Wash., known as BelPres. “I sat in the pew and thought, ‘That’s something I can do. I can fix those kids.’”

Christie — who at the time considered himself to be a “more intellectual Christian, who wasn’t experiencing the risen Christ” — said that on that particular Sunday, rather than “sitting at church, consuming ministry, and then typically going home,” he instead went into a room after the service to learn about becoming a mentor at the school.

Read the full story on pcusa.org. 

Interview: Malcolm Gladwell on his return to faith

By Sarah Pulliam Bailey, Religion News Service

Author Malcolm Gladwell may not be known for writing on religion. His New York Times best-selling books “The Tipping Point,” “Outliers,” “Blink” and “What the Dog Saw” deal with the unexpected twists in social science research. But his newest book, “David and

Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants,” also includes underlying faith-related themes, and not just in the title. Gladwell said that while researching the book, he began rediscovering his own faith after having drifted away. Here, he speaks with RNS about his Mennonite family, how Jesus perfectly illustrates the point in his new book and how Gladwell’s return to faith changed the way he wrote the book. The interview was edited for length and clarity.

Q: You use the biblical story of David and Goliath in the title and the setup to your book. Do you think we’ve been retelling the story poorly?

A: I think there has been an overemphasis of the idea that David’s victory was improbable. When you look closer to that story and you understand the full historical context, you see it from a different perspective. Here was a guy who brilliantly changed the rules of combat. He was equipped with a sling that was routinely used by armies to defeat the sort that Goliath was. David was very skilled at using the weapon and he was filled with the spirit of the Lord. Put those things together, why is he an underdog? He’s smarter than his opponent, better armed and he had this extraordinary force in his heart. When you understand that perspective, you understand that sometimes our instinct about where power comes from is wrong.

Q: What are some other examples of faith influencing power?

A: The final two chapters of the book also deal with faith: one about a woman who forgives her daughter’s murderer and one about the Huguenots in France who defy the Nazis in World War II. In both cases, people were able to do extraordinary things because they were armed with faith. They were able to perform acts of courage because they came from godly traditions. In both cases, there are people who had been through enormous adversity and had survived — more than survived, thrived.

Click here to read more at pcusa.org. 

Free Hymnals Available at Northminster

Northminster PC is giving away 150 hymnals in mid-November (after Nov. 17th). Contact Ann Wightman (windroseinteriors@mindspring.com) or call Pam Thomson at 206-783-3402 for details.   

Refugee Resettlement Program at Seattle First

Did you know? Seattle First Presbyterian Church sponsors and welcomes Christian Refugees from the Middle East.

They are seeking partners to furnish two apartments in the next two months. All support is welcome -- including household items, kitchen supplies, used vehicles, and financial support.

For more information about supporting this ministry, please contact Rev. Mansour Kahjehpour.

 

Click here if you were looking for information about the Phyllis Tickle Retreat (sorry!).

The ethics of a Syrian military intervention

From Presbyterian News Service/Religion News Service

WASHINGTON

As the Obama administration readies for a probable military strike against Syria, Religion News Service asked a panel of theologians and policy experts whether the U.S. should intervene in Syria in light of the regime’s use of chemical weapons against civilians. Would the “Just War” doctrine justify U.S. military action, and what is America’s moral responsibility? Click through for their responses, which have been edited for clarity. 

• Stanley Hauerwas, Professor emeritus of theological ethics at Duke Divinity School
• William Galston, Senior fellow, Brookings Institution
• Qamar-ul Huda, Senior program officer in the Religion & Peacemaking Center of the U.S. Institute of Peace
• The Rev. Drew Christiansen, Jesuit priest and visiting scholar at Boston College and longtime adviser to the U.S. Catholic Bishops on international affairs
• Tyler Wigg-Stevenson, Chair of the World Evangelical Alliance’s Global Task Force on Nuclear Weapons and author of “The World Is Not Ours To Save: Finding the Freedom to Do Good”
• Rabbi Michael Broyde, Professor of law and senior fellow, Emory University’s Center for the Study of Law and Religion
• Andrew J. Bacevich, Professor of international relations at Boston University

Continue reading at pcusa.org. 

2013-15 Book of Order Now Available

Polity wonks rejoice! 

To download, click here. 

To buy in paper, click here. 

A Visual History of SeaPres Church Planting

For prettier visuals, download the power point file here. 

Special thanks to Dr. Robert Welsh M.D., and Rev. James Kearny of Capital Hill Pres. for their work on the underlying chronology of events.

 Please send any corrections and feedback to Aaron Willett.

Corrections (to be added to the slides at a later date): 

• The Second Presbyterian Church of Seattle (now Bethany Presbyterian Church) was founded in 1888, not 1887.
• There was no “Woodland” in 1888.
• “Lakewood” was located on 51st St in the Rainier Valley.
• Grace PC did not combine with Cherry St to become Madrona in 1953. Grace was closed in 1953 due to lack of funds. The congregation shrank until it could not sustain itself. Grace closed in 1953. Its 31 members transferred to Madrona and the proceeds from sale of its property were used to renovate the Madrona manse, but there was no merger.

Rev. Lars Rood Publishes Devotional Series for Teens

FRESHMAN
THIS IS IT: the beginning of a new adventure, a new chapter in your life, a new opportunity to forge your identity in a fresh setting.

Your freshman year marks your first time for every high school experience: your first day, your first football game, your first pop quiz, and even some of your first major temptations. It's also a year filled with some really important questions: How can you make wise choices? How can you create good habits? How can you make faith a priority, not just another "thing" in your life?

SOPHOMORE
YOU'RE NO LONGER THE NEW KID ON CAMPUS.

But you also don't run the show.

Welcome to your sophomore year of high school.

Some teenagers view this as their year to waste, but it's really your chance to be different, to find ways to step into maturity, to look for opportunities to help others, and to prepare for your elevation into the upper classes next year.

JUNIOR
THIS COULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT YEAR OF YOUR HIGH SCHOOL CAREER but it may not always feel like it to you.

As a junior, you'll qualify for varsity sports, lead roles in performances, and leadership positions on campus. You'll feel a new sense of significance. Yet because you're not a senior, things won't quite feel perfect or resolved.

SENIOR
THIS IS IT! You've reached the pinnacle of the high school food chain! You've finally become a senior!

Now what?

Here's the crazy thing about your senior year: It often starts with a sprint as you finish applications, make big decisions, and prepare for life after high school. But then you wait. And then senioritis usually kicks in.

Lars Rood remembers what his senior year was like, and as a pastor and a former teacher, he's talked with countless students about how this one year is both an end and a beginning. What legacy have you left? How do you deal with disappointments and regrets? What does it mean to truly let God lead you? What is saying goodbye so difficult?

Rev. Jennie Spohr Publishes Novel: Heirs and Spares

Heirs & Spares

By J. L. Spohr

Seattle, WA - July 2013 - The debut historical novel, Heirs & Spares from author J. L. Spohr is now available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book editions wherever books are sold.

Heirs & Spares, the first in The Realm series, is set amidst the bloody chaos of the Reformation in 1569 AD and follows the story of a king who was never supposed to be king and a queen who doesn’t want to be queen, trying to keep their country from dissolving into civil war. If they produce an heir, the stability of the throne would be firmly established and peace could perhaps be restored. But getting heirs turns out to be the least of their problems. Heirs & Spares is one part history, two

parts palace plotting, and a whole lot of juicy romantic intrigue.

Spohr, the producer and host of the popular live show and podcast The Kindlings Muse, turned back to her love of writing while struggling with insomnia. “I was tossing and turning one night and had an image of a Tudor- era noble woman walking down the aisle,” Spohr explains. “I realized she was scared — didn’t want to be there. Then I saw the groom – a king – and I realized he didn’t want to be there either. And the story was born.”

And just in time. With a due date in mid-July for England’s newest heir, the

release of a book exploring the drama, heartbreak and excitement of royal lines

of succession hits cultural high note. “The world is watching the Duchess of Cambridge, and while the new royal baby does not have the fate of the country on his or her shoulders, this baby’s importance – both historically and now – shouldn’t be overlooked.”

While Heirs & Spares is fiction, many of the characters were inspired by actual royals: Henry VIII and his wives, Elizabeth I and her court, and the Medici’s to name a few. “I studied the Renaissance and Reformation in graduate school and have always been drawn to this time period,” Spohr says.

The author is available for interviews, book club appearances, speaking engagements, and/or guest articles on the subjects of British royalty, America’s obsession with royals, the importance of royal succession today and in history, historical fiction, writing, indie publishing, exploring ideas that matter in pop culture, and juggling creative pursuits and family care.

Plum Street Press is a small, independent press and distributed to retailers via the Ingram Book Company.

For more information, to request a review copy, or to schedule an interview, contact Jennie L. Spohr at: press@jlspohr.com; www.jlspohr.com; 206-465-9984



ABOUT J. L. SPOHR

Jennie L. Spohr is the author of Heirs & Spares and several short stories. An incurable Anglophile/Europhile who has studied the trials and tribulations of royals since she watched Princess Diana take that long walk to the altar, she turned her attention to historical fiction and fictional monarchies after studying the Reformation in graduate school. When not writing, Spohr produces and hosts a popular podcast called The Kindlings Muse (www.thekindlings.com) about ideas that matter in culture, including books, film, and music. She is an ordained minister member of the Seattle Presbytery and lives with her brood in Seattle. (author photo by John Keatley)

Food Kits from Lake Burien Pres.

By Rev. Tobin Wilson, Lake Burien Presbyterian Church

In the United States, one in five children live in poverty. Hunger is a thief that robs them of their energy, their hope and even their dreams of any type of a future.  The numbers are staggering. In one of the greatest countries in the world this is the scenario. You might be skeptical. In the local Highline school district there are 18,000 children enrolled in public schools, of that number 12,000 students are on free or reduced lunches. This means that every one of the nearly 60 ethnic groups in our school district lives at this level of subsistence living. The statistic means that 70 percent of the students in the local school district live this way—wondering where their next meal will come from.

On Sunday June 30th the great people at Lake Burien Presbyterian Church suspended a typical worship service to actually be the church and offer a lending hand. This expression of service was their worship. In partnership with World Vision the men, women and children built 600 food kits for the neighborhood families in need.  These meals will be distributed over the summer to the families in a summer program with and for children. This is a partnership between Lake Burien and Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission.

The food kit build includes: Brown sugar Cinnamon Oatmeal, Macaroni and Cheese, Lentil Soup, and Black Beans and Rice. This comes complete with instructions on how to cook the recipes. Water and simmering is all that is needed to prepare the meals. They feed a family of five for a day. It may not sound like much but it says to the recipients, “You are not forgotten and we love you.”

The most important aspect of the Food Kit is a handwritten note of encouragement that members of LBPC wrote to the family who will receive the Food Kit. These words of encouragement and hope bring a sense of community during times of job loss, disaster, family crisis and homelessness.

It was an intergenerational and multicultural event where participants ranged between the ages of 6 months to 95 years old. There is something for everyone when the church stands up to be the Church.

Help Needed at Overlake Park

With the unexpected resignation of their youth worker, several needs have arisen for their summer youth programs: 

1. Male Deputation Leader: Our youth have a deputation trip planned, through YouthWorks, for August 4-9 in Vancouver, BC. We are in need of a male adult leader for the trip. This person would be responsible for 3 boys on the trip ages 14, 16, and 19. The 14 year old, has Down's Syndrome and will have an aide along on the trip. The female adult leader will be responsible for all of the administrative details. Please have anyone that is interested contact me at mailbox@oppc.org, ATTN: Nancy.
2. Male Aide for Child with Special Needs: The family of the 14 year old is still seeking a person to be his aide. If you have a lead on a man with experience with students with special needs, please have him contact mailbox@oppc.org, ATTN: Linda.
3. Camp Program Designer and Leader: We have a week long middle school and high school camp scheduled for August 19 to 24 at Valley Camp in North Bend. Since our Youth Director was going to create the program, we need to find someone to create the program and lead the camp. Please have anyone that may be interested in this opportunity contact me at mailbox@oppc.org, ATTN: Nancy.

Used Pews Available for Purchase

AVAILABLE AFTER JULY 15, 2013

St. John United Lutheran has the following used pews with bookracks and cardholders for sale:

     28 @ 13'0" @ $50 each

These pews were built in the 1950's - plain, solid wood, light color.  Price negotiable.

Contact Rev. Jensen at email