Upcoming at Faith This Week

Dear Friends,

I just got off the weekly Zoom call with Bishop Rickel and diocesan clergy.  He shared how, throughout the church, bishops are reeling in their plans to open churches in light of the higher incidents of COVID-19 that are cropping up.  Here in Kitsap, we almost made it to Phase 3, but that move has been suspended due to the recent increase in cases, and across the sound, Snohomish County is looking at going back to Phase 1.  Clearly, it is not yet time to go back to “business as usual”; still, we are planning on Bishop Rickel visiting on July 26^th.  Things may change radically in the next 24 days, but until we hear otherwise, we will continue with our plans to hold an outdoor service then.  Our Senior Warden, Kay Rawlings, will soon be sending out an email asking for folks to assist in our reopening efforts, the bishop’s visit being the first venture toward that end.  Please look for Kay’s communication and see if there’s a place you are willing to help out and can do so safely.

I don’t know if any of you happened to tune in to St. Mark Cathedral on Tuesday for the ordinations that took place, but there were extraordinary steps taken to protect all involved from any contagion.  Mike and I watched from home and, as weird as it was to see the cathedral without pews or crowds, it was also incredibly moving.  The service gave me hope for our ability to continue in our worship together, separated as we are.  Click here for a link to a recording of the service.

Thank you all so much for your commitment to Faith—to the Sunday services, to our financial health, and especially to one another.  What a blessing this community is for us all.

Vicar Laura+

Read more: Upcoming Events

Virtural Sunday Worship 9:30 am

 Sunday Worship - Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

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Singers Without Borders presents Push That River On

Singers Without Borders presents Push That River On by Tom James

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Diocese Guide for Gatherings In Person

To the Good People of God in the Diocese of Olympia,

We live in interesting times. That might be one of the greatest understatements I have heard lately, but no doubt it is true. These have been especially interesting days for the church. We have learned a lot. We still have lots to learn. We have gained perspective on things we often took for granted, and we have learned of things that are not that important after all. In the face of all of this, we still have each other, and most importantly, an amazing God who loves us all and wishes only the best for us. I put my hope in those two things right now – each of you and our God.

 This document (A Guide to Gathering in Person: The Diocese of Olympia’s Phased-In Plan for Resuming In-Person Worship and Activities) has been worked on by our diocesan staff, with review by others in the diocese with expertise in these areas. It is loosely but carefully mirrored off of the four-phase plan offered by our governor this past week. It is offered to all of you as a roadmap to what our future might look like in the days ahead as we phase-in our return to face-to-face encounters. I think it is very safe to say, this will not be fast. As our governor has said so well, this will not be like turning on a light switch, but more like slowly turning the dial – and the turning will be going on for a while. It also might be two turns forward and then one back. This is new for all of us. I am blessed to be walking through it with all of you.

Read more: Diocese Guide for Gatherings In Person

Presiding Bishop's Message to the Church May 4, 2020 Note: Please use this version of the Presiding Bishop’s Word to the Church when sharing. It includes a reference to the What Would Love Do? companion resources. Thank you.   Note: the following information is presented in English, Spanish and French Aviso: La siguiente información se presenta en inglés y en español y en francés Note: Les informations suivantes sont présentées en anglais et en espagnol et en français   Presiding Bishop Michael Curry’s Word to the Church: What Would Love Do? [April 29, 2020] A [Word%20to%20the%20Church]Word to the Church (https://episcopalchurch.org/concerning-covid19) regarding the rubric of love during the COVID-19 pandemic from the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church:   In the midst of this COVID-19 pandemic, we are now at another one of those threshold moments when important and significant decisions must be made on all levels of our global community for the good and the well-being of the entire human family. In this moment, I would ask you to allow me to share with you a Word to the Church: What Would Love Do? (Companion resources available here; https://episcopalchurch.org/concerning-covid19.)

Read more: News from the Bishop

Bishop Rickel’s 10 Rules for Respect

I every Letter of Agreement Bishop Rickel has with congregations, and now with the Diocese of Olympia he has asked that the “10 Rules for Respect” spelled out below be made part of the agreement. He first saw these in an article by Church of the Nazarene pastor Charles Christian. He believes that they are quite helpful in framing our communication and life together.

He vows to do his best to follow them and invites you to do the same. We will all fail, but through gentle challenge and loving encouragement these can become a foundation for healthy communication for us all.

Faith’s Bishop’s Committee also uses this model as a rule for how we conduct our business and are in relationship with one another.

Read more: 10 Rules for Respect

Faith Family Fun Day Photos!

Photos of our first Annual Faith Family Fun Day are now available!  

This was a great opportunity for us to get to know one another and everyone who uses the church facilities.  Most importantly, plenty of time for us to visit and enjoy our community.  We look forward to seeing you at our 2nd Annual Family Fun Day in 2019!