Upcoming at Faith This Week

Dear Friends,

It feels as if life is often bitter and sweet simultaneously, and these days are certainly no exception.  The bitter disappointment of cancelling our St. Francis Day service is entangled with the blessings of a fresh coat of paint, the offer of donations for cleaning and moss removal, and the kindness of contractors who are willing to go above and beyond original parameters—for no other reason than because they want to help.  It is always important to name our blessings; gratitude is part and parcel of our formation as children of God.  We know this, and yet lately it can feel as if there is only bad news awaiting us in every sphere.  This is simply not the case!  Here are a few things I’m grateful for:

• The work of Diane, Brenda, Jackson, Bob & Frank to get the church painted, prepped & repaired.
• The faithfulness of this community and your abiding presence, financial support, and love for one another.
• Neil’s successful procedure.
• Babies who continue to remind us of the promise of new life and hope.
• Anonymous givers
• The completed repair of our beautiful organ next week.
• The support of Michael who, in even in the midst of professional transitions and anxiety around illness, continues to help keep me grounded.
• The promise of 24 hours of a different view and rest.
• Bishop Rickel’s wise leadership in these uncertain times.
• A wise, patient, and kind spiritual director.
• The ridiculous Corgi.
• The inquiring minds and faithful hearts of those who attend the book and bible studies.
• The technology that enables us to be together while apart.

Again, these are just a few off the top of my heart.  What are you grateful for?  Try to name a few things out loud for which you are grateful each day.  Keep a gratitude journal, or tell a friend, or text me your gratitude—I’d love to rejoice with you!  The thing is, we are in trying times and it can be way too easy to give in to cynicism and fear.  Instead, become a revolutionary in the gratitude movement—name your thankfulness, proclaim it out loud, feel the lightness in your heart when it is lifted by gratitude.  And if you get stuck and can’t think of one thing for which your grateful, call me.

Gratefully yours,

Vicar Laura+

Read more: Upcoming Events

Sunday Worship 9:30 am

Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Read more: Virtual Gatherings

St. Francis Day Service Cancelled

Dear Friends,

I have made the difficult decision to cancel Saturday’s St. Francis Day service.  I was looking forward to seeing you all, as well as your critters, in person but circumstances have changed, and I don’t think meeting in person is the best course of action.

Read more: St. Francis Day Service Cancelled

Memorial Garden Sculptures

Jackson Foster continues to craft beautiful artwork for us.  Our memorial garden is populated with stations of the cross, and plans are underway to make that place a spot of respite and contemplation for everyone.

Read more: Memorial Garden Sculptures

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