Spirit Of Life

In April, communication from L.W.R. stated that quilts, health and school kits were urgently needed and perhaps congregations involved in this ministry could increase their donations. Then came the cyclone in Myanmar, which displaced one million people. The earthquake in the Sichuan region of China left over 70,000 dead and thousands not able to return to their homes.

Our goal by October is 80 health kits: that’s 5 more than we shipped in May. Items needed:

Hand Towels (can be gently used) - 51
Wash Cloths - 75
Finger Nail Files - 72
Soap (5 oz or bath size) - 35
Toothbrushes - 44
Combs - 75

No Band-Aids are needed because we have enough. Most of the above items can be purchased at Dollar Stores, Walmart or Walgreens for best value of your dollars.

In 2007, Ukraine received through International Relief and Development 45,000 quilts. Perhaps some of your donated fabric was in those many quilts or your sheet or maybe fabric from a garage sale that has giving someone or a family shelter. Our quilters will continue to meet in July and August on the 2nd Saturday at 9 am. Coffee, tea and snacks are always served. The fellowship can’t be matched.

LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF put your FAITH into action.

Those seeking strength in their recent struggles with health concerns:

Alfred Huseth
Fred Collett
Phyllis Wurtz
Charla McAlpin
Louise Bruer
Jacob Vargo
Aileen Pierce
Starla Liedle
Molly Williams
Brianna Howarth
Linda Charboneau
The Stines Family
Dick Odekirk
Jenny Allert

Those serving in the armed forces and their families:

Arturo Guzman Jr.
Andrew Elmore
Ana Paula Desouza
Sara Weelborg
Kurt Blankenship
Larissa Richmond
Sue Peterson
Brian Richmond
Allan Gold
Josh Sedeno
Kingsley Van
Duzer

Keep us in your prayers:

Pastor Allert was recently elected to serve on the Southwest Washington Synod Youth Committee. Please continue to keep hi, and the youth of our churches in your prayers.

Luther Center is once again offering a fun-filled and hands-on Summer Science Camp.

Teachers Debi Crutchfield and Jennifer Sinclair will be leading Summer Science Camp July 21-25 from noon to 2:30 p.m. Registration fee is $75 and should be mailed to Luther Center for Learning, P.O. Box 1018, Olalla, WA 98359 by July 16. For more information, see flyer included with this newsletter or call the school at (360) 895-1782.

Luther Center has given the Stanford Achievement Test(SAT) to all of our students for the last four years. We know through our regular classroom assessments that our students are learning, but their SAT scores are additional proof. For example, 77% of our students scored on grade level or higher in reading and 91% scored on or above grade level in math. 73% of our students scored at least one grade level above their assigned grade. That’s 10% better than last year! And 45% of our students (nearly half) scored two grades levels or more above the national average for the total test. Way to go students! Way to go teachers! Way to go parents! We are so very blessed to have such an incredibly talented teaching staff and wonderful students and families!

Luther Center welcomes our new kindergarten teacher, Kristi VanDuzer. Kristi is an experienced, certificated teacher and full of enthusiasm. She was one of the most sought after teachers by the parents at her previous school. Welcome Kristi!

Luther Center for learning is now accepting applications for students entering kindergarten through seventh grade in September 2008. We encourage interested families to visit Luther Center, meet our teachers, see our classrooms, and learn about our students grow.

Admission packets and other information regarding Luther Center for Learning may be obtained by contacting us at:360-895-1782, by visiting our website at www.LutherCenterForLearning.org, or be e-mailing us at info@LutherCenterForLearning.org

Luther Center for Learning–

Helping children discover their own greatness!

God wants you to have a life of abundance and blessing, but he also wants you to remember Him in it.

The Executive Ministry Team consists of the President of the congregation (Nan Larson), the Vice President of the congregation (Greg Stocker), the Secretary of the congregation (Lena Rudquist), and Pastor Allert. This team gathers to organize the agendas for the Council and to executive decisions over matters of the church that are sensitive to time, level of importance, and confidentiality. Because of the existing financial staus of the congregation, the Executive Committee has authorized the imposition of a Spending Freeze on certain expenses and purchases. The Council of the congregation has established a triage of expense management in the following order: first is staff compensation, second is the mortgage as available, third are the utilities, and from there onward are the various needs of business that incur an expense (office supplies, miscellaneous ministry items, miscellaneous church items etc.) The Executive Ministry Team has decided that all expenses other than payroll, mortgage and the utilities are not be reimbursed by the church unless approval for purchase has been authorized first. Because Spirit of Life does not currently have a business administrator, the Executive Ministry Team has decided that the Pastoral Office is the appropriate designation to entrust this responsibility. Pastor Allert will authorize expenses of this level based upon information and recommendation provided by the leaders in the church that are managing the finances of the parish.

June 23rd to 27th was Vacation Bible School week here at Spirit of Life. A great big thank you and faith-filled-kudos to Sue Coste Anthony Hipkins and the Little Doves’ staff, and all of our many wonderful volunteers who walked side-by-side in faith with the youth of our communities. Thank you for being a blessing to so many by allowing Christ’s spirit of love and care flow through you.

There is an old children’s rhyme about the church that involves the folding hands a certain way. “Here’s the church… Here’s the steeple… Open it up inside… And here’s all the people.” Well, you don’t really need a steeple, but a church does require people - lots of them actually. Gathered around God’s word and sacraments, the church is led by the Holy Spirit. The word and the sacraments are the same, the Spirit of God is ever faithful, but what about the people. God seems to have the odd little habit, proven time and time (and time again) throughout the ages, of raising up faith-filled leaders so that God’s church continues on for His will. Yet, regardless of whether you’re the prophet Isaiah or the one who quietly stays at church after everyone else has gone to do some weeding, leaders of God’s people tend to fall on th un-appreciated and un-recognized sode of the popularity spectrum. In that kind fo circumstance, it’s easy for burnout to creep in and get solidified by natural hurt feelings. Yet, we know that our Lord sees all things, and that though works do not earn our salvation, they are certainly recognized by our Father in heaven if by no one else.

Clergy, Rostered Ministers, and other delegates of the Southwest Washington Synod gathered May 30th and 31st in Olympia for the 2008 Assembly themed; “God’s Work. Our Hands. The Earth.” Much of the assembly focused on a singular message: Green. Those in attendance were givien the message through scripture, song, resolution and example to do what we can as Christian stewards of God’s creation to care responsibly for the earth. This message was a seed planted in the few in hopeful prayer that as is the case for all of God’s good blessing, the seed my grow and bear good fruit in sharing of this message of creative stewardship.
Dr. Terry Fretheim was one of two keynote speakers as he led the assembly through several scripture studies of the Genesis creation narratives. Dr. Fretheim, Professor of Old Testament the Hebrew language of Luther Seminary, provided what he suggests to be the design of God’s intent for creating the universe. “God’s creative work intentionally relies upon us as created beings,” said Dr. Fretheim, “to in turn be co-creators with God in accomplishing His will for creation. God enters the mess of this world to create that which is good. We are designed to do the same.
*The June/July 2008 edition of the Synod Office’s newsletter, Moments for Mission, is posted outside pastor’s office. Please refer to that posting for additional information.

Beginning July 2, Common Ministry Nights will be held every month on the first Wednesday of the month. This is a time set aside from our busy calendars to gather as the many lay leaders of the congregation for the sake answering God’s call to ministry using our various gifts and talents.  The Executive Ministry Team Meets in Pastor Allert’s office at 6;00pm.  Next, all are encouraged to come at 6:45 pm to the sanctuary for a time of devotions and prayer.  At 7:00 pm, our several Ministry Teams meet by individually through out the building for the work that God has placed before them.  If you are currently serving on one or more ministry teams, please make sure you that you have July 2 and each first Wednesday of the month on your calendar slated for this important time of service.  If you are not currently serving on a ministry team and would like to, or aren’t sure, please come as well and reconnect with the team tha has hearts for similar passions as your own.

Beginning Sunday July 2oth. the Adult Education Hour returns for a time of Lutheran Orientation.  Pastor Allert will lead a “Catechism Review for All Ages” course at 10:30 am-12:00pm in the sanctuary following worship and brief time of fellowship.  Bring your own favorite Bible and a copy of Luther’s Small Catechism if you have one. (If you don’t have either of these, come anyway and share the copies we have available to you.)  Remember; Confirmation does not mean graduation!  You’re never too old to learn about our shared Christian faith and share in the stories of how God is alive and at work in our lives.  For those preparing for new membership at Spirit of Life, this is a wonderful way to not only get to know those who are already members better, but also an excellent opportunity to understand the Lutheran Church’s rich theology and confessions of faith.

07/20 Small Catechism Introductions & Commandments 1-3
07/27 Break
08/03 Commandments 4-10
08/10 The Lord’s Prayer: Introduction - 4th Petition
08/17 The Lord’s Prayer: 5th Petition - Doxology
08/24 Sin, Confession and Forgiveness & “What is atonement?”
08/31 Sacraments I: Holy Baptism - “Dead in the water - but raised to new life!”
09/07 Sacraments II: Holy Communion - “In, with, through, and under? Huh?”
09/14 The Apostles’ Creed: The 1st Article & its meaning
09/21 The Apostles’ Creed: The 2nd Article & its meaning
09/28 The Apostles’ Creed: The 3rd Article & its meaning
10/06 Hodge-podge, Review, & “What about…?”
11/02 Confirmation Sunday!