1816 nw irving street, portland, oregon 97209 · 2020-03-20 · 1816 nw irving street, portland,...

T H E I M M A N U E L I T E

First Immanuel Lutheran Church 1816 NW Irving Street, Portland, Oregon 97209

“A Welcoming Community Centered in Christ’s Love,

Joyfully Reaching Out Together”

June 2018 published monthly Vol. 29 No. 6

Dear friends in Christ,

I read a disturbing statistic recently. According to

Global Footprint Network, a nonprofit organization

that calculates human demands on our planet’s

natural resources, the world’s population would

require 1.7 Earths to support its present consumption

habits. The problem, of course, is that we don’t have

1.7 Earths. There is only one, and we are using it up

faster than is renewable or sustainable.

Unbelievably, I have heard

some Christians affirm just

such profligate consumption

as consistent with God’s desire

for the world. They cite the

creation story in Genesis 1

(which pictures God giving

humanity dominion over the

world) and suggest that God

would never permit us to

destroy God’s good gift. Surely

God would intervene before

allowing anything like that to happen! It sounds

incredibly irresponsible and presumptuous to me.

If we sincerely wish for Christian faith to inform

our approach the challenges before us, a better place

to turn in the Bible for reflection might be the imagery

in Genesis 2. God created a man from the dust of the

ground and placed him in God’s garden to care for the

land. Because it was not good for the man to be alone,

God then created a woman to be a partner and

companion. The two of them lived together in the

garden, enjoying God’s good gifts and living within

limits established by God. Sadly, they went on to

make disastrous choices about rejecting the limits God

had set for them. But during the time they lived within

God’s blessing, their vocation was to care for the

world God had made.

I wonder how it might shape our lifestyle and

consumption choices if we were to see our vocation

as including a call to care for God’s world. The Earth is

God’s gift for us to be our home, not merely a pile of

resources for us to use. It seems to me that there is

something beautiful about regarding God’s creation

with a sense of wonder rather than a calculating eye

for what is useful to us in some

way. Because it is a gift of God’s

grace, the Earth invites us to

love it, to experience a sense of

awe and amazement at it.

The theme for our Vacation

Bible School this year is “Wild

Wonder,” focusing on care for

God’s creation. Our children will

be invited to delight in God as

Creator and to feel awe and

wonder at God’s amazing world.

Beginning on Monday, June 18, and continuing

through Thursday, June 21, our kids will experience

how brilliant and magnificent the soil and water are,

the plants and trees, insects and animals. What a gift

God has entrusted to us! We’ll begin with dinner each

evening at 6 PM, then engage in a variety of activities

to contemplate the beautiful complexity and wonder

of God’s creation.

I hope you’ll be able to participate with us, or pray

for us, for a wonder-filled week of learning and fun for

our kids.

Pastor Aaron

Adult Forum takes a summer break

After a great season of discussion

and faith sharing, our Sunday

sessions will take a break till

September.

If you have a topic or study

you’d like to see presented, please

be in touch with Pastor Melinda

([email protected]).

Building on Our Legacy:

Building Fund Appeal 2018—2021

Many

thanks to

everyone

who made

a pledge

for our

Building

Fund Appeal in May! We’re making progress toward

our goal of $160,000. As of May 29, we have received

28 pledges for $70,385. Thank you! Every three years,

members and friends of the congregation are invited

to make a gift or three-year pledge to the Building

Fund, which provides a reliable stream of income to

repair and improve our facilities. It pays for sizable

property-related projects not included in the annual

budget.

If you did not receive the Building Fund Appeal

mailing, please contact the church office. We invite

you to prayerfully consider your three-year Building

Fund pledge and to give as generously as you are able

to care for this legacy entrusted to us. Thank you!

Summer is hereand

our beautiful weather is

proof! Throughout June,

July and August, our

worship service begins at

10 a.m. See you in church this summer!

FIRST IMMANUEL CORE VALUES

Spiritual Life � Friendly Community � Acceptance & Diversity � Tradition & Heritage �

Music & Worship � Growing in Faith � Family Focus � Serving & Volunteering

Music Sunday is June 3, and

Bell Choir plays Sunday, June 10

Over the last few years, we have

celebrated the last Sunday that the

choir sings before summer break as

“Music Sunday.” Our tradition is to

choose a few works that we’ve sung

before and would like to sing again

before we end the choir season.

This Sunday, June 3, we’ll sing

“The Sparrow’s Song” by Joseph

Martin, who came to our church and

conducted our choir in 2013. Written

for choir, organ and violin solo, it

begins with the words of the sparrow: “I will build my

nest in the arms of the tree.” But later, we realize that

the tree is really a cross when we hear, “I will build my

nest in the arms of the tree that held the Lord of

life.” It is a beautiful and powerful message that we

too should build our lives in the cross of Christ.

During the offertory, the choir will sing the

Sanctus (“Holy, Holy”) from Gabriel Fauré’s beautiful

setting of the Requiem Mass. Unlike Requiems by

Mozart or Verdi, featuring large sections about

judgment and damnation, Fauré’s Requiem is a very

peaceful, almost joyous work—his aim to give perhaps

a preview of heavenly music and peace.

We’ll close the service with a wonderful favorite,

“The Lord Bless You and Keep You” by Peter Lutkin,

which features the very familiar “sevenfold” Amen.

On Sunday, June 10, the bell choir will play for the

last time this season before summer break. They will

perform a very nice arrangement of a “Gavotte” by

Johann Sebastian Bach.

We hope that you’ll enjoy this music as much as

we’ve enjoyed performing it—we are glad to present

these works again before we go on summer break.

—Ralph Nelson, Choir Director

Summer soloists wanted – all ages welcome!

Do you play an instrument or

sing? Would you like to play for

the congregation this summer

during worship? Please see

Choir Director Ralph Nelson at

coffee hour or email [email protected]. We

would especially like encourage students who have

been studying instruments or voice to play or sing this

summer.

Strawberry Social at Gallagher Plaza

Saturday, June 2, 2-3 p.m.

Connect with neighbors and friends in

this fun annual event. If you can help

serve, we'd love to include you! We're

also taking donations of strawberries,

pound cake, whipped cream and ice

cream (regular and sugar-free

options). Contact Ryan Traetow

([email protected]). Thanks!

FILC BOOK GROUP

Sunday, June 10, 6:30 p.m., at the home of Tyrell

Servo & Don Suhr (Milwaukie)

Join us for good fellowship, conversation

and yummy dessert. Please be in touch for

directions and to let us know you’re coming:

[email protected]. To borrow a copy of

the June book, please contact Pastor

Melinda—we’re checking out a reading group

pack of 10 books from the Portland library.

Our June selection is People of the Book: A Novel, by

Geraldine Brooks. Inspired by a true story, this

bestselling novel traces the harrowing journey of the

famed Sarajevo Haggadah, a beautifully illuminated

Hebrew manuscript created in fifteenth-century Spain.

When it falls to Hanna Heath, an Australian rare book

expert, to conserve this priceless work, the tiny artifacts

she discovers in its ancient binding only begin to unlock

its deep mysteries and plunge Hanna into the intrigues

of fine art forgers and ultra-nationalist fanatics.

Read ahead for August 26, when we’ll meet at the

Akermans’ in Beaverton: Killers of the Flower Moon: The

Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, by David

Grann. Named a Best Book of 2017 by numerous groups.

ELCA National Youth Gathering

In worship on Sunday,

June 24, we will pray for

Andrew Couch, Emily

Drexler, Pastor Aaron and

youth from Calvary Lutheran

and St. Andrew Lutheran, as

they prepare to leave for the ELCA National Youth

Gathering. On Tuesday June 26, we’ll send them off with

our blessing to be a blessing to the people of Houston.

Then we look forward to welcoming them home after

Sunday, July 1. Thank you to everyone who helped make

it possible for our youth to attend the gathering by

supporting our fundraisers! We couldn’t have done it

without you!

SIGN UP FOR SUMMER YURT CAMPING

August 16-19, 2018at South Beach State

Park near Newport, Oregon

Two-night & three-night options available

Sign up now to save your

spot for our end-of-summer

yurt camping trip, August 16-

19, 2018. We've reserved 10

yurts at beautiful South

Beach State Park south of

Newport, Oregon. You can

come for the usual two nights or opt to stay three nights,

your choice.

Two-Night Yurt Camping, Friday through Sunday,

Aug. 17-19: Cost for one yurt is $125 for two nights. This

includes a group barbecue dinner on Saturday evening

and s’mores.

Three-Night Yurt Camping, Thursday through

Sunday, Aug. 16-19: Cost for one yurt is $175 for three

nights. This includes a group barbecue dinner on

Saturday evening and s’mores.

This is camping in style! Possible weekend activities

include playing on the beach, biking, nature hikes, a trip

to the aquarium or Newport, our group barbecue dinner

Saturday night, and beach worship Sunday morning. The

yurts are equipped with electricity, heat, and furniture

including bunk bed and foldout couch. Families and

individuals will bring their own food plus the usual

camping necessities (bedding, dishes, etc.). For more

info see http://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/PARKS/rustic.

shtml# RUSTIC_YURTS.

Full payment will assure your spot. Reservations are

first-come, first-served, and these spots tend to fill fast.

Tent camping is also available at a reduced price. Please

contact one of the planners to reserve your place or with

any questions: Tyrell Servo ([email protected]),

Marja Selmann ([email protected]), Pastor

Melinda ([email protected]).

Your Congregational Life Committee

Congratulations to Our Confirmands

We rejoice with Cate Bikales

and Kanoa Martin, who were

confirmed on Pentecost

Sunday, May 20. We invite you

to join us in giving praise to God

and bearing God’s creative and

redeeming word to all the

world! Congratulations, Cate

and Kanoa!

Steeple Repair Update

Repair work on the

sanctuary is underway!

The old porch roof over

the front doors was torn

down and replaced with a

new one. The scaffolding is

ready for the roofers to

begin stripping off the old

shingles, replacing the

flashing and installing new

shingles. The contractor

has also been examining

the old chimney, which will be removed, and then the

stucco will be repaired. When these items are

completed, the entire exterior of the church will be

painted. Thanks to all for your generous gifts to make

this huge effort possible!

Goose Hollow Family Shelter “First Monday”

Team Invites You! Sign up for June 4

You’re invited to join FILC’s

volunteer team at Goose

Hollow Family Shelter

(located at First United

Methodist Church, 1838 SW

Jefferson), providing

temporary housing for up to

8 families. On every “First

Monday” we fill several

volunteer tasks including

making dinner, serving dinner, hosting kid time

activities, and laundry/organizing “helping hand.” No

overnight stay is required. You can serve dinner

without special training, but please note that for Kid

Time or Helping Hand, the shelter requires that you

attend a one-time, one-hour volunteer orientation.

Check the shelter website www.pdxhfs.org for

upcoming times.

To help on June 4―please sign up as soon as

possible. If you’re viewing electronically, click here to

use our online signup sheet, or check the weekly e-

news for a similar link. Alternately, please contact

Maddie Wiens at [email protected], or Ryan

Traetow at [email protected], or Pastor Melinda,

and we’ll get you in the rotation. Thanks!

Note: The winter Family Shelter at Temple Beth

Israel is closed until next winter season.

Remember, when you leave this

earth, you can take with you

nothing that you have received,

only what you have given: a full

heart, enriched by honest service,

love, sacrifice, and courage.”

—St. Francis of Assisi

As we dedicate our energy to God’s mission of love,

we also dedicate our financial resources to support

Christ’s work in our neighborhood and far beyond.

Thank you for your generous giving—a beautiful

expression of Christian devotion and love.

MAY COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS

Actual pledge giving: Budgeted pledge giving:

April: $16,515 April: $22,422

2018 TOTAL: $70,682 2018 TOTAL: $89,688

Synod Regional Gathering, held Saturday, May 5. Those

who were able to attend shared very positive responses. 75

congregations took the vitality survey. Members suggested

that First Immanuel retake the vitality survey again in a

year or two, as a way to track the health of the

congregation. Members shared a recommendation that

First Immanuel continue relationship-building activities and

structured one-to-one conversations. Several members

reported from the Eco-Reformation breakout session,

including referrals to the Portland Clean Energy Fund and

the EcoFaith Recovery group. Reflections on youth

activities in the region led to comments on the cyclical

nature of the number of First Immanuel youth in

confirmation over the years. Members also received copies

of Oregon Synod Trends & Data–April 2018, and discussed

its implications for First Immanuel.

Reporting and Discussion Items.

• Council members discussed the proceeds from envelope

offerings as compared to the budget. They scheduled a

more detailed comparison of the budget categories next

month.

• Kent Fredrickson reported on a meeting with our new

insurance agent and updates to our insurance policy.

• Council reviewed plans for the ELCA National Youth

Gathering, VBS, and the Youth Group from Coeur d’Alene,

Idaho, that will be staying at First Immanuel in June.

• Pastor Aaron reported on his conversation with the

executor of Waldo Johnson’s bequest. Council is

comfortable with the expected timeline.

Council Actions. Bonny Groshong and Bobbi Varnes

submitted revisions to the Building Use Policy document to

the Executive Committee, who approved the revisions and

forwarded the document to Council. The Council passed a

motion to adopt the revised Building Use Policy.

Lynn Akerman, Secretary

Creation Care Camp:

Wild Wonder—GodMade!

Vacation Bible School this month,

June 18-21!

It’s almost time for

VBS! First Immanuel

welcomes you to

experience “Wild

Wonder: A

Creation Care

Camp.” inviting

kids to delight in

God as Creator and

experience the

wonder of God’s amazing creation. Come join the fun

at Vacation Bible School, Monday, June 18, through

Thursday, June 21. Check out the registration link at

www.firstimmanuelluth.org!

We’ll gather each evening in Fellowship Hall,

beginning with dinner at 6 PM. Kids experience Bible

stories through an interactive combination of music,

art, games, worship, and drama! Activities for children

ages 3 through 12 will last until 8:20 PM each evening.

Bring your children or grandchildren! Invite your

friends!

Staff Training for Vacation Bible School

Wednesday, June 13, at 6 p.m., we’ll gather for a staff

training event for everyone involved in leadership for

VBS. Come learn about the “Wild Wonder” curriculum

and how you can help kids experience God’s goodness

through the wonder of God’s creation.

EMAIL PRAYER CHAIN

Prayer is a powerful gift

connecting us with God

and one another. We

invite you to join the

Prayer Chain ministry,

either by sharing a concern

or making our weekly

email requests a part of your devotional life. If you

have prayer requests or updates, please send them to

Suzanne Nelson at [email protected]

by Monday evening each week. To join the group, also

contact Suzanne. Sincere thanks to ALL our members

and friends who share God’s love and healing strength

through this ministry!

Extra, Special Ways to Give

Do you know about these

special—and easy—ways to

give to First Immanuel and

help support programs

important to our

congregation? Check these out

today!

► Are you a member of

Thrivent Financial? Thrivent is

a fraternal organization that

offers various financial

products and distributes what would be profits among

Lutheran congregations and nonprofit organizations.

Thrivent members have “Choice Dollars” that may be

directed to Lutheran organizations, including First

Immanuel. To direct your Choice Dollars to FILC, go to

www.thrivent.com and click on “Thrivent

Community,” or call 1-800-THRIVENT (1-800-847-

4836) and state “Thrivent Choice.”

►First Immanuel has a Fred Meyer Community

Rewards account! Whenever you use your Rewards

card at Freddy’s, you’ll help us earn a quarterly

donation from Fred Meyer, based on all accumulated

spending linked to FILC. Just link your Rewards Card to

your favorite nonprofit (FILC, of course!) at

www.fredmeyer.com/communityrewards. You’ll still

get your personal Rewards Points, Fuel Points and

Rebates!

► We’re also a registered nonprofit with

AmazonSmile, through which Amazon.com donates

0.5% of the price of eligible smile.amazon.com

purchases to charities selected by customers. First

Immanuel has its own unique AmazonSmile link—

http://smile.amazon.com/ch/93-0386829. Just

bookmark this link and all your eligible shopping will

benefit First Immanuel!

Can you help with Coffee Hour?

We have oodles of slots open for

upcoming coffee hours. We've

received a generous donation to

pay for goodies. Now we need

willing hands to make coffee, set

out trays, and generally oversee

things. Interested? Contact Bonny

Groshong (503-226-3659) or sign

up on the chart in Fellowship Hall. Thank you!

2: Tym Otto 29: Eric Rasmussen 12: Betsy Granger 30: Wolfgang Essink 14: Kathy Truman 15: Hannah Thom 16: Andrew Larson 7: Ann & Steve Venn 17: Cynthia Collins 11: Pastor Aaron Couch & 18: Megan Borwieck Pastor Melinda Wagner 22: Anna Riley 18: Don & Edith Larson 25: Betty Quanstrom 21: Bonnie & Steve Borwieck Tammy VanDeGrift 27: Catherine & Steve Bailey 26: John Thom 28: Gary & Suzanne Nelson 27: Kate Carlson 29: Becky Shoemaker & Bill Stack Kella Carlson 30: Linda & Per-Olof Lund

Don’t see your special day? Contact Debbie (503/226-3659, [email protected]) with your details!

Donate from your smart phone First Immanuel offers mobile version online giving to make it easy to give anytime. Scan this image using

your phone’s QR code reader—or go to our website (www.firstimmanuelluth.org) and locate the online giving page.

Sunday Parking Reminder

Friendly reminder: on Sundays, we'd

like to reserve our parking lot for those

with mobility needs. The good news is

that all street parking is free on

Sundays, and we also have parking available at

Mesher Tools and Miller Paint Co. Thanks for your

consideration!

Parking Alert for Timbers Games

Plan ahead for days when the Timbers play at

Providence Park. Games this month will be Saturday,

June 2 at 2 p.m. and Saturday, June 9 at 7:30 p.m.

Are you receiving our

“Weekly Word” E-News?

FILC’s “Weekly Word” e-news is

a brief message with updates,

event reminders, and a

scriptural reflection for the

upcoming Sunday. It’s emailed,

usually on Thursdays. If you’re not getting the Weekly

Word, sign up at www.firstimmanuelluth.org, or

contact the church office.

What is more delightful than

freshly baked bread?

Calling all bakers! One of

the special ways to

participate in Holy

Communion is to bake the

bread we use for the

Lord’s Supper. Yeast bread

or flatbread...all are

welcomed and enjoyed. We have recipes for both if

you’d like them, or you can use your own favorite. If

you’d like to bake or have questions about it, please

talk to Misty Ibsen ([email protected], 503-523-

8214) or Leslie Wong ([email protected], 503-

880-3099).

We're not going to ask you to make Sunday

dinner, but how about setting the table?

Communion is a very

special part of our

Sunday service, as we

gather together to

receive the gifts of

Christ’s body and

blood. You can assist in

“setting the table,” by preparing the altar with the

bread and wine. This is a very easy job! You just come

to church a little early to lay out the wine, juice and

bread, and stay for a few minutes after the service to

clear the table and put everything away. If you think

you might be interested in learning to do this very

rewarding job, please talk to Misty Ibsen (503-525-

8214, [email protected]) or Leslie Wong (503-

224-0743, [email protected]). We promise

you’ll love it!

Thanks for filling the barrel!

Thanks to all who

helped fill the

barrel to the brim

for Lift Urban

Portland’s annual

Food Drive. With

your help, the

clients at Lift’s

Food Pantry,

located right here at First Immanuel, will enjoy plenty

more of those ever-popular canned tomatoes, black

beans and corn this summer!

June 2018 at First Immanuel

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 8:30 AM RH Showers

10 AM RH Bingo

12 PM Food Pantry

2 2 PM Strawberry Social @ Gallagher Plaza

3 10 AM Worship

11 AM Coffee Hr.

12 PM Choir Potluck @ Bashes’ home

8 PM AA

Music Sunday


1 PM RH Bloom

6:30 PM First Monday Team @ Goose Hollow Family Shelter


9 AM RH Beading

12 PM Food Pantry

1 PM RH Staff Training

6 PM Executive Committee

6 12:30 PM RH Showers

1:30 PM RH Yoga


5:30 PM Food Pantry

6 PM ACOA


10 AM RH Bingo

12 PM Food Pantry

9

10 10 AM Worship

11 AM Coffee Hr.

6:30 PM FILC Book Group @ Tyrell Servo’s home

8 PM AA


12 9 AM RH Beading

9 AM RH Haircuts

12 PM Food Pantry

2 PM RH Sewing Group

6 PM Church Council

13 8:30 AM Lift UP Harvest Share

12:30 PM RH

Showers


1 PM RH Bloom

5:30 PM Pantry

6 PM ACOA


10 AM RH Bingo

12 PM Food Pantry

16 11 AM Memorial Service for Peggy McNichol

17 10 AM Worship

11 AM Coffee Hr.

8 PM AA


1 PM RH Bloom

6 PM Vacation Bible School

19 9 AM RH Beading

12 PM Food Pantry

2 PM RH Sewing Group


20 12:30 PM RH

Showers


21 5:30 PM Food Pantry


22 12 PM Food Pantry

23

24 10 AM Worship

11 AM Coffee Hr.

8 PM AA

25


27

ELCA Youth Gathering, Houston TX

(through July 1)

28 5:30 PM Pantry

6 PM ACOA


(through July 1)



(through July 1)

30


(through July 1)

1816 nw irving street, portland, oregon 97209 · 2020-03-20 · 1816 nw irving street, portland,...

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