Edmonds Presbyterian Church
  • Home
  • About
  • Sermons
  • Contact
  • Newsletter
  • Facility Rental
  • Education

Pastor Amy’s Thoughts….

10/1/2020

0 Comments

 
Greetings,
I have been thinking about discernment today. In particular, how do we discern which voices to listen to, and which voices to turn away from? I remember when our second child was born. When she first met her elder brother, she heard him talking as he entered the hospital room. While she was in my arms she turned her head and focused her gaze (as much as a newborn can do so) on that very familiar voice that she recognized from the womb. She knew the sound of his voice.

We talk about listening for the voice of God as one way to undertake discernment. What does that voice sound like? How do we turn our heads and focus our gaze when that voice appears in scripture, in our prayers, or through other people?

You may remember the account of the two disciples who encountered Jesus on their way home to the village of Emmaus on that very first Easter Sunday. They did not know that Jesus had been raised from the dead when a stranger joined them on their walk. Gradually he explained all that they needed to know about Jesus, the ways that the scriptures had foretold his birth, death, and resurrection. Then finally, when the two disciples invited the stranger to join them for a meal in their home, we read that “their eyes were opened and they recognized him.”

This account highlights many of the common steps we take in discernment. We begin by looking for connections between our own lives, our own experience and the witness of the scriptures. Some call this the “scripture test.” Would the actions we are considering be praised by what we understand as the teachings of Jesus?

Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, we often need someone else to help us see the connections. The disciples needed Jesus, the stranger on the road with them, to help them understand. We, too, often need someone to journey with us, to help us unpack the message of the scriptures and apply them to our lives. Our fellow Christians help us through their wisdom. We may also hear the voice of Jesus in our prayers and study helping us to make these connections.

But notice with me that in the Emmaus account, initially Jesus was the stranger on the road. He was not someone the disciples recognized. He was a stranger. And yet, they listened, they were willing to hear what this stranger had to say. And through the stranger’s voice they heard the voice of God.

I wonder what strangers we are listening to these days. I find that today’s strangers come in two forms for me. The first is the stranger who barges into my Facebook feed, or my email. I see the stranger in the video, the article, the news item that a friend likes and is therefore shown to me. But, is that a stranger I should listen to or not? At times like these, I am reminded of the wise words of the fictional character, Molly Weasley, in the Harry Potter books, who says to her children about a magically enchanted object that has become a source of trouble for them, "Never trust anything that can think for itself, if you can't see where it keeps its brain." Applied to our newsfeeds, that means checking the source – who is behind this article? What is the purpose of it? It helps us to know whether this is a stranger’s voice worth our time, when we know the authors’ bias, or whether the news site is known for offering balanced or partisan views. A helpful link to sort this out is here:  https://www.allsides.com/media-bias/media-bias-chart Discernment in the daily email, the daily newsfeed, means knowing who is behind the message we are seeing or reading.

There is a lot of talk today about the bubble we each live in and in which we read the news of the world. That bubble tends to look a lot like us, and while I like a lot of people who look like me, I know that there are plenty of good ideas from people in other countries, people with different backgrounds and experiences than I have. But so often those people are outside my bubble – they are a second kind of stranger in my life. Lately I have been intentionally finding more of these strangers to listen to, to add to my discernment. A favorite way for me is to read or watch the news is to look for news from the Canadian press. I also have a number of respected clergy colleagues who are black, indigenous, or persons of color, and I seek out their writings, often on their blogs. I try to choose my strangers wisely. I listen to them and what they have to say, so that I may grow in my own understanding, and in the words of these strangers I may also hear God’s word to me, the word I am trying to discern.

In time, like the disciples at their kitchen table in Emmaus, the pieces of our discernment fall into place and we know what direction we need to take. The two disciples left their home and went back to Jerusalem to share with others the good news Jesus had shared with them. May our ordinary daily discernments and our more momentous ones be ones in which we hear clearly the voice of Jesus.
​
In Christ,
Pastor Amy


0 Comments

Session News

10/1/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
It is an active time to be on the Session! We have:
· Completed two initial sessions for discerning what’s next for our congregation and its ministry.
· Begun work on a project to bless our immediate neighbors with messages of hope.
· Met with our Presbytery Executive, Dr. Corey Schlosser-Hall, and continued to meet with our Presbytery Liaison from the Commission on Ministry, Rev. Ted Schuldt. We are learning what options are available to us for future ministry, and beginning the process of discerning the first next step.
· Received a Northwest Coast Presbytery grant for future architect plans, if needed.
We also:
· Continue to support our mission causes.
· Continue to offer worship, bible study, fellowship, and game nights via Zoom.
· With the assistance of the deacons and staff members, we continue to reach out to every member and friend in the church directory – online or by phone – to offer our prayers and support.
 
Please continue to keep your session elders and their work on your behalf in your prayers.

 


0 Comments

WOMENS ASSOCIATION NEWS

10/1/2020

0 Comments

 
Eight women of the congregation met together with Pastor Amy for Zoom meeting at 11:30 Wednesday, September 9. We enjoyed hearing from each other about what activities we are doing since we last met and how we entertain ourselves while in isolation.
 
Our treasurer, Kathy M, is collecting our mission offering and will disperse $75 to each of the 13 mission projects we support. In this time of unemployment they surely need all we can send them. We already sent $75 to Jonna R per special request as she informed us she had a specific need.
 
Linda R shared her views on establishing a Prayer Walk as a special project as she has noticed various neighbors walking in our woods and seeming to enjoy the peaceful quiet of our property. We discussed making or purchasing some inspirational signs with a Christian message which could be placed in various places on the grounds and perhaps motivate visitors to continue visiting our church.
 
Our next Zoom meeting will be at 11:30 am on Wednesday, October 14. All women are welcome to attend, and feel free to invite a visitor which can be easily accomplished by sending them a copy of our church service with instructions to use the Zoom link.
Looking forward to seeing you all in October.
Margaret S, Moderator
 

0 Comments

OPERATION NIGHTWATCH

10/1/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
 “Sock it to the Homeless” white sock drive will be held at our church during the month of October. Kim will put a box outside the front door each Tuesday morning during October. Socks may be dropped off between 9 am and noon. Socks should be white, crew length or longer. Cheap socks are fine since they are thrown out after use. Clean dry socks help a little to make life better for the homeless men. Operation Nightwatch does not have adequate laundry facilities to sanitize and re-use socks.
 
You may mail checks to the church to purchase socks if you prefer. Checks should be made out to Edmonds Presbyterian Church and marked clearly for Operation Nightwatch. Donated funds will be sent to Operation Nightwatch so they can buy the socks.
 
Rick Reynolds was sick with COVID –19 for 10 weeks earlier this year. Two of their tenants died in April and some had to be quarantined away from their units until it was safe to return. Their situation is better now, but not back to normal. Operation Nightwatch could definitely use prayer for the staff and clients.
 
One unusual, but wonderful event happened at Nightwatch this summer. Someone was baptized in the parking lot where meals are now being served. Larry wanted something different from the usual requests for food, water, socks or bus tickets. Larry wanted to be baptized. Every week, Larry would come for a meal, visit and pray with the street pastor. But Larry wanted to be baptized. One day Larry was baptized, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. His homeless friends voiced their support. Larry, with a huge grin on his face, said "I can't wait to tell everyone! “

 


0 Comments

Rev. Dr. Jean Kim’s Jubilee!

10/1/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture

Jean Kim, “mother to the homeless”, was honored in a Zoom Meeting where all the participants celebrated: Jean’s Jubilee (50th year) of immigration to the United States, her Jubilee of Homeless Mission, her publication of 5 books, and her 85th birthday. The event was organized by her son, Sam, along with other family members.

Who is Jean Kim? Jean Kim wrote about her multi-faceted life in the book, Hope in the Color Purple. The book not only chronicles her struggles, but it also tells of her passionate community advocacy for the homeless. Jean was ordained as Presbyterian minister (the 2nd Korean woman ordained by the PCUSA), and she founded the ecumenical church of Mary Magdelene in Seattle, WA which also served as a community of support for homeless women.

The Jubilee event on September 12 was a wonderful community experience! The retrospective of Jean’s life and her many accomplishments was living proof of how tough problems can be overcome. Jean’s ability to bring people together formed the foundation for Jean’s work with homeless women. Jean acknowledged the special needs for homeless women to talk, learn, and have a community of support thereby creating a climate of strength, courage, and hope for the women Jean served. In Jean’s case, her personal challenges and insights about people living on the streets eventually led her to open Mary’s Place, a women’s shelter now located in Lynnwood. The spirit of community in the Zoom celebration was captured by the series of voices that shed light on Jean. Their words made it clear that Jean understands the true meaning of “partnership.” She teamed up with George Hurst of the Lynnwood City Council to create “little homes”, Dick Gibson, the Maplewood Church pastor, and Steve Woodard, a dean at the Edmonds Community College along with many others from all walks of life. Jean knows how to bring people together and inspire them to create something out of the ordinary.

Purple was a theme throughout the celebration. It seems that purple means something to Jean. In Jean’s book she references purple as the color of Lent and in that sense, it is about suffering. But for Jean, the color also represents power, hope, and healing. For the people who know Jean, the color represents Jean because Jean, like purple, has that unusual combination of warmth, love, joy, spirit, and power. Jean has that rare ability to lift up others, restore dignity to the marginalized, and honor the sacred.
Some of the moving words spoken about Jean included:
  • George Hurst: “Jean does not take no for an answer.”
  • Thelma Burgonio-Watson: Jean showed us that, “We are all under the same sky, walking the same earth…”
  • Samuel Chung: “Her work transcends ethnic groups and people from all walks of life.”
  • Marty Hartman: Executive Director of Mary’s Place: “Told the women of Seattle that they were worthy…she scooped them up.”
Toward the end of the celebration one of the women that Jean worked with at Mary’s Place, thanked Jean for how she changed the course of her life. Her presence and simple words of gratitude made it clear that the world needs more people like Jean. As Marty Hartman, the executive director of Mary’s Place stated, Jean “treated all women as the mother or sister, they wished they had.” Jean showed how words are not enough and action is what counts…”no” was not an answer to the problems Jean wanted to solve. Jean “walked the walk” and in the process turned hardship to hope and the lost into found.
By Margaret Kulkin

 

0 Comments

You’re invited to join Pastor Amy for Home Communion

10/1/2020

0 Comments

 
​While we cannot gather in person, we will gather over the internet to share the Lord’s Supper together.  On Sunday, October 4th, at 2 PM (following our usual 1 PM check-in) we will gather via Zoom for home communion together. We will have a special solo by Jerry G as part of our service. Please have your own bread (simple is best), and grape juice / wine or other beverage common to your home. You may “zoom in” in from your phone, smartphone, or computer.
Picture
0 Comments

Membership – Is it time for you to join?

10/1/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Because of the timing of the pandemic, we have not offered an orientation to our church community, which includes information about membership, in over a year. Membership in the congregation is primarily a public witness to your faith in Jesus Christ. Secondarily, it opens doors for service in the leadership of the congregation and to having a voice and vote in all decisions that come to the congregation.  Pastor Amy and an elder from the Session are available to offer an orientation class via zoom for anyone who is interested. Contact her or leave a message with the church office and we’ll find a mutually agreeable time to meet for the orientation.

0 Comments

Spam Filters are catching the Church emails!

10/1/2020

0 Comments

 
Be sure to check your spam folder if you are not seeing prayer requests or Sunday worship information – we hear that the spam filters are choosing to grab our emails for some reason. Really, we would never spam you – but we do want you to know what is happening in the life of the congregation.
0 Comments

Bible Study

10/1/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Our Bible Studies are finishing the Psalms of Ascent, the portions of the book of Psalms from Psalm 120 – 134. We will continue to meet on Tuesdays at 10 AM, and Wednesdays at 3 PM, with the same study each day. You are welcome to join us whenever it works in your schedule. October studies are October 6th & 7th – Psalm 133; October 20th & 21st – Psalm 134.
​(No study on the 14th or 28th.) We will begin a new series in November.

0 Comments

Don’t forget – We have special procedures for using the church building during COVID-19

10/1/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Please log in and log out whenever you use the church building. On the form provided, check the boxes for the areas of the church you visit. Currently there are no meetings scheduled at the church building and staff is using the facility on a limited basis. We also ask that you monitor your own symptoms and if fever, fatigue, nausea, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, headaches, or sudden loss of smell and taste, fever or chills, cough, muscle or body aches, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea, please do not visit the church building.

0 Comments
<<Previous

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014

    The Caller

    A monthly newsletter of upcoming events, celebrations, and news of the church community.

    Categories

    All
    Bible Study
    Deacons
    Education
    Events
    Fellowship
    Jobs
    Mens Fellowship
    Missions
    Music
    NW Coast Presbytery
    Pastor Thoughts
    Prayer
    Scouts
    Session Info (church Board)
    Stewardship
    Sunday School
    Womens Assn
    Worship
    Youth

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
Photos used under Creative Commons from KarenBorterPhotography, peddhapati, Jamie In Bytown, Evim@ge