Blog Archives

From the Desk of Pastor Rob

10/25/2023

Dear Fellow Travelers,

The rain is back! Having spent 2/3 of my life in the Pacific Northwest it is in my bones. I welcome shorter cooler days with rain. Yet I also worry about overflowing gutters and leaking roofs. With a little prayer, some roof repair and lots of help from you, we hope to stay dry and warm inside. Soon we will have little voices in our midst when the Edmonds Coop Preschool will use our facility. Thanks be to God for them.

As we prepare for Advent, Stewardship season begins on November 12th. We will receive and celebrate 2024 pledges for Christ the King Sunday on November 26th. Watch for speakers and information to help with your pledge of tithes and offerings for the coming year!

Our Bible Study on Acts continues. Join us after worship in person or Tuesday at 10 AM on Zoom. We are using Scot McKnight’s “Acts.” There are free copies on the back table at church. It is also available on Kindle.

Men’s Group is happening all summer at 9 AM on Saturday Mornings. We share in music, bible study, and discussion. Women’s Association meets on the 2nd Wednesday of the month with lunch. Get involved in their mission and outreach activities.

Please tell your friends and family about our Online Streaming Worship. We have a new camera with much improved video quality. Please go to the www.epc-pcusa.org website for the latest links.

This is what I am planning for worship in November.

Sunday, November 5th. Rev. Jinsuk Kim will preach and celebrate communion this Sunday. Jinsuk worked with the Presbytery in many capacities and he has been pivotal in drawing us together with the Korean-American congregations in our area. Join us in person and online!

Sunday, November 12th. I like to say that God’s jealous love binds us together. Whenever we commission someone who moves away or passes on, I always send them with our jealous love as well. In “Jealous God” I will preach about how Joshua struggled to bind the Israelites together. We honor diversity, yet we try for common purpose.

Sunday, November 19th. In “You Go Girl” I will share the story of the two strongest women in the Old Testament, Deborah and Jael. They were surrounded by warriors and Israel was under constant threat. Through boldness and bravery, they set the example for strong female leadership.

Sunday, November 26th. Christ the King Sunday is the last Sunday before Advent. We celebrate a powerful image of Jesus, but then we are confronted with the humility of “The Least of These” in Matthew 25. Jesus’s presence in the most humble people is a reminder of our purpose as a church.

It is a joy to serve God with you! I look forward to worshiping with you in November!

Grace and Peace,
Pastor Rob

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MISSION NEWS

10/25/2023

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LAHAI HEALTH
Lahai Health, which provides free medical, dental and mental health services to low income people, is one of the mission agencies our church supports. Lahai Health has three core values.

1. Christ-centered. “We value Christ and his teaching. We seek to follow where Christ is leading, loving people as Jesus loves.
2. Professional. “We value excellence in the administration of health care. We show respect and act with responsibility.”
3. Relational. “We value knowing our patients and their families. We pursue kindness, mercy and respect for all people. Each one is created in God’s image.”

“Lahai health is a clinic providing health care to under-served individuals in King and Snohomish counties. Our service includes integrated and comprehensive medical, dental, and mental health counseling services.

Since 2003 we have been able to provide quality and compassionate health care through a dedicated staff of volunteers, donors and community partners motivated to show Christ’s love to all under-served people. While we meet immediate needs of each patient, our long term goal is to care for the whole individual, meeting the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of each patient.” Our $100 mission allocation for this month will go to Lahai Health.

OPERATION NIGHTWATCH
Usually we think of Operation Nightwatch as providing food and shelter for homeless people. We have been recently bringing white socks to give to homeless people to keep them a little more comfortable during cold and wet weather.

Sometimes Operation Nightwatch helps people in a different way. Pastor Paul met “Brent” on Capitol Hill. He had recently survived a shooting and was scared.   As Pastor Paul talked with Brent, he became more hopeful. He had grown up in foster care and was now living outside. Operation Nightwatch was able to connect with Brent’s guardian. A bus ticket was purchased for Brent to return to his home town. Within one week, he was met at the other end by his supportive guardian at a home for developmentally disabled adults experiencing poverty. A little while later Operation Nightwatch received this note from Brent. “Thank you and God bless you. Thank you for having Pastor Paul be the person to meet me, guide me in the right way, and help me get back where I belong. You have been a miracle. Love, your dear friend, Brent.”

Operation Nightwatch works to help each individual in the best way possible for that person.

Mission Elder, Ruth R

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WOMENS ASSOCIATION NEWS

10/25/2023

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The October meeting of the EPC Women’s Association was an informal lunch at the Pancake Haus in Edmonds. It is always a joy to have an opportunity to socialize with friends from the church.

Our November meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 8 at 11:30 AM in the Friendship Hall in our church. Our speaker will be Shannon Sessions who will tell us about Support 7, sponsored by the International Chaplains Ministry. They support local firefighters, emergency responders and police who make calls to emergencies in our community by giving support to families in need. They provide a camper filled with emergency food water and snacks for the responders and a warm, quiet place to rest for clients having an emergency. Shannon will tell you much more about their program. All women are invited and we encourage you to bring a friend. Lunch will be provided.

We are continuing to collect new white socks for Operation Nightwatch to give to their clients who are homeless and often out in cold weather. Operation Nightwatch is also grateful for contributions of coffee, cocoa and snacks which they in turn give to their clients.

Ruth R is looking into adopting a Christmas Family for our church for whom we provide gifts and Christmas dinner. This actually becomes a project for our entire church because even though there are few of us we want to show our love for those less fortunate and are in need.

Margaret S, EPC Women’s Association Moderator

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EDUCATION NEWS

10/25/2023

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This is an update from Seattle-King County about the drug enforcement we discussed previously in worship. The Seattle City Council passed an ordinance making public drug use a gross misdemeanor. This allows the police to arrest and charge people who are a public nuisance. Those who are arrested can face jail time if they refuse treatment for drug use. Jailed people will be offered drug treatment again. This has been shown to be effective when they stick with the program. A good percentage of those who choose to take advantage of the treatment option are able to stay clean and are given an opportunity to kick their drug addiction. Additional funds are being made available for drug treatment and mental health programs. This should help reduce the street crime and shoplifting that have become a major in Seattle. This positive step will ultimately save lives and improve our community.

Margaret S, Education Elder

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