Friday, April 19
12:00 pm Bible Study - (on Zoom)
Saturday, April 20
9:00 am Community Breakfast
Sunday, April 21
10:00 am Palm Sunday Worship - in the sanctuary and livestreamed
11:15 am - Coffee in the Narthex
Thursday, April 25
12:00 pm Bible Study - (on Zoom)
(Links for Zoom meetings are posted in the Vine newsletter).
Save the Date
Thursday, April 25: Christ and Cascadia Gathering
Thursday, April 25: Conversation on Grief, with Sonja Whitaker (via Zoom)
Sunday, April 28: Installation service for Pastor Lauren St. Martin
Sunday, May 5: Children and Christian Initiation class
Saturday, May 18: Global Walk for Water
Sunday, May 19: Children and Christian Initiation class
Happening this week
"Love Your Church" work day!
Join us on Saturday, March 23 at 9:30 am for our spring work day. We want to put a shine on the church before Easter Sunday, with special emphasis (weather permitting) on the main outdoor/entry of the building (Pike Street side). Let Allan Waite know if you can be there. As usual, there will be coffee and donuts in the morning, and pizza for lunch before we depart.
UNITE 2024 Kick-off meeting
Sunday, March 10 after worship
High school students who are planning to attend UNITE, and their parents, are encouraged to join us for an informational meeting next Sunday, March 10.
UNITE takes place in San Diego from July 15-19 this summer. We’ll meet in the Conference Room located off the Narthex (near the west stairway) directly after our worship service. If you have any questions, please contact Deeann Puffert or Pastor Lauren.
YOU ARE INVITED
Festive Choir for Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday
We are enlarging are regular choir to form a “Festive Choir” with limited rehearsal time! You are invited to join us — we will have four choir rehearsals during March, leading up to Holy Week. The rehearsals will happen in the Sanctuary on Thursdays at 7:00 pm on March 7, 14, 21, and 28. The choir will sing in the morning worship services on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. You are welcome; the more the merrier!
Announcement from the search committee
by Stephanie Johnson Blomgren, chair
Last May, after launching our search for an Associate Pastor of Families, Youth & Children, Erik Cave (Director of NextGen Ministries at the Pacific Northwest Conference office) gave us a pretty clear nudge that this search would be more of a marathon than a sprint. "You won't get many inquiries from Covenant-only channels," he said. "Or really many people interested in this kind of ministry outside the Covenant."
Duly warned and expectations adjusted accordingly, we took Erik's other advice, as well, listing through church staffing organizations, as well as job search engines like Indeed.com. We stopped short of posting on Craigslist, in favor of reaching out through friends in the Covenant and gathering names and ideas the "old fashioned way."
So, in hindsight, maybe Erik (and this search committee as well) would be surprised to know that our two leading candidates were gifted and gracious people with Covenant roots and history, who knew our Pacific Northwest Conference, too—and could imagine their place in ministry here, alongside the people of First Covenant Church Seattle. Of those two candidates, one was particularly compelling. So much so that we enthusiastically share that name with you—or rather the new iteration of that name—Lauren St. Martin.
Over the next few weeks, we hope to make opportunities for all of you to greet Lauren, especially in the context of associate pastor, concentrating around ministry to families, youth and children. This is a time to ask questions, to prayerfully consider this new role and Lauren's possible place in it. And for the continued blessing of our church.
I mentioned that Lauren was a "particularly compelling candidate." Search committee member Sara Davis shares little bit more:
FROM SARA DAVIS
I am thrilled that we finally get to share about Lauren and why we think she will be an amazing associate pastor!
As most of you know, Lauren is an incredibly talented preacher. Her degrees in Theology, Literature and Creative Writing shine through as she weaves stories from the Bible, current events, and her life to share God’s story and love. This will be Lauren’s first full-time pastoral role, but her vocational journey and experiences will directly equip her for ministry here at First Covenant Church.
Working at Seattle Pacific Seminary, she was an integral leader for the Pivot Northwest project. This project financially supported churches that were trying to engage young adults in new ways. The churches experimented with new approaches and reported their learnings and successes, perhaps some of which we could integrate at our church.
Currently, at the Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, Lauren serves as the managing editor of Christ & Cascadia, an online journal that inspires innovative faith practice and the exchange of ideas among Christ followers in the Cascadia region.
Lauren has a deep love of story and desire to invite our children into God’s story, and to help them articulate their stories in the context of Christ’s love. When asked about how she would evaluate success of our Sunday school program, she rephrased our question to frame “success” as “faithfulness.” Do the kids and youth feel loved, supported and known at our church? Do they have a trusted adult who can encourage them in their faith? That’s what she thinks is most important.
Lauren knows our church community and our values deeply. She has served as the Proclaim Christ Chair on our council and is excited to serve our congregation in a new way. And we couldn’t be more excited!
Lauren (Pattie) St. Martin was married in October to Manuel who is a software engineer. They live in Mountlake Terrace with their two dogs, Artemis and Lucca.
SEARCH COMMITTEE
Steph Blomgren, Sara Davis, Sheri Johnson, Corbin Sheffels, and Phia Waite.
Warm Coats are Needed
It is getting cold outside, and some of our Community Breakfast guests need warm coats.
If you have any new or gently used coats at home that you no longer use, please consider donating them to the Saturday morning breakfast folks. The greatest need is for men’s coats – any size.
You are welcome to drop them off anytime during the next few months. Please leave them near Cinda’s office door; they will be stored and used as needed.
Thank you,
Serve Others team
Annual Sock Drive
Once again as colder days are here we recognize the need, for the unhoused especially, to have warm, dry socks. As in the last few years, we will support Operation Nightwatch’s drive for socks. We will collect new, white men’s socks during the month of November. On December 3rd we will deliver these socks to Operation Nightwatch. There will be a container in the Narthex where you can put the socks. Thank you for your willingness to help.
If you have questions, contact Linda Morris (206) 898-7937.
From Pastor Steve Elde
Dear friends,
I am so grateful for our years in ministry together at First Covenant Church, Seattle, and for the privilege of being your pastor. I am especially grateful for the trust you have given me, for your love and encouragement, and for the sacred journey we have shared. My time at First Covenant Church has been one of the best in all my years of ministry. I have had the privilege of working with exceptional staff and a wonderful congregation. I have served under two gifted senior pastors, Paul Corner and Todd Johnson. Both have encouraged and accepted me as a trusted colleague and friend. And I am especially grateful for you, the congregation, for your commitment to the work of the church through some challenging times, including a global pandemic. Through it all, we have grown in faith and grown deeper in our relationship to one another. God is faithful. Under the leadership of Pastor Todd Johnson, exciting times for the church lie ahead.
It is, I think, the right time to conclude my ministry at First Covenant Church. I will be retiring at the end of October. Marilyn and I move on to the next chapter in our lives with gratitude for each of you. We will take six months away from First Covenant, then return. We will join you in the pews. Our support for the ministry of First Covenant Church will continue in the years ahead. We pray God’s richest blessings for you all!
With love,
Steve Elde
Associate Pastor
Last Sunday, August 6, we warmly welcomed four new members to our congregation. We are grateful that Rachael and Aaron Nilson, Wolf Rendall, and Kevin R. have joined our church. Welcome!
Special thanks to Ann Scranton for the beautiful and tasty homemade treats after the service
Welcome New Members!
Getting to know you
We have a new guest book in the Narthex, and we encourage you to invite visitors to sign it. This is a way we can welcome new people and it’s a place for people who visit our church to let us know they were here. Welcome, all!
Update on the dome re—roofing project
The re-roof project is progressing well, with the upper dome nearing total completion. You may notice evidence of our weekday alley and sidewalk closures in the form of signage and fencing around the church, which will continue through the month as our heroic contractors address asbestos removal, flat portions of the roofing, and new flashing attached inside and outside the roofing perimeter masonry. Thus far, the project budget is "green," though there do remain a few variables ahead. Duct replacement and a few finishing touches with the roofing are anticipated in September. Curious for more information? Reach out to Andrew Payne or Allan Waite for more details as they LOVE to talk about the subject!
Semi-annual meeting recap
We gathered in Fellowship Hall on Sunday, June 25th after the morning worship service for our semi-annual meeting. Following a lunch of pizza and salad, the meeting was called to order by church chair, Karl Nelson. Among the agenda items: we approved and welcomed four new members; we voted on new council members as well as two on the HR team and a new auditor.
Deeann Puffert thanked outgoing council members and thanked the many children’s ministry volunteers. We heard ministry updates from Pastor Todd and Pastor Steve. Andrew Payne gave us an update on the dome roof replacement project which is well underway already. Steph Blomgren provided a search committee update for a new associate pastor.
Colin Quackenbush shared the proposed budget for the next fiscal year which starts on September 1st. And during the meeting, we wrote notes to our church’s kids who are going to camp this summer, a long-time tradition that we are grateful for. It was a productive meeting and it was a joyful time!
We celebrated the baptism of Wolf Rendall during the worship service on Sunday, June 25. Welcome to our congregation to Wolf!
We had a delightful afternoon last Sunday at Jefferson Park for our annual picnic after the morning worship service. People of all ages enjoyed a feast of chicken and a huge variety of salads and fruit; a potluck in the most tasty way. There were tasty treats for dessert too. The kids enjoyed the nearby playground and the rest of us had meaningful conversations at the picnic tables and on blankets on the lawn. The weather cooperated and fun was had by all!
Special thanks to the Nurture Faith team for providing the chicken and planning the event.
[PHOTOS: Karl Nelson]
Annual church picnic full of good food and fellowship
From the Associate Pastor search committee
We opened a position search for an Associate Pastor for Family, Youth and Children on May 15th, sharing that through our Covenant Connect and Pacific Northwest Conference team. As we seek out candidates, we are sharing the position more broadly. And we would love to encourage you to consider sharing the search, too! Please don’t hesitate to reach out to any of our committee members with ideas—or feel welcome to share our search email, stephanie@firstcovenantseattle.org
Thank you!
~ Steph Johnson Blomgren, Sara Davis, Sheri Johnson, Corbin Sheffels, and Phia Waite
Anna Kim, missionary to China, and her son Nathan, will visit our church on Sunday, June 18. Following the morning worship service, Anna will give us an update on their missionary work. The coffee hour and presentation will be in Fellowship Hall. We look forward to seeing Anna and Nathan hearing their stories. From their newsletter, “Thank you for being our supporters in every way as we faithfully share what the Lord is doing while we serve in Asia! We are so honored to be witnesses of seeing God’s glory revealed.”
Covenant missionary Anna Kim visiting on Sunday, June 18
A lovely, sunny Saturday morning provided the back drop for two groups of walkers from our church for the World Vision Walk for Water last week. One group walked around Green Lake and the other walked along the water in West Seattle. This walk raised funds for bringing clean water to those who need it most in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The walkers from our congregation raised nearly $1,500! If you want to donate, there's still time—here's the link for donating.
Covenant Kids Congo / Global Walk for Water
On Sunday, May 21st, seven of our young people confirmed their faith at a meaningful worship service. We celebrate this important step in their faith journeys, and we pray for Axel, Catelyn, Elsie, Jonah, Phia, Signe and Wes. With gratitude to Pastors Todd and Steve for leading the Confirmation classes these last two years.
Confirmation Sunday, May 21
From Easter Sunday through this Sunday, Pentecost Sunday, we’ve had a special presence in our worship space. Hanging beneath the dome, from pillar to pillar in the balcony, are more than 100 handmade doves, representing the presence of the Holy Spirit and God’s promise of peace. This installation was created by the visual team. Each dove is made of sheet aluminum, cut in the shape of a dove using a stencil. After holes were added, the doves were suspended with thin wire, and attached along three 60-foot long wires. It took five people to carry, in synchrony, each line of doves into the sanctuary and up to the balcony for hanging. The movement of the doves and the colorful reflections on the metal have created an intriguing presence in the sanctuary. May you feel surrounded by the peace that passes all understanding through this art.
Thanks to Mary Hjelm, Barbara Rhoe, Katherine Hampton, Sloane Haagenson, Jeff HansPetersen, Donna Larson, and Bonnie Nelson for making the doves. And special thanks to Todd Larson for planning and managing the installation. It was a collaborative project and I appreciated the help!
~Sandy Nelson
The Doves of Eastertide
Confirmands had a joy-filled overnight extravaganza
Our seven confirmands, Axel, Catelyn, Elsie, Jonah, Phia, Signe, and Wes, had a fun-filled overnight last Friday, planned by Pastor Todd and Beth Anderson. The evening started with two games of bowling at West Seattle Bowl where a few strikes were had but mostly fun for all. Back to church they went for Pagliacci Pizza followed by playing the “Lord of the Rings” game accompanied by a variety of snacks. A tour of the dome, both outside on the roof, and in the attic was a real highlight! Then it was movie time; they watched “The Princess Bride.” There was time for fun and conversation, too, before hitting the sleeping bags. On Saturday, they were up at 7:30 am for homemade pumpkin bread and other treats and preparing the food and tables for serving the Community Breakfast in Fellowship Hall. Tired out but energized by such a fun time together, the kids were picked up by their parents at 10 am. Special thanks to chaperones Pastor Todd and Beth!
And the kids really appreciated the surprise goody bags prepared especially for them by the Nurture Faith team. Thank you!
A lively Prayer Partner Brunch
We had a full house in Fellowship Hall for this year's Prayer Partner Brunch last Sunday. A lovely meal was served, the conversation was lively, and the games were very entertaining! The intergenerational nature of this event made it very special. Seeing how the friendships have deepened over the years is a testament to this important ministry in our church. We are blessed to have such a caring church family. Special thanks to the Nurture Faith team for planning the brunch and to everyone who helped!
As we pray for our neighbors of the congregation of Temple De Hirsch Sinai following the antisemitic and Holocaust-denying graffiti put on their sacred space earlier this week, one thing we can do is place a sign that they sent us, in our windows, as a sign of our solidarity with them. This is one way we can be a witness to God’s light in these dark times. Printed copies will be available in the Narthex or you can download a PDF here for printing at home.
Being a good neighbor
The Art of Lent
This week our art focus is on handmade crosses. These are hanging in the Sanctuary and the Narthex. A few years ago, the kids in the 6th grade Sunday school class created 40 crosses to mark the 40 days of Lent. They started out making small, plain crosses out of found pieces of wood, and over the weeks, made larger and more colorful crosses, culminating in a few large crosses, painted in full color. Many of the crosses include symbols and images of Lenten stories. As a whole, it's an interesting installation, but viewed up close, you can see the delightful details on each one.
Gospel choir raises the dome!
Monday, March 13, the North Park University Gospel Choir filled our church with music, enthusiasm, and a dynamic faith in God. Gathered with our community that night were old friends and people who literally heard the music walking by and came in. Along with the North Park students, professors and staff who brought this concert to us, was a gathering of generations of North Park alums. If you know someone who might be interested in North Park University, or if you are interested in North Park, please contact Erin Montonte: ematonte@northpark.edu
The Art of Lent
To continue our experience of art in Lent is a new piece for you to see. Located in Fellowship Hall and created at Craft Night last week, an installation of purple doves represents the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Using stencils, we traced the shape and cut doves out of purple construction paper, saving the original squares to show the negative space where the dove came from.
We placed the shapes in the display cases from the left to right, as a rhythmic and moving cluster of doves, reminding us that we are part of a church family, but each an individual, and each one of us is in the presence of the Holy Spirt.
Erika and Nils Clauson
MAEM facilitators in Baja CA, Mexico grow in their understanding of family conflict transformation
Erika Clauson and Patty Restrepo serve as the MAEM national advisors and were invited to facilitate the training. Since this course is 8 sessions, they divided the training into two intensive weekends and we held the first part of the training in January with the second part taking place at the end of February. This team is walking with pastors and leaders in Mexicali, Tecate and Tijuana on their own healing journeys from trauma and abuse and equipping them to minister to their congregants and communities
News from missionaries
The Art of Lent
To add to our experience of worship during Lent, our visual coordination team will be placing art in different spaces over the coming weeks. We invite you to take a closer look at each piece as a visual dimension to your spiritual experience of this season in the church year.
The first piece is called “Journey to the Resurrection," created few years ago by 22 people from our church. This triptych installation, hanging in the Sanctuary (front, right), is made of linoleum block prints on panels using imagery to mark the 40-day journey of Lent leading up to Easter. The images illustrate the waiting, the hoping, the praying, and the resting during Lent — and include symbols of reflection during Holy Week, the “Hosannas” of Palm Sunday, the empty tomb of Good Friday, and the rejoicing at the resurrection of Easter.
Update on Steve and Barbara Swanson
Steve and Barbara Swanson are missionaries in Sweden. They continue to partner with Equmeniakyrkan (Swedish Covenant/Methodist/Baptist) denomination in reaching out to refugees and immigrants who have come to Sweden. They build bridges of trust and friendship in the Swedish language learning cafés, Peace Feasts, and children and family programs. They also teach and train Swedish Christians to open their hearts and lives to the newcomers so that the truth of Jesus can be shared. Together they work to help people overcome fears and prejudices and discover the joy of walking together on a journey with God. Both of them serve on leadership boards for local organizations that help immigrants integrate into Swedish society. They are also advising on two church planting projects in their region. While COVID restrictions limited their in-person ministries for a time, their home continues to be a meeting place for friends from different cultural and religious backgrounds. Some ongoing projects include opening doors to assist a church plant in the city of Lund, starting with an English language café, training the next generation of missionaries and local workers, and being a resource to the southern region of Skåne in the areas of mission, evangelism, and sharing their lives with Muslim neighbors.
As some may remember, Steve served as a pastor at our church from 1984-1990. We are delighted that he and Barbara are with us now for a few weeks! (Read more)
On a very dark and wet evening last Saturday, December 10, the First Covenant String Band took to a stage along Green Lake to reprise our Julfest repertoire, including “Nu tändas tusen juleljus” sung by Elsie, and ending with a “Silent Night” sing-along. The stage was bright, the crowd was cheery and the pathway was lit with luminaries all around. We had a nice group of church folks there to hear our music and others tuned in as they walked by.
String Band adds harmony to the Green Lake Pathway of Lights
James Choul and Nyaluak Rachel Gai Tang
A great deal has been happening with James Tang and his family in the last few months. As a church family we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Evangelical Covenant Church of South Sudan and Ethiopia, writing to them and sending a special gift to help them celebrate. Prior to that celebration, the tragedy occurred of their daughter Nyawuor James Choul (“Sunday”), a North Park graduate, who went missing. James flew home to help in the search; her body was found, and her funeral took place on June 4, 2022 at the church in Fridley, Minnesota where James had pastored the South Sudanese congregation. Because of significant funeral expenses, our church again took a special offering, and we sent a sizable donation. Nyawarga Choul, the older sister of “Sunday” posted on Facebook: “Thank you all who have donated for the funeral cost. We appreciate all of the support!”
James and Nyaluak were supported by the many South Sudanese congregations here in the U.S., particularly in the midwest, and participated in ministry last summer by attending, with Peter Dak and 97 others, in the Lou Nuer community election and fundraiser. Continuing in grief and there to support their remaining two daughters, Nyaluak has stayed in the midwest rather than return to Africa just now. James returned to his significant ministry of teaching, preaching, and supporting the ECCSSE churches in Africa.
James came back for several events in the midwest in September, including participation in the memorial service for Jim Sundholm, officiating at two funerals of South Sudanese leaders in Des Moines, and an online preaching service in September in Minnesota. Back to Africa, special events included a “Super Sunday" in Juba, South Sudan on October 2 and on October 5, leadership in the first ECCSSE Evangelism and Pastoral Care Workshop in the Gambella region of Ethiopia. His latest Facebook post has him praying with Presbyterians, others from South Sudan, in Alice Spring in Northern Australia. Please continue in prayer for the Tang family in their loss and in their ministry. (read more)
Jim and Hydi Peterson recently updated us on their work in Japan. Jim is between semesters at Covenant Seminary in Tokyo where they are celebrating the graduation of two students who are ready to serve as pastors, a big answer to prayer. The last semester had an outstanding group of students. His preaching schedule has been quite full, traveling to different congregations each weekend. He is privileged and blessed to be able to share God’s word and see the power of the word working in people’s lives. Hydi is active in sports ministries, mostly tennis and mountain climbing. She gets to meet people from all walks of life and has been blessed with close friendships and opportunities to be salt and light. Your prayers and gifts are deeply appreciated! Read more in their newsletter.
Update on Jim and Hydi Peterson
On Sunday, November 16, our Fellowship Hall was full of people writing poetry, expertly led by Judy Hedstrom. She encouraged us to consider writing poems as a form of prayer. By sharing a variety of different types of poems, with specific formats to follow, Judy helped us approach writing poems without fear. Dozens of poems were written, many as a form of prayer, some with drawings included on the edges. It was a delightful experience — may our prayers and poems be a blessing! Special thanks to Judy for leading this workshop.
The practice of prayer: poetry workshop
While Peter is on home assignment for two months, Anna is holding down “the fort” in Taiwan. She teaches Taiwanese children on Mondays and leads a women’s Bible study on Wednesdays. She sees God’s healing presence in these women’s lives. They are blessed by their church family at Fengyuan Covenant Church, providing loving care for Anna while Peter is away. Peter leads a small group of local ministry leaders there who are growing in their faith and leadership. Their oldest son, Nathan, is a senior in high school and they ask for prayers for him as he discerns where he’ll go next. And they welcome our prayers for strength and peace for both Peter and Anna until Peter returns to Taiwan at the end of the month.
Update on Peter and Anna Kim
Next time you’re at church, take a look at the prayer “quilt” hanging in one of the window bays in the Narthex. Each square was created by a different person at our art workshop on October 16. With more than 35 participants, these squares, put together, create an imaginative and meaningful piece, representing our prayers of hope, thankfulness, appreciation, holiness, and even anger.
We used pieces of stiffened felt, left over from some long ago project, and cut shapes out of the middle to create an image in the negative space. Light shines through the shapes in a pleasing way, onto the floor of the Narthex. This piece is also visible to folks who walk by our church and at night, the white squares appear to be floating. Thanks to all who participated – let our prayers rise up!
~ Sandy Nelson
The practice of prayer: art installation prayer 'quilt'
Meet Erika and Nils Clauson
This week’s missionary focus is on Erika and Nils Clausonand their children, Matias, Lucas, and Maya, who serve in Mexico. They are currently on home assignment so many of you were able to share a meal at church with Erika. Much mission work includes connections with local partners; Nils works with Latin American Partners of Covenant World Relief and Development, and Erika with Ministry to Abused and Exploited in Mexico. We can support them in these partnership through our prayers. We can also pray for them as they continue graduate studies at North Park Seminary during home assignment, and regularly hold their children in our prayers. Read More
A big thank you to about 25 households who played a role in making this year's Fall Fest and Trunk or Treat a big success. They donated time, treats, creativity, cooking and clean up to provide a fun time for all ages. There were a lot of smiles and fellowship happening around Pumpkin Bowling, a Fish Pond, Pin the Tail on the Cat and more. There were 12 trunks with candy, dressed up people and games! And special thanks to Ann Knutsen for planning this fun event!
Fall Fest Thank You
Celebrating Baptism
On Saturday afternoon, September 10, about 16 members and friends of First Covenant Church gathered at a small public beach in West Seattle, just down the shore from the Fauntleroy ferry. We gathered to celebrate the sacrament of baptism, baptizing two members in Puget Sound, upon their confessions of faith. We thank God for and celebrate them both, their faith, their being a part of our church, and the gifts they bring to our community. We celebrated their baptisms in Sunday’s worship, September 18, where more people could pledge their support to them. Might we all continue to pray for all who were baptized this year.
After church art making
On Sunday, May 22nd, 15 people participated in an art workshop inspired by the words from the fruits of the spirit in Galatians 5:22-28. ~ Kindness, Love, Peace, Faithfulness, Joy, Goodness, Patience, Gentleness, and Self-control are the words. The group created word posters, collages, and round paintings, all colorful and creative. The pieces are displayed in Fellowship Hall as a bright installation that reminds us of the ways to be guided by the spirit.
