But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.                                                                         ---Luke 2:19 (NRSV)

Greetings in Christ!  Each time I go through the Advent-Christmas cycle, something different captures my attention.  This year, it is the faith and patience of Mary as she heard the pronunciations of angels, then shepherds, and carried them in her heart throughout her son’s life.  She lived in an uncertain time, with many aspects of life out of her control, in poverty, and yet was able to wait patiently and faithfully for God’s promises to come true.  May we have such a faith in times when our own lives are uncertain!

In this newsletter you’ll find a number of updates.  Please read through carefully, as there is much to be learned about what’s happening in and through Sammamish Hills Lutheran Church.  Here’s a brief overview:

WORSHIP NOTES introduces Sunday and special worship gatherings in December.  With the Christmas season toward the end of the month, there are many such gatherings.

Generous Hearts provides encouragement for the many good stewards of God’s gifts in this congregation.  In the words of St. Paul, How can we thank God enough for you?  What is your response to God’s gifts with a generous heart?

PLANS FOR THE SAMMAMISH TOWN CENTER are moving forward.  What once was a dream of a City Hall is now a real facility across the street.  With it come great resources for ministry in the community, particularly during the warmer months as we move out to the various parks in the recreational complex behind and down the hill from City Hall. 

However, the discussion about the development of Sammamish Town Center continues.  There are many questions coming up about the role of our congregation in that Center.  The latest answers can be found in an article which follows.  Read carefully, then act as you so choose.

OUR INWARD LIFE TOGETHER was enhanced in November by the LifeShapes Conference at Sam Hills and the Couples Retreat at the Chrysalis Inn in Bellingham.  Participants left each event with a deeper sense of community with other members of the congregation and a deeper commitment to our common life.   Retreats tend to do that...deepen community and commitment. 

We have two congregational retreats coming up this Winter.  One is the first Women’s Holden Retreat.  Facilitator will be Vic Okerlund.  Holden is a magnificent site for a Winter time away, as long as you’re okay with snow.  If not, bring a book, curl up in a warm place, and enjoy the time away in a beautiful setting deepening community and commitment.

The other is the second annual Congregational Snow Retreat.  Details on both are in articles which follow.  For more information, see me.

CONGREGATIONAL MEETINGS can sometimes seem a bit stodgy, with the same old business year after year.  However, this year things should get a bit exciting.  Among other issues, we’ll be discussing our relationship to the developing Sammamish Town Center.  We’ll also be looking at space for ministry.  Do we want to move ahead with developing our current Fellowship Hall into a community gathering space as a bookstore/coffee shop?  If so, what would happen to the rest of our facilities?  We’ll also be discussing our common stewardship.  Several years ago we moved away from passing on a full twenty percent of our offerings to other partners in ministry (this is called “benevolence ministry”).  Do we have the means and commitment to begin returning to that twenty percent?

GREAT issues for a great discussion.  The 2006 Congregational Meeting is scheduled for Sunday, January 21^st.  Chili Cook-off starts at 5:00p in the Fellowship Hall.  The meeting will begin at 6:00p in the same space. 

May your Advent ponderings and waiting be fruitful, and your Christmas celebrations filled with joy!

Pr. John LaMunyon
Lead Pastor
(prjohn@shlc.org)

ADVENTUS is a word defined by at least one dictionary as, “arrival,” or, “a coming into being.”  Within worship, “Advent” is a season of preparing for an arrival.  And so we prepare for the Christ.  The Christ of Christmas and the Christ who promises to come again.  For centuries, the prayers of this season have begun with the words, “Stir up our hearts, O Lord...” 

Compared to the world around us, the Advent sanctuary is pretty spartan.  Thanks to our liturgical arts team, banners are already flying, calling us to look to the fullness of Christmas.  Soon enough, the sanctuary will sprout all of the symbols of Christmas, dressed up in the splendor of tree, ornaments, lights, flowers, and filled with the songs we know so well and love to sing.

But first, Advent.  A time for the stirring of heart, mind, and life, that we might remember just Who is “the reason for the season.”  May these days of Advent preparation provide many ways for the Spirit of the Living God to “stir up” our hearts, turn us toward the coming of Christ, and make us truly thankful for all of God’s gifts in life.  Then, let us gather at the manger for great Christmas celebrations of light, life, and community in Christ.  A Blessed Advent to all!

Click here to read more about worship in December

Advent and the Night Sky

Temperatures have dropped, the craziness of fall is giving way to the busyness of winter, and a new year has started.  Does that last bit seem a little odd?  In the church we do not begin a new year on January 1^st.  Instead we begin the new church year with the first Sunday in Advent.  So, December 3^rd marks the beginning of a new year.

Advent is my favorite season of the church year.  It only lasts four Sundays, and many people want to rush right past it to get to the season of Christmas, but we should pause a moment and look at what this season is all about. 

Advent means, “coming” or “arrival” according to Webster and we celebrate the coming of Jesus during this season.  We anticipate the coming of Jesus during this season.  We do this by singing songs of expectation as compared with Christmas carols which proclaim the promise has been fulfilled and the joy is here.  There is a muted tone to many of the great advent songs and hymns.

In the sanctuary we will light a new candle each week on our advent wreath.  This is another sign of our anticipation.  Every Sunday we see another candle lit.  The lighting of each candle is an opportunity to pause and reflect on the journey to this point. 

The color of the season is blue and an altar team leader once told me the color made her think of the night sky over the shepherds.  Have you ever looked at the night sky?  I mean, really looked?  You need to be in a place where lights and pollution from the city has not taken away the depth of colors and the stars are more numerous than anything you have ever seen.  The night sky is a wonder of God’s creation.  It is vaster than the ocean and just as beautiful.

The shepherds had no idea what was in store for them in the weeks before the birth of Jesus, but they looked up at the sky hoping for something more.  As we move towards the great celebration of the Christmas season, let us pause this Advent and look to the night sky and ponder what it means to wait for Christ to come as a child and what it means for Christ to come again.

Our Sundays in Advent are Dec. 3, 10, 17, and the morning of the 24^th.  We will kick off the Christmas season with our Christmas Eve services at 5pm (kid’s service), 7pm (family service), 9pm (traditional candlelight service with choir), and 10:30pm (candlelight service with acoustic carols).  We will also celebrate at 10am Christmas Day.

Peace,

Pr. Will
prwill@shlc.org
 

• The FIRST Annual Holden WOMEN’S RETREAT is scheduled for March 9-12, 2007.  This retreat is for any women of Sammamish Hills and their friends.  For more information, contact Pr. John, prjohn@shlc.org. 
   

• Congregational Snow Retreat is now set for March 30-April 1, 2007, at The Firs Ski Chalet on Mt. Baker.  For more information on the Firs, go to:  http://www.thefirs.org/index.php?page=mt_baker_chalet_rental.  We’ll have exclusive use of the facility.  More information to follow in the coming months, but mark your calendar now!
   

• Interested in a Little Fishing?  Pr. John and Cheri are putting together a trip to Tanaku Lodge (www.tanaku.com), at Elfin Cove, Alaska, in late August of 2007.  Any one interested is invited to come to their home Thursday, January 11, from 7:30-9:00 to discuss the details and cost of the trip.
   

• Congregational Mission Trip to CHINA – High school students and adults of Sammamish Hills are invited to participate in an amazing Mission Trip working with high school students in southwestern China August 1-12, 2007. It will be a time of worship, teaching, sharing our faith, and more! Click here to get all the information. Packets can also be picked up in the Narthex.   

The following is adapted from an earlier letter by Pastor Susan Van Hoy Burchfield, of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Seattle.  Thanks go to Pr. Burchfield for permission to reprint these timely thoughts.

Stewardship is our grateful response to God’s grace and goodness.  Stewardship is about being faithful disciples, caring for and managing all that God has given us.  It requires a consideration of how our choices affect us and others, of how we can be good caretakers of the created world, and of how we can best serve God as disciples of Christ.

God has generously created this world in abundance and continues to enfold us with tender care.  In the cross of Jesus, God gives God’s very self in wondrous love; and continues to accompany us through all our lives.  God’s mercy and grace become the springboards for our own generosity.

Generous Hearts

Our gracious God gives us everything we need, invites us into the community of faith, and promises to forgive us – opening up our future.  We respond to God’s graciousness with generous hearts.  We remember God’s love and live with thankful hearts.

Generous Hands

God longs for us to love our neighbor.  There are countless ways we can reach out in love as we put our hands to work in ministry through Sammamish Hills Lutheran and reach out to the community and world.

Generous Habits

Jesus calls us to love one another in specific and concrete ways.  Let’s practice the habit of being generous in our financial support for the ministry of Sammamish Hills Lutheran as specific and concrete acts of love.

Stewardship is about making choices, as individuals and in the community.

Through our financial giving we “celebrate Christ’s abundant presence in our lives, neighborhood and world.”

Your generous hearts and habits go together with your generous hands as we work together through the ministries of Sammamish Hills in concrete ways of sharing God’s love for the world.  We thank you for all the ways you are sharing your time and your talents through ministry at Sammamish Hills and many other ways in your community.

Thank you for supporting the many and varied ministries of your congregation throughout the year!

December Ministry of the Month:

Please remember all persons with disabilities during this Christmas Season. Invite and/or bring someone to church or to your home. Consider paying a visit, bringing them a gift and remember them in your prayers. This was the message from the representatives of the Bridge Ministries at the November meeting of the Eastside Interfaith Social Concerns Council. The November meeting where various agencies presented their “Winter and Holiday Needs”.  

The Bridge Ministries serves as legal guardians for 45 persons with disabilities. This includes a monthly visit from the guardian, birthday and Christmas gifts, and 24-hour emergency availability. While most children with disabilities have a good support system, adults are often isolated and lonely.  

Two members of Sammamish Hills attended the meeting. If you would like to learn more about social services on the Eastside join the Witness for Justice team which meets the second Friday of every month at 10 am at the Pine Lake Starbucks (by QFC). 

Questions? Contact Linda Hines at hineswa@comcast.net or 425-961-0623.

“Every family and individual is unique and no matter how desperate, each one has strengths that can be built upon.” (Hopelink)

“...they yearn to be part of a loving community, to be someone who is treated with dignity and respect.” (Compass Center)

“...they don’t have to worry about mom anymore.  They can focus on being children now.” (YWCA family village)

“...pledges to give our clients a sense of dignity and self worth that is often absent from those whose economic circumstances force them to ask for assistance.” (Issaquah Food Bank/Valley Community Services)

"More than 8000 are homeless every night in King County." (SHLC homeless program)

This is just a sampling of what you will find as you begin to dig into each of the various agencies we are supporting this year.  A once upon a time teen mother, once homeless, once a victim of domestic violence put it well “It’s easy to make poor decisions when you lose hope and direction”.  Hope is defined as “desire accompanied by expectation of fulfillment”.  She had pieced her life back together in large part because she had found this again.  A little hope can take someone a very long way.

Some fulfillment can create greater expectations, more desire, hope.  A new jacket, a new toy to call their own, a warm cup of coffee on a dreary Northwest day, a hot shower, a special meal, can all be very fulfilling.  Help us distribute a little hope in our community this year. 

• Bulletin boards, narthex – look for tags and ideas

• November 19^th – collection boxes begin to go out for gifts

• December 3^rd – most gifts due

• Mid December – gifts due for Compass Center and SHLC homeless

Peace to you and your family this holiday season!

-  The Christmas Gift Drive team
 

If you notice periods of depression that seem to accompany seasonal changes during the year—particularly in late fall or winter months—you may suffer from seasonal affective disorder, or (SAD).  Characterized by recurrent episodes of depression—usually in winter, but sometimes in summer months as well—this condition alternates with periods of normal mood the rest of the year.  SAD is a clinically recognized type of depressive disorder and it is believed that 10-20% of the U.S. population may be affected during this time of year when the days get shorter and colder.

The cause of SAD is not known but is thought to be related to numerous factors such as body temperature, hormone regulation, and ambient light.  Another rarer form also affects some people similarly during the summer months.  Depressions usually range from mild to moderate, but they can be severe.  SAD affects primarily women, but can also affect men, children, and adolescents as well.  It is believed that reduced exposure to light during the darker months disrupts the body’s “circadian rhythm” (our internal body clock) leading to these general SAD symptoms:

• disturbances in sleep patterns, feelings of lethargy…and afternoon “slumps” of decreased concentration and energy
• disturbances in eating habits (overeating, weight gain, and cravings for sugar and carbohydrates)
• changes in mood—notably in winter (or rarely, summer) months which disappear during other times of the year, decreased interest in work or activities of pleasure,  in addition to depression, lack of energy, and social withdrawal.

Click Here to Read More...

Come serve Jesus and get some service hours!  You are invited to join other high school students from around the area for a Workday on December 9th.  The fun goes from 10am – 2pm. 

 The HSM Winter Retreat is Coming! – Fun with your friends, time with Jesus, and sweet snow adventure await you!  Mark your calendars! Registration begins January 7^th!

Middle School & Confirmation News
Click Above to see more!

By Brelin Rismiller, Director of Middle School
& Confirmation Ministries

It’s December!  Be sure to check out the Middle School Calendar to see the FUN things that are happening this fall!

• Confirmation Camp dates have been set - July 12-15, 2007 @ Shoshone Base Camp! More Details Coming Soon!
• Middle School and High School Mission trip to YAKIMA! - July 29th - August 3rd! Details Available Soon!
• Questions?  Talk to Brelin-- brelin@shlc.org

Don't miss these incredible "OUT" opportunities! Email Brelin for more info!

• Find and bring donations needed to Eastside Baby Corner in Issaquah.
• Want to be part of the worship tech team? Email Brelin.

Our Winter Quarter has just begun! Join us for Sunday School at the 8:30 and 10:00 services this Sunday!  In their downstairs classrooms, children begin this week, December 3^rd learning about Jesus’ birth.  They will discover how the ancient prophets foretold of his coming hundreds of years before his birth, hear about Zechariah’s encounter with an angel, and participate in a reenactment of the actual birth story through our Christmas Program and songs.  To find out more for yourself about the Christmas story, check out Luke chapters 1 and 2, and Matthew chapters 1 and 2 in your Bible.   Look below to find out additional ways to incorporate your children into this December’s Christmas Activities: 

by Muffie Namie, Director of SHL Preschool

It’s always exciting to read the gospel stories surrounding Jesus’ birth.  What amazes me is how God used angels to share the good news that the Savior was coming into the world.  An angel appeared to Zechariah (Luke 1:19) - "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.”  And then to Mary (Luke 1:28) - “The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."  Later an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream speaking words of comfort and reassurance that Mary was indeed selected to do the will of God as mother of our Savior.  When an angel appeared to the shepherds (Luke 2:10-11) even the humble laborers of their day got to share the news of the coming of the King - “the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.”

I am happy to say that God still uses angels to share the good news of Jesus.  On December 6^th at 7:00 PM a company of “heavenly hosts” also known as Sammamish Hills Lutheran Preschoolers will host a “Birthday Party for Jesus” as we celebrate the evening with special songs, music and birthday cake! 

Families, friends and anyone wishing to warm their hearts in the presence of these special angels are welcome to come join us as we worship our Lord and celebrate His special day!

If you are interested in seeing what happens during the week at preschool or are interested in learning more about what we will be offering for next year, please stop by for a visit or call Muffie and set up a tour.

Registration for the 2007-08 school year begins in January with priority registration dates for church members, so please call for more information or to set up a time to meet our great teaching staff and see what’s at the heart of this school!!! 425.392.7799 x. 29.

How to Contact a Council Member:

President:

Frank Tordillos:

Vice-President:

Carolyn Kaiser:

Secretary: 

Tom Ryan:

Treasurer: 

Sandy Dahl:

Member at Large:

John Forsyth:

Member at Large:

Shana Tischaefer:

Member at Large:

Kevin Ostendorf:

Do you have a question or concern for the Church Council to hear?
To Contact a council member, please click here .

Click here to view the Church Calendar