Volume 3

Issue 10

October, 2007

(Click Button to download .pdf copy of newsletter)

Greetings from Pastor John

 
…So that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
            ~Colossians 1:28, New Revised Standard Version

Greetings in Christ! As this is written, the sounds of children playing are echoing in the background.  In the past two years our Preschool Director Muffie Namie has doubled the number of children enrolled in our preschool ministry at Sammamish Hills.  At the same time Pr. Jane Shen, Pr. Dan and Karen Bloomquist, and Edith Hesselbrock are coordinating Sunday afternoon worship services at Spiritwood Assisted Living community just up the street.  These are but a few of the ministries initiated, staffed, and supported by the members and friends of Sammamish Hills.

We’re about to add another one.  In 2005 we were contacted by Prs. Paul and Wendy Cheung of Grace Chinese Lutheran Church.  They had a vision for an outreach ministry in our area to recent Chinese immigrants.  Together we studied it, prayed about it, and even talked about it in a congregational meeting.  Then things went quiet.  It appeared the funding wasn’t there for the ministry.  However, as it turns out, the funding is there.

Thanks to a partnership between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s Division for Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission, the Northwest Washington Synod, and the churches of the East King County Cluster, we are about to participate in a new ministry in the communities we serve.  On a Sunday evening in mid-September the members of Sammamish Hills said “yes” to serving as the fiscal agent for the about to be birthed “Eastside Chinese Language Outreach Ministry.” Our role in the initial stages will be to house the mission developer and manage the income and expenses involved in his compensation. 

The mission developer is now a familiar face and voice at Sammamish Hills.  Pastor Paul Cheung is a seasoned missionary, having started churches in Taiwan, British Columbia, and the Seattle area. You know him as the preacher at last year’s church picnic who said, “Lutherans have good beer! Invite your friends to share our good beer!”  Or, at least that is the quote attributed to him when others ask me, “where’s that good beer?”

This will all start with a party.  Sunday evening, November 18^th we will host the Service of Installation as the churches of the East King Cluster, Bishop Boerger, and others join us and the members of Grace Chinese Lutheran Church to celebrate the beginning of this exciting new ministry.  Set the date aside, because it will be a great party!

It is a great privilege to be part of the rich life we have together in Christ.  Having committed ourselves a few years ago to “be radically open to the unchurched in our midst…” it is heartening to see us take this latest bold step toward the fulfillment of that commitment and sharing that life with others.

See you in Church!    ---Pr. John

Worship Notes

It was a family ritual, always repeated as the car crested the long hill and began the descent into the city where my grandparents lived.  As soon as we crested the hill, the combs and mirrors came out to ensure even the nastiest of Dennis the Menace cowlicks were corralled.  Shirts were tucked in, shoe laces retied.  It was the ritual; always the same.  Later in life I learned that Grandma and Grandpa loved us with or without hair combed, shoes tied, and shirts tucked in their proper place.  Even later still I learned the ritual wasn’t so much about Grandma, as it was teaching a ragtag trio of children something about respect and honor. 

How do you prepare for worship on Sunday?  What is your unspoken ritual?  How do you prepare to enter into the presence of the living God?  What are your rituals of respect and honor?  Our ancient forebears sang songs, “psalms,” we call them.  Their songs of preparation we now call “Psalms of Ascent,” for they were sung as pilgrims walked the hills to finally ascend to the Temple mount.  In doing so they were preparing themselves for worship, for the encounter with the living God who speaks through hymns, prayers, meal, bath, preaching, and silence. 

This month, take a look at your ritual of preparation for worship.  Is it helping you prepare to enter into the presence of the living God?  Does it involve honor and respect as you come into the presence of the living God and God’s people?  If it does, great.  If not, consider trying something different?  You see, we live as we worship and we worship as we live.  If we don’t have practices—personal rituals—that honor and respect God in worship, how will we do so in our daily living?  Don’t know what to do?  Ask your pastors.

Oh, if for some reason you ever share the ride with me as we crest that hill in central Oregon, will you please look for the comb?

See you in Church!
 

Click here to read more about worship in October
 

Letter from Pastor Will

In This Together

 Progress and love got nothing in common. 
Jesus healed a blind man’s eyes with mud.
-Peter Case

Who are your heroes? 

I don’t mean the people you see from a distance on a ball field or a stage.  I mean the women and men who have made a difference in your life by reaching out to you.  Maybe it was a hero who accepted you when no one else seemed to care or slowed to walk at your pace while you were in pain.  Maybe you’re thinking of someone who cheered you on or simply showed up.

I seem to accrue heroes.  I collect them like crazy. 

My newest heroes are the folks here at Sammamish Hills I have been able to meet and spend time with over the summer.  You know who are.  You prayed with me.  You sang with me.  You let me visit you.  You let me hang out with you over coffee or a meal. 

Now this may seem a little self-serving and you might think, “Pr. Will’s heroes feed him and invite him over.”  While I love the praying, singing, visiting, and hanging out together, the real reason these people are my heroes is because I’m not the only one.  My heroes are praying with others, singing with others, visiting others, and inviting others over for coffee or a meal.  I’ve seen it.

In 2,000 years we haven’t improved on Jesus’ method of caring for people.  Our Lord and Savior was ridiculously hands on.  (Just read John 9.)   Jesus literally reached out to people everywhere he went.  Jesus blessed children with his hands and the lost with his presence.  As Christ’s hands and feet you do that too. 

We are called together by the Holy Spirit to be community in this place to all the people God puts in our lives.  There is nothing hi-tech about it.  You have been blessed with everything you need.  Forget about progress and focus on God’s love.

You are my heroes,

Pr. Will

Married? "A Weekend Apart" SHLC 2nd Annual Couples Retreat

MARRIED? Would your marriage benefit from a weekend away with a combination of fun, interpersonal growth, good food, and opportunities to get to know other folks from Sammamish Hills?  If so, consider A Weekend Apart. 

The dates are November 9-11, 2007, at the Chrysalis Inn (www.thechrysalisinn.com), on the waterfront in Bellingham.  Pr. John LaMunyon and Beth Grauer of Lutheran Counseling Network, Bellingham, will be the retreat leaders.  Those who participated last year had a great time and now is your chance!  The place and leaders are set.  Please set the date aside, as it will be a wonderful weekend away.  Please visit the Weekend Apart web page for all the details (and to download a flyer) or pick up a copy of the flyer and registration form in the Narthex or church office. Registration deadline is October 20.  Space is limited to twenty (20) couples.  Sign up today!
 

Fall Membership Opportunities at Sammamish Hills

Interested in Membership at Sammamish Hills?  We will be receiving New Members on Sunday, December 9th. Commitments for this New Member Sunday are due in the office no later than Sunday, October, 14th To help you prepare to become a member of Sammamish Hills we invite you to attend:

“Marks of Discipleship" Class - Sunday Nights October 14 – November 18,  6:15—7:15 pm. These classes afford participants the opportunity to establish close connections with others while at the same time learning more about the core values, beliefs, and practices of the congregation.

Community Night—December 2, 5:30-8:30 pm. This is a night for everyone who is planning to join the church on Sunday, December 9th. At this gathering, you will have the opportunity to meet your sponsors, staff members, council members and other lay leaders.

If you plan to attend “Marks of Discipleship”, join on December 9th, or would like more information, please contact Pr Will (prwill@shlc.org  or 425.392.7799 x. 25).

New Member Sponsors: We will be receiving New Members on Sunday, December 9. For each group of New Members, we ask current members to act as Sponsors to help welcome these New Members to the Body of Christ. Please prayerfully consider being a part of this ministry.
 

What used to be called the LifeShapes network has now formally launched as the “3D Ministries Network.”  The Network involves churches in Europe and North America who are committed to relational discipleship through following Christ, deep fellowship with others in the Body of Christ, and service to the world.  As the Northwest Hub Church, we are hosting the Northwest 3D Ministries Conference at Sammamish Hills November 30-December 1. 

The theme for the conference is “Singing the Lord’s Song in a Foreign Land.” Here’s the wording on the flier that is going out shortly:

There was a day when churches were small and neighborhood based.  The folks you worshipped with were also there in the workplace, grocery store, neighborhood schools, etc.  For all too many, such is no longer the case.  Many of us live in suburbs where our neighborhoods simply house the places where we hang our clothes at night.  All too often we participate in a worship service where we know but a handful of other church members.

Is this the biblical model of covenant community?  Hardly...  Join us November 30-December 1 to explore a new/ancient model for covenant community—one that is based in homes, and led by normal folks, with little dependency on professional theologians or specialists.  Keynote speaker for the conference will be Mike Breen, who revolutionized a parish in Sheffield, U.K., through the use of the ancient model of gathering in homes to develop community in Christ.  Mike is now training pastors and lay leaders around the world in this new/ancient model for covenant community.  The highly acclaimed singer/songwriter/guitar player David Harsh will be our worship leader. 

A pre-Conference for church leaders will be held during the day on November 30, from 9 am-4:30 pm, featuring 3DM Leader Rev. Mike Breen. Topics Mike will cover include: DNA of the Bible, Mid-Sized Gatherings, and Leadership in a New Day. Registration is $50.00 for the pre-Conference (including lunch and snacks).

The 3D Ministries Fall Conference begins at 7:00 p.m. Friday evening, November 30, and runs through Saturday afternoon, December 1.  Conference participants will have a choice of three streams: Mid-Sized Gatherings (Clusters) in the Congregation; Leadership in a New Day; and LifeShapes. Registration is $75.00 Conference (including Saturday lunch and snacks). A discount applies for multiple registrants from the same congregation.

Sammamish Hills Lutheran Church is the host congregation for this exciting event.  The congregation is the Northwest Hub Church for the newly organized 3D Ministries Network.  For more information on the Network, either ask Conference Coordinator John LaMunyon, or go to the 3D Ministries website, www.3dministries.com

Registration fee for the members of Sammamish Hills is $50.00 for the Conference and $25.00 for the pre-conference.  If you work at either one, registration is free!  We need folks for food service, hospitality, and pre-conference prep.  Interested?  Contact Pr. John!
 

Nearly 100 residents of Tent City 4 have been welcomed for a 3-month stay at the Community Church of Issaquah. Issaquah and Sammamish residents are joining together to help provide food and supplies to this homeless community of singles and couples, many of whom work during the day but cannot afford housing. During the month of October there will be a small tent in the Narthex into which you may put donations of paper products (paper plates, cups, bowls, paper towels), food to make lunches (tuna, peanut butter, canned meat), and warm clothing for the winter ahead (coats, sweaters, socks, mittens, hats). For more information on Tent City 4 see the Witness for Justice bulletin board. Thank you for your care for all of God’s children.
 

The Lutheran World Relief's Community Quilt (www.lwr.org) is a unique and meaningful way to mark special occasions. With more than 80 alternative gift ideas in the Community Quilt, each square makes a world of difference. Simply choose a gift and select a recipient. LWR will inform the receiver of your gift with a card acknowledging the type of work LWR will be doing on their behalf (the gift card can be personalized by you or sent directly to the address you provide). Interested in saving paper? Gift cards can be sent via email too.

ELCA Good Gifts include a multitude of choices from micro-credit loan projects to help women, vocational training for children, water pumps and treatment filters, meals for children orphaned by AIDS, a goat or rabbits for a family, care for a street child—even $10 can help someone. Pick up a catalog or go to the ELCA Good Gifts web site www.elca.org/goodgifts Gifts can be ordered from the website, via phone or by mail.

This year our youth and adults will gather briefly at 7 PM in the Fellowship Hall to urge our leaders to meet the MDGs, which include cutting hunger and extreme poverty in half by 2015, reducing child and maternal mortality, and establishing a global partnership for development. As a Bread for the World Covenant Church and a ONE Lutheran Congregation, we can make a difference. If you cannot come to the church, please take five minutes at 7 PM to join with us in prayer wherever you are. For more details go to www.bread.org/take-action/rolling-fast-stand-up/stand-up-2007.html

October Ministry of the Month - Luther Seminary & Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary

Luther Seminary and Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (PLTS) are our Ministries of the Month for October. PLTS, located in Berkeley, California, is a faith and learning community dedicated to excellence in theological education for developing leaders for the church in the world. Their beautiful location, dynamic faculty, cutting-edge curriculum and close-knit community provide a unique setting for wrestling with issues of Christian faith, discipleship, and the communication of the Gospel to a world in need of truly good news. Luther Seminary, located in St. Paul, Minnesota, has been called into a time of mission and growth in a world of many cultures and religions. Luther empowers men and women to fulfill God’s call as Christian leaders – pastors, teachers and congregational and community leaders. To obtain more information about these wonderful institutions of higher learning, please see the enclosed bulletin inserts, visit the display table in the Narthex or go online to www.plts.edu and www.luthersem.edu. To donate to our October Ministries of the Month, please place a donation in a pew envelope (found in the pew racks next to the hymnals) and check the “Ministry of the Month” box.

Health & Wellness: "Metabolic Syndrome"

By: Janine Hurn, Sammamish Hills Parish Nurse

Younger baby boomers take heed: If you’re 40, 50, or even 60—the challenges of aging will soon be upon you—if they aren’t already. Planning now for optimum health is just as important as planning for future financial needs. The fact is, the more you do in middle age to prepare yourself for successful aging, the better.  With today’s increasing lifespan, doctors generally agree that most of us will at some time need both anti-hypertensive and cholesterol-lowering medications.  The key is to make necessary lifestyle changes now in an effort to delay the need for medication as long as possible.  A great number of debilitating diseases related to the aging process can be prevented or minimized with healthier lifestyle choices.  Regular health screenings are vitally important to identify your own risk factors that inherently change as you age: blood pressure, blood lipid levels (cholesterol and triglycerides), and weight status (usually weight gain). These are all important indicators of heart health and can tell you how you are doing in your disease prevention effort. Keep in mind that you can enjoy decades of healthy blood pressure and lab values, only to see them change as you grow older. 

Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome

About 75% of adults aged 60 and older are overweight or obese. Most of us are aware that obesity is a strong risk factor for some of the more dangerous chronic diseases: type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, breast and colon cancer, gall bladder disease, and high blood pressure.  However, recent diagnostic findings have developed a new indicator for another combination of risk factors know as “metabolic syndrome”— a syndrome closely linked with being overweight or obese—in combination with a lack of physical activity. Metabolic Syndrome now occurs in over 40% of adults over 60, and is characterized by the following findings: 

1)      waist measurement greater than 40 inches in men and 35 inches in women (apple- shaped body)

2)      Triglyceride level of 150 mg/dL or higher

3)      HDL “good” cholesterol; level less than 40 mg/dL in men, and 50 mg/dL in women

4)      Elevated blood pressure of 130/85 or higher

5)      Fasting blood glucose of 110 mg/dL or higher

(Note that neither elevated cholesterol nor LDL (bad cholesterol) are components of this syndrome.)

Why is this diagnosis important?  People with metabolic syndrome are twice as likely to develop heart disease or stroke—and five times more likely to develop diabetes.   In the future, metabolic syndrome may overtake smoking as the leading risk factor in heart disease!

Steps to avoid Metabolic Syndrome:

1)      Get active

• Try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week.  You don’t have to exercise strenuously to achieve benefits, but you’ll see bigger benefits by increasing the intensity, duration and frequency of your workouts. Exercise also reduces stress—which may also be a factor in heart disease.
   

• Remember: your heart is a muscle that needs exercise to keep it healthy!

2)      Maintain a healthy weight

• Waist measurement is a helpful tool to determine abdominal fat.
   

• Even small weight reductions can be beneficial to blood pressure, cholesterol, and to reduce risk of diabetes.

3)      Eat a heart-healthy diet

• Reduce alcohol to 1-2 drinks a day and lower calorie intake as you age.
   

• Try to eliminate trans-fats from your diet (found in deep fried fast foods, commercial bakery products, packaged snack foods, margarines and crackers). Check food labels carefully and eat naturally prepared foods as much as possible.
   

• Eat less “saturated fat” (found in beef, butter, higher fat cheese and dairy products).  Replace these with low fat dairy products, leaner cuts of meat and poultry and increase daily servings of fresh fruits and vegetables. Cook with vegetable oils (unsaturated fat) such as olive oil or canola oil.
   

• Increase intake of omega-3 fatty acids (such as trout, sardines, salmon and tuna), or use “fish oil” supplements (1-3 grams a day). Fish oil is actually helpful in multiple ways. It not helps to lower blood triglycerides; it also helps prevent heart arrhythmias and “sudden cardiac death”. It also lowers blood pressure, and can help in reducing symptoms of inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and autoimmune disorders.

4)      Get regular health screenings

·         High blood pressure and high blood lipid levels can damage your heart and cardiovascular system leading to many life-threatening diseases.  Regular screening can tell you what your numbers are and whether you need to take action!

Finding ways to incorporate heart-healthy habits into your lifestyle can help avoid the more severe chronic diseases often associated with aging.  Not only does this make good sense, but it is also our responsibility as mature Christians to do all that we can to enjoy a healthier life—in body, mind, and spirit—that God has so lovingly planned for us.

See you in church—and at our monthly blood pressure screenings!

SHLC Parish Nurse and Health& Wellness Team

References:

1)      “What is Metabolic Syndrome?” , National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, April 2007 (www.nhlbi.gov/health)

2)       “Metabolic Syndrome” , American Academy of family Physicians, November, 2006 (www.familydoctor.org)

3)      “Seven Health Challenges of Aging” by Leanna Skarnulis, December  2006 (www.webmd.com)

Youth and Young Adult Ministries Activities



By: Brelin Rismiller, Director  of Youth and Young Adult Ministries

~~High School News~~

Our High School group begins meeting on Sunday evenings, September 30 until the end of October in the Sanctuary from 6:15-7:15 pm.  After that we'll see how things are going, and re-evaluate as needed.  Please be patient (and stay connected) during this time of transition! 

The fall Middle School & High School Retreat is set for November 9-11 in Bellingham.  Do you want a place to relax and get away?  Are you feeling far away from God and want to get back?  Did you Love your summer mission trip, and want to see your new friends again?  Had fun leading at Confirmation Camp, and want to hang out again?  Join us for a great time this of fun, study time, and prayer during our November weekend.

Are you interested in being part of a high school mission team that travels to New Orleans during mid-winter break (February 16-21, 2008)?  Contact Brelin for more information... a team is forming now to discuss our options!

~~Middle School & Confirmation News~~

Please be sure to get your DAWG Pound (6th grade) and Confirmation (7th & 8th grade) registration forms in as soon as possible! You can turn them in at the church office during the week, or drop them off at church on Sunday morning.

Middle School & Confirmation Retreat is set for November 9-11 in Bellingham.  If you like games, learning, and the great outdoors, this is the place for you!  Don't really know anyone?? That's okay--it will be a great opportunity to get to know new people, and you get worship hours just for having fun! :)

Children's Ministries News
Click Above to See more!
 

Sunday School has begun!  Our fall quarter kicked off with Rally Day on Sunday, September 16. More than 80 children from preschool through 5th grade met their teachers, enjoyed their first day of class, and then had some Rally Day fun with crafts and face painting.  As fall continues the kids will learn about Israel’s greatest king, hear about Solomon’s great wisdom, and experience God’s work through Elijah the prophet.  Do you still need to register your child for Sunday School?  It is not too late.   Registration materials can be located in the Narthex, in the church office, or they can be downloaded from our website.

Parents have you met your child’s Sunday School teacher yet?  We have a great team this year. Be sure to introduce yourself after class; they would love to meet you.  Our 2007-2008 team: 

             8:30 am  Preschool:  Shana Tischaefer, Kirsten Duprey, Lori Grandi, Terry Roth and Jill Roth
             8:30 am  Kindergarten:  Kristine Meyer, Dana Palzkill, and Katherine Schleg
             8:30 am  1st and 2nd Grades:  Danielle Schiller and Sharon Sausville
             8:30 am  3rd and 4th Grades:  Barb Higgins and Karen Harmon

            10:00 am  Preschool:  Nicole Rogers and  __________________
            10:00 am  Kindergarten:  ________________ and _____________
            10:00 am 1st and 2nd Grades:  Laura Rowley and Adele Langer
            10:00 am 3rd Grade:  Alyssa Selbrede and _______________
            10:00 am 4th Grade:  Barb Higgins and Chris Clark
            10:00 am 5th Grade:  __________________ and ______________________

As you can see, several teaching slots are still vacant for our 10:00 service.  Please prayerfully consider joining our Sunday School team. 

If you have considered teaching, but feel too busy to commit or consider helping out with our program, you are not alone. Many parents have spoken to me about this very thing. Time commitment is a huge factor for us up here on the plateau.  We all have busy lives and are busy running from one activity to the next.  In consideration of everyone’s busy schedules, I pair up volunteers with co-teachers so no teacher is alone.   Together 2-4 parents share the teaching responsibility for a class.  Some of our volunteers teach every other week, while others teach just once a month.  Is their room in your schedule for you to consider volunteering 1-1/2 hours a week, 10 to 15 times during this school year?  If so give me a call – 425.392.7799 x. 14. I would love to chat with you about becoming one of our teachers. 

You do not even need to worry about coming up with activities, or supplies—we supply everything you need to be a great teacher.

Here is to a great 2007-2008 Sunday School year!

Ready for First Communion?
A class to help prepare for your child’s first communion is scheduled for October 21 at 12:30 pm. lunch is included. At Sammamish Hills, children traditionally receive first communion in 3rd or 4th grade. If you have a child, who you believe is ready to receive his or her first communion, sign them up. Class is for parents and children. First Communion Sunday is November 4.

BINGO Mania Night—October 26 @ 6 pm
Bingo Mania is coming. Save the date and plan to join us for some great “number calling” fun. Prizes for our Bingo games will be provided by our attendees. Do you have items hanging around your home that you don’t know what to do with?  Check your closets, garage, etc. You never know what you might find to share. B4 you come spread the word! All are welcome.

Preschool News

By: Muffie Namie, Director of SHL Preschool

With our first month of school behind us we now are looking with great anticipation to the fall season at SHLP.  October is a great month to celebrate this special time of harvest as we learn about farms, animals and all that God’s careful planning can grow in due season.  How thoughtful God is to provide for us all the good foods of the earth as we prepare for the long winter ahead.  The Bible tells us to look forward to another kind of harvest – the kind that comes after we’ve planted the seeds of “good deeds!”  Galatians 6:9 states “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”  I love that God reminds us to not grow tired of doing good because we will “reap a harvest of blessing.” How great to learn at an early age that what we “sow” (the things we do and think) can produce “blessings” (in our lives and in the lives of others). Our preschoolers are learning to be the best farmers!

As we begin the month, our classes will be heading to the farm to see first hand the animals and all of the fruits and vegetables that farmers grow. We will especially be enjoying the pumpkins we will pick and then carve at our very own “Daddy ‘n Me Pumpkin Carving Night” on October 29^th at 6:30 pm.  It’s a great time set aside for us to celebrate the season.  As we light our jack-o-lanterns we will hear how God’s light shines from within us as we sing “This Little Light of Mine” with our daddies and friends. 

If you are interested in finding a preschool for your 3-4 year old this fall, please call Muffie at 392.7799 ext. 29.  We have a few remaining spots available!  It’s not too late!

Church Council Update

• Church Council Meeting Minutes- 08/14/2007

How to Contact a Council Member:

President:

Tom Ryan: tomgryan@msn.com | phone: 425.837.0670

Treasurer:

Sandy Dahl: danjdahl@comcast.net | phone 425.392.7207

Secretary:

Kevin Ostendorf: bailey229@comcast.net | phone: 425.392.3541

Member at Large:

Shana Tischaefer: shanatisch@hotmail.com | phone: 425.868.5590

Member at Large:

Kent Selbrede: kent23721@comcast.net | phone: 425.369.2245

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