Saint Luke

On Sunday, January 23rd, I mentioned in my sermon that we have a lectionary system for our Sunday Bible readings.  A lectionary is nothing new.  Jesus used one for his Nazareth sermon in Luke 4.14-21.  What is relatively new is our three-year cycle of readings.  We are well into Year C, the year of Gospel readings predominantly from St. Luke.  Traditionally, Luke was considered a doctor. (See Col. 4.14).  Other clues are dropped about his interest in healing, including “Doctor, cure yourself,” and many healing miracles.  Was Luke a doctor?  It’s impossible to know with certainty.  But we do know that the words of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke have healing power.  Over 30 years ago, I was a pastor in Port  Angeles.  I did a class session on “The hard and soft words of Jesus in Luke.”   The surprise is that “the hard words” might be equal in healing power to the soft words.  This fits well with our understanding of the “Law and the Gospel,” namely, that when the Word cracks us open it can create both pain and joy, both confession and absolution, spiritual death and new life.

     Stay with St. Luke until we conclude Year C at the end of November.  You’ll love hearing again parables like “The Good Samaritan” and “The Prodigal Son,” which are unique to him.  You’ll also be challenged by “The Unjust Judge” and “The Pharisee and the Tax Collector.”  Speaking of money (taxes), one scholar counted all the verses in Luke referring to money and concluded that 11% of Luke deals with money. So we can expect that topic to come our way on some Sundays. 

     One thing seems certain about Luke.  He was Greek-speaking and not a Jew, yet he had a marvelous command of the Old Testament prophecies.  His proclamation was unflinching that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah (Christ) who came to redeem all people through his death on the cross.  May your ears be open for the healing power of God’s word presented by Saint Luke.

— The Reverend Philip Nesvig 

PRESIDENT'S REPORT....by Janine Douglass

We continue in the season of Epiphany, which is a season about seeing God’s glory and the mystery of God revealed in Jesus Christ. Epiphany culminates on February 27th with The Transfiguration of Our Lord. This is the feast that celebrates Jesus’ radical change of appearance while in the presence of Peter, James, and John, on a high mountain. His face “shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light”. (Mt 17:1-8; Mk 9:2-8; Lk 9:28-36).

     The work of the Council continues to focus on the next steps ahead for First Lutheran Church of West Seattle as we prepare for the Call Process of a new Pastor. We are thankful for the efforts of The Reverend Phil Nesvig, as he has provided Pulpit Supply for us over the past several weeks. We are fortunate that he and his wife, Natalie, are members of our congregation, that he is a long-time colleague of Pastor Marshall’s and that he is the current chair of our church council’s Parish Ministry Committee. His wisdom and guidance have proved invaluable during this time of transition for our church.

     As of this writing, the Executive Committee has submitted a “This is Us'' form to the ELCA, NW Synod. This document provides a thumbnail sketch of the current programs offered by our church, as well as an overview of our rich heritage of traditional worship. As we work with the ELCA, NW Washington Synod, we continue to stress our desire to call a pastor who will hold to preaching and teaching the Bible in a manner consistent with the Lutheran Confessions. This is true whether our next step is an alternate Pulpit Supply Pastor, a Transitional Pastor or the Permanent Pastor.

     As presented at our Annual Meeting in January, the budget that was passed at our January Council Meeting came in quite a bit lower on the income side than in previous years. While the reasons for this may vary, it will pose a challenge to bring in a qualified Permanent Pastor. We will need to thoughtfully consider a compensation package that will attract the right individual. Thank you for keeping our church congregation, staff, volunteers and council members in your prayers.

The Transfiguration

of Our Lord

    The Last Sunday in Epiphany, February 27th, is the Transfiguration of Our Lord, when we behold the splendor of Christ surrounded by the Glory of God.

    Study Luke 9:28-36 to learn more about the time when Moses and Elijah appeared to Jesus, and the mysterious cloud from which God’s voice tells us “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!”

  PARISH PRAYERS 

Bridget Sagmoen, Robert Schorn, Jane Harty and family, Kim Lim, Melanie Johnson, Eileen & Dave Nestoss, Holly Petersen, Leah and Melissa Baker, Felicia Wells, Marlis Ormiston, Connor Bisticas, Kyra Stromberg, The Rev. Randy Olson, The Rev. Albin Fogelquist, The Rev. Howard Fosser, The Rev. Alan Gardner, The Rev. Allen Bidne, Yuriko Nishimura, Tak On Wong & Chee Li Ma, Hank Schmitt, Mary Ford, Andrea and Hayden Cantu, Dana Gallaher, Jeanne Pantone, Kevan & Jackie Johnson, Eric Peterson, Gary Grape, the Olegario Family, Nita Goedert, Mariss Ulmanis, Shirley & Glenn Graham, Karen Granger, Mike Nacewicz, Mike Matsunaga, Bill & Margaret Whithumn, the Robert Shull family, Mary Cardona, Angel Lynne, Randy Price, Paul Sponheim, Nick Karlson, The Thorne family, Anita Shaffer and Grace-Calvary Episcopal Church (Clarkesville, GA).

     Pray for our professional Health Care Providers:  Gina Allen, Janine Douglass, David Juhl,  Dana Kahn, Dean Riskedahl, Jane Collins and all those suffering from the coronavirus pandemic.

     Pray for the shut-ins that the light of Christ may give them joy:  C.J. Christian, Joan Olson,  Bob & Mona Ayer, Gregg & Jeannine Lingle, Robert Schorn, Nora Vanhala, Martin Nygaard,  Lou Landino.

     Pray for those who have been baptized that they may grow in the grace of God:  Pray for Daniel William Liang, who was baptized on Sunday, January 23rd, son of Steven Liang & Gina Kim.  

     Pray for those who have suffered the death of a loved one:  Pray that God will bear their grief and lift their hearts:  Pray for Clay & Patty Lofthus, family and friends, on the death of Crystal Tudor, Patty’s mother, who died, on the 31st of December, at 100 years of age. 

     Pray for our bishops Elizabeth Eaton and Shelley Bryan Wee, our presiding minister The Reverend Philip Nesvig, our choirmaster Dean Hard and our cantor Andrew King, that they may be strengthened in faith, love and the holy office to which they have been called. 

     Pray that God would give us hearts which find joy in service and in celebration of stewardship.  Pray that God would work within you to become a good steward of your time, your talents and   finances.  Pray to strengthen the stewardship of our congregation in these same ways. 

     Pray for our sister congregation:  El Camino de Emmaus in the Skagit Valley that God may bless and strengthen their ministry.  Also, pray for our parish and its ministry.

     Pray for our country, for unbelievers, the addicted, the sexually abused and harassed, the homeless, the hungry and the unemployed.

     Pray for the hungry, ignored, abused, and homeless this February. Pray for the mercy of God for these people, and for all in Christ's church to see and help those who are in distress.

     Pray that God will bless you through the lives of the saints:  Saint Paschal, 817; Saint Matthias, Apostle.

Treasury of Prayer

In thy will is our only peace: in thy will shall we find thine.  Against everything that gets in the way of thy will, even against us, be thyself, O God, to redeem us by such means as thou wilt, out of our darkness into thy light.  Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen.

[For All the Saints I:412, altered]