Sep 7, 2022 | Pastor Jim's Blog
Today’s Word from guest writer Laura Canby…
Be still and know that I am God. — Psalm 46:10
Late August and early September evenings will usually find me on the beach at Lagoon Point or Bush Point, fishing rod in hand, hoping to land a silver salmon. So far I am 0 for 9 nights… but that’s fine.
Truth be told, it’s as much about being at water’s edge, lulled by the rhythmic shlupp-shlupp-shlupp of gentle lapping waves, and of tasting the saltiness carried on a light breeze.
I call this slow-down time my ‘breathing with the waves’ time. For me, it’s a time to breathe in deeply, then slowly exhale gratitude for the beauty around me, while engaging in conversational prayer in my mind.
As I cast–retrieve-cast my line over and over and over, I am basically at stillness; the stillness described in the Bible of calming one’s mind to better appreciate the presence of God.
Places of deep beauty abound all around us on Whidbey Island. For me it is a sandy beach strewn with driftwood, smoothed stones, broken shells, and shiny green seaweed.
Looking west, there are amazing sunsets – sometimes blazingly brilliant; other times soft and muted. With setting sun the Olympics turn from blue to purple to dusky mauve as stars and moon appear.
Occasionally, there is a breeching orca… a swooping eagle snatching fish… or a seal popping up to watch fisher-folk onshore with a wide-eyed curiosity.
Perhaps he muses: ‘Look at those poor creatures. They have to use sticks to catch fish. I’m so lucky to just use my mouth and front flippers!’
Salmon fishing season is short, but its effects will carry me through a busy autumn.
No doubt you have your own practice for stillness. Why not take a moment and share where or how you find your ‘stillness’ and experience a deeper presence of God.
Sep 3, 2022 | Pastor Jim's Blog
Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…
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“If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” –African Proverb…
We have stayed home for 30 months. We locked down and masked up. We have achieved much in these pandemic days. We have cast a shadow across the country and across the world. Our online presence and our generous giving have allowed us to touch the lives of people who were previously unreachable and unknown. We will continue to stream the songs and words of grace to shut-ins and distant friends.
It was clear from the dawn of human history that we were not created to be alone. Genesis records the first human story, and in that story God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone.” We were created to live in relationship with God and with each other. We were created to live in community. As a result of choice or circumstance many people do live alone, and perhaps they are happier in quiet solitude.
The problem, and this is a problem, is that social media will not hold your hand or dry your tears or give you the opportunity to do the same for others. Online worship will not offer you a hug during the passing of the peace, or a cookie during the coffee hour, or the brushing of shoulders as a parade of people hobble forward to receive bread and wine.
It is time to come home! It is time to come home to TLC! Last weekend I was at an ELCA gathering in Chicago, there to discuss issues and strategies relating to world hunger and disaster relief. After worshiping with 400 strangers, I turned on my computer and tuned in to the 8 a.m. service at TLC. The worship was beautiful and touching; there is a sweet spirit at TLC. And I was alone. “It is not good that a man should be alone.”
I hope to see you tomorrow. We will be celebrating. We will be singing, laughing, and crying together. We will share the bread and wine together. We will anticipate the Rally Day festivities planned for September 11th together.
It is time to come home! It is time to come home to TLC.
“If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
For 30 months we have been saying one day closer; this September we can be close again.
My love to you far and near,
Pastor Jim
Aug 31, 2022 | Pastor Jim's Blog
Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…
On Sunday September 4th we will be marking another transition at TLC. Felicia Lindus will join Pastor Eric and Linda Nevermann on the roles of the retired.
Felicia joined TLC , with a toddler and a baby in tow, in October of 1989. In the decades that followed, she taught Sunday School for 15 years and followed that up with 6 years as our Sunday School Superintendent. She was the nursery coordinator, facilitated a young mother’s group, cleaned the church facilities for three years, and hosted countless youth events.
Felicia taught in the Trinity Preschool for 16 years before becoming the Preschool Director, a position that she held for the past 10 years. For 26 years Felicia has nurtured the children and families of the community in a variety of ways.
The TLC Preschool will now be directed by our Christian Education Director, Deacon Amy Bingham.
On August 31st Felicia officially retired. This Sunday, September 4th, we will celebrate her retirement, express our thankfulness, and wish her well. If you would like to drop a card by the office or bring a card to church on September 4th, please do so.
Another opportunity to have cake at the coffee hour.
Blessed to be a Blessing! Hope to see you this Sunday.
Pastor Jim
Aug 27, 2022 | Pastor Jim's Blog
Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…
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Just days before Brenda’s funeral, Felicia and I invited Pastor Tom over for dinner at our middle daughter’s beach house. The old preachers sat on the deck sipping a glass of wine, as Felicia lovingly prepared a meal. We mused upon creation as we watched a beautiful but broken world float by. The man next door was renting the Airbnb for the week; we said hello and I took him a couple of slices of bacon. Pastor Tom was in and out of grief, we shared a few tears, some precious memories, and shared stories of our children and grandchildren.
It was then that our new friend, Derrick, now out of bacon, walked over with a glass of wine to join in the conversation. He was on holiday from London; he worked in finance and had a second home in Spain. The exchange was lively; Felicia slowed down dinner and took a call from a daughter.
Forty minutes later Derrick found out that he was visiting with a couple of pastors. “So, you are both Luthtarians?” Close enough. Derrick continued the thought, “Well you must know that I am an atheist.” This was not surprising given the fact that less than 1% of the British population attend church.
How to respond to an atheist?
I said, “Listen Derrick, you need to understand, Tom and I have given our lives to the church and the pursuit of truth. We have over 70 years of experience in the parish. We have seen it all; we have impressive degrees, we have read countless books, and sat at the feet of brilliant theologians. We are professionals. And we know… NOTHING!
“All we know for sure is that God loves us, God is not to be feared, and we should love each other. That’s all.”
In the kitchen our dinner was now in danger of becoming an Old Testament burnt offering. It was time to eat. We shook hands and Derrick went back to his family. Later that evening he brought over some English chocolate and thanked us for the conversation and bacon.
Nearly 40 years ago, I had the privilege of taking a preaching class at Luther Seminary. After a distinguished career, this would be the final class for Professor Arndt Halvorson. I was young, naïve, and sure of my faith. He was weathered, wise and gray. One day after class I posed a question to the old professor. I don’t remember what the question was, but I remember his response. He said, “The older I get the less I believe with certainty, but those things that I do believe, I believe more passionately than ever.”
Jesus loves me, I have nothing to fear from God, I am called to love. Loved, forgiven, and never alone. That is my confession of faith and that is enough. It scared me a little when Professor Halvorson shared his humble insight with me and now, 40 years later, I have become a shadow of my mentor.
Jesus encouraged us to have faith. Faith like a child, for that is what we are, children.
I hope to see Derrick on the other side someday. For even if he does not believe in God, I am sure that God believes in him.
One day closer,
Pastor Jim
Aug 23, 2022 | Pastor Jim's Blog
Today’s Word from Sheila Weidendorf…
Dan was a drummer who marched to his own beat his whole life. He was a master of words, whether being socially glib or arguing a cause in the Model UN program when he was still in high school. He was a tireless advocate and activist for peace and justice. He was my oldest son’s best childhood friend who spent a LOT of time at my house, especially when things were difficult with his family. He was like my own son. He turned 35 this spring. A couple of weeks ago, Dan took his own life.
Now I hadn’t heard from Dan in a few years. Sadly, he suffered from serious drug addiction. In fact, my son had ended his relationship with Dan some 10 years ago when he realized he couldn’t save Dan from himself; my Jordan wasn’t willing to watch Dan self-destruct. Dan disappeared. I had heard he’d gotten clean at one point, but was never able to free himself fully. In the end, he chose death over a life of addiction.
Now we in the West do not have good language for death, or—in general—a healthy relationship with the full circle of life. When someone we love is in danger from a health predicament—be it addiction or a potentially fatal disease—we say they are in a battle. When they indeed pass on in the course of that predicament, we too often say they “lost their battle.”
Perhaps it’s our deeply-ingrained Western dualism that can only see death as opposing life. We see Death as the enemy, as something to be avoided. In our popular culture this is furthered by the shilling of a million “anti-aging” products, of glorifying youthfulness in adults while not really appreciating the young. (For example, how many times do our adult eyebrows raise over the word, “teenagers”?)
Yet, Death is a part of life as we know it here on Earth. Death is unavoidable at this stage of our biological and spiritual evolution. To take birth is a tacit acknowledgement that, at some point, we will leave this plane and rejoin The Great Mysterion beyond. For isn’t there a time for everything? The Book of Ecclesiastes tells us, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance…”
Yes, there IS a time to mourn and to grieve the loss of our loved ones! Dan’s death hit me hard. In general, I am at peace with death. Many, many, many, loved ones have died in my lifetime, including by suicide. I have been perilously close to Death’s door myself a couple of times.
Soul-to-soul, I respect anyone’s journey into the Great Beyond. Who am I to judge a soul’s eternal trajectory?
But of course, Dan was a young man. Dan was my son’s age; Dan was like a son to me for decades so my maternal sensibilities easily overtake my soul sensibilities! And anyway, is it not always tragic for a life to be cut short at a time we can all agree is “too soon?”
Ultimately, timing isn’t within our purview. When and why and how just might not be any of our business in oh, so many ways in this life. What IS our business is presence, is lovingkindness, is refraining from judgement, is accepting that we do not know or understand very much at all, is showing up each and every day, is living WHILE we’re alive and not meeting our final breaths with regrets and “if only” on our lips. What IS our business is recognizing God in each and EVERY person, respecting each and every journey, and being grateful for every opportunity to love.
I am very much saddened by Dan’s death, by whatever it was that made him feel his life was no longer worth living. I will always cherish the memories of the boy, the young man, that he was in my life. I will always love the soul that he is and I pray that his soul finally knows peace. May we ALL know peace in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls.
Here is a link to music I created the day I learned that Dan had left this world behind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waz5U_364yU
Sheila Weidendorf
Aug 22, 2022 | Pastor Jim's Blog
Today’s Word from Deacon Amy…
“Thank you, Trinity!” the voices rang out from the water where a group of bobbing heads were smiling and laughing. 
Gratitude was a common theme throughout our time in Montana. These high school students fully recognized and appreciated the amazing support of our beautiful Trinity community.
Eleven high school students from Trinity recently traveled to Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp in Montana. While there, these students participated in service activities both in the community, and on the FLBC campus.
At camp, our group scraped and painted benches, chairs, and tables for the outdoor seating areas. They also strung new buoy lines around the swimming area.
One of the more ambitious projects at camp was digging out and building stairs into a new hillside trail. Students felt accomplished, knowing that the steps on this trail will be used by dozens and dozens of campers and visitors to camp in the years to come.
We also left the camp and spent time in the community. One morning was spent picking up trash along the sides of the local highway.
One of the most impactful service projects was the day that we spent at The Lighthouse Christian Home. This is a community home for adults with disabilities. While there, our group helped with cleaning and organizing, pulling weeds in their food garden, and helping to prepare and clean up after lunch. We also got to visit with the residents, and enjoyed an outdoor worship service together.
Of course there was plenty of time for Bible study, adventure, exploration, and play as well! We had opportunities to swim, sail, hike, climb, and learn new games. Favorites from the week included gaga ball and 9-square.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
“I really enjoyed the experience and The Lighthouse was amazing. It was beautiful and I really appreciate being given the chance to go.” – Thea W.
“I really liked the Lighthouse and the swimming experience at the lake. And the church was so nice I was so glad to get the chance because at one point I thought it would be cancelled. Yeah if we did go again, I would love it just as much.” – Aaron M.
“I had a great time on this trip. The lake was beautiful and The Lighthouse was an amazing experience. This group was fun and we played lots of games, I’m hoping to go again.” – Carter C.
“I had a wonderful time on the trip and I am so thankful that I as given the opportunity to attend. I loved spending time with this group and I feel like we all learned how to work well together.” – Ava S.
“I thought that this trip was a great experience that I’ll always remember. I particularly enjoyed the time when we kayaked to another island and had lunch and a Bible study.” – Ryelan Q.
“I think that the experience at The Lighthouse was really memorable and had a big impact on me. The lake was also really beautiful and I’m so glad I got this opportunity to come.” – Alyssa S.
“I enjoyed being with this group and helping the camp do good things for the community. I would like to go on a trip like this next year.” – Erica M.
“I think that the trip was amazing! It was by far one of the best camping experiences I’ve ever been to. I liked everything we did, even the highway clean up. Some of my favorite experiences came from swimming and being with everyone, also the Lighthouse was really eye opening and fun. I loved drumming for the people there at the Lighthouse. I’m so glad I got to have this amazing experience. Thanks to Amy, Pat, Jennifer, and the [church] for letting us get the chance to go on this amazing trip.” – Ian M.
“I really enjoyed FLBC! It was an amazing opportunity to have, and was so, so, so much fun. But it was also a great opportunity to learn new concepts about the fruits of the spirit, and how to apply each one in our every day lives. I was able to see familiar faces but also meet new people and get to know them while experiencing a camp I will always remember. I enjoyed having a great time, but also seeing others have a good time. I loved all the service projects we did (including the Lighthouse, trash pickup, trail blazing, etc.) The Lighthouse was the most memorable service we did. The people there welcomed us in right away, and showed so much generosity and kindness. One of the activities we did while at the camp was a sailboat ride. While we were on the lake it was so peaceful, and I was able to mentally put aside all of my worries or struggles of the day. There were also some activities (such as the high ropes) that was definitely a challenge and a little scary, but the camp staff were always able to bring those experiences and feelings back to what we were learning about to help us reach for a deeper connection with the Bible and God. If I could go back to this camp, I definitely would.” – Cristina M.
Thank you, Trinity, for supporting these amazing kids and helping to make this trip and others like it possible for our students!
Deacon Amy
