Dear
Church Family,
As
we go to press with the October 2024 Newsletter,
Fall has arrived in Seattle. Just in the past few days, the rain has returned,
and the kiddos are all back in school.
Also, as we move through Fall and then Winter, our ongoing legacy of
Fall and Winter “Missions work” also starts afresh. Last Sunday, Sept 22nd, I
announced that we will once again start collecting socks for Homeless men and
women, to be handed out by “Operation Night watch”, a homeless shelter, referral
center, on capitol hill. They will be collecting a goal of 30,000 pair of socks
over the next 6 months. Please note, they need new socks, for men, more so than
women. Athletic socks work for all. There
are not specific dates to turn them in, the need is always there throughout the
winter months.
In
October and November we are asking people to bring in food items for the Annual
Union Gospel Missions Thanksgiving meal. Basic canned goods, peas, corn, green
beans, carrots, cranberries, gravy, and their new “most requested” item, Stove
Top Stuffing, is really wanted and needed. Any food items will be welcomed and enjoyed,
whether used at Thanksgiving or beyond. The need is always there.
After
Thanksgiving, our food collection will go to our local food bank “Family Works”
in Wallingford. We are designating the Second Sunday of the month and make it
an ongoing drive. However, food items will be accepted anytime. As I plan to do soon, I’ll go through my
“pantry” at home, and clean out all the canned goods, Ramen noodles and
assorted non-perishable food, that I did not consume over the summer. I will
box up these items and bring them into church for Family Works!
Dear
church family, please know between our transition from Summer to Fall, then
Thanksgiving to Christmas. What “always” warms my heart is you good people’s
“full on” commitment to love, and help others in Christ’s name. As I was
writing the Sermon for the Sept 29th service, a couple of verses
from our Mark lesson reminded me of “our” church’s ongoing commitment to aid,
help, and even feed the poor, in Christ’s name. In our Mark reading from Ch. 9:38-41;
Christ rebukes his disciples for “shutting” down a stranger who was helping the
poor.
Likewise,
we much like that stranger, are feeding, loving and helping the “Stranger”, in
Christ’s name! God Bless you good and Faithful believers. If you would please read our Sept 29th
Mark lesson, Mark 9:38-41, where Jesus “schools” his disciples on giving help
and aid to others, in Christ’s name.
