The Faith Action Network is an interfaith partnership of faith-based communities and individuals launched in September 2011 with the merger of the former Washington Association of Churches and the Lutheran Public Policy of Washington State. This is a full-time position with health benefits and salary DOE. Position is located in Seattle. For more information, including qualifications and duties, visit http://www.fanwa.org or contact Rev. Rich Gamble at richg@ccsww.org or 206 632-6021.

Becoming a Justice Seeking Congregation

with Bill McElvaney and Tex Samples

Friday, March 9 7:00 pm to Saturday, March 10, 5:00 pm.

Sessions will be held at Kilworth Chapel, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA.

Registration: $75.00 per person or $300 for a team of 5! 

The deadline for registration is February 25th.

To register:  click on:  https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?llr=qku46dbab&oeidk=a07e5i6nr0k883a7c81

For more information contact Larry Warren at 253.495.3053.

Planning for Easter (rescheduled)

will be held on Friday, February 24th, 7-9:30pm

and Saturday, February 25th, 9am-5pm

at First UMC of Bellevue

 If you didn’t register in time for the original weekend (January 20-21), there is still time to register for this rescheduled JWAI.

 Friday, February 24: 7pm-9pm Keynote by Dr. Beryl Ingram; Easter Vigil

Saturday, February 25: 9am-5pm Workshops 

Preaching: Easter Sunday with Dr. Beryl Ingram

Scripture: Effective Presentation (leader TBD)

Music: Anthems & Congregational Singing with Robert Wright and Erin Walker

Visual Arts: Acrylics on Foamcore with Nancy Edwards

Questions?  Interested in attending?  E-mail or call:  

Leann Onishi, registrar,  (425) 776-5485

leannonishi@me.com

Lazy F is the sight of the 2nd annual Family Winter Camp, February 17-19, 2012.  This program is designed to bring families together for a weekend escape.  Programming is divided between whole family fun and activities just for kids/adults/teens.  There are a number of guest speakers that will focus on faith and family.  Highlights include: cell phone free family time, snow tubing, snow shoeing, crafts, games, billiards, worship and cookie decorating.  The food is great.  The fun is over the top.  And God is present everywhere.  What a great family retreat

 How much does it cost?         

$315: Skyline (rooms with 4 beds, private bath and linen)

$290: Ridgeview (rooms with 4 beds, bathrooms are down the hall, provide your own linen).

These rates are based on 2 adults and 2 children.  An extra adult is $75; an extra child is $37.50. 

Never been to Lazy F?  Check out the website: lazyfcamp.org   If you have questions or want to talk to someone about Family Camp, call:

Lazy F: (509) 962-2780.  You can speak to Dave, Jenni or Ian. 

Cathy Raymond: 412-1404 or see me at church!

We also look for sources of books.  Two 11 x 17″ posters (one in English and one in Spanish) are available if you would like to promote the program.  Please contact Melvin Woodworth (Tacome First) or Larry Warren (Tacoma: Summit) if you would like copies of the posters.

Paperback books and magazines can be delivered to the R.E.A.D. Project c/o Tacoma First UMC, 621 Tacoma Avenue South, Tacoma, WA.

(From Melvin Woodworth and Larry Warren)

Register online for the Seattle Tacoma Districts Training Day, February 11, 2012!

Where:  Puyallup United Methodist Church

Cost:  $12 per person

Online registration only!  Go to www.pnwumc.org/seatac to register. 

The site provides all the pertinent information about the Training Day: workshops, lunch preferences, childcare and more. 

Questions?  Call the Tacoma District office at 253-627-5442.  

professor of religion and SPU alumnus. 

 Monday, January 30, 2012 7:30 pm

Fine Center-First Free Methodist Church, Seattle

3200 3rd Avenue West, Seattle 

Free and wheelchair accessible. Limited seating.

Join us for a lively and robust reimagining of The Future of the Bible featuring Timothy Beal, Ph.D., the Florence Harness professor of religion at Case Western Reserve University and author of The Rise and Fall of the Bible. With respondents Jeff Keuss, Ph.D., SPU professor of Christian ministry, theology, and culture; and Blake Wood, D.Min., lead pastor, First Free Methodist Church.Bio:  Timothy Beal has authored 11 books, including Biblical Literacy: The Essential Bible Stories Everyone Needs to Know and Roadside Religion: In Search of The Sacred, the Strange, and the Substance of Faith, which was a New York Times Book Review Editor’s choice and one of Publisher’s Weekly’s ten Best Religion Books of 2005. He has published essays on religion and American culture in The New York Times, the Chronicle of Higher Education, the Washington Post, and the Cleveland Plain Dealer. He received a B.A. (English) from Seattle Pacific University and a Ph.D. (Old Testament/Hebrew Bible) from Emory University. 

 Interview On January 30:
Whom do you hope to see in the audience? Seattle Pacific University students, for sure, as well as alumni, pastors, other church leaders, and friends. Undoubtedly, there will be a few former professors who know my story. Can you give us a quick peek at what you’ll be talking about on January 30?  The popular, cultural idea is to think about the Bible as a kind of moral guidebook God wrote to give us all the answers. If we take this approach, we tend to experience a disconnect with God when our expectations of what we think the Bible promises aren’t met. What I want to explore and suggest is this: What if we could approach the Bible, not as an answer book, but rather as a “library of questions” that invites us, as an interpretive community, into the practice of learning to ask good questions? What does that look like in a classroom discussion, or a church study group? It can sound like a lot of noise. Encountering Scripture through good questions can generate lots of discussion, even arguments (the Latin root “arguere” means “to make clear”). Yet, this cacophony of many voices can actually be like a sacred hymn raised up to God. Will you be sharing a few good classroom stories from your time as an SPU student?  Yes, I have stories to tell, and some of the names will be recognizable. What should we be listening for as you talk about “the future of the Bible”? First, from a media perspective, our children and grandchildren won’t be reading Scripture in the form of a bound book we’re used to reading today. We’re in a media revolution right now. As we move out of a print book culture into a digital culture of social networking, hyperlinks, and blogs, we need to be asking the question, “How is the Bible going to change?” Jewish tradition and scriptural culture hold some interesting clues about how we can be rediscovering and receiving Scripture in our day. 

 for questions: Sophia Agtarap:  

wanderingnotlost.com (c) 206.288.3511 | (v) 206.588.5930

Jan. 20-21 at Bellevue First UMC

 worship planning + creative arts =   Jubilate Worship Arts Institute

 Jubilate Worship Arts Institute

A program of the Pacific NW Conference Board of Discipleship

Passionate Worship in the Making!

Planning and Preparing for Easter, 2012

Friday, 7pm-9:30pm and Saturday, 9am-5pm, January 20-21, 2012

Beryl Ingram, Keynote Speaker

 Workshops: Creativity and Effective Use of

Visual Arts:  Nancy Edwards

Preaching:  Beryl Ingram

Scripture:  Anne Hayes

Music:  Robert Wright/Erin Walker

 NEW LOCATION: First United Methodist Church of Bellevue

1934 108th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004

$100 registration for a church group (up to 4 people)

or $50 per individual 

To register: e-mail or call the registrar with your name, church, workshop preference, and e-mail (or phone number)

Payment is due at the door

Registrar: Leann Onishi, leannonishi@me.com, (425) 776-5485

See: jubilateworshiparts.org

Hover over “Training Events”; click on Jubilate Worship Arts I

 Jubilate Worship Arts Institute

A program of the Pacific NW Conference Board of Discipleship

Passionate Worship in the Making!

Planning and Preparing for Easter, 2012

Friday, 7pm-9:30pm and Saturday, 9am-5pm, January 20-21, 2012

Beryl Ingram, Keynote Speaker

 Workshops: Creativity and Effective Use of 

Visual Arts, Preaching, Scripture, and Music

NEW LOCATION: First United Methodist Church of Bellevue

1934 108th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004

There must be a minimum number of participants.  

Please register early if you plan to attend.  

$100 registration for a church group (up to 4 people)

or $50 per individual 

To register: e-mail or call the registrar with your name, church, workshop preference, 

and e-mail (or phone number)

Payment is due at the door

Registrar:  Leann Onishi, leannonishi@me.com, (425) 776-5485

See:  jubilateworshiparts.org

Hover over “Training Events”; click on Jubilate Worship Arts Institute (will be updated soon)

Ocean Park Retreat Center

$120 for 3 nights 7 meals; Partial weekend pricing available 

President’s Holiday Weekend.  Arrive on Friday night, enjoy meals starting at Saturday Breakfast through Monday Brunch. 

For those already in praise bands, or wanting to start one, or wanting to play in one, or wishing they had one, or enjoy listening to one, or wanting to write music for one, or anyone who is interested , come share in fellowship and learning at Ocean Park Retreat Center. Non-traditional worship music.  Those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Workshops and Resources for

• Organizing
• Licensing
• Sound Tech 
• Video Tech    
• Song Writing     
• Sharing Music 
• Song Books   
• Skill Improvement

For more information, contact Ocean Park at fun@opretreat.org or 360-665-4367.