In my previous calls, I have led a variety of Faith Formation opportunities: Bible Studies, book discussions, etc. I would like to do the same here at Central, but I need your help. I have put together a short survey asking for some input from you:
•    What would you like? A Bible Study, a book discussion, or something else?
•    What would be the best time?
•    Is there anything else I should know or take into consideration?

If you would be interested in some kind of Faith Formation opportunities, please click the button below and complete the survey. (There will also be paper surveys available in the sanctuary.)

From the Bishop:      

In fifth grade, I started playing trumpet. This wasn’t the instrument that I chose – it was chosen for me because my aunt had an old trumpet and my mom said, “If you want to be in band, you can use this trumpet.” But even though I wanted to play the flute, the trumpet was definitely the instrument for me. I loved playing trumpet. I loved the sound, the way to make different notes with just three valves, using different mutes that produced complexity of tone. I loved to polish and clean my trumpet – especially when I received a new silver trumpet in high school. The only thing I didn’t like was carrying it to and from school because of the big hill that we lived on.

Christ is risen!  Alleluia! We continue to celebrate the joyful season of Easter throughout April and into the first weeks of May.

April 7        Easter 2                Acts 4:32-37 and John 20:19-31

April 14      Easter 3              Acts 3:12-21 and Luke 24:36b-48

April 21      Easter 4                Psalm 23 and John 10:11-18

April 28      Easter 5               Acts 8:26-40 and  John 15:1-8 

Mission of the Month: ELCA World Hunger - Its mission is to reach communities in need. From health clinics to microloans, water wells to animal husbandry, community meals to advocacy, your gifts to ELCA World Hunger make it possible for the ELCA to respond, supporting sustainable solutions that get at the root causes of hunger and poverty.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Each month a different member of Central provides Communion Bread for worship. Currently, there are eight of us in the rotation. A new monthly rotation begins in May, so this would be a great time to join in! Those in the rotation are assigned a month, which can be adjusted if need be, and then bake enough bread for the number of Sundays in that month. Typically, people bake the bread before the first Sunday of the month and then bring all the loaves to church on the first Sunday; loaves not used that Sunday are frozen for use throughout the rest of the month.

So far, we have all used the same quick and simple recipe, which is listed below. However, you could use any recipe you like. If you are interested in joining the rotation, or have questions, please contact me.

Peace,

Pastor Jim

COMMUNION BREAD

2 cups whole wheat flour 
1 cup white flour
1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon oil
¾ cup and 2 tablespoons very hot water
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons molasses

Preheat oven to 350°.
Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt.
Cut oil into flour mixture. 
In a separate bowl, combine and mix well the hot water, honey and molasses. 
Combine flour mixture and sweetener mixture. Dough should be a bit sticky.
Divide into 4 or 5 equal parts and roll each into ½ inch thick circles. 
Using a knife, mark each circle with a cross.
Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350° for 10 minutes. 
Remove and brush with oil. 
Bake an additional 5-8 minutes. 

(We may need to begin doubling the recipe and making larger loaves due to increased worship attendance.)

There will be a brief Special Congregational Meeting, Sunday, April 28, following worship. The only item of business will be electing two members of the congregation to serve as Voting Members at the Northwest Washington Synod Assembly which takes place Saturday, May 18, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm, in Des Moines. 

If you would be interested in serving as an Assembly Voting Member, please contact Kelli Trosvig or Pastor Jim.

From Trinity Lutheran here in Everett:  Our little aid bank has been growing and going through some changes! One of the changes in this current year is that we must obtain more volunteers. Lisa, our aid bank coordinator, is ready and willing to train folks. Individuals or groups doing some of the behind-the-scenes work would be a great help. Reach out to the office if you are interested in knowing more or volunteering for any of the needs shown below. 

A person to recruit volunteers to staff TAB each week.  A quarterly sign-up sheet makes it easy to keep track of it all.

A group or individual could make, at home, small bags of hygiene items like laundry soap, wipes, shampoo, or other supplies that we repack into small bags or containers.

A TAB shopper. This means using a church credit card and keeping track of receipts and turning them in at the end of the month.

A person to keep track of statistics and in-kind contributions.

Trinity Lutheran Church

2324 Lombard Ave.

Everett, WA 98201

office@TrinityLutheranEverett.com

425-252-1239

We use YouTube to live stream and record our worship services.  In each weekly Worship Invitation email, we include a link  to that Sunday's worship service.  Past worship services can be viewed by going to our YouTube page by searching for "Central Lutheran Church Everett Washington" or by CLICKING HERE.

We are working to get recordings of our worship services on our website. 

The quilters here at Central Lutheran Church make quilts for people around the world, through Lutheran World Relief.  Click below for more information on how you can help.  

The homeless, under-resourced, or just plain hungry are all welcome! Anyone in need can get a meal at Central Lutheran Church each Sunday night. Sunday Suppers are at 5:00 pm. These meals are provided by volunteers from  different congregations representing a variety of denominations in Snohomish County.

“A friend of mine taught me about addictions when he discovered that he was not just a compulsive eater, but a foodaholic. He had an uncontrollable addiction to food and was unable to break the addiction. That kind of addiction is not like an addiction to heroin or alcohol, though it is equally fatal. Food is something one cannot simply say no to! Saying no to food leads to death. One can neither walk away from food entirely nor give in to the addiction and let it control one’s life. The task of living is to try to find a way between the extremes. My friend tells me of a conversation he had with an alcoholic who had been successful in staying dry. The alcoholic said, ‘Compared to you, I am lucky. I can put my tiger under lock and key and never let him out. You have to let your tiger out three times a day.’ Every time that compulsive eater has a meal, he has to control his addiction, his tiger. No easy answers, here….

“We who are haunted by an addiction to things, to wealth, to money have that tiger of addiction sitting on our laps every time we watch television. When we pay our bills. When we go to a restaurant. When we sign a mortgage. When we think about our retirement plan. When the church asks us for a donation. It is all around us all the time. It never goes away, and it never lets go of us. And we never seem fully to tame it. 

“In our world, we must learn to live with the tiger without letting the tiger destroy us. Because we and our world are so obsessed with this particular addiction to money, the church must help us learn how to live with it—to work through the inherent tensions we feel about our wealth.” [Financial Meltdown in the Mainline?, Loren B. Mead]

In addition to helping God accomplish numerous ministries, that is a benefit of our offerings. They help us to keep the tiger of addiction to money on a short leash.

Finance Update through February, 2024

Beginning Balance          (2,144)
Monthly Expenses       (20,956)
Monthly Income             19,714
Income (Deficit)                (3,386)

CLICK HERE to make a financial donation to Central Lutheran Church.

 Happy Birthday to those celebrating April birthdays!  

Debbie Ritchie, April 8

Tom Dotzauer, April 11

Josephine Davis, April 11

Carter Haines, April 15

Kayle Barnes, April 16

Janet Loesche, April 17

Dave Finstad, April 18

Roy Wenzel, April 18

Central Lutheran Church Office Hours are:

Mondays 9:30 am - 12:30 pm.

Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm. 

Pastor Jim works in the office Tuesday through Friday, times vary.