Pastor Jim’s last Sunday is January 18.  Please join us in the Fellowship Hall after service for a celebration to honor and thank him for his service to our church community, and wish him well on his next adventures in retirement. 

Central Lutheran Church's Annual Meeting will be Sunday, January 25, following worship in the sanctuary. Business items for the meeting include electing three Congregation Council Members, adopting the 2026 budget, and amending Central’s constitution to conform with required sections of the ELCA Model Constitution. The amendments and their rationales were emailed to members of the congregation on January 6. They can also be found on our website under “Resources/Constitution and Bylaws” or by CLICKING here.

Members of Central are encouraged to attend this important meeting.

In preparation for the Annual Meeting, there will be a Budget Forum on Sunday, January 11, following worship in the Friendship Room.  The goal of this forum is to answer questions regarding the budget prior to the Annual Meeting. 

Several years ago, when I was a young pastor serving in a congregation, a member came to tell me he was leaving the church for another one. When I asked why, he said, “I don’t like all the lovey-dovey stuff.” I was caught off guard and didn’t have a very good response in the moment. Now I wish I had said something like, “When you say ‘lovey, dovey’ are you referring to the Sermon on the Mount when Jesus says we are to love even our enemies? Or when Jesus says his new command is that we love one another as he has loved us? Or when Jesus, hanging on the cross, says, ‘Father, forgive them?’ Or when the risen Jesus shows up on the shore, feeds his friends, and asks Peter – three times – ‘Do you love me?’ Or, maybe you mean Paul, who says that you can have all kinds of gifts and accomplishments, but without love, you are nothing. Or when Paul writes that out of faith, hope, and love, love is the greatest or …”. You get the idea. But I didn’t have those words that day.

During the month of January we are in the season of Epiphany. The word "epiphany" means a sudden revelation or insight. The season of Epiphany  is about the revelation and insight that in Jesus, God has come to live among us. 

January 4 – Combined worship service with Trinity and The Gathering at Zion Lutheran

January 11 -  Baptism of our Lord: Isaiah 42:1-9 and Matthew 3:13-17

January 18 – Pastor Jim’s last Sunday: Isaiah 43:1-3a, 1 John 3:1a, and Mark 1:14-15

January 25 – 3rd Sunday after Epiphany: Isaiah 9:1-4, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, and Matthew 4:12-23

January’s Mission of the Month is our “Care and Share” fund. The Care and Share fund is a discretionary fund that is used to help people in times of short-term financial need. Often times, helping to cover one month’s rent, or paying a utility bill keeps a family or individual from experiencing greater and greater financial difficulties. The Congregation Council added the Care and Share fund to the Mission of the Month list this year to allow Central to assist the growing number of people facing financial difficulties.

At the NW Washington Synod Assembly in May, a resolution supporting Global Refuge’s innovative Camino de Casa project was approved. In response, Our Saviors Lutheran in Everett is hosting a Synod event entitled: “Global Refuge: Rebuilding After Repatriation,” featuring Andrew Steele from Global Refuge, on Saturday, February 14, 9:30 am to 12:00 noon. This hybrid event documents the journeys of unaccompanied minors who have been deported and returned to their country of origin. It highlights how Global Refuge helps them re-enter their communities and be reunited with families, providing mental and physical health screening, job training, and other support that will ensure they have greater success in coming home to stay. Participants will watch a short documentary featuring personal stories of youth and the impact of US immigration policies; and in real time, will ZOOM with staff and a deportee on the ground in Guatemala. To register for the in-person OR online ZOOM event CLICK here. 

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.  

Each of us tends to make one of two choices in life. We either become emotionally attached to our money or we become emotionally attached to the God who gives us our money. Although many of us attempt to emotionally attach ourselves to both money and God, in our hearts we know that cannot happen.

Jesus was right when he said that we cannot serve both God and money. We must choose. Putting God first with financial stewardship that helps his Kingdom causes helps us get beyond that myth.

Finance Update through November 2025

Beginning Balance      (11,457)
Monthly Expenses      (28,377)
Monthly Income             28,519
Deficit                                 (11,315)   

Our projected budget for January through November is a deficit of $7,192, therefore we are $4,123 behind our projected budget.

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

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.

You are invited to serve in this vital ministry. Volunteers can arrive at 4:30 to help with set up and the meal will be served at 5:00. We stop serving meals at 6:00 and usually can be cleaned up and done by 6:30.   As the saying goes, many hands make light work. 

Thank you as always for your support in time, food, and prayers.

 Happy Birthday to those celebrating January birthdays!  

Nancy Olsen, January 4

Tilly Kendall, January 15

Mya Ritchie, January 19

Elian Villalba, January 20

Aggie Birklid, January 31

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.

Central Lutheran Church Office Hours are:

Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.