Beloved Members and Friends of Central,

I cannot adequately express my appreciation for our final worship together, the reception that followed, and the many cards and gifts I received. That Sunday was deeply significant for both Central and for me. For the first time in way too many years you had the opportunity to properly say goodbye to your pastor. Such proper goodbyes allow a congregation to not only end a pastoral relationship in a healthy way but also prepares them to begin preparing for their next chapter of ministry. And while I know that no one looks forward to the time and energy it takes to call a new pastor, I believe Central is in a good place to do this important work.

As for me, that Sunday’s worship and celebration was a meaningful and joyous conclusion to my pastoral relationship with all of you. But it is also helping me to move forward into the next chapter of my life as a retired pastor. Your words and expressions of thankfulness and appreciation help to reassure me that our time together was impactful and fruitful. As I reflect on our four years together and on all 35 years of my ordained ministry, I can humbly acknowledge the positive ways God has worked through me as a pastor. That sense of accomplishment prepares me to begin pursuing whatever new callings God has in store for me. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
May the Lord look upon you and give you peace.

With love and appreciation,

Jim Killough

Pastor Paul Hoffman is no stranger to us at Central. He has been a frequent supply pastor over the years since his retirement from Phinney Ridge in Seattle, and many will remember the year in which he served as intern supervisor for Vicar CJ Boettcher. 

During the month of February, we conclude the season of Epiphany and move into Lent. 
 
Sunday, 8 February +The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
Pastor Hoffman preaching and presiding
Texts for the Day: Isaiah 51:1-9a;  Matthew 5:13-20
 
Sunday, 15 February +The Transfiguration of Our Lord
The Rev. Jan Nesse preaching and presiding
Texts for the Day: Exodus 24:12-18 and Matthew 17:1-9
 
Wednesday, 18 February +Ash Wednesday
Worship at 6:30 p.m. at The Gathering
4634 Alger Avenue, Everett
 
Sunday, 22 February +The First Sunday in Lent
Pastor Hoffman preaching and presiding
Texts for the Day: Romans 5:12-19;  Matthew 4:1-11
 
Wednesday, 25 February +Lenten Midweek Soup and Service
5:30 Soup and 6:30 Holden Evening Prayer
Trinity Lutheran Church
2324 Lombard Avenue, Everett

Greetings, Central Lutheran. I’m looking forward to making the best of our time together during this interim. I’ve currently signed on to be with you five months, and during that time I see my primary responsibilities as:

Leading and preaching at regular Sunday worship and special services

Providing pastoral care to the congregation

Guiding you through the transition process and preparation of your  Ministry Site Profile

Providing administrative leadership to keep the congregation healthy

The liturgy corner will be a regular monthly feature in our church’s newsletter during the time that we are served by Pastor Hoffman.

During the month of February, we will see some significant changes in our Sunday morning worship, as we transition out of the Epiphany season, and embrace the 40-day season of Lent. This year, Lent begins right in the middle of the month of February, on Wednesday the 18th. That will begin the 40 days of preparation for Easter, which this year falls on April 5th. 

Transfiguration Sunday, 15 February, will bring the Advent/Christmas/Epiphany cycle officially to an end. The angel’s song at the birth of Jesus, Glory to God in the highest, will not be sung throughout the Lenten season. Rather the Kyrie, our united plea for God’s mercy and forgiveness will stand alone prior to the Prayer of the Day.

Alleluia, Lord, to whom shall we go, which typically acclaims that we are about to hear the Gospel text, will be replaced by Return to the Lord your God. This reminder of God’s continuing grace and mercy calls us back to the good news during this more penitential season.

Visually, you will notice that the green paraments and vestments of the Epiphany season, and the white ones from Transfiguration Sunday, are replaced by purple. The purple is intended to evoke in us a sense of penitence, and also to remind us of the royalty of Jesus, who became the sovereign of the Universe through his death on the cross. 

Faith Action Network is an interfaith, statewide partnership striving for a just, compassionate and sustainable world through community building, education, advocacy and courageous public action. Find more information at: www.fanwa.org.

Church Office Hours are:   Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. 

Pastor Hoffman's Office Hours are:   Sunday-Wednesday

Pastor Hoffman plans to offer his 3/4 time ministry at Central Sunday-Wednesday.

Sundays will include worship and (for now) visits with congregational members.

Mondays and Tuesday will be standard office work days, meaning that he'll be ministering out of the office at Central, but also making homebound, hospital and membership visits.

Wednesdays will normally include Everett Area Pastors' Text Study group and the writing of a sermon and prayers for Sunday worship. If no other appointments are scheduled in Everett, he may work from home while writing.

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.

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.

Itzel Hernandez, February 3
Steve Olsen, February 7
Gayle Watts, February 10
Ryan French, February 12
Janis Ahern, February 14
Dave Kurtz, February 21
Clayton Olsen, February 24

Our sister in Christ, Mary Beck, died on Saturday, 24 January 2026. Mary was a long-time member at Central, and we commend her into the Lord's eternal care. The family is planning a Celebration of Life to be held at the church on Saturday, 21 March at 11 a.m. More details will be shared as they become available. "Rest eternal grant her, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon her."

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.

If you follow the Revised Common Lectionary, this is the year of Matthew. Matthew’s gospel offers a clear vision of the world as God intends through Jesus. It is also a clear mandate for the Church. While I encourage you to read Matthew in its entirety, here are some highlights to catch glimpses of this new world through Jesus:

Matthew 1-2: Matthew begins with a genealogy of Jesus that refuses to be neat or respectable. You see, it includes women who are foreigners, sex workers, and more. Jesus is born to a working-class family that soon become refugees as they flee Herod’s murderous plot. The wise men refuse to bow down to Herod’s power.

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.