God’s work. Our Hands.

Every year in September, ELCA congregations all over the country participate in service. This year, on September 6 & &, 2024, we will be volunteering with Habitat for Humanity’s Interfaith Build at Yarrow Cottages. Click the button above for all the details!

NEW HORIZONS DINNERS ON “FIFTH FRIDAYS”

In the coming year, we will be providing dinner for around 35 youth at New Horizons Ministries in every month where there is a “fifth Friday.”

Dates for 2024 are: March 29, May 31, August 30,  November 29
Please consider providing a dish (main course, vegetable, bread, dessert, other). Please let Jim Margard know if you can help out, or contact the church office!

Many of us watched the recent air evacuation from Afghanistan of American citizens and many of those who helped us in the last 20 years of conflict. My son and his family in Germany helped gather supplies to care for those flown to that country en route to their new homes. Now, many of these families are taking the next step to new lives in the United States and it’s our turn to help.

You may have seen the Seattle Times article providing information and contacts for area organizations. One of them is Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS). For 80 years, LIRS has offered a welcome to our country, hope, and support to more than half a million refugees. They’ve pulled together support and goodwill from thousands of people to do this and they need our help now. For information about their efforts and how you can help, see https://lirsconnect.org/get_involved/action_center/siv

Close to home, LIRS is a part of Lutheran Community Services Northwest. They have already started receiving Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders and their families. Their first priority is the safety and well-being of the new arrivals. Staff are working quickly to surround each arriving family with basic needs like housing, food, clothing, transportation and monetary assistance. They very much need our help in terms of donations and hands-on help welcoming and settling the new arrivals. Check out “Stay Up To Date” on their homepage https://lcsnw.org/

Right now, the best way to extend a welcome is with a donation. Your gift will help address the most immediate and basic needs of our new neighbors. For online donations, select DONATE on their homepage at https://lcsnw.org/By mail, direct them to:

LCSNW – Donations Lockbox #1034
PO Box 35146
Seattle, WA 98124-5146
Please write “Refugee Services” in the memo line.

After having to cut way back on their program in recent years, they are now ramping up to help the large numbers of refugees coming to Washington and Oregon. To find out about volunteer opportunities, and to volunteer, contact siv@lcsnw.org. They also have a list of items for putting together Refugee Starter Kits, like shower gifts for folks’ new homes. Check it out at “How You Can Help” on their homepage https://lcsnw.org/. Right now, plans for where to deliver these kits are still being formed, so you can contact siv@lcsnw.org or me, Jacqui Darroch, at jedarroch@yahoo.com for updates and questions.