9:15 a.m. Education and Life Groups

Apprentice Group: Studying the whole counsel of God, led by Rev. Gib Martin, Room 311

Sunday Morning Life Group: Study Mark’s Gospel, Room 302

9:30 a.m. Children and Youth

Youth Sunday School: Youth Room, Ground Floor

Children’s Sunday School: McConkey Room. Ground Floor

9:45 a.m. Sundy Morning Prayer

Prayer Room, Ground Floor

10:30 a.m. Worship in Chapel with Communion

“Get a Spine: No More Spiritual Jellyfish” sermon series continues.

11:45  a.m. Lunch in the Whitworth Room

9:15 a.m. Education and Life Groups

Apprentice Group: Studying the whole counsel of God, led by Rev. Gib Martin, Room 311

Sunday Morning Life Group: Study Mark’s Gospel, Room 302

9:30 a.m. Children and Youth

Youth Sunday School: Youth Room, Ground Floor

Children’s Sunday School: McConkey Room. Ground Floor

9:45 a.m. Sundy Morning Prayer

Prayer Room, Ground Floor

10:30 a.m. Worship in Chapel with Communion

“Get a Spine: No More Spiritual Jellyfish” sermon series begins

Recognition of New Members

11:45  a.m. Lunch in the Whitworth Room

2012 Officer Nomination Form

Instructions: Copy and paste this page into a word document, print and fill out the form and place in the box in the Chapel or front office. Or, copy and paste this page into the body of an email and send to the ONC moderator, Elder Kathy Ostrom, at theostroms2@comcast.net.

Deacons and Elders: A Brief Description

Make your recommendations for new Elders and Deacons.

Deacon: Lead Care-Giver

Elder: Lead Disciple-Maker

Each year our congregation elects men and women to the roles of elder and deacon. In brief, elders serve as lead disciple-makers and deacons as lead care-givers.

A brief description of the roles is provided below. More detailed descriptions of these roles is available from the Officer Nominating Committee (ONC).

Here is how the process works: The congregation makes recommendations to the Officer Nominating Committee(ONC). The ONC provides more detailed descriptions of the roles, interviews potential candidates and makes nominations to the congregation for election. The Session trains and examines officers elect, after which they are installed.

Officer Nomination Forms can be found in the Chapel and front office, or online at the following link  2012 Officer Nomination Form.

To make a nomination, fill out the form and place in the box in the Chapel or front office. Or, email your online form to the ONC moderator, Elder Kathy Ostrom at theostroms2@comcast.net.

For more information, contact Elder Kathy Ostrom at theostroms2@comcast.net (206-523-4589) or Pastor Jeff Schulz at jschulz@firstpres.org (206-624-0644).

Sunday, May 6:  Walk for Water, Seward Park, 1:30 p.m. More Info

Wednesday, May 9:  Wednesday Bible Study/Life Group on “Get a Spine: No More Spiritual Jellyfish” based on sermon texts from Colossians. Led by preaching pastors, 6:00-7:30 p.m. on church campus, room 302 More Info

9:15 a.m. Education and Life Groups

Apprentice Group: Studying the whole counsel of God, led by Rev. Gib Martin, Room 311

Sunday Morning Life Group: Study Mark’s Gospel, Room 302

9:30 a.m. Children and Youth

Youth Sunday School: Youth Room, Ground Floor

Children’s Sunday School: McConkey Room. Ground Floor

9:45 a.m. Sundy Morning Prayer

Prayer Room, Ground Floor

10:30 a.m. Worship in Chapel with Communion

“Get a Spine: No More Spiritual Jellyfish” sermon series begins

Recognition of New Members

11:45  a.m. Lunch in the Whitworth Room

1:30 p.m. Walk for Water at Seward Park (benefitting Women’s Enterprises International)

Wednesday, May 2: “Refusing to be Enemies” speake luncheon at Seattle First More Info

Wednesday, May 2:  Wednesday Bible Study/Life Group on “Get a Spine: No More Spiritual Jellyfish” based on sermon texts from Colossians. Led by preaching pastors, 6:00-7:30 p.m. on church campus, room 302 More Info

Sunday, May 6:  Walk for Water, Seward Park, 1:30 p.m. More Info

7-Week Sunday Sermon Series on Book of Colossians

7-Week Wednesday Evening In-Depth Study of Sermon Bible Text

April 29 – June 10, 2011

Sunday Sermon Series:  Get a spine. That is what Paul is saying to the church in Colossae.  He is saying the same to us. As in first-century Colossae, a many spiritual currents flow through twenty-first century Seattle, even through the church. Many people, even Christians, are like spiritual jellyfish, floating along, and from one current to another.  Paul wants us to get a spine, a solid backbone of Biblical truth that equips us to swim against the cultural currents and chart a course toward Christ-likeness. The goal of Paul’s letter, his ministry, and our ministry, is to present everyone “mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:29).

Wednesday Evening In-Depth Study of Sermon Bible Text: Sunday sermons will be as much teaching as preaching, walking through the text of Colossians. On Wednesday evenings, preaching pastors Jeff or Ellen Schulz will offer further in-depth inductive study of the text in a Life Group context, consulting commentaries, applying the text to life, and praying for one another. If you do not presently participate in a Life Group, this may be a good place to start.  Wednesday evening study will be 6:00-7:30 p.m. in Room 302 on the church campus.

Sun 4/29 & Wed 5/2:    Colossians 1:1-14         Truth

Sun 5/6   & Wed 5/9:    Colossians 1:15-29      Christ

Sun 5/13 & Wed 5/16:   Colossians 2:1-15       Doctrine

Sun 5/20 & Wed 5/23:  Colossians 2:16-23    Pluralism

Sun 5/27 & Wed 5/30:  Colossians 3:1-17       Ethics

Sun 6/3   & Wed 6/6:    Colossians 3:18-4:1    Equality

Sun 6/9   & Wed 6/12:  Colossians 4:2-18       Evangelism

Resources upon which we will draw include:

John Stott:  The Radical Disciple: Some Neglected Aspects of Our Calling

N.T. Wright:  Colossians and Philemon (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries)

R.C. Lucas:  The Message of Colossians & Philemon  (The Bible Speaks Today Commentaries)

Ralphs P. Martin:  Colossians and Philemon (The New Century Bible Commentary)

All of these resources are available through online bookstores including www.amazon.com and www.christianbook.com.

For more information on resources, sermon series, or Wednesday night study, please contact Pastor Jeff Schulz at 206-624-0644 or jschulz@firstpres.org.

9:15 a.m. Education and Life Groups

Apprentice Group: Studying the whole counsel of God, led by Rev. Gib Martin, Room 311

Sunday Morning Life Group: Study Mark’s Gospel, Room 302

9:30 a.m. Children and Youth

Youth Sunday School: Youth Room, Ground Floor

Children’s Sunday School: McConkey Room. Ground Floor

9:45 a.m. Sundy Morning Prayer

Prayer Room, Ground Floor

10:30 a.m. Worship in Chapel

“Get a Spine: No More Spiritual Jellyfish” sermon series begins

11:45  a.m. Lunch in the Whitworth Room

12:00 Noon  Reception of New Members (Location TBA)

9:15 a.m. Education and Life Groups

Apprentice Group: Studying the whole counsel of God, led by Rev. Gib Martin, Room 311

Sunday Morning Life Group: Study Mark’s Gospel, Room 302

9:30 a.m. Children and Youth

Youth Sunday School: Youth Room, Ground Floor

Children’s Sunday School: McConkey Room. Ground Floor

9:45 a.m. Sundy Morning Prayer

Prayer Room, Ground Floor

10:30 a.m. Worship in Chapel

What Now?  A Two-Part Post-Resurrection Sermon Series on our Mission as a Church

11:45  a.m. Lunch in the Whitworth Room

12:00 Noon  Reception of New Members (Location TBA)

May 2, Noon, Seattle First Presbyterian

Sponsored by Rev. Allen Belton and the Beloved Community

Week of Apr 17-24:  Mary’s Place Homeless Shelter at Seattle First More Info

Wednesday, May 2: “Refusing to be Enemies” speake luncheon at Seattle First More Info

Sunday, May 6:  Walk for Water, Seward Park, 1:30 p.m. More Info

Apr 17-24:  Mary’s Place Homeless Shelter at Seattle First More Info

Apr 18:  Dr. John Perkins Speaker Breakfast 7:00 a.m. at Seattle First More Info

May 6:  Women’sWalk for Water, 1:30 p.m., Seward Park  More Info

For four years Seattle First members and friends have supported Women’s Enterprises International through participating in the Walk for Water. You can make a huge difference in the lives of women in rural Kenya – just by taking a walk!  For more information, to register, and learn how to secure sponsors, go the Women’s Enterprises web site at: http://womensenterprises.org/

Walk for Water is a great opportunity  for you, your family, friends, and co-workers to be part of changing the lives of children and families in desperate need of water.  Come alongside the women of Kenya, by walking, recruiting sponsors, or donating to purchase a matching water tank!  Don’t just watch the progress of WEI, become part of the solution!  Walk or Sponsor a Walker in the Fourth Annual Walk for Water.

May 6, 2012 Seward Park, Seattle

Time:             1:30 pm

Distance:      2.5 to 10 miles

Cost:              Adult ($25), Student K-12 ($15), Children under 6 (free)

Recruit sponsors and be eligible to win prizes!

The Goal Help raise $30,000 to purchase water tanks for 20 homesteads in rural Kenya. Each of these 20 tanks will be matched with 20 more, funded by the village women’s groups. These 10,000 liter tanks provide a reliable supply of CLEAN water for a family from one rainy season to the next! That’s 40 families that will directly benefit through the Walk for Water!

The Impact Having access to clean drinking water at home means children are healthier and able to go to school.  It means their mothers, freed from the daily search for water, have more time to care for their children and homes.  They now have greater opportunity to earn income through micro-enterprises like bee keeping, farming, raising chickens, and weaving sisal ropes for sale.  The whole family benefits from this life-giving access to clean water.

Progress to Date Women’s Enterprises International (WEI) works in rural communities of drought and famine plagued Eastern Kenya, where the lack of water is a constant threat. Over the past ten years, WEI has partnered with women’s groups in over 40 villages to bring clean water to individual homes using water catchment systems that harvest the monsoon rains. Working as partners, WEI and the Kenya women’s groups have brought clean water to over 1,000 families. With your help, we are working to bring water to 1,000 more!

A Two-Part Post-Resurrection Sermon Series

Sundays, April 15 and 22, 2012

Holy Week has come and gone, along with Good Friday and Easter.  Once again, we have gazed at the empty tomb and pondered what it means. What now?  Join us for a two-part post-resurrection sermon series based on Matthew 28: 16-20.

Visit online:
Find Ron’s site at www.caringbridge.org/visit/ronreese.

Visit on mobile:
Find Ron’s site at m.caringbridge.org/visit/ronreese. Or, enter ronreese on your CaringBridge app for iPhone or Android.

CaringBridge is a free, nonprofit web service that connects people experiencing a significant health challenge to their family and friends, making each health journey easier.

Make Your Mark on our Our Church Campus

We are blessed with a large campus with plenty of gardens – more than any one person can care for and cultivate.

On Saturday, March 31st, many of you came out to spread bark and adopt you gardens. As a result, many of our campus gardens are fresh and clean, and brusting withe the new color of plants and flowers.

We still have a few gardens left to adopt. Taht’s where you come in. There are still several gardens left to be adopted.  Your garden will be your space on our campus, to keep green and growing, by planting, pruning, and weeding. You can do it on your time in your way, in consultation with our church gardening “experts.”  Let’s join together in beautifying our campus for the sake of our neighborhood and the glory of the creator God.

You can find the garden “map” outside the chapel. Just choose your garden, fill in your name, and get started!

For more information, contact property manager, Mark Tice, at: mtice@firstpres.org or 206-624-0644.

9:15 a.m. Education and Life Groups

Apprentice Group: Studying the whole counsel of God, led by Rev. Gib Martin, Room 311

Sunday Morning Life Group: Study Mark’s Gospel, Room 302

9:30 a.m. Children and Youth

Youth Sunday School: Youth Room, Ground Floor

Children’s Sunday School: McConkey Room. Ground Floor

9:45 a.m. Sundy Morning Prayer

Prayer Room, Ground Floor

10:30 a.m. Worship in Chapel

What Now?  A Two-Part Post-Resurrection Sermon Series on our Mission as a Church

Baptism Sunday

11:45  a.m. Lunch in the Whitworth Room

12:00 Noon  Reception of New Members

As we mentioned last Sunday, we, your co-pastors, want to give you a brief update on the Session’s conversation about standards of ordination for officers in our church.  Your Session includes both ordained pastors and elders. Ordination standards guide the Session in its evaluation of candidates for office. The offices include pastors, elders, and also deacons.

Last June our denomination, Presbyterian Church USA, changed the ordination standards for officers. Regarding sexual ethics, the former standards called for “fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman or chastity in singleness.” The new standards call us to “submit joyfully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all aspects of life.” The general language makes possible, but does not require, ordination of practicing gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered (GLBT) persons. As before, Session retains responsibility for applying the standards to individual candidates under the guidance of Scripture and the Confessions.

Since the change in standards, members of our congregation and Officer Nominating Committee have asked how the Session is responding.  This update follows the most recent Session meeting.

For many months Session members have studied, prayed, and shared their thoughts with one another on this issue. It is a sensitive issue as it concerns not only our understanding of Scripture and Confessions, but people we know and love.  We lament that GLBT people have often been misunderstood and mistreated. We regret that their sexual practice has been singled out amidst many other important issues in the church. We realize that some have focused more on naming GLBT a sin than on examining the sin in their own lives. We acknowledge these and other injustices against GLBT people and lament the pain this has caused. We feel called to more fully invite into Christ’s body all people, without distinction, as Christ has invited us.

So, it is in a spirit humility, self examination, and sensitivity that we share how Session members are responding to our new ordination standards. A few words in a letter will not reflect the depth and breadth of the dialogue, but will at least give a sense for where Session is.

As with our culture, denomination, and church, Session members reflect some diversity of perspectives. In brief, the following describes their perspectives. Seven of eleven voting members, including co-pastors, presently believe that, to the best of their knowledge, Scripture and the Confessions call us to “faithfulness within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman or abstinence in singleness.” Four of eleven presently believe that, to the best of their knowledge, Scripture and Confessions also allow for broader parameters, including the ordination of practicing GLBT persons.

What does this mean? It does not mean that Session members voted for or against our ordination standards; our standards are given to us and we cannot change them. It does not mean that Session adopted a policy that its members must follow in their application of the standards; that is not possible, as our constitution preserves the freedom of all members to vote their conscience. It does not mean that Session adopted a non-binding policy for its members to take into consideration as they vote their conscience; this is possible, and some churches have done so, but your Session did not.

What it does mean is that Session members have shared with one another how they presently understand Scripture and Confessions to guide them in their application of our ordination standards. What Session voted, seven to four, was to share this with the Officer Nomination Committee and the congregation. Occasioned by a change in our national constitution, and with other congregations in our denomination, Session is clarifying how its members presently understand Scripture and Confessions to guide them in applying our new ordination standards.

What difference does this make? While our ordination process stays the same, the conversation has deepened the Session’s sense of responsibility for faithfully fulfilling the process. While individual perspectives remain basically the same, the conversation has enriched those perspectives. While the collective disposition of Session remains what it historically has been, the conversation has deepened our sense of what it means, especially in the midst of diverse opinions, to genuinely love, understand and respect one another.

The conversation has also served to clarify how defining the ordination of practicing GLBT members is for some Session members.  For some it is important enough that they must serve in a church where leadership presently shares their approach, likely will, or is committed to an open-ended dialogue on the issue. We will deeply miss them, continue to dearly love them, give thanks for the amazing ways they have invested in ministry here, and bless them as they find a place that better fits. Thankfully, the body of Christ is large enough for all to find a place to serve with our unique gifts, passions and perspectives. When perspectives diverge, rather than try to change them, reconcile them, or yoke them, sometime it is more fruitful to bless and free one another to serve as we feel led. That is what co-workers Paul and Barnabus did. As Acts 15 records, when they could not resolve a difference, rather than further debating it, they found new partners and returned to fulfilling the mission they shared: Making disciples of Jesus Christ.

That remains our purpose as a church: To fulfill the mission of God, by making disciples of Christ who love God, one another and the world. This means, amongst many other things, remembering that we are all sinners saved by grace through faith, thanks to the love of God in Christ.  This means loving our GLBT neighbors as ourselves and warmly welcoming them into this community of faith.  This means continuing to come as we are, honestly and humbly bringing our doubts, questions and convictions, seeking to understand, and be understood by, one another, as we seek to understand the will of God in Christ Jesus for us. This means faithfully preaching and teaching the good news of the Gospel, guided by Scripture and the Confessions,  that we may all seek to live up to all of God’s standards, as we are transformed more fully into the likeness of Christ. This means continuing to cultivate a diverse group of leaders whose unique gifts, skill and perspectives work together to fulfill our mission.

We look forward to opportunities for individual and congregational conversations about our officer nomination process and how you can pray and participate.  We look forward to continuing to serve together with you. We look forward to this Holy Weekend, as we remember and celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, in whom we have our hope and life!

With love in Christ,

Pastors Jeff and Ellen Schulz

9:15 a.m. Education and Life Groups

Apprentice Group: Studying the whole counsel of God, led by Rev. Gib Martin, Room 311

Sunday Morning Life Group: Study Mark’s Gospel, Room 302

9:30 a.m. Children and Youth

Youth Sunday School: Youth Room, Ground Floor

Children’s Sunday School: McConkey Room. Ground Floor

9:45 a.m. Sundy Morning Prayer

Prayer Room, Ground Floor

10:30 a.m. Worship in Chapel

What Now?  A Two-Part Post-Resurrection Sermon Series on our Mission as a Church

Baptism Sunday

11:45  a.m. Lunch in the Whitworth Room

12:00 Noon  Reception of New Members