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Praising God:

HOLY HILARITY SUNDAY Sunday, July 5th Online

Martin Luther’s thermometer for detecting the

health of your faith, was by the measure of laughter.

Or as he put it, “You have as much laughter as you

have faith.”

So, in celebration of our freedom in Christ and

strengthen our faith, we will join a long held festival

of the church; Holy Hilarity Sunday (usually

celebrated the Sunday after Easter). “The custom

was rooted in the musings of early church

theologians (like Augustine) that God played a

practical joke on the devil by raising Jesus from the

dead.”1

To do this, we need your help. Send us your clean

jokes to tell. Or, even better, record yourself on

audio or video, telling the joke. Email to Pastor Lori

at flcpastorlori@icloud.com. She will need them by

Thursday, July 2.

1 https://www.joyfulnoiseletter.com/hhsunday.asp

CONTACT FLC:

526 S. Olive Ave. Sandpoint, ID 83864 208-263- 2048

email: office@firstlutheransandpoint.org

website: http://www.firstlutheransandpoint.org/

facebook: www.facebook.com/firstlutheransandpoint/

STAFF:

Lead Pastor: Lori Morton

Associate Pastor: Steve Neuder

Organist/Music Coordinator: Corina Hughes

Pianist: Colleen Culwell

Administrative Assistant: Angie Brass

2020 Council:

President: Jim Carlson

Vice-President: Ray Yaw

Treasurer: Sharon Roget

Secretary: Lisa Tyrrell

At Large Council Members:

Linda Ingham, Debby Curran, Nancy Phillips

The Messenger Praising God | Nurturing Faith | Serving All

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Praising God (cont.):

OUTDOOR WORSHIP

Service of the Word and Prayer

Wednesday, July 8th 5:30pm

Lawn under the Sanctuary Cross

(soft launch of resuming in-person gatherings)

Expectations for worship:

Bring your own lawn chairs, possibly bug spray.

Set up chairs as a family unit, where indicated (at

least six feet from your neighbor).

Wear face coverings (face masks will be available if

you don’t have one).

Bathrooms will not be available for use.

Respect the needs of your neighbor. We will refrain

from shaking hands, hugs, conversation within six feet,

and passing the offering plate.

- If you have any symptoms of illness - even if you think

they are allergies - please stay home.

- Two Volunteer Ushers needed (see job description

under volunteers)

- If it rains we will try again the following week.

- If cases of Covid-19 continue to rise or the health

department indicates that the community spread has

gotten worse, we will cancel no later than Tuesday

night.

July Dates to Remember:

First Thirstday: Thursday, July 2nd @ 4pm Holy Hilarity Sunday Worship: Sunday, July 5th Online 2nd Harvest Food Truck: Tuesday, July 7th 11am-1pm Outdoor Worship: Wednesday, July 8th 5:30pm (see details in Newsletter) Council Meeting: Thursday, July 9th 6:15pm Zoom Video “Beguiled by Beauty” Worship Series Begins: Sunday, July 12th Online Kids’ Alive Day Camp: July 20-23rd (online resources for home)

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Summer Worship Series: July 12th – August 19th

Summary: This six-week worship series invites us to contemplate the beauty of creation and the

creativity of God in and through our lives. For some, this may feel incongruent with all the

craziness of this summer. Because, it is true, we are not yet free from the risks of the Covid-19

pandemic nor the racial tensions expressed throughout our country. For others, this is exactly

why you may yearn for this series. A chance to escape and block out all the fears and

requirements and divisiveness. What could be better than tuning out the noise and spending time

with the beauties of the earth and wonders of God?

Know, this series does not ignore the challenges of the world or invite us to escape them. Instead,

this series invites us to return to God and connect with the deep, inherent divine goodness of all

things. For this is the foundation of who we are. As we train our eyes to see God’s creativity and

return to the essence of all things, our time of worship will help us grow our spiritual roots

deeper, so we can become more resilient and able to address the challenges we all face.

Come and worship Sundays online, and on Wednesdays (look for additional worship options,

possible outside, TBD) to discover practices of contemplation and compassion around prayer and

ritual and music.

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Nurturing Faith: THANK YOU

From Russell Lacy: THANK YOU for your thoughts, concerns, PRAYERS and well wishes. For the quilt, I never imagined I would receive one. It has brought me great warmth, comfort and peace. God comes to us in many ways. I was informed of my illness one Friday at 5pm. That Sunday was the first Sunday that church was closed. Pastors Lori and Steve, Eric, Colleen and myself went in and recorded the first online service. I looked through the program and staring me in the face was Psalm 23 (Walking through the valley of darkness), I was stunned. Someone is talking to me. I starred at it for a long time. I am not alone on this journey. Peace be with you.

Luther Park Staff – All the many ways they have adjusted to life with COVID-19 and the work they are doing to help keep our residents healthy physically, mentally and socially during this difficult time.

The FLC Council, as they have held extra meetings to discern the best course of action for being the church and sought ways to connect with the congregation while we are practicing physical distancing for the sake of our community.

For your ongoing financial generosity and support of FLC’s Ministries. Through mid-June, our income has stayed even with expenses.

Thank you to everyone who sent cards and words of encouragement while Pastor Lori took some wellness days. It helped bring healing and renewal for the ministry we share.

1st THIRST-DAY

Thursday, July 2nd at 4:00 p.m.

Gather under the portico outside the church offices to discuss, “how does humor fit into our lives of faith?”.

Bring a lawn chair and beverage and/or snack for your family. Expect to space out 6 feet between family unit groups.

All are welcome!!

KIDS’ ALIVE ONLINE DAY CAMP

~Family Opportunities for Camp at Luther Haven~

Later in July, we will have resources to support family and friends day camp from your homes. This will be on our Kids’ Alive website page.

For ways you can camp with Lutherhaven, go to their website: https://www.lutherhaven.com.

BOOK SUGGESTIONS FOR SUPPORTING

CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE THIS SUMMER:

The Invisible Embrace Beauty: Rediscovering the true source of Compassion, Serenity, and Hope by John

O’Donahue.

• Beguiled by Beauty by Wendy Farley, which is the basis of this series, but the publishing date got postponed. We will post video interviews with the author on our website (under Nurturing Faith), so you can gain her perspective each week.

MORE RESOURCES FOR ADULTS:

For those seeking to understand the racial tensions in our nation and how we might faithfully respond.

• Here, Bishop Kristen Kuempel offers her reflections and resources that have helped her in her own education and wrestling with these issues. Follow the link below: https://nwimsynod.org/news-articles/2020/6/10/white-supremacy-and-the-need-for-anti-racism-work-in-our-synod-june-9-2020 .

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Serving All: WEEKLY & MONTHLY OPPORTUNITIES:

Yoga w/ Christian Meditation for late Bloomers

Will resume 1 day a week starting July 6

Fellowship Hall ~ Mondays 8:15am

Following these guidelines: Fellowship Hall Entrance used off the

Ontario back parking lot.

Bring your own mat, blocks and blankets.

Face coverings and 6 foot spacing required for all participants.

Use hand sanitizer station as you arrive.

Doors and windows will be open for ventilation.

The group will disinfect all surfaces used after the practice.

Questions: Call Judy Payne 263-3564

Bags of Blessing

See the Sandpoint Food Bank for details about how you can support this ministry.

Quilting Groups

Continue to work at home. Council is looking at finding solutions for in-person work, but don’t

expect this until September.

Community Groups Using FLC

Groups that have regularly used our facility have moved their meeting places outside/relocated temporarily since the beginning of the COVID-19 restrictions. We are working with groups to implement protocols and guidelines and will be communicating how and when we will resume meeting times here.

OUTDOOR WORSHIP VOLUNTEERS:

Ushers:

2 individuals, who are willing to help us figure out and live out physical distancing for the Wednesday, July 8th outdoor worship service (additional Wednesdays TBD). Skills needed: good communication skills, signage placement and ability to direct those who gather where they can set up chairs. A bit like ski parking lot

attendants, only more widely spaced. 😊

SAVE THE DATE:

2nd Harvest Food Truck

Mobile Market/Thrivent Financial Free Food Distribution

July 7th from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Drive-thru (Ontario side of building) & walk up distribution (up to 250 families). Free fruits, veggies, meat and other nutritious perishable products. As supplies last. No appointment necessary. If you are interested in helping to coordinate the effort, please contact Nancy Phillips 208.263.7739.

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Serving All (cont.):

TO CONSIDER:

If you have found that you are saving money from not eating out as often or other savings due to activities

being cancelled, consider donating to local non-profits like the Panida Theater, who will not be able to

hold their normal fundraisers this summer. If you know of some that are consistent with the ministry we

share or are part of the volunteer work you do in the community (this is being the body of Christ), let us

know and we will list them in our newsletter and online.

LUTHER PARK:

• This month, the Luther Park Help Fund will be sending you information about ways you can support this ministry for Luther Park residents.

• Connecting with Residents: There are many ways you can share Christ’s Peace with the residents of Luther Park:

- Call and/or send cards.

- Schedule a 20 minute Zoom conversation through the Luther Park website.

- Family and friends have recently received information about 30 minute visits with physical distancing practices, in the building. You can also contact Luther Park to learn about outdoor visits.

- Every week, the church partners with Luther Park to provide the bulletin, sermon, and weekly updates to support their spiritual lives. If your Luther Park neighbor is not currently receiving these packets, but would like one, let Anne at the front reception know.\

JULY BIRTHDAYS

Happy, Happy Birthday!!!

7/14 Sarah Aavedal 7/25 Kim Birkhimer

7/18 Gary Goecke 7/28 Peter Bilodeau and 7/28 Douglas Burt

7/23 Keith Carter 7/31 Benjamin Schwartz

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Tending the Mission We Share as FLC:

FLC JULY OFFICE HOURS

• Staff Office Hours: Please Note: We are trying to coordinate use of the office and people in the building, in order to minimize overlap of shared space and cleaning/disinfecting.

- Church Office/Administrative Assistant: Monday to Thursday 9am-2pm. Phone and email messages checked each week day morning if not in office. (July 13-16th out of office)

• Please call if you have questions or need anything. 208.263.2048.

• For those with keys to the building, please coordinate with Angie. We’d prefer to get the items for you, rather than have you enter the building. If your reason for accessing the building cannot be coordinated, then we would still like to know when you are in the building. There are protocols for disinfecting surfaces after each use, to prevent viral spread. Also, it helps us coordinate with volunteers doing essential tasks (like counting offerings and cleaning).

• Face coverings are required in the building when there is overlap with other people using the same space.

- Pastors: We continue to work primarily from home.

• Pastor Lori Morton is shifting to having Friday and Saturday off.

- If you have ministry questions, please call 208-255-4293 Monday - Thursday, during normal business hours (9 a.m. - 5 p.m.). If it is a pastoral emergency (hospitalization, dying or death), call this number when needed.

- If you would like a pastoral visit or have a ministry issue you would like to discuss in person, make an appointment to meet outside, at the church. The best days for this are M-W. Sunday afternoons are also a possibility.

• Pastor Steve Neuder works 15 hours a week, divided primarily between Tuesdays and Thursdays. His main role is pastoral care and visitation.

- If you would like an in-person visit outside, either at the church or at your home, call 208-946-9293. Tuesday afternoons are the best day for this. Thursdays, Pastor Steve is part of our worship resources distribution team. He helps get printed materials to those in our congregation, who do not have internet access.

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• Meet Angie Brass – Administrative Assistant:

Angie is a native of Sandpoint, graduating from SHS in 1994 and four years later, from the University of Idaho. After many adventures and moves, she and her husband and two young daughters moved to Sandpoint in 2005, coming back to a community that helped raise her, in hopes to provide a similar opportunity for their family and live and work in this incredible place. Angie and her husband are avid runners, love the outdoors and have put heart and soul into coaching Cross

County Running and Track & Field at SHS the last 15 years, having the privilege to coach and mentor many young student-athletes and contribute to a community and sport that means so much to them. Their daughters have both graduated from SHS and are now in college.

In Mid-May 2020 Angie joined our Staff Team and is looking forward to meeting you all!

COUNCIL

• Lila Petersen: Due to her husband’s health issues, Lila stepped down from her Council position, at the beginning of June. We give thanks for all the work she has done to support the people of this congregation and the ministry we share.

- The Council is prayerfully considering the gifts needed to fill this role and support the leadership team. We will appoint a member of the congregation to complete Lila’s term as an at large Council Member. This person will help us continue to shift creatively and carefully, into the new life we share as the church, during a pandemic. We need someone who is comfortable making monthly calls to members, to support connection and community, even while we do more ministry apart. If you are interested, please contact one of the Council Members.

UPDATED DIRECTORY

• The Council is helping us test out a more efficient way for us to update your contact information, so we can produce a new FLC directory. We know, having the best phone numbers and addresses for communication and information distribution, is really important.

• After 4th of July, we will be sending you a web link to our church management system, Breeze. It will take you to an internal secure form, which you can fill out and submit. On it, you can indicate what information you want shared and what you only want the office to use. Any, information that differs from what we currently have, can be automatically merged with our data base.

• Our goal is to continue improving communication and equip you to connect and care for one another. Physical distancing should not mean social distancing.