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St . J ames Lutheran Church 1315 SW Park Ave , Port l and Or 97201
S t. J a m e s N e w s l e t t e r
April 2018
From the Pastor’s Desk...
What can be said about Easter that has not already been
said? That is the challenge that faces the pastor every year
at this time. In one sense, why should we feel such pres-
sure to say something “new” when the euangelion, the
“good news” that spills forth from the gospels themselves
never loses its capacity to astonish and amaze? After all, a
beloved mid-19th century hymn asks,
“Tell me the old, old story,
Of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory,
Of Jesus and His love;
Tell me the story simply,
As to a little child,
For I am weak and weary,
And helpless and defiled.”
But it’s true, isn’t it, that every year, we need to hear the old story again in a
fresh way, so that once again, we can grasp it anew. For as the hymn contin-
ues,
“Tell me the story often,
For I forget so soon,
The ‘early dew’ of morning
Has passed away at noon.”
Our current moment seems to be rife with the rebirth of protest move-
ments. The great 20th century German theologian, Jürgen Moltmann, takes
up the image of protest as a present-day way to understand God’s action in
Jesus’ death and resurrection. He writes:
“The Easter faith recognizes that the raising of the crucified Christ from
the dead provides the great alternative to this world of death. This faith
sees the raising of Christ as God’s protest against death, and against all the
people who work for death; for the Easter faith recognizes God’s passion
for the life of the person who is threatened by death and with death. And
faith participates in this love by getting up out of the apathy of misery and
out of the cynicism of prosperity, and fighting against death’s accomplices,
here and now, in this life.”
I love Moltmann’s call for those with “Easter faith” to
Artist of the Month
Craig Gerke
&Special
Reception
Honoring
Tim
Nickel,
Sunday, April 15, 6pm
See page 10 for details
Worship Services at
St. James:
Worship w/Holy
Communion
Sunday
9:30 am
Mid-Week
Eucharist
Wednesday
12pm
Jazz Vesper
Sunday, April 15, 5pm
Bach Cantata
Sunday, April 29, 5pm
See page 3 for details
Cont’d. on page 5
SUNDAY APRIL 15
Sermon by Pastoral
Candidate, Meet &
Greet following
SUNDAY APRIL 22
CONGREGATIONAL
MEETING, 11am
VOTE on PASTORAL
CANDIDATE
See pages 6 & 8
2
Contact us at St. James Lutheran Church 1315 SW Park Ave Portland, Or 97201
503-227-2439 Fax 503-227-0856 [email protected]
March Council Minutes
The March 20 meeting was called to order by President Carl Cottingham, at 7pm.
In attendance: Becky Bolt (Treasurer), Carl Cottingham (President), Charlotte Cook, Sylvia Lee,
Kathleen McDonald (Vice President), Paula Veseth, and David Zellmer (secretary). Not in attend-
ance: Dennis Roggen and Ralph Oyler.
Pastor Janet opened the meeting with Prayer.
Carl presented important upcoming dates and pastoral candidate update:
April 1: Easter: Council brings and serves treats after worship
April 8: Pastoral candidate name is presented
April 15: Pastoral candidate will preside at worship, with meet and greet after worship
April 22: Congregational Meeting to vote on pastoral candidate
A quorum is needed (1/5 of members)
Congregation will vote on a Compensation Package arrangement for a new pastor
2/3 vote needed to extend a call to the pastoral candidate
Stay tuned, as important emails will be coming prior to April 22.
Fire Alarm Update: Design phase is in process; then presented for approval from city/etc. Carl
shared that all expenses come out of seismic budget. Does not affect general budget.
Open Communications: Carl acknowledged the presence of Kris Zellmer, serving as recording sec-
retary and Keith Amundson, for discussion on the Constitution.
Approval of February Minutes: Kathleen McDonald clarified the Minister of Music job descrip-
tion. The correct job description is what had been emailed to each Council member. Charlotte
Cook moved to accept the February Council Minutes, with the clarification of the Minister of Music
job description. K. McDonald seconded and the motion was accepted. Further discussion comes later
in this Council meeting.
Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer, Becky Bolt, presented the Report. While there have been extra ex-
penses, it was concurred that St. James is in position to move confidently ahead. David Zellmer
moved to accept the Treasurer’s report; seconded by Charlotte Cook. Acceptance of the report as
presented was approved by unanimous Council vote.
Pastor’s Report: Pastor Janet reviewed her report. Val Brown is added to our prayers upon the
recent death of her mother. Pastor lifted up the well attended Open Space session on “Creeds and
Contemporary Faith”, and expressed gratitude for the panel’s personal sharing and the respectful
discussion of different perspectives. Future Open Space will continue conversation around Lutheran
Worship. Carl and Pastor Janet added that St. James may need Pastor to Pastor Contract, between
Pastor Janet’s leaving and the new pastor begins. Updates will be forthcoming.
President’s Report: President Carl Cottingham reported Scott Ellertson’s withdrawal from
Council. The St. James Constitution states that Council may number up to 15, but there is no mini-
mum number. Kathleen will put an appeal in the Newsletter, inviting any interested member for fill-
ing in Scott’s remaining time on Council. Cont’d. on page 5
3
St. James Jazz Vespers
Sunday, March 18, 5pm
Christopher Woitach, Guitar Christopher Woitach is a jazz guitarist and composer living in Portland. He performs a wide range of
jazz styles, from Dixieland to Free Jazz, Ragtime to Bebop. His
compositions reflect his diverse musical tastes and abilities, and combine
the intricacies of Baroque counterpoint with the freedom of modern
jazz. Woitach’s current projects include writing music for a new
recording with his group, Cathexis Orchestra, recording a new duo CD
with guitarist John Stowell, and working on a compositional
collaboration with electronic music composer Joseph Harchanko. He is
an adjunct professor of jazz guitar at Western Oregon University. Pacific
Arts Association describes Christopher simply as “Jazz Guitarist
Extraordinaire.” Arrive at 4:50 for pre-Vespers music when Christopher will be
joined by our St. James house band, Mike Horsfall, piano;
Laurent Nickel, bass; Brent Follis, drums and Valarie Brown,
cantor. Freewill offering. A special reception for Tim Nickel follows. See page 10
_________________________________________________________________________________
Bach Vesper at St. James
Sunday, April 29, 5pm Join our community for the Bach Vesper, Sunday April 29 at 5pm with Cantata
166 “Wo gehest du hin? (Where are you heading?) will feature young
singers from Portland’s Trinity Cathedral Choir School and soloists Les Green
and Kevin Helppie from Western Oregon University and guest
organist Christopher Lynch (right), Fellow in Church Music at Trinity
Cathedral, in Portland. Christopher sang in the boy choir at St. Peter's
Episcopal Church in his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina, before
attending the American Boychoir School in Princeton, New Jersey.
Christopher studied organ performance and early music at Indiana University.
The treble choir will sing a new motet for children’s voices by Kenneth Kosche that was
commissioned for the Bach Vespers by Dorothy Cottingham in memory of her sister, Gretchen
Stude, a Lutheran elementary school teacher and director of children’s choirs.
Organ music performed by Christopher Lynch will begin at 4:50. Free will offering
supports the Bach Vesper series at St. James.
Worship and Mus ic
Minister of Music Search Update The search committee has com-
pleted the job description, and posted it to St. James website, as well as
listed it on local and national sites. Applications are coming in. Inter-
views should commence in May. You can see the job description at: https://stjamespdx.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/
Minister_of_Music_Job_Description.pdf
4
Child Development Center
Spring Greetings from St. James CDC!
Enrollment at the Child Development Center is strong, with 130 children
served, and a wait list with more than 200 families anxious to get their child
in. The child care market in Portland is in such high demand, and high quality
options such as St. James are quite limited.
Twelve teachers at St. James were fortu-
nate to attend the first ever Portland
Preschool Crawl. This incredible training was hosted by the
Oregon Association for the Education
of Young Children, and included a three
hour classroom environments training,
followed by an afternoon visiting high
quality child care centers in the metro area. Teachers were able to network
with other teachers, and see some incredible classroom spaces. A second
event has been tentatively scheduled for the fall of 2018, and St. James has
been offered as the host school for the event. Teachers are excited to rein-
vent their classroom spaces, so that we can be proud to show off the Child
Development Center at St. James!
The older preschool classroom is doing an integrated study on Pets this month. Most activities in
the classroom for the month will revolve around animals, and children were most excited when the
dramatic play interest area was transformed into a veterinary clinic. Animal crates, veterinary cos-
tumes, and veterinary equipment can be found in the clinic. We are hoping to schedule a field trip
experience that revolves around our theme. Do you know anyone
that works in the veterinary field, or somehow works with
animals? We would love to hear from them! Teachers Maken-
na Roggen and Tiffany Pok decided to purchase a new low mainte-
nance classroom pet for the group, and brought the new axolotl
named Toothless just this past week. Have you ever seen an axo-
lotl? Commonly called a Mexican walking fish, it’s actually not a fish
at all, but rather an amphibian. Take a moment to head down to the
preschool and check it out!
The young preschool classroom is just beginning their new integrated
study topic titled, Trees! During their tree study, they will investigate many types of trees, and how
trees fit in with our daily lives. In the first week, children were encouraged to bring in items relating
to trees. So far, their tree wall collection has branches, leaves, bark and more. We hope to have a
couple of guest speakers come to the room to share their knowledge. We do know an amazing re-
tired forester (ahem, Mr. Larry Larsen) who might be able to give us some insights.
Patrick Earnest,
Director, CDC
5
Cont’d from page 1
participate in God’s protest against the forces of death. Yes, by grace we have been saved, and not
by works, lest we should boast. But we haven’t been saved by grace just to fall back into sloth and
passivity! No, God’s grace empowers us to walk the way of Jesus on this earth, to be his body and
carry on his mission. True grace, as opposed to cheap grace, calls us into active faith, enlists us as
God’s accomplices in God’s protest movement for the sake of the world’s liberation. As Moltmann
continues:
“The resurrection faith is not proved true by means of historical evidence, or only in
the next world. It is proved here and now, through the courage for revolt, the protest
against deadly powers, and the self-giving of men and women for the victory of life. It is
impossible to talk convincingly about Christ’s resurrection without participating in the move-
ment of the Spirit ‘who descends on all flesh’ to quicken it. This movement of the Spirit is the
divine ‘liberation movement,’ for it is the process whereby the world is recreated.”* (Italics mine.)
*From Jürgen Moltmann, “The Feast of Freedom,” in the Power of the Powerless (1983).
Cont’d from page 2
Some discussion to ask Larry Larsen to be member-at-large, at the Executive Committee only.
Council members are encouraged to attend and/or represent St. James as a voting member at up-
coming Regional gathering, May 5, and the Synod Assembly, May 19. Let Carl know if you’re inter-
ested. Announcements will also be in the bulletin and newsletter.
Carl noted that appropriate good-byes to Nancy Nickel and Pastor Janet need to be planned.
Charlotte Cook shared that these acknowledgements/goodbyes are in place:
1) April 15, honoring Tim Nickel, following the Jazz Vespers
2) June 3, honoring Nancy Nickel, following the Bach Cantata
When Pastor Janet’s leaving schedule is confirmed, we will schedule and organize accordingly.
Committee Reports: Music Minister Search Committee: Kathleen McDonald, Jules Auger,
Craig Gerke, Sue McBerry, and Gretchen Rodgers.
Kathleen reiterated that the job description appears on St. James website (click on worship and
music) and the job will be posted on 6-7 good sites, local and beyond. The salary package is in ap-
propriate range. David Zellmer moved to approve the job description as distributed. Becky Bolt
seconded. Motion carried. Compensation Committee: Becky Bolt, Carl Cottingham and Den-
nis Roggen. The Compensation Package will be presented and voted on at the April 22 Congrega-
tional Meeting.
St. James Constitution: Keith Amundson prefaced the report acknowledging the many hours of
high quality, line by line work, done by LaVon Holden, who began back with Pastor Dennis, going
through and updating parts of our Constitution. A final version comes to Council at the next
meeting, April 17. Then it goes for Synod’s okay; then back to St. James for final approval. Stay
tuned. Carl Cottingham expressed thanks to Keith and LaVon, which Council members applauded.
Other: Charlotte Cook reported that she’ll have bulletin flyer about collecting for the Box Car
(Health kits) project. Money donations are preferred. Saturday, March 24, 9:30 – come and help
clean church. Remember to bring goodies for Easter.
Carl Cottingham reminded the Council that NO NAME OF THE PASTORAL CANDIDATE until
April 8.
Adjournment: President Cottingham adjourned the meeting at 8:17, followed by a Closing Prayer.
Submitted,
Kristine Zellmer
6
April1 No Open Space--Easter Sunday
April 8 No Open Space
April 15 Q&A with Pastoral Candidate
April 22 Congregational Meeting
April 29 Worship Series; Lutheran Language with Pastor Janet
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 Festival Service,
9:30am
2 3 4 5 6 7
8
9
10
11 12 13 14
15 16 17
18 19
20 21
22 23 24 25 26
27
28
30 May 1
29
Centering
Prayer, 8:30am
Noon Eucharist
Bible Study
12:45pm
Adult Education: Open Space in April
Planning Ahead: April 2018
Contemplative
Prayer,
9:15-11am
WELCA, 11am
Council, 7pm
9:30am Worship
Sun.School/
CONGREGATIONAL
MEETING, 11am
Confirmation, 1pm
The Flame, 4pm
Bach Rehearsal 7-9pm
Contemplative
Prayer,
9:15-11am
Centering
Prayer, 8:30am
Noon Eucharist
Bible Study
12:45pm
Goose Hollow, 6pm
Centering
Prayer, 8:30am
Noon Eucharist
Bible Study
12:45pm
9:30am Worship
Sunday school 11am
Confirmation, 1pm
The Flame, 4pm
9:30am Worship PASTORAL
CANDIDATE Sun.School, 11am
Confirmation, 1pm
The Flame, 4pm
Jazz Vesper, 5pm
TIM NICKEL 6pm
Bach Rehearsal 7-9pm
9:30am Worship
Sunday school/
Open Space
Confirmation, 1pm
The Flame, 4pm
BACH CANTATA 5pm
Finance, 6pm
Book Club
7:10pm
Bach Rehearsal,
7-9pm
Choir Rehearsal
7:15pml
Choir Rehearsal
7:15pm
Mark Your Calendars: Sunday, April 15 and Sunday, April 22
These are two of the most important dates for St. James this year. On Sunday, April
15 our Pastoral Candidate, recommended and approved by Council, will preach at
the 9:30am service (Pastor Janet will preside). There will be a Q&A following the
service to give members a chance to meet the candidate and hear from him per-
sonally. On the following Sunday, April 22, the congregation will gather after service
to vote whether or not to call the candidate for Pastorship at St. James. Don’t miss
these Sundays!
Centering
Prayer, 8:30am
Noon
Eucharist
Bach Rehearsal
7-9pm
7
Prayer at St. James
Personal and small group prayer can be a powerful force in your life. It cen-
ters and expands, at the same time, your connection with God. St. James of-
fers two separate opportunities for designated prayer throughout the week.
Everyone is welcome.
Centering Prayer
Wednesdays, 8:30-9am, Pioneer Chapel
Centering Prayer is an ancient tradition of mindful meditation and prayer
that is guaranteed to get your day started in a good mood. Did you know
there is a weekly opportunity to practice this simple form of contemplative
prayer weekly at St James? Wednesday mornings at 8:30 a small gathering
takes place in the Pioneer Chapel; focused around a seed verse and 20
minutes of silence with closing prayer. We then adjourn to a nearby coffee shop for conversa-
tion. Former Lutheran/Episcopal PSU campus pastor Chris Laing is the convener. Why not try it
out?
For more info on Centering Prayer: Chris Laing: 503-704-7254
Contemplative Prayer & Labyrinth Walk
April Dates: Saturday, April 7 & 21
You are encouraged to join the Contemplative Prayer Group at St. James
Lutheran Church. Times for prayer are the first and third Saturday morn-
ings at 9:15am for labyrinth walking and 9:30 –11am for contemplative
prayer. This is an opportunity to enter into a deeper relationship with
God. Everyone is welcome, rain or shine!
For more information, please contact the church office, 503-227-2439
or Susan McBerry at [email protected].
Post-Easter vacation and Pulpit Supply
Pastor Janet will visit family in Houston be-
ginning April 2 through April 9. We are fortu-
nate to welcome the Rev. Susan Kintner, As-
sistant to the Bishop, to preach and preside
during worship on April 8. Pastor Kintner
has been working with our Call Committee
in support of the Call Process. Rev. David
Zellmer will preach and preside at the mid-
week Eucharist on April 4 and cover pastoral
emergencies in the pastor’s absence. Grati-
tude to David for his generous support!
8
With Easter, New Life for St. James Springs Into View
By Pastor Janet Parker Don’t you love spring? Everything is coming alive all around us, and Christians get to celebrate
Easter, God’s final word that life wins! This spring, St. James has something else to celebrate. Your
hard-working Call Committee has brought St. James to the point where your future as a congre-
gation can begin to come into view. As good heirs of the Israelites, you have spent 16 months
making purposeful progress through the wilderness of the interim period. Now, the spies that
your leaders sent ahead to check out the promised land have returned with great news: they
have found the pastor that they believe God is calling to lead you into the next chapter of St.
James’ sacred story. And finally, the time has come for you to meet this person and judge for yourself:
is this the leader we have been waiting for? Your Council has enthusiastically endorsed the choice
of the Call Committee—unanimously! Now, in the wisdom of ELCA polity, it’s time for you, the
people, to discern the Spirit’s leading and have your say.
And so, you are invited to come to worship on Sunday, April 15, to hear the Candidate preach and have
the opportunity for a meet and greet following the service. Come and listen, come and pray, come and
ask questions. Then, come back on Sunday, April 22, and participate prayerfully in the Congregational
Meeting following worship to vote on the Candidate whose name is before you.
I will walk with you through this month and serve as the Bishop’s representative to witness and
ratify the vote on April 22. I will work with you throughout May and possibly into June to draw
our ministry together to a faithful conclusion. Then, I will bid you a very fond farewell and leave
you to the next exciting chapter in your life here at 1315 SW Park Avenue. We will have plenty
of time for goodbyes. If you wish to have a one-to-one coffee, tea or drink of your choice with
me, or simply drop by my office for a personal farewell before I leave, please email me or call the
office and let me know. We will find time! In my interim training, we learned to think of the inter-
im period as a kind of wilderness zone which involves a lot of wandering, and sometimes feeling
lost, but which ultimately leads to God’s promised future for
the church. I have so enjoyed journeying alongside you during
this time and sharing in your sacred story, which is a beautiful,
hope-filled, and rich story. Let us enjoy the time we have left
and prepare your hearts for the new life about to spring forth in
your midst!
Official Notice from St. James Council
Your Church Council has called a special Congregational Meeting for Sunday ,
April 22. The purpose of that meeting is to call a Pastor to St. James Lutheran
Church. There will be a quorum required, please attend! More information
will be disclosed after Easter. Carl Cottingham, President
9
Wednesday Eucharist Commemorations in April
April 4: Albrecht Dürer: 1471-1528, Matthias Grünewald : 1470-1528,
Lucas Cranach 1472-1553)
These great German artists revealed through their work the mystery of salvation
and the wonder of creation. Dürer’s work (left) reflected the apocalyptic spirit of
his time. Though he remained a Roman Catholic, he was sympathetic to Martin Lu-
ther’s reforming work. Grünewald’s paintings
(center) are known for their dramatic forms, vivid
colors, and depiction of light. Cranach’s work
( right) includes many fine religious examples and
several portraits of Martin Luther. Cranach was also widely known
for his woodcuts.
April 11: Dietrich Bonhoeffer: 1906-1945
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German theologian who, at the age of twenty-five, became a lecturer in
systematic theology at the University of Berlin. In 1933, and with Hitler’s rise to pow-
er, Bonhoeffer became a leading spokesman for the Confessing Church, a resistance
movement against the Nazis. He was arrested in 1943. He was linked to a failed at-
tempt on Hitler’s life and sent to Buchenwald, then to Schönberg prison. After leading
a worship service on April 8, 1945, at Schönberg prison, he was taken away to be
hanged the next day. His last words as he left were, “This is the end, but for me the
beginning of life.” Evangelical Lutheran Worship includes a hymn (626) by Bonhoeffer,
“By Gracious Powers.”
April 18: Olavus Petri: 1493-1552, Laurentius Petri: 1499-1573
These two brothers are commemorated for their introduction of the
Lutheran movement to the Church of Sweden after studying at the
University of Wittenberg. They returned home and, through the sup-
port of King Gustavus Vasa, began their work. Olavus published a cate-
chism, hymnal, and a Swedish version of the mass. He resisted at-
tempts by the king to gain royal control of the church. Laurentius was
a professor at the university in Uppsala. When the king wanted to
abolish the ministry of bishops, Laurentius persuaded him otherwise. The historic episcopate contin-
ues in Sweden to this day. Together the brothers published a complete Bible in Swedish and a revised
liturgy in 1541.
April 25: Toyohiko Kagawa (1888-1960) Toyohiko Kagawa was born in
1888 in Kobe, Japan. Orphaned early, he was disowned by his remaining ex-
tended family when he became a Christian. Kagawa wrote, spoke, and
worked at length on ways to employ Christian principles in the ordering of
society. His vocation to help the poor led him to live among them. He es-
tablished schools, hospitals, and churches. He also worked for peace and es-
tablished the Anti-War League. He was arrested for his efforts to reconcile
Japan and China after the Japanese attack of 1940.
10
St. James Ministries and Groups
St. James Artist of the month: Craig Gerke
Craig Gerke graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee, WI in 2001
with a BA in Art. After moving to Portland he began a career in social services work-
ing with at-risk youth and adults with disabilities. After joining St. James and becoming
involved with the music program, Craig began to look for
outlets to continue doing artwork, which had been on the
back burner for years due to his work schedule. He began reading through
the scripture texts assigned for the Bach Cantatas, as well as the Cantatas
themselves. The poetry and hymns associated with each led him to begin
creating art for each Cantata. Nancy Nickel and others at St. James have en-
couraged this hobby. Craig realized that he has amassed a sizable collection
from the Cantatas performed over the years. Craig selected some to display
at St. James in the month of April from Cantatas sung throughout the liturgi-
cal year. Enjoy!
Reception Honoring Tim Nickel
Sunday, April 15, 6pm (following Jazz Vesper) In appreciation and celebration of his magnificent contributions to the music
ministry of St. James, there will be a champagne reception honoring Tim Nickel
on Sunday, April 15 following Jazz Vespers. His compositions have seeped into
the soul of St. James, and it is time to recognize Tim’s vast musical gifts to the
church. Since 2004, Tim has composed 38 Psalms for choir, congregation, organ
and other instruments, all of which have been performed at a Sunday service.
Some of those Psalms have been commissioned and dedicated to various indi-
viduals. Among the many Psalms he has composed are: Psalm 46, October 2006 in gratitude to Ann
Fruechte for her years of service to St. James; Psalm 86, October 2012 in gratitude for the life and witness
of Juy Nielsen; Psalm 104, Pentecost 2008 in celebration of the 50th wedding anniversary of Rev. William &
Sandra Arbaugh; Psalm 116, October 2016 in gratitude for the ministry of Pastor Dennis Andersen. Addi-
tionally, Tim has written full Liturgical Settings. The largest project was a Psalter for the Saints for
choir, congregation and organ that covers the complete three-year lectionary. Gospel Acclamation
settings for choir, congregation and organ were also composed for the three-year lectionary. Many
of his compositions have been commissioned, including his Luther Chorale Mass for congregation, choir
or cantor and hand bells, commissioned by WELCA in memory of Lois Gogl. His Jazz Vesper setting of
Evening Prayer was commissioned for and is still performed at the Monthly St. James Jazz Vesper.
Tim’s Hymn and Motet settings have also been created in honor of people whose lives served St.
James. Hymns have included “God the Spirit, Guide and Guardian” in celebration of 50 years of ordained
ministry by Rev. Joe Smith, and “Go, My Children, with My Blessing” for JoAnn Rauch, celebrating her 23
years of service as Director of the CDC. His Motets celebrate other important individuals, such as “We
are God’s Servants” in honor of Kay Betton, a model of generous volunteerism in the church. Additionally,
Tim has written organ preludes and a collection of 20 arrangements of hymn tunes and classical
repertoire for hand bells. He has also given countless hours to the choir, assisting running sections
for the Bach Vesper series. Phew. As you can see, Tim is a musical fount. And St. James has been so
greatly enriched by Tim’s gifts of music and spirit. We are ever grateful, and invite everyone to join
in our Thank You to Tim Nickel on Sunday, April 15.
11
Portland Homeless Family Solutions at Goose Hollow
“My favorite thing about Goose Hollow is eating the dinners. The volunteers are so helpful and nice, and the food is so good…it’s so much so that I’ve even
put on weight! But it’s worth it ‘cause I feel supported here.”
Alea, Guest
St. James’ WELCA group and other member volunteers continue to support the
Goose Hollow Family Shelter by providing overnight hosts and a full meal one
Wednesday night a month. More volunteers are always needed. There is a sign-up
sheet in the hallway outside the Pioneer Chapel. As you can see from the quote
above our efforts are truly appreciated! April Menu: Ham; Au Gratin potatoes; String Beans;
Fruit Salad; Rolls & Apples. Overnight Hosts are NEEDED! If you are interested in be-
ing one contact Linda Rickert at 503-224-9353.
St. James Book Club
Tuesday, April 24, Library, 7:10pm March Book Club was canceled due to a variety of reasons. So the March selection be-
comes the April book "Mystic River” by Dennis Lehane. The New York Times bestselling
novel from Dennis Lehane is a gripping, unnerving psychological thriller about the effects of a
savage killing on three former friends in a tightly knit, blue-collar Boston neighborhood. For
more information contact: Linda Rickert, 503-224-9353.
St. James Library
St. James Librarian Needed!
Do you like books? St. James is in need of a new person to help keep track of and or-
ganize the books in the church library. If you have any interest in helping out, please,
let the church office know. 503-227-2439
St. James Ministries and Groups cont’d.
WELCA
WELCA's Fair Trade Coffee & Chocolate Sale You’ll have to make that Easter
chocolate and coffee last a bit longer. The next Fair Trade Coffee & Chocolate sale will be
Sunday, May 5. And a reminder that we provide the coffee for the weekly coffee hour following
Sunday service. Your donations are always appreciated!
WELCA Monthly Meeting
Tuesday, April 17, 11am-1pm, Pioneer Chapel
WELCA's April meeting will be Tuesday, April 17, 11:00am-1:00pm in Pioneer
Chapel, for a business meeting and snacks. Mandy Ellertson will join us with
information about student needs at PCC, where she teaches.
We'll also be finalizing plans for our last meeting this season, May 15, when we'll
gather for luncheon at a restaurant. Remember, even if you don't usually make it
to regular meetings, you're still actually a member of Women of the ELCA, and
will be welcome to join us for the pre-summer finale. If you think you might
make it, let Linda Rickert know.
12
St. James Ministries cont’d.
Young Families
The Lenten Season – for many, it’s a time of renewed at-
tention to a variety of spiritual disciplines – reflection, (re)
taking up a spiritual practice, abstaining from things in our
life to journey the wilderness with Christ on the way to
the cross. We Lutherans
are serious people and
those things are serious business. But, there are also a variety of fun
activities in which we participate too. During the Lenten Season,
some of those involve our
Shrove Tuesday Pancake & Sau-
sage Supper and
our Wednesday Soup Supper &
Services with some of our
downtown churches. Members
of the Young Families Group of-
ten plan to meet-up at these
events to share food, conversa-
tion, and play. We hope you en-
joy some photos of the kiddos
eating and playing together.
Young Families’ Supper Club meets monthly and is hosted at the homes (or neighbor-
hood parks) of participating families. If you have young children and would like to join
the group, please contact Matthew (254-315-2109).
It Was an Evening of Fun and Games! On St. Patrick’s Day, Mandy and Scott Ellertson opened their home for a gath-
ering to support the Flame, an LGTBQ group that meets weekly at St. James,
led by Leo Bancroft (left). Leo will become an ELCA
ordained pastor this July. He recently led very informa-
tive conversations on LGBTQ at two informative Open
Space sessions at St. James. About 25 folk were at Mandy
and Scott’s for an enjoyable time with clever, funny
games, followed by a feast of Irish food and toasts of
good cheer. Thank you Mandy and Scott, for this enthusiastic and enjoyable
gathering!
Red Wagon Food Drive Remember to bring non-perishable food (teas are particularly welcome) for
the children to bring forward on the first Sunday of the month during Of-
fertory, which will then be given to Shepherd's Door, serving abused wom-
en and their children.
Contact Barbara Steege: 503-960-3618 or [email protected].
13
Synod Assembly this year is a one-day affair supplemented by five regional
gatherings. And St. James is looking for voting members to participate in this
exciting new experiment. It is hoped this will help reduce out-of-pocket costs
for people (and churches) attending the Assembly. Additionally, there will
be five regional gatherings throughout the state that anyone can attend. There
will be two in the Portland Metro area - West Linn Lutheran Church and St. Andrew Lutheran
Church in Beaverton. Hopefully these regional events foster greater relationship-building in different
regions. The regional gatherings will focus on mission and ministry of local churches. The one-day
Synod Assembly, held this year in Portland, will conduct the annual business of the Synod. There is a
$150 fee per voting member to the Synod Assembly. There is no charge for the regional gatherings.
The local Regional meetings will be held on Saturday, May 5.
Synod Assembly is scheduled for Saturday, May 19 at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in
Portland.
If you are interested in attending the one-day Synod Assembly, please contact Pastor
Janet. We need two voting members, plus the pastor, to attend.
Synod Assembly Set for May 19
Open Space Series on Lutheran Worship Over the past two months our Open Space topic has been on the subject of Lutheran Worship.
Through a four-part series of presentations
by Pastor Janet and a group of retired and
rostered pastors, as well a seminary-trained
participant, different aspects of Lutheran
worship have been discussed. All have been
informative and well-attended, especially the
second session, a panel discussion on the
Creeds.
The First session (Feb 25) was a presenta-
tion on Lutheran from retired Pr. Leon Gogl.
Over 20 attended.
The Second session (March 11, pictured above) was a panel presentation/discussion on the
Creeds in worship; lead by retired Lutheran pastoral counselor Rev. Jules Auger, retired Pr. David
Zellmer, retired Pr. Leon Gogl, Rev. Mattew Schobert (ordained in the Baptist denomination) and
Scott Ellertson (a seminary-trained son of a Lutheran Missionary). Over 40 people attended this
session and had a wonderfully open, honest and respectful discussion of people’s different perspec-
tives on the use of the Creeds in worship and education.
The Third session was on worship at St. James, led by Pr. Parker. Her presentation/discussion led
us through information on choices and practices provided by our hymnal (Evangelical Lutheran
Worship) with the assistance of a companion resource, The Sunday Assembly, a guide for worship
planners and leaders. About 18 people attended. She especially wants to thank the Worship Com-
mittee for supporting these sessions by attending and taking notes which we hope will be benefi-
cial for our new pastor.
A final Fourth session on language use in our worship, led by Pr. Parker, will be scheduled for
Open Space on Sunday, April 29.
Mark your calendars for the conclusion of this great series!
14
A Special Plea from Social Ministry
It may seem overwhelming at times that the world is in constant turmoil. And there is a feeling of helpless-
ness in the face of such struggle. But even small gestures can make big differences. This month Social
Ministry reminds of an important way that we can help.
Can you hear them coming……..the Lutheran World Relief Boxcars are on the way! For decades
LWR has sponsored the Box Car Project. This massive effort to collect desperately needed sup-
plies for distribution worldwide happens twice a year: Spring and Fall. At St. James we do School
Kits in the Fall and Personal Care Kits in the Spring.
The Personal Care Kits contain:
† light weight bath towel (dark colors recom-
mended)
† Bath-size soap bars in original wrapping
† 1 adult toothbrush (multi-packs may be
used by sealing individual toothbrush in a
business size envelope (#10)
† 1 sturdy comb (no picks or fine-tooth
combs)
† 1 metal nail clipper
These items can be brought to the church OR (this
is our preference), a check can be donated. We usually are able to purchase the items for about
$9 or less per kit. We also are requested to provide 21 cents a pound to help cover shipping costs.
We are VERY good at stretching the dollars.
Most of us at St. James have never experienced the cold terror of a knock in the night that means
‘run, run away from all you have ever known - home, community, family, possessions, job – all any
of us hold dear. ’ Whether it is war, political upheaval, natural disaster, anyone caught in the mael-
strom is a human being in need of help and care. Does our Lord ask any less of us?
May 2 will be the date we assemble the kits at church (pizza follows). More information will be in
the Sunday bulletins. We pray you will join in this very necessary project. Remember, “to whom
much has been given, much is expected…”
With Deepest Thanks in Christ’s Name,
Social Ministry.
For more information contact Charlotte Cook: 503-286-8480
15
This month’s issue includes both Feb-
ruary and March. The month-end
numbers for March have not yet been
posted.
16
In Memoriam: Ralph Erwin
We are saddened to announce the death of a former active member of St. James,
Ralph Erwin. Ralph was a kind and gentle man who had a strong calling to help
youth. A high school teacher, Ralph, for many years, also taught children’s Sunday
School classes and also led the youth fellowship and Confirmation classes. He
would take the youth out to Starbucks and buy them treats, and they would sit
around and discuss matters of faith and life. Ill health in later years prevented Ralph
from attending services at St. James. We pray for comfort for his loved ones and
give thanks for his Christian service.
Holy Week and Easter at St. James
With Special THANKS to David Zellmer and Sarah Nelson for the photos: Clockwise from top left:
Palm Sunday in the Park Block; St. John Passion, Easter Celebration. Christ is Risen! Hallelujah!
17
April Birthdays & Anniversaries
Sunday Refreshment Hosts and Altar Flower Sponsors
COFFEE HOUR: Lutherans love their coffee!!! Have you noticed lately that the coffee table is a little
bare? We’d love to have you contribute. Please add your name to the sign-up sheet in the hallway. It’s
easy and a fun way to get to know members. FLOWERS: Please add your name to the sign-up sheet in
the hallway.
COFFEE FLOWERS
April 1 __ Council _ _______ Craig Gerke/Choir_
April 8 _____ Book Club __ _______ Open ___ ____
April 15 Cook __ _______ Open ___ ____
April 22 ___Caring for Creation_ _______ Open ___ ____
April 29 Open _ _______ Open ___ ____
For the recently bereaved: Pastor Janet’s extended family on the loss of her Aunt, Sybil
Stout, on March 27, especially her cousins Randy Stout, and Debbie and Don Smith, and their
children. Ken Turner and family on the death of his mother, Kathleen Minger; Valarie Brown
and family on the death of her mother, Patricia Griffiths; the friends and family of Ralph Erwin.
For comfort, healing, and care: T. J. Malsey, sister-in-law of Susan McBerry; Rose Ann
Clementi; Warren Cook; Linda Rickert; Paul Siegmund; Sandra Arbaugh; Roy Bolt; Roger Lee;
Allen Nelson; Joseph Anderson-Bussie; Deb Aronson; Lynn Drake; Paula Carlson; Debbie Marr, best friend of
Carol Wallis; Majel Parker.For those receiving treatment for, or healing from, cancer: Bobbie G.; Ste-
vie Weimer; Jenny Norman; Beverly Fuller; Dolly Mercedes, friend of Beverly Fuller; Bill Hamann;Tim Mongin,
coworker of Ann Tohlen; Angela, friend of Beverly Fuller; Sue Johnson; Carl Cottingham; Noelle Gross; Bob
Leon.
For the people and ministries of St. James, especially our Call Committee and Council: Look on
your Church with grace and guide those who are shepherding our congregation through the Call Process. Bless
the congregation and bless the Candidate with discernment and wisdom as the process continues to unfold.
For our Bishops: ELCA Presiding Bishop, Elizabeth Eaton, and Oregon Synod Bishop, David Brauer-Rieke.
For our nation’s elected and appointed leaders: the President, Vice-President, members of Congress,
State Representatives and Senators, Judges, and all local, state and national leaders, that they may serve our
communities, state and nation with wisdom and integrity.
For all direct public servants who interface with the public and serve the common good.
For our world: For the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned, all those in
whom Christ meets us unawares. May all these and other vulnerable and marginalized people the world over
be treated with dignity and may they be filled, welcomed, healed, and liberated according to your will.
The prayer list will be refreshed every month. Please contact Karin Hatch if you’d like your re-
quest to stay on longer.
Email: [email protected] or call the Church office at 503-227-2439
Paula Carlson 4/3
Charlotte Cook 4/6
Eva Tormohlen 4/10
Gary Rodgers 4/12
Margie Lee & Robert May 4/16
Bill Arbaugh 4/20
David Johnson 4/21
Mary Ellen Isensee 4/30
18
1315 SW Park Ave
Portland, Or 97201
www.stjamespdx.org
Tel: 503.227.2439
Fax: 503.227.0856
St. James Lutheran Church
1315 SW Park Ave
Portland OR 97201
STAFF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Rev. Dr. Janet Parker, Interim Pastor Carl Cottingham, President
Nancy Nickel, M.M., Minister of Music Kathleen McDonald, Vice President
Mike Horsfall, Director of Jazz Ministry David Zellmer, Secretary
Sharon Kurtz, Bookkeeper Becky Bolt, Treasurer
Chelsea Ellertson, Receptionist/Building Asst. Larry Larsen, Member-at-Large
Karin Hatch, M.S., Parish Administrator
Patrick Earnest, Director, Child Dev. Center
Scott Keane RN, Foot Care Clinic
Leah Tuor, Nursery Coordinator