The Christian

Courier
Vol. 64, No. 9 Bellingham First Christian Church September 2014
Global Mission Sunday
Alison Stendahl, recently retired missionary who served in Turkey, will preach at First
Christian Church during the annual Global Ministries celebration on Sept. 14. She also will
speak at a no-host dinner on Saturday, Sept. 13, at a time and location to be announced.
Alison served from 1980 to 2014 at the Uskudar Amerikan Lisesi, Istanbul, Turkey. She
was academic dean and a math teacher. She also taught math at Zillah, Tonasket
and the Bush School, Seattle.
She served under joint appointment of the Division of Overseas Ministries on
behalf of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church Board for World Ministries on
behalf of the United Church of Christ, now working together as Global Ministries.
Alison preached and spoke in Bellingham in 2007 while visiting Disciples and UCC congregations in the
northwest. She has retired and now lives in California.
Outreach Ministry
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Behind Village Books
in Fairhaven
Enjoy a 1, 2 or 3 m
ile w
alk along
the w
aterfront of Bellingham
Bay,
as you raise funds to com
bat w
orld
hunger
and
poverty, and provide
clean
w
ater,
m
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care
and
education to those in need.
Someone Cares!
Community Meal
(at the church)
Lend your heart and your hands to this important ministry. Sign up in the fellowship hall to cook, set up, serve, bus tables, or run the dishwasher.
Sunday, September 14

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7
495 East Bakerview Road
Bellingham, WA 98226
360.734.6820
bhamfcc@comcast.net
www.bhamfcc.com

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
A movement for wholeness in a fragmented
world. As part of the one body of Christ, we
welcome all to the Lords Table as God
welcomed us.
All of Us
Ministers
Rev. Gary Shoemaker
Pastor
grshmkr@comcast.net
Mary Ann Teeters
Finance/Membership Administrator
maryannt44@comcast.net
Rev. Tamalyn Kralman
Director of Ed. & Community Outreach
Courier Editor
tamalynk@comcast.net
Amelia Nye
Accompanist
TBD
Childcare Provider
Rev. Sandy Messick
Regional Minister
Rev. Sharon Watkins
General Minister and President
Sunday Schedule
9:30 a.m. Sunday School
10:50 a.m. Gathering Time
11 a.m. Worship
12:15 a.m. Fellowship Time
4
th
Sunday Out-to-Lunch Bunch
6 p.m. Wild Goose Worship
(2nd, 4th and 5th Sundays)

Office Hours
Monday - Friday
9 a.m. - noon
Our staff are in and out of the office throughout the
week. Please feel free to stop by during their office
hours or make an appointment that fits your
schedule.

Officers
Don Hoffman, Chair
Virginia Haldeman, Vice-Chair
Megan Shoemaker, Secretary
Cheryl Perry, Treasurer
Message from the Pastor
2 Regular worship schedule resumes Sunday, September 7 September 2014

First Christian Church
!Disciples of Christ"
Shoes News
Getting Out of the Boat
Last Sunday's sermon was a reflection on the story of Jesus walking on
the water and challenging Peter to join him. I speculated on what the
difference would have been if the rest of the disciples had also gotten
out of the boat to join Peter. It seems to me that together, when we
support and encourage each other, we can help sustain each other and
accomplish incredible things.
I want to use this opportunity to support and encourage the small group
of folks who, for the past several months, have been working on the
Community Meal. Last Sunday we had our first Community Meal, and
we all took a step out of the boat together. There were a good number
of people who showed up to work and serve and a great number of
people who had supported the effort by either bringing food or donating
money. Together, we put on a wonderful meal and offered a warm
welcome. This is just the beginning!
Even though we didn't have anywhere near an overwhelming number of
neighborhood people or homeless friends who came, each one who did
encouraged us to keep offering the meal. "It will grow over time," they
said. And I believe that's true. The task force took a look at the
schedule for all the other free meals around town and also talked with
some of our homeless friends, including the teens at Amy's Place. From
that information, they determined that the second Sunday of the month
was a void that needed to be filled. The other Sunday community meal
is on the fourth Sunday. We'll try to take some flyers to that community
meal to let those folks know about this one.
But in the meantime, I was really proud of us for stepping out of our
comfort zone and opening our building and our hearts to whosoever
may come. It felt like we were doing something very sacred. It felt like
we were doing the right thing. It felt like we were all stepping out of the
boat together and saying, "We can do this!"
Join us!!!
Pastor Gary
Where Did They Go?
We need Sherlock Holmes to help us out. Or
maybe you can be of assistance. We are
missing several of our good tablecloths,
kitchen towels, and all the big pots from the
church kitchen. If you have borrowed or
loaned them out for any reason, it!s time for
them to come home.
With thanks from everyone who works in the kitchen!
ZZZZZZZZZ!
L i g h t s O u t :
Time for Sleep
Importance of enough sleep
Sleep is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle,
directly affecting the quality of our waking life which
includes mental sharpness, productivity, emotional
bal ance, creati vi ty, physi cal vi tal i ty, and wei ght
management. The brain does not turn off during sleep, it
stays busy keeping watch over biological functions that
keep the body in good running order, preparing it for the
day ahead.
How much sleep is enough?
The National Institutes of Health say that the average
adult sleeps less than seven hours per night. That may
sound like enough, but in reality it is cause for chronic
sleep deprivation. There is a big difference between how
much sleep it takes just to get by on and the amount of
sleep the body needs for optimal functioning. Sleep
requirements vary between people but on the average
most adults need between seven and one-half to nine
hours of sleep. New born to two months: 12-18 hours;
one to three years: 12-14 hours; three to five years: 11-13
hours; five to twelve years: 10-11 hours; twelve to
eighteen years 8.5-10 hours. How one feels as one goes
about the day is a good way to determine if there has
been sufficient sleep. With enough sleep there is energy
and alertness all day.
Signs and symptoms of sleep deprivation
The signs of sleep deprivation are subtle, not always
known and may actually feel "normal" and include having
difficulty getting going in the morning and feeling drowsy
all day (after meals, while driving, during work hours,
during meetings, etc...).
The effects of sleep deprivation
Losing sleep may not seem very important, but sleep
deprivation has a wide range of negative effects that
include: affecting judgment, coordination, and reaction
times. Other effects include: fatigue, lethargy, lack of
motivation; moodiness and irritability, reduced creativity
and problem-solving, inability to cope with stress, reduced
immunity, frequent colds and infections, concentration and
memory problems, impaired motor skills and increased
risks for accidents, difficulty making decisions, increased
risk of diabetes, heart disease and other health problems.
Another major outcome of sleep deprivation is weight
gain. There is an increased craving for sugary foods when
one is drowsy, reaching for those things for an energy
boost. Two hormones regulate feelings of hunger and
fullness. Ghrelin stimulates appetite; leptin signals the
News from the Pews
September 2014 Regular worship schedule resumes Sunday, September 7 3
Joys and Concerns
of Our Congregation
Please submit written requests to update this list.
New to Our List:
Keith Watkins, retired pastor and professor, and his
daughters, Sharon Watkins, our general minister and
president, Marilyn Watkins, member of University
Christian in Seattle, and Carolyn Watkins, on the
death of their wife & mother, Billie
For contact info, please contact the church office.
Ongoing:
Ethan Powers, 8 year old great grandson of Bob and
Marian Crim, undergoing chemo and radiation as he
awaits bone marrow transplant at Childrens Hospital in
Seattle
Caroline Bohl, Bob Fishers sister, pending eye surgery
Daisy Shoemaker, as she continues radiation
treatments
Joanne Harrell, health concerns
Virginia Haldeman, recovering from hip surgery
Bob Fisher, undergoing treatment to slow or stop
return of cancer
Neilan Hart, five year-old friend of the Pages, now in
remission
Donna Fairchild, health concerns
Helen Blaney recovering at home
Mac and Velma McDonald and their son, Steve,
health concerns
Disciples House Residents, past, present and future
Iglesia de Dios, as together we share Gods love
Raices Culturales and the children in their gardening
program in our field
Kristine Tissinger, missionary partner in Ghana
Rev. Sandy Messick, Regional Minister
Rev. Sharon Watkins, General Minister and President
Our General Church ministries
Yakama Christian Mission
Refugees around the world
All troops involved in world conflict
Peacemakers worldwide
Nurses Notes
brain when one is full. Not getting enough sleep causes
ghrelin levels to go up stimulating appetite and desire for
more food; leptin levels go down making one feel more
hungry and wanting more food. So, with less sleep, the
body craves more food resulting in weight gain (in addition
to lack of exercise due to fatigue).
Continued on page 5
4 Regular worship schedule resumes Sunday, September 7 September 2014
Have You Ordered Your Copy?
Alexis Pinkston, our Whatcom County area coordinator,
has invited us, on behalf of the
regi onal mi ssi on counci l , t o
i ncrease t he communi cat i on
between our churches, beginning
with a book discussion. We will be
reading The New Parish by
Sparks, Soerens and Friesen. This
book is about how neighborhood
churches are t ransformi ng
mi ssi on, di sci pl eshi p and
community. In October the
churches will discuss the book. The
invitation is extended out to all who would like to
participate.
Turner Memorial Lectures
Past and Future Church:
From the Ends of the Earth to Our Doorstep
October 6, 7, 8
Register at disciplesnw.org
Englewood Christian Church, Yakima, Washington
Early Bird registration $110 before 9/12
General registration $130 after 9/12
Featuring
Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon
Rev. Dr. Mi chael Ki nnamon i s an
internationally-recognized scholar and leader
in the ecumenical movement. He is past
General Secretary of the National Council of
Churches and current Visiting Professor of
Ecumenical Collaboration in Interreligious
Dialogue at Seattle University's School of
Theology and Ministry.
Rev. Carol Howard Merritt
Rev. Carol Howard Merritt is a nationally
sought-after speaker and preacher and the
cohost of God Complex Radio. She is an
ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church
(USA) and currently writes at her Tribal
Church blog, which is hosted by Christian
Century.
Watch for a centerfold in next month!s Courier!
~Stewardship Ministry
Are You a Fan of Cookies?
It has come to our attention that we are in desperate
need of cookies around here and we really dont think
the walls of the church can stand without cookies and
coffee. Truly. The foundations of all civilization will
crumble without fellowship time after worship.
If you do not want this to happen, please sign up to host
this most important activity. The sign up sheet is
available in the fellowship hall or talk to Kathy Wheeler.
She will be delighted to assist you in your menu plans.
Its that Time Again!
Time to be thinking about making items for the annual
Christmas bazaar, scheduled November 8 in First Christian
Churchs fellowship hall.
Crafts of all kinds will be needed, as will baked goods and
special condiments for the edibles corner.
A number of people have already stepped up to help with
the event. Ann Hall will be in charge of the kitchen, with
soup chefs already committed: Bob Fisher (chowder),
Darleen Page (split pea and chili) and Max Perry
(minestrone).
Three members also are working on prizes for the raffle:
Margaret Brown, Lynn Plancich and John Riseland.
Description of the items will be announced later.
The baked goods area will be under the direction of Esther
group, led by Lillian Moir. Mary Ann Teeters will be in
charge of the cashiers.
Volunteers will be needed as greeters, table bussers during
lunch, cashiers and hosts at the bake sale and jams table.
Teams to help with set up and clean up also will be
needed. A sign up sheet will be posted in the fellowship
hall soon.
Outreach Ministry
Are you an internet user? Are you a nature lover? Do
you like saving money? Do you like aesthetically
pleasing reading material?
If you answered yes to one or more of these questions,
then e-mail us at bhamfcc@comcast.net and subscribe
to the electronic version of this newsletter. Save some
trees, help the church save on postage and printing
costs, and enjoy the full-color version of The Courier.
(Believe us when we say that it is much prettier!)
Here and There
September 2014 Regular worship schedule resumes Sunday, September 7 5
Musical Theatre Benefit for Interfaith Coalition
An evening of musical entertainment on September 25 will raise funds to support Interfaith Coalitions programs that
assist some of the most vulnerable individuals and families in our community.
Youll enjoy an evening of theater, music, and fellowship and when you attend Bellingham Theatre Guilds special
performance Thursday, September 25, of You!re a Good Man Charlie Brown. An award-winning musical for all ages, this
delightful production tells the story of an average day in the life of the famous comic strip hero, Charlie Brown, and how
all the Peanuts gang come to realize what makes them truly happy.
The performance is a benefit for Interfaith Coalition. Tickets are on sale now for $30 each. Price includes reception with
wine and hors doeuvres beginning at 6:30 p.m., one hour before the 7:30 p.m. performance, and dessert during
intermission. To purchase tickets, call Interfaith Coalition at 734-3983. Proceeds will support Interfaith Coalitions
programs, which provide healthcare and homes for all.
Causes of sleep problems
Insomnia (caffeine too late at night, stress, worry,
excitement, lack of healthy life-style including not enough
exercise, anxiety and depression).
Fragmented sleep: disturbance such as pain, need for the
bathroom, noise, all the reasons listed above for insomnia
Sleep disorders (sleep apnea, a condition when
respiration is very shallow causing mini-awakenings that
result in sleep deprivation; restless leg syndrome in which
there is an uncontrollable urge to move the legs resulting
in loss of sleep).
Techniques for better sleep:
Exercise daily and not too close to bedtime
Avoid naps
Keep sleep area quiet and dark
Read, write, meditate, write down worries and deal with
them later, calming music
Keep regular sleep hours
Avoid caffeine 4-6 hours before bedtime and minimize day
time use
Avoid tobacco and alcohol near bedtime
Any other techniques that have been found to be
personally helpful
So, good night and sleep tight!
Meditation: Protector of the Night, as we lay ourselves
down for sleep surround us with your Sacred Presence. As
we slumber may we arise to the new day refreshed and
ready to live lives full of care for others and for ourselves,
as we seek to live healthy lives. May we feel a sacred sense
of joy and meaningfulness in our lives and seek to bring this
gift to others. Help us to remember to be still so as to
know God.
In the Name of the One who watches over us and does not
slumber, Amen
Jane Kletka, RN FCN
Health Ministries
Nurse!s Notes, Cont!d from p. 3 Someone Cares Community Meal Update
Thank you for making our first community meal a
success! We served five guests (a bit of a slow start is to
be expected!) but, importantly, we had ample help and
food. Thank you! Since we plan to do a community meal
the second Sunday of each month, volunteer and food
donation sign-up sheets for the next few months will be
posted in the fellowship hall. Please take some time to
look these over and consider donating time, food, or
money so we can continue to build this program and fill
up empty bellies in our community.
Great effort has been made to comply with local and
state health department rules in planning these meals.
To that end, we can no longer take donations of meat or
fish. We cannot ensure proper handling of these
potentially unsafe foods unless they are purchased by
our planning team, but we do need financial donations
to help with the purchase of meat and other food. We
had an amazing show of monetary and food donations
for last weeks meal lets keep it up! We were able to
purchase all the additional food we needed, a banner to
publicize our meal in front of the church, and the
necessary health department permits. Again, thank you!
Another great success from last Sunday was the ready
and eager show of volunteers. Wow! It is inspiring and
heartening to see that our congregation is willing to
support this program in so many ways. A great deal of
thought goes into the planning of these community
meals and so we continue to ask no, implore people
to please sign up if you are planning to help. Please.
Those of us doing the planning want to make studious
use of your precious time and we dont want people to
feel discouraged if they show up to help and have
nothing to do. We want to be sure that those who
donate their time will have necessary and productive
work to do and we cannot make that happen if we have
no idea who and how many to count on. We are very
grateful for the help! We also want to be sure we are
maximizing everyones valuable time and effort.
Megan Shoemaker
Submitted on behalf of the Someone Cares Community
Meal Task Force
Who!s on First?!
6 Regular worship schedule resumes Sunday, September 7 September 2014
Sunday, September 7
Elders: Lillian Moir (O), John Riseland (C)
In Home Communion: Brenda Riseland and
Melody Hoffman
Lock-Up: Margaret Brown
Deacons: Sandy Grant, Mary Ann Teeters
Reader: Gregg Heyne
Greeter: Charles Schmidling
Flowers: TBD
Fellowship Time: TBD
Sunday, September 14
Elders: John Riseland (O), Margaret Brown (C)
Deacons: Marian Overcash, Linda Heyne,
Ardythe Hannah
Reader: Megan Shoemaker
Greeter: Darleen and Chuck Page
Flowers: TBD
Fellowship Time: TBD
Sunday, September 21
Elders: Don Hoffman (O), Gregg Heyne (C)
Deacons: Lois Oswalt, Pat Whitney, Connie
Page
Reader: Melody Hoffman
Greeter: Kathy Wheeler and Alisha Sanchez

Flowers: TBD
Fellowship Time: TBD
Sunday, September 28
Elders: Joe Plancich (O), Brenda Riseland (C)
Deacons: Lynn Plancich, Kathy Wheeler, Jayne
Witman
Reader: Don Hoffman
Greeter: Bekki and Russ Weston
Flowers: Esther Group
September
Happy Birthday
Landon Udo 5
Mac McDonald 5
Taylor Witman 5
Derek Stanbro 7
Kimberly McLachlan 10
Jessica Romine 11
Bob Dawes 12
Janet Franks 13
John Bisceglia 13
Kevin Ruther 15
Toni Clark 16
Todd Perry 22
Christie Wheeler 22
Taylor Perry 25
Patricia Allen 26
Lee Brown 28
Jason Campbell 28
Katie Kipling 30
Happy Anniversary
Rob & Rachel Naidu 3
Larry & Toni Clark 11
Bob & Karen Gilda 15
Gaylen & Terry Udo 22
Sunday, September 7
Exodus 12:1-14
Psalm 149
Romans 13:8014
Matthew 18:15-20
Sunday, September 14
Exodus 14:19-31
Psalm 114
Romans 14:1-12
Matthew 18:21-35
Sunday, September 21
Exodus 16:2-15
Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45
Philippians 1:21-30
Matthew 20:1-16
Sunday, September 28
Exodus 17:1-7
Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16
Philippians 2:1-13
Matthew 21:23-32
This Month!s Lectionary
Checking-In Group
This group meets at 5:30 p.m. the Fourth Thursday of each month and is an opportunity to talk about life! Location
to be determined. Please contact the church ofce for more info.
Men!s Breakfast
All men are invited to meet at Denny!s, 7:30 a.m. each Saturday for fellowship and food. A sense of humor is
encouraged!
Submissions for the Next Courier
are Due September 15
Calendar
September 2014 7
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1
Labor Day
2
Noon
Bible Study
3
7 p Chancel
Choir
4 5 6
7:30a Men!s
Breakfast,
Denny!s
7
9:30 a Sunday School
10:50a Gathering Time
11a Worship
12:30p Fellowship Time
1:30p Spring Creek
Worship
8 9
Noon
Bible Study
10
Bulletin
Deadline
6 p Bell Choir
7 p Chancel
Choir
11 12 13
7:30a Men!s
Breakfast,
Denny!s
14
Global Missions
Sunday
9:30 a Sunday School
10:50a Gathering Time
11a Worship
12:30p Fellowship Time
2-4 p Someone
Cares!
Community
Meal
2 p CROP Hunger
Walk
6 p Wild Goose
Worship
15
Courier
Deadline
Noon
Esther Group
6:30 p.m.
Stewardship
Committee
16
Noon
Bible Study
17
Bulletin
Deadline
6 p Bell Choir
7 p Chancel
Choir
18
5:30 p.m.
Prayer Vigil for
Peace in the
Middle East,
United
Church,
Ferndale
19 20
7:30a Men!s
Breakfast,
Denny!s
21
7:30a Elders! Mtg
9:30 a Sunday School
10:50a Gathering Time
11a Worship
12:30p Fellowship Time
1:30p Spring Creek
Worship
22 23
Noon
Bible Study
24
Bulletin
Deadline
6 p Bell Choir
7 p Chancel
Choir
25
5:30 p.m.
Checking
In Group
26 27
7:30a Men!s
Breakfast,
Denny!s
28
9:30 a Sunday School
10:50a Gathering Time
11a Worship
12:30p Fellowship Time
Out-to-Lunch
Bunch
(Location TBD)
6 p Wild Goose
Worship
7p Book Group
29 30
Noon
Bible Study
September 2014
Regular
worship schedule
resumes Sunday,
September 7
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First Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ)
A church of grace and welcome for all!
495 East Bakerview Road
Bellingham, WA 98226-9168
PERIODICALS POSTAGE AT
Bellingham, WA 98226-9168
USPS 0589-870
Save the Dates

Sept. 14 A really BIG day at FCC!
Global Mission Sunday
Someone Cares!
FCCs Community Meal
CWS CROP Hunger Walk
(see the church office for details)
Nov. 8 Share the Spirit Bazaar
Nov. 16 Alternative Holiday Market
Contact Us
Office bhamfcc@comcast.net
360.734.6820
Find us on Facebook First Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ),
Bellingham, WA
Follow us on Twitter FCC Bellingham
Outreach Year to Date 2014 Outreach Year to Date 2014
Amy's Place $ 140.40
CAST $ 1,100.00
Christmas $ 415.00
Disciples House $ 223.62
Disciples Mission Fund $ 375.00
Discretionary $ 270.00
Easter $ 410.00
Food Bank $ 540.00
Global Ministries $ 500.00
Interfaith $ 790.00
Pentecost $ 215.00
Reconciliation $ 185.00
Someone Cares $ 210.00
SOX $ 320.00
Week of Compassion $ 894.00
OSO Week of Compassion $ 1,498.50
Whatcom Peace and Justice $ 250.00
Womencare Shelter $ 320.00
$ 3,492.50
Regular worship schedule resumes Sunday, September 7