The Christian

Courier

Vol. 64, No. 12

Bellingham First Christian Church

December 2014

First Christian Churchs

Alternative Christmas Fair
Set Dec. 7
As we are making our Christmas gift lists
and checking them twice, please consider
adding a gift for someone who is not a
family member or friend. The gifts you
choose during First Christian Churchs
Alternative Christmas Fair on Dec. 7 will
make a big difference in the lives of our
family and friends in other parts of the
world.

Advent 2014
Sunday, November 30
First Sunday of Advent
1:30 p.m. Baby Shower for Ahline Botts
Sunday, December 7
Second Sunday of Advent
12:15 p.m. Alternative Christmas Fair
1:30 p.m. Gingerbread Houses with Kathy Wheeler
Sunday, December 14
Third Sunday of Advent
2 p.m. Someone Cares! Community Meal,
prepared and served with Iglesia de Dios
Sunday, December 21
Fourth Sunday of Advent
6:30 p.m. Longest Night Worship:
A Service of Comfort for Those Who Grieve
Wednesday, December 24
Christmas Eve
6:30 p.m., Living Nativity and Candlelight Worship Service
Thursday, December 25
Have yourself a merry, little Christmas!
And may the blessings of Christs birth be with you and yours.

This years gift opportunities center around

education, water, microcredit and health. All
are major concerns of our partners
throughout the world and shared with
Global Ministries of the Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ) and United Church of
Christ.
Among the gifts and suggested amounts
are:
Education

$15 to provide school supplies for a

child in Sri Lanka

$40 to start to build a resource

library in South Africa

$100 to help repair a classroom in

Costa Rica
Water

$25 to provide some of the needed

materials for a well in Sri Lanka

$75 to provide a pump for a well in

Mexico

$125 to provide water to 50 people

in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo
Microcredit

$20 to give a loan for a woman to

stock the shelves of her new shop in
Bangladesh

$60 to provide a loan for Colombian

women to expand their microcredit
group
Continued on page 4

Message from the Pastor

First Christian Church

(Disciples of Christ)
495 East Bakerview Road
Bellingham, WA 98226
360.734.6820
office@bellinghamdisciples.org
www.bellinghamdisciples.org

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
gary@bellinghamdisciples.org
Mary Ann Teeters
Finance/Membership Administrator
maryann@bellinghamdisciples.org
Rev. Tamalyn Kralman
Director of Ed. & Community Outreach
Courier Editor
tamalyn@bellinghamdisciples.org
Amelia Nye
Accompanist
TBD
Childcare Provider
Rev. Sandy Messick
Regional Minister
Rev. Sharon Watkins
General Minister and President

Sunday Schedule
9:30 a.m.
10:50 a.m.
11 a.m.
12:15 a.m.
12:30 p.m.
2 p.m.
6 p.m.

Sunday School
Gathering Time
Worship
Fellowship Time
Out-to-Lunch Bunch
(4th Sunday)
Someone Cares! Community Meal
(2nd Sunday)
Wild Goose Worship
(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

Megan Shoemaker, Secretary

Shoes News
School Shooting
I shared some of our Regional Pastor, Sandy Messick's thoughts in
worship a few weeks ago. I want you to have the rest of her reflection
because it applies to so many other unfortunate incidents in life. We
appreciate Sandy's service to our church and region. Here are her
thoughts and a prayer...
On Friday news of yet another school shooting, this one in our own
region, once again rocked our community. As news leaked out bit by
bit I found myself glued to the local news on TV even as I was
checking social media on my phone and national news sources on
my iPad. Now, three days later, I still find myself stunned by another
act of senseless violence. Three young people, including the shooter,
are dead. Three others are clinging to life. The Tulalip Tribal
community and the community of Marysville are grieving together
and trying to make sense of what doesnt make sense. In so many
ways, this shooting doesnt fit what we think we know of such
events. The perpetrator was not a loner. He was a popular kid. His
victims were not his enemies or random strangers. They were his
family and his friends. He displayed some anger and despair on
social media in the days just before, but no one suspected mental
illness. Even classmates who talked to him that morning reported
that he seemed happy, like himself, ok. Along with his family and his
community and all of you, I am left wondering, Why?
With you, I grieve and hurt for those who are grieving and hurting.
For those young people who are fighting for their lives. For those
family members who are mourning their lost children. For all of the
students and staff at Marysville-Pilchuck High School who are left
wondering what they could have done, or didnt do but should have,
or might have done that would have changed the outcome.
I wish I had answers: for myself, and for them, and for all of you.
But I dont. I dont know what the answer is to a situation like that. I
know that our easy answers dont suffice.
But heres what I know: Gods heart breaks whenever one of Gods
children hurts another. Gods heart breaks when Gods children are in
pain and grieving and lost. Gods love is stronger than hate,
surpasses all understanding, and wraps around hurting hearts in
ways both seen and unseen.
This is what I know: Our response needs to be one of compassion:
for the victims, for the families, for the communities affected, and
yes, for a young man who in the space of a mere seconds brought
incredible grief and destruction for so many including his own family.
This is what I know: That our ongoing response needs to be one of
creating safe spaces for our children, and safe relationships between
youth and adults so that young people have places to go and people
to seek out when life seems overwhelming and choices seem limited.
Continued on page 4

December 2014

News from the Pews

Making a Home
Healthy and Safe

Nurses Notes

During this time of focus on

the Ebola virus it may be a
good time to think about more
common germs and their
relationship to our homes. Are
our homes as safe as they
should be?

In terms of Ebola our local hospital is equipped to deal

with it. Visit their website and note the article on the
Board of Health in the fellowship hall.
Germs are all around us; bacteria, good and bad, reside
within us. The immune system is usually equipped to
handle antigens that invade our bodies. Contact, stress,
current or past illnesses, etc. can cause the immune
system to breakdown and leave us vulnerable to infectious
diseases.
Going about our daily schedule bring us in contact with
many germs: touching door handles, sinks, bathrooms
(especially toilet handles), handling money, eating food
that has not been properly handled or cooked, the kitchen
sponge. Our very homes can be a potential source of
infection. So, how can we make our homes safe? Listed
below are some ideas.
Healthy Homes
"The connection between health and dwelling is one of the
most important that exists." Florence Nightingale.
Keep it Dry
Fix any leak in roof or plumbing
Unblock gutters and divert water away from home
Open windows for 5-10 minutes to lower humidity
Run bath fan for one hour after bathing
Keep it Clean
Clean spilled food and spills promptly
Keep chemical cleaning products away from children
(the best cleaning agent is vinegar and water)
Clean mold with soapy water solution
Regularly dust hard surfaces with a damp cloth
Keep it Safe
Install smoke alarms
Do not use unvented combustion space heaters
Remove trip hazards and use non-skid mats under rugs
Repair broken steps or large soft are in floor
Remove poisons from home: Do not mix bleach with
ammonia
Keep it Well-Ventilated
Open windows regularly for fresh air
Use kitchen fan to remove moisture and fine particles
Make sure ventilation effectively vent to the outside
Keep it Pest-Free
Eliminate water and food sources around house
Store food in air-tight containers

December 2014

Joys and Concerns

of Our Congregation
Please submit written requests to update this list.
New to Our List:
Robert Naidu, as he recovers from heart surgery
Ethan Powers, 8 year old great grandson of Bob and
Marian Crim, who is having difficulty with anti-rejection
meds following his bone marrow transplant
Diana Linayao, recovering from double knee
replacement Oct. 27
Ongoing:
Marian Overcashs youngest son, who has cancer
The people of West Africa, who are overwhelmed by
the spreading ebola virus
Joanne Harrell, health concerns
Virginia Haldeman, recovering from hip surgery
Bob Fisher, treatment in progress
Neilan Hart, five year-old friend of the Pages, now in
remission
Donna Fairchild, 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
Do not allow garbage to pile up
Seal any openings where pests may enter; use
mechanical traps or less toxic pesticides (boric acid) if
needed
Keep it Contaminant-free
Properly dispose of CfLs
Avoid smoking in the home (try to quit)
Avoid or minimize air-fresheners, chemical cleaners
Clean window areas/floors with damp cloths (vinegar and
water work well)
Keep it Well-Maintained
Attend to repairs needs immediately
Avoid allowing repairs becoming a major problem or
costly
Check flues and vents of combustion heating systems
Clean and unblock dryer vents twice a year; clean dryer
screen after every use (common cause of house fires)
Continued on page 4

Make Your Reservations!

Shoes News, Contd from p. 2

From all I have read, the young man who took that
gun into the cafeteria that day had that kind of
support, and yet this still happens. So I also know that
we in the church need to be a place where people can
grieve, and wonder why? and express the full range
of feelings, and then come together to try again.

Dont let all the good homes be taken.

Reserve yours now!

Join us for gingerbread house fun, Sun., Dec. 7, 1:30

p.m. Bring a pound of candy to share for decorating.
Each house is pre-assembled. Extra frosting is
provided. Cost: $10/house. Sign up in the narthex.
Alternative Fair, Contd from p. 1

$150 to provide a loan for yarn for an

indigenous group of weavers in Mexico
Health

$50 to provide textbooks for a medical student

in India

$100 to help start a community health chest for

Amazonian communities in Peru

$300 to provide support for a medical clinic

working with refugees from Syria
More details on each category of gifts will appear on the
displays in the fellowship hall.
Thanks to the support of the Disciples Mission Fund and
the United Church of Christs Our Church's Wider
Mission, 100 percent of our gifts will go toward the
selected project without administrative fees.
This year, surprise your friends and family with a gift
that cannot be found on any shelf. Your Alternative
Christmas gift will give hope, joy, peace and love.

And I know this: That God is with us in the midst of our

grieving and in the midst of our wondering, and in the
midst of our wrestling to make sure it doesnt happen
again.
As in all of these stories, there are heroes: A young teacher
who ran towards the shooter instead of away, a rival high
school football team who chose to forfeit a game and give
the win to Marysville-Pilchuck, the medical teams who are
doing their best to save the lives of these young victims.
And always, there are the quiet heroes who are sitting with
those who grieve, offering words of comfort when they can,
and supportive silence when no words can suffice. I give
thanks for each of these heroes. And I offer my prayers,
alongside yours, for Gods healing to surround this
community and indeed all the world.
God of grace and love, with hearts heavy and sighs too
deep for words, we turn to you in our time of need. May
you gather up your children as a mother hen gathers her
chicks. May you surround those who grieve with your grace
and your care. May you offer healing, and help, and hope.
May you give us wisdom to understand the circumstances
that make such tragedies possible, and courage to make
the changes needed to keep our children safe, not just in
this community but in all communities. In this and all times
we offer these prayers, Amen.
Your sister in Christ,
Sandy

Change is Afoot

As we work to keep up with modern technology, the church a new phone system and a new internet service provider.
As such, we have new email addresses and slight variations on phone numbers. You will still be able to dial the original
church phone number, 360.734.6820. You may then reach staff members through their extension numbers. If youd like
to call a staff member directly and avoid the automated system, direct lines are available. We encourage you to make
the following adjustments to your address book:
The new church website address is bellinghamdisciples.org.
You may reach the church office and staff members via email or phone.
Email

Church Phone

Direct Church Line

Main office

office@bellinghamdisciples.org

360.734.6820 x1003

360.312.3428

Pastor Gary

gary@bellinghamdisciples.org

360.734.6820 x1000

360.312.3370

Tamalyn

tamalyn@bellinghamdisciples.org

360.734.6820 x1002

360.312.3422

Mary Ann

maryann@bellinghamdisciples.org

360.734.6820 x1001

360.312.3372

Community Meal information

360.734.6820 x1004

N/A

Hours and directions

360.734.6820 x1005

N/A

December 2014

We Welcome Our New Member

Ralph W. Thacker is a native of
Southern California, a graduate of two
theological seminaries and a school of
business and public administration. He
went to Hartford, CT for post graduate
study in 1959 and spent his working years
there in community organization,
insurance and banking.
He retired in 1995 and returned to
California. He moved to Bellingham in late
2001 and lived for twelve years in
Fairhaven.
His interests include local
history (see www.dan_harris.info),
neighborhood and waterfront planning,
boat building and Bible translation. He
currently lives in the Wood Rose II
Apartments at the corner of Sunset and
Racine.

The Church Has a Wish List!

Here are a few items currently on the churchs wish list:
Outdoor Advent Banner - $100
Advent postcard mailing (500 homes nearest the church) - $210
Please contact Mary Ann if you are able to assist with any of these items.
Nurses Notes, Contd from p. 3
Source: Opportunity Council's Healthy Homes Program. If you are ever
concerned about a home that is not safe contact Opportunity Council,
360.734.5121, Mark Schofield, Conservation Programs Coordinator.
Reflection: May our entire lives reflect honor of the Sacred by good
management of our homes, bodies, moneys, minds and spirits as we live
lives under the God's care.
Jane Kletka RN,FCN
(Refer to " Board of Health" bulletin board in fellowship hall for more
information.)

Education and Realizing Dreams in Ghana

Written by Kristine Tisinger
September 9, 2014

The drums start precisely at 8 a.m. every weekday. Thats

when the children on the Evangelical Presbyterian Church
School across the street from church headquarters gather
to sing hymns in Ewe before the start of their classes. The
Evangelical Presbyterian Church is one of the largest
churches in Ghana and is devoted to ensuring that every
child that wants an education gets one. There are more
than half a dozen EP schools in Ho alone. If you meet a
child here, odds are good that they go to an EP Church
school, and many are there thanks to scholarships.
Emmanuel is one such child. Emmanuel is one of the
children that attends meetings at the Nenyo Harborbor
Youth Rehabilitation Centre and goes to the school across
the street from church headquarters. Some of the other
children in the program attend schools in the town, some
are even on scholarships like Emmanuel, but at 12 years
old he is one of the only older boys who have chosen to
stay in school rather than dropping out to make some quick
money carrying heavy loads in the market. Emmanuel
takes his education seriously. He knows that if he is to
achieve his aspirations of becoming a bank manager hell
need to continue to qualify for his scholarship by keeping
his grades up and going to classes, even when no one is
there to make him go. He finished the 2013-2014 academic
year with glowing reports from his teachers and is looking
forward to starting sixth grade at the end of September.
Global Ministries partnership in Ghana also helps to
support one of the EP Churchs smallest schools. Fifteen
young women meet on the grounds of church headquarters
in a one room schoolhouse called The Activity Centre. The

December 2014

school caters to teenage mothers who have had to leave

school in the past to take care of their families. But I was
surprised to learn that not all of my students are mothers
in the traditional sense. Some have their own children, but
others left school to care for younger siblings and to help
support their family when their parents died.
At the Activity Centre the students are given instruction for
over the course of 18 months in English, social studies,
math, entrepreneurship, health, cooking, crafts, batik
(fabric dyeing), and dressmaking. In October 2014 and
April 2015, this group of students will be the first to take
the national exams in hopes of receiving a certificate
proving that they have successfully completed high school.
Theyll do this entirely without the aid of textbooks, as the
school has none. Instead, teachers write out lessons on the
blackboards at the front of the classroom and the students
copy down every word to memorize it later. If a teacher is
unable to make it to class due to illness or transportation
problems, the students phone other teachers living near
the school and ask them to come in to give impromptu
lectures rather than having a cancelled class.
Ghana is emerging as a major economic force in Western
Africa, and the young people of the Evangelical
Presbyterian Church Ghana understand that a formal
education is now a necessity for their future. With the help
of UCC and DOC churches, Global Ministries and the EP
Church are making sure that these students have the
opportunity to realize their dreams.
Kristine Tisinger, our congregations missionary
partner, serves with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in
Ghana, working with education and women's
empowerment. Her appointment is made possible by your
gifts to Disciples' Mission Fund, Our Churches Wider
Mission, and your special gifts.

Whos on First?!

December
Sunday, December 7
Elders: Gregg Heyne (O), John Riseland (C)
In Home Communion: John Riseland,
Margaret Brown
Lock-Up: Gregg Heyne
Deacons: Sandy Grant, Mary Ann Teeters
Reader: Charles Schmidling
Greeter: Max and Cheryl Perry
Flowers: TBD
Fellowship Time: Outreach (Alternative
Christmas Fair)
Sunday, December 14
Elders: Lillian Moir (O), Don Hoffman (C)
Deacons: Marian Overcash, Linda Heyne,
Ardythe Hannah
Reader: Megan Shoemaker
Greeter: Mary Ann Teeters
Flowers: TBD
Fellowship Time: TBD
Sunday, December 21
Elders: Melody Hoffman (O), Brenda Riseland (C)
Deacons: Lois Oswalt, Pat Whitney, Connie Page
Reader: Nancy Langford
Greeters: Bekki and Russ Weston
Flowers: TBD
Fellowship Time: TBD
Sunday, December 28
Elders: Joe Plancich (O), Leslie Pinkston (C)
Deacons: Lynn Plancich, Kathy Wheeler, Jayne
Witman
Reader: Gregg Heyne
Greeter: Sandy Grant & Lois Oswalt
Flowers: Esther Group
Fellowship Time: Esther Group
Be sure to sign up in the fellowship hall to
greet, read scripture, bring flowers, or
host fellowship time.

Christmas, my child, is love in action.

Every time we love, every time we give,
its Christmas.
Dale Evans

Happy Birthday
Cyndy Koehn
Walter Bayless
Alisha Sanchez
Wei Wei Perry
Terry Udo
Devon Martin
Sandy Grant

1
2
7
8
9
12
13

Betty Erickson
Joe Plancich
Happy Anniversary
Robert & Kim Naidu
Dan & Yuwei Perry
Gary Shoemaker &
Tamalyn Kralman
Don & Melody Hoffman

21
28
14
26
27
30

This Months Lectionary

Lectionary: a pre-selected collection of scriptural readings
from the Bible that can be used for worship, study or other
theological uses. Some congregations of the Christian
Church (Disciples of Christ), including First Christian Church,
Bellingham, use the Revised Common Lectionary which
follows the liturgical year in a 3-year cycle and provides
scriptural recommendations that compliment the current
season of the liturgical year.
Sunday, December 7
Isaiah 40:1-11
Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13
2 Peter 3:8-15a
Mark 1:1-8
Sunday, December 14
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Psalm 126 or
Luke 1:46b-55
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
John 1:6-8, 19-28

Sunday, December 21
2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
Luke 1:46b-55, or
Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26
Romans 16:25-27
Luke 1:26-38
Sunday, December 28
Isaiah 61:10-62:3
Psalm 148
Galatians 4:4-7
Luke 2:22-40

Checking-In Group
Please note that the Checking-In Group will be on hiatus for
the month of December. The next meeting will be January
22. Please contact the church office for more info.

Mens Breakfast
All men are invited to meet at Dennys, 7:30 a.m. each
Saturday for fellowship and food. A sense of humor is
encouraged!

December 2014

Calendar

December 2014
Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Noon
Bible Study

9:30a Sun. School

10:50a Gathering Time
11a
Worship
12:15p Fellowship Time
1:30p Gingerbread
Houses
1:30 p Spring Creek
Worship
14

9:30a Sun. School

10:50a Gathering Time
11a
Worship
12:15p Fellowship Time
2 p.m. Someone Cares
Community Meal

21

7:30a Elders Mtg

9:30a Sun. School
10:50a Gathering Time
11a
Worship
12:15p Fellowship Time
1:30p Spring Creek
Worship
6:30 p Longest Night
Worship
28

9:30a Sun. School

10:50a Gathering Time
11a
Worship
12:15p Fellowship Time
Out-to-Lunch
Bunch
7p
Book Group
Please note: No Wild
Goose Worship in Dec.

December 2014

15

Noon
Esther Group

23

Noon
Bible Study
5:30 p Prayer
Vigil for
Peace in the
Middle East,
Christ the
Servant
Lutheran
30

Noon
Bible Study

10

17

Bulletin
deadline
6p Bell Choir
Rehearsal
7p Chancel
Choir
Rehearsal

Noon
Bible Study

29

Saturday
5

24

Bulletin
deadline
6:30 p.m.
Living
Nativity and
Candlelight
Worship
Service

6
7:30a Mens
Breakfast,
Dennys

11

12

Bulletin
deadline
6p Bell Choir
Rehearsal
7p Chancel
Choir
Rehearsal
16

22

Friday

Bulletin
deadline
6p Bell Choir
Rehearsal
7p Chancel
Choir
Rehearsal

Noon
Bible Study

Courier
Deadline
Noon
Esther Group
6:30 p
Stewardship
Meeting

Wednesday Thursday
Wednesday

13

7:30a Mens
Breakfast,
Dennys

18

19

5:30 p.m .
Prayer Vigil
for Peace in
the Middle
East, Garden
Street UMC

20

7:30a Mens
Breakfast,
Dennys

6:30 p.m.
Pub Theology,
Copper Hog
25

26

27

7:30a Mens
Breakfast,
Dennys

31

Bulletin
deadline
6p Bell Choir
Rehearsal
7p Chancel
Choir
Rehearsal

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

The Christian Courier (USPS

0589-870) is published monthly at
First Christian Church, 495 East
Bakerview Road, Bellingham, WA
98226-9168. PERIODICALS
POSTAGE paid at Bellingham, WA
98226-9997

Postmaster: Send address changes

to The Christian Courier, 495 East
Bakerview Road, Bellingham, WA
98226-9186

Contact Us

Submissions for the Next Courier

are Due December 15
Office

Sign up to Bring
a Poinsettia
Please see the sign up sheet in the fellowship hall to
bring a poinsettia in honor or in memory of a friend, a
loved one, or a special event. The poinsettias will be
placed around our sanctuary during the Advent
season.

Submissions for the Next

Courier are Due December 15
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360.734.6820

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Bellingham, WA

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Calling
all Thespians
We need magi and shepherds,
angels, sheep and goats. And, most of all, we need a
holy family and a donkey. Please talk to Tamalyn
Kralman to star in this years Living Nativity, which
will take place on Christmas Eve, 6:30 p.m.

Is your picture in the new church directory?

Contact Tamalyn to submit a photo or have one taken
and for info to access directory online.