Introducing Gail Song Bantum, New Lead Pastor at Quest Church

Posted on by

By Erik Cave, Director of NextGen Ministries, PacNWC
Enjoy this interview with Gail Song. She is the new Lead Pastor at Quest Church.

Personal and Ministry Background:

Pastor Gail with Husband Brian

I’m a 2nd generation Korean American, deeply formed in the intersections of both Korean immigrant and black communities, and the Pentecostal faith tradition. While my mother was a pastor and believed I was called to ministry early on, my hope was to become the first Asian American female conductor of a major symphony orchestra. I had devoted my life to music from the age of three and even attended an elite music conservatory in New York. Upon her sudden death in 1994, however, I felt the undeniable call on my life, and have been serving vocationally in local church ministry since 1997.

I’ve had the privilege of being formed by and working within various denominational settings (UMC, Non-Denominational, COGIC, Four Square, Pentecostal Korean Immigrant, and ECC), which has allowed me to appreciate the breadth of the Church and the beauty that’s found amongst diverse traditions of faith. I believe all of these experiences have deeply shaped my life and expanded my leadership capacity to fluidly and authentically serve within a culturally diverse context like Quest.

What are you passionate about in ministry right now?

I’m passionate about leading a church that longs to be radically generous and wholeheartedly devoted in our pursuit of the multi of God’s kingdom here on earth. We hear from people over and over again, who walk through our doors at Quest for the first time, and tell us that this is the “last chance they’re giving God” (and the Church) before giving up on faith altogether. That sentiment alone ignites a fire in me and compels me to strive more faithfully to create a space where our collective human desire to belong and be whole is realized more fully. The Church is the tangible demonstration of Christ’s presence here on earth and we’ve got to do better at bearing witness to a God whose table is longer and wider and more expansive than what we imagine and currently make possible.

On a tangible ministry level, I’m excited about a couple of new initiatives that Quest will be launching this year, one of which is a new partnership with a group of diverse therapists in the area to create a multiethnic counseling center here on site—not just for the benefit of Quest but for the wider community of Seattle as well. Holistic wellness, liberation, and thriving in general are what I’m deeply passionate about as a pastor in this season.

How can we pray for you?

I would love your prayers for my marriage, my three sons, my health, and my team of friends, colleagues, mentors, and confidants who hold me accountable in this season. If I am thriving and healthy as a leader, I believe it’ll trickle into every area of my leadership and ministry life. My soul is deeply well and I covet your prayers for the continued, sustaining power of the Holy Spirit.

Five things you didn’t know about Gail:

What three traits define you?

Passionate. Empowering. Conviction.

What’s one thing you couldn’t live without?

Meat.

What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?

I would want to be a secret service agent for Michelle Obama or Beyoncé’s Tour Production Manager.

What is/was the greatest challenge you have had to overcome in your life thus far?

Losing 20+ years of relationship with my father was probably the hardest and most heartbreaking challenge, especially because it didn’t have to be that way. I’m grateful for the reconciliation that happened before he died in 2017.

What is the one thing you cannot resist?

A warm Bojangles chicken biscuit with hot sauce.

[Click Here] to visit Gail’s Facebook page

[Click Here] to visit Quest Church’s web page

Quest Church Staff





DELVE: Communal Conversations in the Church

Posted on by
Dawn Taloyo

By Dawn Taloyo, Director of Pastoral and Congregational Health, PacNWC

In December, Pastor Becca Worl of Cedarcreek Covenant Church in Maple Valley, WA  introduced DELVE to church leaders and pastors who participated in the Church Chair exChange webinar series.  DELVE is the creation of Pastor Worl and two lay leaders in response to a desire to find a way to have open, safe, and focused conversations around some of the challenging topics we face in our world today.

Through much discussion as well as tapping into the wisdom of others, Pastor Worl and her team created the framework for running such a group and brought the proposal to the church leadership team. With both constructive feedback and support, they launched DELVE in early 2019. 

Pastor Becca Worl

In brief, the 15-20 Cedarcreekers who signed up meet one Friday a month for 3 hours to discuss pre-determined topics. Examples discussed thus far have included racial righteousness, immigration, incarceration, and guns. Pre-meeting preparation, a facilitator and an agreed upon “covenanted behavioral code of conduct” help guide and provide structure to the conversation.

And, it is a conversation.  All voices and opinions are welcome. The intent, as Pastor Worl states, is to delve deeper into these topics with humility and a willingness to listen and learn, and in so doing, “be a stronger witness to the world as we display unity in the midst of disagreement.”

And, there is disagreement.  The intent of DELVE is not to provide answers or draw unified conclusions on issues.  Rather, it is about discipleship: growing in our understanding of God’s Word as it relates to these different topics, and how the Spirit of God is working in and forming all of us, despite differing perspectives.

Leaders from four other PacNWC Covenant Churches participated in the webinar, two of which are specifically looking to adapt and implement DELVE in their communities. If you would like to learn more, you can access the webinar video and the PowerPoint presentation at http://pacnwc.org/church-chair-exchange/

Introducing Jeff Reed New Lead Pastor of Highland Covenant Church

Posted on by

By Erik Cave, Director of NextGen Ministries, PacNWC

Enjoy this interview with Jeff Reed who recently started as the new Lead Pastor of Highland Covenant Church

What is your personal and ministry background?

As the son of an Army chaplain, I have been in the proverbial front pew of the church all my life.  Having said that, growing up I never thought I would actually end up as a pastor. After Westmont College with a degree in English, I went to seminary to undergird my interest in worship, music, the arts, and worship leading, and that was the field that marked the first season of my working life, serving as a worship pastor at two churches in Portland, and then at Hillside Covenant Church in Walnut Creek, CA beginning in 1997.  In an unexpected turn of events I transitioned to the Senior Pastor position from the Worship Pastor position at Hillside in 2001, and it has been a wonderful and challenging learning curve ever since.  I have been married to Susan for 33 years, and we have three adult married children, two living in the Portland area and one living in Seattle.

What are you passionate about in ministry right now?

I am an idea person, and in the past I have tended to flit from new idea to new idea, often leaving in the wake a trail of half-baked ventures.  Older now, and starting anew at Highland, I am passionate about methodically working off of a high-level blueprint and staying with it for the long-haul.  It has been so rewarding to set this blueprint in place and begin to execute off of it in an intentional and steady manner.  I am finding that adhering to a master plan from the get-go doesn’t need to eclipse creativity. Rather it actually enhances creativity by providing many solid places of predictable connection to what is passing by and what is coming.

How can we pray for you?

The first season of pastoral leadership in a church requires that careful discernment around scope and pace: what things to build on, what things to tinker with, where to bring innovation, when to do this or that, and how fast or slow to move.  I would love prayers for wisdom to see what needs to be clearly seen at each juncture, and that I would know the gentle leading of the Holy Spirit as distinguished from the pushing and shoving of my own insecurities or the imagined expectations of others.

Five things you didn’t know about Jeff:

1. What three traits define you? 

Easy going.  Playful.  Trusting.

2. What is the one thing you cannot resist?

A chance to hang out with any of my kids for a day.  Either that, or a Hostess white-powdered donut.

3.  Where is your favorite place to be? 

We have a small family cabin 20 miles east of Chehalis, WA on a tree-thick parcel of five acres with a small stream running through it. 

4.  What is your favorite thing to do?

I love reading and writing and talking about poetry.

5.  What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13?

Relax, kid. You’re normal.

[Click Here] to visit Jeff’s Facebook Page

[Click Here] to visit Highland Covenant Church’s web page

Togetherness Is Our Superpower

Posted on by

By Greg Yee, Superintendent, PacNWC

Happy New Years – a new decade begins!  My prayers were for a safe, beautiful, and enlightening Christmas and start to 2020. I hope it’s been. 

This year’s annual meeting theme is TOGETHER.  It is taken from one of Jesus’ most forward-looking prayers as the entire chapter of John 17 captures.  Jesus prays a farewell prayer that beautifully points to what is most true and important to him as he faces his physical demise. Betrayal, ridicule, torture, and slow death are all before him.  What is core to Jesus in this clarifying last moment?

Jesus prays that as he, the Father and Spirit are in community sharing perfect oneness, he prays for us to know the same.  That’s what he wanted.  There were many things he could have prayed, but more than anything else, he prayed for our togetherness.

“I pray that they will all be one…so that they world will believe [in me]”

See that’s the key.  It’s our oneness, our unity, that will be the ultimate witness to the world.  Togetherness is our superpower for the mission God gives us.  It is when we are working together that mission will be most effective. 

We were drawn to this theme because Jesus’ prayer seems especially pointed for us today.  It seems particularly important and bold in our current polarized climate globally, nationally, locally, denominationally, and even in our churches.  We will always have conflict and disagree about matters. This is natural and normal.  I believe this is why Jesus prayed for us – he knew this.  But a spirit of disunity is poisonous.  I’ve seen it devastate churches and consume leaders and pastors. I’ve seen it distract us and pull us away from each other taking us off mission. 

Our early impulses as a denomination were to be friends joining in mission.  We called ourselves Mission Friends.  Our passionate commitment was that we could do abundantly more together than we could ever do as independent churches.  But what is different today is that we are a much more diverse church living in more diverse realities.  We are no longer the mono-cultural denomination we were when these commitments were first made.  Being friends and joining arm in arm in mission is more complex and challenging today.  It demands more from us: more time, more conversations, more learning, more patience… Together is a lot of work. 

But Jesus continues to pray for us as he sits at the right hand of the Father right now interceding.  I am certain he prays for our togetherness. 

Our strong and sure witness is our diversity. Within the realities of our growing mosaic of churches and in a region where Jesus is not very well known, I believe that we need each other more than ever.  We must remember this is our superpower.  We reflect the Trinity.  We are an answer to Jesus’ prayers.  We move forward in mission best when we are TOGETHER as a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-class multi-lingual church. 

We look toward to being together at Harbor Covenant Church (Gig Harbor, WA) April 24-25.  Please plan now to attend our Leadership Matrix workshops on Friday afternoon.  We’ll be sending more information out shortly.  We also look forward to hearing from my colleague the Reverend Superintendent Catherine Gilliard from the Southeast Conference at our opening worship service.  Please send delegates to the annual meeting on Saturday. We look forward to having more times of discussion and prayer together. 

Your love for one another will prove to the word that you are my disciples (John 13:35). Let’s do it!

[Click Here] to visit the PacNWC 2020 Annual Celebration Event Page

Covenant Pastors Collaborate to Address Mental Health, ACEs

Posted on by

By Chris Haughee, Chaplain, Intermountain Ministry

I couldn’t be prouder of my home church, Headwaters Covenant Church in Helena, MT. Throughout the fall, we have been purposefully and carefully addressing subjects that the church often avoids. Among these topics are the family dysfunction that results from generational trauma, the prevalence of adversity in childhood within families in Montana, training in suicide awareness and prevention, and moral injury (especially among our veterans and service men and women).

On October 27th we had mental health advocate, author, and pastor Jill Riley preach and then bring an informative and engaging seminar on the Church and Mental Health. Through humor and her own personal story of working through trauma and a variety of mental health diagnoses, she created a very safe space in which participants were able to let down their guard and connect with one another in authentic relationship.

Pastor Seth Dombach has been preaching through Rene Howitt’s Bible study, Family: It’s Complicated, using the study as a spring board to delve deeper into the trauma-stories that weave their way through the narrative of scripture. Rene’s study focuses on the dysfunctional families of Genesis, and not only have congregants been able to see their own experiences of trauma and adversity reflected in the texts, they have also gained a deeper appreciation of the love and grace of God reflected in these sometimes difficult passages of scripture. Pastor Seth’s introductory sermon on the traumatic origins of the Bible, inspired by David M. Carr’s excellent work, Holy Resilience, had me in tears… I have longed for years to hear the perspective he holds shared from the pulpit in a worship setting. Seth has also been interviewed by the Covenant Church’s national publication about the work that Headwaters is doing to reach out to the community through practical acts of service and charity, a ministry cleaverly named “The Current.”

And, I guess that leaves me… like I said at the top of this article, I am proud to call Headwaters my church home. I helped to fundraise and an set up a Sensory Break room in the church and serve on the church’s leadership team. My position as chaplain at a residential service program for severely emotionally disturbed children gives me first-hand knowledge of the challenges facing trauma-affected young people every day. Through the curriculum, Bruised Reeds and Smoldering Wicks: An 8-week study for small groups in trauma-informed ministry and compassionate outreach to individuals with adversity in childhood, and in occasional training and speaking opportunities throughout the United States, I have been honored to carry the spirit and character of the ministry of Headwaters Covenant Church to others.

I am not sure these ministries, and our collective ministry together as pastors and advocates for a variety of mental health issues in Montana, are where any of us (pictured together above) would have seen ourselves ten years ago. But faithfully, God has taken the good and the bad and everything in between and called us to be in this work together.

Reprinted from ACEs Connection. [Click Here] to see the article in it’s original context.

PacNWC Pastor Shares About His Experience Writing Cloud Devotion: Through the Year with The Cloud of Unknowing

Posted on by

By Pastor David Robinson, Lead Pastor, Cannon Beach Community Church

If you are kind of person who does not make New Year’s resolutions, welcome to most of humanity. 80% of people who do make them break them by February. Try something different in 2020. Why not surprise yourself this January by slowly reading a six hundred year old classic of Christian spirituality? You can do this by picking up the newly published translation/paraphrase of The Cloud of Unknowing, in a daily devotional titled, Cloud Devotion: Through the Year with The Cloud of Unknowing, released on January 7, 2020 by Paraclete Press. This is my seventh book in publication. Cloud Devotion, a book of 366 short, daily devotional readings with daily reflection questions, draws upon an anonymous spiritual classic, The Cloud of Unknowing, written in the 14th century. Over the past five years, I’ve worked on translating and paraphrasing the original Middle English text of The Cloud of Unknowing, phrase-by-phrase, sentence-by-sentence, into language familiar to readers in the 21st century, while remaining true to the linguistic voice of this classic Middle English book.

Cloud Devotion is for people who are seeking an ancient pattern of spirituality that transcends popular self-help books or mainstream devotional books. Every phrase and every chapter of The Cloud of Unknowing is included in Cloud Devotion. The chapters in Cloud Devotion are short and personal, inviting readers to leave behind empty ways of spiritual living and press forward into ancient but new ways of prayer, encouraging you to love God and love others more fully. I invite you to walk closer with God as you read this book. My hope is that you will hear Christ’s personal invitation to come closer to God within the Cloud of Unknowing. As the writer of the Book of Hebrews proclaims, “We are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1). Along with the great cloud of witnesses across the centuries who have encountered God through The Cloud of Unknowing, may you also enter more fully into the brightness and glory of God’s presence.

As a full-time Lead Pastor of a Covenant Church, I take time weekly, on Mondays to study, pray, and write. I mark Mondays on my weekly calendar with the letter “S”, reminding me to practice the spiritual discipline of study as a pastor at least one day a week. Monday is not a Sabbath day, but a working day, where I engage in the work of prayer, study and writing. It takes me three to five years of Mondays to write a book. Over the past twenty years, I’ve written seven books that have been published by traditional publishers. The books I write are all non-fiction, based upon classic works of Christian spirituality from the Middle Ages. Five of the books I’ve written are based upon principles and practices from The Rule of St. Benedict (early 6th century), including The Sacred Art of Marriage: 52 Creative Ways to Grow Your Married Life (Cascade, 2016); Ancient Paths: Discover Christian Formation the Benedictine Way (Paraclete, 2010); The Busy Family’s Guide to Spirituality: Practical Lessons for Modern Living from the Monastic Tradition (Crossroad, 2009); The Christian Family Toolbox: 52 Benedictine Activities for the Home (Crossroad, 2001); and The Family Cloister: Benedictine Wisdom for the Home (Crossroad, 2000, winner of national book award for “Best Family Life Book” from The National Catholic Press Association in 2001). I’ve written one book based upon Gregory the Great’s Pastoral Rule (from the late 6th century), a book titled Soul Mentoring: Discover the Ancient Art of Caring for Others (Cascade, 2015). My most recent publication coming out in January 2020, Cloud Devotion,is based upon a classic of spirituality from the 14th century, The Cloud of Unknowing, written by an anonymous author.

When I write, I like to think of the spiritual life as water flowing in a mountain stream. Every summer over the past two decades, I’ve gone hiking with my wife for a week or more in the mountains. In the summer of 2018, we hiked for a week and a half, 100 miles around Mont Blanc, the tallest mountain in Europe. Over a ten-day period, while hiking along alpine mountain trails, we came upon beautiful mountain streams, full of cold, clear water flowing down from the heights along water paths. We also came upon dry stream beds where water once flowed but had dried up. My attention went up the mountain to the source of water. Without a connection to clouds, glaciers, mountain springs, or snowfield melt, a mountain stream dries up. A spiritual life in Christ that is healthy and full experiences an unceasing flow of pure, refreshing water that brings life and renewal in and out of seasons. When our spiritual life is unhealthy or empty, our life becomes like a dry stream bed devoid of water where very little grows. Dryness in the spiritual life is one of the most common challenges I’ve heard from people in my 36 years in active pastoral ministry. Cloud Devotion seeks to address this challenge by leading you step by step, day by day, through a full year of days, into the heights of Christ’s life-giving presence, to the source of living water where life may once again be filled and renewed. Cloud Devotion is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or through my author website, http://waterpaths.org/. Happy New Year and may Christ renew your life through daily devotional practices that bring refreshment to your thirsty soul.

This is Where We Are Supposed to Be

Posted on by

By Bill Nylund, Lead Pastor, Milwaukie Covenant Church

This past July, a group from Milwaukie Covenant traveled to Tijuana for a multi-generational mission trip.  Our goal was to construct a small house for a family whose present living structure was literally falling apart.  Upon arriving at the construction site we found a pile of lumber sitting on a simple slab foundation.  It was exciting to see this stack of wood transform into a functional living structure in under a week.  However, the most meaningful part was when we handed the parents the keys to their new home.  Although there was a language barrier between us, the deep appreciation and satisfaction shared between us was unmistakable.

We have shared in this type of experience numerous times since 2006 when we made Building and Disaster Relief trips a part of our mission outreach.  It all began when a girl who grew up in our church shared about her efforts in helping in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina.  Eight months following her presentation, we found ourselves involved in Relief work.  Since then we have been blessed to work in multiple settings around the U.S. and Mexico.  In the years that we have shared in Disaster Relief and Building Mission Trips, I have seen young kids and senior citizens, skilled trades people, white and blue-collar individuals, and people who knew very little about swinging a hammer come together to be used of God to help a person/family in need.

Text Box:

Prior to 2006 we had only heard about people helping, but now we can look back at the many projects that we have participated in.  Although a specific trip might include five to eighteen workers, each project has been a complete team effort.  Through fund raising, scheduling, and prayer this has been our Church’s ministry.  It has been a blessing lending assistance in each case.  I remember one building contractor who came on his first Disaster Relief trip in Houston saying, “This is where we are suppose to be”.  Since then he has participated in several.

I would highly encourage everyone to consider expanding both you and your church’s involvement to include some type of Mission/Disaster Relief Trip. We are presently planning another Building Trip this summer, however there have been several times that an opportunity arises following some natural disaster.  It is in these cases that “readiness” is of significant benefit.  We have been able to mobilize a group within a few weeks.  Taking the first step of inquiry can seem like a daunting task.  We have used Dale Lusk with Merge Ministies (dale.lusk@covchurch.org) a Covenant group based in Texas to help us arrange a few trips.  If I can be of assistance, contact me at pastorbill@milwaukiecovenant.org.

Thirteen years ago we heard about the relief efforts underway in New Orleans.  I am thankful that we took action and ventured into assisting in such a ministry, it has been a blessing.

[Click Here] to visit the PacNWC Disaster Relief web page for more info on how to connect with opportunities around the world.

You are the Aroma of Christ

Posted on by

By Greg Yee, Superintendent, PacNWC

You rarely have time for everything you want in this life, so you need to make choices. And hopefully your choices can come from a deep sense of who you are.

Mister Rogers

There is nothing more beautiful than a life well lived; one marked by refinement and purposefulness.  You’ve met these people.  I hope you’re one yourself.  They have the aroma of life that penetrates the thickest of stale, sickly air. They embody the kingdom.  Like deep breaths of our fresh crisp Northwest air, these people fill our soul’s lungs with calm.  Dimmers brighten.  Lights come on.  Darkness is chased away. 

Saturday, November 23rd, Newport Covenant Church hosted a celebration of life and worship service for their dear Pastor David Beck after an almost two year battle with pancreatic cancer.  Keep praying for Susan and the family and for the church.  David was one of these aromatic people.  He embodied the beautiful life well lived marked by refinement and purposefulness.  In one of my last extended times with him, he earnestly shared how much he wanted to be back at Newport.  Even when he was weak and tired, he wanted to give God glory and continue to serve him.  At his memorial, there were so many stories about David’s love for God, for the church, and for people.  He knew who he was.  A sweet aroma of life and hope remains. 

Scientists tell us that our sense of smell is closely linked with memory, probably more so than any of our other senses. We are able to think of smells that evoke particular memories. Fresh buttered popcorn will always remind me of my childhood walking around Sears.  The smells of Chinatowns always take me back to an entire childhood of family and church very distinct from  my suburban-raised kids.  The smell of old classic Mennen Speed Stick will always evoke tender memories of my dad.

curiosity.com explains, “Scents bypass the thalamus and go straight to the brain’s  smell center, known as the olfactory bulb. The olfactory bulb is directly connected to the amygdala and hippocampus, which might explain why the smell of something can so immediately trigger a detailed memory or even intense emotion.”  What memories are connected to specific aromas for you?

But more importantly, how do you smell?  What memories do people have of you?  Your church? 

I smell you, fellow Jesus followers.  As burning incense in Yahweh’s tabernacle/temple wafted upward as fragrant worship, may your life’s aroma spread to all around you this Advent season.  God with us.  He dwell in us.  And he calls us to be salt, light, and yes, perfume – expensive perfume that anoints our Savior’s feet; expensive perfume that penetrates the thickest of stale, sickly air. 

Smell up your family.  Leave your sent everywhere.  Boldly live the redemptive life of Christ in your communities and in your towns.  Our smell is not merely Febreeze.  The work of Christ is complete.  He removes the smell of death and brokenness.  This is what and who we are.   

You are the aroma of Christ.  Your church is the aroma of life in your neighborhood.  I pray that all you do, all your choices, comes “from a deep sense of who you are.” 

For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.

2 Corinthians 2:15-17 (NIV)

Hope in the Middle – Thunder 2019 Reflection

Posted on by
Matt Knapp is the Associate Pastor of Youth Ministries at Harbor Covenant Church

By Matt Knapp and Kara Harris, Co-Youth Commission Coordinators, Thunder 2019 Planning Team

From Matt:

The middle school ministry in the Pacific Northwest is alive and well! For two weekends in October we got a chance to meet around 400 students and leaders from various churches in our conference at Thunder, our fall retreat for Middle School students, at Cascades Camp in Yelm, WA.

One of the goals of the retreats was to provide a place for students to explore a faith in Jesus in an environment that encouraged them in their identity and challenged them allow God to transform areas of their life that seemed scary.

We used a theme called “Dragon Riders” which focused on the idea that, like dragons, there are parts of life that can seem scary, inapproachable, overwhelming, and offer no hope of a good outcome. And like fantasy stories that narrate a hero being able to find hope in something or someone outside of herself or himself – Christ at work in us is our hope.

We focused on the difference between Christian hope and wishful thinking and explored what it would look like if we allowed Christ to influence areas of our life like  our character and community.

Our two speakers, Cameron Wells, and Kris Causton teed up the theme beautifully. Then our own youth leaders from our churches hit a home run in follow up conversations and interactions. We heard many reports of awesome cabin discussions and youth group times, where leaders were able to help encourage and challenge students in their identity and their faith – many allowing Christ’s hope to impact them for the first time.

I know that Middle School ministry can seem like a big scary dragon to most people, but hear the good news and the hope that God is at work in the hearts and minds of middle schoolers! It was an honor to serve alongside gifted and humble leaders with the same vision for our students. It was encouraging to hear stories from students where hope wasn’t some nebulous idea, but a concrete reality.

A huge shout out to the support families, churches, Cascades Camp, and the conference leadership gave to make these two incredible weekends transformational for so many students.

Kara Harris is the Director of Student Ministries at Faith Covenant Church

From Kara:

Thunder 2019 was two years in the making. The past few years, the PacNW middle school retreat had been growing to the point that it was busting at the seams. Many decisions were made as to how to best feed people, process people, all while making sure our youth workers walked away with a feeling of success, and our students experienced God in new and profound ways. In 2017 we began the discussion as to how we might separate into two Thunder retreats to better serve our community.  

Questions as to cost, feasibility, and logistics, including whether or not we could find a band and speaker who would be willing to serve both weekends, were asked and pondered. Some questions answered themselves, such as we would need two speakers. Others were answered in the positive when Brendan Smith from Harbor Covenant stepped up to lead a band of talented students for both weekends, adding an element of continuity. Meals were more manageable with the group split between weekends. More students were able to participate in their preferred weekends by adding a retreat. Overall, youth workers felt the small groups led to a more relaxed and meaningful time with their students.

There are more questions still to be and answered. The added Thunder weekend comes with other considerations. Because camp offers us an extraordinary deal to enable more students to attend, it means they lose a weekend of normal earning potential. Our numbers were smaller this year than in the last few years, and this is another consideration. Next week, with all this in mind, the Youth Commission will be meeting to determine the direction we will take for next year. 

Thunder 2019 Program Team

Journey 2 Mosaic Reflection

Posted on by

By Danielle Riggs
Because of recent experiences in my church community, I have been hungry to learn more about how I interact with different races, J2M has helped to open my eyes and is helping to fulfill this need for me!! 

Included in these four intense days of travel were scholarly data-filled presentations, intimate time to process with each other, videos, and personal stories passed on to us by those we encountered on the journey. 
 
I learned the ugly history of expelled Chinese people in Tacoma.

I learned of WWII internment camps for Japanese Americans and their courage as army soldiers during the war. 

In the name of God and Manifest Destiny, and with the false use of scripture to rationalize greed, fear, and evil behavior, I was reminded of broken treaties, murder, and betrayal that resulted in the genocide and disintegration of cultures of native peoples in this land.
I learned of the murder and rape of people on reservations that because of jurisdiction issues among the different law enforcement organizations, are never investigated!  

I learned that this country would not be what it is today without the economic windfall built on the backs of slave labor.

I learned about current US laws that result in housing inequity, disenfranchised inner cities and of laws that extend the subjugation of people that we brought to this country as slaves.
I learned of the disproportionate imprisonment of any race in this country that is not white.

I learned of Latinos striving to find a home where they will not be starved or tortured. In their determination to survive, many expose themselves to rape, murder, human traffickers and travel north on a train called “the beast”. Those who travel through the Sonoran desert risk dehydration, rattlesnakes, exposure, and death.

I learned of alarming present day stories of black people driving across my own state: Of a female professional, driving alone, tailed by a police car for 7 miles until she arrived at her conference center. Of the professional and his wife who were stared down by a crowd of white people as they drove into a small downtown and of their wise decision not to get out of the car and head home as soon as their meetings were over.

These stories are not isolated, they are numerous, and they are happening today! The racism is common, and the powerful, oppressive laws are many, leaving a playing field that is rocky and treacherous.

I have learned that I must teach my children, my grandchildren, and anyone I can, of the privilege that they do not understand and the inequity that they do not see!

With the help of this new, diverse community of brothers and sisters and above all, with the help of Jesus who is the very word of God, my creator and master of my life, I know that I must, and hope that I will, courageously stand for justice.

I am grateful that I do not do this alone and I thank Whitworth for giving me this opportunity!