By Jelani Greenidge, Missional Storyteller, Covenant Companion

The following was written the morning of Thursday, July 21^st, the fourth day of our five-day west coast regional youth conference.

Hey everybody! I bring you greetings from UNITE West, typing from the cafeteria of Biola University in La Mirada, California.

Translated into English, the phrase “la mirada” means “the look,” which is appropriate because there is a distinct look to the participants here, one that transcends gender, ethnicity, age, or fashion choices. The students are mostly bright-eyed, energetic, and most of all, earnest. Even the ones trying to project an image of detached cool can’t sustain it for very long. Bravado gives way to laughing and joking. Crossed arms eventually open up for handshakes, and hugs, and some even eventually are lifted up in worship.

The leaders have a look, too, which if I had to sum it in one word, would be tired. After all, it’s Thursday and we’ve been up to all this madness since Monday. But it’s not a weary, cynical tired. It’s the best kind of tiredness, where you are constantly pouring yourself out, yet also being refreshed as you marvel at what God is doing. It’s like what Paul said in Philippians 2:17: “Even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.”

There was also a distinct look and feel to the worship music, which has been passionate, energetic, and LOUD. Tanya “TT” DeCuir and her multiethnic worship team have been playing and singing various worship hits from groups like Maverick City, Israel & New Breed, and Hillsong Young & Free. One of the big differences between now and when I was a high school student in the 90s is that social media and internet distribution has made it so that students can more easily be familiar with the most popular worship songs. Gone are the days of CHIC2K3, when we had to record an album of original music and distribute the CDs ahead of time so the students would all know the music. These young folks know the music.

And they’re not afraid to show it! During every session, hundreds of teens have been fired up, surging toward the front of the room at the beginning of every song, singing, waving, swaying, and jumping along with reckless abandon. The lights dazzle the room, the bass vibrates your chest, and the sound of hundreds of students singing in unison just hangs in the air. It’s a wonder to behold.

This morning before breakfast, a throng of over a hundred runners did a 5K-style “fun run” as a benefit for FREE, the anti-trafficking initiative of the ECC’s Love Mercy, Do Justice (LMDJ) mission priority. And there are volunteers positioned at various locations along the running path, ready to encourage and cheer these runners on. Honestly, it’s a striking metaphor for what we do as youth leaders. Even as we keep running our own race, we help, encourage, sometimes cajole, sometimes assist, and sometimes even correct these young folks, knowing that each of them exists in different stages of running their own race. We’re here to help them, but in truth, these high school students are the stars of the show. It’s our job to help them to see themselves as we see them – or better yet, as God sees them.

UNITE West is a collaboration between the three regional conferences (Alaska, PacNWC, and PSWC) and Christ In Youth (CIY), which specializes in creating life-changing programming for youth events, which they call MOVE conferences. The theme for this week’s MOVE conference is “BROADCAST,” leveraging our society’s predilection towards digital mass media. And each presentation has been focused on a different parable of Jesus, digging deep into the various layers of each story to reveal God’s heart for each person. Last night was especially moving for the students. During the session presenter Steve Carter brought onstage several volunteers from the crowd to act out the parable of the two lost sons and the Father who continues to lavish love and acceptance onto them.

As youth leaders, we continue to press onward, going deeper in spiritual depth, and battling various logistical and behavioral challenges along the way. We trust that God has gone before us to prepare the way, God is moving even now, and God will continue to sustain the work we endeavor to do.

And even though there hasn’t been a survey or any kind of official ranking on the matter, we believe in the axiom continually affirmed by UNITE West co-host Rici Skei, an axiom expressed through dope beats and stuntin’ dance moves. The west coast is indeed the best coast.

via GIPHY

By Dawn Taloyo, Associate Superintendent, PacNWC

In early June, Harbor Covenant Church in Gig Harbor, WA hosted a Church Chair Training.  This workshop has been under development for a couple of years and is the brainchild of Will Davidson, chair of the Pacific Southwest Conference (PSW) Executive Board. He has served multiple terms as the chair of his home church in Walnut Creek, CA as well as on the denominational Executive Board. He, along with management and church consultant Alan Forsman, Pastor Michael White from Harbor Covenant, and Mike Hagen, previous chair at Harbor Covenant, designed a full-day, intensive workshop to provide resourcing and connection among church leaders.  Topics covered included:

• Meeting Planning & Facilitation
• Team Building
• Lead Pastor Relationship
• Managing Conflict
• Managing Pastoral Transition
• Understanding Financial Statements & Budgets
• Church Insurance & Risk Management
• Constitution & By-Laws
• Digital Communication Strategies

The PacNWC partnered with the PSW to underwrite two Church Chair Trainings in 2022 – one in Pasadena, CA, and this one in Gig Harbor – at no cost to participants. In June, we had 23 leaders representing 8 of our PacNWC churches attend this new initiative and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. One participant commented, “I had no idea there were so many resources available to us. This was eye-opening and needed.” Another said, “The conference was wonderful, the presenters were thoughtful and concise, and the topics that were covered were extremely useful.”

A particular benefit of this training is the introduction to the myriad of resources available to churches through the ECC.  Knowing that not all lay leaders have a history in the Covenant, it provides a big picture overview of how the ECC is structured (Mission Priorities) as well as the ancillary entities, such as National Covenant Properties and Covenant Trust Company.  Also, participants learned that churches can obtain a review of their insurance plans along with their risk management/prevention procedures from Brad Hedberg of Portico Group, LLC for free. We highly recommend churches take advantage of that opportunity.

The facilitation team is looking forward to bringing this workshop to other ECC Conferences in the near future and we will be sure to communicate the next PacNWC offering to church leaders.

By Grant E. Christensen

I have had the privilege of serving the congregation of Grace Covenant Church of Bremerton—for over 26 years.  After several years of pastoring the congregation, I commiserated with colleagues that I did not know very many people in our community outside the church. Serving a small church can be all-consuming, yet I have enjoyed my work very much! In 2011, I began a sermon series on Communion Sundays entitled “Prayer and Evangelism,” focusing on the vital role of prayer in reaching lost people. While conversing about the series with a friend and colleague, Rev. Doug Olson, pastor of Hope Covenant Church in Tacoma, he mentioned, “You need to look at the verses in 2 Corinthians 10 about spheres.” So, after finishing our call, I looked up the passage:

For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.  {13} But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you.  {14} For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for we were the first to come even as far as you in the gospel of Christ;  {15} not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows, we will be, within our sphere, enlarged even more by you, {16} so as to preach the gospel even to the regions beyond you, and not to boast in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another.  {17} But HE WHO BOASTS IS TO BOAST IN THE LORD.[1]                         

2 Corinthians 10:12-17

Considering the context, Paul was writing to the Corinthian church against the so-called super-apostles who had brought in a false gospel. Paul recognized that to every person sent out to proclaim the gospel of Christ God had apportioned a measure of influence. But, unfortunately, the super-apostles had been invading Paul’s ministry with the Corinthians. He had planted the church, but now the Corinthians were being wooed away by a false message.  Paul’s argument spans several chapters—from ten through thirteen—in which he defends his authority as an apostle and the integrity of the gospel he preached and taught.

These verses, and Rev. Doug Olson’s recommendation of them, invited me to begin thinking about the sphere of my influence here within the city and county in which I live. Then one day, while standing in a line at my bank, the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to see that I do know many people outside the church. My wife and I had been banking at the same two branches for fifteen years. As I stood waiting, I realized I had never taken the time to learn the tellers’ and bankers’ names—much to my shame. Before, I would grumble to myself at having to wait in such a long line. Now, the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to see that the time spent waiting was an opportunity to pray for those who would soon be serving me. When I finally approached the counter, I quipped to the teller, “I am embarrassed to admit that I have been banking here for many years, but I have never learned your name. Will you forgive me?”  The teller told me her name—which was conspicuously printed on her name tag! Thankfully, she laughed good-heartedly!

Later, I contemplated what this realization meant for all the other spheres I have in the community. For example, while knowing a few of my neighbors’ names, I had not learned all of my neighbors’ names—excusing myself because of the highly transient nature of living in a Navy town. So I made a list of the various spheres in which I live. Instead of generally listing them as “grocers,” I listed them specifically, such as Fred Meyer, Safeway, Costco, and Walmart. Along with grocers, I added the accounting office where I get my taxes done, the barbershop where I get my hair cut, the various doctors’  offices where I have my appointments. To these, I added neighbors, restaurants, hardware stores, department stores, and the nursing homes I visited. I have concluded that I do indeed know a great many unchurched people!

 I made up a document to keep all these places and names straight (see at the end of the document). First, I printed the paper double-sided, which gave me a total of twelve spheres. Then, on the top line in each sphere, I wrote the establishment’s name and added the names of people as I introduced myself to them. Finally, I kept the list folded in my wallet for ready access. For example, before entering my bank, I would pull out the list and review the names for whom to pray while standing in line. Afterward, I would add any new names I had learned while in the bank. Also, I began greeting the tellers and bankers by name.

Over several months, I ran out of room on the sheet I had made, so I purchased a small, pocket-sized notebook, devoting each page to a different sphere. Since then, I have moved to using the Microsoft OneNote app on my smartphone to keep track of names.

 For my health, I have begun walking several times a week: either in the neighborhood, at a local park, or the Kitsap Mall when it is raining. I call it “Walking Evangelism.” My goal is to get to know more people in my neighborhood and the community of walkers at the park. When walking at the mall, the Holy Spirit has led me to pray for the various people I have met and pray for the businesses’ prosperity.

There is no “right way” to do this!  For instance, I pray for all the people in the bank branch I am visiting. Or, if I am standing in line at Walmart, I pray for the teller. However, my friend and colleague, Rev. Doug Olson, does this differently. First, he waits for the Lord to place one person from that sphere on his heart, and then he focuses his prayers on that person. What is essential is to continue to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading.

What would happen if all of us began praying for the people we encounter in our day? One teller at a bank branch might have four or five people praying for him! Praying for people in this way is not reaping the harvest; it is preparing the soil of their lives to receive the word sown. Rather than making this a burdensome program, weave this prayer strategy into your daily life. The lists I keep are only to help me remember people’s names. When I frequent one of the spheres in my life, I pray.

Within a few years of beginning ministry here at Grace, five or six families began attending our church from a mobile home park in Silverdale.  Sometime later, I discovered that a group of older women at a church near that mobile home park had dedicated themselves to praying for the people in this park. They had been praying for many years. As a result, our church reaped the blessing of their prayers in welcoming to our congregation several

new families, most of whom had been unchurched. We were deeply grateful for those women’s perseverance in prayer—even though they would not see the fruit of their prayers.

Similarly, we may never see the fruit of our prayers for the individuals in our spheres. Some prepare the soil through their prayers, while others then plant the seed of God’s word, while others reap the harvest in the proper season. Preparing the ground of a person’s life is a vital effort! Without this essential preparation, the seed of God’s word falls on untilled soil—hard and rocky, shallow, or full of thistles.

Many people with whom I have talked expressed reservations about sharing the gospel with other people. But all of us can pray! As we get to know the people in our many spheres, including their names, and then pray for them, God will open opportunities for conversation!

© 2021 by Grant Christensen. “Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8b NIV) You are free to share—copy and redistribute in any medium or format—as long as you don’t change the content and don’t use commercially without permission of the author or author’s family.

Download the Prayer Spheres PDF Here

[1] The New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995).

This is part six of an ongoing series on prayer and evangelism prompted by a meeting with the Grace Cov, Bremerton leadership team and Pastor Grant Christensen.  It was a very ordinary monthly meeting with ministry reports, budgets, and decisions made.  What I was not expecting was their monthly rhythm of individually checking in with each other about their evangelism “temperature,” a practice learned at the evangelism cohort.  It was refreshing to watch how they are choosing to keep sharing Christ front and center as a leadership.   As often stated, “you cannot lead where you have not gone yourself.”  After they shared, Pastor Grant then walked through evangelism related Bible studies that he created. I asked Grant if he would share his material and he graciously said that his only requirement is that it would never be sold.  So much for the conference fundraiser!  I include it below to encourage and to stir.  May we walk as those full of the Holy Spirit as we share Christ today.  Click here to see the other articles in this series.

Greg Yee

Enjoy this 10-minute interview with Mark Knight, Praise Covenant Church Lead Pastor in Tacoma, WA. Mark shares about a research paper he wrote chronicling the rise and decline of Covenant ministry in Idaho and Montana 100 years ago. He shares insights as to what led to this turn of events and lessons we can learn from them today. Mark also briefly shares about his new book, “Non-Anxious Churches: Finding the Way of Jesus for Pastors and Churches Today. Look below for links to Mark’s paper, his book, and contact info.

Non-Anxious Churches: Finding the Way of Jesus for Pastors and Churches Today

Email Mark at pastormark@praisecovenant.net

Visit the Praise Covenant Church Web Page

By Paul Collard, Executive Pastor, Columbia Grove Covenant Church

It all started during a Men’s Connection Group Bible Study when Pastor Andrew Thompson of Columbia Grove Covenant Church in East Wenatchee, WA. came to our Bible Study and asked what we thought about “putting white rocks on our hillside which said Love Like Jesus” and to catch his vision of what the hillside area could look like.     As it was just a weedy almost ugly mess, not very attractive as people looked up to our church on a hill, where thousands of cars drive by daily.

I was in that Bible Study and let my mind wander….What if there was a 2 x 6 wooden form on edge for each letter, filled the forms with good topsoil, and then planted privets for a hedge?   Hmmm….

Just a few obstacles were in the way…..how to fund a $4,000 project which wasn’t in our annual budget.  We also needed a bulldozer to push up the dirt that had sluffed off over the years into our stormwater retention area.   Manpower and womanpower for lots of labor would also be needed.

One of our members had a bulldozer and mini-excavator, so in about 6 hours on a Saturday, the dirt was pushed up the hillside.      The next Sunday during the announcements from the stage, I told the congregation of my thoughts on what we could do and showed a photo of what the letters would look like after a few years of growth.   Within one week we had raised $3200 and the next Sunday another $900 came in for this project.    

The letters are made from 2X6’s on edge and are 16’ tall and the entire project is 163’ wide.    One of our members helped do the layout of the letters, several dozen men helped to assemble the 2X6s and carry them down the hillside.    We then had a local business come and place the new dirt with a conveyor system into the letter frames.     

We then needed to run new irrigation main lines to the area, connect to our irrigation timer, and also a drip irrigation system inside the letters to keep the “privets” moist, as we get very hot summers and they get the “west” exposure during the heat of the day. We planted over 600 privets, and when they were planted were about the size of a pencil, they were planted 12” apart.

The first few years the “LLJ Project” needed lots of TLC and care, making sure irrigation lines were working and lots of weeding.   Now that the project is 5 years old, the main maintenance is trimming the privets about 3 times during the summer to keep them looking good.

Thousands of cars drive by on Sunset highway every day, we have signage along the road “points” to see the Love Like Jesus. We are happily referred to as the “Love Like Jesus” church, or for those who don’t know where our church is located, we just say “you know the church that has Love like Jesus on Sunset Highway”.    

It was a fun experience to get this project going and completed. While people were weeding the letters, it was fun to hear all the cars honking showing their love for Jesus and our project.

One afternoon, we received a phone call from some people traveling on Sunset Highway on their way to our airport en route to be with an ailing parent.  They said how they needed to see Love Like Jesus at that very moment and thanked us for showing our love for Jesus.

Hope you enjoyed learning more about our hillside retention project! If you’d like to learn more, please reach out to Paul Collard, Executive Pastor at Columbia Grove Covenant Church, East Wenatchee, WA paul@columbiagrove.org or visit the Columbia Grove Covenant Church Web Page.

Newport Covenant and two Jewish Congregations Collaborate for a Staged Reading of the new musical A TIME TO LIVE inspired by the Book of Ruth – June 4 & 5, 2022.

Hope conquers grief and love defeats prejudice within intercultural relationships in this retelling of the beloved, ancient story.

When two women from Newport Covenant Church started collaborating more than 10 years ago on a musical, they did not know their show would also strike such a strong chord with Rabbi James (Jim) Mirel. The Rabbi attended the last of six performances in 2017 of A TIME TO LIVE and loved the show which intermingles the basics of the Book of Ruth with a good dose of ‘godly imagination.’ Newport’s long history of theatrical productions with the Creative Arts team was the perfect environment for Katheen (Kathee) Lyndon (book) and Brenda Giordano (music & lyrics) to produce a new musical which was well received by more than 900 who attended. The women have great passion for the story of Ruth, seeing many contemporary issues in this 3000-year-old story. “Christians and Jews are not always well versed in Scripture. I hope this show will cause them to return to the Bible and read the original.” states Kathee Lyndon who had memorized the book years before under the tutelage of Covenanter Keith Ferrin, well known for his memorization of Scripture.  

Seeing their work on stage was gratifying, but there was more work to be done. Recognizing their need for professional input, the two writers enlisted the help of Cate Cammarata of New York’s CreateTheater who served as dramaturg in the refinement of the musical. With their revised work ready, Kathee and Brenda felt strongly that in addition to a Christian audience, the show needed to be seen by a Jewish audience, something one of their Jewish cast members, entertainer and musician Brian Morris, had been telling them for years. Brenda reached out to Rabbi Jim, and he replied instantly that he wanted to help, and help he did, first by encouraging his wife, Julia Mirel to audition (she plays the part of Boaz’s sister) and second by helping to find a Jewish congregation where the staged reading could be performed.

After founding Temple B’nai Torah, near Crossroads in Bellevue, Rabbi Jim now leads a congregation in Des Moines, Bet Chaverim.  Both congregations are sponsors of the show along with Newport Covenant Church, 12800 Coal Creek Parkway SE, Bellevue, WA 98006 where the first staged reading will take place on Saturday, June 4, 2022, at 7 pm. This will be Livestreamed through Facebook with recording available later. Temple B’nai Torah, 15727 NE 4^th St, Bellevue, WA 98008, will host the second staged reading on Sunday, June 5, 2022, at 2:00 pm with a reception following.

This first weekend in June 2022 is Pentecost, significant for Jews and Christians. Called “Shavuot” (Feast of Weeks) by Jews, this holy day celebrates the giving of the Law to Moses as well as the wheat harvest festival and includes the reading of the Book of Ruth, perfect for A TIME TO LIVE.  The staged reading will not have sets, props, costumes, or lights, but plenty of music and drama.  The 15 very talented cast members are made up of Christians, Jews, and theater lovers. First Covenant Church is represented by the talented Tom LaPaze, playing Elimelech. The cast is accompanied by Aki Fujino on piano and music stands are used since the cast is ‘on book’. The audience is encouraged to participate by providing written responses with their impressions of the show. This is a free event with donations welcomed.

For more information and to register, see this announcement in Broadway World

You are also welcome to contact Brenda at 206.409.8726 or go to brendagiordano.com

June 4 – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-staged-reading-of-the-musical-a-time-to-live-tickets-298753428547?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

June 5 – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-staged-reading-of-the-musical-a-time-to-live-tickets-298772595877

132^nd Annual Meeting

April 30^th, 2022 – Harbor Covenant Church and Online

Visit the 2022 Annual Meeting Resources Page for related to the annual meeting including video recordings, interactive agenda, interactive annual report in English and Spanish, Superintendent’s Report slides, candidates for ordination video introductions, ECC’s Above All Else Annual Video, and virtual Ministry Fair.

Highlights from the Ministerial Association Meeting

Our Ministerial Association met in the morning of April 29 to cover business in supporting our pastors, staff and their families.  Five candidates for ordination and 50 licenses were approved for recommendation at the ECC Annual Meeting in June.

Highlights from the Annual Business Meeting

The 132nd Annual Meeting was attended by 125 delegates and general conferees for our first-ever hybrid meeting. Harbor Covenant Church showed incredible hospitality to those in person. Online delegates participated through Zoom.

Encounter Church, Bellevue, WA was recommended for ECC Membership.

Sunset Covenant Church, Portland, OR concluded its ministry and was removed from the roster of member churches. 

Superintendent Greg Yee shared his excitement for our current season of opportunities and fruitfulness as he highlighted our three mission priorities: Start Churches, Strengthen Churches, and Support Pastors.

• Greg invited Becca Worl, Vice-Chair, PacNWC Executive Board; PacNWC rep for the ECC Presidential Nomination Committee, to share about her encouraging experience with the thorough process. 
• Greg spoke about both the challenges and excitement experienced by churches throughout the conference, including the current challenge to accurately track attendance. We celebrated that 23% of our credentialed ministers are women and 12% are BIPOC. We have 30% of churches that are multiethnic/speak other languages. We had many generous donors over the past year.
• Local church giving was down by 3.57% overall, but because of proceeds from the closing of Sunset Covenant, we ended up 3.20% for the year.  We were reminded of our commitment to give 6½% to the denomination and 3½% to the conference.  If not there, please consider increasing your giving by 1/2% this year. 
• Under Start Churches, Greg highlighted the two planters that passed the Covenant assessment center.  One is in Seattle and the other in Tacoma.  Greg also reported the exciting results of our $30K gift to the Southeast Conference for church planting.  They are signing a new planter in Savannah, Georgia, and are working on leads in North Carolina and Florida.  Grace Bremerton concluded its ministry this past Easter and has voted to give themselves over to Harbor Covenant for a new Harbor multi-site campus.  Greg interviewed Pastor Leslie McCauley from Immanuel Spokane to share their journey of birthing The Garden Covenant Church, one of our newest plants.  It was a powerful story of intentionality, faith, and God’s incredible provision.  Greg also shared a desire to raise $100K this year toward church plants as a response to the fruitfulness in church planting that God has been showing us this year.
• Under Strengthen Churches Greg highlighted our resourcing through financial leadership, Church Chair exChange, grants, communication channels, and the new vitality church assessment tool Periodic Health Check (pH√).  Several things are returning including our young adult retreat Emerge (May), Unite West (July), and Journey to Mosaic (November).
• Under Supporting Pastors Greg highlighted the time of shifting from our long-standing, faithful generation of senior pastors to new, younger leaders coming into place.  We recognized the recent retirements of Sharon Anderson (Pine Lake), Mark Meredith (Pine Lake), Russ Blake (Crossroads Community), Paul Petersen (Bellingham), Keith Carpenter (Kent), Deena Jones (Arlington United), Mac Taylor (Monroe), Kent & Rhonda Egging (Bethany & Covenant Missionaries Sweden/Russia), Steve Bilynskyj (Valley), and Paul Duppenthaler (Countryside).

Brian Whitaker, PacNWC Executive Board Chair, proposed a revised budget for 2022 of $1,120,564 and $936,898 for 2023 which were both unanimously approved.

Elections for new members of the Executive Board, Youth Commission, Children and Family Ministry Commission, and Nominating Commission were held.  All elections were unanimously approved.  For a list of boards and commissions go to pacnwc.org and click on 2022 Annual Meeting.

Rob Mohrweis shared a report from Cascades Camp & Conference Center expressing their gratitude for the tremendous support the camp received during the pandemic that got them through. There remains a financial need and ongoing support in prayer and finances are deeply appreciated.  There is also growing excitement for this year’s camping season.  Rob expressed a need for male counselors and for lifeguards. 

Rob Bryceson, Asher Ernst, and Rodney McCauley extended an invitation to the 133^rd Annual Meeting on April 28^th – 29^th 2023 in Spokane, WA.

Please help connect people in your church to the Pacific Northwest Conference website, our monthly e-newsletter called The Catch, and our social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Join the Pacific Northwest Conference Annual Celebration Livestream on April 29th and 30th!

Friday Night Celebration Service

A Special Time of Prayer and Worship

April 29th @ 7:00 PM

Saturday Morning Annual Meeting

132nd Annual Meeting of the Pacific Northwest Conference

April 30th @ 9:00 AM

Visit the 2022 Annual Meeting Resources Page

• Annual Report
• Delegates Packet
• Agenda with Media Links
• Highlights
• More

By Dawn Taloyo, Associate Superintendent, PacNWC

Coming April 29 at the PacNWC Annual Meeting:
Trauma Healing Care with Abby Wong-Heffter and Wendell Moss

In the fall, West Hills Covenant hosted Wong-Heffter and Moss to help lead their congregation through sessions related to trauma and healing. Read here Pastor Stephanie Mathis’ reflection and endorsement.

HOW DO WE HEAL? 

This past year, we received a grant for Narrative-Based Trauma Healing. We had, like many other churches, gone through difficult times in the pandemic: ongoing violence and hate towards Black and Brown people; death; loss; mental health challenges; divisive politics and conversations; deconstruction; and the list goes on. We began to ask the question, “How do we heal”? And as we began to study healing trauma, we saw throughout the Scriptures a trauma-informed, caring God who in times of suffering and pain doesn’t shame us by asking, “What’s wrong with you?” but rather in compassionate solidarity wonders, “What happened to you?”

Abby Wong-Heffter (Asian) and Wendell Moss (Black), trauma therapists and teachers at the Allender Center at The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, have been integral to our transformative healing and health. We hosted two Healing Trauma events with them, one open to all and one specifically for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) on racial trauma. They have done group therapy for our BIPOC affinity groups. They have given us a framework of understanding what happens to our body and behavior when trauma happens as well as embodied tools and practices for healing and resilience.

Personally, as a pastor, I have seen God’s healing and growth in me as well as the church. People are beginning to understand their triggers better and respond with more reflection rather than reactivity. People who have experienced trauma in churches are coming and finding a place of both hospitality and hospital because of the trauma-informed care training we received from Abby and Wendell.

Abby and Wendell come with a wealth of experience, knowledge, humility, compassion, and wisdom that can be healing, first and foremost, to you as leader-humans, and secondly to your church communities.

Follow this link for more information and to register for the PacNWC 2022 Annual Celebration

By Claudio Carrasco, Pastor, Iglesia Creekside

We started this project two years ago when churches were closed due to the pandemic. We knew (our worship team and I) that we could not just go home and do nothing, so I started to produce the music for Psalm 50, record voices, and plan a video shooting. We recorded in three different locations; The Dunes in Othello, Columbia River mountains, and Everett Shores.

The original video’s release was delayed a couple of times for different reasons. When the war in Ukraine started, I knew that was the right time to release it. We finished the video with English and Ukrainian subtitles.

Psalm 50 is a message of salvation for everyone who cries out to the Lord. These are words of love and security for all those who have made a covenant with JESUS. We pray that many could be blessed by this much-needed message in these times.

Visit the Iglesia Creekside Web Page to learn more about the church and to contact Pastor Claudio.