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The   Christian
Vol. 67, No. 3
                       T
                Courier The
                             Courier
                             C
                            Christian
                         Bellingham FirstCourier
                                          Christian The  Christian Courier
                                                    Church              AprilThe
                                                                              2017C
                                                                                    Sign Up To Read
        Come Celebrate Easter!                                                      Sign up in the fellowship
                                                                                    hall to participate in the
                                                                                    Good Friday reading of
                             Holy Week 2017                                         the New Testament. We
                                                                                    will begin with Matthew
                                                                                    1:1 and attempt to
                                                                                    conclude with Revelation
        Palm Sunday                                                                 22:21. Can we do it? Its
        April 9                                                                     a worthy goal and an
          10:50 a.m.    Gathering Time (singing & announcements)                    inspiring and fun
          11 a.m.       Worship with the Procession of the Palms                    endeavor. Please join in
                                                                                    as a reader or a listener.
        Maundy Thursday
        April 13                                                                    Sign Up To
           5:30 p.m.    Soup Supper & Worship
                                                                                    Bring Flowers
        Good Friday                                                                 Sign up in the fellowship
                                                                                    hall to bring flowers for
        April 14                                                                    Easter worship in honor
           6 a.m.       Reading of the New Testament Begins
                                                                                    or in memory of a loved
           6 p.m.       Good Friday Worship
                                                                                    one.
        Easter Sunday
        April 16                                                                    Help the Bunny
          8:30 a.m.     Early Service (Zuanich Park)                                The Easter Bunny needs
          9:30 a.m.     Breakfast (Church)                                          your assistance with the
         10:30 a.m.     Easter Egg Hunt                                             Easter Egg Hunt. Keeping
         10:50 a.m.     Gathering Time (singing & announcements)                    justice (fair trade only, no
         11 a.m.        Worship                                                     palm oil), allergy (milk &
                                                                                    nuts), and safety (nothing
                                                                                    choke-able) issues in
                                                                                    mind, The Bunny will do
                                                                                    the shopping and prep
   First Christian Church                                           360.734.6820    work. (Please have all
   (Disciples of Christ)                           office@bellinghamdisciples.org
   495 East Bakerview Road                                bellinghamdisciples.org   contributions in the office
   Bellingham, WA 98226                                                             prior to Palm Sunday,
                                                                                    April 9.)
         First Christian Church
             (Disciples of Christ)
                                                                            Shoes News
                                                                            A Home
            495 East Bakerview Road
              Bellingham, WA 98226                         (Two Important Projects for Us to Consider)
                   360.734.6820
         office@bellinghamdisciples.org
          www.bellinghamdisciples.org
 Find us on Facebook        Follow us on Twitter        Most of us have never experienced homelessness, so its difficult for us
                                                        to understand what folks go through when they transition from having
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
                                                        a home to becoming homeless. Just take a moment to think about
A movement for wholeness in a fragmented
world. As part of the one body of Christ, we
                                                        what you would do if you were told that your home would have to be
welcome all to the Lords Table as God                  vacated within a week and there was nowhere else for you to live.
welcomed us.
                                                        For me, first of all, I think the emotional toll alone would be almost too
All of Us                                               devastating to bear. Beyond that, my thoughts would turn immediately
Ministers                                               to Tam and Brett who live under the same roof and the three animals
Rev. Gary Shoemaker                                     that call it their home as well. What would we do, where would we go?
Pastor
gary@bellinghamdisciples.org                            Again, most of us will never have to worry about that, but there are
Rev. Tamalyn Kralman                                    thousands of people just like us who face that reality every day. Like
Director of Ed. & Community Outreach                    most difficult issues, when thinking about the homeless problem, it
Courier Editor                                          just seems too big for us. What can we do to make a difference? Were
tamalyn@bellinghamdisciples.org                         just a small church.
Amelia Nye
Accompanist                                             Well, there might be something we can do as a church to make a
                                                        major impact on the homeless situation in Bellingham. On Sunday,
Katie Ramstead, Aneesa Ahad
Childcare Providers
                                                        March 19th, representatives from the Opportunity Council were here to
                                                        explain and take questions about a low income housing project that
Rev. Sandy Messick
                                                        might be built on our church property. If we donate the land, theres a
Regional Minister
                                                        good chance that dozens of families might have a roof over their
Rev. Sharon Watkins                                     heads. A place to call their own.
General Minister and President
Sunday Schedule                                         Another project (Family Promise) is being sponsored by Interfaith
9:30 a.m.        Sunday School                          Coalition. This project would partner many churches together to
10:50 a.m.       Gathering Time                         temporarily house homeless children and their families. Each host
11 a.m.          Worship                                church would provide space and meals for the families (up to 14
12:15 p.m.       Fellowship Time                        people total) for one week, four times a year (or less). Support
12:30 p.m.       Out-to-Lunch Bunch (4th Sunday)        churches would assist in providing meals (a cold breakfast, a sack
2 p.m.           Someone Cares! Community Meal          lunch and a warm evening meal) for the families we host. Each day
                 (2nd Sunday)                           they would leave the building to spend time at school, or jobs, or at
Office Hours                                            the day center where they take their showers, do their laundry, and
Monday - Friday
                                                        attend training. Brenda Riseland is the best one to answer questions
9 a.m. - noon
Our staff are in and out of the office throughout the
                                                        about this project.
week. Please feel free to stop by during their office
hours or make an appointment that fits your schedule.
                                                        Each of these projects (Permanent Low-income Housing and Family
                                                        Promise) will be voted on at a congregational meeting on March 26th
Officers                                                following worship. Its my hope that the church will be open to these
Renee Hoemann, Moderator                                programs, because each project is a significant way that we can offer
Don Hoffman, Vice Moderator
                                                        hope to folks who are without the security of a home.
Cheryl Perry, Treasurer
Melissa Henderson, Secretary
                                                        If you and I ever become homeless, I hope there will be someone
To unsubscribe or go paperless:                         there for us.
Contact 360.734.6820, 495 East Bakerview
Road, Bellingham, WA 98226, or                          Pastor Gary
office@bellinghamdisciples.org.
2                                                                                                                  April 2017
                                                                                                        Nurses Notes
                           Allergies
                            We usually welcome spring. We look forward to warmer, brighter days when we can truly
                           enjoy being outside without the discomfort of winter's cold and darkness. However, with the
                           changing of the weather trees and plants begin to bloom with their attendant pollens that for
                           many people result in unpleasant, and potentially life-threatening, allergic reactions.
Nurses Notes             Put simply an allergy is an immune response to a foreign antigen that results in inflammation
                          and organ (lungs and sinuses) dysfunction. It is a common health problem but with
                          professional help from a health care provider, appropriate medications, inhalers, treatments,
in addition to knowing what triggers a reaction, living a normal life can be managed.
Asthma is another common respiratory health problem. It is a condition caused by increased sensitivity of the
pulmonary structures to various stimuli which results in episodic narrowing and inflammation. There are many triggers
for an asthmatic response, usually very specific to each individual. As with general allergies, asthma can be managed
toward a healthy life with the assistance of a health care provider who can prescribe the appropriate medications,
treatments, inhalers, etc. Self-knowledge, knowing what can potentially set off a reaction, is important.
Below is an allergy survey. Read it and answer the questions. You may wish to take the information to your health care
provider if you think you have a problem or wish more information.
1. Do you have any of the following problems: hay fever, asthma, hives, food allergy, sinus problems, drug allergy,
    insect allergy, skin rash eczema, other?
2. Does anyone in your family have allergies?
3. Have you been tested for allergies?
4. Do you smoke? How much?
5. Exercise habits: (Are you able to tolerate exercise without undo shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, etc.?)
6. Do you have any of these symptoms: nasal stuffiness, sneezing, itching, sinus breathing, cough, chest tightness,
    wheezing, shortness of breath, diminished sense of smell? Do symptoms occur year around ?
7. Where do symptoms occur: home, office, school, etc.?
8. What makes symptoms worse? (smoke, dust, pets, exercise, etc.)
9. Do you have pets? (Consider dog or cat dander.)
10. List medications you are currently taking (You may have an allergy to them and not realize it.)
11. Can you take aspirin or anti-inflammatory without symptoms?
12. Do your health problems affect your life?
As with all health issues, being aware of your current health status along with exercising due diligence by keeping in
touch with your health care provider can go a long way toward a healthy life and may even save your life.
Meditation: Healing God, cover us with your presence, enfold us in your grace, that we may walk in confidence and
health as we live each day in your love. Amen.
Jane E. Kletka, RN
Health Nurse, FCC
Thank You Received                        Many Thanks Given
               We received a note         Be sure to notice the new warmer, yet brighter lighting throughout our
               from the Bellingham        facility. And be thankful. Your gratitude will continue to grow when the next
              Food Bank, thanking         electric bill arrives.
             us for our donation of       Thanks to Puget Sound Energys Small Business Direct Installation Program,
             91 pounds of food items      the installation of LED lighting throughout our building has been completed
            on March 13, 2017.            free of charge. PSE continued on where we had stopped in the
Thanks also go to our mysterious          sanctuary and the fellowship hall and finished off the rest of
transport person who faithfully           the lighting in the building. (As of this writing, they had
delivers the goods from our grocery       switched out over 100 fixtures.)
cart to the Food Bank.                    No more hissing, flickering fluorescent light bars. Hallelujah!
April 2017                                                                                                                3
Whos on First?!                                                                       Birthdays & Anniversaries
                                                                                         Jordan Devin (Greg Smith)
                                                         Happy Birthday
                                                                                                               23
                                                         Pat Whitney               1
                                                                                         Maija Haggith          25
                                                         Sarah Wheeler             2
                                                                                         Elise King             28
                                                         Mary Ann Teeters          2
    Sunday, April 2
                                                         Connor Hoemann            4
      Elders: Gregg Heyne (O), John Riseland(C)                                          Happy Anniversary
                                                         Frances VanDyke           9
      Lock-Up: Brenda Riseland                                                           Kelly & Tom Gilson       10
                                                         Abigail Hulbert          14
      In Home Communion: Leslie Pinkston                                                 Helen & Jim Blaney       20
                                                         Allison Ronney           17
                              Don Hoffman
      Deacons: Kathy Wheeler, Bentley Becker
      Reader: James Becker
      Flowers: TBD                                                     Joys and Concerns
      Fellowship Time: TBD
                                                         Please submit written requests to update
    Sunday, April 9                                      this list.
      Elders: John Riseland (O), Joe Plancich(C)
      Deacons: James Becker, Linda Heyne                 Medical concerns:
      Reader: Betty Schmidling                              Kathy Wheeler
      Flowers: Palms                                        Matt Nelson
      Fellowship Time: TBD                                  Harmon Woodworth
    Sunday, April 16                                        Mary Ann Teeters
      Elders: Kelvin Smith (O), Gregg Heyne(C)              Chloe Gibson
      Deacons: Ardythe Hannah, Renee Hoemann                Donna Fairchild
      Reader: Gregg Heyne                                   Nathan Klemann
      Flowers: Easter flowers                               Sharon Kralman, Tamalyns stepmom
      Fellowship Time: TBD                               Lifes challenges:
    Sunday, April 23                                        Katie, Bob Fishers daughter
      Elders: Brenda Riseland (O), Jane Kletka(C)           Sue Cross on the loss of her husband, Henry
      Deacons Pat Whitney, Kris Ann Lewis                   Matthew, Kris Ann Lewiss nephew
      Reader: Don Hoffman                                Beyond Our Walls:
      Flowers: Esther Group                                 For the healing of our nation
      Fellowship Time: Esther Group                         Refugees worldwide
                                                            Disciples House Residents, past, present and future
    Sunday, April 30                                        Iglesia de Dios, as together we share Gods love
      Elders: Joe Plancich (O), Don Hoffman (C)             Raices Culturales/Community to Community families
      Deacons: James Becker, Linda Heyne                     in their gardening program in our field
      Reader: Melody Hoffman                               Kristine Tissinger, missionary partner in Ghana
      Flowers: TBD                                         Rev. Sandy Messick, Regional Minister
      Fellowship Time: Potluck (JHLB)                      Rev. Sharon Watkins, General Minister and President
    Sign up in the fellowship hall to help in these        Our General Church ministries
    important ministries:                                  Yakama Christian Mission
     Read scripture during Sunday morning worship         Victims of hatred, injustice, violence, poverty, disease,
     Bring flowers for Sunday worship                       and disaster worldwide
     Provide goodies for fellowship time following        All troops involved in world conflict
      Sunday worship                                       Peacemakers worldwide
    Please contact the office for more info.
    Remember: Jesus Has Left the Building takes place on 5th Sundays. Worship is just a wee bit shorter (two fewer
    hymns and we dont pass the offering plates) and we will have a potluck following worship. Bring your favorite dish
    to share and be ready to join in activities to help our community at the conclusion of our meal.
4                                                                                                          April 2017
                                                                                                                  April calendar
           April 2017
          Sunday                 Monday             Tuesday        Wednesday
                                                                   Wednesday Thursday                    Friday         Saturday
          Sunday                 Monday             Tuesday                  Thursday                    Friday         Saturday
                                                                                                                       7:30a Mens
                                                                                                                          Breakfast,
                                                                                                                          Dennys
                            2                  3               4                 5                 6               7               8
   9:30a Sunday School                             Noon -           Bulletin
   10:50a Gathering Time                            Bible Study     deadline
   11a Worship                                     5:30p          6p Bell                                           7:30a Mens
   12:15p Fellowship Time                           Spanish         Choir                                             Breakfast,
                                                     Class          7p Chancel                                        Dennys
                                                                     Choir
 Palm Sunday          9                    10                 11             12               13                 14               15
9:30a Sunday School                                                  Bulletin         Maundy          Good Friday        Courier
10:50a Gathering Time                                               deadline         Thursday          6a - 6 N.T.     deadline
11a Worship                                        Noon -         6p Bell                             Reading       7:30a Mens
12:15p Fellowship Time          6:30p              Bible Study     Choir                              6p Worship    Breakfast,
 2p Someone Cares                Stewardship       5:30p          7p Chancel       5:30p Soup                      Dennys
  Community Meal &                Meeting            Spanish         Choir             Supper &
  Josephs Closet                                    Class           Rehearsal         Worship
 Easter Sunday 16                          17                 18             19                 20                21              22
8:30a Early Worship                                                  Bulletin
(Zuanich Park)                                      Noon -          deadline         6:30p Pub                       7:30a Mens
 9:30a Breakfast                11:30 a.m.         Bible Study    6p Bell           Theology,                           Breakfast,
  (Church)                        Esther            5:30p           Choir             Hops N                             Dennys
 10:30a Egg Hunt                 Group              Spanish         Rehearsal         Headz                           5:30p Inter-
 10:50a Gathering Time           (location          Class          7p Choir                                          faith Auction
 11a Worship                     TBD)                               Rehearsal
 12:15p Fellowship Time
                          23               24                 25             26                 27                28              29
 9:30a Sunday School                                                 Bulletin
 10:50a Gathering Time                             Noon -          deadline         5p
 11a Worship                                        Bible Study    6p Bell           Checking in
 12:15p Fellowship Time                            5:30p           Choir             Group,
 12:30p Out-to-Lunch                                Spanish         Rehearsal         location
  Bunch, location TBD                                Class          7p Choir          TBD
 6p Board Meeting                                                   Rehearsal
 7 p.m. Book Group
    JHLB                   30              31
    9:30a Sunday School
    10:50a Gathering Time
    11a Worship
    12:15p Potluck & Jesus
     Has Left the Building
    April 2017                                                                                                                    5
             First Christian Church
             (Disciples of Christ)
             An Open and Affirming Congregation
             495 East Bakerview Road
             Bellingham, WA 98226-9168
00000 00000 00000 00000
                               Social Justice Task Force
00000 00000 00000oooo
00000 00000 00000 00000        Does your heart lead you in directions of social justice and
00000 00000 00000oooo          reaching out to your neighbor? Join our Social Justice Task
                               Force and plan events such as our quarterly Jesus Has Left
00000 00000 00000 00000        the Building events, our participation in Bellingham Pride,
00000 00000 00000oooo          and how we can
00000 00000 00000 00000        welcome people into our
00000 00000 00000oooo          own faith community.          Jesus Has Left the Building
00000 00000 00000 00000                                      Sunday, April 30
                               For more information,
00000 00000 00000oooo          please contact Pastor         10:50 a.m. Gathering Time
00000 00000 00000 00000        Gary, Tamalyn Kralman,        11 a.m. Worship
                               Bob Fisher, or Bruce          Noon Potluck  Bring your favorite dish to share
00000 00000 00000oooo
                               Radtke.                       12:30  Following the footsteps of Jesus
00000 00000 00000 00000
00000 00000 00000oooo
                                                 Save the Dates
                       Visit http://             June 20, 6:30p       Longest Day Worship, courtyard
                  www.disciplesnw.org/
                                                 July 8 - 12          General Assembly, Indianapolis
                  newsletter/northwest-
               passage-march-2017 to Read        August 21, 10:19a    Total eclipse of the sun!
                                                                      Best view - Madras, OR or visit:
                  the Recent Issue of the                             https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/
                Regional Church Newsletter                            best-places-to-view/