EVENTS

Reflect, engage, and deepen your discipleship as we learn from Bonhoeffer’s example and seek to live out Christ’s call to love in our world today. A Lutheran pastor and theologian, Bonhoeffer was executed by the Nazis in 1945 for his resistance to Adolf Hitler and his participation in a conspiracy to overthrow the regime. His profound theological works, such as The Cost of Discipleship and Letters and Papers from Prison, inspire Christians to grapple with questions of faith, ethics, and justice. How do we hold onto our convictions while staying in relationship with our neighbors? How can we engage passionately yet peacefully, even where hatred and spite seem to reign? Guided by insights from Dr. Lori Brandt Hale, President of the International Bonhoeffer Society, we’ll explore Bonhoeffer’s central question, “Who is Christ for us today?” and discern what it means to love boldly and live faithfully in our time. All are welcome, whether you’re familiar with Bonhoeffer or encountering his ideas for the first time.

We will assemble “Bags of Hope” for individuals experiencing homelessness and then deliver them to Renton. How to contribute: • Attend the event on Monday to help fill and distribute the bags. (Pastor Kacey will meet you there.) • Donate bottled water, soft granola bars, jerky, fish in a pouch, Bumble Bee Snacks on the Run, Vienna sausages with pop-top lids, snacks that don’t require silverware, or gallon zip-lock bags. Donations can be dropped off during Sunday worship or brought to the event on Monday. Address of Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Baptist Church: 4519 NE 10th St, Renton, WA 98059

Families of all ages and sizes are invited to a fun-filled night of food, games, and laughter .

Explore The Power of Self-Compassion in a community healing circle at Luther's Table with storytelling, practical tools, and space for reflection and healing. This gathering offers an opportunity to cultivate kindness toward oneself and discover how self-compassion can transform lives and relationships.

We celebrate Bobbi Cyr and her faithful service as our Children, Youth, and Family Director. Bobbi’s deep love for the St. Matthew's community and her passions for spiritual formation, creativity, leadership, innovation, and hospitality have profoundly shaped our congregation. As Bobbi transitions at the end of this month to serve as the full-time mission developer of Luther’s Table, St. Matthew’s will continue to be her home congregation, and we will remain tethered to her and the nourishing vision of Luther's Table. Please hold her in your prayers. The NW Washington Synod Council will vote to call Bobbi as a deacon, which means we’ll soon be celebrating her ordination and installation!

Pack your bags and get ready for an epic weekend full of fun, friends, and faith! Join us at the Youth Spring Retreat, where middle and high school youth (and your friends!) will: + Play games that’ll have you laughing until your sides hurt + Chill and share stories + Grow in faith and friendship + Get creative with fun activities + Explore the outdoors and enjoy the beautiful scenery Bring your friends—fun is better together!

Gather in the Comfy Couch Room for dinner, games, conversation and more fun! Invite a friend - all are welcome!

A free online educational event that centers the voices of ELCA leaders of color. We invite you to join us in this collective effort for a more just and equitable world. This event is open to all ELCA rostered ministers, lay leaders and members. We welcome all ELCA synods, congregations, colleges, universities, seminaries, separately incorporated ministries and antiracism teams, as well as the church’s affiliate organizations and ecumenical and interreligious partners. The day is designed to: *Raise awareness of the need for racial healing. *Inspire collective action to build common ground for a more just and equitable ELCA and world. The ELCA, in partnership with Augsburg Fortress, joins the movement of racial healing for our church and the nation.

"Don't Preach to Your Emotions" In this podcast, Emily speaks about our feelings and emotions and how they are a vital tool for us to use in discerning what our next step is. She also speaks about practices which can be helpful to finding our way forward when a decision is so fraught with emotional consequences that we can't see our next step forward. We will open our time by sharing whatever is going on in our days before discussing the podcast. If you dislike podcasts, Emily's podcasts always include a link to a podcast transcript. The Transitions Group is open to everyone. However the discussions of our meetings are confidential and not to be shared outside the meeting. Meeting ID: 850 0132 6961 Passcode: 093066

Get connected (or reconnected) to community! You are invited to sign up yourself or your family for a monthly FRIENDSHIP TABLE. Beginning at the end of January, 4-5 households will gather in small groups to connect over a meal for meaningful conversation and connection. Life is best when it is shared! The FRIENDSHIP TABLES KICK-OFF GATHERING will be on Sunday, January 26,. Please bring a dessert or salad to share! You can fully participate, even if you cannot attend the first gathering. Friendship Tables will meet once a month from January - June! Please sign up by Jan. 22nd so we can connect you to your Friendship Table.

We need 50 voting members in attendance for a quorum, so please plan on coming and celebrating all that God is doing within our beloved community! Yes, we know it is Super Bowl Sunday, but the game does not begin until 3:30 p.m.!

Special guests include: A Chan, a queer, local Washingtonian who explores as many places and arts as possible. They perform poetry with Poor Clare, Church of the Apostles, and occasionally the Fremont Abbey. Their artistic interests trace a line between tactile crafts like fiber and leather, with technology and math. Cool things emerge in all of those interstitial gaps - the trick is staying curious enough to find it. Lacey Brown will be returning as our May Youth Weekend musician. She is a singer/songwriter, music leader, liturgist, percussionist and recording artist from Seattle, WA. Passionate in the liturgical arts, Lacey has been working in ministry for over 20 years directing music and liturgy in congregations. As a composer in the church, she writes liturgical settings and songs for congregational singing and heads up a band called Poor Clare, performing original music and poetry inspired by the mysteries of God and life.