e

h
T

r r
Courier
C

The
Vol. 66,
Christian
No. 4
Courier The
Bellingham
Christian
FirstCourier
Christian The
Church
Christian CourierApril
The
2016
C

First Christian Celebrates Ten Years of Disciples House

and Seeks Continued Support
On Sunday, March 6, an appeal was made from the pulpit to raise funds
for use on and in Disciples House. After ten years of hosting homeless
families, our fund has been used up. Most of that fund came from a
partial refund we received from the Bellingham City Council for fees paid
to the City of Bellingham. Those fees originally were in excess of
$20,000 (an expense we had not counted on in our planning for
Disciples House). The refund was $18,000, most of which went back
into the house. We were able to maintain a $6000 reserve fund for
house needs. That $6000 plus donations from church members plus
work by The Opportunity Council and Interfaith Coalition has sustained
the church these past ten years.
We continue to partner with the Opportunity Council and Interfaith
Coalition but cannot expect them to meet all the costs of maintaining the
house, thus the current appeal for funds.
What do the partners do?
The Opportunity Council provides the case management for all of our
guest families. When we refurbished the house they did all the insulation
work and paid for it. They originally installed a new furnace but about
three years later received a grant that allowed them to install a 98%
efficient furnace. They also installed solar panels on the carport roof that
not only provides electricity for the house but also puts electricity back
into the power grid. As a result the cost per month for electricity
averages about $6.00. They also installed an on demand hot water
heater that provides virtually unlimited hot water for the house at a very
low cost.
Interfaith Coalition continues to pay all of our utility costs as they
have for the past ten years. Mike Hess is their housing maintenance
coordinator and has done many jobs at Disciples House including
deconstruction of the bathroom when it was flooded out due to a crack
in the tub, fixing and maintaining appliances, continual inspection of the
house and coordinating with other services to have repairs made, e.g.
we recently had to have some additional venting done for the furnace
and Mike took care of all the coordination with the furnace repair
company. He also frequently organizes volunteers to do other jobs such
as yard work, pruning bushes, etc. Interfaith has paid for or helped pay
for everything from repairs to appliances to hiring cleaners to thoroughly
clean the house after we have had difficult guests. They have also
provided furniture for us and often have hauled away refuse from the
house projects at the house.
continued on page 3

Shoes News

Shoes News

First Christian Church

(Disciples of Christ)

Transformation Through Service

495 East Bakerview Road
Bellingham, WA 98226
360.734.6820
office@bellinghamdisciples.org
www.bellinghamdisciples.org
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

A movement for wholeness in a fragmented
world. As part of the one body of Christ, we
welcome all to the Lords Table as God
welcomed us.
All of Us
Ministers
Rev. Gary Shoemaker
Pastor
gary@bellinghamdisciples.org
Rev. Tamalyn Kralman
Director of Ed. & Community Outreach
Courier Editor
tamalyn@bellinghamdisciples.org
Amelia Nye
Accompanist
Katie Ramstead
Childcare Provider
Rev. Sandy Messick
Regional Minister
Rev. Sharon Watkins
General Minister and President

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

Office Hours

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

Monday - Friday
9 a.m. - noon
Our staff are in and out of the office throughout the
week. Please feel free to stop by during their office
hours or make an appointment that fits your
schedule.

Officers
Renee Hoemann, Moderator
Cheryl Perry, Treasurer

When I look back over my time here at the church, I

immediately see a group of people who have changed
dramatically. I think there was a time when people went
to church in order to worship on Sunday mornings. They
might have been part of a fellowship group that would do
things together off and on throughout the month. But
church was seen as a place where we 'attend'.
I can't put my finger on the exact time and place where
the transformation started, but I think it had to do with
the CAST program. Our church was one of three faith
communities to cooperate in the coffee and sandwich
program downtown. It has since grown to include soup
and other supplies (socks, tarps, health products, etc.).
That was about 14 years ago.
Since that time, we've increased our local outreach to
include Disciples House (celebrating our 10 year
anniversary) the community garden, Socks on the Street,
Amy's Place meals, the community meal (coming up on 2
years this summer) and Joseph's closet. We have become
much more involved with hands on ministry as a faith
community. And that involvement has had a deep impact
on who we are as a faith community. When people visit
our church they often hear about the varied projects that
are ongoing. That lets them know that we take seriously
our mission to follow the servant role that Jesus modeled
so well in his ministry.
I am proud of our faith community for all that we've been
able to do together. I'm proud of each and every one of
you who participate and support these important
ministries. You are making a difference in the lives of
some very special people. Let's keep it up!
Pastor Gary
Thank You Received from Lydia Place
Dear First Christian Church,
Thank you so very much for your incredibly generous donation to Lydia
Place and the population we serve. With over 250 homeless families in
our clientele, we would be unable to reach everyone without
philanthropic hearts like yours. From all of us at Lydia Place, thank you
for your gift.
Best, Lydia Place Team

April 2016

Management for Medication Therapy

Nurses Notes

Are all those medications you are taking right for you? Are you taking multiple medications?
Do you feel overwhelmed by so many pills? Are you sometimes confused about what to take
and when and why? Do you worry about side effects and interactions with other medications
and foods?

Taking multiple medications can get complicated causing the nuances of drug therapy to get
lost. Having multiple chronic conditions with the needed addition of multiple medications
further complicates the issue, and on top of that having more than one doctor making
prescription orders. Drugs with undesirable interactions may be inadvertently prescribed, drugs that may no longer be
necessary but continue to get filled, drugs may not be prescribed at the optimal dose are some of the problems of
taking multiple medications.
One way to meet this challenge is a program called Medication Therapy Management (MTM). This involves having a visit
with a pharmacist and health care provider to thoroughly review all of the medications and supplements you take. The
goal of the review is to determine that the medications are safe, effective, easy to take and are as affordable as
possible ---- all of this with the outcome to help you take an active role in managing your medications.
To begin a comprehensive medication review an appointment with a pharmacist and health care provider is necessary.
Several key objectives of this review include: 1) a medication review; the health professional evaluates all prescriptions
and non prescription medications, including herbal and dietary supplements. Dose, side effects, need, safety,
interactions, efficacy of all the drugs are considered in this review. Education and training in managing these drugs
should also be included. The goal is to minimize any harm from these medications and to promote health and wellness.
2) Develop a personal medication record -- a document with details that provide a way to consolidate information about
you medications in a single source. (These booklets are available on or near the Health Ministries bulletin board in the
fellowship hall. You are encouraged to take one.) 3) Develop a medication action plan to correct any problems and to
simplify your drug regimen and to reduce cost.
So, why bother with a medication review? Research has shown that a MTM can bring about many important outcomes
to improve health and safety. These include: improve blood pressure, improve cholesterol measurements, reducing need
for hospitalizations and emergency room visits, reduce risk of premature death, improve medication follow-through,
safety, and reduce health costs.
How to begin a medication review:
Ask! Do not hesitate to ask your physician for a medication review. Make an appointment for this very purpose.
MTM is covered by many Medicare prescription drug plans. Check with your health insurance carrier to determine if your
situation qualifies for coverage.
Outcome: a sense of being in control of your health care by being informed and knowing that your prescription regimen
is the very best for your needs
Reflection: Great Physician, grant us grace for the ability and will to strive for the best health and well being possible.
We seek your Presence to enfold us in Sacred care. Amen.
Jane Kletka,RN FCN
Health Ministries Network
(Disciples House, contd from p. 1)
First Christian Church welcomes each family that comes into the house, gives them a $100 gift card to WINCO (not
using church funds but paid for by one of our church families), provides upkeep for the house and the property as well
as general house maintenance, e.g. painting, cleaning between guests, small repairs. We restock the house between
guests with supplies made available by in-kind donations from our church members. These supplies include such things
as paper towels, toilet paper, toothpaste and tooth brushes, bath soap, laundry soap, dish soap, and various supplies
that we have available. We also change out the pillows each time, provide towels, blankets, bedding, etc. About once
a year we request these items from our congregation and the response is generous. Each time a new family moves in,
the house is clean, complete and ready for occupancy. We also inspect the house between families to determine if
repairs need to be done.
If you have not had the opportunity to make a contribution, please consider doing so. Simply write Disciples House on
an envelope and place it in the collection plate or mail it to the church office.

April 2016

More on Disciples House

congregations including Women Helping Others, Beth
Israel Synagogue, St. Innocence Orthodox Church, the
Mormon Youth, Assumption Church and yes, First
Christian Church all participated in setting up rooms.
Also contributing with manpower and resources were
Interfaith Coalition, the Opportunity Council, Williams
Pipeline, WalMart, Lynden Paint and Decorating Center,
General Paint in Vancouver, B.C., Whatcom County, the
Bellingham City Council and First Congregational Church.
We had contract work done by Whatcom House Movers,
TGF Builders, EMD Construction, Mt. Baker Roofing,
Northwest Electric, Lynden Paint and Decorating Center
and 4-Star Drywall.

A History of Disciples House

On July 31, 2005, we moved a house onto our church

property. That house had been located at the end of
Deemer Road. You might recall that it was a two story
house built on a lot that allowed it to have a full size, two
bedroom, daylight basement. We actually only took the
top half of the house making it a seven on one rambler.
As I best recall, the actual cost for the house mover was
$14,000.
In fact, the cost for the entire project was $90,000 but
that was before we convinced the City of Bellingham, via
the City Council, to repay us $18,000 dollars of the
$20,000+ in fees that they had charged us before we
could even begin the project. (Sometimes it is nice to
have friends in high places.)
Prior to the move, and after the move, over 235
volunteers from throughout the community contributed
over 2,500 hours moving and renovating the house.
How in the world did we come up with $90,000+ for the
project?
We didnt! As I said at the dedication of Disciples
House, This was a project that was out of our control
from the beginning. Looking back, it seems like it could
not have happened. It was an exercise in FAITH by this
congregation. If we had of known in advance that the
total cost was going to be $90,000, I doubt that we
would have listened to Darlenes idea for very long. Over
the months we truly began to believe that God, not FCC,
was in charge.

The house welcomed its first family on February 1, 2006

when a family of seven moved into the house and
remained for two months. There was a mom, a dad, a
teenage son and four young daughters. It was the first
time in several months that they had all been housed
together. The next was a family of four, a mom, a
grandmother and two teenage daughters. And so it goes
until February 23, 2016 when we moved in a family of
four, a mom, a dad and two about to be teenage sons.
All told, we have housed close to 50 families over these
past ten years. That amounts to almost 200 individuals.
How well I recall Darlene saying, We may not be able to
eliminate the problem of homelessness but we can help
one family at a time.
And, so my words to you are simple,Well done oh good
and faithful servants.
I have two favorite memories from the past ten years of
Disciples House. The first is a photo I have of Brenda
walking up Deemer Road from Telegraph with a moving
house filling the road behind her. She had a smile on her
face the entire two blocks.
The second favorite memory many of you witnessed.
Two or three years back we had eight and ten year old
girls living in the house for about three months. They
would come to church every Sunday and look around,
spot where Brenda and I were sitting and come over and
sit with us. We had to continuously explain to them
what was happening. The highlight of each Sunday
service for them was the coffee hour where they ate
cookies and cake and drank cocoa. It had been a long
time since Brenda and I had two little girls sitting next to
us in church on Sunday.

Where did the money come from? I guess you need to

ask God that question. The earthly answer is varied: a
$15,000 grant from Whatcom County allowed us to put
on a new roof, gutters, windows and floors; more than
once money came to us in the way of memorials from
departed congregants; our congregation gave money for
the project. Additionally, room sponsors made
contributions of time and materials that did not figure
into our project costs. For example, organizations and

John Riseland

April 2016

Regional Assembly

Rev. Dr. Sharon E. Watkins

Rev. Dr. Sharon E. Watkins serves as General Minister and President of the
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada. She is
an inspirational preacher, teacher and facilitator who shares her considerable
skills in a variety of religious and ecumenical settings.
As General Minister, she is general pastor of the denomination, responsible for
representing the wholeness of the church, for reconciling differences, and for
helping the church retain its clarity of mission and identity. Her work includes
interpreting The Design of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and
convening tables for cooperative work.
As General President, she is the chief executive officer for the denomination,
responsible for overseeing the work of the churchs various structures. She
strives to help the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) remain faithful to Gods
calling and to do its work effectively and efficiently. Upon her election in 2005,
she was the first female head of a mainline denomination. At the 2011 General
Assembly, she was re-elected to a second six-year term, which will extend to
July 2017.
To read Rev. Watkin's complete biography, visit http://disciples.org/ogmp/drwatkins-biography/
Rev. Dr. Timothy M. James
Rev. Dr. Timothy M. James serves as the Associate General Minister and
Administrative Secretary of the National Convocation of the Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada. Prior to serving in this
post, Dr. James served as pastor at Fifth Christian Church Cleveland, Ohio for
twenty-five years.
Dr. James is married to the former Joyce Sizemore of Steubenville, Ohio.
Together they have five children and five grandchildren.
Dr. James is a graduate of United Theological Seminary in Dayton, OH Christian
Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, Culver-Stockton-College in Canton, MO;
and Alameda Community College in Alameda, CA.
Dr. James is a third generation Disciples of Christ preacher. He will, however,
be the first to say that he appreciates this family linage and heritage, but he
understands, this is not a criteria for salvation. He is glad to be able to say, I
know Jesus for myself.
For more information or to register, please visit http://www.disciplesnw.org/
article/2016assembly#cost.

April 2016

Whos on First?!

Joys and Concerns

Celebrate!
Sunday, April 3
Elders: Leslie Pinkston (O), Margaret Brown (C)
Lock-Up: Brenda Riseland
In Home Communion: Jane Kletka
Leslie Pinkston
Deacons: Kathy Wheeler, Lynn Plancich
Reader: Megan Shoemaker
Greeters: John & Brenda Riseland
Flowers: TBD
Fellowship Time: Book Group
Sunday, April 10
Elders: Kelvin Smith (O), Melody Hoffman (C)
Deacons: Renee Hoemann, James Becker,
Reader: Bruce Radtke
Greeter: Jane Kletka
Flowers: TBD
Fellowship Time: TBD
Sunday, April 17
Elders: John Riseland (O), Gregg Heyne (C)
Deacons: Ardythe Hannah, Connie Page,
Linda Heyne
Reader: Don Hoffman
Greeters: Schmidling Family
Flowers: TBD
Fellowship Time: Wild Goose
Sunday, April 24
Elders: Brenda Riseland (O), Jane Kletka (C)
Deacons: Lois Oswalt, Alexis Pinkston
Reader: James Becker
Greeter: Kathy Wheeler & Alisha Sanchez
Flowers: Esther Group
Fellowship Time: Esther Group
Please sign up in the Fellowship Hall to
participate in these important ministries
Reader: Read the scripture during worship
Greeter: Welcome people as they arrive at the
church on Sunday morning
Flowers: Bring flowers for the sanctuary for
Sunday worship
Fellowship Time: Bring goodies for folks to share
after worship

Joys and Concerns

Please submit written requests to update this list.

Happy Birthday
Pat Whitney
Sarah Wheeler
Mary Ann Teeters
Connor Hoemann
Frances VanDyke

1
2
2
4
9

Abigail Hulbert
Allison Ronney
Jordan Devin Truth
(aka Greg Smith)
Maija Haggith
Elise King
Happy Anniversary
Kelly & Tom Gilson

14
17
23
25
28
10

Find Weekly Lectionary Readings

http://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/
Be the Hands of God (nurture the world)
Community Meal
Food Bank collections
Josephs Closet
Blessing Bags
Disciples House
Hospitals & wells
(Africa)
CAST

Community Garden
Socks on the Street
For more info on how to assist in any of these projects,
please contact us at office@bellinghamdisciples.org.

Be a Part of A Small Group (nurture your soul)

Women's Spiritual Growth Groups - Please contact
the church office if you would like to be a part of a group.
Out-to-Lunch Bunch, 12:30 p.m., 4th Sundays - An
informal gathering that visits locally owned restaurants.
Book Group, 7 p.m., 4th Sundays - This group
explores books to expand their minds and their hearts.
Esther Group, 11:30 a.m., 3rd Mondays - A women's
group that meets for lunch in local restaurants. (No host.)
Bible Study, Noon, Tuesdays - Meeting in the church
library, this group explores the lectionary scriptures.
Wild Goose Worship, 6:30 p.m., 1st & 3rd Tuesdays
- An alternative church experience for young(ish) adults.
Location varies. Contact church for details.
Pub Theology, 6:30 p.m., 3rd Thursdays - Beer,
conversation, and God! (Or any beverage of your choice.)
Currently meeting at Hops n Headz, 3207 NW Ave.
Checking in Group, 5 p.m., 4th Thursdays -supportive
group of people who share life's journey together.
Men's Breakfast, 7:30 a.m., Saturdays at Denny's -
All men are invited to join this weekly breakfast group for
fun and fellowship. (No host.)
Bob Dawes, Chloe Gibson, Donna Fairchild, Bill
Pribilsky, Mary Lee Wiser, Joanne Harrell, health concerns
Contact the church office for a complete list.

April 2016

April calendar

April
Sunday
2016
Monday
Sunday

Monday

Tuesday
Tuesday

Wednesday Thursday
Wednesday Thursday

Friday
Friday

Saturday
Saturday
2

7:30a Mens
Breakfast,
Dennys
3

9:30a Sunday School

10:50a Gathering Time
11a
Worship
12:15p Fellowship Time

10

9:30a Sunday School

10:50a Gathering Time
11a
Worship
12:15p Fellowship Time
2p
Someone Cares
Community Meal
& Josephs Closet
17

7:30a Elders Meeting

9:30a Sunday School
10:50a Gathering Time
11a
Worship
12:15p Fellowship Time

24

9:30a Sunday School

10:50a Gathering Time
11a
Worship
12:15p Fellowship Time
12:30 p Out-to-Lunch
Bunch
7p
Book Group

April 2016

Bulletin
deadline

6:30p Wild
Goose
Worship,
Wild Goose
Room at the
church
(Room 3/5)

6p Bell Choir
7p Chancel
Choir

12

Noon
Bible Study

7:30a Mens
Breakfast,
Dennys

Noon
Bible Study

11

6:30 p
Stewardship
Meeting

13

14

15

Courier
Deadline

Bulletin
deadline

16

7:30a Mens
Breakfast,
Dennys

6p Bell Choir
7p Chancel
Choir
18

11:30 a.m.
Esther Group
5:30 p.m .
Prayer Vigil
for Peace in
the Middle
East,
@Bellingham
Friends

19

Noon
Bible Study
6:30p Wild
Goose
Worship,
location TBD

25

20

6p Bell Choir
7p Chancel
Choir

26

Noon
Bible Study

21

22

Bulletin
deadline

27

Bulletin
deadline

23

7:30a Mens
Breakfast,
Dennys

6:30 p.m.
Pub
Theology,
Hops n
Headz

28

5p Checking
in Group

29

30

7:30a Mens
Breakfast,
Dennys

6p Bell Choir
7p Chancel
Choir

First Christian Church

(Disciples of Christ)
A church of grace and welcome for all!
495 East Bakerview Road
Bellingham, WA 98226-9168

PERIODICALS POSTAGE AT
Bellingham, WA 98226-9168
USPS 0589-870

The Christian Courier (USPS

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

Postmaster: Send address changes

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

Learn a Second Language

Support Farm Workers

Sign up in the fellowship hall to

take a beginning Spanish class
with Nicole Herrera. The textbook,
Practice Makes Perfect Basic
Spanish, Second Edition, by
Dorothy Richmond, is available
on Amazon. Additional fees for
materials may apply. Class is
tentatively scheduled for Mondays at 7 p.m.,
beginning April 4.

Saturday, April 30, 5 p.m.

St. James Presbyterian Church
910 14th St.
Come for an evening of desserts and
entertainment, Sponsored by Farm
Workers Ministry, the event will raise funds for the
ongoing efforts of FWM and National Farm Worker
Ministry (NFWM), a faith-based organization
committed to justice for and empowerment of farm
workers. Suggested donation $20.

Read the Regional Newsletter

Click here to read the current issue of
Northwest Passages, the
newsletter of the Northwest
Regional Christian Church (Disciples of
Christ).

Courier Submissions are Due April 15

Save the trees! Go paperless: Subscribe to the eCourier at office@bellinghamdisciples.org.
To unsubscribe: Contact 360.734.6820, 495 East
Bakerview Road, Bellingham, WA 98226, or
office@bellinghamdisciples.org.