This year we will be sharing Lenten worship services with Faith, Trinity, and Zion (The Gathering)  Lutheran Churches. These four congregations will take turns hosting the Lenten worship services.  Here is the schedule:

• Ash Wednesday worship, March 5, will be at Faith Lutheran located at 6708 Cady Rd.
• The five Wednesday Evening services, March 12 – April 9, will be at Zion Lutheran (The Gathering) located at 4634 Alger Ave.
•  Maundy Thursday worship, April 17, will be here at Central.
• Good Friday worship , April 18, will be at Trinity Lutheran located at 2324 Lombard Ave.

All worship services will begin at 6:30 pm.

This is a wonderful opportunity to gather and worship with members of other Lutheran congregations here in Everett. 

Dr. Anna Lembke, a psychiatrist and an expert in addiction, states: “Rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide are going up in countries all over the world, and they're going up fastest in the richest nations of the world. … We are now turning to [electronic] devices and to the Internet to meet our physical, emotional, sexual, educational, every need we have. We don't really need other people anymore. We can get those needs met from the internet. I think that's a very scary prospect because I think it means that we will become more and more isolated.” (“Digital Drugs Have Us Hooked. Dr. Anna Lembke Sees a Way Out,” The Daily by The New York Times podcast, 2/1/2025)

The season of Epiphany comes to an end with Transfiguration Sunday on March 2. We then enter into the season of Lent, 40 days leading up to Easter. The season of Lent is a time for self-reflection and repentance as we respond to Jesus’ call to take up our cross and follow him.

March 2          Transfiguration          Exodus 34:29-35 & Luke 9:28-36

 March 9         1st Sunday in Lent    Deuteronomy 26:1-11  & Luke 4:1-13

March 16       2nd Sunday in Lent    Philippians 3:17 - 4:1 & Luke 13:31-35

March 23       3rd Sunday in Lent      Isaiah 55:1-9 & Luke 13:1-9

March 30       4th Sunday in Lent      2 Corinthians 5:17-21 & Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

The NW Washington Synod has a page on its website entitled: "Message from the Bishop Re: Immigration" which includes both the letter from the Region One Bishops and resources. CLICK HERE to go to that webpage. 

The ELCA website has two videos from our Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton: "Presiding Bishop Eaton Responds to Executive Orders on Immigration" and "ELCA responds to false accusations on X." CLICK HERE to go to the ELCA website.

Each month a different member of Central provides Communion Bread for worship. A new monthly rotation begins in April, so this would be a great time to join the rotation! Those in the rotation are assigned a month, which can be adjusted, if need be, and then bake enough bread for the number of Sundays in that month. Typically, people bake the bread before the first Sunday of the month and then bring all the loaves to church on the first Sunday; loaves not used that Sunday are frozen for use throughout the rest of the month. There is a simple recipe that can be used, or you can use any recipe you like. If you are interested in joining the rotation, you can sign up on the sheet in the sanctuary or talk to Pastor Jim.

At Lutheran World Relief, we envision a future where all people, in every corner of the world can live full, dignified lives.

Founded by Lutherans in the United States at the end of World War II, grounded in Lutheran theology and building on decades of experience, Lutheran World Relief tackles global poverty by helping people adapt to the challenges that threaten their livelihoods and well-being.

We work with people based on need, regardless of race, religion or nationality and we do not evangelize.

We provide aid in emergencies and help families restore their lives. We partner with communities to build and grow rural economies. We break the cycle of poverty, so families and communities can thrive.

Our goal is to help people build self‐sufficiency and create new community‐owned approaches to problem‐solving that will last long after our projects end.

Our Mission: Affirming God’s love for all people, we work with Lutherans and partners around the world to end poverty, injustice and human suffering.

Our Vision: A healthy world forever flourishing in dignity and justice.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

The quilters here at Central Lutheran Church make quilts for people around the world, through Lutheran World Relief.  Click below for more information on how you can help.  

The Sunday Supper program is looking for donations of warm socks, gloves, coats, and blankets, for our guests, as the weather has gotten colder.  

The homeless, under-resourced, or just plain hungry are all welcome! Anyone in need can get a meal at Central Lutheran Church each Sunday night. Sunday Suppers are at 5:00 pm. These meals are provided by volunteers from  different congregations representing a variety of denominations in Snohomish County.

You are invited to serve in this vital ministry. Volunteers can arrive at 4:30 to help with set up and the meal will be served at 5:00. We stop serving meals at 6:00 and usually can be cleaned up and done by 6:30.   As the saying goes, many hands make light work. 

As the weather begins to get colder, our neighbors will be looking for coats, sweatshirts, hats, and gloves. If you have any gently used items we would love to keep them in stock for when people in need come in looking for warm-weather clothing.

Thank you as always for your support in time, food, and prayers.

Each week we live stream our worship service on YouTube. Our services are also recorded and can be viewed on our website. Jonathan Todd faithfully serves as our YouTube Operator. (A task for which he is seldom recognized and thanked.) In order to give Jonathan a break, or to fill in if he is not here, we are looking for a few people who could step in. Starting and ending the YouTube stream takes roughly three minutes at the beginning and end of the service. Please contact Pastor Jim if you would be willing to help in this way. 

We use YouTube to live stream and record our worship services.  In each weekly Worship Invitation email, we include a link  to that Sunday's worship service.  Past worship services can be viewed by going to our YouTube page by searching for "Central Lutheran Church Everett Washington" or by CLICKING HERE.

We are working to get recordings of our worship services on our website. 

In his remarks prior to the offering at a men’s retreat, a Colorado pastor said, “We never take collections at these events. We do, however, receive an offering.”

He was stating an important truth about Christian stewardship. Receiving an offering is quite different from fund raising. Offerings are a spiritual matter in which we give ourselves to God’s causes. Fund raising, on the other hand, is a financial matter in which we give our money to pay the bills for a good cause.

That is an important distinction. In our worship service each Sunday, we are not just taking a collection to pay the bills; that would be fund raising. No, we are receiving an offering. When we give an offering, we give more than money.

That is the major reason that churches ask people to give money as part of the worship service each Sunday—because our giving of money helps us to give a far more important gift: ourselves.          

Finance Update through January 2025

Beginning Balance           0
Monthly Expenses       (22,386)
Monthly Income             20,136
Deficit                                   (2,250)

CLICK HERE to make a financial donation to Central Lutheran Church.

 Happy Birthday to those celebrating March birthdays!  

March 6, Rosamaria Graziani

March 7, Katie Yates

March 14, Neil Ringen

March 18, Jean Lilley

March 20, Ben Krause

March 20, Karen Wenzel

March 22, Greg Lichneckert

March 22, Kris Olsen

March 26, Linda Slater

March 29, Bill Brockway

March 31, Duane Gleave

 Happy Anniversary to those celebrating March anniversaries!

March 18, Joel & Katie Yates 

Central Lutheran Church Office Hours are:

Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. 

Pastor Jim works in the office Tuesday through Friday, times vary.