Holy Spirit Lutheran Church

Our teenagers are off! ✈️ They left this afternoon to go to the ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans. Thoughts and prayers with our amazing group as they begin their week!

🌟 Get ready for an adventure! 🌟 We've started decorating for our Treasure Hunt VBS and Day Camp 2024! Here's a sneak peek of our amazing volunteers hanging vines in the entryway to create a jungle atmosphere! 🌿✨ Join us July 29-August 2 as we embark on a week full of fun, discovery, and excitement.

https://www.holyspiritvbs.org/

🇺🇸 Happy Fourth of July! 🇺🇸

We give thanks to God for the freedom and abundance that we experience as a nation and pray that we will continue to challenge ourselves to embrace and demonstrate in our lives and laws values of freedom, justice, equality and care for all people.

Today, we join our Kirkland church community at the July 4th parade! We are marching as a sign of unity and hope, reminding us how much we need each other to build a better future.

Please note that our church office will be closed today and tomorrow in observance of the holiday. Join us for worship on Sunday during our Summer Worship Times at 9:00 & 10:30 am.

Wishing you all a safe and joyful Independence Day! 🎆✨

Join HSLC and our Kirkland church community at the July 4th parade! Together we’ll march as a sign of unity and hope, reminding us how much we need each other to build a better future. If you’re able to register here, it will help us prepare and we’ll be able to send you a parking pass for Kirkland Congregational UCC. Plan to arrive by 11:30am, wear sunscreen, and bring water!

✨Last night, our incredible volunteers came together for training gearing up for an amazing summer ahead! 🎉🙌 We're excited to share this year's Treasure Hunt-themed VBS and Day Camp, inspired by adventure and discovery, set for July 29 - August 2, and registration is still open! 🔍⛏️ Join us as we embark on an adventure to uncover God's treasures together! 📖✨ See you soon!

https://www.holyspiritvbs.org/

🌟 Thank you to everyone who joined us for our annual congregational meeting today! Your participation and support are truly appreciated. Together, we've approved next year's budget and elected two outstanding new members to our council. 🎉 Your dedication to our community makes all the difference!

Juneteenth commemorates the announcement of freedom to those who had been enslaved in the states of Louisiana and Texas. Though the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed on January 1, 1863, it was not until more than two years later – June 19, 1865 – that the word of freedom was fully proclaimed. Even in the face of resistance and threat, those who had been enslaved for generations found ways to give voice to the wide range of emotions they experienced as they finally heard the proclamation of freedom.

Today we celebrate the gift of freedom, even as we recognize the continuing injustices in the world. We pray:

Holy and righteous God, you create all of us in your image. Grant us the courage to contend fearlessly against evil and to make no peace with oppression. Like many generations before us, help us to resist the evil of slavery, human bo***ge, and the sins of racism and prejudice. Teach us that we belong to each other, and that none of us are free until all of us are free, that justice may reign for all people. Amen.

Congratulations to Pastor Katy on her 25th ordination anniversary! 🎉🎊 It's been a wonderful journey filled with blessings, love, and guidance. Here's to many more years of service and dedication. Thanks to everyone who helped us pull off this amazing surprise and to Bishop Shelley Bryan Wee for joining us and offering a special blessing. Cheers to you, Pastor Katy! 🍰✨🎥

As we approach Juneteenth, let's come together to uplift our community by donating essential hair care products for Black women in need.

Your generosity will make a meaningful difference in someone's life. Let's show our solidarity and support for diversity within our community. Together, we can make this Juneteenth a celebration of empowerment and inclusivity.

🎓🎈 Our preschool graduation was a huge success! 🎉✨ Congratulations to all our little graduates who are now ready for their next big adventure. A heartfelt thank you to our amazing teachers and staff for their dedication and hard work.

"Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs." - Matthew 19:14 🌈👩‍🎓

Today, we celebrated the end of the preschool school year with our Twinkles class under a beautiful rainbow balloon arch! 🎈✨ The smiles, laughter, and joy were absolutely heartwarming. Congratulations to our little students! 👩‍🎓👨‍🎓

But the celebrations aren’t over yet! Tomorrow, the Stars will have their special graduation day. We can’t wait to see more shining faces and proud moments.

We are thrilled to announce that our ongoing electrical issues have been resolved and the lights are back! 💡 Live-streaming worship will return this Sunday at 9:30 AM. "Let there be light," indeed!

Join us online at 9:30 am or in person at 8:00, 9:30, or 11:00 am. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who worked so hard to resolve our power issues. We can't wait to see you in worship! 🙏✨

Today we blessed 19 high school seniors with quilts made especially for them by some very gifted and generous members of our community. 🌈 Underneath a rainbow, they were reminded that each quilt is made using the same pattern, and yet no two quilts are ever the same. Each one is beautiful because it reflects and honors the beauty of each of these kids, exactly as God made them to be. 💖

"Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God." (1 John 4:7)

Everyone who loves.
Every. Single. One.
🌟

🌈 Guess what we're up to in the sanctuary today? 🤔 We're getting creative and bringing a burst of color to our space! 🎨 See the final masterpiece on Sunday morning during worship at 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 am. 🌟

🌟 Exciting News! 🌟 This summer, we're thrilled to announce the return of our Children's Prayground at Holy Spirit! 🎉🙏🏼

🌈 It's a place where our little ones can explore faith, have fun, and deepen their connection with God through play and prayer during worship. 🎨⛪️

Parents are encouraged to sit near their children. Check it out on Sunday mornings in our sanctuary.🌞

This weekend 9 of our high schoolers (and 2 brave adult leaders) traveled to Holden Village for May Youth Weekend with over 120 high schoolers! They had an amazing weekend filled with learning, prayer, hikes, bowling, ice cream, and so so so much laughter. It was an amazing weekend! Thanks to everyone who made it possible.

On Wednesdays, take a deep breath in the midst of your week and join us for Advent Midweek Worship. We’ll sing a simplified setting of Holden Evening Prayer, with time for a brief message and communion. Worship will last about 40 minutes; if you can stay until 8:00 pm, join one of our Advent Pop-Up Prayer Groups afterward. This could be a great way to join weekly worship if Sundays don’t work for your schedule, or simply as part of your Advent practice. Childcare is available. See you then!