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By Karen Whistler
In July, Pastor Marietta held two events with Poulsbo-based Christian therapist Nita Baer, MA around the concept behind the book The Awakened Brain: The New Science of Spirituality and Our Quest for an Inspired Life by Lisa Miller. I am still waiting for it from the library but look forward to diving in myself. As a congregation, we explored the value of spiritual formation. Specifically, Nita explained how experience with a loving divine presence outside of oneself contributes to developing resilience and contributing towards mental wellness. Along with those events, Pastor created a phenomenal playlist. I’ve been listening on repeat for myself and the family. Many of the songs have been replaying in my head subconsciously. I am happy to have these lyrics bouncing around. During a weekly newsletter, Pastor shared this video of the song Be Kind to Yourself . Andrew Peterson gives the story of writing this song after a conversation with his 12-year-old daughter. She shared the negative thoughts and feelings she had about herself. This tugged at his compassion, as a dad who tenderly felt love when his daughter was hurting. In the midst of a challenging week, this song came to me in times of chaos. As it played over and over in my mind, a reflection emerged. I turned on the song and took notes as the lyrics washed over me. The following is my reaction. I start with a love letter to my children, then realize most of this song is what I need to hear myself. I am curious to hear what jumped out to you in this song and others in the playlist. Please share! “You've got all that emotion that's Heaving like an ocean And you're drowning in a deep dark well I can hear it in your voice that If you only had a choice You would rather be anyone else I love you just the way that you are I love the way He made your precious heart Be kind to yourself be kind to yourself” So much of my attempt at parenting is captured here. All I want the kids to know and believe (trust in) is that “I love you before you did anything, deeper down to the core of every fiber, my Love extends to every detail in the way you are made.” And that my love pales in comparison to the Divine Love of the God who created you. I do feel myself catch on the “He” who made the precious heart. My heart longs to find God beyond the Patriarchy of the strictly male God who yields authority and control. And in this place on my path, I even resist putting our assumptions about God in a box. I struggle to find words that capture my beliefs other than “the Divine is good. Creator God is the author of peace, love, and justice. You are made on purpose, made with Love, and are Love.” From here my mind dives into musings on what I want my kids to know, deep down. The closest I can get to “doctrine” right now is still so fuzzy: Humans have a lot of stories about their experiences with God. We can learn from them. Religious traditions are built on those experiences and stories. What society or pockets of culture think and feel about those stories shifts over time. Your relationship with God will shift and grow as you do. God is forever pouring out love to you. Jim Finley talks about “devotional sincerity” as sign of response to that never-ending Love. Church and being part of a community of people pursuing Love and seeking Justice are helpful ways to navigate those stories. Here you can lean into developing/growing/fostering/building the skills to listen to the Loving heart of God in one’s own heart. (Because this world is hard and confusing and that voice of Love gets clouded over easily. Loving relationships are the key to staying healthy in heart, soul, and mind.) As a parent, my hope is this: Through all the complexities, hardships, failures that happen within a family and as a part of growing up--not to mention internal battles of worth--I hope the message of God’s actual Love comes through. Above all, I pray the “love” we teach doesn’t end up skewed into some burden. I pray it is experientially felt and understood in the depth of their being. I have to Trust the Divine Creator to pour Love into my children. My faith tries to hold to the belief this possible. Even when it’s easy to stack up evidence to the contrary. The still, small voice is there. I believe they can and will hear it and respond. “I know it's hard to hear it When the anger in your spirit Is pointed like an arrow at your chest When the voices in your mind Are anything but kind And you can't believe your father knows best I love you just the way that you are I love the way He's shaping your heart Be kind to yourself be kind to yourself” Father in this instance being the songwriter, writing a song to his daughter. But I get hung up on the Christian-ese baggage of capital F “Father” God. This isn’t true here but is probably used that way somewhere … and I am uncomfortable with the tendency in church to do so. And God as the ultimate expression of Loving parenting isn’t a bad metaphor. Just the “father” as loving authoritarian is not helpful. Also, God as Man ...man as power… I’m over it. But the “I love you just the way that you are” coming both from this individual Dad to his kid AND the notion that God feels that about creation including individual humans....which means me...is true and difficult to hold. “How does it end when the war that you're in Is just you against you against you? You've gotta learn to love, learn to love Learn to love your enemies too" The way the enemy as self is played out is very clever. And helps me move from projecting ideas in this song on my kids to letting the lyrics do work in me. The question posed here is an important one. With an equally profound response. You against you against you Gotta learn to love...your enemies too. Played out in my head over and over. A good reminder when my thoughts are assaulting my belovedness. “You can't expect to be perfect It's a fight you've gotta forfeit You belong to me whatever you do So lay down your weapon, darling” Now that I am letting God love me through this song, here is what I needed to hear: - Forfeiting the fight to earn my worth - Laying down weapons (patterns of negativity towards myself) - Believing when someone says “I love you” All phenomenal life skills. The work and growth and beauty in this difficult life can be unearthed through these lessons. And yet, it is heartbreaking how hard this is to accept and experience. The “you belong to me” idea snags. In culture “belong” is used within romantic relationships. Songs, movies, etc. use the phrase and it bothers me. In the church “belonging” to God can be even more insidious. Both places “belong” is spoken of with analogies of property, ownership, and “being marked.” Uncomfortable, and all too often conveyed as benign is the casual use of humans as property. And also .... Belonging is spoken of within the research of Brene Brown, other social workers, sociologists, and psychologists in a very different way. The deep felt sense that you belong and are accepted equates to believing you matter and have worth. Disability communities, diversity communities, and chronic illness communities have leveraged this core need for Belonging in our advocacy work. Right now I am working to equate “belong" with acceptance rather than ownership. “Take a deep breath And believe that I love you Be kind to yourself be kind to yourself Be kind to yourself Gotta learn to love, learn to love Learn to love your enemies Gotta learn to love, learn to love Learn to love your enemies, too” Ending with a practical action item, like all good sermons. Take a deep breath and believe you are loved. I am grateful for this song in my head, doing God’s work in me.
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 By Karen Whistler When you see someone’s messy house or catch your reflection in a mirror and realize your shirt is stained and you are looking unkempt overall, what are your first thoughts? Whether you struggle to stay on top of the never ending stream of personal logistics or seamlessly keep your space pristine...you need to hear this: How to Keep House While Drowning Or read the transcript available here. How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis is a landmark book for developing self-compassion. Last summer, I discovered the book on a friends coffee table and devoured it in one sitting. KC Davis starts with the assumption that care tasks are morally neutral. AND, she proclaims: there is no such thing as lazy, which is fairly mind blowing in a culture where “cleanliness is next to godliness” and sloth is often referred to as a “deadly sin.” Initially, KC’s ideas made me deeply uncomfortable. She speaks about the particular challenge of neurodivergent brains (which includes two of my children), so I got curious and kept reading. One of her core ideas is: “You don’t exist to serve your space, your space exists to serve you.” It comes with “believing you are a person that deserves to function.” The power is in the dignity restored when personal care tasks shift from a moral weight to a functional purpose. Personally, this book opened my eyes to another person’s perspective. I needed to see that my high expectations around cleanliness, organization, food, and family activities can be rigid and not always helpful. The ease in which I can break down and execute the steps for a variety of tasks isn’t natural for everyone. With self-compassion, I also had to acknowledge that formerly “simple” tasks are no longer easy for me given my current limitations. Most importantly: my view wasn’t the only or “right” way. And this extends beyond the home to a wide spectrum of culturally held beliefs that define why people “succeed” or “fail” in life. In addition to loosening the grip on the expectations we have for ourselves and others, KC Davis is also a therapist. She unpacks how what is often labeled as lazy are actually signs of a person struggling. We all need support, accommodation, new skills or resources at different times in our lives. As KC puts it: “Shame is the enemy of functioning.” Since I read her book, I’ve come to approach others--no matter the circumstances--in the context of their struggling. I’ve been able to tangibly sense where compassion replaces judgement in a very deep way. One thing we often repeat in our household: Everyone is trying their best. If someone is showing up in concerning ways, that IS their best right now. It might mean they’re really struggling. How can we have compassionate hearts, and what action can we bring when we notice ourselves or another person might be struggling? We’re likely not going to fix the challenges in anyone’s life, but even bringing kindness can be transformative. Take a listen to the podcast, read her book, or spend time on her website. Ask yourself: In what ways has my view of God been shaped by moralizing effort, performance, and self-sufficiency? How do these views impact the narrative I have of myself and my capacity for self-compassion? How do these views impact my view of others and the narratives I have about their successes or failures? Do I hold beliefs that “moralize” neutral behaviors? In what ways do those beliefs support or impair my ability to see the belovedness of myself and others as divine children of God? By Karen Whistler
On Sunday, Pastor Marietta touched on a phrase that is dear to my own journey: Self-compassion. In my personal history, self-compassion and letting God love me are intimately linked. Only when I accept my own belovedness with tenderness towards myself, do the defenses that keep God at arms length break down. In late spring of 2021, I have a distinct memory of opening up to self-compassion. I allowed kindness toward myself to be the defining source of how I constructed my self image. As my attitude towards myself softened, God was able to expand to fill in a bigger, more generous view of themself as the source of that loving-kindness. I spent decades feeling the only way to serve or help others was to ignore my own needs or put myself down. Through experiencing self-compassion I came to know the great paradox: only by experiencing God’s utter acceptance within my own brokenness can I truly bring love to anyone else, AND let them love me in return. Pastor Marietta tied this idea beautifully in the sermon. She connected how our experience of self-compassion carries forward into compassion we bring to assembling the personal care kits for people who are incarcerated at Mission Creek Correctional Center for Women near Belfair. When I began exploring the power of self-compassion, one thing I did was listen to a meditation on Psalm 139 by Maria Gullo at least 1-3 times per day, every day for over a year. I still return frequently to this recording to remind myself how my own creation is infused with Love. I also listen to a number of other practices by Maria Gullo including this one on accepting our belovedness. During that time I also found a guided meditation on Christian Mindfulness that transformed my view of myself and my view of God’s attitude toward me. Unfortunately, that exact recording has been removed. But they posted something similar: Christian Mindfulness by Methods Components from the practice that I return to often: Still your body and mind, focusing on your breath, as you contemplate the Holy Spirit as the Ruach, or breath, of God’s Spirit filling your body with life. “I accept your acceptance of me...” “I confess that you are always with me and always for me.” “I receive into my spirit your grace, your mercy, and your, care.” Just this week, the podcast Hidden Brain re-posted their episode with Kristin Neff. She is a psychologist and researcher who unearthed the power of self-compassion. Kristin’s website is aptly named https://self-compassion.org. She has studied the personal and interpersonal benefits of self-compassion. Kristin Neff is an Associate Professor at University of Texas at Austin. She is a pioneer in the field of self-compassion research, conducting the first empirical studies on the topic almost 20 years ago.“ Kristin Neff also has practices on Insight Timer. There are a number to browse through. If you are struggling with a difficult judgement towards yourself, her Loving-Kindness With Self-Compassion meditation is helpful. I find the benefit of listening to meditation practices is that these words become my thoughts. And these thoughts build up my character and flow through into my own words and actions. Self-compassion is something I lose easily. I have to return to square one often, but the pursuit worthwhile and the fruit is Holy. By Karen Whistler
One of my favorite authors is Henri Nouwen. The legacy of Henri carries on through the Henri Nouwen Society, which produces a podcast called Henri Nouwen, Now & Then. For this initial post, I will share the connection with Spirit of Life that inspired me to start contributing to the Spirit of Life blog. Pastor Marietta’s time at the Mission Creek Correctional Center for Women near Belfair has been such an encouragement to me. She has shared prayer requests and updates from the women that I hold dear. Knowing Pastor’s heart for the incarcerated, two recent Now and Then podcast episodes piqued my interest. Director of the Henri Nouwen Society, Karen Pascal, interviews two individuals involved in ministering to the incarcerated around the globe about how they utilize Henri’s book, Return of the Prodigal Son Karen speaks to Denis Jacobs, founder of John Israel Ministries who ministers to prisoners in South Africa about his Father to the Fatherless initiative developing curriculum around Return of the Prodigal Son: Now & Then Podcast "Prison Ministry & The Prodigal Son". Karen then speaks to the CEO of Prison Fellowship Canada, Stacey Campbell. They discuss building on Denis Jacobs’ work building Father to the Fatherless curriculum and implementing in Canada, where they both reside: Now & Then Podcast "Father to the Fatherless” . I highly recommend both episodes. Let us all to continue to pray for prisoners worldwide and specifically the women of the Mission Creek Correctional Center for Women. I also encourage spending time on the facility website. In a deep dive of curiosity, I learned a lot about the facility and got a small sense of what life is like for the women who live there. This helped me feel more connected to them as I prayed for the specific needs that were shared. Pray for Pastor Marietta’s presence preaching Love to those who attend her worship services. In Peace and Gratitude, Karen Spirit of Life member Karen Whistler is a fount of information and joyfully shares her encounters with theology, spirituality, biblical witness and life. She will be posting here from time to time, inviting us into her world. Enjoy! - Pastor Marietta Hello!
My name is Karen Whistler. You’ve probably seen (and heard!) the Whistler crew either in person (we come in hot!) or online (our 3 kids waving into the camera). We started attending Spirit of Life in early January. Each in our own ways, we are grateful to have found such a safe and loving church community. Recently, Pastor Marietta asked if I would like to share with the church some of the resources I come across. My answer: Yes! I am constantly discovering exciting articles, songs, podcasts, books, you name it with so much enthusiasm and a deep dive to share. I don’t really do social media, so I end up texting and emailing anyone who might be interested in my latest “find.” I would like to preface with a brief bit about myself and a very personal story. My husband, Nate, and I moved from Seattle to Vancouver, BC in 2010 so I could pursue grad school at Emily Carr University of Art + Design. I focused on Design Thinking and research methodologies. For years I built a career as a strategist around applying Systems Thinking principles to User Experience and Customer Experience for a wide range of companies and organizations. If all of that is gibberish, read: It means I think a lot about what we feel and think when we encounter experiences — a room, a website, a book, a train ride, an app, a set of instructions, all have an impact on this journey we call life. Each of us bring a lot to the table that impacts our interpretation of each moment and interaction. We lived in Vancouver for 12 years, had 3 kids, and I experienced a series of health challenges culminating in disability. Last summer, we started our transition back to Washington. Our family landed in Port Orchard to be near my family (who had recently moved to the area) for support. Since 2021, I have been primarily bedridden/housebound with something called Severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (often referred to as ME/CFS), This video was sent out within the community for “Severe M.E. Day” on August 8. This seems like an intimate personal detail to disclose in an introduction, but it is an all-encompassing (yet difficult to explain) part of our family’s life. I also share this story because there is a direct connection to what lead me to contribute resources to Spirit of Life. First of all, my illness means I spend a LOT of time in bed. During the early days of being near-completely bedridden, I had to reconcile with the real idea: If I am never again able to contribute to society or my family or my kids, then who am I? In this place, I was gifted by a deep-felt presence of Divine Love. Through a guided meditation app, I was introduced to what Brennan Manning called the Relentless Tenderness of Jesus. I had to allow this love into every crevice of my heart, mind, and soul. It was profound. As my body continued to be so very sick, my soul was renewed like never before. I am Love and can be a conduit of Love—if and when I get the chance to be in the presence of others. ME/CFS comes with a lot of sensory aversion. Often I cannot withstand any light or sound. When I am able, I listen to guided meditations, and podcasts. I read books, newsletters, and—more recently—the wide world of Substack content. I use this time in bed to bathe my mind in things that reinforce Love. Over time, I have collected a number of resources. I’ve learned and unlearned significantly as I follow this path of allowing myself to be loved so that I can be Love in my small corner of the world. With cognitive impairment, my brain can often only comprehend small bits of information, if anything at all. By investing in practicing lovingkindness toward myself, I made peace with not being able to recall what I hear or read. I view this process as learning to trust my body and Spirit will use whatever it needs. This has been an evolving act of faith. I have to trust what my mind cannot recall will show up in its own way. Through this journey, my gut reaction to feeling intense Love has been to share. When I feel filled with passion by something I hear or read, I immediately think of who else might need that content. Typically, I begin texting or emailing. Since Pastor asked me to share on this blog, I’ve began thinking up a post. So, that is my heart. I am coming to Spirit of Life with the things that have been life-giving to me and trusting that someone in this community will be filled up in my sharing. With Peace and Gratitude, Karen A group of Spirit of Life folks, plus Pastor’s mom, recently made a delightful and restful pilgrimage to Holden Village, a Lutheran retreat in the mountains above Lake Chelan. Holden Village is a special place, and it’s certainly hard to capture the magic and beauty of it in words. But here are some (and photos below, too):
From the website: Holden Village is a remote wilderness community, rooted in the Lutheran tradition, that welcomes all people into the North Cascade Mountains, above Lake Chelan, Washington. Over the course of 60 years, Holden Village has been transformed from a copper mining town to a vibrant place of education, programming, and worship. Holden Village welcomes and embraces people of all races, ethnicities, religious backgrounds, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. Holden Village has been a Reconciling in Christ congregation since 1985. For the sake of Justice, Holden is called to foster Diversity through deliberate invitation and welcome; deploy an ethic of Equity to confront and dismantle systemic oppression; and practice Inclusion by listening to, learning from, and being transformed by marginalized voices, in order to become, together, the community for which God longs. From Walt Sippel: Holden Village provides a wonderful respite from the adventures and challenges we call life. You have the opportunity to do as much or as little as you wish. You can learn, play, rest, meet new people, or simply soak in the mountain air, watch the river rush down the mountain, or watch the world go by unencumbered by modern, electronic conveniences. There is also ice cream in case you need it! From Charlene Nelson (Pastor's Mom): The Holden Village experience for me was uplifting and encouraging. In a world where respect, kindness, and "going the extra mile" is in short supply, the staff "Villagers" and the participants renewed my faith in the goodness of professing Christians. The word "retreat" used in conjunction with Holden Village is very appropriate. To "retreat" from work responsibilities, schedules, daily news, wi-fi, and cell phones was a chance to rediscover myself and what is important in my life. From Lois Wilson: I had two personal goals for this special week, and feel gifted that I was able to achieve both…ahh, plus so many other high points! The hiking/strolling, mindfulness, conversations, healthy food (yes!) ok, let’s add yummy ice cream. A very productive yet restful time with amazing people. From Pastor Marietta: For me, the rhythm of life at Holden Village is the gift. Meals are communal and time sort of floats by. There are opportunities to “do” (crafting, classes) and opportunities to simply sit. No TV, no phones, computers or Internet. The ice cream shop is open twice a day and worship is every night. Hiking is always an option, as is dipping your toes in a mountain stream. Dear Spirit of Life Friends,
Time and again in scripture we read about how Jesus and his disciples met with and healed people who were described in that day and age as being full of demons. From Luke 8: Then (Jesus and the disciples) arrived at the region of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. As Jesus stepped out on shore, a man from the city who had demons met him. For a long time the man had not worn any clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, shouting, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me,” for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him. They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss. And time and again today, here and now, we encounter people in our lives who also suffer in the way the man in Luke 8 did. They are our neighbors, our friends, our family members, and ourselves. We are in the midst of a mental health crisis. The National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) offers these current statistics:
That last one - suicide as the second leading cause of death for our very young people - takes my breath away. The second leading cause! This can all feel overwhelming - and there are ways we can help. It is critical that we continue to pray to God and intercede on behalf of our country as these mental health challenges wash over individuals who are suffering and institutions that aren’t equipped to help. God accompanies us on this journey of life and speaks words of love and belonging over our lives, especially when we are suffering. And ... many of you have already heard me talk about a book I recently read, The Awakened Brain, by Lisa Miller, Ph.D. It has captivated me deeply. Dr. Miller’s research demonstrates that all humans have the capacity for spirituality. And that when we are encouraged and inspired to explore spirituality, our brains become more resilient and robust. Spirituality can literally grow and nurture healthy brains. It can create resilience and optimism. Dr. Miller’s research was fueled in part by her own spiritual experiences (she is Jewish) and by the ways in which spirituality helped individual patients with whom she worked. She witnessed with her own eyes how a connection to faith changed and improved the lives of those who live with mental illness. She was also told, more than once, that spirituality did not have a place in mental health care. So she set out to discover whether that was true. Watch this video (TW: suicide) to learn more about the findings in The Awakened Brain. So what do we, as Lutheran Christians, as part of Spirit of Life, do with this information? Can we help alleviate the pain and suffering of so many people? Well, we can try, and we can ask God to help and guide us. My friend Nita Baer, is the one who asked me to read The Awakened Brain. She was excited to share it with her friends of faith. Nita is a mental health counselor with more than 40 years of experience. She has a long history of work with young children. She is also a faithful, lovely Christian human with a heart for Jesus and a heart for people. She will join us at Spirit of Life for several events over the weekend of July 21-23. On Friday, July 21, from 5:15 to 6:15 pm, in our sanctuary, Nita will offer a teaching session on The Awakened Brain that is geared for anyone caring for young children. Nita will share the research and also talk about ways in which integrating spirituality and faith into the lives of children can help them grow resiliency and emotional health. Please plan to attend if little ones are part of your world. We have shared this with our Little Doves families as well in hopes that they can attend. Nita will speak for a significant portion of the hour, and she will also leave time for questions and answers. We will offer free childcare. In addition, the session will be recorded and shared on our website and social media. If you would like to attend this event on Friday, July 21, please send an email to spiritoflifelc@gmail.com and put “The Awakened Brain” in the subject line. On Sunday, July 23, Nita will join us in our regular 10 am worship. For the sermon portion of our worship, I will interview Nita about The Awakened Brain. She will share from the book, and also her own insights as a Christian and a therapist about how we can help address mental health. After worship, Nita will be available for an informal question and answer session. I pray that this will be an exciting and life giving time in our congregation as we continue to discern what it means to unpack complexity and to live in response to the Good News of God in Christ Jesus by helping others in meaningful ways. Peace, Pastor Marietta … for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me … ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.’ - Matthew 25:35-40
Dear People of Spirit of Life, I want to share with you the connection that God is creating with women who are incarcerated at Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women. This story begins in 2018, when I first moved back to the Pacific Northwest. I was in my third year of seminary. As I studied scripture and theology, God’s grace seeped deeper and deeper into my bones. I began to ask myself: Just how deep and wide is this grace? Who does it extend to? God guided my ponderings to this realization: grace is for everyone. No. matter. what. If it’s not, then it’s not God’s grace and forgiveness through Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. So what does that look like for the people of our world who hurt others? Who create chaos and sometimes violence? I had so many questions, for God, for myself, for incarcerated people. After a particularly meaningful and deep Bible study on a Christian response to the criminal justice system, I connected with Empowering Life, the Southwest Washington Synod’s ministry with incarcerated women. Joan Nelson has long been the leader of this volunteer group. At the time, Empowering Life was holding a monthly worship service at the Washington Correctional Center for Women near Gig Harbor. Empowering Life also employed Sharon Peterson, who provided spiritual care and taught classes on grief, loss, and change for the women at WCCW. I became a member of the Empowering Life Board of Directors and attended worship each month. In 2019, I was invited to preach at and lead one of the services. These Sunday nights became for me a deeply spiritual connection with God and with the women of WCCW. In worship the women shared their own stories of grief, loss, regret, and reconnection. They found freedom in our worship together when they could sing and pray and be honest about their own situations, especially their past lives, their families, and their hopes for the future. They heard God’s words of grace and love spoken over them again and again. As we held space for them, we too were encouraged and lifted up. God moved in and through those gatherings each month. As I heard their stories and began to better understand the women of WCCW, my prior assumption that their plight was simply a matter of making poor choices began to crumble. More questions emerged. Probably the most poignant question that bubbled up was: Why them and not me? I began to study our country’s criminal justice and incarceration systems. Peeling back the layers of complexity around incarceration revealed the well known connections to poverty, racism, and substance use. And the research also revealed less obvious connections to trauma and abuse. Large majorities of incarcerated women report being abused mentally, physically and sexually as children. As I continued to worship and pray for the women at WCCW, I began to advocate for reforms that I believe would better prepare people to leave incarceration and return to healthy, whole lives. Little did we know when we walked out of WCCW in early February 2020, that we would never return. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the facility has struggled with staffing and coordination of volunteers. While we’ve heard that some limited return of programming and volunteers is happening, our program has not been able to do so. It has been a strange and puzzling situation. Then in early 2023, a new opportunity presented itself. Joan Nelson made contact with Chaplain Imo Smith, who serves Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women near Belfair. Chaplain Smith expressed a desire to have a worship service once a month that offered communion. Joan contacted me, and we identified the second Friday of each month for this service. We began in March. The services are simple - time for some prayer, acapella singing, dwelling in the Word and sharing our ideas and insights, and communion. Each time, the women are invited to write down a prayer that they would like to share. I share these prayers with Spirit of Life women who meet for Bible Study at the Landing on Fridays. The women of MCCCW are greatly encouraged that prayers are being said for them. It is so important to them that they are not forgotten. Recently, Chaplain Smith invited me to teach a class on baptism. We had six in the class that was held in early June, and we had a wonderful discussion about the scriptural basis for baptism, the Lutheran understanding of the sacrament, and the promises that are made in the rite. At our July service, five women will be baptized. We will also have a musician, Heather Clauson, for that service. She is a guitarist and member of St Mark’s by the Narrows. She previously volunteered at WCCW with Empowering Life. Consistency, good music, and quality relationships will help the worship be fruitful and faithful. I share this with you, the people of Spirit of Life, because without your call, I could not do this ministry. So thank you, for calling me to serve as your pastor. And thank you for giving me space to grow in my own gifts and share them with the women of Mission Creek. I am intrigued by what God is up to through this opportunity and will continue to listen to where God will take this. I ask that you pray as well for the people who are incarcerated at Mission Creek and for the people who work there. Peace, Pastor Marietta |
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