Category: Uncategorized

Here we are already in the second month of 2023. January seemed to fly on by at the speed of light. The beginning of February is a bit sentimental for me. Today is the 106th anniversary of my grandmothers birth. She passed in 2005 at the age of 88. Grandma was a woman who if she has been living in this era, would have been the first female president of the United States. She was ahead of her time and had one of the best political minds around. It was her tenacity and wit that helped her thrive in a work culture that was caustic towards women. She paid it no mind as she was working for the greater good at the local community level. My Grandma had charm and was a bit of a flirt. In the years since her death, mom and I have found some of her calendar books from the time after her second husband had passed. Her calendar was full of dates for social events and dances! I think she had to schedule evenings when she would stay home to rest. 😂 The world, my world was much brighter because she was in it and I miss her so. Since I started at GSBC on October 1, 2021 as your Interim Pastor, one of my goals is to keep reminding each of you just how beloved you are by your Creator. That’s one of the reasons I tell you each week as we leave worship that you are God’s beloved child, because you are! Never forget this! Always remember! Grace, Peace, and Love, -P. Denise

Jennifer Drury – February 2

Yesterday, I led four virtual meetings with Washington legislators, parents and our district superintendent. I have six more meetings set up in the coming weeks during the Washington State Legislative Session.  It’s an exciting time! Over a thousand bills have already been introduced. In my PTA advocacy work for students and families, it can be overwhelming to contemplate all of the changes that we envision to make our world more just and compassionate. Still, I came out of the calls feeling gratitude and admiration for our senators and representatives who are good people working hard to bend the arc. Truly! Find your favorite advocacy organization and find out which bills they are supporting. Sign up for their Action Alerts which will tell you when and how to email your legislators on bills they are supporting. Here is one that I follow.  Thanks for doing your part!

Home

Home – Faith Action Network

Register for 2023 Interfaith Advocacy Day by January 29 for your best chance at meeting with your legislators in Olympia Faith Action Network A Partnership for the Common Good Faith Action Network is fanwa.org

Thank you!
Jennifer Drury

Much to the annoyance of my children growing up. I love walking through museums that contain ancient artifacts stopping at each item and reading the attached description. While the description may date the item and give information as to its use. Most often what is missing is the story behind the artifact. I have been wondering about the story behind different items as I move about the facility at GSBC. In Pastor Chris’s instructions that he left for me, there is a brief paragraph of some of the items with a description of who created or donated the piece. What’s missing for me is the stories behind each piece. I’m sure there may be others like me who are wondering the significance of the items and stories behind each one. So I was thinking. If each month I share a picture of an item or space in the GSBC facility of curiosity. Whoever may know the story of how it came to be, you email it to my email at GSBC <aanend@gsbchurch.com>. I will then share it in a later newsletter? If you are willing, first up is the piece pictured above right outside the sanctuary. I look forward to hearing more about it. Grace, Peace, and Love, P. Denise

It wasn’t until I sat down with the Pastoral Counselor at the Center for Ministry back in 2003 to explore my call into full-time Pastoral Ministry that I began to understand and unpack the small griefs in my life. When I thought about grief, I thought about the loss of my Granddad, Father, Pastor, and dear friends. It wasn’t until the counselor asked me about leaving a much loved job I held before I became a stay-at-home mom that the floodgates opened up and tears began to stream down my face. I had not allowed myself to grieve but forced myself to be “happy” and “joyful” as I settled into my new life as a parent. So almost 20 years after, there I sat grieving my past life. In all of our life transitions and change, grief is present. Joy can and I believe is present as well in the middle of the grief. God turns our mourning into dancing in the small and large griefs. Thanks be to God! “You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, so that my soul may praise you and not be silent.O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you for ever.” – Psalm 30:11-12P. -Pastor Denise Photo Credit – ChurchArt.com