Missionary Support

SHLC’s call to mission and service is the foundation of our congregation. Since our inception in 1988, we have supported many missions and outreach programs. These programs assist the less fortunate and include our annual Youth Mission trip to Tecate Mexico. There we work with needy families to help provide basic housing, while spreading the love of God within the community. We are aware of the homeless issues in and around our community and we support Hot Meals Program of Issaquah and Operation Night Watch in Seattle. We are fortunate to have three families who attended SHLC  currently serving in world missions. They are Pastor Bonio Bokun of Papua New Guinea, Bishop Jacob Mameo of Tanzania and Pastor Tom Summerfield and his wife Laurie. In addition, we have member-led programs that reach out to the local elderly community at Providence Point and Spiritwood.  We also provide financial support to Pastor Herb Hofferman via ELCA's Global Missions to help with his mission work in Tanzania.

Children’s Worship

While always having Christmas Pageant and Youth Sunday opportunities to share in worship, we have most recently added a weekly Children’s Worship for children preschool thru elementary school age. Twelve children participated this past school year in a 30 minute worship experience at 9:30 a.m. Together with an adult leader and the help of several teenagers, the children explore the church seasons, specific pieces of Lutheran Worship and the Sacraments. It is an age-appropriate opportunity to learn by discussion about the rituals, symbolism, colors, music, and scripture texts of worship. We follow the same seasonal lectionary as the congregational worship and frequently share what the children have learned with the congregation as they join worship at the Children’s Message. We collect offering “for God’s work” to support a child from Compassion International. Parents are always welcomed and encouraged to attend Children’s Worship, learning right along with their children.

Sunday School

We have had a fantastic beginning to our Sunday School year with an average of 10 children in attendance. Even more children are coming forward to enjoy the puppet show! Just a quick reminder that Children's Worship begins at 9:30 in the Fellowship Hall which is the time for all the elementary school children to come together for their own  worship service. At 10:00am, the children go into their age appropriate classrooms with their teachers for Sunday School. The children rejoin their parents in the Sanctuary after the puppet show. All children, pre-school through 6th grade are welcome. Registration forms are available in the Fellowship Hall. Completed forms can be given to Lisa Whatley, Karen Stillwell, Terry Akre or Tom Lindsley.  

As worship begins in the sanctuary at 10:00am,  the children divide into two age-groups for traditionaly Sunday School classes. We use the Seasons of the Spirit muti-age materials from Augsberg Fortress that follows season of the church year and the weekly texts of the worship service. 

Children’s Message

Children join the full congregation in worship during the Hymn of the Day immediately follow the sermon. They come forward to a special area for the Children’s Message planned and presented by an adult and the teenage “skit squad”. The message is always based on one of the texts for the week, and ties in and reinforces what they have learned in Children’s Worship & Sunday School. The children often share a scripture reading, song, or prayers with the congregation at this time as well.  The skit squad began in the year 2000 and has, over the years, involved dozens of participants. 

Camp Lutherwood

Our congregation supports the ministry of Lutherwood Camp & Retreat Center in Bellingham, WA.  Our Ambassador Family keeps the congregation and camp connected by regular reports of camp activities and service opportunities including Join Hands Day Servant Weekend. Vacation Bible School offerings have contributed to the camper scholarship fund, our congregation has participated in a fundraiser matched by Thrivent to provide camper gifts to our member children attending summer camp. We have “adopted a staff member” to send prayers of encouragement to a summer counselor. Children attend the Elementary Retreat, the Jr/Sr High Ski & Snowboard Camp, summer camps, and will participate this summer for the first time in the Mission Trip to the Lummi Indian Reservation.