1 Creator Connection January 2018 Creator Lutheran Church and Preschool Church in Society Thanks to all of you who contributed in sharing your abundance this Christmas with those families who have less and needed help. Several groups from Creator stepped forward to help, which included the youth group and Sunday School, our Moms group, women’s groups and more. Cheryl Balliet, director of Buckley ECEAP, responded to one of the helping groups “I am so appreciative at the love and gen- erosity you have given to my ECEAP families! Your church family is so wonderful to us year after year! Have a blessed and happy holiday season! With a very thankful heart-Cheryl”. We covered eight families from our community, six of them being part of Cheryl’s ECEAP program. What is ECAEP? The Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program, Washington’s pre-kindergarten pro- gram serving at-risk three- and four-years old and their families. ECEAP provides children in 36 counties with preschool education, health services, intensive family support and parent involvement and training. It addresses the needs of the whole child to ensure that gains are sustained. Ninety-two percent en- rolled are living below the federal poverty line ($21,483 for a family of 3). Other students enrolled have risk factors such as disabilities, homelessness, or have English as a Second Language. Ten percent of the children have an IEP plan for addressing disabilities; forty-two percent had parents without either a high school diploma or GED. The ECAEP program serves children who are at the highest risk for school failure and puts them on a path to success. We also supported families recommended by the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District and the Prairie Ridge Community Coalition. Prairie Ridge Community Coalition is a coalition that brings recourse and programs to the unserved in areas of unincorporated Bonney Lake. Their focus is on their youth, sup- porting families and creating a more cohesive community. They partner with other churches and organ- izations to provide a weekly community dinner, a summer youth program and free lunches, after school tutoring and special events. CIS funds were distributed this month in the following ways: Sumner Family Food Bank $200; Backpack program $150 Bonney Lake Food Bank $200; Back pack program $150 Open Hearth Ministries $300 Open Hearth Ministries is the only program in Puyallup/East Pierce County that shelters a homeless family the same day they request help. While in the motel, families may receive emergency provisions, personal visits, community resources and encouragement as they work toward more stable homes. We offer this information on the agencies above in hopes it clarifies how and why we give. Our best wishes to all of Creator for a fulfilling New Year as we seek on how to serve others. In His Name, Church in Society Team
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Creator Connection January 2018
C r e a t o r L u t h e r a n C h u r c h a n d P r e s c h o o l
Church in Society
Thanks to all of you who contributed in sharing your abundance this Christmas with those families who
have less and needed help. Several groups from Creator stepped forward to help, which included the
youth group and Sunday School, our Moms group, women’s groups and more. Cheryl Balliet, director of
Buckley ECEAP, responded to one of the helping groups “I am so appreciative at the love and gen-
erosity you have given to my ECEAP families! Your church family is so wonderful to us year
after year! Have a blessed and happy holiday season! With a very thankful heart-Cheryl”.
We covered eight families from our community, six of them being part of Cheryl’s ECEAP program. What
is ECAEP? The Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program, Washington’s pre-kindergarten pro-
gram serving at-risk three- and four-years old and their families. ECEAP provides children in 36 counties
with preschool education, health services, intensive family support and parent involvement and training.
It addresses the needs of the whole child to ensure that gains are sustained. Ninety-two percent en-
rolled are living below the federal poverty line ($21,483 for a family of 3). Other students enrolled have
risk factors such as disabilities, homelessness, or have English as a Second Language. Ten percent of
the children have an IEP plan for addressing disabilities; forty-two percent had parents without either a
high school diploma or GED. The ECAEP program serves children who are at the highest risk for school
failure and puts them on a path to success.
We also supported families recommended by the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District and the Prairie
Ridge Community Coalition. Prairie Ridge Community Coalition is a coalition that brings recourse and
programs to the unserved in areas of unincorporated Bonney Lake. Their focus is on their youth, sup-
porting families and creating a more cohesive community. They partner with other churches and organ-
izations to provide a weekly community dinner, a summer youth program and free lunches, after school
tutoring and special events.
CIS funds were distributed this month in the following ways:
Sumner Family Food Bank $200; Backpack program $150
Bonney Lake Food Bank $200; Back pack program $150
Open Hearth Ministries $300
Open Hearth Ministries is the only program in Puyallup/East Pierce County that shelters a homeless
family the same day they request help. While in the motel, families may receive emergency provisions,
personal visits, community resources and encouragement as they work toward more stable homes.
We offer this information on the agencies above in hopes it clarifies how and why we give.
Our best wishes to all of Creator for a fulfilling New Year as we seek on how to serve others.
In His Name,
Church in Society Team
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Terri’s Two Cents
I don’t get sick very often. Once or twice a year, I get a stuffy nose or
a little headache. But, for the most part, I enjoy a healthy metabolism. However, I am currently writing this article surrounded by my huge box
of Kleenex, pile of cough drops, and bottles of cold medicine. Unfortunately, as soon as my vacation began, so did the sneezing and coughing. Please don’t feel
sorry for me, because I have learned something this week.
I don’t have the energy to go out and do all my Christmas errands, and I
am too contagious to bake Christmas goodies or visit my loved ones. I’ve already watched too much TV, so now I’m going through photographs that have been col-
lecting dust for many years. I found a tub of extremely old pictures of me and my
family. Some of the pictures are of us enjoying the holidays, some are of im-portant milestones like birthdays and graduations.
So, here is the lesson that I have learned. I love tripping down “Memory Lane” with these pictures because it reminds me that all the fun and important
events in my life were fun and important because I had a wonderful family to share in those life events. From now on, I will remember that life is beautiful because of
the beautiful people in my life.
“. . . Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever
is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about
such things.” --Philippians 4: 8
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Schedule
Southwestern Washington Synod Youth
Gathering
February 9-11, 2018
All students in grades 6-12 are invited to join the
synod wide gathering. This year’s event is at Camp
Arnold in Eatonville, WA and includes hiking, zip line, high ropes course, and canoeing. Cost is $130 per
camper and covers lodging, food, T-Shirt, and activi-ties. ALYVE board members plan and lead this re-
treat for the youth. Contact Terri to sign up and pay. Deadline to sign up is January 15, 2018.
$130 due for Middle School/High School Synod Youth Gathering
Wednesday, January 3 6:30pm Movie Night- “Queen of Katwe”
Sunday, January 7 9:45am Epiphany Breakfast
Wednesday, January 10 7:00pm Lesson and Guide huddle
Sunday, January 14 9:45am Lesson (8th Graders with Pastor)
Wednesday, January 17 7:00pm Lesson
Sunday, January 21 9:45am Lesson (8th Graders with Pastor)
Wednesday, January 24 7:00pm Lesson
Sunday, January 28 9:45am Lesson (8th Graders with Pastor)
Wednesday, January 31 7:00pm Lesson
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Stewardship Committee
We have been celebrating the birth of our Lord, that incredible gift of love from God
to us. At Epiphany, consider when the wise men came upon the baby Jesus after that long journey, they literally fell to the ground and worshipped him. They knew with all
certainty that he was the King of Kings, and Savior of the World, and they honored him by bringing gifts.
When we bring our gifts of time, talents, and resources it is truly an act of worship. As we approach this new year, it is an opportunity to examine our relationship with
God and consider stepping out in faith by finding new ways to honor Him, and share our gifts. (This could mean volunteering as an usher, baking the communion bread, or
increasing our monthly tithes and offerings).
Wishing you blessings in 2018.
Epiphany Breakfast
Sunday, January 7, 2017
9:45am-10:45am
All are invited to a celebration of the 12th day of
Christmas! Bring the whole family to learn more of the Christmas story and enjoy a delicious
breakfast. Please bring a fruit platter to share.
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This new approach to learning and exploring God’s Kingdom comes from a desire
to
Equip families to carry out Christian practices at home
Combine Christian Education with Mission and Service
Incorporate Faith formation into the Worship Service
Facilitate multigenerational discussion and wonderment about Bible Stories and
God’s message for us today.
For these reasons, we would like to invite ALL to join us in Creator Family Sunday School. All ages are welcome! Parents, Grandparents, and siblings will eat break-
fast together, hear a Bible Story, wonder and discuss the story, and learn some new music—all together! Service projects will also be a big part of our time to-
gether.
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YOUTH PRAISE TEAM for January/February 2018 This is a group for 6-12 graders that meets Wednesdays from 6:15-7:00 PM. If you sing or play an
instrument, this is the group for you!!! The 2nd Project rehearsals for the year are as follows: January 10,
January 17
January 24,
January 31
February 7
Singing/playing for worship options are: Wednesday, February 14, 7 PM -OR- Sunday, February 18, 11 AM.
**If you can do this project, or if you have questions/concerns, please let Dani know! A minimum of 5 youth participants is needed to make this a go!
CREATOR CHOIR 2018 Creator Choir, a group for high school youth through adults, will resume practicing on Wednes-
days from 7:00-8:30 PM on Wednesday, January 10th. ALL ARE WELCOME! We will have a small Epiph-any Party that evening the last part of practice and will be starting to put together the choir schedule through June, so feel free to bring some treats/fruit/veggies to share and your calendars!
MUSIC FOR CHILDREN Music for children in preschool through 5th grade will happen as part of Sunday School this
year. Family members of all ages are welcome to be a part of this each week! If you can’t come for all of Sunday School, come for the music portion beginning at 10:30 AM!!
ARE YOU PERFORMING LOCALLY? Are you a part of a band, choir or orchestra that puts on concerts in this area? If so, please email Dani by the 15th of each month to put on this page of the newsletter! For January, here is a free concert option in Tacoma:
Sounds of Brass concert, Sunday, January 14, 3:00 PM – Tacoma Community College (Building 2 – auditorium)
LOOKING AHEAD... MARIMBA CAMP!!! Creator would like to offer Marimba Camp for Youth again this next summer, in July 2018. Please look for more information about this in the next couple of months and contact Dani if you are interested. **If enough adults are interested, there may be a possibility for a 1-2 day workshop for adults as well!
There are three power lines, about 125 volts each, connected to the church for our power source.
Each line is controlled by a fuse on the Puget Sound Energy (PSE) pole located at the side of South
Tapps Drive East. In October, one of the fuses blew resulting in irregular intermittent voltage enter-
ing the church. This apparently resulted in damage to the parking lot lights and the alarm systems.
Parking Lot Lights
A relay switch in the parking lot lights system was blown and has been replaced. In the process of
that repair, it was discovered that the photoelectric cell does not detect sufficient light to keep the
lights off during the darker winter hours of daylight. A similar problem exists with the photoelectric
cells controlling the holiday lights around the perimeter of the church. As a result, the council has de-
cided to take a recommendation to install a digital timer that will control the operation of the lights.
The timer will be installed as soon as the electrician’s schedule permits.
Fire and Security Alarms
A new security alarm system (keypad and control panel) has been installed by All Systems Integrated
(ASI) due to the failure of the keypad panel used to arm and disarm the security system. While the
keypad was installed as a part of the security/fire system in 1999, it is not known if the power outage
in October was the cause of the failure. In any event, PSE holds itself harmless for any collateral
damage that may result from a problem on the electrical system power grid.
The fire suppression system is still the original Radionics system installed in 1999. The control panel
for that is currently sending trouble signals to the monitoring system. There is a difference of opinion
regarding the cause: Infinity Fire that services the system thinks that the control panel needs to be
reprogrammed and ASI thinks the repeated signals indicated that the system is wearing out due to
its age. Neither company works on proprietary Radionics systems. However, Absco Solutions in Ren-
ton does work with Radionics technology and they have been requested to evaluate our control panel
to determine if it just needs reprogramming or if it is worn out and must be replaced. This will occur
as soon as possible after the new year. While the panel is sending trouble signals, the system is oper-
ational and responsive to fire detection sensors.
Vandalism
Sometime between late Christmas Eve and the morning after Christmas Day, the fence surrounding
our refuse area was significantly damaged. It appears that a vehicle driving too fast in the snow-and-
ice-covered parking lot was unable to make a turn and hit a fence corner post and the dumpster bin.
The bin was pushed into a section of the fencing breaking both the upper and lower rails supporting
the vertical fence slats. This damage was likely not the result of malicious intent, but rather bad
judgment negligence. The damage will be repaired by the Property Team with the expense limited as
much as possible.
Illegal dumping of unwanted items continues to be an ongoing problem in the refuse area. Since the
dumpster lid has been secured closed with a padlock, fewer plastic bags of garbage have been left for
the church to disposition. However, it still occurs and several weeks ago, someone left an air condi-
tioning unit and a flat panel TV that Jeff Lovin was kind enough to dispose of for us. More recently,
someone left two very large truck tires in the refuse area. Many heartfelt thanks are extended to Les
Schwab Tires in Bonney Lake for graciously accepting the tires from the church without charge, sav-
ing us the cost of a trip to a transfer station and the dumping fee.
It is a total pleasure to continue serving the needs of Creator Lutheran! Best wishes to us all for a
blessed and happy 2018 new year
Faithfully, Doug
Administrator’s Abbey
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Pre-School News
Dear Creator friends and family,
We hope the holidays were a joyful and restful time for everyone. The New Year
brings winter themes to our preschool. The colors of the month are white and gray. The shape is a rectangle. Our curriculum includes dinosaurs, forms of water
and “R” is for rhyming. The letters we will be studying in January are “R,r, S, s, U, u and D, d”. The number is 5 for our three-years old and 8, 9 and 10 for our four/
five years old.
There will be no school on Monday, January 15 due to MLK Holiday. Our reptile field trip will be in-house on Thursday, January 25 and Friday, January 26.
An important note to our church member families and families of returning stu-dents: Registration for the school year 2018-2019 will be open to the public on
January 1st, 2018. If you have not registered, please do so as soon as possible. Contact Gayle Mckenna at [email protected] (e-mail is best) or 253-863-2886 to
register your child for the appropriate class.
Remember: Faith formation begins at home. Here are some ideas parents can
use to “grow” their child’s faith.
Read bible stories Pray together
Model prayer Have dinner together
Have a positive attitude about your faith Talk about God, Jesus and your faith in simple terms
Listen when they want to talk to you about God, Jesus, what they believe or think.
Your teachers,
Andrea (Mrs. D), Gayle (Mrs. McKenna), Ragan (Mrs.
Allen), and Cheri (Mrs. Farrer).
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VOLUNTEER TEACH-ER/LEADER
You are
WANTED!
A dozen 4 & 5-yr-olds really, Really, REALLY want & need
Nursery Attendants: Debbie Eikland and Cynthia Lowe
Sunday School Coordinator: Charlene Thayse
Preschool Directors: Andrea DeDominces & Gayle McKenna
Preschool Teachers: Andrea DeDominces,
Gayle McKenna, Ragan Allen & Cheri Farrer
Baptism Coordinator: Briana Halaas
Funeral Coordinator: Janee Theleman
Church address:
16702 South Tapps Dr. E.
Bonney Lake, WA 98391
Office Ministry Schedule: Monday—Cheryle
Tuesday—Friday—Marlene
Office Phone (253) 862-7700
Web Page: www.creatorlutheran.net
Ministry teams and program leaders, please think ahead about what is coming up and submit information, pictures or stories of impact to [email protected] by the 20th of each month. Cheryle, our office ministry assistant, will collect, format and get the newsletter out to the congregation by the first of each month. If we are proactive and think ahead, I know we can do it. We have done it before with previ-ous publications of the newsletter.
