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A collaborative network of nine ELCA congregations on Seattle’s Eastside.. ELCC Fellowship Opportunities. Lent, Holy Week and Easter

Eastside Lutheran Church Community
ELCC Newsletter - JULY Edition
A collaborative network of nine ELCA congregations on Seattle’s Eastside.

A collaborative network of nine ELCA congregations on Seattle’s Eastside.

Together, we amplify our impact and witness through shared resources, ministries, and mission. We are stronger - together.

Please visit the ELCC website for event details and registration links; a list of participating churches with locations, websites, and contact information;
our mission, our charter, a list of active board members, and approved meeting minutes.

 

Worship (and picnic)  in the Park

Worship (and picnic) in the Park

Tommie Burton - Guest Soloist - Sunday, August 16, 2026

The churches of the ELCC will gather together at Ebright Creek Park (1405 ~ 212th Ave SE, Sammamish) on Sunday, August 16th at 10:00 AM to worship in community and then share a potluck meal together. Tommie Burton will be a guest sololist which is such a treat!
 
St. Luke's is organizing the music and WE NEED SINGERS. Aug 15/16 — 10-11 am rehearsal; Sat Aug 15 at St Luke’s and then 9:15 am Sun Aug 16 for park service. We are singing with Tommie Burton, and we need every voice! Easy and fun with no pre-learning needed.  All ages too. Please contact Cheri Neill Get inspired by watching this...  
 
Each congregation will have a potluck assignment, so check your home church newsletters for the most up-to-date information on EXACTLY what to bring.
 
For your comfort, bring a chair and some sunscreen. There is a lot of parking available either at the park or on side streets, but we recommend that you carpool as much as possible.
 
NOTE: A community choir for the event is being organized with St. Luke's. Check that event listing on the ELCC website for all the information. They need singers - no experience necessary!! 
 
If you prefer to attend an in-person worship, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Mercer Island will be meeting in person on August 16th. Worship at 9:00 AM. 
 

For more infomation visit:

http://eastsidelutherancc.org/events/worship-and-picnic-in-the-park/2026-08-16

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ELCC Fellowship Opportunities

ELCC Fellowship Opportunities

Below is a list of opportunities to worship, engage, connect, volunteer, have fun and to let the Holy Spirit move within you.

These events and offerings are open to everyone within the Eastside Lutheran Church Community AND our broader communities. A link to the event will be provided if it has been posted on the ELCC website.

Noteworthy Upcoming Summer Events

Noteworthy Upcoming Summer Events

Request contact information from host church if not provided

  • Jazz on the Patio with Swingtime Express Quartet - Saturday, August 15th from 6:00-9:00pm at St. Luke's. Join us for an evening of live jazz with Swingtime Express quartet and singer Janette West. This is a free event, but donations are welcome. Light nibbles and wine for purchase available. This event is all ages, and you do not need to register. Bring a friend! Parking is very limited so carpooling is recommended.
  • Summer Evening Worship at Saint Andrew's: On Sundays August 2, and September 6, the worship service will be at 5:00pm, instead of at 10:00am.We are offering this during a season when many are away on Sunday mornings and might welcome an evening opportunity for worship. Because of the long summer daylight hours in this part of the world, this will still be a safe driving time to and from church for you.  The order of worship will remain the same, with hymns, liturgy, sermon, and Holy Communion. All are welcome to join us!! 
  • Creation Care Evening VBS Registration – Join us this summer for a fun and meaningful evening VBS focused on caring for God’s creation! Through hands-on activities, games, and community-building, we’ll explore how we can love and care for the world around us. Two sessions will be at Mercer Island Presbyterian Church and one session at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Mercer Island. Children in grades K–5 will enjoy age-appropriate activities, while our intergenerational evening invites participants of all ages to learn and serve together. For more information contact Julia Glassy (julia.glassy@htlcmi.org).
  • ELCC Sunday Worship-At-The-Park - Sunday, August 16th at 10:00am will be the Sunday morning outdoor worship service at Ebright Park. This is a potluck event and each congregation has very specific instructions for what to bring so check in with your pastor or church newsletter. If you want to be a part of the choir, please contact Cheri Neill at cheri@slukes.org. Tommie Burton will be our guest soloist which is very special! Bring your own chair and sunscreen and be prepared to walk a bit if you have to park on side streets. Carpooling is recommended.
  • Calling all Non-fiction Book Readers - Cheri Neill and Pastor Mark (St. Luke's) are exploring a book titled: ‘When God Became White’ by Grace Ji-Sun Kim. The author is a Korean Presbyterian minister and scholar. They are inviting individuals to read it and then come together for a facilitated discussion in October. The discussion date will be determined by those who read the book & want to participate. The book is easily obtainable in paperback via Amazon or other major book retailers for approx. $13-15.  Please let Cheri (cheri@slukes.org) know if you want to participate. Please text her at 206.851.1035 with your first & last name and how to reach you by text. Let’s stretch & grow together!
  • SHLC Faith on Fire - Join Sammamish Hills Lutheran for informal gatherings around the fire to get to know one another, share conversation about faith, share stories, and maybe even sing around the fire this summer.  Invite your friends to join you! All ages welcome. You are invited to bring your own food to eat and your beverage of choice. (Water will be provided). We also ask that you bring your own camp chair to sit around the fire. If you have a guitar, you are welcome to also bring that to share in song at the end of the evening. For specific address information please contact the church office at worship@shlc.org. Faith On Fire Dates & Locations 6:00-8:00PM - Sunday, July 26 and Sunday, August 9
  • Community Open Play at SHLC - Open Play is a fantastic community program where SHLC opens the Fellowship Hall doors every Wednesday 9:30-11:30am for playtime for babies, toddlers, young children AND their care givers. We provide coffee for the volunteers/caregivers and snacks for the littles. This program is popular and we need more volunteers to help out a Wednesday here and there. If you’re able to help at all, email us at the church office today at worship@shlc.org. There is NO Open Play: July 22nd
  • Men's Gathering at SHLC - 7:00am Join Pr. Dave and others Monday morning in the Fellowship Hall from 7:00-8:00am and we will continue meeting during the summer months. We will gather for coffee, connection, sharing, and to consider how we best live out our faith. This is not a Bible Study; it’s a place to talk about faithful living and the challenges/joys that come along the way – and then we pray together as we start our week. We will continue meeting through the summer months.
  • SHLC's Men's Faith Talk - 7:00am Join us each Thursday morning at McDonalds in Redmond Ridge located at 23545 NE Novelty Hill Rd, Redmond, WA 98053 from 7:00-8:00am. This is an intentional Bible study and will continue meeting during the summer months. We gather to hear the word, discuss the text, consider how it applies to our lives, and then pray together. We will continue meeting through the summer months.
  • SHLC Women's Fellowship - We meet in the Summer. Join us for an evening of laughter, friendship, and sharing as we get to know other women from the congregation through our monthly Women’s Fellowship Group. Our next gathering is Tuesday, July 21st, at 6:30pm at Sue Huibregtse home. For additional details, please contact Sue Huibregtse at Huibregtse_Family@msn.com. We hope to see you for July and August 18th at Lisa Yaple’s residence.
  • Join the SHLC Mission Quilters this Summer - The SHLC Mission Quilters meet every Monday from 10am-2pm in the Fellowship Hall at SHLC with a sack lunch break at 12:00pm.  ALL are welcome to join some summer quilting fun!  If you would like to help, but can’t make it on Mondays, we have precut kits available to sew quilt tops at home.  Please keep us in mind as you clean out closets by donating new and reusable fabrics, sheets, fillers (such as blankets, and batting), crochet cord, and thread.  Donations can be brought to the church office any time during business hours.
Music and Choirs

Music and Choirs

  • Bell Choir  - Alice Lewis, the ELCC Bell Choir director, is gathering names & contact info from those who might be interested in future Bell Choir projects. If that’s you, please email her to let her know your name, your church, and contact info.
  • Jazz on the Patio with Swingtime Express Quartet - Saturday August 15th from 6:00-9:00pm at St. Luke's. Save-the-date for an evening of live jazz with Swingtime Express Quartet and guest vocalist Janette West. This is a free event but donations are welcome. Light nibbles and wine-for-purchase available. More event details to come so for now - save-the-date.
  • Singers Needed for ELCC Summer Worship-in-the-Park - Rehearsal: Sat. Aug 15th, 10-11am at St Luke’s. On August 16th we will be doing our annual ELCC (Eastside Lutheran Church Community) Service in the Park at 10 am, and St. Luke's is coordinating & leading music. We will be having a one-time choir with Tommie Burton as lead soloist and inviting singers from all 5 participating ELCC churches. We will rehearse Saturday 8/15 10-11 am at St Luke’s. Must be at the park by 9:15am on August 16th for a singing "warm up". Zero prep required - super easy! (Spirit of God is Upon Me by Rickie Byars - funky Gospel groove). Willingness to learn & feel the music is all that’s needed. All ages are welcome. Contact Cheri for more information. 
Youth and Family

Youth and Family

Request contact information from host church if not provided

Events, Summer Camps, Retreats & More

  • Summer Family Camp at Camp Lutherwood - Registration opens February 1st. Camp dates June 28 - July 3rd.
  • Vacation Bible School: Come and Gather "At the Table". We are exploring the theme of sharing stories, sharing food, breaking bread, and loving our neighbors. Come and Gather "At the Table" as we explore five Biblical stories featuring table, bread, and God's Word. Children in kindergarten thru sixth grade are invited to attend. Medical release and payment details (if applicable) info can be found in the registration links provided below
    • Week One: Mt Si in North Bend - Already completed
    • Week Two: Sammamish Hills - July 20-24, 9-12
      For a fee - See Registration. Questions or to volunteer, please contact: Doug Johnson
    • Week Three: St. Luke's Bellevue - July 27-31, 9-12
      Donation requested but optional. Questions or to volunteer, please contact: Melinda Steen
  • NWWA Synod Youth Fall Retreat - November 7-9 - More information coming soon 
Community Service and Mission Work

Community Service and Mission Work

Request contact information from host church if not provided

  • ELCC  Local Service Team - We have met 3 times and are enthusiastic about continuing our work. We have gathered service ministry information from all the churches and see many possibilities for collaboration. We are defining service to mean 'fulfilling a need outside of ourselves and working together as a community of churches. Contact Cross of Christ for more information or to join this wonderful group.
Small Group Ministries (non-worship)

Small Group Ministries (non-worship)

Request contact information from host church if not provided

!!  Some groups may be on hiatus for the summer. Please contact the church or organizer for the programming schedule. !!

Mt. Si Lutheran

  • Women's Bible Study - Mondays at 12:30pm - meeting at Mt Si in multi-purpose room
  • Men's Bible Study - Saturday at 9am - meeting at Little Si Restaurant in North Bend
  • Quilters - Mondays at 9:30am in Mt. Si quilting room
  • AA “Surrender on Sunday” – Sundays, 6pm
  • AA: Candlelight Meeting – Thursdays, 7–8pm

St. Luke's Lutheran

  • Women's Book Club - First Tuesday of the month - 12:30 pm on ZOOM - contact Diana Howell
  • Dorcas Circle Bible Study – Third Tuesday of the month, 12:00pm in Pierson Hall. They meet for study from the Gather magazine. Feel free to bring a sack lunch to enjoy during fellowship and conversation. Contact Pam Webber
  • Men's Donut and Work Group - 1st/3rd/5th Wednesdays of the month, 9:30am in Pierson Hall. Ask for Bob or Harvey
  • Piecemakers Quilting Group - Every Thursday, 9:30am in Memorial Hall. Ask for Cheryl Caron
  • Troop 600 Scouts BSA – Mondays, 6:15–8:15pm
  • AA: Bellevue New Group – Tuesdays, 7:30–8:30pm
  • AA: The Fourth Dimension – Wednesdays, 7:30–8:30pm
  • AA: Sober Sisters East – Thursdays, 7–8pm
  • AA: A Way Up – Fridays, 7:30–8:30pm

St. Andrews Lutheran

  • Bible Study – Sundays, 9am
  • Dorcas Circle Quilting Group – First Tuesday, 9:30am–12:30pm, Room 302 / Fellowship Hall South
  • Midweek Bible Study – Tuesdays, 10–11am, Room 212/Library + Zoom
  • O.W.L.S. Lunch + Program – Third Tuesday (Sept–May), 11:45am
  • Women’s Book Group – Wednesdays, 10–11:30am, library
  • JEDI Group – Fourth Wednesday, 7pm
  • Tuesday Morning Men’s Group (online) – Tuesdays, 8:30am

Sammamish Hills Lutheran

  • BMen’s Gathering – Mondays, 7–8am, Fellowship Hall
  • Mission Quilters – Mondays, 10am–2pm, Fellowship Hall
  • Prayer Group (Zoom) – Tuesdays, 10–11am
  • Bible Study: Genesis (Zoom) – Wednesdays, 10–11am. On hiatus until September. 
  • Men’s Faith Talk – Thursdays, 7–8am, McDonald’s Redmond Ridge
  • Women’s Evening Bible Study – Thursdays, 5pm, Preschool Conference Room

Cross of Christ Lutheran

  • Grief Group – Meets on the 4th Monday of the month at 10am
  • Quilters – 2nd and 4th Monday's in the Fellowship Hall
  • Monthly Women's Bible Studies (there are several) – Contact the front office for information
  • The Third Saturday Hikers – Contact the front office for information
  • Weekly Zoom Bible Study– On hiatus until September. Please contact Pastor Dave for more information

Newsletter Submissions

Please send all newsletter submissions to communications@slukes.org. Include these items with your submission request:

Title of Event or Opportunity
Date, time, location
Contact/Host name/email/phone for questions
A link to event if it’s been posted on the ELCC website

The newsletter will be published every third Monday of the month
Newsletter submissions are due by the second Monday of every month for inclusion.

Eastside Lutheran Church Community

Eastside Lutheran Church Community

Churches that are curiously growing are infectiously inspirational.

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2650 148TH AVE SE
Bellevue, WA
US 98007

4257462529

kathy@salc.church