Blessing of the Animals 2022

We gathered despite the smoky/hazy day from the continued fires throughout the PNW!

Reading: Job 12:7-9 (The Message)
But ask the animals what they think—let them teach you; let the birds tell you what’s going on.
Put your ear to the earth—learn the basics. Listen—the fish in the ocean will tell you their stories.

A Blessing of the Animals
By Thomas Rhodes

You Birds of the Air, Hawk, Sparrow, and laughing Jay
You embody freedom itself, delight us with your song, astound us with feats of migration
Grant us your perspective, for too often our horizon is limited
and we are blind to the full results of our actions.
You Worms of the Earth, Ants, Beetles, Spiders and Centipedes
You are the essential but oft-forgotten strand in nature’s web.
Through you the cycle is complete; through you new life arises from old.
Remind us of our humility.
For the wheel of live does not turn around us; we are not the axle, but merely spokes
no less than unseen, unknown and shunned companions such as yourselves.
You creatures of the field and wood and field, marsh and desert—
Bear and Bison, Skunk and Squirrel, Weasel and Wolf
Too often we have sacrificed your homes in the name of progress,
clear cutting the forests to fill our desire,
or covering the earth with tarmac, cement, and suburban lawns.
Pray that we may remember that the earth was not given for our needs alone,
and what we do to you, we eventually do to ourselves.
You animals of the farm— Horse and cow, pig and fowl
Willingly or not, you give your very lives for us,
your milk for our nourishment, your flesh for our sustenance,
Yet too often we forget that the meat on our tables was once as alive as we are.
Forgive our willful ignorance, and remind us constantly to give thanks for your sacrifice.
You Dearest Companions in our lives
Dogs and Cats, Hamsters and Goldfish
You who are with us today and you who always be present in our memories
You have enriched our lives in so many ways endured our shortcomings with calm acceptance
taught us something of our humanity
taught us how to love.
May we hold you in our hearts throughout the days of our lives.

Totem Pole Blessing for Clean Energy (Bellingham Stop)

On Wednesday, September 14, from 3-6 pm at the Port of Bellingham property on Granary Ave in Bellingham, Lummi House of Tears Carvers requested a Blessing Ceremony for a Totem Pole that will be traveling to Clean Energy Justice Convergence in Pittsburgh, PA. Members of the Faith Community were asked to help bless the pole.

Here is the Blessing that Pastor Emma gave under a hazy sky:

A Blessing for the Totem Pole during Fire Season

“Tree gives glory to god by being a tree”
-Thomas Merton

This totem pole was once a living tree
This ash and smoke that hangs in the sky
was also once a living tree
From the ash of death
Even today, may we reach to the source of life

The source of life that is known by many names
And so we give thanks for this time together to gather here in this place, with these people, so that those gathered may provide what they have, so that together we can ensure all have what they need.
So we turn to that source to give you thanks for this land we share and the blessings that you pour out upon us
And ask that you attune our eyes, our ears and our hearts to hear the call of all the creatures who are seeking safe streams, safe passageway, safe mountains and safe spaces to call home

And so even on days like this, as the sky is still filled with remnants of trees,
we give thanks for the trees
For their beauty
For their canvas
For their collaboration with the carvers to let delight, and remembrance and joy and warning be infused into this particular tree

And we say thank you.
Thank you to the many hands that made this totem. And the people that brought this totem here and the people who will bless it in each stop along the way until it reaches the other shores of this land.

Land with its own beautiful trees
And its own time for sacred listening.

We need our trees
We need moments to honor the memory of those
who sacrificed so much to lift up the fight for justice for all.

And so we remember 
and we grieve
And we recommit to the work that this totem is a legacy of.

When people gather energy is shared 
Because gathering with a clear intention has the power to transform, to change and to allow minds imagine again.

So we infuse this totem with our energy here so that it may be transferred to another large gathering of people who have power. Power to transform the ways that our world is cared for. So put all the energy you can muster to help those who gather in Pittsburgh to make decisions that empower all, especially the most vulnerable. Because each action that affects our planet, affects us all.

As -Paul Tsongas said “We are a continuum. Just as we reach back to our ancestors for our fundamental values, so we, as guardians of that legacy, must reach ahead to our children and their children. And we do so with a sense of sacredness in that reaching.”

So keep reaching. Keep sending that energy and life force into this pole for the healing of the land, the people and all creation.

Celebrating Pride

Since Echoes was founded at PRIDE in Bellingham in 2013, we try to celebrate all the love, joy and gifts that ALL of God’s people have brought to the church especially queer people and those who identify as a part of the LGBTQIA+ community!

Here are some resources we used at our 2022 PRIDE service!

Invocation

All: Beloved One, your embrace is a refuge from violence and hatred. Those who have been turned away, forgotten, or persecuted find belonging in you. We hope to embody such love in this place. May we be a sanctuary, a shelter, a safe place to turn. May we endeavor to learn from each other and grow together in love that protects and uplifts. Amen.

Song: God Calls You Good by Paul Vasille

God calls you good, beloved child.
You are a treasure deeply prized.
And you can say to every doubting voice,
'God calls you good, beloved child.'

God calls me good, beloved child.
I am a treasure deeply prized.
And I can say to every doubting voice,
'God calls me good, beloved child.'

Christianity for Heathens by Jay Hulme
1.
Love everyone as if everyone is holy,
as if everyone's intrinsically worthy,
as if the streets are strewn with Christ
taking naps in empty doorways.
ii.
Love yourself as if you are loved.
as if you were never an accident,
as if everything you were meant to be
waits for you to claim it.
iii.
Love the world as if it were a gift,
as if you were made as part of it,
as if you were meant to tend to it
every inch of earth is Holy Ground.
iv.
Love justice, and kindness, and truth,
as if everything depends on it,
as if everything depends on it.
Everything depends on it.
V.
You were given a gift, and trusted.
Love it all, love it all,
love it always.
?.
Know this, if you know anything at all:
Life is no challenge, nor test;
life is love.
∞
Reflect it back in abundance.

The Prayer of Jesus paraphrase by J. Manny Santiago
Our Parent, who is among us, blessed be your Creation.
May your reign be a reality here on earth.
May we become more interested in building your kin-dom here and now than in waiting for it to come down from above.
Let us share our bread with those who hunger.
Let us learn to forgive as well as to receive forgiveness.
Help us through the time of temptation, delivering us from all evil.
For ours are the eternal blessings that you pour upon the earth.
Amen.

Closing Blessing
One: Beloveds, let us go with hearts full of courage, that we might practice love that disrupts bigotry. 
All: Let us go with minds open to experiencing God in ways strange and unexpected, in ways ordinary and everyday.
One: Let us go with joy, for the Creator of all life goes with us. 
All: For all our BELOVED. Including ourselves. 
Amen.

Song: The Queer Gospel by Erin McKeown

We love Enfleshed, check them out!

Spirit of the Waters Totem Pole Bellingham Blessing

Bellingham Totem Pole Blessing & Beginning of Spirit of the Waters Journey

On Tuesday 5/3 the Lummi House of Tears Carvers and Totem Pole Journeyers Jewell James, Doug James and Siam'elwit began their Journey through Washington, Oregon and Idaho. This journey is in support of the indigenous-led movement to remove the Snake River dams and restore the salmon runs to health, as well as our relatives, the Southern Resident Killer Whales (Skali’Chelh) that depend on them. A multifaith Blessing of the Pole was a way to signify and give strength to their journey.

“The launch featured songs from Lummi drummers and singers, music from Native flutist Peter Ali and a choir performance. Various local faith leaders blessed the pole’s journey and supported its message, including Echoes Pastor Emma Donohew — whose ancestor was an Oklahoma dam builder. The event concluded with the community surrounding the pole to offer a group prayer.” -Bellingham Herald Article

Echoes was grateful to be included in the speakers. Pastor Emma helped Bless the Totem Pole & collectively Pray for the Salmon, Orca and Rivers. Our relationship to all of creation means we need to spend more time listening to the wisdom of the Elders who remind us that we are made for better than this. Let us pray for their journey and for the learning (and unlearning) that may be done along the way.

Read the Bellingham Herald Article Here!

Follow the Journey: https://www.spiritofthewaters.org/

Blessings For Our Younger Selves Zine!

A Church that makes a Zine (short for handmade magazine)?

OF COURSE ECHOES MAKES ZINES!

In the Spring of 2022 we made our 5th zine for the community of Bellingham and we first handed them out at Wester Washington University’s Queer Con (short for Convention/Gathering)! We were grateful to be present, spread the love and support inclusive spaces for people to express themselves authentically (something we believe strongly in at Echoes!)

Here is from the Intro:

Echoes is an evolving community of faith that promotes wholeness, practices radical welcome, and fosters relationship with each other, our neighbors, and our natural home. We created this zine as an extension of our Creative Church gathering as a way to respond and engage with younger versions of ourselves; Because words (and art) matters.

What words would have made a difference in your life? How can this zine be an opportunity to rewrite the stories that were imposed upon you as you remember that yours is still being written?

We hope that our blessings for our younger selves are also a blessing to you, as you journey through whatever beautifully complicated, life phase, age or season you are in.

You Are Not Alone.

You can look for your own copy of the Echoes Zine volume 5 around Bellingham, or come back to this space for a link to our digital version!

Special Thank You to our Intern Torie for helping to create/coordinate the zine!

Blessing for Good Conversation

Blessing for Good Conversation
Written by Emma Donohew for Pub Church February 2022

As you enter into the conversation
May you make space for openness
Pull up a chair for authenticity
And try not to control the path of the words that will guide you

Allow yourself room
As you push aside distractions for other voices to enter your perspective

When interrupting feels almost inevitable
Breathe Slowly
Encounter your quickness with compassion
And wait
Listen
Wait a little longer

Recall the Sacred is found in the spaces between us
Holding what is said and unsaid

May you find words for your own experience
As your listening is deepened
Encountering every rushed judgment with grace

Let the words
like Blessings
Find you
In Each Holy Conversation
Amen.

Photo by Etienne Boulanger on Unsplash

Living by Hope: A Note From Emma

In the beginning everything was in relationship,
and in the end everything will be in relationship again.
In the meantime, we live by hope.
-Jean Lanier

During times of BIG transitions, I live by hope.
Hope that the sun will return and sunsets will soon happen after 5pm.
Hope that even as things change, relationships can transcend time, space and distance.
Hope that spring will come again and flowers will bloom.
Hope that exciting (unknown) things are on the horizon that will bring a joy we can't even imagine.
Hope that we'll keep going, even if it's just day by day.

So as Echoes wades through this transition of saying goodbye in a formal sense to our founder and fearless leader Charis, I invite you to live by Hope with me. Hope that God still has exciting community for us to create in Bellingham together! Hope that the beautiful friendships that have formed will not only continue, but also forge new relationships with individuals we have not met yet.

Relationships are the core of Echoes' community and are what drew me to first come alongside you as a co-leader with Charis (and our first team with Victoria & Jory). I first encountered Echoes online (via Facebook) and thought it was an intriguing & forward thinking way to do/be community. Perhaps like you, it actually took me some time to make it to a Monday gathering, because in 2018 I was leading a Pub Theology group at the same time! So although scheduling was a challenge, God found a way, and eventually I made it to Echoes!

In late Spring of 2018 I was able to meet Charis at a live adventure storytelling podcast event. Our stories and paths crossed in a truly holy moment, and a few months later I was able to do some dreaming with Charis about what it might look like to co-lead Echoes. It was a bold move, not without challenges, but the collaboration that has happened, will always be something I cherish. To bring Creative Church to life, was something that was only possible through Echoes and the experimentation you all are constantly ready to try in order to invite individuals to get closer to God and their whole selves.

I couldn't do it without you all, thank you.

So here we are three years later (since I joined!), with yet another transition filled with Hope for Echoes. Fortunately it's not an ending, just a changing of leadership, and a shifting of the beautiful relationships that make this community whole. While I have some big hiking boots to fill, as I transition to leading Echoes (without Charis, something I'm not totally ready for myself) I know I don't walk this path alone. We are on this journey together, being led by a God who will never leave us. A God who will keep encouraging us as a faithful community even in uncertainty. A God who fosters relationships in unlikely ways with unique people. Thanks for being in relationship with us in these past 8.5 years.
I can't wait to see what's next with you all.

Infinite Blessings,

Emma

A Farewell From Charis

A Heartfelt Farewell & Thanks

To all who love Echoes,

 Charis here. I had the honor of starting Echoes 8.5 years ago, and today I’m making the hard-to-believe official announcement that I’m stepping away from leadership in order to take a call to serve as the pastor at Burlington Lutheran Church. I’m thrilled to also announce that Emma is taking the helm - I don’t think there could be anyone more suited for leading Echoes. That’s the summary in case such a long letter is daunting to read!

 Here is a bit of my reflection regarding my experience with Echoes:

 My goodness, what an amazing 8.5 years it has been. As I write this letter I’m thinking about the early early days, even before the first official Echoes event at Bellingham Pride in 2013, to the full-on excitement of the first thought of starting a brand-new spiritual community. It started with me and my housemate, Andrea. Then we met a couple at an Easter service who were interested, and they recruited another couple. Six! We had six!

 At Pride a few other folx joined in. Then a few came from google searches. A few came as a result of the first totem pole blessing. One couple saw the banner hanging at one of our meetings. Several were word of mouth. I’ve never failed to marvel at people finding Echoes. Some stick around, some stay as long as they need the community, others have moved (those have been so painful!), and for others Echoes just wasn’t a good fit. We are unique enough that some folx just can’t quite envision this community as something they might need, and we are small enough that some can’t hide in the background. Echoes has always had, and will always have, extremely permeable boundaries - anyone is welcome to come, and welcome to exit when the time or spirit moves. Those who have been at Echoes for years are part of my very being.

 When someone hears about a church the first question is usually, “Where is your building?” That’s never been easy to answer, because we’ve been intentional about not owning property. Meetings started at my house, and then they moved to the Re Store, and then to the Whatcom Land Trust. When we were outgrowing the land trust, St Paul’s offered us free space in their auxiliary building, which was absolutely perfect - plenty of space for larger gatherings, tables for creative church, a sound system, and a kitchen. Covid changed that, of course, and our community pivoted to online, more outdoor gathering, and, more recently, meeting in the ground floor of Our Saviour’s. (I’m hoping that more gatherings can happen at the Black Drop, too!)

 A few years ago we did the hard work of coming up with a mission statement. I still think it’s awesome. "Echoes is an evolving community of faith that promotes wholeness, practices radical welcome, and fosters relationship with each other, our neighbors, and our natural home.” Honestly, it’s better than any other church mission statement I’ve read. And it’s real.

 I’ve certainly grown as a human, becoming more whole. When Echoes started I was a staunch ally of the queer community. I knew I was bi, but for a variety of reasons I didn’t come out publicly until 2017. It was so freeing that that was never going to be an issue at Echoes. This community has been safe for me, even as we were providing safety for others. I’m not sure I would’ve been able to step out as a queer pastor, likely the first in Skagit County, without Echoes.

 In 2018 I met some incredible people who became the first “staff team” of Echoes. Jory came to a few meetings, Victoria was introduced to me by a professor who had come to Bellingham so her students could go on the Easter Walk, and Emma —— we met, appropriately, as a result of a storytelling event. Having co workers who “got” the vibe and mission of Echoes changed so much for me - we were able to expand what we offered (hello creative church and wild church!), and provide different leadership. This year we have had our first intern, Torie, who considered us their best fit of any faith community in the whole region. Wow.

 Echoes is definitely the only church that has partnered with the Whatcom Land Trust for a year-long series. We’ve volunteered with scores of non-profits, we’ve blessed animals and totem poles, melded metastory with local story for Easter walks, hosted Doctober movies, marched at protests, and highlighted so many people doing amazing things. We’ve planted so many trees, and pulled up hundreds of pounds of invasive species, protecting salmon habitat all over the county. Pub Church is drawing good-sized crowds, Wild Church has expanded to other communities in our region, and Creative Church offers unique spiritual engagement found nowhere else locally (thanks to Emma!).

 I can think of at least 50 names of people who have been integral members of this community, past and present. I’m grateful for Each. And. Every. One. Of. You……Truly.

 The regional leadership of our denomination, the ELCA, has strongly, fervently supported Echoes from day one. The national leadership has, too. And they still do. My hope is that Echoes will continue to evolve and grow in ways that will continue to be instructive for the wider Church. This really is a unique Jesus-following community that has a lot to offer.

 I’m leaving so that I can work full-time as a pastor in a church that is loudly promoting inclusivity and community engagement. Burlington Lutheran is also a unique church, and I’m incredibly honored to be elected as their next pastor. I being there on Feb. 1st.

 I can envision attending Echoes occasionally, and possibly subbing in for Emma when needed. I’ll be following how y’all are doing, and all the friendships will remain active. Don’t hesitate to reach out! And let me know when you do outdoor stuff, okay?

 Some things to consider as Echoes continues to evolve:

  • Giving regularly if you’re not already (even if you don’t attend Echoes); all amounts help

  • Volunteering to lead things or provide behind-the-scenes support

  • Tell others about Echoes; especially since many gatherings are now online

  • Keep praying for this community!

 Ever grateful, and ever committed to the mission of Echoes,

Charis
burlingtonlutheranpastor@gmail.com

Blessing of the Animals 2021

Blessing of Animals 2021
We gathered despite the Atmospheric River that was covering the Pacific Northwest!

We are here to heal, not harm. 
We are here to love, not hate. 
We are here to create, not destroy. 
— Anthony Douglas Williams

Genesis 1: 2 & 25

‘God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.” So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them.
And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind, cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.” And it was so. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make humankind”. And God blessed them. God saw everything that God had made, and indeed, it was very good.’

A Blessing For the Animals on the Feast of Saint Francis:
—Rev. Jan Richardson

You who created them
and called them good:
bless again these creatures
who come to us
as a blessing
fashioned of fur
or feather
or fin,
formed of flesh
that breathes with
your own breath,
that you have made
from sheer delight,
that you have given
in dazzling variety.

Bless them
who curl themselves
around our hearts,
who twine themselves
through our days,
who companion us
in our labor,
who call us
to come and play.

Bless them
who will never be
entirely tamed
and so remind us
that you love
what is wild,
that you rejoice
in what lives close
to the earth,
that your heart beats
in the heart of these creatures
you have entrusted
to our care.