Creator Connection January 2023

Creator Lutheran Church and Preschool 

Creator Connection 

January 2023 

Welcoming all to Worship, Grow, and Serve in God’s Grace. 

Pastor’s Corner 

A message from Pastor Amanda 

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father 

and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. 

A year ago, I invited you all 

into a year of wholeheartedness. 

Month after month, in this 

newsletter space I lifted up 

concepts of connection, courage 

and compassion using the 

guideposts from Brené Brown’s 

work from Gifts of Imperfection 

to reflect, pray and fellowship 

together. 

Wholeheartedness is not 

perfection. It is not about getting it 

all right. It is about engaging your 

life from a place of worthiness. 

You are worthy. Not because 

you get it right all the time, not 

because you have improved 

this past year. God has and will 

continue to find you worthy on 

account of Christ. One step back 

from that is the good news that 

God does not shy away from 

us ever, but comes close and in 

fact into our lives at the times we 

might feel the least connected, 

courage and compassionate; in 

fact God comes while we are 

still sinners. We have a place 

from which to engage fully into 

life because God has made that 

place in us and for us. 

God entered your story. This 

is such good news because he 

leads the way for you to enter 

your story, your life, and own 

it. There is no need to stand 

outside of your life and hustle 

for your worthiness. God is there 

with you, do not be afraid. 

With God providing the 

starting and the restarting place 

in your life. 2023 is here to 

cultivate courage, compassion 

and connection. Not to earn 

God’s favor or to hustle for your 

worthiness with others but simply 

because God has made you to 

be in relationship, to serve your 

neighbor and God has freed you 

for freedom. 

As you reflect in this new year, 

as we are culturally molded to 

do: What are some commitments 

you are making to yourself this 

year? What are some things that 

you need to watch out for in this 

year to come? 

For many of us, over the two 

years of the pandemic our habits 

were thrown out as nothing 

seemed to be the same. We 

picked up new ones, are humans 

are apt to do, and others that once 

Continued on pg. 3

Table of Contents 

Ministry 

Pastor’s Corner............................................... 

Pastor’s Corner cont. ..................................... 

Music Ministry............................................... 

Fellowship 

Stewardship....................................................... 

Church Council Highlights, Altar Guild........... 

Children, Youth, and Family 

High School Bible Study, Confirmation 

Schedule, Confirmation Movie Night............... 

Preschool News............................................. 

News and Education................................ 

Birthdays and Reminders....................... 

Calendar............................................................ 

1 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9-13 

14 

15 

Staff 

Pastor: 

Amanda Olson de Castillo 

pastoramanda@creatorlutheran.net 

Office Ministry: Donna Reynolds 

office@creatorlutheran.net 

Communications Coordinator: 

Marion Gil 

communications@creatorlutheran. 

net 

Music Director: Nancy Betz 

Office Ministry: Donna Reynolds 

office@creatorlutheran.net 

Custodian: Leslie Noborikawa 

Nursery Attendants: Debbie 

Eikland and Cynthia Lowe 

Sunday School Coordinator: 

Kate Wire 

Preschool Director: 

Andrea DeDominces 

Preschool Teachers: 

Andrea DeDominces, Ragan Allen 

& Cheri Farrer 

Funeral Coordinator: 

Janee Theleman 

2 

Ministry teams and program leaders, please think ahead about what is coming up and 

submit information, pictures or stories of impact to office@creatorlutheran.net by the 20th 

of each month. Our Office Ministry Coordinator, will collect, format, and get the newsletter 

out to the congregation by the first of each month. If you have any further questions, 

please feel free to call the office (253) 862-7700.

Continued from pg. 1 

meant a great deal to us were 

not picked up again – the “I have 

been meaning to get back to …. “ 

statements that you have thought 

or voiced. At this point, we need 

to look at our lives and shoulder 

responsibility for the landscape 

of our newly entrenched habits 

and consider the invitation to live 

wholeheartedly. 

As you look at what 

commitments you are making 

to yourself in 2023, consider 

your habits and what you are 

listening to. God is part of your 

story, entering into your life 

without your prayer and without 

your asking. God does it simply 

because he has promised to be 

with you, to love you and to favor 

you. However, this truth is not 

the same as you listening to God 

and delighting in the relationship 

you have with God. When God 

called Samuel at first Samuel 

did not know it was God who 

was calling, eventually Samuel 

responded “Your servant is 

listening” (1 Samuel 3:1-14). 

Ministry 

God called Samuel and God is 

calling you; are you listening? 

Listening to God. Making a 

habit of worship, of Christian 

community, of prayer orients 

your life and your commitments. 

It brings wholeheartedness to 

you rather than wandering into 

2023 pulled and pushed by every 

word trying to grab your ear and 

therefore your heart. 

Peace be with you in 2023, 

Pastor Amanda 

3

Ministry 

Music Ministry 

The Chord that Everyone Wants to Hear 

There is a famous moment 

in choral music. It occurs in the 

accompaniment of the hymn: 

O Come All Ye Faithful. And it 

has been called ‘the Chord’. 

When I was a young girl and 

started to play in churches, 

l was very taken with how a 

hymn’s music can express the 

words of the hymn. I tried to 

express that meaning in the way 

I played a hymn. Later I heard 

for the first time the Christmas 

service from Kings’ College, 

Cambridge. It was conducted 

by Sir David Willcocks, who had 

just published the first “Book of 

Carols.,” In It, I was able to see 

the version of “Oh Come All 

Ye Faithful” that the choir and 

congregation at Cambridge had 

sung. I can hardly tell you what 

a thrill this was. 

It seems that other organists 

perhaps congregations have 

also experienced that thrill. Let 

me quote The New York Times: 

“Of all the music heard around 

Christmas, few passages rival 

the awe and mystery of the one 

chord, known as the ‘Word of 

the Father Chord.’ This occurs 

in the hymn: O Come All Ye 

Faithful. It is a rare instance 

of powerful drama in holiday 

liturgical music…a moment 

of total release, embracing 

the unknown. In British choral 

circles, this moment is referred 

to simply as ‘the chord’. ’It 

comes halfway through final 

4 

verse of the carol “O Come All 

Ye Faithful.’…Following a rising 

figure full of anticipation, it places 

an explosive, half-diminished 

seventh chord under the text 

‘Word,’ resolving it elaborately 

over the next few measures.’ 

“It is a startling moment,” David 

Hill, the musical director of the 

Bach Choir in Carlisle, England, 

said in a telephone interview. 

“I remember being a boy of 

ten playing it in my church in 

Carlisle, and loving every 

moment of it, “What is this? This 

is outrageous!” He continues “It 

is a moment everyone wants to 

hear.” 

The Times article continues, 

“But the chord is much more 

than just a crunchy harmonic 

moment, it carries a deep 

symbolic meaning for the 

Christian community.” “It 

matches harmony with subject .” 

The Times writes: “The 

words of the final verse of “O 

Come All Ye Faithful’ read; “Yea, 

Lord, we greet thee, Born this 

happy morning, Jesu, to thee be 

glory given; Word of the Father, 

Now in flesh appearing: O come, 

let us adore him, O come let us 

adore him, O come let us adore 

him, Christ the Lord!” 

Carols usually reference the 

parts of the Christmas story, the 

shepherds, angels, etc...but this 

final verse is unusual. It refers to 

and is based on the words from 

John “In the beginning was the 

Word, “gives a greater sense 

of divine mystery and complex 

significance John is trying to 

communicate here. To line it up 

with that chord not just reinforces 

the mystery of the text, it grabs 

you, makes you concentrate, 

and makes you confront it.” 

“Then the Times article 

concludes; “ It is not just the 

choristers, soloists, choir, and 

organist. Absolutely everybody 

in the congregation can get 

that feeling of being part of that 

sound. You’re right in the middle 

of that chord, whoever you are.” 

We may be singing this hymn, 

O Come All Ye Faithful, again 

before the end of the Christmas 

season. Then then you yourself 

can hear the chord everyone 

wants to hear. 

The article was based on an 

article in The New York Times, 

Friday Dec. 23, 2022. I will put 

it up on the bulletin board in the 

hall outside the music office. 

Nancy Betz

Thoughts on 

Fellowship 

We want to thank each of 

you that submitted a pledge 

sheet in December. It is very 

helpful when we receive the 

form indicating the amount of 

money an individual or family is 

willing to pledge to the church 

for budget planning purposes. 

Equally important are those who 

pledge to volunteer in some way 

to help with the various programs 

and ministries. 

Slowly, yet steadily we have 

continued to resume regular 

activities within the church 

as the pandemic has lifted. 

Committees, programs, and 

ministries have been operating 

on a limited basis, so as we 

have returned to pre-pandemic 

operation, we continue to need 

more help. Some committees 

have a very minimal number of 

people to do the work, and often 

it is the same people covering 

the worship services. 

We truly value and appreciate 

all people willing to volunteer 

and serve in our church. If you 

have been hesitant to step into 

any volunteer positions for any 

reason, know that training and 

mentoring is available. The truth 

about volunteering is the help is 

needed, but what you gain as 

an individual by serving is the 

real benefit. Giving of our time in 

service to God blesses us more 

than it does what we do. It is a 

remarkable thing. 

Scripture talks about spiritual 

gifts. “There are different kinds 

of gifts, but the same Spirit 

distributes them. There are 

different kinds of service, but the 

same Lord. There are different 

kinds of working, but in all of 

them and in everyone it is the 

same God at work.” 1 Corinthians 

12:4-6 (NIV) 

We read in the Old Testament 

how there were so many, such 

as Moses, who felt unprepared 

or afraid to step into God’s 

service. But God gave Moses 

the necessary skills and worked 

through him. Moses was the 

vessel and the Spirit empowered 

him to rise to the occasion. We 

are not asking anyone to step 

into shoes like Moses, however 

any way you are willing to serve 

and be used by God at Creator 

is needed and appreciated. 

Know that He will equip you 

and when we step out in faith to 

serve, we are blessed. 

Know that He will equip you and 

when we step out in faith to serve, 

we are blessed. 

5

Fellowship 

Church Council Highlights 

Following are highlights from our Council meeting held on Tuesday December 20, 2022. 

These are not the official meeting minutes, but a brief summary to aid communication. 

Approved minutes will be posted on the bulletin board across from the office. 

Financial 

• Total income for November 2022......................................................................................$30,508.54 

• Total expenses...................................................................................................................$33,509.39 

• Net loss...............................................................................................................................$3,000.85 

• Approved 10% benevolence: 

1. Local (6%)......................................................................................................................$1,805.31 

2. Synod (4%)....................................................................................................................$1,203.54 

3. Total...............................................................................................................................$3,008.85 

News 

• Church office will be closed the last week of December 

Call Committee Update 

• One name has been submitted to the call committee for consideration. A first interview will be 

conducted on Monday, December 19. 

• Terri’s farewell will be January 8 between services. CYF will do set up and serving; Council will 

clean up. 

• Yearly congregational celebration meeting will be January 29 after one service at 9:30. 

• Ministry teams will be notified that they must submit yearly reports by January 15. 

The BIG news from Altar 

Guild is that the new frontal 

(parament = altar hanging) 

for Christmas is in use and is 

gorgeous. Hopefully you saw it 

on the altar. It is one more thing 

to celebrate from the Longest 

Night Service through Epiphany 

as it decorates the altar and 

reminds us of the light of Christ 

and the joy of this season and 

of our salvation. We celebrate 

the talents of Pam Olsson who 

6 

is the designer and MaryLou 

Finch who is the quilter. Thank 

you again to the Council for the 

budget to make improvements 

and fund such projects. 

Joy to the world! 

“It is only with the heart that one 

can see rightly; the essential is 

invisible to the eye.” 

- Antoine de Saint-Exupery, 

The Little Prince

Senior High 

Bible Study 

Children, Youth, and Family 

Sundays from 6:00pm – 8:00pm 

at Creator. 

*No Bible Study on January 1st 

or 15th. 

Students in grades 9-12 

gather will for a meal, faith 

discussions, and FUN! We have 

moved the Senior High Bible 

Study to Creator. 

Bring $5 for pizza if you are 

able. For more information or if 

you have any concerns, please 

contact the church office or 

Pastor Amanda. 

Confirmation Schedule 

• Wednesday, January 4, 6:30pm: Movie Night 

• Sunday, January 8, 9:45am: Terri’s Goodbye Celebration 

• Wednesday, January 11, 7:00pm: Confirmation 

• Sunday, January 15, 9:45am: Sunday School 


• Sunday, January 22, 9:45am: Sunday School 


• Sunday, January 29: No Class 

7

Preschool 

Preschool News 

January 2023 

Dear Parents, 

We hope you had a wonderful 

Christmas and a vacation filled 

with love, family and much joy. 

We were blessed with all the 

above and with a renewed hope 

for the coming year. 

We would like to thank our 

families for the toys that were 

donated. This was a great way 

to show our children how we 

care for others who are not as 

fortunate as ourselves. These 

toys were distributed to local 

families in the Bonney Lake 

area. Also, 14a special thank 

you to our parents who were able 

to volunteer for our Christmas 

party. It was so much fun! 

January will include many 

fun topics for study. We will 

learn about Arctic Animals, 

hibernation and migration, and 

forms of water. We will celebrate 

diversity in our country and 

abroad by learning about Martin 

Luther King, Jr. and discovering 

the country of Kenya. Our 

families are invited to celebrate 

Kenya with the children during 

the last 20 minutes of class on 

January 26th and 27th. 

The winter season and 

the colors gray and white are 

naturals for January as is snow. 

We will see what the month 

brings! Remember to check 

the school closures for Sumner 

School District on TV or go to 

flashalert.net , then Sumner 

School District. 

Additional curriculum topics 

will include arctic animals and 

the five senses. We will also 

study the letters R,r, S,s, U,u, 

and D,d, and the shape is the 

rectangle. Our numbers are 5 

for the three year olds and 8, 

9, and 10 for the four/five year 

olds. Our holiday during January 

is Martin Luther King’s birthday 

(we will talk about him too) on 

January 16th. It will only affect 

our Monday-Friday class. 

Hopefully, everyone planning 

to be with us next year has 

already told (Andrea), Mrs. D, 

which class they want their child 

in. Please e mail immediately 

to markandrea222@gmail.com 

if you still need to choose a 

class. Our classes are starting 

to fill up. Beginning January 1st, 

registration will be open to the 

public. 

Thank you all for your loyal 

support. Because of you, we do 

not have, nor need an advertising 

budget. Creator Preschool has 

been so blessed over the years 

to play a small part in the lives of 

so many wonderful families. 

Happy New Year and G o d 

Bless You All! 

Andrea (Mrs, D), Ragan (Mrs. 

Allen), and Cheri (Ms. Farrar) 

8

News and Education 

9


New Hope Resource Center Meal 

THANK YOU to everyone 

who donates food for Hope 

Resource Center. Our next 

lunch will be Friday, January 

6, 2023. New Hope Resource 

Center is providing 40-50 sack 

lunches M-F for our homeless 

neighbors. New Hope has 

asked that we help by donating 

food appropriate for the sack 

lunches. Please see the list of 

10 

food needed on the attached 

link. 

All food should be dropped 

off at the church no later than 

Friday morning at 10:00 AM. 

Creator members will pick up 

the food from church and deliver 

it to New Hope in Puyallup. 

Volunteers at New Hope will 

prepare and distribute the sack 

lunches. Please sign up below. 

You will get a reminder email. 

Volunteer sign up link: 

https://www.signupgenius. 

com/go/20f044fa8ac2ea5f85- 

newhope 

**** On the sign-up sheet click 

the “sign up button” next to what 

you want to bring, then go to the 

very bottom of the page and click 

“Submit and Sign up” and there 

you will enter your information. 

New Hope Resource Center is in 

downtown Puyallup and serves 

the unhoused in Pierce County. 

The mission of New Hope is to 

assist homeless adults in their 

efforts to find safety, health, and 

stability.


Daily Devotions 

Morning Devotions will continue 

throughout the month of January. 

They will take place Tuesdays and 

Thursdays at 9:00am. You are invited 

to watch the recordings which are 

posted or consider joining us at 

9:00am via zoom. Pastor Amanda 

turns off the recording after her 

reflection on the reading and we have a 

time of discussion and connection with 

one another. 

Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom. 

us/j/633840757 

Meeting ID: 633 840 757 

One tap mobile 

+12532158782,,633840757# US (Tacoma) 

All worship services and devotions will be 

posted after completion on both YouTube 

and the creator website: https://www. 

youtube.com/user/CreatorLutheran and 

www.creatorlutheran.net 

Monday, January 23rd, 6:30-8:00pm 

at Creator. 

Come to take a deep dive into scripture with 

Pastor Amanda. 

Our text will be Matthew 5:1-12 which is the 

gospel text for Sunday, January 29th. We will 

distinguish law and gospel together. Come 

prepared to learn, to wrestle and to hear how 

this is the Word of God for us today and for 

the original listeners. 

11


Thursday 

Morning 

Bible Study 

The 

Thursday 

morning Bible Study meets 

every Thursday morning 

from 10-11:30. The study 

book is The Greatest Story 

Bible Instruction. Meetings 

will now be in person at the 

church. All are welcome. 

Join Zoom Meeting 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/ 

9668069876?pwd=MlAvSU 

cxeFpUanlFdWJKekNHem 

ZvUT09 

Meeting ID: 966 806 9876 

Passcode: 1DMKSi 

One tap mobile 

+Dial by your location 

+1 253 215 8782 US 

(Tacoma) 

Meeting ID: 966 6 9876 

Passcode: 419391 

Creator Men’s Club January 9, 2023 Meeting 

Due to the holiday, the Creator Men’s Club meeting will 

be held a week later on Monday, January 9, 2023 at 6 p.m 

at Brank’s Bar-B-Q, 13701 24th Street. E., Sumner. Any 

church men are invited to attend. 

Men’s 

Fellowship 

During “All things Covid” 

the Wednesday night 

Men’s group has been 

using Zoom. The meetings 

start at 7:00 PM and get 

over by 9:00PM. If you 

are interested in joining 

the meeting please contact 

Scott Perkins with your 

email address and he will 

send you a link for Zoom. 

Scott.perkins@hotmail. 

com or 253-230-3416 

12


ADULT EDUCATION 

Please join Elaine and Jim Swigart on 

January 15, 22 and February 5 for an Adult 

Education opportunity at 9:45am between 

services. 

Elaine brings the knowledge of spiritual 

considerations for quality and care at the 

end of life. Jim brings the knowledge of 

legal and financial consideration for you and 

your family. 

We are thankful to have them both with 

us to lead discussions for three weeks this 

winter during Adult Education. Come to 

learn what you should be considering as 

you prepare yourself and your family. 

13

Birthdays and Reminders 

Remote Worship 

Worship will continue to be live-streamed on Facebook Live and 

Zoom. To join via Zoom, follow the link below: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89375602512?pwd=M3hPK0pIMGIz 

Z2M0eEhmTitoM3NQdz09 

Meeting ID: 893 7560 2512 Password: 435230 

One tap mobile: 

+ 12532158782,,89375602512#,,,,0#,,435230# US (Tacoma) 

Call in option: Zoom offers the option to call in to listen to the 

service. Call into worship while it is open - usually a minimum of 

five minutes before 9:30am until 11:00am - +1 253 215 8782 and 

enter the meeting number: 89375602512 when prompted. You 

will be able to hear the worship service. 

CREATOR LUTHERAN NEW GIVING APP 

Creator Lutheran is changing our mobile giving app! Vanco, 

our eGiving provider, has launched an updated mobile app called 

Vanco Mobile to replace GivePlus Mobile. You can download the 

Vanco Mobile app for free from the App Store or Google Play. 

Download Vanco Mobile by September 30. Vanco will 

remove GivePlus Mobile after this date. 

If you have questions or need assistance with our new mobile 

app, please contact the church office at (253) 862-7700. 

Pastoral Emergency Fund 

Creator has a fund available to be used at the discretion of Pastor 

Amanda to support congregation members and the community 

as needed. If you or a member another member of the Creator 

Community has a particular financial need at this time, please 

reach out to Pastor Amanda for support. We are here for one 

another at this time. This fund is also open for additional 

donations from the congregation. 

Recycle Your 

Ink Cartridges 

Don’t throw away those printer cartridges or used cell phones. 

The Youth will recycle them for you. It’s good for the 

environment and the youth program receives a small concession. 

Just deposit old cartridges in the drawer in the narthex. 

14 

January 

Birthdays 

1 - Jessica Bartlett 

1 - Bailey Bickford 

1 - Sharon 

Stockwell 

2 - Michelle Ketter 

2 - Carol Larson 

2 - Phil Rogen 

5 - Lori Baxter 

5 - Laura 

Brodziski 

8 - MaryLou 

Finch 

9 - Carol Doll 

9 - Christopher 

Farrer 

9 - Dakota Farrer 

9 - Jack Farrer 

9 - AJ Russell 

10 - Christine 

Stroomer 

12 - Lois Carlson 

12 - Paul Rebner 

13 - Horacio 

Castillo 

13 - Robbi 

Johnston 

13 - Kathy 

McKean 

13 - Bridger 

Robinson 

14 - Bryan Davis 

14 - Shelby 

Rodwell 

15 - Robb 

Winchell 

16 - Maya Russell 

17 - Debbie Allen 

18 - Nathan 

Halaas 

18 - Adam 

Murgittroyd 

19 - Omar 

Cornejo 

20 - Sandra 

Langhorne 

22 - Riley 

Cottingham 

Hinkley 

23 - Richard 

Hurley 

25 - Natalie 

Larson 

25 - Sean Morrow 

25 - Darren Stober 

26 - Mark 

Thompson 

28 - Amanda 

Davis 

29 - Vancie 

Daniels 

29 - Ron 

Noborikawa 

29 - Rosalyn 

Parsons 

31 - Bill Moody

JANUARY 

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 

1 9:30 New Year’s Day Worship 

2 

Service 

Office Closed 

6:30pm 

Confirmation 

Movie Night 

7pm Men’s Fellowship 

7pm Choir Practice 

3 4 5 6 New Hope Lunch 7 

9:00am Morning 

Devotions via 

Zoom 

6:30pm Women’s Bible 

Study 


Devotions via Zoom 

10am Thursday 

Morning Bible Study 

5:30pm Encanto and 

Faith 

6pm Fellowship Ministry 

Meeting 

8 

8:30am Worship 

Service 

9:45am Family Sunday 

School 

9:45am Celebration of Terri 

Heckroth 

11:00am Worship Service 

6:00pm High School Bible 

Study 


Service 

9:45am Family 

Sunday School 

9:45am Adult Education 

9:45am Sunday School 


Service 


15 

22 

Service 

9:45am Family 

Sunday School 

9:45am Sunday School 

9:45am Adult Education 

11:00am Worship Service 

12pm Ministry Team Planning 

6:00pm High School Bible Study 

9 

16 

23 

6pm Creator Men’s 

Club 

Office Closed 

7pm CYFM Team 

Meeting 

6:30pm Evening 

Bible Study 

10 9:00am Morning 

Devotions via 

Zoom 

5:30pm Property Team 

Meeting 

6:00pm Finance Team 

Meeting 

17 

24 

6pm Church 

Council Meeting 


Devotions via 

Zoom 

11 10:30am Grieving 

With Grace 

7pm Confirmation 



18 6:30pm CIS Team 

Meeting 

7pm Confirmation 



25 7pm Confirmation 

7pm Men’s 

Fellowship 



Devotions via 

Zoom 

10am Thursday 



Faith 


Devotions via 

Zoom 

10:30am Thursday 



Faith 


Devotions via 

Zoom 

10:30am Thursday 



Faith 

13 

20 

27 

14 

21 

28 

Twelfth Night 

Celebration 

29 

Bible Study 


Service 

6:00pm High School 

30 

31 


Devotions via 

Zoom 

15

Creator Lutheran 

Church and Preschool 

Welcoming All to Worship, Grow, and Serve in God’s Grace 

creatorlutheran.net (253) 862-7700 office@creatorlutheran.net 

Office Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00AM - 3:30PM 

16702 South Tapps Drive East, Bonney Lake, WA 98391

Creator Connection January 2023

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