Creator Connection March 2023

Creator Lutheran Church and Preschool 

Creator Connection 

March 2023 

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

Pastor’s Corner 

A message from Pastor Horacio 

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father 

and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Grace to you and peace from 

God our Father and our Lord 

and Savior Jesus Christ. First, 

I thank our God through Jesus 

Christ for all of you, because 

your faith is proclaimed in all the 

world (Romans 1:7b-8) 

It is with thanksgiving that 

I write to you now as you have 

called me to be one of your 

pastors. I look forward to working 

with you in this shared ministry 

to which God has called us into 

together. I look forward to what 

is ahead of us, to get to know 

each and every one of you and 

that you get to know me also. 

I look forward to this shared 

ministry of Word and Sacrament, 

of Scripture study, of theology 

and doctrinal discussion, and of 

sharing our calling of different 

vocations inside and outside 

the church. I look forward to the 

time shared now and in years 

to come when we can gather to 

Continued on pg. 4

Table of Contents 

Ministry 

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

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

Fellowship 

Soup Suppers & Holden Evening Prayer.......... 

Thoughts on Stewardship, 

Church Council Highlights............................... 

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

Children, Youth, and Family 

High School Bible Study, Confirmation 

Schedule, Youth Lock-In................................... 

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 

Associate Pastor: Horacio Castillo 

pastorhoracio@creatorlutheran.net 

Office Ministry: Donna Reynolds office@creatorlutheran.net 

Music Director: 

Nancy Betz 

Communications Coordinator: 

Marion Gil 

communications@creatorlutheran.net 

Bookkeeper: Marcie Reid 

creatorbooks@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 

laugh, to converse, to mourn, 

to eat, to console one another, 

to learn from one another, 

to challenge one another, to 

disagree with one another and to 

resolve our disagreements in the 

love and forgiveness of Christ. 

I look forward to the different 

situations in which we will find 

ourselves as a congregation 

and take advantage of them to 

grow together in understanding, 

in maturity, in patience, in love, 

in expanding our horizons, in 

knowledge of God and one 

another, in faith, and in everything 

that God has prepared for us. 

In this time of anticipation, 

excitement and joy, we need 

to remember that with new 

beginnings there is always a 

learning curve that does not 

always come naturally for us 

as people. Most of the time we 

like the idea of newness, of 

change, of better, and different. 

However, when this happens 

we can be faced with the reality 

and difficulty of accepting what 

this newness brings. I have 

always liked to garden because 

there is always this excitement 

when planting a pine tree, fruit 

tree, or rose bush. There is an 

anticipation of how well this tree, 

bush, or vegetable, or anything 

else will grow and will produce. 

But planting is not the only work 

there is to do, you still need to 

nurture it, water it, prune it, 

fertilize it, and keep pests away 

from it. After all, an unkept and 

untilled garden can hardly grow 

anything and be fruitful. 

I look forward to partner with 

you in the work you have already 

been doing as a community 

of faith and see where God 

continues to guide us in this 

ministry He has called us. Let 

us continue to give thanks to 

God, “for the Word of the Lord is 

upright, and all his work is done 

in faithfulness. Blessed is the 

nation whose God is the Lord, 

the people whom he has chosen 

as his heritage!” (Psalm 33:4, 

12) 

In Christ, 

Pastor Horacio 

Ministry 

...an unkept and 

untilled garden can 

hardly grow anything 

and be fruitful. 

3

Fellowship 

4

Fellowship 

Church Council Highlights 

Following are highlights from our Council meeting held on Tuesday February 21, 2023. These are not the 

official meeting minutes, but a brief summary to aid communication. 

• Pastor Amanda led a discussion about 1 Peter: 1:3. Council discussed the promise of Easter that 

the season of Lent brings. Discussion about the joys and work of new birth and new beginnings. 

• Pastor Amanda led Council in prayer, including prayer requests, both personal and for the church. 

• Several committee reports were provided this month, many of which including forward-thinking 

plans, which Council noted and appreciated. 

• Offices and the youth ministry rooms have been rearranged and cleaned to maximize use of space. 

Office supplies have been recentralized as well. 

• Easter Services 7:00, 8:30, & 11:00 and Easter Breakfast: 7:00 a.m. service will be at Driftwood 

Point, rain or shine. 

• Council discussed where to designate funds raised during special Lent services. 

• It was decided that all funds raised during special services during Lent be contributed to the youth 

mission trip to Kentucky fund. 

Thoughts on 

Stewardship 

Why Creator? 

Creator Lutheran is where I feel the Joy of being saved by the Grace of God. 

In Foam hats on Pentecost and balloon drops on New Year’s Day. 

In the laughter and chaos of children during the children’s’ time 

In the smile of a familiar face as I walk through an open door. 

Creator Lutheran is where I hear the story. 

The story of forgiveness. No matter what. 

The story of knowing that I am unconditionally loved. 

The story of being a beloved child of God. 

Creator is where I hear of God’s love intersecting our broken world 

Bills paid for those that can’t make the paycheck last to the next payday. 

Advent Wednesday nights full of cat toys, food and love. 

Meals prepared for the hungry neighbor 

That is why I thank God that he brought me to Creator, and why I choose to give to Creator Lutheran. 

Why do you give to Creator? 

Dave Ekse 

Stewardship team member 

5

Fellowship 

Music Ministry 

Theodulph - All Glory Laud and Honor 

Hymns sometimes give an 

extraordinary glimpse into history 

and connect us with generations 

now long past. The hymn always 

sung on Palm Sunday is “All Glory 

Laud and Honor.” It is one of those 

hymns that comes from an amazing 

period in history. It was written by an 

abbot, who later became a bishop, 

named Theodulph who lived from 

about A.D. 750 until 818. He was 

originally from Spain. Not terribly 

much is known about him. But we 

know a lot about his boss. 

This was Charlemagne. Born 

A.D. 742, became king of the 

Franks in 768 when he was 26, 

and died in 814 after ruling almost 

half a century. He united the lands 

that are now France, Western 

Germany, Switzerland, Austria, 

Holland, Belgium, and northern 

Italy. He Christianized Saxony. He 

conquered England piecemeal in 

18 savage campaigns, only finally 

succeeding after he converted the 

English people of that region to 

Christianity. He helped Spain fend 

off the Saracens who were Muslims, 

and who were set to invade Western 

Europe. Charlemagne advanced 

education, and reformed the laws, 

economy, and culture of Europe. 

He was a visionary. There is a 

description of his height—“It is well 

known his height was seven times 

the length of his foot.” (This is not 

helpful if you don’t know how long 

his foot was.) Elsewhere it says he 

was well over 6 feet tall. He was 

known as a ‘doer’ not a ‘thinker.’ He 

seems to have known his strengths; 

6 

and when he needed help for his 

weaknesses, he found the best 

minds he could. His counselors 

came from all over Europe and the 

British Isles. He reigned for 46 years 

over a government that was known 

to be firm and usually benevolent. 

He was a very determined man. 

Charlemagne found and 

recruited Theodulph from Spain 

when his British philosopher/ 

theologian Alcuin died. Theodulph 

became a member of his small 

intellectual circle at court. 

Charlemagne recruited him not 

only to be a religious leader, but 

also to build churches. Theodulph 

built the churches, some of which 

are still standing. Charlemagne 

favored church architecture that 

would impress and inspire, but 

also rival and suggest the glorious 

buildings of ancient Rome. (This 

style of architecture is known as 

Romanesque). The churches are 

beautiful. 

Theodulph also advocated 

high morals and reformation of the 

clergy. But reformers are not always 

popular, and after Charlemagne’s 

death, Theodulph was falsely 

accused of conspiring with King 

Bernard of Italy. In A.D. 818 he 

was put into prison in Angers, a 

city south of Paris. The story is that 

either he from his dungeon window, 

or his choristers instructed by him 

sang this hymn to the new king as 

he rode by. The legend is that the 

king, Louis I, was so moved, he 

immediately released Theodulph. 

(Charlemagne had 3 sons. Two 

died during Charlemagne’s lifetime, 

and Louis was his only surviving 

child. He was sadly a rather 

ineffectual king and lost his father’s 

empire.) Theodulph did not live long 

after this and died only 3 years after 

Charlemagne, it is said of poison. 

“All Glory Laud and Honor,” 

which originally had almost a 

hundred verses, was used in 

connection with processions sung 

outside at the city gates on Palm 

Sunday, with the people singing 

and carrying palms. Places such 

as Rouen, and Tours in France, 

and Hereford in the U.K. are among 

those mentioned where this hymn 

was used and there were special 

processions. The tune we know 

was added in 1615. It is sung as a 

chorale in Bach’s St. John Passion. 

I have tried to think what great 

leader compares to Charlemagne. 

Do Alfred the Great, Napoleon, 

George Washington, Lincoln, or 

Churchill? When you sing this 

hymn on Palm Sunday, ask yourself 

what words you would have written 

to remember and honor Jesus’ 

procession through Jerusalem, 

and also honor a great leader and 

friend? These are pretty, amazing 

words! 

It is a kind of miracle to me that 

a hymn written 1200 years ago is 

still sung on Palm Sunday, and we 

still process around churches and 

parking lots singing and waving 

palms. And that everyone still 

knows the words and the tune.

Children, Youth, and Family 

Senior High 

Bible Study 

Confirmation Schedule 

• Wednesday March 1: 

Holy Communion 

• Sunday, March 5: 

Prophets - Message 

against Injustice and 

Oppression 

• Wednesday, March 8: 

Worship 


Prophets - Message of 

Judgment and Call for 

Repentance 


Church Year 


Prophets - Message of 

Hope 


Praying 

• Sunday, March 26: Jonah 

Story about a Prophet 

• Wednesday, March 

29: Law and Gospel/ 

Preaching 

Sunday classes are between 

worship services. 

Wednesday classes in March 

are after worship service and 

will be done by 8:30pm. 

Sundays from 6pm-8pm at Creator Lutheran Church. 

Students in grades 9-12 will gather for a meal, faith discussions, 

and FUN! 

We have moved the Senior High Bible Study to Creator. However, 

we will be meeting at the same time. 

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. 

YOUTH LOCK-IN EVENT 

Confirmation Special Event: Lock in on March 3-4pm. 

Drop off the youth at 6pm and pick them up at 10am. 

We will have dinner, games, movies, worship and even time 

to sleep. Bring a sleeping bag and pillow as we are locked in 

the church overnight. 

7

Preschool 

Preschool News 

March 2023 

We hope your children 

enjoyed their valentines and did 

not eat too many treats at one 

time. February seemed to go by 

so quickly, but we managed to 

fill the month with learning about 

our presidents, healthy bodies, 

and the solar system. 

Winter is winding down and 

spring is on the horizon! At 

Preschool, we are expecting 

March weather to enter as a 

lion and leave as a lamb. The 

lion part seems likely but let’s 

hope it gives way to the lamb 

part; warmer weather and lots 

of sunshine! Rocks and fossils, 

Arachnids (Spiders!), and 

learning about Native Americans 

will be part of our studies this 

month. We will also talk about 

the change from winter to spring. 

Our shape this month is the 

triangle and our color is green. 

Our number is 7 for the younger 

classes and 14, 15, and 16 for 

the older classes. The letters 

this month are J,j, G,g, and H,h. 

And of course, the children will 

be visited by a leprechaun who 

loves to leave treasures! 

Also, during March, we 

will begin assessment testing. 

Our general policy is to avoid 

regular evaluation. Three, four, 

and five-year olds are growing, 

changing, and developing at 

such a fast yet varied rate. Our 

findings are not used in any way 

by the schools. They have their 

own methods. This is just an 

informational indication from us 

to you. Please, as always, talk 

to your teachers if you have any 

questions or concerns. 

Upcoming: There will be 

NO SCHOOL from April 3-7 for 

Spring Break. 

Andrea (Mrs. D), Cheri(Ms. 

Farrer), and Ragan (Mrs. Allen) 

8

News and Education 

The next subject of study during the coming Sundays in March will be the Sacrament of Baptism. We 

will compare and contrast different doctrines with our Lutheran Confession of what is Baptism. We 

will look into what Baptism is and what Baptism is not. We hope you can join Pastor Horacio to have 

conversations, ask questions, and delve more in depth into who we are as Lutheran Christians. 

Sunday, March 26th 

9:45 am 

9


The Evening Bible Study now meets on the 

2nd and 4th Mondays from 6:30-8:00pm at 

Creator. 

Come to take a deep dive into scripture with 

one of our pastors. 

We will distinguish law and gospel together 

as well as look at the context in Luke and the 

rest of the bible. Come prepared to learn, to 

wrestle and to hear how this is the Word of 

God for us today and for the original listeners. 

10


Daily Devotions 

Pastor Amanda is starting her 

devotions back up! 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 

New Hope Resource Center Meal 

THANK YOU to everyone 

who donates food for Hope 

Resource Center. Our next 

lunch will be Friday,March 3, 

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 

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. 

11


Thursday 

Morning 

Bible Study Grieving with Grace is a support group led by Pastor Amanda 

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. 

where adults learn about the grieving process and how to care for 

themselves as they work through the grief of a loved one’s death. 

We will be meeting on the second and fourth Wednesdays of 

each month at 10:30 am in Pastor Amanda’s office. 

Men’s 

Fellowship 

The monthly dinner meeting of 

the Creator Men’s Club will be 

held Monday, March 6, 2023 at 

6 p.m. Jochen Funk will host 

the group at his home at 16816 

43rd St. Ct. E., Bonney Lake, 

which is two blocks east of our 

church. All churchmen are invited 

to attend. 

12 

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


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 

March 

Birthdays 

01 - Nikki Harlor 

01 - Jackson 

Russell 

02 - Laurel Jessop 

02 - Isaac Russell 

05 - Eliana Parton 

06 - Carmen 

Pollastro 

07 - Faith Stober 

08 -Kim Latterll 

08 - Sophie 

Rutkosky 

09 -Michael 

Fitzgerald 

09 - Lindsey Wire 

10 - Elizabeth 

Andersen 

12 - Renae Carnay 

12 - Diana Roller 

15 - Erik Ketter 

15 - Molly 

Williamson 

16 - Jody Minton 

16 - Paige Winsor 

17 - Glory Hassani 

17 - Joel Hingston 

18 - Katelyn 

Andersen 

18 - Wendy 

Swanson 

19 - Mark 

Freisthler 

19 - Towns Larson 

20 Chloe Mitchell 

21 - William 

Bracken 

21 - Vickie Kirn 

21 - Tawny 

Mitchell 

22 - Denise 

Bouroughs 

23 - Michael 

Cooley 

24 - Tammy Funk 

24 - Andy 

Heckroth 

25 - Brady Martin 

26 - Cynthia Lowe 

26 - Gia Russell 

27 - Jennifer 

Heineman 

27 - Marguerite 

Larson 

28 - Sharon 

Littlefield 

28 - Ava Parkhurst 

29 - Shaun 

Parkhurst 

29 - Ruth Perkins 

29 - John Williams 

30 - Mark 

DeDominces

MARCH 

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 

5 

8:30am Worship 

Service 

9:45am Adult Education 

9:45am Family Sunday 

School/Confirmation 

11:00am Worship Service 

6:00pm High School Bible 

Study 

6 

6pm Creator Men’s 

Club 

7 9:00am Morning 

Devotions via 

Zoom 

6pm Soup Supper 

7pm Holden 

Evening Prayer 

7pm Confirmation 

7pm Men’s Fellowship 

7:30pm Choir Practice 

7:30pm Women’s Bible 

Study 

10:30am Grieving 

with Grace 


7pm Holden Evening Prayer 




7:30pm Women’s Bible Study 

9am Morning 

Devotions via 

Zoom 

10am Thursday 

Morning Bible Study 


Devotions via 

Zoom 

10am Thursday 


New Hope Lunch 

Youth Lock In 

Event 

1 2 3 4 

8 

10 

11 

Youth Lock In 

Event 


12 Service 

9:45am Adult 

Education 





Study - Oscar Night 

19 


Service 

9:45am Adult 

Education 





Study 

13 

20 

6:30pm Evening 

Bible Study 


Devotions via 

Zoom 

5:30pm Property Team 

Meeting 

6pm Finance Team 

Meeting 


Devotions via 

Zoom 

6pm Church Council 

Meeting 

15 6pm Soup Supper 

7pm Holden 






Study 

22 

10:30am Grieving 

with Grace 


7pm Holden Evening Prayer 




7:30pm Women’s Bible Study 


Devotions via 

Zoom 

10:00am Thursday 



Devotions via 

Zoom 



17 

24 

18 

25 

26 


Service 

9:45am New 

Members Class 





Study 

27 5:30pm 

Foundation Team 

Meeting 

6:30pm Evening Bible 

Study 

28 

9:00am Morning 

Devotions via 

Zoom 

29 6pm Soup Supper 

7pm Holden 






Study 


Devotions via 

Zoom 



31 

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 March 2023

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?