Steve Morman
Charlie Nipp
Bonnie Piovesan
Shastina Blackston

Do you remember January? Though it was only six months ago, it seems like light years. We say “January” and it feels like we are evoking a mythical time and place. Maybe that’s why it’s hard for me to recall January. So much of it seems lost in a fog that blurs memories of what defined “normal” or “ordinary”. Dropping my kids off at school, meeting a friend for coffee, casually chatting around my neighbor’s kitchen island, visiting relatives across the state, worshipping as a community of faith—was that real?

It was in January that I interviewed for the position of sabbatical pastor. I don’t remember what I wore that day. I don’t remember who sat around the table. I don’t remember the questions I answered and asked. I do remember thinking it would be an encouraging and formative ministry experience for me and for the congregation. The Spirit moved me to pray and open my heart to a summer of ministry with First Pres. 

When I accepted the call to serve in Pastor Craig’s absence, I looked forward to meeting all of you, to greeting you every Sunday, to singing God’s praise in the sanctuary together, to enjoying sweet fellowship made even sweeter with coffee and donuts, to joining hands with you in prayer, to meals and walks in beautiful downtown Coeur d’Alene, to equipping and encouraging the amazing staff, to gathering in spaces to learn and lead. My vision for our season of ministry together was glowing and beautiful. 

Like so many visions we’ve had during the past few months, my vision shattered. I still haven’t met so many of you; we haven’t joined hands to pray; we haven’t lifted our voices to sing; we haven’t enjoyed one cup of coffee or one (truthfully, two) donuts; we haven’t been able to smile or laugh together. I grieve all that we’ve lost and I pray someday the Spirit will bring us back together. 

Even as my vision for our ministry together shattered, God opened my eyes to discover beauty in the brokenness. The compassion, wisdom, and grace I encountered every time I met with the session reassured me of God’s faithful presence. The creativity, dedication, and adaptability of the staff revealed the work of the Spirit in and through them. Your generous giving to the mission and ministry of First Pres served as an anchor in storms of uncertainty. Your willingness to worship together in virtual spaces cultivated hope by reminding me that we worship a God who isn’t bound by buildings. Over and over, I witnessed Love1st being lived out in ways none of us anticipated. Together, we navigated uncharted waters—streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans—while not losing sight of our call to love God, one another, and our neighbors. I believe with all my heart God will continue to use First Pres to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ in authentic and innovative ways.

As my time as your sabbatical pastor comes to a close, I want to share a blessing with you. It is written by Jan Richardson, one of my favorite artists and authors. I imagine us speaking this blessing to one another as we begin to walk the next path God has for us.

In His Name, Pastor Jennie

It is a strange thing
to be so bound
and so released
all in the same moment,
to feel the heart
open wide
and wider still
even as it turns
to take its leave.
​​
On this day,
let us say
this is simply the way
love moves
in its ceaseless spiraling,
turning us toward
one another,
then sending us
into what waits for us
with arms open wide to us
in welcome
and in hope.

On this day,
in this place
where you have
poured yourself out,
where you have been
emptied
and filled
and emptied again,
may you be aware
more than ever
of what your heart
has opened to
here,
what it has tended
and welcomed
here,
where it has broken
in love and in grief,
where it has given
and received blessing
in the unfathomable mystery
that moves us,
undoes us,
and remakes us
finally
for joy.

This day
may you know
this joy
in full measure.

This day
may you know
this blessing
that gathers you in
and sends you forth
but will not
forget you.

O hear us
as this day
we say grace;
this day
we say grateful;
this day
we say blessing;
this day
we release you
in God’s keeping
and hold you
in gladness
and love.

I was given the chance to write the blog for this week because it is such a great opportunity to say goodbye. With two new sons in the last year (my baby-boy Holden and my foster son Maxx), my family is growing, and I felt it was time for me to grow, too. I will always feel grateful to the church, because the time I have spent here has provided me with opportunities to learn. Now I can use those new skills to build a new future for my family.

It's been about three years since I started working for the 1st Presbyterian community as your custodian. Looking back at the time I've spent here, I feel proud at what I've helped accomplish. It's been three years of remodels, repairs, and events that mean a lot to me.

In many ways, I've spent more of the last three years than anyone else with the building that holds our sanctuary. If I have any advice to give, it's that this church is a thing to cherish. The story of this community is more than a hundred years long and full of so much service and care. I've been so blessed to have the perspective to see that history in the building itself!

I want to thank everyone that helped me be a part of the staff and made my time here full of wonderful memories. There is so much to look forward to as this church grows. I hope the next person to serve in my custodial position gets to feel a part of it like I have felt a part of the First Presbyterian community.

It will be sad for me to hand over the keys, literally and figuratively, and close this chapter in my service to Christ. I loved my time here and will miss working for you all.

Thank you and farewell,
Matthew Harrison

I like to multi-task. I can focus on a task and be aware of something else like music or the news on television, running in the background. Last week the news was sharing stories on summer camp and what it will/could/should look like this summer. It brought back such good memories!

I grew up in the San Francisco Bay area and for many summers attended Mt. Cross Lutheran Bible Camp in the Santa Cruz Mountains. What a blast! I have nothing but lovely memories of swimming, hiking, amazing camp food (it was! Or maybe we were just ravenous with all the activities and fresh air?), campfires, singing, crafts and of course, friends. 

This summer, our entire congregation has an opportunity to spend time at our own camp: Lutherhaven. Carley has worked tirelessly with the staff at Lutherhaven to provide a wonderful camp experience for all of us: not just kiddos and families!
There are so many opportunities for fellowship and fun that this is an experience you won’t want to miss!

Our camp runs from August 11th through the 13th. Carley has created an easy-to-use registration form that you’ll find here. Once completed, Carley will contact you to work out details since there are multiple experience options that she can review with you.

Did you attend summer camp? If you think about that time, what memories bubble up? Peace. Quiet. Serenity. Do any of these feelings come to mind? I hope so!

Especially in these very odd times we’re living in, in remembering, think on this:

Psalm 77:11-14 “I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. 12 I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds. 13 Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? 14 You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.”

In His name, Janet

My Fitbit died this week. Some of you might know that I wear a Fitbit (fancy pedometer) because I like to track the number of steps I take every day. It also tracks my sleep, which either confirms or denies the quality of my sleep—good and bad ☺. It’s part of my self-imposed “healthy-as-I-can-be” lifestyle regime. When it failed this week, I was at a loss. A little …

For my blog topic, I was going to write about something profound. Something about what’s going on in our society and community right now. I’d been giving it a lot of thought.
Why do we judge? What is implicit bias? Why are we prejudiced? What is it about racial equality that some people can’t accept?

I’m not an expert, and the truth is that I don’t feel I’m qualified to talk about any of that. Try as I will, I can’t begin to understand the intricacies or the psychology behind prejudices.

I mostly hope and pray that I am not. Here is what I found that I wanted to share with you:

This Sunday morning I was listening to one of my favorite radio stations as I was prepping for church. It’s a country music station based in San Jose, CA and broadcasts a show that chronicles the top-30 country hits from the previous week (Lon Helton hosts for those in the know).

This week’s guest was asked, “What have you learned about yourself during this time of quarantine?” He answered, “Gratitude”. He was grateful for the small things, like going to a restaurant, connecting with friends, and more.

That started me thinking of the things I’m grateful for: the things I have, e.g. a working Fitbit ☺ but more importantly my relationships: my husband, my children, my friends, all of you, and possibly mostly importantly: my relationship with our loving God.

I have experienced a relatively privileged life, and I don’t mean economically, but rather in the loving, accepting relationships in my life. Love and kindness have been modeled by so many, and I hope I have learned to do the same. I am grateful for those lessons. In a world filled with turmoil and unrest, we, as humans, have an opportunity to model good behavior. We can create and enable those relationships.

Here are a few of my favorite thoughts about gratitude:
Gratitude Quotes

• “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melody Beattie
• “As with all commandments, gratitude is a description of a successful way of living. The thankful heart opens our eyes to a multitude of blessings that continually surround us.” – James E. Faust
• “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.” ― Melody Beattie
• “Today I choose to live with gratitude for the love that fills my heart, the peace that rests within my spirit, and the voice of hope that says all things are possible.” –  Anonymous

Geoff Rinehart said this past Sunday morning, “We can hope and work for a better tomorrow and love like Jesus.” I am confident that we can all hope and work for a better tomorrow and be grateful for the goodness we've been given.

In His Name, Janet

The year 2020 has been an eye-opening year so far with the world pandemic and civil unrest all around us. It is easy to become disheartened, which is where I have been occasionally in the recent months. It’s times like these that we need to remember the good things that God has done in our lives, because as His children, He is ever-present in our lives. This time has caused me to look deeper into God’s Word and to have a more meaningful time of prayer in my personal time with the Lord each morning. It has also helped me see, with fresh eyes, how God is working in my life each day. It causes me to have a more joyful heart and to want to celebrate!

I want to share the great blessing that I am celebrating today, June 8th: my mother! My mother turned 84 years old today! This lady has been a huge influence for me in so many ways that have helped me become the person that I am today. Growing up, I was painfully shy. She made sure that I was involved in activities to help bring me out of my shyness: Bluebirds, grade-school and high-school band, 4-H, Tae kwon do, acting in plays, participating in parades, and modeling. Being a highly intelligent woman, she taught me that the only thing that could hold me back from pursuing my dreams is me. She taught me to set my mind on my goal and go for it. My mother was also my best friend as I grew up; we shared many interests and did everything together. She was my biggest fan, and I am hers.

Sadly, my mother has Alzheimer’s, and there are days when she does not remember that I am her daughter. I am grateful, though, that she is still in my life and that I get to be with her. There are days that she is very aware of who I am and we get to enjoy that relationship. Other days, I just get to love on her.

This is the Bible verse that stood out to me today:
How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you. Psalm 31:19.
​
In His Name, Stephanie

The last year has been the happiest of my life! Nine months ago, God gave my wife and me our amazing little Holden. Every single day, my perfect son has brought so much joy to me–even when he has decided for the moment to not be so perfect with his endless antics. 


I have to confess that I feel somewhat guilty. While so many have struggled with being trapped in their homes, I’ve been where I am the happiest. My home is filled with the love God blessed us with. It is amazing how much He has added to my home by growing our little family. 


The current health crisis has shown me how much love people in this world have for one another. People who have very little to fear protect others by staying at home and wearing masks. Many put themselves at risk so that others in the community can get the care they need. We do a hundred difficult things because we love our neighbors. Those difficult things seem so small when we do them out of love.


Whenever our lives go through major changes–whether it’s becoming a parent or surviving the pandemic–we can learn what we are capable of. Having my son in my life has shown me how capable I am of being a father. Over the last several months, my wife and I have gone through the process of getting our foster care licenses. The idea of adopting a child into my home once seemed impossible, but it feels natural now to add someone new to it. In giving me my son, God has shown me how much space I have in my heart and in my home to fill with love. God has shown all of us how much love there is in the world by inspiring us to do good for one another.
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Foster parents get praised for being there to help family, but to most of them, it seems like such a small burden since it is out of love. The world is full of people that do wonderful things because God’s gift of love makes the burden light. God has shown me how much love we have for each other. Of the many, many gifts God has given me, being able to love others has been my favorite.


In His Name, Matthew​