This week's community joys & concerns from April 26, 2026

Among our joys this morning:

• A bittersweet time, as today marks my last Sunday before I begin a three-month sabbatical from my ministry with you here at FCC Tacoma. I am so very grateful for the opportunity this will grant me to take a deeper breath, to return to my source in rediscovering nature and time with family and friends, and for you, to make time to reorient and rest from our normal rhythms. As we ponder the greater context of this sabbatical season in the midst of our transition of land stewardship, it is my prayer that we will all have a chance to pray and reflect more deeply on where it is God might be calling us to be next year and beyond, not just physically, but those with whom God may be calling us to be companions; what issues and causes shall we carry with us as part of our identity to advocate for as we live into the kingdom of God that is forming in our midst? I am grateful for the leadership of our elders at the direction of Bill Poores, and for Rev. Devin Wright who is very much looking forward to spending the next three months with you, leading worship, preaching, and helping provide pastoral care. If you are in need of pastoral care, be that in a time of emergency, or simply a phone call or visit for some other reason, please contact the church office, one of our elders, or Devin, and they will be glad to get in touch as soon as they are able.

Among our community’s concerns, we add: 

• Laura Cohthril, recovering from foot surgery

• Marc Master

• Lela Cox

  
  

We pray for the friends and family of our extended community: 

• Mike

• George

• Raven

• Margo

• Steve

• We lift up our homebound friends and those for whom making it to Church is increasingly a difficult thing to do to a variety of challenges. Let us remember all those who feel isolated, and in our prayers, do what we can to remind them that we love them and miss them. Among them, we pray for Anita Thompson, Dorothy Beeles, Norma Carolyn, Phyllis Jacobsen, Harry Lobberegt, Pat Lien, Charlene Housman, Lela Cox, Marc Master, and Irene McBride.

Among our local and global community:

• We lift to God the village on 6th and Orchard, for those seeking shelter and community of many kinds, and for God's spirit to nudge us to the people and places where we might best use our resources to do ministry like Jesus would do - without prejudice, without hatred, with hope and joy and confident inclusion

• We pray for all involved in the war in Iran, for the just treatment of all of God’s children, and for a de-escalation of all violence spoken and acted upon in the name of our Creator.

• Last but not least, please join me in lifting our Global Ministries partners this week in Indonesia. The ministry of the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI), together with local congregations in Papua, accompanies communities that face rapid social and ecological changes. In South Papua, churches are creating safe spaces for dialogue, pastoral care, and community reflection so that indigenous peoples can voice their hopes and concerns about development affecting their ancestral lands. These ministries remind communities that they are not alone; the church walks with them as a companion seeking justice, peace, and sustainable life.

   

If you'd like to share a prayer joy or concern, please contact Pastor Doug at doug@fcctacoma.org or by calling the church office. Please indicate whether your prayer is to be shared publicly or if you'd like it to be kept private.

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