Our blog

Recent blood drive at Bethany nets 21 units

Have you ever wondered how much blood is collected during the periodic drives in the Bethany fellowship hall? Puget Sound BloodWorks reports that 28 donors gave 21 units of whole blood during the drive on July 24. It estimates that 21 pints will help 72 patients in the local community. The group holds drives at Bethany about six times annually, as well as at other sites around the island. Pictured on the home page: Bethany member Tad Marten is a regular volunteer with Puget Sound BloodWorks, not only giving blood but helping in the drives. He's pictured here in 2016. Pictured above: one of the drives at Bethany in 2016.

-- Rachel Pritchett, office administrator

Alice McCain returns from WELCA gathering

Pictured: Alice McCain poses for a photo with other WELCA participants in Minneapolis.

By Alice McCain,

I was delighted to attend the mid-July 10th Triennial Gathering of Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (WELCA). The 4-day gathering was held in Minneapolis, Minn., but had a global focus. Speakers and workshops as well as servant events focused on God’s grace and our responsibility to work for justice worldwide. Some 3,322 attendees came from all 50 states and 11 countries; about 1300 women were first-time attendees, just like me. I loved sharing worship, learning and making friends, as well as tagging along with some of the Southwestern and Northwest Washington Synod WELCA attendees.

The keynote address on July 14 was delivered by Leymah Gbowee, a Nobel Peace Prize winner from Liberia and ELCA International Leaders scholarship recipient. She reflected on the gathering theme, “All Anew.”