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May Newsletter

 Alleluia! Christ is risen!

The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! 

Palm Sunday begins outside with the liturgy of the Palms.

This is our Eastertide acclamation and how we begin each service through Pentecost (June 8th). It's meant to orient us to the reality of our resurrected Lord who is reigning now. Easter isn't simply one special Sunday, but a whole season of being drenched in the joy and glory of Jesus' victory over his own death and now ours as well! If you find yourself drifting from the power of the resurrection that we celebrated on Easter, here is a link to my message on Easter Sunday to stir up hope once again!

I have to say, this last month was simply AMAZING! God has been so good to us. Here are some highlights.

Updates:

  • We held our first Triduum (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil) and it was a rich time of worship that culminated in a Taco Potluck on Saturday night with most of our church joining in! Through these three services as well as Easter Sunday we had almost our entire church participate in all our some of the services through reading Scripture and other ways of participating in the liturgy. 
  • On Easter Sunday we had our largest attended service yet at around 80 adults and kids. The highlight was a baptism for a father and his special needs adult son. It was a baptism I will never forget! There were tears of joy all around. 
  • I recently talked to a father who told me his teenage daughter who has not yet expressed faith has been considering getting baptized!
  • Last Sunday we were blessed by our newest lay preacher who delivered an excellent sermon. I also trained up a new volunteer to serve at the altar with me in distributing communion.
  • Over the last few weeks we've had repeat visitors as well as a new visitors join us on Sunday. 
  • During Lent our church collected a total of $1,500 for Scarlet Road which is a local organization that works with survivors of sexual exploitation. 
    Easter Sunday

  • We recently had two non-Anglican churches in Kitsap give us one time offerings which totaled $5,000! 
  • I was able to get away for a personal retreat for silence and solitude as well as join other clergy from our diocese for our annual clergy retreat. 
  • On a personal note, this last month we were able to host our oldest son Sam and his fiancé Sola during Easter. We were also able to celebrate with our daughter, granddaughter, and her husband over Mother's day weekend. 
Prayer Requests:
  • At the end of May I'll be attending our Provincial Church Planting training over in Edmonds, Wa. Please pray that the Lord will guide me in this next season at Shalom. I feel like this training is timely for this moment. 
  • Please pray for the healing of one of our members who has had several surgeries and is in recovery.
  • Please pray for one of our core families to be able to find a home in Kitsap as they desire to remain here but are finding it hard with the high prices.
  • I also continue to covet your prayers for protection from the powers and principalities (Eph. 6:12) both personally and for Shalom! 
  • Please pray for the salvation and discipleship of those who have been visiting! 
  • Please pray for the salvation of someone who recently called me and is interested in Christianity. We talked for an hour and a half! 
Thanks again for all your support and prayers!

For the Shalom of Kitsap,

Fr. Rob Steinbach


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