Local churches announce topics of Sunday services

South Whidbey churches have announced the topics for services this Sunday.

Couple to share Ethiopian experience

Long-time South Whidbey residents Owen and Charlene Baldwin are temporarily returning to the island from their current home in Ethiopia. They’ll be sharing their experiences in that country at House of Prayer church at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 2.

After pastoring at House of Prayer for more than 20 years, the Baldwins joined their adopted son and his family three years ago in Addis Ababa. They’ve spent time there learning the language, volunteering and teaching English in two orphanages, assisting international volunteers and training children’s workers.

House of Prayer is located at the intersection of Pioneer Park Place and Highway 525, across from Crawford Road. For more information, call 321-6070.

Doug Benecke gives Sunday talk at Unity

The title for the Sunday service at Unity of Whidbey is “What Is God Selling?”

Songwriter and speaker Doug Benecke’s will consider how the compassion of God contrasts with the commerce of the world.

In our daily lives we know we need to trade our energies and resources for needed commodities. But the world of the spirit works differently. Drawing on the writings of the monk Thomas Merton and other spiritual writers, Benecke explains how the spiritual connection is different from the transactions of this world. It is not sold and cannot be bought.

Unity meets at 10 a.m. at Bayview Community Hall. All are welcome.

‘Saviors from the Dark Side’ at SWCC

Tomorrow’s sermon at South Whidbey Community Church is, “Saviors from the Dark Side,” by co-Pastor Ron Wedeking, and based on 1st John 2:18-27.

Immediately following worship, there will be an all-church barbecue at the Sandy Hook Cabana, hosted by Bill and Nancy Thompson. As always, guests and visitors are welcome. Call 221-1220 for further information.

Also on Sunday morning, the adult forum classes will be in full swing, with Stan Walker leading a discussion on the Book of Acts and Ken Goff leading a discussion through the Old Testament book of 1st Samuel, on the life of David.

Classes begin at 9, and morning worship is from 10 to 11 a.m.

All South Whidbey Community Church sermons and special Adult Forum lectures are recorded, and copies on CD-R, or e-mailed as Windows audio attachments, may be obtained by calling 221-1220.

SWCC is a local independent, non-denominational church that adheres to the National Association of Evangelicals’ Statement of Faith.

It is open to everyone for worship each Sunday at the Deer Lagoon Grange, 5142 Bayview Road, Langley.

For further information about the church and services, visit www.whidbeychurch.org or call 221-1220.

Bible school starts at Trinity Lutheran

Trinity Lutheran Church in Freeland will host “Explore the Wonder of the Word at Discovery Canyon,” a Bible school for preschoolers through the fifth grade.

The group will meet from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Aug. 4 through Friday, Aug. 7.

Call 331-5191 for more information.

Wisdom of the divine at UUCWI

Messages of insight, wisdom and the voice of the divine are all around us — how can we notice and let these messages guide us? Guest minister Rev. Sarah Schurr will be the speaker at the Sunday service for the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Whidbey Island.

Schurr is a graduate of Marylhurst University and did her internship at the UU Fellowship of Corvallis, Ore.

A native of Portland, she is currently a social worker at Parkinson’s Resource of Oregon while she awaits her first parish position.

The service is at 10 a.m. Childcare will be provided for infants and toddlers. There will be no religious education classes in August.

Check out the Web site www.whidbey.com/uucwi for more information about UUCWI.