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Welcome to the blog website for First Presbyterian Church of Bellevue. Below you will find the most recent posts from all of our blogs. Learn more about blogs or contact us.
Most Recent Posts
Debbie Berkley
Posted to Your StoryThis is Debbie Berkley, administrative assistant for Worship and Music at FPCB. The story of how I got my job here, and other aspects that have to do with it, is a story of God’s incredible goodness, and that’s why I want to share it. I was laid off from Microsoft, where I had worked as a linguist for eleven years, in May 2010. (During the time I’d been at Microsoft my husband, Jim Berkley, had.. (Read More)
The training ended well
Posted to Your StoryThe training ended well, and those folks now have the task of working out specific ways to reach out to the children, listen to them, and be alongside them. The people in the training were amazed at what they were learning—such simple things as that a child needs to be listened to and valued! That was a new idea to some of them. I hope some of you may be in prayer for this work.. (Read More)
I wish you could have seen their faces
Posted to Your StoryUsually reticent to share deeply, each of these people seemed to be taken back into some secret place in their memory, losing awareness of the people around them, as they shared. What I saw was a revelation of deep pain, still being carried to that moment, rising from their experience of having no one who could really help them or give them full information or be alongside them during that time in their lives. They all.. (Read More)
one session which stands out
Posted to Your StoryAs we explored various aspects of this question, there was one session which stands out now as the most profound and moving, in which I knew God was moving in a special way. The session was about talking to the children—first their own, and then those orphans—about the changes that occur during puberty, with all that accompanies that momentous time in a child’s life. As the leader was giving guidelines, it occurred to me to wonder what sort.. (Read More)
the kick-off... You can’t give what you don’t have
Posted to Your StoryLast week was the kick-off. After overcoming my usual huge fear relating to the bad road going up the mountain, Safari and I arrived safely, and were welcomed as always with warm hospitality by Consolata, the pastor’s wife, and given breakfast prepared by Zed. (Safari and Zed are the leaders of Imbaraga, both young men with enormous commitment to their work of helping street children and others.) The training was held over two days, and.. (Read More)
Mukono
Posted to Your StoryOK, deep breath. Now I want to take the rest of this letter to tell about my recent visit to the village of Mukono high in the mountains in the Northern Province very near the border of Uganda. I think you know I have been there a few times before, and always feel I’ve had an adventure or a special sort of retreat. It is SO beautiful. (Read More)
Spiders and frogs and snakes, oh my!
Posted to Your StoryI’m not sure what’s up these days, but I’ve killed a rather evil looking spider in my kitchen, found a groggy frog under a chair in my living room, and Sam just killed what apparently was a young cobra weaving along with head very high on the cement just outside my kitchen. Yikes! But so grateful he saw it, as it could easily have insinuated itself under the door and entered the house. I DON’T want.. (Read More)
Finding my way “home”:
Posted to Your StoryOne day recently I was having a sort of mini-meltdown, and went home to rest and muse. After some time (next morning, actually), I was encouraged and strengthened by an insight I want to share: I had been nearly overwhelmed by an unfortunately frequent hassler named Self-Pity, and though I recognized him, and rebuked him, and he in fact did slink away, I needed to get a better understanding of what he is generally up.. (Read More)
New housemate
Posted to Your StoryI’m very pleased to have a housemate for the next 5 months! My expenses have been very close to outstripping income, and I’ve been praying for a person to share my big house since I moved there in December last year. Now Mark Grayson from First Presbyterian Church, Bellevue has come to work with children (mainly, his vision is to PLAY with them!) at the Center for Champions in Rwamagana, where he will commute by.. (Read More)
Open air classroom:
Posted to Your StoryMy usage of Kinyarwanda is ramping up a bit, as I’ve been teaching a group of boys (teenagers and early twenties) whom Network member Theoneste has rounded up from the street. He put 19 boys in a couple of rented rooms and brought them to study at his Catch-up School. He invited me to come weekly and teach them from the Bible, so I have been doing that for several weeks. They find benches from.. (Read More)