Through the Snoqualmie pass

 

Through the Snoqualmie pass

   There is a bike trail across nearly the entirety of Washington State.  The geography changes quickly as you leave Seattle heading west.  After leaving the city I biked through a heavily wooded area and skirted the edge of Lake Sammamish. 

   On Monday afternoon I stopped at chatted with Patty Baker and some of the wonderful folks at St. Clare’s Snoqualmie.  The flooding of the Snoqualmie River resulted in the destruction of the church building in 2008.  In the aftermath of losing their church building, the congregation gained new insight into what it means to be a community of faith.  The created a worship space in a room in their hall.  Having movable chairs allowed them to be more flexible in their worship.  Being freed from maintaining a large physical plant, they were able to devote effort to the provide food and health care products to those who are financially fragile in their community.  It lovely to see how, even in the midst of Covid, the church invited and equipped people to contribute meaningfully to the common good.  Rev. Baker was very kind and generous with her time as we discussed how we might allow people’s better angels to direct our lives.  We met as well with two wonderful parishioners Cindy and Larry Remick who had been instrumental in building up the essentials closet for the Snoqualmie Valley Food Bank and Winter Shelter.

I cycled on to North Bend and spent the night with Craig and Shelley Rickson who gave me a tour of his glorious garden and fed me a wonderful meal.  I am grateful and inspired by their hospitality.