The Hellerich Family

Carolyn graduated from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago Sunday, May 20, 2018 with a Doctor of Ministry in Preaching degree.  The graduation ceremony/Eucharist was held at St. Thomas Apostle Church near the seminary.

Bethany, Dan, Emily, and Dave were there to celebrate with Carolyn.  A wonderful weekend was had by all.

Thursday:  Dave and Carolyn arrived in Chicago Wednesday evening.  On Thursday, they enjoyed the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre production of MacBeth, rode the Centennial Ferris wheel on Navy Pier, visited Macy’s (Marshall Fields) on State Street, and ate at Harry Caray’s Tavern.  We stopped by the new Apple Store on Michigan Avenue, and had dessert for dinner at the Nutella Cafe.

Friday:  We took the train to Hyde Park and Carolyn’s rehearsal for graduation.  We ate at Giordano’s and strolled the neighborhood we met in almost 39 years ago.  We visited the Oriental Institute on the University of  Chicago campus, and reminisced about our early days together.  Wonderful memories!!!

Saturday:  Bethany arrived late Friday evening, and Dan and Emily Saturday morning.  We all took the train to the Loop and stopped first at Max’s Chicago Hotdog joint.  We walked along the lakefront and took photos around The Bean.  After visiting the Apple Store, we had a fantastic dinner, thanks to our wonderful children, at the Tortoise Supper Club on north State St.  The surprise was yet to be.

As dinner drew to a close, Carolyn and I learned that they were taking us to see HAMILTON, THE MUSICAL at the CIBC Theatre……..Really!!!!  It was amazing!

Sunday:  We attended the 10:30 service at the Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Luke on Belmont, a favorite of ours.  Beautiful service for the feast of Pentecost!  Champagne and strawberries for fellowship time following worship.

Had a quick lunch at the Hyde Park Potbelly Sandwich Shop, and on to St. Thomas Apostle Church a block east of the seminary.  Carolyn went to LSTC to get robed and lined up, we walked around the University of Chicago campus before going to the church for the graduation ceremony.  Dave taught at St. Thomas Apostle school while Carolyn completed her final year of studies at LSTC for her MAR in 1980-81.

The graduation, within a Eucharist, was long, but meaningful.  There were 24 M.Div. graduates, 15 other Masters level graduates, 3 Doctor of Ministry in Preaching graduates (Carolyn included) and 7 Ph.D. graduates this year, though not all were in attendance.  Carolyn graduated with a DMin in Preaching with two others, from Sweden, who did not attend.

After a tasty reception in the LSTC refectory, we went to Medici’s, the Hyde Park restaurant Carolyn and Dave had their “first date” (kind a) the day they met, 9/7/1979.

It was a wonderful celebration, thanks mostly to our fantastic children!  Photos of the whole week/weekend are below:

Enjoyed today visiting Spokane! We took some things from the assembly to the beautiful new synod office with a huge turkey roaming the grounds, had a wonderful lunch at Lindaman’s with Cathy Steiner, the synod’s efficient secretary, took Central Lutheran-Yakima’s LWR School Kits to the ingathering truck at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Spokane where we met a gentleman named Bill Wenke who used to live on Elm St. in St. Paul, NE! Shopped at Trader Joe’s…we really need one in Yakima…and roamed the mall before having a delicious meal at Blaze Pizza near the Gonzaga campus. Then made the 3 hour trip back to Yakima. Always nice seeing the gorgeous Washington countryside!

I was asked to be the Assembly Planning Chair for this year’s assembly.  I was honored to be asked. Our planning began last Summer,and  the planning committees began planning the annual event with our first monthly meeting in October.  It was an exciting process.  Thanks especially to Julia Bennett from Boise, our synod assembly Manager.  She led the planning well!

Now it’s over.  It was certainly a success, based on the comments I have received.  Below are a few photos from the three day event.

Friday, April 27: Opening Eucharist of the 2018 Eastern Washington-Idaho Synod Assembly in Yakima, WA. The service was held at Central Lutheran Church, led by the Grace Creek Band, and dinner was at the Yakima Convention Center.

Saturday, April 28th: The second day of the 2018 Eastern Washington-Idaho Synod Assembly in Yakima! A beautiful day…a day full of business sessions (voting, resolution reading and discussing, etc.) Mission Partner Table gazing, prayers and good fellowship…ending with the banquet and Holden Evening Prayer. Congratulations to all who were honored for ordination anniversaries!

Sunday, April 29th: The final day (morning) of this year’s assembly…We began with another business session, so much to do! Then had our closing eucharist which included the consecration of a new deacon, Diane McGeoch, who is serving Learning Peace in the Boise, ID area. Blessings, Diane!!! Thanks to Rev. Ron Glusenkamp, Director for The Campaign for the ELCA, ” Always Being Made New,” and Victoria Flood, the ELCA’s Director of Mission Support, for attending our synod assembly! So much planning, and even if I do say so myself as the planning chair, it was a stellar assembly!!! Time to Go in Peace and Serve the Lord!

To show that Spring is really here, the reservoir next to our house is beginning to fill, and the irrigation canal that traverses all around Yakima is now moving snowmelt from the Cascades and Mt. Rainier and Rimrock Lake to the towns and vineyards and orchards and fields below.  The water began flowing this morning.  “The Pond” should be full by tomorrow morning.  Jambo enjoyed watching what was happening…he’ll be happy to have ducks and geese swimming around again!

Central, Christ, and Tree of Life held joint Midweek Lenten Services again this year at Central.  We also held a joint Easter Vigil on March 31st.  Happy Easter to everyone!

Several things have changed here at 2105 Maclaren Street, but there is still more to do.  We had the tile removed from the entryway and had oak flooring installed.  Looks much more like it must have when built.  It looks GREAT!  Also had a Microwave installed above the range in the kitchen…so convenient!

We spent a nice, quite Christmas in Yakima this year.  Dan and Emily spent the holiday with her family, and Beth chaperoned another student study trip from the Urban School of San Francisco to India, this time the northern part (a few photos from her trip are posted here.)   We were invited to a friend’s house for the Christmas Day afternoon…thanks, Ardelle!  We had a wonderful time!

With Christmas Eve on Sunday this year, all of the worship services seemed to run together!  First of all, both Central Lutheran and Christ Lutheran churches had Wednesday evening Advent services.  Christ Lutheran had, on Sunday, December 24th, a morning Advent 4 service at 9:30am, and an evening Christmas Eve service at 7pm.  Central Lutheran had, on Sunday, December 24th, a morning Advent 4 service at 9am, and three evening Christmas Eve services:  5pm, 7pm, and 10:30pm.  Central also had a 10am Christmas Day service on Monday, December 25th.  All of the services were filled with beautiful carol singing in beautiful settings.

Dan, Emily, Bethany, Carolyn, and Dave spent Saturday, November 25, 2017, visiting Leavenworth, Washington, about 90 minutes north of Yakima.  It’s a beautiful Bavarian-themed town in the mountains.  We enjoyed the many shops there, and ate delicious German foods.  The snow helped make it more genuine, too!  Great place to visit, if you’re ever in the area.

The children visited us for Thanksgiving this year.  Always fun to work together in the kitchen!