The Hellerich Family

Dave attended his first annual (out of three) First Call Retreat held November 13-16, 2017, at   Seabeck  in western Washington, west of Seattle.  He got to meet many other pastors and deacons in their first calls.  The program was great, we studied Reinhold Niebuhr, and the worship exceptional.  Thanks to everyone, especially Susan Briehl, who worked so hard to make it a meaningful experience!

On Sunday, October 29, 2017, Carolyn welcomed Bishop   , bishop of the Archdiocese of Yakima (Roman Catholic Church) to the pulpit of Central Lutheran (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) for their 9am worship service.  At 11am, Carolyn preached at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Yakima.  What a wonderful opportunity to commemorate together the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, when Martin Luther (allegedly) nailed his 95 Theses to the Castle Church door in Wittenberg, Germany.

That afternoon, people of all faiths gathered at 3pm at St. Paul’s Cathedral for a commemorative service at which Bishop Kristen Kuempel, of the Eastern Washington-Idaho Synod of the ELCA, preached.  Everyone then processed to Central Lutheran Church to continue the service at which time Bishop    preached.  What a wonderful way to mark such a special occasion, and celebrate all the reconciling that has happened between Catholics and Lutherans over the years, especially in the past 50 years!

Dave’s parents were married on October 29, 1947 in Wahoo, NE.  This day would have been their 70th Wedding Anniversary.  Dad died in 2006, she died in 2011.  We had some traditional family foods to celebrate the day, including spaghetti and hamburger and apple dumplings.

On October 21, 2017, we drove through the beautiful eastern Washington countryside to visit Pullman and the Washington State University campus, and Moscow and the University of Idaho campus.  The Lutheran Campus Ministry had an Octoberfest fundraiser at U of Idaho, with German food, beer, and music!  Sehr Gut!!!

We enjoyed a wonderful concert celebrating the Reformation at St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle on September 30. 2017..

We participated in the installation of the Rev. Kristen Kuempel as bishop of the Eastern Washington-Idaho Synod.  She was elected at the synod assembly in May in Spokane.  She began her new call September 1st.  The installation was held at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Spokane on Saturday, September 16, 2018.  Carolyn processed with the pastors, and Dave processed with the deacons.  It was an honor to be a part of such an important occasion.  Blessings to Bishop Kuempel!

We just returned from a 12-day jaunt down the coast and back.  We left Yakima on Thursday, August 10th and returned Tuesday, August 22nd.  Heading south through Oregon, we stopped at Crater Lake National Park.  Amazing to see the lake in the crater for the first time!  Forest and brush fires along the way, and in the park itself, created much smog.  After spending the night in Grant’s Pass, OR, we headed for the seashore and took US 101 down to San Francisco.  The Golden Gate Bridge is always impressive!  Next stop, Bethany’s place.  Saw the new addition to the Urban School of SF, where Bethany works.  Attended church at Grace Cathedral and attended the vigil at the SF City Hall for the victim and those injured in Charlottesville, VA.  I love the big cities!!!

We headed south to Los Angeles, through the Central Valley that grows so much of the produce we enjoy.  Went to Disneyland for a day, the Getty Museum the next, and Universal Studios Hollywood the day after that.  Fantastic places to visit!  We’d been to Disneyland about 23 years ago…it HAS changed!  Lots of wonderful exhibits at all these places, and many tasty restaurants!  At Universal, we especially enjoyed the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

We headed north on Sunday to Peace Lutheran Church, Philomath, OR, and met up with the Central Lutheran Youth Group and Felicity and Jason.  We got up the next morning to enjoy the Solar Eclipse in its Totality!  So COOL!!!   Carolyn then returned to Yakima with the youth group, and Dave returned Bethany to her San Francisco home, then returned to Yakima in time to donate blood at the “God’s Work. Our Hands.” Blood Drive at Christ Lutheran Church in Yakima.  A good time was had by all!  We are blessed!

On Sunday, July 30, 2017, Bishop Martin Wells of the Eastern Washington Idaho Synod came to Christ Lutheran Church in Yakima to consecrate David Hellerich a Minister of Word and Service in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  Christ Lutheran Church called Dave to work with them in ministry, and Dave became Deacon Dave.  Thanks be to God!

Daniel flew into Tri-Cities airport in Pasco Friday evening, 7/28, on a nonstop Delta flight from Minneapolis.  Nice!  We spent Saturday in Mt. Rainier National Park!  Beautiful day, and not too busy considering it’s summer.  Ended the day with dinner at Gasparetti’s Italian Restaurant!  Tasty!

Bethany arrived at the Yakima Airport on Thursday, 7/27 from San Francisco.  Daniel arrived Friday, 7/28 evening at Tri-Cities Airport in Pasco, about an hour and a half southeast of Yakima.  We had fun exploring the area while they were here.  Before picking up Dan, we went to the Art Fair in Richland, WA, Columbia Park in Kennewick along the beautiful Columbia River, and saw a show at the Columbia Basis College Planetarium in Kennewick about telescopes, the upcoming solar eclipse, and the vastness of the universe.