FPC Bellingham FPC Bellingham

In June as Pastor Doug is away, we will be hearing testimonies from 4 different members of our community. This week Theo Lewis shares about his transition into high school - and soon to college! recorded live June 9, 2024 at First Presbyterian Church of Bellingham. Scripture read by Isla Louws. Original composition by Theo Lewis.

Genesis 12:1-4

1 Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’

4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

In June as Pastor Doug is away, we will be hearing testimonies from 4 different members of our community. This week Linda Kolody shares her story of 2023, recorded live June 2, 2024 at First Presbyterian Church of Bellingham. Scripture read by Ann Hinz.

A Hiding Place: Psalm 27 teaches us to prevail against fear.


What or whom do we fear?
What does it mean that the Lord is our stronghold?
What would it mean to live in courage? How would our lives look different?
What does living in the house of the Lord have to do with courage?
How do you gaze on the Lord?

Psalm 27:1-6

1 Do not boast about tomorrow,

for you do not know what a day may bring.

2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth—

a stranger, and not your own lips.

3 A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty,

but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.

4 Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming,

but who is able to stand before jealousy?

5 Better is open rebuke

than hidden love.

6 Well meant are the wounds a friend inflicts,

but profuse are the kisses of an enemy.

Message by Doug Bunnell, recorded live May 19, 2024 at First Presbyterian Church of Bellingham. Scripture read by Elodie and Vale Bates. Special music by Tammy Rutgers (organ), Elliot Smith (trumpet), Kaden Smith (trumpet), Jamison Schmidt (trombone), William Kovacevic (trombone), and Shon Schmidt (trombone).

Be Just, Patient, and Faithful: Be responsible and generous with your money, patient, and live with integrity.


Why might James be so down on rich people?
As rich people, how do we hear these hard words?
What does patient living look like?
How might we strengthen our hearts?
What is the upside to letting your yes be your yes and your no be your no?
Which of these hard words will you work on today?

James 5:1-11

1 Come now, you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you. 2 Your riches have rotted, and your clothes are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you, and it will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure for the last days. 4 Listen! The wages of the labourers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in pleasure; you have fattened your hearts on a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous one, who does not resist you.

7 Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. 9 Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! 10 As an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Indeed we call blessed those who showed endurance. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

Message by Doug Bunnell, recorded live May 12, 2024 at First Presbyterian Church of Bellingham. Scripture read by Nicki Bailey.

Don’t Judge or Presume: Submitting to God, we live kingdom lives by not judging and not presuming, when you drift into judgment or presumption, Spend time in the now.


What does it mean to submit to God? How do we do that?
What does it mean to resist the devil? How effective is that?
What are the different ways we speak evil against others?
Why do you think that James is so against judging?
What is the healthy way to approach future plans?

James 4:7-16

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers and sisters. Whoever speaks evil against another or judges another, speaks evil against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save and to destroy. So who, then, are you to judge your neighbour?

13 Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there, doing business and making money.’ 14 Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that.’ 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.

Message by Doug Bunnell, recorded live May 5, 2024 at First Presbyterian Church of Bellingham. Scripture read by Diane Tate.

Strong Tongues: We can do great damage by what we say, let us be quick to listen and slow to speak.


What are the reasons that teachers will be judged with greater strictness?
What does James have against the tongue?
Do you think he is being hyperbolic, or is a tongue really capable of such damage?
What does the image of a spring have to do with the tongue?
How do you feel like responding to this strong word?

JAMES 3:1-18

1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. 4 Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.

How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, 8 but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. 15 Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. 16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.

Message by Doug Bunnell, recorded live April 28, 2024 at First Presbyterian Church of Bellingham. Scripture read by our 3rd graders!

Dead Faith is Useless

Faith is not belief, faith is living in trust that God will really come through.


How is James distinguishing a life of faith from a life of work?
How might James show his faith by his works?
What does he mean that even the demons believe?
In verse 24,James says we are justified by works and faith, how do we square this with Paul saying we are saved by grace through faith and not by works?
What might a dead faith look like? What might a living faith look like?

DEAD FAITH IS USELESS Faith and Works

14 What use is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 In the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

18 But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” 19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to acknowledge, you foolish person, that faith without works is useless? 21 Was our father Abraham not justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was Rahab the prostitute not justified by works also when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.