Lewiston’s Shekinah group calls it a day

The Shekinah Christian Community in Lewiston is closing its doors after a series of Advent services through the end of December, Judy Schultz, the lay leader of the community said Friday.

“Our people are either aging out, moving, or have too many relatives to care for to meet regularly and continue our activities,” Schultz said.

The community is inviting the public for Advent closing services beginning at 6 p.m. Nov. 30, Dec. 7, 14 and 21 at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church at 3434 6th St. in the Lewiston Orchards. There will be time for sharing memories or experiences during the services.

The congregation was established in 2002 as a 501c3 non-profit and later rejoined the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s Northwest Intermountain Synod as an authorized worshiping community. Schultz said Shekinah is a “reconciling in Christ congregation,” meaning open and affirming.

“We are a shalom community — trusting, embracing and living God’s vision of grace for all of creation,” she said.

The core values of the Shekinah community include following Jesus by striving for social justice, being open and affirming, restoring wholeness and peace, proclaiming universal grace and engaging in dynamic learning.

Schultz said the Shekinah community “is the visible, tangible presence of the divine on earth. This community has been called, in the process of study, worship and fellowship to proclaim the gospel and to social justice ministry.”

Over the years the community has been involved in education in the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley on creation care, anti-racism training, acceptance of LGTBQ+, the dangers of Christian nationalism and the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision in 2010.

“We also provided free dinners at Salvation Army for many years, and still provide a dinner every two months at Grace (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) in Lewiston,” Schultz said. “ We provide support for the free clinic in the way of meals for the volunteers, we have done trash pickup in Lewiston, participated in Family Promise hosting families, supported Habitat for Humanity, supported (Martin Luther King Day) activities in the valley. We host a booth each year at the Celebrate Love event.”

Schultz said the community has no building or employees. It is led by a lay minister.

“So when we retire our status as an (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) community and 502c3 organization, we plan to donate what is left of our funds to one of our concerns,” she said.

“We are still a family and will continue to care for each other, support each other in our continuing pursuits of shalom for the world. Our members will possibly join other local congregations.”

Hedberg may be contacted at khedberg@lmtribune.com.