Dear Saltwater Community,
We hope that you and your family are well. As we continue to help slow the spread of the coronavirus through observing social distancing, we want to let you know about ways that you can stay connected through Saltwater Church.
Worship
Church zoom room (saltwaterchurch.org/calendar/zoom-room/)
Each Sunday we are offering online worship through zoom at 10:30 am. For any of our worship services or meetings, you can join by computer or by calling in on your telephone. You can find more information about how to connect through zoom towards the end of the newsletter.
May 24: “Breath by Breath: A Meditation Service,” led by Jean Spohn, Joanne Loeliger, Laurie Bardill, and Nancy Corr
Members of the meditation group will offer readings, teachings, practices, and reflections on the practice of mindfulness
May 31: “The Third Way,” Rev. Kristen Kuriga
Staying in the in-between place can be incredibly uncomfortable. We crave certainty. Yet, what if the in-between place, the liminal space, is the place where creativity and new possibilities emerge from? Together we’ll explore the threshold teaching of staying in not knowing until a third way emerges.
May: What Does it Mean to be a People of Thresholds?
In the month of May we are exploring what it means to be a people of thresholds. Thresholds, those liminal, in-between places, that can be both transformational and uncomfortable. Thresholds can be physical, like doorways and entrances. They can also be symbolic: rituals like graduations, weddings, memorials, and child dedications. The crossing of these thresholds are imbued with meaning. They mark a change or transformation in us and around us. What do we learn from being in-between? In the places where the sacred and the ordinary meet, where the known and the unknown meet, and where life and death meet. Soul matters describes being a people of thresholds as the practice of courageously stepping into the unknown and the new.
Upcoming Events
Estate Planning Workshop–Part 2
Saturday May 23, 10am to Noon, Church Zoom Room
(You can attend even if you did not attend Part 1)
Saphronia Young and her partner, Jerrica Pierson Seeger, who are with Regeimbal, McDonald & Young, PLLC d/b/a Des Moines Elder Law, will present an estate planning workshop for Saltwater Church. They expect to cover:
1. Lifetime gifting
2. Deep dive into living wills
3. Special needs tools
4. Long term care insurance
5. Aging in place at home
Please sign up to receive course materials ahead of time by contacting Susan Aigner: susanaigner@comcast.net
Membership Book Signing
Sunday, May 24, after service, Church zoom room
Are you interested in becoming a member of our church? On May 24, following the worship service, we will have a small group room available on Zoom for anyone who wants to sign the membership book. This is an opportunity to officially join our church community. Members should be in alignment with the mission, vision, values and covenant of our church and Unitarian Universalism. Members are asked to make a pledge to support the church financially within their means (waivers are available) and to seek ways to share their gifts by volunteering and/or serving our community. If you would like more information about the membership process, or are ready to move forward, request an application for membership from Bev Ross; email: mrs_ross1@yahoo.com. Completed applications need to be returned by May 23. At that time, a book signing page will be forwarded to you to be used on May 24th. PLEASE NOTE: Anyone wishing to vote in the June 14th, 2020 Congregational Meeting, MUST be a member by May 24th, 2020.
Zoom Training for Hosting Meetings and Events
A training for those interested in hosting classes or events using Zoom meetings will be offered Thursday, May 28 from 1-2:30 p.m. Refine your skills in sharing presentations, managing participants, and creating a welcoming online space. Contact Melinda Einander at melinda@saltwataerchurch.org with questions or to register for this class. Melinda will send you a link to the zoom room that the training is taking place in.
Cards for Bridging Youth
On Sunday, June 7 during worship, we will recognize our youth who are bridging into adulthood this year. This year’s bridgers are Jacob Lomboy, Quinn Burt, and Isaac Radak. You are encouraged to write a card or note of encouragement and congratulations for each of our bridgers. Cards may be dropped off at or mailed to the church, or mailed directly to the bridgers’ families. Please contact Melinda Einander with questions: melinda@saltwaterchurch.org
Congregational Meeting
Church Zoom Room, June 14th, 12 pm
Please put Sunday, June 14 on your calendar for the all-important annual business meeting of the congregation. The meeting will be held via Zoom, shortly after the music service that day. The agenda will be announced at least 10 days prior to the meeting. To vote at the annual business meeting you must be a member for at least 20 days prior to the meeting. That puts the deadline for signing the membership book on May 24.
Candidates for Board and Nominating Team
Your nominating team has secured three candidates for our two board openings and two candidates for our Nominating Team openings. We will be voting during our June 14 General Membership Meeting. As per our by-laws, if there are nominations from the (virtual) floor, those will also be accepted. Please take time to acquaint yourselves with these fine candidates and, if you have questions, you may contact any member of the current Nominating Team or the candidates themselves: Debra Valpey, Nelson Schmitz, Sandra Petschek, and Colette DeMonte
Board Candidates: Lauren Crowder, Galen Guffy, and Karin Leisy
Nominating Team Candidates: Marlies Scott-Wenzel and Toska Rodriguez
You can read more about the candidate here: https://saltwaterchurch.org/stay-in-the-loop/congregational-meeting-candidates/
New Proposed Mission Statement
On Sunday, May 17 we shared our new proposed mission statement during worship. After service, the Board held break-out groups to receive feedback from the congregation. The new proposed Mission Statement is below. If you have feedback you would like to share and weren’t able to be part of a breakout group, please be in touch with a member of the Mission subgroup of the Board: Janeane Weprin, Mayda Taney, Anjali Lopez, or Rev. Kristen
At Saltwater Church
We
Practice Love
Foster Connection
Nurture Spiritual Growth
Act for Justice
UUA General Assembly—Registration is open!
June 24-28, 2020
The Unitarian Universalist General Assembly will be all virtual this year. This is a wonderful opportunity to worship and learn alongside UU’s from throughout the country. The cost of registration is $150. You can find more information here: https://www.uua.org/ga/registration
An Updated Membership Directory is on the Church Website
The Member’s Page of SaltwaterChurch.org has the most current directory of Members and Pledging Friends. Please look for your entry and check it. Do we have your correct address and contact information? Are your children’s names correct? Do you have a landline or cell phone that could be corrected? Send any corrections to CJ: administrator@saltwaterchurch.org. If you are a member and do not have a login to access the members only section of the website, please contact CJ who can help you get set up with a login.
Ways to Connect
Support Circles (church zoom room)
We are offering drop-in support circles on zoom. The format is simple: a chalice lighting, check-in, and a reflection question on our theme for this month. The circles are offered on Tuesday and Thursdays at lunch time, and on Tuesday evenings.
Tuesday, May 26, 12:30-1:30 pm
Tuesday, May 26, 7-8 pm
Thursday, May 28, 12:30-1:30 pm
Starting in June, we will be moving to one support circle per week on Thursdays at lunch time, 12:30-1:30 pm. To foster connection, we are working towards forming new chalice circles on zoom for the summer. Stay tuned for more information about how to sign up!
Al-Anon Support Group (church zoom room)
Mondays, 6:30-7:30 pm
Creative Hands (church zoom room)
Tuesdays, 1:30-3:30 pm
We will support one another in our creative ventures, as well as discuss ways that we can help our communities during this time.
Meditation Group (church zoom room)
Tuesdays, 8-9 pm
Join the meditation group on zoom to help nourish your spirit. The group will have a teaching, sitting meditation, walking meditation, and an opportunity to share.
Writers Group (church zoom room)
Wednesdays, 9:30 am- 12pm
Choir Fellowship (church zoom room)
Thursdays, 7-8 pm
Members of the choir are invited to join Tom Burt, Music Director, for a time of connection and fellowship.
Over Eaters Anonymous (church zoom room)
Fridays, 5-6 pm
Support Available
Do you need support? Please let us know, we want to help. Are you feeling lonely or isolated? We can connect you with a lay minister or another member of the congregation. Are you in a higher risk group and do not want to venture out to the grocery store? We may be able to connect you with someone in your neighborhood to help you get the supplies you need. If you have lost income from being sick or unable to work, or do not have enough money to buy extra food and supplies, the Minister’s Discretionary Fund is available for one-time emergency support for members and friends of the church. Contact Rev. Kristen: minister@saltwaterchurch.org. Do you need to go to work but don’t have childcare? Are there other needs that your family has? Please be in touch with Melinda: melinda@saltwaterchurch.org.
Support for Children, Youth, and Families
Family Ministries Zoom Room https://zoom.us/j/2349227683?pwd=aG4yL3RRb240UjJyWUR1Y2p2V0lQUT09
Religious Education Class for Kids and their Grown-Ups
Sunday mornings at 9:30 am, family ministries zoom room
Junior and Senior High Youth GroupSundays at 12 pm, family ministries zoom room
Family Support Circles
First & Third Mondays, 7:30-8:30 pm, Starting May 18
Family ministries zoom room
All Ages Movie Nights
Saturdays, starting at 7 pm
Kid-friendly movies, all ages invited. Join us!
Family ministries zoom room
Parents Facebook Group
You can also connect with other church families with children and youth for support through the Parents facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SUUCFamilyMatters/
Ways to Live Our Values
Share the Plate for May: Sound Alliance
Half of all undesignated basket donations received in the month of May will be shared with the Sound Alliance. You can learn more about Sound Alliance here: http://www.soundorganizing.org/. You can make a donation to the basket through the donate button on our website: https://saltwaterchurch.org/stewardshipstewardship-overview/stewardshipdonate/ or mail a check to the church office with “basket” in the memo line: Saltwater UU Church, 25701 14 Pl S., Des Moines, WA 98198.
Sound Alliance Social Connections Program
Sound Alliance is starting a new program, in partnership with King County Housing Authority, Seattle Indian Health Board and others, to increase social connections within our community. Many in our community are especially isolated during this pandemic due to age, health concerns and/or few social supports. This project hopes to address this issue by connecting members in our Sound Alliance institutions with people who are experiencing high levels of isolation and loneliness. Volunteers are needed to make phone calls twice a week to 5-6 people identified by partner agencies as needing this service. All participants have agreed to be part of this program. A 90 minute online training will be provided. For more information, contact Diane Dobrowolski: ddobrowolski@earthlink.net.
SCAN! Climate Message of the Week
Do you have an “elevator pitch” about climate change? An elevator pitch is a very short statement that explains something to the listener in such a short time it could be made during an elevator ride. Sharing your personal climate change elevator pitch in a conversation is a great way to encourage people to get involved. Katherine Hayhoe is an atmospheric scientist, educator and author at Texas Tech who knows the value of a strong elevator pitch. She uses this approach to bridge the political divide that often surrounds climate change. Here are some tips Katherine used for her own elevator pitch on climate change: Start with values instead of the science. Bring up a common interest. Frame the reality of the science then give examples of solutions. Want to see Katherine’s elevator speech in action? Check it out at: https://slate.com/technology/2015/02/climate-change-elevator-pitch-video-series.html
General Information
How to Access the Church Zoom Room
To access Zoom, go to saltwaterchurch.org/calendar/zoom-room/ and click on “To join a meeting—click here.” Or from the main church webpage, select Zoom Room from the drop down menu under “news and events” on the top menu bar. If this is your first time using Zoom, follow the prompts to download the application to your computer.
If you would prefer to join by phone, dial 1-669-900-6833 and enter Meeting ID: 736 142 4210 when prompted. You may need a password. If you do not have the password, please contact Melinda: melinda@saltwaterchurch.org
If you have a smartphone, you can download the Zoom app and join with Meeting ID: 736 142 4210 for video and audio connection. You will need a password. If you do not have the password, please contact Melinda: melinda@saltwaterchurch.org
How to Schedule a Meeting on Zoom
1. Anyone with a church-oriented group can schedule the zoom room.
2. You will need some training on how to host a zoom meeting using the church zoom room. Melinda has a video and hand-out: melinda@saltwaterchurch.org
3. Once trained, please check the church calendar to see if the room is available: https://saltwaterchurch.org/calendar/
4. Once you have a date and time, you can schedule through the room request form on the website: https://saltwaterchurch.org/calendar/calendar-request/ or contact CJ by email: administrator@saltwaterchurch.org
5. You must schedule it at least a few days in advance. CJ will be scheduling meetings during her regular hours, Tuesday-Friday, 9 am-2 pm. 6. You can even schedule the zoom room for a social gathering. Folks wanting to share music, poetry, art, etc. are welcome to do that.
Saltwater Church Building
The church building is closed to all in-person programming, groups, and meetings. All staff are working from home. Staff will be going by the property to collect the mail and to check on the campus.