Worship

To join the church zoom room go to: saltwaterchurch.org/calendar/zoom-room/
Each Sunday we offer 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.

April: What Does It Mean to be a People of Becoming?
In the month of April we are exploring what it means to be a people of becoming. A people who know where we have been and are open to the journey ahead of growth and transformation. Soul Matters describes the practice of becoming as discovering what inside of us longs to be born, and of no longer hiding. Come practice and learn with us as we deepen our faith!

April 18: “Becoming Authentic,” Janeane Weprin, Lay Leader
April 25: “No Arriving, Just Becoming,” Rev. Kristen Kuriga

Upcoming Events

Join the Racial Justice Education Team for this weekend’s workshop on intersectionality. Intersectionality can be defined as the complex, cumulative way in which the effects of multiple forms of discrimination combine, overlap, or intersect, especially in the experiences of marginalized individuals or groups.  At this weekend’s workshop, we’d like to hear about your own personal experiences with oppression and discrimination and how these experiences influence how we view other people.  Come explore your own personal experiences with oppression and discrimination and how these experiences have influenced how we view other people. Please RSVP to susanaigner@comcast.net. 

How has the pandemic impacted you, your family, people you care about, and community? Sound Alliance invites you to attend one of our small group listening sessions. Listening meetings guide us in focusing on what is most important to you and our community. By sharing our stories and concerns we are guided to focus on issues of greatest concern. Please sign up in advance. If you have questions, contact Kathy Linnell kelizlinnell@comcast.net or Lucia Faithfull lfaithfull@comcast.net

Save the Date

Welcoming Rev. Dr. James Kubal-Komoto
Sunday, May 2, Sunday Service
Please join us in welcoming Rev. James back into relationship with the congregation after almost five years!

Flower Communion is Coming!
Sunday, May 9, Sunday Service
Please join as we celebrate our annual flower communion ritual during worship.  

Congregational Meeting
June 13, 11:45am – 1pm Church Zoom Room
During the Congregational Meeting, we vote on our new “Covenant Right of Relations”.

Upcoming Workshops

Reimagining Church Workshop: Saturday, May 8, 10am-12pm
Mission Workshop: We Act for Justice Wednesday, May 12, 7-8:30pm
Congregational Budget Information Sessions: May 15 & May 23
Sound Alliance Listening Sessions: (various opportunities)

Important Deadlines

Our Pledge Drive has come to an end. There are a few pledges we have yet to receive. Keep in mind you can declare your pledge by mailing in your card or submit your pledge electronically via the church website. If you have any questions or experience any difficulties, please contact our Pledge Team or our Office Administrator.

News from our Community

New Board Member Needed – Volunteer Opportunity
Each year our Board rotates two members. This Spring it is time for two of our beloved members to leave the Board and pursue other opportunities. Our Nominations Committee is seeking volunteers to move into the soon to be vacant roles.  The opportunity involves a 3-year term as a Board member and plays an important role in supporting our community.  If you are interested in becoming a Board member, please let Nelson Schmitz know. If you have questions or would like additional information about the role a Board member fills in our community, they are also welcome. Nelson can be reached at ntschmitz@comcast.net or 425-444-7494.  Thank you.

From Our Healthy Congregation Team
Dear members and friends, please take time to review the very newest version of the proposed  “Covenant Right of Relations”, brought to you by your Healthy Congregations Team (Debra Valpey, Bev Ross, and Quinn Rose). This Covenant will be voted on by the congregation during our June 13 Congregational Meeting, and, if adopted, it will guide our interactions for a long time, so please give it your sincere attention. If you have any questions, please contact any team member or our Office Administrator.

Make Sure Your Zoom is Up to Date
It is a good idea to update your zoom software from time to time. If you are having difficulties with zoom, such as not being able to hear sometimes, or not being able to be heard, it may be time for an update. Updating zoom will occasionally also provide new helpful features. To update your zoom, click on your user icon on the desktop client, or login to your zoom account at www.zoom.us  This video has helpful instructions for updating Zoom:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7zERcVLUBM  Contact Melinda Einander or Robert Snipes if you need additional help.

Growth and Learning

Reimagining Church Workshop
May 8, 10am – 12pm
Church Zoom Room
Join us to reimagine what church might be like this fall and into the future! The Board, Operations Leads, and Rev. Kristen will facilitate an opportunity to reflect, learn, and imagine together. As we look to the possibility of returning to in-person worship and program, we want to be intentional. Join us as we talk about questions like: What have we learned in the last year? What do we want to keep? How are our needs different now? How might we do church differently? We hope you’ll join us for this important workshop!

We Act for Justice “Mission” Workshop
May 12, 7pm – 8:30pm
Church Zoom Room
Join the Board for an evening of connection, reflection, and song! This is the last workshop in our Living into our Mission series. Together we will explore what it means to “Act for Justice” grounded in our values. Facilitated by Anjali Lopez, Karin Leisy, Lauren Crowder, and Rev. Kristen Kuriga.

Congregational Budget Information Sessions
Saturday, May 15 at 10am – 11:30am & Sunday, May 23 after church, 11:45am – 1pm
Church Zoom Room
Join members of the Board, the Finance Team, and Rev. Kristen for an informational meeting about the proposed budget for the upcoming 2021-2022 church year. This will be an opportunity to learn about the financial health of the congregation and ways we are adapting to the financial challenges posed by the pandemic. The presentation will focus on changes to income and expenses and copies of the detailed line-item budget will be provided. The presentations will be the same, offered at two different times.

Sound Alliance – Listening Sessions
Various opportunities during April and May
Church Zoom Room
How has the pandemic impacted you, your family, people you care about, and community? Sound Alliance invites you to attend one of our small group listening sessions. Listening meetings guide us in focusing on what is most important to you and our community. By sharing our stories and concerns we are guided to focus on issues of greatest concern. We are scheduling 8 small groups sessions to allow as many people as possible to participate. Please sign up for one session, this way we can keep the sessions a manageable size.  We anticipate each session will be approximately an hour long. The dates and times are: Sun 4/18 at noon, Mon 4/19 at 1pm, Wed 4/21 at 6:30pm, Fri 4/23 at noon, Mon 4/26 at 1pm, Thurs 4/29 at 5pm, Sun 5/16 at noon, and Wed 5/19 at 7pm. Sign up in advance. If you have questions, contact Kathy Linnell kelizlinnell@comcast.net or Lucia Faithfull lfaithfull@comcast.net

UUA General Assembly – Registration is open!
June 23-27, 2021
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 $200. You can find more information here: https://www.uua.org/ga/registration. If you are attending General Assembly, we also invite you to consider being a delegate. At the next Board meeting, we will determine the process for selecting delegates from Saltwater Church to represent the congregation.

Ways to Live Our Values

Share the Plate for April: Living Well Kent
Half of all undesignated donations received in the month of April will be shared with Living Well Kent: https://livingwellkent.org/. You can make a donation to share the plate 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. 

Make your voice heard, support Racial Justice
The Racial Justice Organizing Team (RJOT) and Sound Alliance Team ask you to contact your State Representatives and urge them to support upcoming legislative bills focused on lifesaving police reform measures. Three pieces are of particular interest; HB 1054- Ban Violent Police Tactics, HB 1267- Mandate Statewide Independent Police Investigations, and HB 1310- Make Deadly Force A Last Resort. You can go online at leg.wa.gov and find out who your legislators are and links to contact them. You can also call the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000. Your efforts and commitment to the equity of our community are appreciated.

Racial Justice Organizing Team (RJOT)
Monthly on the 3^rd Tuesday, 6:30pm – 8:30pm, Rev. Kristen’s Zoom Room
Join Saltwater’s RJOT meeting to discover more ways to support our community in our anti-racism efforts. Share ideas, provide support, learn about additional opportunities, and work together to advance our commitment to racial justice.

Sound Alliance
Monthly on the 4^th Saturday, 10am – 11:30am, Church Zoom Room
The Sound Alliance team works on multiple issues.  The issues we focus on change from year to year, depending upon the concerns voiced by members of the congregation.  Currently we are working to address and prevent homelessness, protect immigrant rights, and ease social isolation during the pandemic through the Social Connection Project.  All members and friends of Saltwater UU Church and Bet Chaverim are most welcome to join us and act for Justice! 

Stance for Racial Justice
Monthly on the 2^nd and 4^th Sundays, 2pm – 3pm
Rain or shine, show up for racial justice every other Sunday in April! Please wear a mask and practice social distancing. We will gather in Des Moines on 4/11 from 2pm until 3pm at the intersection of 272nd St. and Pacific Hwy S (near Jack- in- the Box and Arco gas).  On 4/25 we will gather in Puyallup from 2pm until 3pm at the intersection of 136th and S. Meridian (near post office and Sonic restaurant).  Contact Colette DeMonte at colette.demonte@gmail.com for more info.

Saltwater Climate Action Now! (SCAN!)
Monthly on the 1^st Sunday, 12pm – 1:30pm
SCAN! will resume meeting the first Sunday in May. In the meantime, the team has identified an important action we can all take to show our support for climate justice. Please review SB 5141 Healthy Environment for All. This Act addresses racial justice, social justice and climate justice all wrapped in one. It is what SUUC truly stands for. Thanks to your help it has passed the House of Representatives and is now before the Senate. We need to keep up the momentum. Legislators have been hearing from polluters who are trying to chip away at key elements of the bill. We need environmental justice decision-making to be guided by communities most burdened by pollution, not corporate polluters. Help empower our legislators by filling out the Take Action Form and stop the environmental health disparities that greatly impact our community. The form is short and simple, but the impact is great and far reaching.  Thank you for all your efforts.

Climate Message of the Week: Celebrate Earth Day this year by becoming more educated about what’s happening in the climate movement right now. Climate documentaries like Kiss the Ground or The Story of Plastic are visual, thought-provoking looks at current climate issues. Nonfiction books like The New Climate War by Michael E. Mann give an in-depth understanding of climate change. Numerous online climate sites and newsletters like Yale Climate Connections offer information and ways to get involved that you can use to act for a healthier, more resilient climate.

Supporting Our Saltwater Community

Gear Lending Library Thank you and Outdoor Preschool Update
Thank you for your generous donations to help create the gear lending library for the newly forming Little Explorers Outdoor Preschool. Together, we raised over $3,000 to purchase gear to increase access to the preschool. Melinda, our Director of Family Ministries, was also able to arrange an in-kind donation of $2,000 worth of gear. These donations will make a real difference! Although the outdoor preschool hoped to open this winter, the opening has been delayed. The program is currently working with the state and we hope will be licensed soon! We will keep you updated. And again, thank you for your support and care.

Donations to Saltwater Church
When making a donation on the church website, please indicate where you want your donation to go.  After entering the amount of your donation, if you select “Donate with a Debit or Credit Card” you will see a line which starts with a pencil and has “add special instructions to the seller.”  Please click on those words to specify “pledge” or your desired purpose.  It will help our treasurer get money into the right places if that line is filled in.  If you would like a statement of your donations for calendar year 2020 for tax purposes to email or call our treasurer Gaye Greeves at gnatfw@aol.com or (253) 508-3961.   

Handmade Cards Fundraiser
Send beautiful cards to foster connection, while supporting our beloved community! Your purchases from HandmadeWithDove.Etsy.com will continue to support Saltwater year round, with $5 from every item sold going to the church. 

Ways to Connect

Pair Sharing (Rev. Kristen’s Zoom Room https://zoom.us/j/7434659479)
2^nd and 4^th Sundays, 11:45-1:00 pm.  The next session will be April 25, 2021.
There is healing power in telling truth and bearing witness. Pair Sharing is the spiritual practice of deep sharing and listening. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Janeane Weprin at jghonore@yahoo.com. 

Al-Anon Support Group (private zoom, contact saphroniayoung2016@gmail.com for link)
Mondays, 6:30-7:30 pm

Creative Hands (Church Zoom Room)
1st and 3rd Wednesdays, 5pm – 6:30pm
Please join us to learn or practice hand work (knitting and crocheting, sewing, drawing, jewelry making or?) along with fun conversation and a supportive atmosphere. Pour yourself a favorite beverage, grab a snack, and join in the fun. Questions? Contact Lynn Crow at (206) 429-2005.

Meditation Group (Church Zoom Room)
Tuesdays, 7-8:15 pm
We follow a UU modified Zen practice that includes lighting a candle, chiming a singing bowl, sitting & walking in silence, listening to words of wisdom, sharing tea and conversation, now all virtual via Zoom. Questions? Contact Jean Spohn jeanspohn@centurylink.net or (206) 200-7524.

Writers Group (Church Zoom Room)
Wednesdays, 9:30 am- 12pm

Weekend Writers Group (Church Zoom Room)
Alternating Sundays, 6pm – 8pm
The next meeting is April 25.

Support Circle (Church Zoom Room)
Thursdays, 12:30-1:30 pm

Over Eaters Anonymous (Church Zoom Room)
Fridays, 5-6 pm

Support Is 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 at  melinda@saltwaterchurch.org.

If you are in need of emotional or spiritual support, you can reach out directly to a Lay Minister:
Debra Valpey:  debravalpey@gmail.com
Mike Yanega:  bowfinboy@gmail.com
Lynn Crow:  lynncrow1@gmail.com
Toska Rodriguez: toska_r@hotmail.com

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 
(Note the class address.)
Sunday mornings at 9:30 am https://tinyurl.com/NUUC-SUUC-RE

Junior and Senior High Youth Group 
(Note the class address.)
Sundays at 12 pm, https://tinyurl.com/NUUC-SUUC-RE

Jr./Sr. High Youth Group Game Night (Joint with Northlake UU)
3^rd Friday of each month, 7-9 pm. 

We will be using an online game platform as one of the options for games (boardgamearena.com – free account is plenty), so if possible, please let Margaret know if you plan to attend so we can get set up ahead of time. We hope to see you there!
https://tinyurl.com/CRE-NUUC
        Meeting ID: 309 145 529
        Password: NUUC
If you are interested in having your youth (and/or yourself) receive reminder texts directly for game night and Sunday youth group, you can sign up for them by clicking this link and entering the information: https://www.remind.com/join/nuuc-6-12 
Contact Margaret Rogers for more information: dre@northlakeuu.org

Family Support Circles
First & Third Mondays, 7:30-8:30 pm
Family ministries zoom room

Parents Facebook Group 
You can also connect with other Saltwater Church families with children and youth for support through the Parents Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/SUUCFamilyMatters/    

The Saltwater Church Family Ministries Library Wants to Visit Your Home!
Have your children run out of books to read, with school and public libraries closed? The Saltwater Family Ministries library has books to share! Contact melinda@saltwaterchurch.org to borrow books.    

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

Saltwater Church Building
The church building is closed to all in-person programming, groups, and meetings.  Staff are working from home.  Staff members will be going by the property to collect the mail and to check on the campus.  Planting Flowers has resumed providing essential childcare support to families. Haitian Christians have resumed in-person gatherings with a limited capacity on Sunday evenings.

Please Note:  Additions to the newsletter must be received by noon Wednesday to be included in that week’s newsletter.  Send your submissions to administrator@saltwaterchurch.org or use the website form at https://saltwaterchurch.org/calendar/calendar-request/