Worship
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.
December: What Does it mean to be a People of Stillness?
In the month of December we are exploring the theme of stillness. As the days shorten and the cold comes, we are invited to slow down, turn within, and restore ourselves. Join us during the season of advent to allow space for stillness, hope, peace, joy, and love to emerge.
December 20: “A Rose in the Winter Time: The Story of Our Lady of Guadalupe” Rev. Kristen Kuriga & Melinda Einander
December 24: Christmas Eve Candlelight Service (7 pm), Rev. Kristen Kuriga
December 27: Worship field trip to Tahoma UU Congregation. “Releasing the Year, Envisioning What’s Next” with Rev. Linda Hart. See full article for connection details.
Candlelight Christmas Eve Service
Thursday, December 24, 7 pm, church zoom room
Join us to sing carols, engage with the story of Christmas, and sit in candlelight from our homes, connecting with the hope, love, and the joy of being together in spirit at this sacred time of the year.
Worship Field Trip to Tahoma UU Congregation
On Sunday, December 27th, 2020, we will be virtually visiting Tahoma UU Congregation and joining them for their Sunday morning service on zoom. Be sure to make a note since we won’t be having service in the Saltwater Church zoom room. You can connect to the service through this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82318384686?pwd=MjVXY2dIUGlDRGRubUJicE5KdWhlUT09
Webinar ID: 823 1838 4686
Password: 253
You can also listen on your phone by dialing 253-215-8782 with Webinar ID: 823 1838 4686 and Password 253 to hear the worship service. Their space opens at 10:15 am to say hello and share joys and sorrows by chat, and service begins at 10:30 am. Enjoy!
Upcoming Events
Pair Sharing Work
Sunday, December 20, 2020, 11:45 am to 1:00 pm, Meeting link: https://zoom.us/j/7434659479
There is healing power in telling truth and bearing witness. Facilitator Janeane Weprin will be offering a session of Pair Sharing Work, the spiritual practice of deep listening. Join her after the Sunday Service on December 20. Questions, contact Janeane Weprin (jghonore@yahoo.com)
Supporting Our Saltwater Community
Winter Bazaar
Did you miss out on the Online Winter Bazaar last month? There is still time to shop for handmade cards during the December 20% Off Clearance Sale! Your purchases from HandmadeWithDove.Etsy.com will continue to support Saltwater year round, with $5 from every item sold going to the church.
From the Board & HCT
Welcoming Your Feedback on our Draft Covenant
The Healthy Congregation Team (Debra Valpey, Bev Ross, and Quinn Rose) thanks all who provided feedback on our draft Covenant Proposal during the Congregational Meeting on December 13. We welcome any additional feedback through the end of December, preferably by email (debravalpey@gmail.com, mrs_ross1@yahoo.com, quinnfsrose@gmail.com).You can also find our phone numbers in the church directory. You can read the draft here:https://saltwaterchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/CovenantOfRR-Dec20.pdf. Thank you for working with us on our new covenant.
Ways to Live Our Values
Gear Lending Library for Little Explorers Outdoor Preschool
Beginning January 2021, Little Explorers, a non-profit licensed outdoor preschool program, will open on the campus of Saltwater Unitarian Universalist Church. Little Explorers aims to provide access to low-income families to outdoor education. One obstacle to equity is the cost of gear. With our support, Little Explorers envisions offering a Gear Lending library so that families will be able to check out essential gear for their preschooler that will reduce the cost of participating in the program and increase access. The cost per child is around $300 and will keep them warm and dry in the elements of the Pacific Northwest. The Racial Justice Organizing Team is spearheading this effort because we believe in founder and director Teshia Flowers’ vision of building a program that is both racially and economically diverse. You can help clothe a child! Donate to build the gear lending library!
https://saltwaterchurch.org/gear-lending-library-for-little-explorers-outdoor-preschool/
UU the VOTE
Can you take one more shift–for Georgia? Join us for just ONE more of our phonebanks to Georgia for the Senate run-off election on January 5th. Our Georgia UUs and their partner organizations need just two more hours of your time to support voters as voter suppression continues in Georgia.
Our next phone bank is on December 20, 2020 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM ET, sponsored by UUs for Social Justice (UUSJ) & UU Mass Action Sign up here to join them!
You can see the full list of our phonebanks to Georgia and co-sponsors here. Choose one that resonates and works best for you.
Holiday Messages for Prisoners Last year, we collected and bought cards for us to sign after church this year, so we could help Worthy Now Prison Ministry send cards to incarcerated UUs. Because of the pandemic, many prisons are no longer accepting greeting cards. In order to safely reach out to prisoners this year, Worthy Now has posted directions on how you can volunteer from home to print pre-approved festive designs on regular paper to send holiday cheer: https://worthynow.org/3-simple-ways-to-spread-holiday-cheer-to-incarcerated-uus/
Share
the Plate in December: Move in Baskets for Day Center Guests
Our
share the plate in the month of December will help transition Federal Way Day
Center guests into permanent supportive housing.Our Sound Alliance
team is happy to announce that 10 guests of the Federal Way Day Center will
transition to the newly opened Thea Bowman Permanent Supportive housing located
in Kent. The building will house a total of 80 adults and
veterans. Half of all undesignated funds received in the month of December
will go towards assembling “move-in baskets” for guests from the Day Center,
including items such as kitchen utensils, cleaning supplies, and bed linens.
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.
Racial Justice Core Team meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 6:30-8:30 p.m. https://zoom.us/j/7434659479
SCAN! (Saltwater Climate Action Now!) meets the 1st Sunday of the month from 12:00 to 1:30pm, in the church Zoom Room.
Climate Message of the Week: Food waste goes up about 25% during the holidays. To avoid holiday food waste, “shop your kitchen” by using foods you already have. Make a plan and use a list to shop. Don’t overcook and remember that if you cook more dishes, you need less of each one.Google “Christmas leftover recipes” to find ways to use leftovers. Compost what you can’t use. Don’t forget to recycle food packaging. Cut holiday wrapping materials waste too. According to Stanford University “If every American family wrapped just 3 presents in re-used materials, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields.” To reduce paper waste, choose recyclable wrapping paper. Check with your waste service provider for recycling rules. Find other uses for used wrapping paper like wrapping breakable ornaments or as packing material.
Sound Alliance (Church zoom room) will meet Thursday, December 17th from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm.
Federal Way Day Center Donations Needed
The Federal Way Day Center for unsheltered adults is providing important support to our local community while practicing social distancing. Their remarkable record of providing safe care has resulted in ZERO Covid cases. Those who were most vulnerable were admitted to safe housing sites in Kent and SeaTac. Ten long-term Day Center guests will be approved for Permanent Supported Housing at the soon to open Thea Bowman Apartments in Kent.
Your help with the most needed items can go a long way to maintaining that safety record: cup noodles, hand warmers, rain ponchos, and trash bags. You can park in front of the Day Center and call (253-893-7895) and someone will come out to pick up the donations. 33505 13 Pl S behind the Multi-Service Center. Or you may contact Lucia lfaithfull@comcast.net or Diane ddobrowolski@earthlink.net to arrange for your donations to be picked up.
Growth and Learning
Ongoing Opportunities for Racial Justice Education https://saltwaterchurch.org/stay-in-the-loop/ongoing-opportunities-for-racial-justice-education/
Ways to Connect
Al-Anon Support Group (private zoom, contact saphroniayoung2016@gmail.com for link)
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, 7-8:15 pm
We follow a UU modified Zen practice that includes lighting a candle, chiming a singing bowl, sitting and walking in silence, listening to words of wisdom, sharing tea and conversation, now all virtual via Zoom. Contact Jean Spohn if you have questions.
jeanspohn@centurylink.net or 206-200-7524
Writers Group (church zoom room)
Wednesdays, 9:30 am- 12pm
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)
3rd 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.
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/