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.
January: What Does it Mean to be a People of Imagination?
January 3: “If You Can Imagine It, You Can Organize It!”, Sound Alliance Team, Lay Led
January 10: “Utopian Visions,” Rev. Kristen Kuriga
Upcoming Events
Safety Team Meeting The Safety Team will be meeting January 21, at 7pm in the Zoom Room. This is a team across all organizations who call our Saltwater Church buildings home. We are planning for natural disaster, emergencies, and general safety. Join us, and help develop the plan!
Questions? Contact Karin at karinleisy@gmail.com
Supporting Our Saltwater Community
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
From the Board & HCT
Guidelines from the Pandemic Taskforce
The Pandemic Taskforce, appointed by the Board, and led by Sharon Crow, Karen LaFe, Judy Featherstone, and Anjali Lopez, has been hard at work. Although we believe it will be some time before it is safe for us to have church programming in person, it is important to have developed policies to guide these decisions. At this link you can read or download the COVID-19 guidelines the taskforce has created base on WA State requirements and CDC guidelines, and have been accepted by the Board.
https://saltwaterchurch.org/stay-in-the-loop/saltwater-church-covid-19-guidelines/
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/
Share the Plate for January: Federal Way Community Caregiving Network
Half of all undesignated donations received in the month of January will be shared with the Federal Way Community Caregiving Network: http://www.fwccn.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.
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: What Climate Message content would help you take action on climate change in 2021? Do you need information about resources or climate action groups? Would descriptions and links to online sites be helpful? Are there particular climate change topics that you’d like to see covered in more depth? What other requests about Climate Messages do you have? Email your feedback to Bill Adams, our SCAN! leader. And this week, check out the Soapbox Project at https://www.soapboxproject.org/archive to get information and actions to take on a wide variety of climate-related topics.
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
Pair Sharing 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 Each session will be from on a Sunday after church from 11:45 AM to 1:00 PM in Rev. Kristen’s Zoom Room https://zoom.us/j/7434659479. The next session will be January 3, 2021.
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
Thursdays, 12:30-1:30 pm, Church Zoom Room
There will be no support circle on December 31st. The next support circle will be on January 7th.
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/