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.

Worship

Summer Worship Collaborative
This summer, in July and August, we will be worshipping together with Northlake UU and Tahoma UU over zoom. We will be using the Saltwater Church zoom room, and you will have the opportunity to connect with local UUs from other congregations. More details coming soon!

July 11: Independence Day, Rev. Joe Rettenmaier, Sabbatical Minister of Tahoma UU
As our mask-free summer now opens to more outdoor living, we find prime opportunities to learn and expand our interdependent capacity for love so all living beings may thrive.

July 18: “Becoming Real,” Rev. Kristen Kuriga, Minister of Saltwater Church
What helps us to become real? We will explore the wisdom in the story “The Velveteen Rabbit” and reflect on how the experiences of loving and living support us in becoming authentic.

July 25: Title & Topic TBA, Rev. Joe Rettenmaier, Sabbatical Minister of Tahoma UU

Upcoming Events

NEW!! In-person Opportunities

Meditation Group
Tuesday July 13, 7:00pm – 8:30pm
In-person, Saltwater Church Welcoming Room

Our Meditation Group will begin meeting in person on alternating Tuesday evenings. The first in-person gathering is scheduled for July 13th with plans to continue meeting on July 27, August 10, August 24, September 7, and September 21. Our COVID-19 Task Force and Re-opening Taskforce are currently identifying what the safety requirements will be now that Washington State has “re-opened.” Stay tuned for additional information.

Now Let Us Sing…Together!
Thursday, July 15, 7:00pm – 8:00pm
In-person, Saltwater Church Courtyard

Join us for an hour of hymn singing! We will gather in the outdoor space between the Welcoming Room and the Lighthouse. Please bring your own water bottle and your out-of-practice singing voice. Everyone is welcome. If you are un-vaccinated, we strongly encourage you to wear a face covering and maintain social distance, for your own protection. Let’s celebrate the re-opening of our state and county! Let’s gather together and join our voices in song! Now Let Us Sing…Together! (Questions? Email Tom Burt: music@saltwaterchurch.org )

Hike to Saltwater State Park
Saturday, July 17 at 10 am
In-person, Saltwater Church Grounds

Join Rev. Kristen for a hike from the church down to Saltwater State Park. We will gather at the church by the sanctuary at 10 am and depart on our hike at 10:15 am. For those who don’t want to hike but would like to meet up with us, we will gather down at Saltwater State Park by the playground around 10:45-11 am. Please bring some water, a snack, hat/sunscreen, and a mask.

Family Park Meet Up
Sunday July 18, 1:00pm – 3:00pm
In person – Dash Point Park & Pier

Saltwater families with children and youth are invited to Dash Point Park and Pier to play and socialize. Masks required for all. RSVP encouraged, but not required. If you choose to picnic, please sit apart from others while you eat. Contact Melinda Einander melinda@saltwatercurch.org to RSVP or with questions.

Labyrinth Walk
Sunday, August 1, 2 pm
In-person, Saltwater Church Labyrinth

Join Rev. Kristen to engage in the spiritual practice of walking the labyrinth at the church. Please bring a chair, water, sunscreen/sunhat, and a mask.

From the Board and HCT

Saltwater Church Re-Opening Update

Thank you for all of the ways that you have adapted and stayed connected to the church throughout the pandemic! We are grateful for the service of the Pandemic Taskforce (Judy Featherstone, Sharon Crow, and Anjali Lopez) for their guidance about ways to keep our congregation safe this year.

After Washington State fully reopens on June 30, there will be new guidance for churches regarding worship and programming. The Pandemic Taskforce will take this guidance, along with recommendations from the CDC and UUA, to help guide the Board and Staff on church reopening decisions in ways that continue to prioritize our collective health and well-being.

As we move into the next phase, the Board is convening a Reopening Taskforce to handle the operations and logistics of reopening the church to in-person worship and programming. We will be looking into reopening in phases, prioritizing support for children, families, and youth, opportunities for small group connection, and developing multi-platform worship. 

As you may remember, last fall we had a break-in to the church and almost all of our audio-visual and sound equipment was stolen. Right now staff are prioritizing working with an audio visual company to replace and install new equipment that will allow us to have in-person and online worship and programming simultaneously. We are working hard to have the equipment installed in time to train volunteers in August and start worship with in-person options in September.

Although most of our worship and programming will continue through zoom over the summer as part of the Puget Sound Worship Collaborative, we are organizing small outdoor in-person gatherings in the next few months. We will have a clearer sense of what is possible in early July. Watch the newsletter for opportunities such as hikes down to Saltwater State Park, outdoor hymn sings, rituals, and work parties.

We look forward to seeing you this summer over zoom and in person when possible! And we will be sure to keep you updated about the process of reopening.

A friendly reminder 
For those of you that have their pledges set up for automatic payment, either through your bank or Paypal, the 2021-2022 pledge year has begun. If you’ve changed your contribution for the year your automatic payment amount will need updating. Updates must be made through your bank or Paypal account, church staff can not do this for you. If you have any questions about your pledge for the new year please contact Gaye Greeves, Treasurer, at gnatfe@aol.com or (253) 508-3961.  

Also, requests for reimbursement and receipts need to be in. You can email your requests and copies of receipts directly to Gaye at: gnatfw@aol.com. You may also mail them directly to the church or contact our Office Administrator and they will forward along your request.

Thanks for all your work and support of Saltwater!

Growth and Learning

UU Common Read
Tuesday July 27, 6:30pm – 8:00pm
https://zoom.us/j/7434659479

Please join the RJOT Racial Justice Organizing Team as we participate in the UU Common Read Breathe by Imani Perry. Saltwater RJOT has purchased some copies of the book to make available to participants. If you haven’t requested a copy yet, now’s the time to do it. Our next discussion will be in July. You are encouraged to attend even if you missed the first discussion.

To sign up for a discussion session please email Susan at susanaigner@comcast.net. Contact our Office Administrator to borrow a book, or with any additional questions. Click the image for all the details about the event.

Saltwater Pen Pal Project
Do you suffer from Zoom fatigue? Consider joining the Saltwater Pen Pal Project to exchange snail mail (or email) correspondence! Each month you would be paired up with someone from the group to exchange your thoughts about the monthly Soul Matters theme. Contact Joanne at JoanneStonebraker@gmail.com if you are interested in participating.

Ways to Live Our Values

Share the Plate for July: Citizens for a Healthy Bay
Half of all undesignated donations received in the month of July will be shared with Citizens for a Healthy Bay: www.healthybay.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.

Saltwater Climate Action Now! (SCAN!)
July 18, 12:00pm – 1:30pm
Church Zoom Room
SCAN! We will not meet on July 4. We will meet on July 18. We’ll take all of August off and resume our 1st Sunday of the month meetings Sep. 5. Yes, I know that’s right in the middle of Labor Day weekend but we’ve done this before and it’s worked out quite well. Have a happy summer everyone. See you on the 18th of July. Stay safe. Please join us in the church zoom room starting at 12. Bring a friend too. You’ll be most welcome.

Racial Justice Organizing Team (RJOT)
Monthly on the 3^rd Tuesday, 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Rev. Kristen’s Zoom Room
Join in our monthly discussions 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 Team Meeting
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! The next meeting will be Saturday, July, 24. 

Climate Message of the Week:

Cut tons of CO2 from your travel carbon footprint—take a vacation where you live instead of flying or driving long distances. Research your area for new ideas or places you might have missed in the past. (Click image to discover the MaST Center, a perfect example of a fun local experience.)

Small town museums have a lot to offer (https://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/mapping-our-small-town-museums-heres-where-to-find-some-decidedly-local-history-and-charm/). Discover local artists and artisans at nearby shops. Visit a new-to-you state park (https://parks.state.wa.us/281/Find-a-Park) or national park right here in Washington state (https://www.nps.gov/state/wa/index.htm). Explore regional and world foods at local restaurants. (Asian and Indian restaurants usually have a variety of climate friendly vegetarian options.) Support local food producers by visiting a farm or farmers market (https://eatlocalfirst.org/wa-food-farm-finder/).
Stay local, eat local and buy local for a fun vacation that’s easier on the climate.

Do you have a favorite local “hidden gem” that others should know about? Tell our community all about the exciting region we live in by posting on the Saltwater UU Facebook page. You might discover some common interests and inspire others to explore locally. (Are there topics or questions you’d like to see covered in future Climate Messages? Email suggestions to Sheri Jacobson at sheridjacobson@yahoo.com).

Ways to Connect

Pair Sharing
(Rev. Kristen’s Zoom Roomhttps://zoom.us/j/7434659479)
Sundays, twice a month 11:45am – 1:00pm
The next meeting will be on July 11. Pair sharing will also meet on July 25, August 8, and August 22.
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. 

Saltwater Genealogy Club
(Church Zoom Room)
2^nd Wednesdays, 7:00pm – 8:30pm
Do you love to talk about your family history and research? Saltwater Church has a Genealogy Club! We are not experts; we just share stories and research ideas. Our next meeting will be July 14. If you would like to join us or have any questions, please contact susanaigner@comcast.net.

Creative Hands
(Church Zoom Room)
1st and 3rd Wednesdays, 5:00pm – 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. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, July 21. Questions? Contact Lynn Crow at (206) 429-2005.

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

Meditation Group 
(Church Zoom Room)
Tuesdays, 7:00pm – 8:15pm
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 – 12:00pm

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

Over Eaters Anonymous
(Church Zoom Room)
Fridays, 5:00pm – 6:00pm

Weekend Writers Group
(Church Zoom Room)
Sundays twice a month, 6:00pm – 8:00pm
The next meeting will be on July 11.

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. If you have been affected by the pandemic financially, 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. 

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
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 9:30am https://tinyurl.com/NUUC-SUUC-RE

Junior and Senior High Youth Group 
(Note the class address.)
Sundays at 12:00pm, https://tinyurl.com/NUUC-SUUC-RE

Jr./Sr. High Youth Group Game Night (Joint with Northlake UU)
3^rd Friday of each month, 7:00pm – 9:00pm 
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, 7:30pm – 8:30pm
Family ministries zoom room

Parents Facebook Group 
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

A quick guide for our Zoom room can be found here. Feel free to download the file to keep a copy readily available at your fingertips.

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

Donations to Saltwater Church
When making a donation on the church website (click here), 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. 

Please Note: Announcements, updates, and 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 (click here).