by WUUC | Apr 28, 2023 | Announcements
– Alaine Davis
Join us on Saturday, June 17, 2023 @ 6 pm for a meeting of the WUUC Nonfiction Book Club, hosted by Jack Brand at the home of Alaine Davis and Lane Owsley in Kenmore. We will be discussing The Persuaders: At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy by Anand Giridharadas. RSVP to Alaine <alaine.davis@yahoo.com>.
The lifeblood of any free society is persuasion: changing other people’s minds in order to change things. But America is suffering a crisis of faith in persuasion that is putting its democracy and the planet itself at risk. Americans increasingly write one another off instead of seeking to win one another over. Debates are framed in moralistic terms, with enemies battling the righteous. Movements for justice build barriers to entry, instead of on-ramps. Political parties focus on mobilizing the faithful rather than wooing the skeptical. And leaders who seek to forge coalitions are labeled sellouts.
In The Persuaders, Anand Giridharadas takes us inside these movements and battles, seeking out the dissenters who continue to champion persuasion in an age of polarization. We meet a leader of Black Lives Matter; a trailblazer in the feminist resistance to Trumpism; white parents at a seminar on raising adopted children of color; Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez; a team of door knockers with an uncanny formula for changing minds on immigration; an ex-cult member turned QAnon deprogrammer; and, hovering menacingly offstage, Russian operatives clandestinely stoking Americans’ fatalism about one another.
As the book’s subjects grapple with how to call out threats and injustices while calling in those who don’t agree with them but just might one day, they point a way to healing, and changing, a fracturing country.
(Modified from penguinrandomhouse.com)
Four times a year, the WUUC Book Discussion Group gathers to read and talk about a nonfiction book. You only attend the meetings about books that interest you, so we end up with a different group of participants every time. We meet to share a potluck dinner, connect, and talk about a book in depth. Anyone is welcome to suggest a book and/or lead a discussion. Contact Alaine to RSVP, suggest a book, or offer to host a future discussion.
by WUUC | Apr 28, 2023 | Announcements
-Karen Chernotsky, Community Engagement Liaison – Bloodworks Northwest
Dear WWU Blood Drive Team:
Thank you so very much for hosting your most recent blood drive. We are thankful to you for opening your doors and sharing your space with those who want to save lives. Below are the results of our collaboration, and we look forward to working together with you again.
Thank You for Your Support! You are always appreciated.
Blood Drive Results for Woodinville Unitarian Universalist Church
For the April 10-12, 2023 blood drive, you had a total of 123 people check in to donate blood, and 105 units were successfully collected. We welcomed 5 first-time-donors to Bloodworks Northwest – we hope it was a positive experience, and that they will consider giving again. You already have 11 people booked for your next event, July 10-12.
The blood that was collected at your event will go to local hospitals, impacting and saving lives of patients throughout the Pacific Northwest. This blood is critical to maintain a stable blood supply for surgeries, medical emergencies, and for supporting patients battling life-threatening illnesses like leukemia and other cancers.
We thank all of the donors for taking time out of their day to give their gift of blood, and we thank you for the extra time and support you put into coordinating the logistics, that made the blood drive possible. On behalf of patients in our community’s hospitals, I wish to extend our thanks. Bloodworks Northwest is the primary supplier for over 90 hospitals in the Pacific Northwest.
We do this because, Someone’s Tomorrow Needs a Blood Donor Today! Check out the Bloodworks Northwest Blog for patient stories and more.
Those who donated at this blood drive will be eligible to give again in 56 Days!
by WUUC | Apr 28, 2023 | Minister Blog
Renewing Our Souls
Greetings WUUC Community,
Spring is here! Flowers are blooming, sunshine punctuates the stretches of wet, gray days, and we, too, are finding life anew. Each monthly newsletter has more events, activities, and programs than the one before, which is a sign that our community is offering more opportunities to connect and deepen our bonds. So as life picks up all around us, it seems like a good time to ask: what renews your soul? What brings you energy and new life?
For some of us, we find renewal among the trees, in the mountains, and along the shoreline. I know that many of us look to the beauty of the natural world for our renewal. And some of us need a true spring break, a time to sit, relax, and do nothing except whatever our hearts desire in the moment. We are grateful for the opportunity to stay in the comfort of our own home, or a favorite familiar haunt, like a coffee shop or bakery. And some of us find renewal in engaging and connecting with others. We may connect over shared interests, common values, being in a similar life stage, or united by a common challenge or circumstance. Whatever calls us to find renewal in the presence of others, one place we can do that is in a church community like ours.
It’s entirely possible that you find renewal in more than one of these sources, maybe even all of them! In fact, I think I need some mix of all of these to really feel renewed in all aspects of myself.
So once we’ve identified what renews our souls, then what? Well, do it- Renew yourself!
Ok, maybe you can’t just drop everything and disappear into the mountains, or stay home, or get together with friends whenever you want. But maybe you can make an effort to prioritize something that renews you among all of the other things that demand your time and attention. Build some time into your day for a short venture outside. Take a quick music break and listen to a favorite song. Call a friend just to check in when you have 15 minutes to spare.
So as the sun emerges and the flowers bloom, let this time of year be a reminder to renew our souls, even if it happens through just one small moment at a time.
Wishing you blessings for renewal,
Dan
by WUUC | Apr 27, 2023 | Announcements
WUUC 2023-2024 Budget Process – What’s Next?
As of 4/30/23, Kathy Fosnaugh, Stewardship Committee Chair reports that our pledge drive total now stands at $305,977, or almost 94% of our $326,000 goal.
Below are the next steps in our budget process:
- The Finance Committee met on April 25th to review current pledge numbers and recommend specific budget adjustments based off recent pledge numbers. The finance Committee will submit these recommendations to the board.
- The Board will hold a special budget meeting on May 3rd to review the recommendations of the Finance Committee and vote on the proposed budget to present to the congregation.
- The Congregational Town Hall where the proposed budget will be presented and discussed is scheduled for Sunday, May 21st following the service.
- The Congregational Meeting on June 18th is where the proposed budget will be voted on for approval by the congregation, along with voting for elected positions.
If you have specific questions about any aspect of the budget process, please contact Kermit Sprang, WUUC Board Treasurer.
by WUUC | Apr 20, 2023 | DRE Blog
Hello parents and anyone with an interest in the future of RE!
As we at WUUC continue to rebuild our Religious Education program, we want to hear your thoughts and input. Rev. Dan and I would like to host a meeting in the near future to discuss the past, present, and future of RE! This invitation is extended to parents, current RE volunteers, and anyone who may have an interest in volunteering for RE in the future (this could be a hands-on or behind the scenes role).
Please fill out this form to indicate that you are interested in attending and to tell us your availability.
Thank you!
—
Skylar Hopkins, DRE
(She/her)
