By Cora Goss-Grubbs Advocates for Social Justice Co-Chair On May 22, you’re invited to get out your coin purse, wallet, checkbook, or phone to give what you can to NAMI Eastside. This East King County affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness is a community-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to improving the quality of life for those impacted by mental illness through advocacy, education, and support.
In February of 2021, NAMI Eastside launched their Multicultural Steering Committee, a partnership with the India Association of Western Washington (IAWW), the Muslim Community Resource Center (MCRC), Centro Cultural Mexicano, Entre Hermanos, and other community organizations to develop collective strategies to advocate for improved mental health support and ensure that every community gets the services that are needed.
On Saturday, May 21, NAMI Eastside is excited to host their first in-person event in two years, the Youth Mental Conference, held at Overlake Christian Church in Redmond. This event is free for students in middle school, high school, and college. Adult admission is $25 per ticket. For more information and to register, go here.
On April 17 we had the opportunity to hear from Farmer Frog founder Zsofia Pasztor and her daughter, Szabi, with a virtual Q&A session after the service. Thanks to all who stayed for this enlightening presentation, where we learned about Farmer Frog’s many programs, events, and intersectional work with communities in our area and across the country. We hope to host more representatives from our ASJ special collection recipient organizations so that we can learn more about the impact we make through financial and other support.
The ASJ Committee thanks WUUC members and friends for their generous support of our monthly special collections, which take place during services usually on the third Sunday of every month. Instructions for giving are posted during the service, and you can also donate anytime the following week at https://onrealm.org/wuuc/-/give/now, and selecting ASJ Monthly Collection, or by sending a check to WUUC at P.O. Box 111, Woodinville, WA 98072. Please make checks out to WUUC and write “ASJ Special Collection” in the notes.
By Lori McConnell Tech Team Member Creating hybrid services at WUUC are complex procedures — and not for those with agoraphobia!
In mid-April, Kermit Sprang rented a 20-foot scissor lift so he and Tom Richards could install choir mics in the nether-reaches of the sanctuary.
The mics are multi- directional, unlike the wireless mics that are focused. Hopefully the choir will be back live in the sanctuary soon. When they are, the mics will not help people in the sanctuary hear the choir — that will be live sound and need no amplification. The mics provide sound for the zoom broadcast, a continuing part of hybrid services.
Photos by Lori McConnell
Several people were talking about the “large cobwebs” they saw on April 24 — those were the new choir mics! The mics themselves are tiny, and fishing wire was used for the lines to position them. Their position can be adjusted depending on the size of the choir.
If you have been wondering what options children have at WUUC right now, here are the answers you’ve been looking for!
Mini-worship on Zoom: We have a 15 minute mini-worship service each Sunday over Zoom which begins at 9:30 (before the main worship service). It is geared toward children, but all are welcome to attend.
In Person Worship: If you have attended a service in the sanctuary recently, you may have noticed a new feature: The VIP (Very Inquisitive People) Area! This carpet at the front of the sanctuary is designed for vaccinated children to have a comfortable spot just for them during the worship service. The space contains cushions and lap desks and foam blocks. Additionally, there is a “fidget library” with other quiet activities that people (kids and adults) can choose from to occupy their hands during the service. We ask that if your child sits in the VIP area during the service that you sit near them in order to answer any questions or handle any situations that may come up, and that you help clean up any fidget materials at the end of the service.
Outdoor Play During Worship: Unvaccinated children and all children who would rather not stay in the service with their parents are invited to play outside with our childcare staff. There are multiple activities and games planned for all ages of children.
Monthly Craft Events: Children ages 2-10 are invited to attend our monthly outdoor crafting events. We have done activities such as making terrariums, snow globes, Holiday decorations, and personalized play-doh. These are great events to meet up with other parents and children in person!
We ask that if your child sits in the VIP area during the service that you sit near them in order to answer any questions or handle any situations that may come up, and that you help clean up any fidget materials at the end of the service. Stay tuned to the calendar and email list for the next events!
Summer RE: This summer we will begin offering in person RE classes for our elementary aged children during Sunday Services. We will be offering a “Getting to Know WUUC: RE Edition”. Leaders from many of WUUC’s teams and committees have volunteered to share what they do at WUUC, and why it is important for our community and the world. More details and registration information will be sent out soon.
I am so glad to be meeting in person with so many of you. If you have any questions, suggestions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.
By Cora Goss-Grubbs Advocates for Social Justice Co-Chair Once again our congregants have raised a hefty chunk of change to support life-saving organizations! On Feb. 20, $530 was collected for Washington NAACP Youth Council, founded in 2017 as part of the Seattle-King County NAACP with the goal of bringing youth voices into discussions on issues that affect them. They now represent over 10 high schools in Washington State, working together to build a transformative educational system that inspires belief in the brilliance of all scholars.
When Russia invaded Ukraine, ASJ quickly pivoted our March special collection to support the Ukrainian Association of Washington with $1,926. This donation will help deliver medical supplies to hospitals in Ukraine (in partnership with Medical Teams International), support civilians in life-saving tactical medicine, and help internally displaced families and orphans.
On April 17 our special collection will go to Farmer Frog, on Paradise Lake Road just a few miles from our church. Farmer Frog supports over a dozen school gardens in the state, works with several sites in urban and rural communities, and is developing several farms on acreage. They cultivate programs, school gardens, and hands-on learning to nurture communities. BSAFF volunteers also utilize Farmer Frog’s weekly distribution of USDA food boxes and produce to bring fresh food to our friends in the Greenleaf Community.
The ASJ Committee thanks WUUC members and friends for their generous support of our monthly special collections, which take place during services on the third Sunday of every month. Instructions for giving are posted during the service, and you can also donate anytime the following week at https://onrealm.org/wuuc/-/give/now, and selecting ASJ Monthly Collection, or by sending a check to WUUC at P.O. Box 111, Woodinville, WA 98072. Please make checks out to WUUC and write “ASJ Special Collection” in the notes.
Having decided to check out the Washington 39th district Democratic party’s monthly meeting in Arlington, I volunteered on my first visit to be their Secretary/Treasurer, since no one else was willing to fill that vacancy. Why? How better to learn what they’re all about. ‘Follow the money’ and taking minutes at meetings give quick and nearly complete learning experiences, in addition to automatically becoming a member of their Board of Directors where I was involved in their decision-making. I stayed in that role for 3 years.
I then attended a meeting of the Puget Sound Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State to find out what they were all about, where I volunteered to be their Secretary/Treasurer because, once again, no one was willing to fill that vacancy. And again, I was immediately a member of their Board of Directors where I was involved in their decision-making. I stayed in that role for nearly 3 years.
I then attended a meeting of Group Health Cooperative’s Senior Caucus to find out what they were all about and, would you believe, they also had a vacancy that no one wanted to fill: Secretary/Treasurer. So, I volunteered to fill that role and be on their Board of Directors during the transition period of GHC’s purchase by Kaiser Permanente. I recently retired from that position after 5 years.
All three of these experiences were fascinating, allowed my meaningful involvement in social justice organizations and were so much fun!
