The sale is set for Friday and Saturday Sept. 17-18. Donation day is immediately after service on Sunday, Sept. 12; on the 12th we will begin set-up for the sale and do the bulk of acceptance of donations. What can you donate? Almost anything: clothing, linens, books/videos, toys, household, recreation, lawn/garden, bikes, crafts, holiday.
We will need a lot of help during the week for set up/pricing; no experience needed. Please let us know if you have any questions.
Your Rummage Sale team: Leslie Morton, Marlene Katz, Linda McCrystal, Dewey Millar, Tevina Flood
By Linda Sherry Worship Support Specialist It’s an exciting time to be at WUUC! As we begin to come back together in person, it feels like a new beginning, and I am thinking about how I will be involved and engaged with our beloved community as the next chapter begins. I invite you to consider this along with me …
When I first came here, I had no idea what I needed in a church, only that I was desperate for connections, friends and community in my new home state of Washington. I think most of us arrive here with needs of one kind or another, and find some fulfillment of those needs fairly quickly. So we stick around. But what happens next?
What do we do when the honeymoon feels over? Or when we’re tired? Or we’ve become disenchanted?
I’ve been a WUUCie since 1992, and I have grown and learned and developed so much through my involvement here. I’ve loved and learned, been comforted and challenged in our Sunday services and various classes and discussion groups I’ve been in.
But the true deepening of my relationship with the community, the place where I’ve really come to know people and make lifelong friends, the way that my spirit has grown and flourished is through meaningful work with others. Whether helping with coffee & treats for fellowship hour, setting up chairs for a memorial service, leading a class like Building Your Own Theology, working with Youth or Children’s programming, helping to organize a Women’s Retreat, singing badly in the choir, going to the Pride Parade with other members, or being on the Board of Trustees, my deepest connections and my feeling of worth in the community come from being involved and contributing in some way.
Through my time here, I’ve truly embodied the wisdom that there is a time to give and a time to receive. That there are times when we can offer time and talent to others, and times when we need to rest and recuperate from life’s blows. And sometimes we need a little of both simultaneously. One of the joys and benefits of long-term involvement is there is time for all of this.
Perhaps the most important piece of wisdom on this point is to Seek Balance. To find involvement that feeds you, that carries you forward, invigorates you, involvement that lets you feel proud and valued.
So here’s my question to you: How will YOU be involved and engaged in the next chapter of the continuing saga of Woodinville Unitarian Universalist Church? Are you in a moment of your life that you want to develop Volunteering as a Spiritual Practice? Are you already over-committed to activities at WUUC or getting tired of what you’ve been doing? Is it time to change it up? Do you have a talent or skill you can offer, or perhaps is there a skill or interest you’d like to develop in a supportive community?
Now is a great time to explore and discern what fits you best, what will nourish you and how you can nourish the life and work, the mission, of WUUC.
Watch your email, Discord and announcements coming soon with openings in some specific groups and committees that need people. Keep an eye out for something that sparks your enthusiasm. And you can go to this document that lists most WUUC committees, groups and programs. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bb9HHLyCCXqxhvdt9YUSxt6qWOhj0ZTuFb-cjOPA2YM/edit
A. WUUC is developing new ways to continue our Sunday services online and in-person simultaneously, allowing us to all connect in community for worship.
Q. What’s changing in the sanctuary to create Hybrid services?
A. Cameras and microphones are being installed now. A new sound mixing system and a large video screen are under consideration. The sanctuary will still have a serene and worshipful feel, while also operating as a video production studio in a non-distracting way. That’s our goal.
Q. How will Zooming worship be different than it is now, and how will worship in the sanctuary be different than it was before?
A. Much will feel the same, and some will be different.
Attending on Zoom will be very similar, but more interactive with the entire congregation.
We expect the biggest change in the sanctuary will be adding a large screen to share some of the pre-recorded content that we already broadcast on Zoom. This could include elements like slide shows during the prelude, lyrics and music for hymns/songs, and also offer ways for remote attendees to participate live for Joys and Sorrows or as a presenter during the service.
Also, Rev. Dan and Director of Religious Education Bridget Laflin are working to refresh and revise some of the things we offer on Sundays, and how we’ll do them. We may see new directions for children, youth and adult programming.
Q. What are some of the challenges to making the hybrid experience work well?
A. A few of the challenges we know of right now include:
— expanding the production team to include Sound, Camera and Director roles. We need Volunteers!!! Please contact Linda Sherry if you are interested.
— engineering and installation. This continuing work will take quite a bit more time. We’ve been doing some practice runs broadcasting parts of the service from the sanctuary, with the cameras and furnishings in very temporary places. This is allowing the team to determine plans for long-term placement and installation.
— managing the ambient sound in the sanctuary. The microphones we’ve been using are so sensitive that they pick up even the sound of fans placed to circulate the air for Covid safety. And when we have a congregation gathered, there will be many more little noises to work around.
— there are other issues we know, and many that we have not yet discovered.
Q. When will we be able to return to the sanctuary on Sunday mornings?
A. When the Fates allow? WUUC is committed to both Covid safety and high quality worship. When we have the go-ahead from the Safety Committee and the Worship team, we will launch the Hybrid Services.
One more note: The Worship and Tech teams welcome your responses and feedback on how you are experiencing Worship, especially as we experiment with tech changes during this transition. Please feel free to send your thoughts to Worship Support Specialist, Linda Sherry and she will pass your thoughts along to the appropriate folks. Lindasherry@wedges.com
We will hold a Calendaring Meeting from 10 a.m. to Noon on Saturday, Aug. 7 on Zoom. If you have in-person or Zoom events you would like to schedule during the 2021-2022 calendar year at WUUC, please notify office@wuuc.org. All are welcome to attend the Calendaring meeting with Rev. Dan here:
By Linda Sherry, Worship Support Specialist Perhaps Patience should be the theme for August. In the spirit of the Soul Matters programs that we offer during the September to June church year, we could ask ourselves, “What does it mean to be a community of Patience?”
The Worship Team is working hard to develop the best possible worship experiences for all of us as we and we appreciate your patience and support. We want and appreciate your feedback, especially as we are transitioning to broadcasting Zoom services live from the sanctuary. (Please look elsewhere in this newsletter for updates on our worship technology transformation.)
One positive outcome of the Covid Pandemic is that we have learned a lot about serving our community regardless of walls. From the feedback we’ve received, we’ve been very successful providing rich and meaningful worship experiences, complete with fabulous music, art, photos, stories from one another, opportunity for fellowship, and of course welcoming and embracing life with our new Minister Rev Dan. And WUUC has also continued to connect in small groups and committees, deepening relationships and conducting the business of the church effectively
WELL DONE, WUUCies!
So What’s Next?
MOVING FORWARD TO NEW NORMALS
(there is no going back)
As we move toward re-opening the sanctuary on Sunday mornings, Rev. Dan and the Worship Team are dedicated to continuing to provide high quality worship services for All, both those who remain physically distant and those who attend in person. It is our intent to expand ways for services to offer the experience of connected community on Sundays with all involved, through interactive blending of live and distanced participation.
It is of critical importance to be radically inclusive, to intentionally be accessible to all, to not allow Covid-related (or other) concerns to separate us. There will be no haves and have-nots, no preferential treatment of those who are physically distant or those who are physically present. In order to make this our reality, there is much to be done. And it will take time.
Ironically, as health risks have increased with the current rise in Covid cases and the virulence of new variants, we have more time than we’d hoped. It is appropriate for us not to hastily rush in to gathering in person at large services.
Perhaps the biggest question most are asking is, “When will we start services in the sanctuary?” The answer is: We simply don’t know yet. We’re hoping for sometime in September/early October, but we will let safety and equity be our guide.
And so, perhaps we all can focus on the spiritual practice of Patience.
