Planning is underway for the many December Holiday Happenings at WUUC this year – some familiar and beloved, some new! First, some dates to get on your calendars: Advent starts on Sunday, 12/1 and goes for 4 Sundays: 12/1, 12/8, 12/15, 12/22. Solstice is on Saturday, 12/21. Christmas Eve is on Tuesday, 12/24. Christmas Day is on Wednesday, 12/25. New Year’s Eve is on Tuesday, 12/31.
We will be decorating the church and our Giving Tree in early December. Activities planned for December are: crafting and gift shopping for the children, cookie exchange and social justice gifting project, Solstice Labyrinth, pancakes/egg brunch after the Sunday service on 12/22, singing of favorite holiday carols before the Christmas Eve service on 12/24, and the Burning Bowl Sunday service on 12/29. If you are interested in volunteering to help for any of these WUUC holiday happenings, please contact either Jan Radoslovich or Donna Johnson by e-mail or text. Jan’s contact info: jmrad8642@gmail.com or (206) 718-3399. Donna’s contact info: djohnyh@yahoo.com or (206) 940-9577. We will be sending out communication re: details/dates/times on all the above December activities during the last week in November. Be looking for it!
Summer may seem a long way off, but it’s time to make reservations for the 2025 WUUC annual campout! The campout will be Thursday, July 24 to Sunday July 27, at Deception Pass State Park. Reservations open 9 months ahead, so on Thursday, October 24 at 7:00 a.m. we will reserve our preferred spots, which go very quickly.
The campout is the longest-running activity at WUUC. It’s a great weekend getaway, for people and families of all stripes, and includes campfires, a potluck, games, hikes, music, swimming, beach walks, and of course lots of informal hang-out time with your WUUC campers, in one of the most beautiful state parks in Washington.
We especially welcome newcomers and first-time campers – it’s a great way to get to know our church community, and there’s lots of sharing and support for your camping experience.
For questions or more information, please contact Jack Brand at jackbrand@gmail.com . We will be coordinating reservations prior to October 24, via the “WUUC Camping” email list. Contact Brad Hull at bkhull@gmail.com to join that list.
This month’s collection helps fund the Advocates for Immigrants in Detention Northwest (AIDNW) supporting immigrants with dignity in detention and upon release. When released from immigrant detention at the Northwest ICE Processing Center, asylum seekers are often scared and confused, not knowing whom to trust. Their journeys to escape political oppression, war, violence, persecution, death threats, natural disasters, and economic need include difficult treks across several continents, often with exploitation by human traffickers. Immigration processing in ICE detention, where all their belongings are removed, can take months, even years. The compassionate support that AIDNW volunteers and staff offer to immigrants in detention, and at their release, relieves isolation and anxiety, connects them to community resources, and provides hope for new lives.
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 (October 20th). Instructions for giving are posted during the service, and you can also donate anytime at https://onrealm.org/wuuc/-/give/now, 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.
School is in full swing and so is WUUC’s Totes to Go program. We support 15 students at Maywood Hills school with food for weekends, when school meals aren’t available. Each month we deliver supplies for four weekends – and a little extra in months with five weekends. Students receive servings of milk, juice, a one-dish meal, cereal, granola bars, fruit, snacks, and a protein food (chicken, tuna & mayonnaise, or peanut butter & crackers).
Each month regular, ‘scheduled’ donors bring items they’ve signed up for. We are so grateful that they fill most of our needs! Toward the end of the month, a “still need” e-mail goes out to the WUUC chat, inviting folks to fill in the gaps for that month’s delivery. We work a month ahead – in other words, food collected in October is delivered for November.
You can help in several ways. Become a scheduled donor for something we need. Make a donation to WUUC with “Totes to Go” on the memo line or envelope. Respond to the “still need” message when you see it near the end of the month. Or help with loading items to be delivered – usually on the last Sunday of the month, shortly after the service ends. Whatever you can do, the school and the children are very grateful.
For questions, comments, or to sign up, contact John Hartman or Grace Simons, co-coordinators.
The WUUC Board of Trustees met on 9/19 for their regular business meeting. There, they discussed some important building and grounds financial information and finalized the Board Goals for the 2024-2025 church year. The minutes for the meeting can be found here. The Board will hold its regular monthly business meeting on the third Wednesday each month. The next meeting is October 16.
The new WUUC Board met on 8/30 for a team-building at Jeff’s house, and on 8/31 on a off-site retreat to kick-off our 2024-2025 year. The main objectives of this first meeting are understanding the Board’s roles and responsibilities, and setting our goals for the year ahead. The Board will have its regular monthly business meeting on the third Wednesday each month, starting 9/18/2024.
President: Jeff Lu Vice President: Barbara Brachtl Secretary: John Gamble Treasurer: Kermit Sprang Board Members: Azure Forte, Trina Roulet, Kerrie Vespaziani Non-voting Member: Rev. Dan Lillie
