We welcomed multiple new members to our church recently. The December and January newsletters will both feature bios from our new members so our community can read and welcome these wonderful people to our community at WUUC. The bios in this newsletter will be Barbara and Skip Tripp, Tony and Marie Porter, Kristina Schmidt, and Howard Voland. The January Newsletter will feature bios from Quentin, Marie and Ezri Quiñones-Rezin, Eli Taylor and Lily Jones, Christine Deppe, and Kristina Gray.
Barbara and Skip Tripp
Skip and Barbara were married 55 years ago this week (Nov.7) and spent the first 35 years of their married life in the New York metropolitan area where they raised their two children, Megan and Kevin. They retired to Gig Harbor in 2025 where they were active in members of the Tahoma UU Congregation and volunteered with Harbor Wildwatch, an organization promoting the environmental welfare of Puget Sound. After Covid and 16 1/2 years in Gig Harbor, it was time to move closer to Megan and family who live in north Seattle, so Mill Creek became their new home in 2021. Barbara was born in Seattle but was raised in New Jersey. She graduated from Whitman College with a BA in English, then returned to NJ where she met Skip. They raised their children in Briarcliff Manor, NY, where Barbara was an active community leader. She eventually went back to work in Human Resources. When Skip was transferred to New Jersey she became the executive assistant to the president of a large plastics manufacturing company. Once back in Gig Harbor, Barbara assumed a number of leadership roles at Harbor WIldWatch and TUUC, culminating with a stint as Board President. She enjoys walking, reading, and gardening. Skip was born and raised in Butte, MT. He obtained a PhD in organic chemistry from Cornell University. He spent his entire career doing pharmaceutical research for a Swiss drug company that evolved into Novartis.. During his tenure, he and family enjoyed 6 month assignments in Hershey, PA, and Basel, Switzerland. Once retired , Skip served on the TUUC board and chaired the New Church Building Committee. Skip enjoys esoteric science and good conversation.
Tony and Marie Porter
Tony was born in Pascagoula MS and met Marie when he was 18 years old. He and Marie married when Tony was 19 and Marie was 18. Tony went to Clear Creek Baptist College in Pineville Kentucky where he graduated with a BS in biblical studies. He and Marie then moved to Gulfport, MS. Tony then went to William Carey College and got a BA in Humanities. He then graduated from New Orleans Baptist Seminary with a Masters of Divinity. Tony then joined the Navy as a Chaplain where he served for 10 years. After getting out of the Navy he and Marie moved to Bothell. Tony was hired by the Seattle Police Department where he retired as a detective after 25 years. During the time Tony was in the Navy his religious views became more liberal and the Baptist church just didn’t fit any more. With prodding from Marie he started WUUC 30 years ago. The church went in to a building program and was sharing another church for space. This caused the service to be moved to nights and Tony worked nights at that time. Church attendance slipped away. Marie felt like she wanted to start attending again and Tony agreed. So here they are.
My name is Marie Porter… married to Tony Porter for 52 years and mother to Matthew Porter who died at age 33. I enjoy being in Nature, cooking, reading (especially History) and traveling. I am curious about all kinds of things. I earned my college degree in English after attending six different colleges during Tony’s Navy career. I am rather quiet… not a big talker but do better at listening. I have enjoyed meeting some of you at the church and look forward to being a part of your community of faith.
Kristina Schmidt
Kristina is an elementary school teacher in the Northshore School District. She loves to sing, play music, read and write, comb for sea glass, and take walks in nature. She is a mother to a lovely daughter who is a musician in Seattle. When asked to write an epitaph in the Building Your Own Theology course, Kristina wrote “Her childhood stubbornness was tempered through life into an inner strength.” With the loss of her husband and several immediate family members, Kristina feels a need to expand her community. She loves the warmth and dedication to others of this community, and feels fortunate to be welcomed as a new member!
Howard Voland
Howard Voland Grew up in Monroe, graduated from West Point, and served in the army. He resigned when his father died to take over the family’s newspaper business in the Skykomish Valley. In 1983 he came out as gay and met his amazing husband, Keith McGregor, the following year on a hike at Mt. Rainier. Not able to marry, they took out a joint mortgage on a house in Maltby. They gardened, they hiked, they traveled, wrote plays together and did many other fabulous things for almost 40 years. Then one afternoon in April 2024, Keith drank his last martini in that same house looking out over the garden they had built together. He died peacefully on his own terms in Howard’s arms after four-years of living with cancer. A year later, in a search for community and support, Howard found it at WUUC.
Minister’s Discretionary Fund, also called the Helping Hands Fund.
The offering is traditionally given and received during the Christmas Eve Service.
Recognizing the need for confidentiality around pastoral care, the minister will keep a record of all disbursements from the Fund which will be annually reviewed by the Treasurer.
Anyone seeking assistance from the Fund may make their request by contacting the minister in person or in writing. The minister will decide how much assistance (if any) will be given from the Fund,
The Treasurer of the Board will conduct an annual review of all expenditures to assure that they furthered WUUC’s mission and were consistent with WUUC’s tax exempt purposes.To view the full policy:Minister’s Discretionary Fund Policy 2025.09.17.pdf
Kick off the holiday season! Our Giving Tree will be ready for decorating, with gift tags for local organizations. During Children, Youth and Family time, children will make decorations to add to the tree.
Bring a Post-Thanksgiving potluck dish to share as we enjoy community, food, and a little holiday sparkle together.
Join us for simple holiday crafting and art activities that are fun for all ages! Children will also have a chance to shop (free) for small gifts to wrap and give to family and friends. After the kids are done, the shop will open to the rest of the congregation.
Please bring new or gently used unwrapped “giftable” items to the church on or before December 7.
Bring 1 or 2 dozen of your favorite holiday cookies for exchange, along with a list of main ingredients to help accommodate dietary needs.
We’ll also assemble care packages for neighbors in need in our local community. Watch your email for a list of requested items. While we pack, you’re invited to write holiday cards to include in the kits.
After the Sunday service, stay for a delicious pancake-and-eggs brunch sponsored by the Men’s Group. Vegan options available. Enjoy warm company as we celebrate the turning of the season.
After brunch, volunteers will be needed to help clear tables and chairs to prepare for the Solstice Labyrinth Walk the following evening.
The labyrinth is an ancient symbol used by many faith traditions for reflection and renewal. Walking its path is a spiritual journey through three phases:
1. The walk inward – releasing and quieting. 2. The center – resting in light and heart. 3. The return – integrating insight and renewal.
Come enter the darkness and walk toward the in-breaking of light. The path will be lined with glowing luminarias, adding beauty and reverence to our sanctuary.
Lift your voice in joyful song! Join our choir director Matt Smith accompanied by Terry Levitt as they lead us in familiar holiday carols for all ages.
Sunday, December 28 • 10:00–11:00 a.m., followed by potluck
As the year turns, join us in a ritual of release and renewal. • A burning bowl to release what no longer serves you. • Water for symbolic cleansing. • Stones to hold your intentions for the new year. • Cloth strips to let go of grief or harm from the past.
Come “cleanse the chambers of the heart” and make space for what’s to come.
Many of you had questions about next steps for emergencies and disaster following Michael Ervick’s sermon on Sunday, September 21.
We would like to suggest the following steps you can take.
Add your name to a signup list expressing interest in disaster training workshops. We will begin offering these hands on activities this fall.
Learn who your WUUC neighbors are. As a regular participant in WUUC activities you are in a “My People” group based on your address and geographic location. This information can be found in Realm, our church database. Log into e.onrealm.org, choose groups, then my groups, then My People…, chose the participants tab ( this will be list of who is in your group) and then map. You should see a google map with those WUUC members who live in your vicinity. If you don’t remember your password, realm will send a reset option. If you don’t know what email you provided us when you first attended or don’t have a realm account contact Marcia Sprang, msprang@wuuc.org, or talk with someone from membership and we will get you connected.
Pink Haven is a collective of organizations and individuals who are committed to trans liberation and joy and to growing community defense, mutual-aid, and alternative systems of care for gender diverse people. Pink Haven says: “We proclaim that trans lives are sacred. Our work centers trans lives and experiences, particularly the lives and experiences of BIPOC trans and gender expansive people.”The ASJ Committee thanks WUUC members and friends for their generous support of our monthly special collections, which typically take place during services on the third Sunday of every month. October’s monthly collection occurs on October 5th. Instructions for giving are posted during the service, and you can also donate anytime at 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. Visit wuuc.org/collection.
WUUC’s Recycling Task Force is beginning its work to get WUUC back to honoring our UU value of ministering to the earth and its resources. With a new program called “Refuse—Reduce—ReUse—Recycle—Rot” there will be more than just more trash and recycling cans in all the rooms of WUUC. The Task Force intends to focus on education, facilitation and reminders that there are so many other ways than “trashing it” to deal with our discards.
First, a process and some details: For each thing that comes our way for consumption, consider that we have options on how to deal with it.
Refuse: Just don’t buy new things. Do we really need so much stuff?
Reduce: Let’s all look for ways we can reduce waste here at WUUC. Bring food in reusable containers, don’t print every copy of that document!
ReUse:When we can, ReUse items (and use reusable items!) that would ordinarily be thrown away. If you need it, ask for it via wuuc@wuuc.org– it’s amazing how well The List works for wishes!
But also, don’t use throw-away plates and containers, or throw-away utensils. And save items at home for the Rummage Sale!
Recycle:Choose items for use that can be recycled when we no longer need them. Cardboard boxes instead of plastic bags, glass and metal containers instead of plastic.
You’ll note new waste cans in many locations in the church–one for recycling and one for Trash. Each week for a while a “Recycling Ambassador” will be available to help with which is which. In the restrooms, wet paper towels go in the “compost” bin.
Recycling Ambassadors will be in charge of helping with what goes where by being available for questions and also checking up on what’s in the bin before it goes to the outside bins. Composters will take compost home from WUUC each week. If you have a garden, here’s your chance at more compost! If not, it can go into your Food/Yard Waste bin for pick up at home. If you’d like to be a Recycling Ambassador and or Composter of the week, here’s a link to the sign up sheet
Look for more information from the Recycling Task Force coming soon.
