We are forming a committee to refresh our congregation’s values, purpose, mission, and vision (VPMV). In the past several years, our congregation had experienced steady growth with new members post pandemic. With the current social climate, it is important to refresh our VPMV, involving the whole congregation. We expect the committee members to engage most of the congregation through focus group discussions, consolidate the data, and present the final readout to the congregation in a year-long process.
Please contact us if you are interested in participating.
Each member of the core team (the “VPMV Committee”) will need to commit to the following:
Attending each virtual committee meeting, which will take place up to several times monthly to get the plan started, then about monthly during the next church year as the process plays out, with more frequent meetings as needed.
Attend VPMV Training (one of the committee’s meetings) to be trained on how to facilitate a Focus Group for the VPMV Process
Facilitate at least 3 (possibly 4) Focus Groups of about 5 people each from the congregation, guiding them through the VPMV recreation process as trained; gather notes from each Focus Group in a common documentation area (Google Drive) for analysis and follow-through by the Committee
Support and participate as needed within the Committee to see the VPMV Recreation process through to the end.
Our annual rummage sale date is rapidly approaching (April 11-12) and we have no one to lead it. If no one steps up to lead it, WUUC will lose $6000 towards our annual budget. We do this sale every year at the same time and the community counts on it to happen; if we skip a year we may lose the community muscle memory to come to the sale and have lower sales in future years. We will also lose some benefit/service at church with the loss to the budget. The community also counts on this sale for affordable clothes/books/toys/household supplies; one year a woman bought almost all of the summer clothes I had donated from my kids and she expressed her great joy and relief that she could outfit her kids for such an incredibly low price!
You don’t have to do this alone! My first few years I had a team and people were assigned specific tasks (one did the advertising, one ordered the truck, one did regular emails to the congregation, etc). I am very happy to walk you (alone or with a buddy or a whole team) through the process. I will also be volunteering during the sale prep process (I oddly really enjoy that part) and the sale itself. There are also a lot of folks that have been helping regularly at the sale who I know will step up to participate.
Never been to the sale so have no idea what I’m talking about or just have questions; email me and we can chat! mortonmarler@hotmail.com.
Arms Around You is a Nonprofit Reentry Resource and Referrals program that serves formerly incarcerated individuals coming out of correctional facilities, the homeless community, victims of domestic violence and substance abuse. Arms Around You (AAY) will provide innovative personal development driven reentry programs and resources designed to increase public safety and reduce recidivism by helping the most vulnerable people become self-sufficient, productive, contributing members of their communities utilizing strategic development and coordination of pre- and post-release reentry services; such as, employment training, substance abuse treatment, mental health support, transitional housing, mentoring, family reunification and improved community supervision.
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 (March 16th). 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. Visit wuuc.org/collection.
The Advocates for Social Justice have created a survey with a curated list of non-profit organizations that YOU can vote on to be recipients of our monthly ASJ Special Collections for the next year. Please follow the QR below to see more details and vote for your favorite 10 (out of 20) organizations.
The Totes program is completely dependent on our members and friends in supporting 15 students at Maywood Hills school in Bothell. These students are at risk of missing meals on the weekends when school meals aren’t available. Many thanks to all of you who have contributed food items for these children. Special kudos to our “scheduled donors” who have promised to bring needed items each month. You are the backbone of our program! I’d also like to thank the folks who have helped me pack our supplies into my car. In the past two months, these include Hilarie Cash, Tevina, Sebastian and Sinjin Flood, and Hudson Lyman.
Please watch for the “we still need” messages that come out around the 20th of the month. We had a few more gaps than usual for the February delivery. Donations may be left in the baskets across from the kitchen.
Questions or comments can be brought to John Hartman or Grace Simons, co-coordinators.
This month’s collection goes to California Community Foundation (CCF) Wildlife Recovery Fund. The wildfires in LA County have claimed at least 29 lives, destroyed thousands of homes and businesses, and displaced more than 180,000 people. CCF has a long history of making a direct and meaningful impact on individuals and families in need, ensuring that support reaches those most affected. Since 2003, the CCF Wildfire Recovery Fund has provided over $30 million to communities affected by disasters. During the COVID-19 pandemic, CCF also launched its COVID Relief Fund, offering critical assistance to aging populations, single parents, immigrants, and others by covering essential needs like rent and utility costs and providing vaccines to individuals facing barriers to care, including the unhoused and those with language access challenges.
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 (February 16th). 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. Visit wuuc.org/collection.
