03/29/2017 by Shannon Day

Minister’s Musings Among the Mountains – Mar. 31

Some of you have asked questions about the why’s of the next steps in the selection of the new minister and what happens thereafter. I’d like to try to answer some of them but will defer to the Ministerial Search Committee and Paula vanHaagen as chair of the team for specifics. Why does the search process take so long? Interim ministers are hired very quickly but the search for a new settled minister is a long procedure. The search for a new settled minister does take a long time and is expensive. We should remember that our UU congregations operate

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03/15/2017 by Shannon Day

From Rev. Alex – March 15, 2017

Several people who plan to attend the Stewardship dinner on April 1 have asked me whether we have a keynote speaker lined up. I asked a colleague from another denomination if he’d be interested and he said yes. Vincent Lachina has worked with UU congregations and many others in his role as Pacific Northwest Planned Parenthood chaplain. Here’s what he wrote me as an introduction: “As Regional Chaplain for Planned Parenthood, I have had two primary responsibilities during my 13 years here. First, to assist with pastor care for our staff of over 400, and when requested, for patients with

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03/08/2017 by Shannon Day

Minister’s Musings Among the Mountains – March 8, 2017

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” spoken by Franklin D Roosevelt in his 1932 Inauguration The famous phrase above spoken by President Franklin Roosevelt has been on my mind for a while now. Here are the sentences that surround those words he spoke to a frightened and weary America: “let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that

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03/01/2017 by Shannon Day

Minister’s Musings Among the Mountains – March 3, 2017

“What’s in a song? A couple of people asked me recently what I thought the difference was between two songs I had used as central themes of services here. The difference is especially striking given the election and how it’s affected the country. The first song I played in August was “Believer” by the group American Authors. It’s a joyful and upbeat song testifying to a belief that things will get better in our world. The second song I played a couple of weeks ago was “Manifesto” by Nahko and Medicine for the People. It’s optimistic but in a more

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02/08/2017 by Shannon Day

Minister’s Musings Among the Mountains Feb. 10 2017

“Give me a break…” “Give me a break” is a phrase I’ve heard for years. There’s even an old TV show based on the expression. It aired from 1981 to 1987. A song called “Gimme a Break” has been sung by various bands. Its entomology is uncertain but probably has American origins. It generally means an expression of disbelief. If I were to announce at church that I was going to start running marathons people would justifiably say “oh, give me a break…I don’t believe it.” This Sunday I’m doing what is going to be an unusual Valentine’s Day service.

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02/01/2017 by Shannon Day

From Rev. Alex…

I have been working with the Church Council of Greater Seattle about responses to the election. There is conversation about what it would mean to become a sanctuary congregation. This is what the coordinator wrote in part: “Our training on the specifics surrounding Sanctuary congregations will be on Sunday, February 12, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at University Unitarian Church, 6556 35th Avenue NE in Seattle.  This is geared to congregations that are considering becoming (or continuing to be) sanctuary congregations.” I plan to attend but it would be wonderful if Westside had more folks who would go over

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01/26/2017 by Shannon Day

Informal Half-Year Report from Rev. Alex

Dear Seattle Westsiders, You’ll be getting a half year ‘state of the congregation’ meeting this coming Sunday after service. I won’t be able to be with you. I will be on the Oregon coast with Debra and family while we celebrate her birthday. I’ll be on vacation next week but will lead Wednesday meditation group and some prior scheduled meetings. We know how difficult transitions in life can be. It’s very challenging to change ministers and have a long look at how the congregation looks and feels. Anxiety is always present during transition times. There’s always worry about finances, whether

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