Religious Exploration – Cynthia Westby, Director of Religious Exploration Column for January

The world is made of stories.  We are all storytellers.  Every day we tell stories – to our friends, families and co-workers.  We share our experiences and whether we are aware of it or not, we share what we have made of these experiences in that moment.  Telling our stories we end up reflecting on and exploring what is meaningful to us.  Stories are powerful. They can teach.  They can inspire us – possibly to act. Each Sunday, near the beginning of our service a storyteller offers a story relating to the theme of the sermon and service that day

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4th & 5th Grade RE Class Podcast about Hunger

This “Hunger Podcast” (below) was  created by the 4th-5th Grade RE class who has been learning about fighting for social justice, most recently around the issue of hunger.  They supported a food drive in November-December for the West Seattle Food Bank and now have created this podcast covering the highlights of what they feel are the most important points for our congregants to know about hunger.  

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Are You Almost Ready? – Patti McCall, Board President

As I have already mentioned, the early stages of our new search for a called minister has just begun and the opportunity for your input on who should serve on the Ministerial Search Team is fast approaching.  Please give some thought to the following questions: What are the qualities needed for someone to serve on the MST? Who in the congregation works well with others? Who can represent and serve the whole congregation (including looking out for the needs of children) and not just a piece of “faction” of the congregation? Who would have no “axe to grind”? Who knows

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We’re In This Together: Mid-Year Report from the Board

A message from Patti McCall, WSUU Board President Dear Community, First, Happy New Year!   Wishing our country and planet a brighter year ahead in 2018. I also want to remind you that your Board of Trustees will be holding a Congregational Meeting on January 28, 2018 at 12:15 in the Sanctuary.  Allan Lang, Treasurer, will be sharing a snapshot of the financial status of our community at this time.  I will be sharing an update on current projects the Board is working on including the upcoming Search for a Called Minister.  And  Rev. Nancy Bowen, our Regional Transitions Coach for

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Minister Search Update -An Important Message from Your Board

The early stages of our new search for a called minister has just begun and your Board wants to alert you to an important opportunity for your input. The entire Board is currently working with Nominating Committee and John Britt (who has agreed to facilitate a Discernment Team) to put together a Discernment Team of seven people whose job will be to select the next Ministerial Search Team.  Beginning in early February, the Board and the Discernment Team will be contacting the entire congregation, primarily by phone, asking for your input about who you think should represent the congregation on the

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Minister’s Musings Among the Mountains – Week of January 8

“Pilgrimage as Spiritual Practice” This coming Sunday I will talk about a quote from one of my colleagues who wrote a sermon some years ago on pilgrims. Rev. Wayne Arnason is well known in the UUA for his particular gifts of ministry and insights. This is the quote I will use: “Tourists come to see, come to learn, come to be entertained. Pilgrims have a different motivation Pilgrims come to experience, come to understand, and come to be transformed.” Pilgrimage is an ancient powerful tradition in the human story. We might make a pilgrimage to Boston to see Unitarian Universalist

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To be Called – Margo Rinehart, Ministerial Intern

Holding vigil at the NW Immigration Center A few weeks ago, in honor of her birthday, Westside UUC member, Regina Brennan, invited us to hold vigil at the Northwest Immigration Detention Center in Tacoma.  Holding vigil means non-violently standing in solidarity with those detained at the facility and with their loved ones who come to visit.   It was a cold, clear day as we traveled on, Regina’s purple birthday cake in tow.  What does it mean to give of ourselves in this way? Several members of the Vashon UU congregation hold vigil one Sunday per month and we joined them. 

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Religious Exploration – Cynthia Westby, Director of Religious Exploration

Happy New Year!  I am so grateful to all of you for your support of religious exploration for Westside’s children and youth.  Our amazing community’s gifts of teaching, contributions to the classroom supplies, and commitment of financial resources makes RE possible.  Thank you! I wish for all of you a year of blessings, health and resolve … for whatever resolutions you choose to dedicate yourself to this year.  May your faith or credo support you on your path. The new year is a time of both celebration and reflection.  The cold and dark of winter naturally turns our attention inward

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We’re In This Together: Our Coach for the New Search – Patti McCall, Board President

Dear Beloved Community, These last few weeks I have been overwhelmed with gratitude for belonging to such a tightknit, loving community which celebrates when one of our members has a joy to share; and who grieves when someone has a loss.  Today at Sunday Service, the congregation broke out in applause welcoming Eli Breidford home from Howard University for his winter break; and for Kate Longabaugh who arrived home from a six-month immersion course in Argentina.  We took great joy in the children who lit candles and told stories.  We welcomed Candy Sullivan back to church after her shoulder surgery. 

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Minister’s Musings Among the Mountains – Week of December 4

“Why Bother to Celebrate Christmas?” Why, indeed. Most Unitarian Universalists find ourselves unsure as to why we would bother to have Christmas Eve services if we don’t believe in Christ Jesus. The commercialism is appalling; the recorded Christmas music at malls, elevators and stores can be grating after a while. Credit cards and bank accounts magically rise and fall depending on shopping. We may not look forward to family gatherings around Christmas and New Years because of old dramas and sorrows. Why bother to celebrate Christmas with all that baggage? One answer could be “we’ve always done it…” and that

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