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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02/22/2017 by Shannon Day

Religious Education – Building Our Future – Cynthia Westby, Dir. Religious Exploration for Children and Youth

Religious Exploration at Westside matters to all of us whether or not we have children.  We are growing lifelong UUs through our RE programming.  Our children – and they are our children – are the future leaders, volunteers, congregants, and members of UU churches.  Perhaps they will remain at Westside when they reach adulthood.  Perhaps they will land in some other congregation.  Wherever they go they will have been nourished by our Unitarian Universalist sources and principles. Our children and youth are learning from the curriculum, from each other, from the teachers, and from the many intangibles (love, concern, attention,

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02/15/2017 by Shannon Day

A Thank You Letter from Our Partner Church in Transylvania

A thank you letter and annual report  from our Unitarian friends in Torockoszentgyorgy was sent to us by  Rev. Emese Finta.   The Christmas card and calendars did not arrive until mid January – we will all need to get started earlier on our cards next year.  The ‘tea parties  mentioned are village winter  social gatherings for the entire village, although organized by the Unitarian women’s group.  (95% of the village are Unitarians.)  ‘Isten áldjon” means God Bless You, a traditional closing.  “Magdika Bodor” (is an English speaking villager and former star interpreter for our pilgrimages) who is working with Rev. Emese on English conversation

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02/15/2017 by Shannon Day

Photographer/Slideshow Creator Sought

June 11th is the RE Celebration service and we’d love to find a creative soul to work with us to create a slide show of photographs of all Westside’s volunteers, RE classes (and children and teachers).  Are you interested in either creating a slide show (with music) or taking photographs or both parts of this project?  I’d love to talk with you!  Please contact me at dre@wsuu.org.

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02/15/2017 by Shannon Day

March 12 Multi-generational Service – Seeking Volunteers

“Greed” is the Topic for Sunday, March 12, 2017 Multi-generational Service. All children will be in service except for the Nursery and Story Time children. We are looking for children in 5th grade or older to act as Greeters, and help with collecting the offering (in the baskets).  For this service we encourage children to bring non-perishable food as offerings for the West Seattle Food Bank. Adults are also invited to bring food March 12th for the West Seattle Food Bank.  Please contact Cynthia at dre@wsuu.org if your child can be a Greeter at the door to the sanctuary that day (we

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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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02/06/2017 by Shannon Day

“Sharing the Islamic Sufi Faith” Chalice Chapel and Follow up Conversation, Sunday Feb. 12

Children ages 5-14, will go from service after the story for all ages, into Chalice Chapel, our Sunday Children’s Worship Service held instead of RE classes that day.  Only the Nursery and Story Time classes will be offered.  Sally Jo Gilbert de Vargas will lead this Chalice Chapel.  She has studied and practiced Islamic Sufism under Imam Jamal Rahman from Bangladesh for over 12 years.  She has been ordained as a Cherag (Universal Worship leader) with Sufi Order International.  Sally Jo has been a public-school teacher for over 30 years. She actively promotes interfaith understanding and social justice issues at

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02/01/2017 by Shannon Day

PNW UU Music Festival – March 4-5 at Shorecrest Performing Arts Center

The 2017 PNW UU Music Festival presents: “No Ordinary Song: Music for a Divided World” Sunday, March 5th 4:00 PM at Shorecrest Performing Arts Center – 15343 25th Ave NE Shoreline, WA This year’s clinician is Unitarian Universalist composer Elizabeth Alexander who will lead the Festival Worship Service featuring the Festival Choir on Sunday, March 5. The worship service is open to the public. A freewill offering will be taken. 200 musicians from all over the Pacific Northwest will come together for fellowship, fun, and to work with Ms Alexander to learn exciting new Unitarian Universalist music for worship. There

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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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