07/24/2019 by Shannon Day

Minister’s Musings Among the Mountains – “Final Thoughts…”

Nearly 3 years ago I wrote my first column in your online news. This was a section from that column: “I am a strong believer in ‘church’ being a joyful as well as serious experience. Laughter and delight is a powerful antidote to the feelings of powerlessness and despair that can come creeping into our lives otherwise. I hope we’ll be able to experience some joyful and spontaneous moments as we begin our work.” Well, I still think that sentiment is true for us all. Laughter and joy are still with you as Westsiders but the utter seriousness of these

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07/17/2019 by Shannon Day

Update from the Board 7.19.19

Greetings, and happy mid-summer to all! I realized it’s been three weeks since our last update, and I want to let you know of the ongoing effort and activity going in to this transition time, and preparing for our gap time between ministers. The Transition Working Group has all their members identified, and they are already diving in to important background research related to the R-1 visa process, meetings with our district support people, and possibilities for hiring a contract minister during our gap period. They will share an update soon in the Westside Week with more information. In this

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06/26/2019 by Shannon Day

Transition Working Group Update 6.26.19

Greetings!  It is with great excitement that we can announce two individuals who have said ‘yes’ as Transition Working Group Co-Chairs in preparation for Reverend Christopher Wulff’s arrival!  Thank you to Laura White and Judi Finney! See Judi and Laura’s bios below. Purpose of the Transition Working Group The Transition Working Group will play a very important role in these coming months between Rev. Alex’s departure and Rev. Christopher’s arrival. The transition work comes in three parts: (1) maintaining a healthy and vibrant congregational community in our gap time, (2) supporting the effort to bring Rev. Christopher to us, and

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06/26/2019 by Shannon Day

Are you a PNWD Chalice Lighter?

Are you a PNWD Chalice Lighter? Do you know about this vital program that supports congregational growth throughout our region? The Chalice Lighter Program assists the growth of new and existing Unitarian Universalist member congregations in the Pacific Northwest with grants to provide vital capabilities and infrastructure. Grants are funded exclusively through contributions from Unitarian Universalists who participate as Chalice Lighters. Being one of the more than 2,000 Unitarian Universalists who are PNWD Chalice Lighters brings you the joy of watching your modest contribution multiply to a grant of typically $17,000 to support the growth of our liberal religion in

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06/19/2019 by Shannon Day

Minister’s Musings Among the Mountains – Week of 6.21.19

“Angry people want you to see how powerful they are… loving people want you to see how powerful you are.  ~Chief Red Eagle, c 1800 These are times of profound anger in America and the world. Who among us isn’t angry these days? I know that I’ve carried anger as well as sorrow for many years of my life. I can point to people or events and say, “They caused my anger.” Really? Is that really true? Do we not have a choice whether to take on anger – or not? Is it someone else’s fault that we carry the

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06/05/2019 by Shannon Day

President Elect Report from Annual Meeting 2019 – Jade Lowry

Thank you for this new opportunity to serve Westside! I am honored to be in this role, to serve with this amazing slate, and to be one of the many Westside leaders who shape, guide, and grow this congregation. In thinking about what I wanted to say to you today, these are the points that came forward most strongly. This is not a time of waiting. We might feel like we are waiting as we sit here today – waiting for our called minister to join us so we can step into a new flow. As I step into this

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05/22/2019 by Shannon Day

Love Will Guide Us – Rev. Christopher Wulff

It has been a bit of a whirlwind since I left all of you and beautiful West Seattle a few weeks ago, floating on air and pretty wiped out from our incredible ten days together. Ariel has just returned from five days away in Calgary serving as the Adult Chaplain at the Canadian national youth conference; Rowan and I are heading to Toronto on Thursday for a week for my grandfather’s memorial service. I know things at Westside have likewise been proceeding apace, with the 501c3 application submitted (thank you Shannon and all the volunteers who helped) and more preparation

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05/21/2019 by Shannon Day

Westside’s Social Justice Council Proposal to Join Faith Action Network

The Social Justice Council proposes that the Westside UU Congregation join the Washington Faith Action Network (FAN) as a congregation on an ongoing basis. We are submitting this proposal to be considered as part of the June 2, 2019 annual meeting. Who is the WA Faith Action Network (wafan.org) From their website: …a statewide interfaith advocacy 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization through which thousands of people and over 140 faith communities across Washington State partner for the common good. Mission Faith Action Network is an interfaith statewide partnership striving for a just, compassionate, and sustainable world through community building, education, and courageous

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04/11/2019 by Shannon Day

Origins and Purposes of the Racial Justice Change Team

The Racial Justice Change Team (RJCT) formed in 2018, in part to fulfill a commitment that our congregation had made in 2016, when the Congregation voted at a special meeting to hang a “Black Lives Matter” banner prominently on the side of the building.  The banner initiative was led by an ad hoc committee that included Cecelia Hayes, Theresa McCormick, Fred Matthews, Nikki Roberg, and Rev. Beatrice. The initial organizers of the RJCT team, Fred Matthews, Kerrie Schurr, and Tracy Burrows, were inspired by the work that the East Shore UU, University Unitarian, and Woodinville UU churches were doing to

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