02/28/2018 by Shannon Day

Minister’s Musings Among the Mountains – Rev. Alex Holt Week of March 2

“May you live in interesting times.” I wonder if people remember this phrase above? ‘May you live in interesting times’ is an oft-spoken term that is alleged to be a proverb from ancient China. It certainly sounds wise and appropriately cryptic. It can be meant in many ways and often said as a warning of trouble and danger ahead. Unfortunately, it is neither Asian or ancient. The history of the term takes it no further back than about 1939. Robert Kennedy used a version of the expression when he gave a speech in 1966: “There is a Chinese curse which

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02/21/2018 by Shannon Day

What is Interfaith? – Cynthia Westby, Dir. of Religious Exploration for Children and Youth

Interfaith ministry is a hot topic these days in UU circles.  Starr King Seminary’s relationship with the Interfaith Chaplaincy Institute and support of double divinity degrees in UU and Interfaith is a powerful example of this keen gravitation to Interfaith.  Knowing I am going to be ordained as an Interfaith Minister many people have asked me what Interfaith means.  Great question!  It is a question each person who is drawn to Interfaith ministry or work will answer differently.  I wanted to give you my current answer, knowing that my understanding is in process and evolving just as all our understandings

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02/14/2018 by Shannon Day

We’re In This Together: As Promised, an Update

A Message from Patti McCall, WSUU Board President There continues to be discussion about Sunday services, the Worship Council and the Board so, as promised in our effort to be transparent, I wanted to bring you up to date on what your Board has been working on.  At the end of this letter, you will find four links:  one to the Mid-Year Report I offered on January 28th; one to the video from our Regional Transitions Coach, Rev. Nancy Bowen; a link to the Letter of Affirmation to the congregation from your Board; and one titled Norms for Sunday Service

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02/14/2018 by Shannon Day

Mid-year Report from the WSUU Board of Trustees

The following is a transcript of the Mid-Year Report delivered by Board President, Patti McCall on Sunday, January 28. Good afternoon.  I don’t think I see any unfamiliar faces, but just in case, I am Patti McCall and I am the current President of the Board of Trustees at Westside.  We are just about halfway through our church year and, as the representative for the entire Board, I’d like to share what we’ve been working on since July 1st 2017 and what we will continue to work on through June 30th of this year. Our plan for this meeting is

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02/07/2018 by Shannon Day

To be Called: What does #MeToo mean to us? Margo Rinehart, Ministerial Intern

This coming Sunday Reverend Alex Holt and I will be sharing the pulpit, preaching about #MeToo.     In preparation for sermon writing, I interviewed many men and women on this topic.   I also put aside four hours to sit and surf the web for responses to #MeToo.    What started as a concern for women, children and men who have experienced sexual harassment and sexual assault, quickly became a macabre tour into the Twilight Zone of why is it so difficult for our society to wrap their minds around this. What is at the heart of almost all of the #MeToo stories

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01/31/2018 by Shannon Day

Minister’s Musings Among the Mountains – The Nine Contemplations

Greetings, good people of Westside UU and beyond I was in Tampa, Florida last week for a UUMA conference held every three years. Generally, it was great. The clergy worship services were energetic and entirely not what I am used to. They made my stout New Englander heart a bit less armored, but they were very new to me. They were very powerful. They (along with our normal services) are part of the future. The worship presenters knew this and talked about how important our traditional and known expectations services were as well. In other news, people complained how cold

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01/24/2018 by Shannon Day

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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01/24/2018 by Shannon Day

Your Nomination for the Ministerial Search Team (MST)

The Nominating Process for our Ministerial Search Team has begun.  John Britt, the Discernment Team and their helpers have identified three ways you can nominate someone you think would represent the congregation well on this vital team. 1.  Fill out a “ballot” at John’s table after Sunday service 2.  Send in your nomination to MinisterSearchTeam@wsuu.org 3.  Wait for someone to call you. Nominations are due by February 4, 2018.   The following members cannot serve on the MST so don’t ‘waste’ your nomination by sending in their name: Shannon Day (staff) Last year’s MST… John Britt Paula Van Haagen Cecelia Hayes Lisa

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01/23/2018 by Shannon Day

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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01/16/2018 by Shannon Day

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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