Blessings and Blessings

Join us for services Worship Every Sunday – 10:30am All Are Welcome! Sunday, June 12, 2016 Rev. Rich Gamble, preaching Rev. Lauren Cannon Theme: Forgiveness Scripture: Luke 7:36-8:3 Greeter: OPEN Reader: Jim Usher: Jo Communion Ministers: Paisley & Caleb Coffee Hour Host: Jim Sunday School: Anita   THIS SUNDAY: Join us for a Noon Coffee Hour Baby Shower for the Smith family! Dan and Lisa Smith, big sister Paisley, and big brother Caleb, are preparing for the new Smith baby (little "Guppy" right now) to arrive late June!  Come help their Keystone community pour some love on them! Feel free to help create our table of blessings by placing a token of love in the Narthex that morning.  Wishes, wisdom, books, cards, gifts, gift cards, gently used gear, or anything you are inspired to share with the Smiths. We rejoice with them, as their call to family deepens and grows! ALSO THIS SUNDAY: Keystone wishing a Blessed Ramadan to our Muslim Neighbors! Over the last several months, representatives from the Northwest Chapter of the Council for American Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Church of Christ and leaders from the United Church of Christ nationally talked about how we might get to know each other better and work together more. As a step in that process, we came up with a solidarity campaign where United Church of Christ churches would have the opportunity to honor Muslim neighbors' Ramadan commitments. We suggested three, simple things. - Sometime during Ramadan, churches hang a banner or change their message boards in a way that honors our Muslim neighbors. - Church members take the time during Ramadan to visit a local mosque or Islamic center to bring greetings from their congregation (please call first!). - Churches consider hosting some sort of event during Ramadan to learn more about Islam and get to better know their neighbors. Also, churches and church members make a special effort to speak up against anti-Muslim rhetoric as it emerges (IslamFactCheck.org is a great resource!). Even though this campaign may have started as a UCC and CAIR effort, there's no reason it need stop there. All are welcome to join in! At Keystone we have been inspired to create a sign and can post pictures here! All are needed on Sunday June 12 to help color our banner at coffee hour!  Check out the signs going up across many Pacific Northwest UCC congregations. ~Lauren & Rich Families:  Sunday Worship:  Pick up Children's Activity pages & crayons on the welcome table every week as you come in to worship (based on the scripture of the day.)  There are two types: younger children & older children.  Children of any age are always part of worship & welcome! • Childcare with Anita, open every Sunday 10:00am- 12pm • Sunday School (multi-age) downstairs, during sermon & prayers time: approximately 10:45-11:15am.  (Help younger children to class after the scripture is read; and then pick them up to return for start of communion) NOTE: Children with parent/caregiver are always welcome to move between the Sanctuary & Narthex (welcome area) during any part of worship, to head to classrooms, or enjoy the playground out back!   Upcoming Events: Sunday, June 12 – Smith Family Baby Shower @ Keystone UCC (Narthex) 5019 Keystone Pl. N Sunday, June 12 – Keystone wishing a Blessed Ramadan to our Muslim Neighbors - Sign Making! @ Keystone UCC 5019 Keystone Pl. N Tuesday, June 14 – Fourth Merger Meeting @ Keystone UCC 5019 Keystone Pl. N Sunday, June 17 – Remember the Charleston 9: An Interfaith Service of Healing, Reconciliation, Unity, Hope & Peace @ First AME Church 1522 14th Avenue 7pm Sunday, June 26 – Seattle Pride Parade Downtown Seattle Keystone heads down after Service ** See below for details on these and other events related to life in our community **   Remember the Charleston 9: An Interfaith Service of Healing, Reconciliation, Unity, Hope & Peace - Sunday, June 17 @ First AME Church First AME Church and its interfaith and civic partners are inviting you to an Interfaith Service to reflect and honor the memories of the nine lives taken a year ago during Bible Study at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. This tragedy further stoked the need to awaken our capacity for collective knowing and embark on purposeful actions to reduce gun violence and access to guns. Sunday, June 17, 7pm at First AME Church, 1522  14th Avenue, Seattle.   Seattle Pride Parade - Sunday, June 26 After worship Sunday, June 26, we will scoot downtown to join up with a bunch of other open and affirming, gay-friendly UCC churches, as well as many ecumenical friends who are also welcoming congregations, to march in the parade and share the good news that God’s love is for ALL people.   Updates on Merger Talks   The Keystone leadership team met with University Baptist Church leaders for the third time on Thursday, June 2, regarding a possible merger of the two churches. The first meeting focused on the questions, what are the most important aspect of our respective churches, and what impact had our churches made in our lives. The second meeting focused on concerns connected with the merger and considered that concern in relation to a particular vision each leader has of what a merged congregation would look like. This third meeting focused on the questions, "What would be a vision big enough to risk what you like about your church, and face what you fear?  And if so, what does that vision specifically look like?" Our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 14, at which we will address foundational concerns raised at end of last two meetings (such as financials and fundamentals). If you have any questions or comments to share with our leadership team, feel free to contact them at the following email addresses: Rev. Rich Gamble, keystone5019@yahoo.com Rev. Lauren Cannon, lauren.cannon@keystoneseattle.org John Preston, gepreston@msn.com Marilyn Wall, mariwa@comcast.net Lisa Smith, lisarsmith@live.com Eliza Pennick, eliza.penick@heifer.org Justice Leadership Jubilee is a program for adults who want to integrate faith and justice work into their lives in a meaningful way. Are you looking for the path to re-ignite your faith? Do you long to deepen your spiritual self through social justice work? Do you wonder…how do we create sustainable systemic change? We are looking for adults who are in a transition point in their lives who are seeking an experience of transformation -- maybe you're retiring, maybe children have recently moved out of the house, maybe you're experiencing a lot of change in your work/life balance. That is the time to make intentional choices for your future, and the future of generations to come! This will be the inaugural year of the program and we are seeking people who are interested in being a part of the formative year of Justice Leadership Jubilee. Please prayerfully consider the program and contact us with any questions or comments! For more information, please read these flyers: Initial Proposal: Justice Leadership Jubilee Justice Leadership Jubilee Flyer Contact Jenn Hagedorn at justiceleadershipjubilee@gmail.com or 206.265.2834 for more information. Rich Voget - 6/5 John Preston - 6/14 Here's wishing each of them the happiest of birthdays, from all of us at Keystone UCC! Keep an eye out here for upcoming Keystone Birthdays! Pastoral Care & Keystone UCC Hours: Rich and Lauren can be reached at the Keystone office: (206) 632-6021.  This phone is also checked remotely since both Rich and Lauren serve half-time. Mondays:  the church office is closed.  Mondays are the day that Rich and Lauren take Sabbath. So while there are several groups that meet throughout the day and evening at Keystone, it may take a day for someone to get back to you, if you call on a Monday. Pastor Rich is available Tuesday to Thursday mornings and Friday evenings, and holds additional office times on Saturdays and Sundays.  Not all of these times will Rich be in the church office. If you want to see him, it is best to make an appointment. Email him at rich.gamble@keystoneseattle.org Pastor Lauren is @ Keystone on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays, as well as Sundays.  Wednesday office times.  And as she is often out and about for meetings and visits, just email Lauren to make an appointment on any of those days at lauren.cannon@keystoneseattle.org Click here for: Justice Leadership Program- UCC LIKE Keystone UCC on Facebook