Join us for services
Worship Every Sunday – 10:30 a.m.
All Are Welcome! Interactive, On-Line
This Sunday, March 29, 2020
Fifth Sunday in Lent
Preaching: Rev. Rich Gamble
Worship leaders: Rev. Lauren & Rev. Yuki
Text: Ezekiel 37:1-14
Theme: Hope
We are continuing to meet online for worship. During the past few weeks you all have been working so hard to learn this new technology! And, we're all learning new ways to be a community in solidarity right now, so let's celebrate how far we've come and how far we're getting by supporting each other right now.
The worship space opens at 10 a.m., for a "bring your own coffee hour" where folks can meet and have some time to see each other and talk before worship. At 10:15 a.m., Pastor Yuki will open up a virtual classroom with Teacher Anita so that the children can have storytime with her for 10 minutesbefore worship. Worship will begin around 10:30 a.m.
We worship til about 11a.m. Lauren, Rich, & Yuki include Announcements, music by our own Yigit or Elliot, scripture, short sermon, & Prayers (you can voice yours, and hear others), and a closing song we can each bring into the week ahead. Sign right off, if you wish. Or sign off with a personal greeting, as the mic goes around, as we end.
After worship this week we'll celebrate March birthdays, so bring a snack to your computer desk or couch and we'll sing Happy Birthday - thank you Barb & Elliot!
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NEXT WEEK
Sunday, April 5: 10:30 a.m.
Palm Sunday
Preaching: Rev. Rich
Worship leaders: Rev. Lauren & Rev. Yuki
Text: Matthew 21:1-11
Theme: The Hunger for Truth
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A note from Pastor Rich
Physical Distancing Practices to Continue Past Easter to End of April
Greetings Keystone Folk,
It has become clear to us that our hopes of worshipping together for Easter are not going to happen. Though we have no idea when things will return back to the way we are used to, we do know that this period of social distancing is going to be going on for several more weeks.
This then is the official announcement that we will not worship in person in the sanctuary until after April. At the end of April we will assess whether we will need to continue to keep the church closed for May.
It has been a joy to see how many people have attended our online worship. Our attendance has probably improved in our on-line format over our in-person worship gatherings. Though it is not the same as the joy of being with everyone in the same place, still it is amazing that we have done this together.
We will continue to work on new ways we can be an active community of faith in these unusual times.
 In the meantime, please check in on one another regularly and let us know if there are concerns that are too large for you to address on your own. We are here for one another and the world.
Please feel free to contact us at the church (206.632.6021) if you have questions or concerns.
Peace,
Pastor Rich
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| Happy Listening Anytime: Miss a Sermon? Down at Classroom? Audio Available Online: Click on a file for a listen HERE, and share! You can now watch sermons and worship services on our new YouTube page here. |
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Holy Week Connections
This year we can mark Maundy Thursday and our holy commandment to love one another, by taking time to write & mail a note, to extend love to a Keystone member, who might open it, by Easter! (And if writing or mail is a challenge, reach out with a phone call, to one of our community!) We celebrate the care that Keystone is naturally extending beyond our network as well. On Maundy Thursday, we get to share mercy with each other, recalling how Jesus gathered with friends. We can share the love around our church, mailing notes to one another. (We also note some warnings regarding how long the Covid-19 virus might survive on paper and cardboard. Best practices for sending and receiving mail seem to be debated, so in an abundance of caution, you can leave them in the sun for 6 hours, or gently wipe down mail or packages with disinfectant. We will update if we learn more.) If you can write an additional card, or invite the kids to craft one, reach out to Lauren: lauren.cannon@keystoneseattle.org
On Maundy Thursday, April 9, we will be celebrating this night of story and light with a shared, online Tenebrae service with First Christian Church of Bremerton, the church where Pastor Yuki's partner, Clint Collins, is the pastor. Yuki and Clint are working together on a service of readings that both of our congregations can participate in. The service will be at 6:30 p.m.
If you would be willing to be a reader for this service, contact Yuki at yuki.schwartz@keystoneseattle.org or by phone/text at 360-689-3832. |
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Three Ways to Support Keystone & Partners
We may not be meeting in person, but we're still working in the world, and our partners that we support are still working, too. You can continue to financially support Keystone and our partners by giving your offering in one of three ways:
1) You can mail checks to Keystone (5019 Keystone Place, Seattle 98103). Pastor Rich is still visiting the church regularly and picks up mail.
2) We have a PayPal button at the bottom of the front page of the Web site (and you can use it below and in other articles tied to specific fundraising efforts!) that you can use to support Keystone using your credit card or a PayPal account if you have one. You can even designate which project your offering will directly support (Keystone Church itself, the Shelter Task Force, the Solar Panels Fundraiser, or the Justice Leadership Programs).
3) The Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Church of Christ is taking donations on their web site for churches, camps, and other ministries in our conference. You can designate your offering for Keystone or any other UCC church or ministry in the Pacific Northwest Conference. Go to pncucc.org and click the "Donate" button in the corner, and fill out the form. Be sure to fill out the DONATE TO MY CHURCH field with the church or ministry of your choice. The conference will then send your offering to the church or ministry you indicate.
It's a tough time for a lot of people right now, as paychecks dwindle but costs like utility bills and rents keep coming in. Our support keeps the work of justice going along so many different paths. THANK YOU for in all the ways that you bring care and love to our world; we can't do what we do without each other. |
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 Do let Pastor Lauren know if you could use a hand, in these days. As we cannot hold well-washed hands in person … we are holding each other up! Thank you Keystone, you are inspiring in the many acts of care and mercy you are extending to one another. It is heartwarming to witness the types of support you are doing for each other, and for neighbors, even as we are under orders to stay home. So do continue to let me know if you discover an additional need in our church neighborhood, or beyond, and we may be able to help:
- prayers to share around, on phone, or to print out for your devotions
- ordering a supply or grocery item or prescription? (sometimes one of us can pick it up when we make a trip to get an essential.)
- maybe one of us can help cue an order to be delivered?
- need a Keystone Picture Directory? It has contact info, phone numbers, etc. We can mail one your way!
- Need time with one of our ‘Tech Deacons’? To get a computer on line? How to click the worship link on the Keystone website? Or trouble-shoot a snag? Order earbuds? Let Lauren know!
- applying for assistance? navigating an unemployment application, health insurance question, deferment on a loan, etc?
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Nickelsville Update
The Nickelsville community has postponed their plan move to their new location. They have not yet determined a date for their move. We at Keystone have postponed any vote we might take about whether to be their faith community sponsor in their new location until they have set a moving date. If you have questions call Pastor Rich at the church.
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No Foolin': Lenten Study Concludes April 1
The Lenten Study group has spent the last few Wednesday night in holy and prophetic conversation about climate change and how we turn our individual and collective work into a movement, with Naomi Klein's book On Fire: The Burning Case for a Green New Deal as our conversation partner. There's still one more chance to join in this conversation! We are meeting online, and you can join in those discussions by clicking the picture above, or here. Pastor Yuki is also posting summaries of our discussions, including videos and articles we're sharing with one another, at our web site. Click here to check out what we've been talking about!
Lenten Study Reading Guide
You can join us for conversation at any point during the study. You don't have to read the book (but it helps!), but if you are following the reading guide, we'll be reading these sections for the remainder of the study:
Other ways to focus on climate justice during this season:
- Make your donation to our solar panels for our roof (see more below)! Every bit helps make a lasting boost toward aligning our community's values, for years to come!
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Spread the Word About Our Solar Panel Fundraiser!
 One of the things we've talked about in the Lenten Study and that our folks who are attending the Drawdown meetings is the importance of investing collectively in greener sources of energy. We're in the middle of making that investment happen at Keystone, and you can help! Please invite your contacts to donate to the solar installation. You can invite them to donate by sending checks to Keystone, or they can use the PayPal button below and be sure to tell them to indicate that they are donating to the Solar Panel fundraiser.
We are still asking for participation from our many good groups and people of our extended community of neighbors, renters and visitors. Thank you to Christian, Eliza, and everyone who has been at work on this important project!
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New Opportunity to Connect and Share Stories Starts in April
From Pastor Rich:
Hello Keystone Community in Exile,
It occurred to me that we could use this time of enforced physical isolation to grow in our connections to one another and grow in our storytelling skills. What if we had a community storytelling gathering every week? Those who wanted to would craft a story to share. Hopefully most of us would share a story so that we can get to know one another better. The stories would be 7 minutes or less in duration. We would pick a theme for the stories and hopefully in exploring the theme we would get to know more about the storyteller. Then we would come together and share 3 or 4 stories on our online platform on the internet and then spend a little time talking about the stories. We shoot for no longer than 45 minutes for the whole event and we keep going on the one theme every week until everyone has a chance to share. Then we can pick another theme and go around again. Some of us are better storytellers than others but all of us can get better through practice.
Traditionally a story has an opening which lays out the setting of the story (I always wanted a go-cart). After that, there is the rising action of the story itself (after much planning and savings I bought a go-cart. It didn’t have an engine and was only good for going down hills.). This leads to climax or high point of the action (on my first ride down a steep hill near my house I came to realize that having brakes on a go-cart would have been a good idea). After the climax comes the resolution (I sold my go-cart to some other kid with a dream).
Craft your story to fit within the time allotted. The only way that you can be sure it fits within the 7 minute time frame is to practice telling the story in front of clock or by using a stopwatch. Good storytelling takes practice.
We will ask for people to sign up ahead of time to share their stories. If no one signs up then we know it’s not something that people are interested in and we will have learned something.
I’m thinking Wednesday nights might be a good time to gather, though we could pick a different day and time if that doesn’t work for most of us.
The first theme will be: Lessons Learned from Childhood Injury or Illness.
Let’s plan on the first gathering to be on Wednesday, April 15 at 6:30 p.m. That will give us time to sign up and prepare our stories.
Peace,
Rich
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A way to help, when we are apart...
On our last drop off, Barb & John connected 10 families with some supplies & groceries, and then did a second run to bring frozen goods, in the prep for hunkering down from the virus. This is a big part of the ministry that Christian, Michelle, Margaret, Barb, John, Rita, Dan O. & more have been helping us bring to the shelter, every two weeks. We especially welcome more folks to help financially.
In addition, Arlene welcomes those at home now to join her in our sewing project, repurposing old towels, or crocheting. Dan O. helped connect the shelter with a handy fix it person who donated time! Connie & Rita & Michelle & Barb got Move In Boxes out to folks. Would you like to be part? Please join our amazing team. Especially appreciated now are the financial donations at our Keystone PayPal button where you earmark it for Sacred Heart Shelter groceries.
We are continuing to to purchase food and updating our way of delivering to Sacred Heart Shelter families, every two weeks. We also are figuring how to get Move In boxes out, as we are able, safely, adjusting some of the methods, with necessary physical distancing. Thank you! Let Lauren, Rita, Michelle or Barb know how you would enjoy helping with this ministry. We know that awaiting stable housing, in an already destabilizing time, has many layers of added vulnerability. We want to do what we can.
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The Pacific Northwest Conference has a new home for sharing news and information about goings-on in the conference: GoogleGroups. If you'd like to become a member of the Google Group, send an email to pncucc@gmail.com.
Get a Dose of the PNCUCC in Your Inbox
From Pastor Lauren: Take a look here at stories being shared each day of Lent in our Pacific Northwest Conference UCC, “This Is Me”. You can sign up to receive an email, and learn a story each day. These writers are regular folk from across our conference- just a mix of church members, leaders, & pastors, brave enough to put it out there and share. You can submit as well!
You will receive them for the remaining two weeks+ of Lent.
Or check out this first story that started the series on Ash Wednesday: from Nathan in Walla Walla:
On Ash Wednesday a few years ago I was praying about what practice I should take on for Lent. What came to me was “Jubilee.” As I explored what this Jubilee could mean for me, I found it was calling me to notice the ways I needed to forgive – but not only in the moral terms we usually think of, but also in terms of that nasty little four-letter word that biblical Jubilee is literally about: Debt.
You see, there was this guy who owed me a chunk of money. He had been my housemate along with several other people, years ago. Talented guy, charming, with a life full of struggles since day one, always scrapping by. One month I helped cover his rent. Then another. We’d even written up an agreement for him paying me back. And he did pay back a little, here and there. But there came time I really needed that money. He’d jerk me around. I’d get angry – I hadn’t helped him out because I was rich, I had my debts to pay too, and a promise was a promise.
It turns out he had been struggling with addiction this whole time, which he had managed to keep hidden from us, for a while at least. He owed money all around town, and from folks who posed much more of a threat to him than he ever would fear from me.
Time passed, we all moved and moved on. I didn’t expect him to ever make good on what he owed me. The sum became less critical to my monthly needs. I also had much weightier moral grievances to preoccupy me.
So, it was surprising to me that years later, as I prayed about the practice of Jubilee, it was this debt that came to the fore. I had to admit that, for all the more pressing concerns of my life, this episode was for me a source of bitterness. It had been easier for me to forgive outright theft. Debt can have a bite to it.
As with any wise ancient prescription, it’s best to just go ahead and do it without much hand wringing and see how it works out. I wrote to him and told him I forgave him the debt. He responded with gratitude. It has been weighing on him too. It felt good that now we were both a little freer.
This is me.
-Nathaniel Mahlberg
First Congregational Church of Walla Walla, United Church of Christ
Read more at the This is Me archive. All are also posted at the PNC UCC Facebook page
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Take 5 from Home!
Look to your email this Monday as we are send out a Take 5 that helps support domestic workers who have multiple challenges in these times (personal care-givers, house cleaners, nannies, etc.)
And today:
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Keystone, there is one more ask before we close the chapter on this legislative session. Please send a note of thanks to your lawmakers who worked extremely hard to secure important wins. You have the bills and victories I (Barb) sent out by email a week ago. A thank you note goes a very long way and builds the path towards more leadership for the next session.
Please respond to the 2020 Census by April 1st either online or by mail. Here's some information to know:
The census helps communities get the funding they need and helps businesses make data-driven decisions that grow the economy. More than $675 billion in federal funding flows back to states and local communities each year based on census data. The personal information that you send will be strictly confidential and by law, your responses cannot be used against you by any government agency, or court in any way.
One note here: After each decade's census, state officials redraw the boundaries of the congressional and state legislative districts in their states to account for population shifts. It is mandatory and everyone counts! Follow-up operations will be conducted nationwide between March 30, 2020 - July 31, 2020. Door to door will be from May thru July.
~Barbara Anderson, of Keystone UCC.
Alum, Justice Leadership Program Jubilee Fellow @ Keystone.
Advocate @ Seattle King County Coalition on Homelessness (SKCCH). |
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Glance- down- the- Calendar
Wed. April 1: On Fire: Prophetic Faith & the Green New Deal Lenten Study, 6-8 p.m. Read: Pages 207-292 OR Chapter 13, "Capitalism Killed Our Climate Momentum, Not Human Nature (pages 243-252) or read it online at https://theintercept.com/2018/08/03/climate-change-new-york-times-magazine/, AND chapter 15, “Movements Will Make, or Break, the Green New Deal” (pages 259-271) or read it online at https://theintercept.com/2019/02/13/green-new-deal-proposal/)
Thur. April 9: Shared Online Maundy Thursday Tenebrae service with First Christian Church of Bremerton, 6:30 p.m.
Wed. April 15: Storytelling Practice w/ Pastor Rich, 6:30 p.m.
Stay Tuned: Church staff & leadership are communicating with one another as we monitor the latest requests and orders from public health officials about physical distancing practices. We'll keep you informed when we know more about when we will be able to see one another in person again!
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Rita - 4/5
Jake - 4/7
Jonathan - 4/9
Julia Blackburn - 4/11
Sheri - 4/14
Nick Havey - 4/18
Here's wishing them each the happiest of birthdays, from all of us at Keystone UCC! On the last Sunday of the month- we shall have cake at coffee hour (even on line cheer these days!)
Please let Barb know additions/ omissions!
Keep an eye out here for upcoming Keystone Birthdays!
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Reaching Keystone UCC Pastoral Staff:
Reach us at your Keystone church office: (206) 632-6021. This phone is also checked remotely since all staff serve part-time.
Pastor Rich is available Tuesday to Thursday mornings and Friday evenings, and holds additional office times on Saturdays and Sundays. (Sabbath = Mondays.) 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 keystone5019@gmail.com
Pastor Lauren is on Sunday thru Friday half days (Sabbath = Saturdays). Email is a great way to line up a meeting: lauren.cannon@keystoneseattle.org
Pastor Yuki (they/them) is at church two Sundays a month and is available to meet by appointment (Sabbath = Fridays). Email them at yuki.schwartz@keystoneseattle.org. |
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To submit content for inclusion, email Lauren & Yuki @keystoneseattle.org addresses above. Content must be received by Thursdays at Noon, for Friday bi-weekly newsletters.
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Next deadline for Newsletter announcement submissions:
to Lauren & Yuki: Thurs. April 9 @ Noon
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