Wednesday, May 27, 2020

This Week @Keystone: Advocate forProgressive Revenue Plan in Seattle, Support Sacred Heart Shelter, and Walk with Arlene!


Join us for services
Worship Every Sunday – 10:30 a.m.
All Are Welcome!  Interactive, Online

This Sunday, May 31, 2020
Day of Pentecost
Preaching:
 Rev. Rich Gamble

Worship leaders: Rev. Lauren & Rev. Yuki

Text: Acts 2:1-8
Theme: Breaking Open Barriers

We currently meet online for interactive worship through the Zoom Meetings platform. The link to the worship service is mailed through the newsletter every Sunday morning. Want to invite someone to worship with us? Send them the Sunday newsletter cheat sheet, or invite them to subscribe to our newsletter through our web site by clicking here: http://www.keystoneseattle.org/contact.

SUNDAY SCHEDULE: Our Sundays together begin with Sunday School & Storytime with Teacher Anita at 10 a.m.. Children and families spend 20 minutes in a Zoom Breakout Room with Teacher Anita, then return to for worship, which begins at 10:30 a.m. Also at 10 a.m., folks can hang out for a "Bring Your Own Coffee 
☕ (half) hour" where we have some time to see each other and talk before worship. After worship, we'll also have about 20 minutes for connection and sharing together in Breakout Rooms. 
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

Did you miss worship last Sunday? You can watch the sermon from Pastor Rich and also Pastor Lauren's introduction to our Prayers of the People, from our May 17, 2020, online worship service. Use this video as part of your practices of prayer and reflection this week. 
Sermon on Matthew 7:24-27: A Solid Foundation
Our prayers also keep going out: 
  • To the communities in Michigan that are suffering from flooding, in addition to the difficulties and heartbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, and especially to family who live in that area who are in the midst of the turmoil and grief from these and other calamities. 
  • To family members who are missing loved ones right now, and for our loved ones whom we have lost. 
  • To the leaders of the United Church of Christ, especially Rev. John Dorhauer and Rev. Mike Denton, who are leading the denomination and working with other religious leaders to help keep all our communities safe during this pandemic. 
  • For the people living around the Bay of Bengal in eastern India, who are recovering from a hurricane that struck the area, and also for the Rohingya people who are living in refugee camps in that area. 
  • For dear ones in our Keystone community who are living with anxiety and depression, we join in the hope for better days, and take comfort and strength in taking care of one another. 
Holy God ... hear our prayers!
We are especially encouraging each other to send Rev. Lauren a note with a prayer you might like incorporated into our online worship. If you might be comfortable with it included in our prayers, but not necessarily want to unmute yourself, and share it verbally, your prayers can be folded in with the prayers. You can also add your prayers to the Zoom chat box during worship and we will speak them aloud for you. All prayers are welcome, at any time.

Have prayers you want to include in the newsletter? Email Yuki (yuki.schwartz@keystoneseattle.org), Rich (keystone5019@gmail.com), & Lauren:  
lauren.cannon@Keystoneseattle.org   Text/ call Lauren cell:  773.501.7382

Tell Seattle Leaders: YES on Progressive Revenue


The Strategic Planning Committee of the 43rd Dems Environmental Caucus (which includes Keystone Green Team members Connie and Rich Voget and Jim Little) has created a sign-on letter to Mayor Jenny Durkan and Seattle City Council asking that they create progressive taxation this year to address the economic damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic and to generate green jobs with more spending to address our worsening climate challenges. Instead of tax cuts, the committee (and the Keystone Green Team, which has been making the connections between poverty, health care injustices, housing insecurity, and climate injustices, during our studies and meetings) are calling for city leaders to create progressive revenue.

According to Jim, "The more sign-ons then the more pressure on the Mayor and the Seattle City Council to find progressive revenue. ... Seattle has the most regressive taxes of any city in the state and WA state has the most regressive taxes of any state in the nation. Regressive taxes mean the wealthiest pay a lower percentage of their income than the poorest. Mayor Durkan, Councilmember Pedersen and other (committee members) have stated opposition to or hesitance about the Morales-Savant Big Business Payroll Tax.  We are asking them to come up with alternative progressive taxation, if they do not accept the big business payroll tax."

Sign on to the letter at: SeattlesFuture.org.










Supporting Sacred Heart Shelter

Sacred Heart Shelter is working to raise money to help keep the shelter running, especially as they and the families that are staying at the shelter are struggling with the uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic. Services that the shelter provides include comprehensive case management, mental health counseling, on site parenting classes and even children's art therapy activities. According to Sacred Heart Shelter, "We believe this support process allows guests to take a deep breath, come into a safe place, and at their pace, help them find a path out of homelessness."

Sacred Heart created this video below to help encourage folks to remember the shelter when they are giving financial gifts right now. Half of their annual budget comes from donations, and so our support is critical to helping Sacred Heart Shelter continue to do their good work in our city. You can donate to help support the shelter by clicking on this link and making your gift. You can also forward the link to the video to your networks and invite them to donate as well (click on the video and it will take you to its home page, where you can copy the link. Or forward this newsletter to them!)
Click above to watch this video, or watch it at https://vimeo.com/417073848

Join Arlene to Raise Money for Parkinson's Research

Support Arlene as she walks in the Optimism Walk for the American Parkinson's Disease Association.  This is Arlene's third (or fourth!) year taking this walk, which supports the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) and helps it continue providing local education, information, and support to those touched by Parkinson's disease in our community and fund scientific research into the causes, prevention, treatments and ultimately the cure.

The walk is this Sunday, May 31 (and can you think of a better way to celebrate the Spirit moving among us that by moving about your neighborhood to walk for this cause?). You can support Arlene by clicking this link: https://apdaparkinson.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donordrive.participant&participantID=38534. And you can also sign up to be a walker yourself at https://apdaparkinson.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=932.

Arlene shared her invitation at Sunday's service. If you missed it, here's a clip from the video from our worship service. 
Keystone Tells Stories: TONIGHT at 6:30 p.m.

Come gather around our virtual dinner table for Keystone's Wednesday Story Night! We're continuing to tell stories along the theme of "A Small Thing That Made a Big Difference in My Life." Tonight's storyteller is Dave Parker.

The storytelling space opens up at 6:15 p.m., and storytelling will start at 6:30 p.m., in the same Zoom space we use on Sunday mornings and for our other gatherings (you'll find a Zoom cheat sheet coming along with this newsletter in your email, but if you have Sunday's emailed cheat sheet you can use that too!). Come for stories and conversation about the small things that changed you in a big way!





The Pacific Northwest Conference's home for sharing news and information about goings-on in the conference is on GoogleGroups.  If you'd like to become a member of the Google Group, send an email to pncucc@gmail.com.

Hear More About Your Pacific NW Conference
The Pacific Northwest Conference is sharing a weekly series of conversations that will bring the work of the Conference, the successes, the challenges to you through video. Watch for these videos on the Conference's new Vimeo page:
 https://vimeo.com/pacificnorthwestucc.

In this week's video, Hillary Coleman, the PNC's current moderator, talks with Wendy Blight, the immediate past moderator for the PNC, about the work of the Board of Directors over the past year as part of our Annual Meeting 2020 series.

Glance- down- the- Calendar
Wednesday, May 27 (tonight!) and June 10: Keystone Storytelling, 6:30 p.m. at Keystone's Zoom. Continuing the theme: A Small Thing That Had a Big Influence on My Life. Call or email Pastor Rich to sign up to tell a story (206.632.6021. or keystone5019@gmail.com). Learn more about storytelling here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Bo3dpVb5jw
 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgeh4xhSA2Q

Sunday, May 31: Optimism Walk for the American Parkinson's Disease Association, starts at 9 a.m. Support Arlene's fundraising goal, and you can also join her walk by walking around your neighborhood and sharing comments and pictures at https://apdaparkinson.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donordrive.participant&participantID=38534.

Tuesday, June 2: Keystone Green Team Meeting, 6:30 p.m. on Keystone Zoom.

Wednesday, June 3: Justice Bible Study, 6:30 p.m. on Keystone Zoom. This is a new study where we'll read the Bible and start making links between our justice solidarities and our sacred stories, one Bible chapter at at time. You don't have to read in advance to join this study. Email Pastor Yuki for more info, yuki.schwartz@keystoneseattle.org. Reading for May 20: Mark 1:35-45.


Sunday, June 7: Faith Action Network Puget Sound Spring Summit, 3 p.m on Zoom. Register at https://fanwa.ourpowerbase.net/civicrm/event/register?id=183&reset=1

Saturday, June 20: Poor People's Campaign Assembly and Moral March on Washington, 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. at June2020.org. RSVP at https://www.poorpeoplescampaign.org/june2020/.


Keith Becker - 5/4
Michelle Hebner - 5/5
Lauren Cannon - 5/7
Dan Smith - 5/9
Sandie Schumacher - 5/14
Barbara Anderson - 5/17
Trinaty Compton - 5/22
Jessica Becker Matthews - 5/28

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 Barbara know additions/ omissions! 
Keep an eye out here for upcoming Keystone Birthdays!

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.
Click here for: Justice Leadership Programs- UCC
LIKE Keystone UCC on Facebook
Click here to read our Keystone blog at "Latest News" on our website
Click here to bounce to Keystone UCC website
Give your gift to support Keystone and its many ministries, including the Sacred Heart Shelter, and the Solar Panel Fundraiser. Click the PayPal button below or send your check directly to Keystone. You can also donate through the Pacific Northwest Conference of the UCC at pncucc.org/donate.
*****
To submit content for inclusion, email Lauren & Yuki @keystoneseattle.org  addresses above.  Content must be received by Wednesdays at Noon.
*****
*****
Next deadline for Newsletter announcement submissions:
to Lauren & Yuki: Wednesday, June 3 @ Noon
*****
Copyright © 2020 Keystone United Church of Christ, All rights reserved.

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

This Week @Keystone: Justice Bible Study, Plus RSVP for Poor People's Campaign Online March

Join us for services
Worship Every Sunday – 10:30 a.m.
All Are Welcome!  Interactive, Online

This Sunday, May 24, 2020
Seventh Sunday of Easter
Preaching:
 Rev. Rich Gamble

Worship leaders: Rev. Lauren & Rev. Yuki

Text: Matthew 7:24-27 
Theme: A Solid Foundation

We are continuing to meet online for interactive worship through the Zoom Meetings platform. Pastor Yuki emails the Zoom access information (which remains the same for every worship or study meeting each week) via the newsletter every Sunday morning.

SUNDAY SCHEDULE: Our Sundays together begin with Sunday School & Storytime with Teacher Anita at 10 a.m.. Children and families spend 20 minutes in a Zoom Breakout Room with Teacher Anita, then return to for worship, which begins at 10:30 a.m. Also at 10 a.m., folks can hang out for a"Bring Your Own Coffee
  (half) hour" where we have some time to see each other and talk before worship. After worship, we'll also have time for connection and sharing together in Breakout Rooms. 
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

Did you miss worship last Sunday? You can watch the sermon from Pastor Rich and also Pastor Lauren's introduction to our Prayers of the People, from our May 17, 2020, online worship service. Use this video as part of your practices of prayer and reflection this week. 
Sermon on Matthew 5:43-48: How We Love Our Enemies
Our prayers also keep going out: 
Please send strengthening prayers for Sandie, as she supports her daughter Sarah and husband Shawn Simmons (in his time of health challenge), and for resiliency in all this, for their daughters Mikayla & Annika! In community we pray that we each will be given the energy to reach out and share our positive love & support, in the little ways that lift one another up!

Prayers of thanks to the spirited crew of staff, members, volunteers at the Seattle King County Coalition on Homelessness (SKCCH) who arrived at Barb's door to wish her happy birthday Sunday on May 17 (amidst the Keystone after worship Break Out Room), bringing treats, song, and great cheer!

Prayers of healing and strength to Gus and Marilyn, as Gus recovers from a recent illness. May they continue to be surrounded with love and support from family and loved ones.


We also pray for ...
  • the ability to keep resisting campaigns meant to make us be afraid, and for the hope to keep living with love. 
  • This community of faith with gratitude that we can gather. 
  • Courage and endurance to bear the separations from loved ones because of physical distancing. 
  • Those who fear the power of love and so try to make others afraid.
  • For family members suffering the grief of sudden deaths, that they might know that God is with them. 
  • Graduates who are graduating from schools in online ceremonies, that they may go into the world and change it for the better. 
  • Queer, differently abled, Black and brown and indigenous people who feel forgotten during this time, and who may be separated from their communities of strength and support. May they know they are remembered, and that we send them strength and peace.
Holy God ... hear our prayers!
We are especially encouraging each other to send Rev. Lauren a note with a prayer you might like incorporated into our online worship. If you might be comfortable with it included in our prayers, but not necessarily want to unmute yourself, and share it verbally, your prayers can be folded in with the prayers. You can also add your prayers to the Zoom chat box during worship and we will speak them aloud for you. All prayers are welcome, at any time.

Have prayers you want to include in the newsletter? Email Yuki (yuki.schwartz@keystoneseattle.org), Rich (keystone5019@gmail.com), & Lauren: 
 lauren.cannon@Keystoneseattle.org   Text/ call Lauren cell:  773.501.7382
Thank you to Jo for these beautiful pictures of the flowers and trees bursting to springtime life around our church building! 

Join the Poor People's Campaign's March on Washington Online

The Mass Poor People’s Assembly & Moral March on Washington is going digital! On June 20th, the Poor People's Campaign will hold the largest digital and social media gathering of poor and low-wealth people, moral and religious leaders, advocates, and people of conscience in this nation’s history. A global pandemic is exposing even more the already existing crisis of systemic racism, poverty, ecological devastation, the war economy and militarism, and the distorted moral narrative of religious nationalism. On June 20, the 140 million poor and low-income people across this nation will be heard!

This two-hour program will be broadcast on Saturday, June 20 at 7 a.m. PDT and 3 p.m. PDT and again on Sunday, June 21 at 3 p.m. PDT. VisitJune2020.org to tune in. 


We can help the campaign build power in several different ways: donating funds for the work, volunteering, and spreading the word to friends, families, and neighbors to show political leaders that the systems need to change! Click here to access a digital toolkit that can help boost your message of support, and keep watching the Poor People's Campaign's web site and social media for updates. 

Protect Washington's Ag Workers


Washington-state organizers and faith communities, including the Pacific Northwest Conference of the UCC and the Faith Action Network, are asking Washingtonians to advocate for our state's agricultural workers, who are one of the essential workers most at risk of contracting the Covid-19 virus. Ag workers in Washington already lacked access to health care, sick leave, and worker protections, and now during the Covid-19 pandemic they're in danger because of their employers aren't giving them protective personal equipment or the ability to physically distance themselves in order to stay safe. Organizers are asking Washingtonians to call Gov. Inslee at 360.902.4111 and the state legislative hotline at 1.800.562.6000, and leave a message to ask the governor and legislature to issue an emergency proclamation to protect agricultural workers in our state. You can use the script provided by the Latino Civil Alliance to leave your message.

Justice Bible Study: TONIGHT at 6:30 p.m.

The Justice Bible Study Group continues its study of Mark's gospel, digging into the stories of Jesus's first actions after he was baptized. We're readingMark 1:16-31 (but you don't have to read or study before you come, we'll read it together). What does gathering disciples have to do with healing? How are either or both of these things acts of justice for us to imitate? Let's explore together!

The study space opens up at 6:15 p.m., and storytelling will start at 6:30 p.m., in the same Zoom space we use on Sunday mornings and for our other gatherings (you'll find a Zoom cheat sheet coming along with this newsletter in your email, but if you have Sunday's emailed cheat sheet you can use that too!). Come for stories and conversation about the small things that changed you in a big way!





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 topncucc@gmail.com.

Hear More About Your Pacific NW Conference
The Pacific Northwest Conference is sharing a weekly series of conversations that will bring the work of the Conference, the successes, the challenges to you through video. Watch for these videos on the Conference's new Vimeo page:
 https://vimeo.com/pacificnorthwestucc.

This week's video is an interview with the PNC's Minister for Church Vitality Rev. Courtney Stange-Tregear. Come watch!

Keeping Our Zoom Space Safe


At our May 17 worship service, we talked about the recent Zoombombing attacks that are hitting Zoom spaces, in particular the horrific one that our friends at Plymouth UCC in Seattle suffered on May 10. We want to say again that we continue to take these attacks and the safety of our community seriously, and are working to do all we can to secure our Zoom space without compromising our commitment to be an open and welcoming church. These steps include the work of Dan O. and Elliot as our "digital ushers" or tech deacons who help admit people into the space and keep an eye out for any trouble.

We are continually grateful that Keystone folks are learning the steps we can all take to be together safely! For now, the best practices we can all follow include: 
  • Use the links in the newsletter or emails from Pastors Rich, Lauren, and Yuki to enter our Zoom space;
  • If you're entering with your phone or through the Zoom app, use the password and don't share that password with anyone.
  • Share the good news and welcome folks to join us at Keystone online worship by forwarding our newsletters or sharing the worship link by email only (never in social media like Facebook or Instagram). Or encourage them to sign up for the Keystone newsletter. 
Please reach out with any questions.  We promise to keep you updated on what we're doing. In the meantime, keep acting and loving boldly! 
Glance- down- the- Calendar
Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday: Keystone member Charles's Seattle Social Meetup Zoom meetings, 7 p.m. Register at https://www.meetup.com/meetup-group-LuZNpEwh/events/. Just come and say hi, and make a connection while we're all apart from each other.

Wednesdays, May 20 (Tonight) and June 3: Justice Bible Study, 6:30 p.m. on Keystone Zoom. This is a new study where we'll read the Bible and start making links between our justice solidarities and our sacred stories, one Bible chapter at at time. You don't have to read in advance to join this study. Email Pastor Yuki for more info, yuki.schwartz@keystoneseattle.org. Reading for May 20: Mark 1:16-31.


Wednesday, May 27: Keystone Storytelling, 6:30 p.m. at Keystone's Zoom. Continuing the theme: A Small Thing That Had a Big Influence on My Life. Call or email Pastor Rich to tell a story (206.632.6021. or keystone5019@gmail.com). Learn more about storytelling here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Bo3dpVb5jw
 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgeh4xhSA2Q


Tuesday, May 30: Reversing Global Warming: Introduction to Drawdown interactive discussion to learn more about Project Drawdown, 10 to 11:45 a.m. on Zoom. Register at https://www.meetup.com/SeattleClimateChange/.

Tuesday, June 2: Keystone Green Team Meeting, 6:30 p.m. on Keystone Zoom.

Sunday, June 7: Faith Action Network Puget Sound Spring Summit, 3 p.m on Zoom. Register at https://fanwa.ourpowerbase.net/civicrm/event/register?id=183&reset=1


Saturday, June 20: Poor People's Campaign Assembly and Moral March on Washington, 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. at June2020.org. RSVP athttps://www.poorpeoplescampaign.org/june2020/.
Newsletter note: After experimenting with the timing of the newsletter, we're dropping the frequency of the newsletter emails from updates on Wednesday and Saturday, to a single newsletter that will arrive in your email boxes on Wednesday afternoons. You'll still receive the Zoom cheat sheet newsletter on Sunday mornings to help you get into the service easily, plus we'll send out Zoom cheat sheet whenever we have a study or event in our Zoom space. 
 
 

Michelle Hebner - 5/5
Lauren Cannon - 5/7
Dan Smith - 5/9
Sandie Schumacher - 5/14
Barbara Anderson - 5/17

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 Barbara know additions/ omissions! 
 
Keep an eye out here for upcoming Keystone Birthdays!

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.
Click here for: Justice Leadership Programs- UCC
LIKE Keystone UCC on Facebook
Click here to read our Keystone blog at "Latest News" on our website
Click here to bounce to Keystone UCC website
Give your gift to support Keystone and its many ministries, including the Sacred Heart Shelter, and the Solar Panel Fundraiser. Click the PayPal button below or send your check directly to Keystone. You can also donate through the Pacific Northwest Conference of the UCC atpncucc.org/donate.
*****
To submit content for inclusion, email Lauren & Yuki @keystoneseattle.org  addresses above. Content must be received by Wednesdays at Noon.
*****
 
*****
Next deadline for Newsletter announcement submissions:
to Lauren & Yuki: Wednesday, May 27 @ Noon
*****
 
Copyright © 2020 Keystone United Church of Christ, All rights reserved.