Saturday, December 22, 2018

Stop Public Charge

Join us for services
Worship Every Sunday – 10:30am
All Are Welcome!


Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018

Rev. Lauren Cannon, preaching
Pastor Yuki Schwartz
Rev. Rich Gamble
, away

Theme: Make Ready
Scripture: 
Luke 3:1-6

Music Leader: Elliot Kraber
Accompaniment: Yigit Kolat

Greeter: OPEN
Reader: Dan. O
Usher: Sandie
Advent Candle Lighting: Amber & Danielle
Communion Steward: Rita
Communion: Yuki, Barb & Rita
Coffee Hour: Charles
Children's Ministry: Anita

ALL HANDS ON DECK TO STOP 'PUBLIC CHARGE' CHANGE: Keystone, get ready to take action THIS SUNDAY after worship, by posting a public comment against this rule change. Amber will be on hand with a laptop to make it a quick and simple process for everyone (other laptops welcome!).  See below for more info on the proposed change to Public Charge test, and how it could hurt millions of immigrants across the country.

KEYSTONE VOTE: Sunday, Dec. 16, Keystone UCC will hold a vote on allocating $1500 to the Jubilee Justice Leadership Program, for Barb Anderson's participation in the program. See below for more information on both these votes.
 

Families:  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

Children's Ministry with Anita – program every Sunday 10:00am- 12pm. More info at http://www.keystoneseattle.org/children-youth/

Sermons Available Online: If you missed a Sunday, were ​downstairs at Sunday School, or just want to hear a sermon again, former JLP Intern, ​Hunter Paulson-Smith,​ has created an ​online audio archive​ where you can listen to them ​ or download them​. Click HERE to listen, and please share. ​Thank you, Hunter!

Upcoming Events 

Friday, Dec. 7 – Wallingford Meaningful Movies
Showing: "The Music of Strangers: Yo Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble"
@Keystone UCC (Battson Hall)
Doors open at 6:30pm; Movie begins at 7pm

Sunday, Dec. 9 –  Public Charge Action
w/Amber in the Narthex
@ Keystone UCC
During Coffee Hour

Wednesday, Dec. 12 –  Holden Prayer
Second of 3 Wednesday eve services of contemplative prayer at Keystone  
@ Keystone UCC (Sanctuary)
7-7:30pm

Sunday, Dec. 16 –  Congregational Vote
On allocating $1500 to Jubilee Justice Leadership Program
@ Keystone UCC
During Coffee Hour
 
Wednesday, Dec. 19 –  Holden Prayer
Last of 3 Wednesday eve services of contemplative prayer at Keystone  
@ Keystone UCC (Sanctuary)
7-7:30pm

Monday, Dec. 24 – Christmas Eve Service
@ Keystone UCC
7:00pm

 
** See below for details on these and other events related to life in our community **
 
Holden Prayer Nights
Dec, 5, 12 & 19

Mark your calendars to enjoy December contemplative evening worship services at Keystone UCC.
 
Holden Prayer @ Keystone
Elliot Kraber, Music Coordinator
Yigit Kolat, Accompanist
w/Rev. Rich Gamble and Rev. Lauren Cannon
 
Holden Prayer is 30-minute candlelit evening service with lots of singing, scripture and reflective time! Come as you are, for some peaceful contemplation after your day.

Wednesday, December 5, 7-7:30 PM
Wednesday, December 12, 7-7:30 PM
Wednesday, December 19, 7-7:30 PM


Holden Village is a Lutheran (and quite welcoming of all) retreat center in the Cascades that started this lovely prayer service.  Many of the hymns we sing in Sunday worship (green Gather hymnal) were written by Marty Haugen who once took a sabbatical in the Holden Village in 1986.  He composed Holden Evening Prayer  while he was there.  Its a vespers (evening) service, that is now done in many places for simple contemplative worship. About ten years ago, two Keystone year-long volunteers, Melissa and Eric, brought us this practice.

Come for some shelter in what is an all too busy season of much scurrying.  Come breathe deeply with others at Keystone for any and all of these Wednesday evenings.  Bring a friend!  All ages welcome!
For more info, contact Pastor Lauren Cannon at Keystone UCC: (206) 632-6021 or at lauren.cannon@keystoneseattle.org

Congregational Vote to be held, Dec. 16
RE: investment in Justice Leadership Jubilee Program

On Nov. 11, Keystone heard testimony in worship from our member and Justice Leadership Jubilee intern Barbara Anderson, who has started serving at Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness.  Barb shared a particularly moving story from her work with the organization, registering folks to vote. She recalled meeting a man without housing, whom she supported to register to vote for the first time!

A few months ago, at the start of her year with SKCCH, we shared a charge and blessing with Barb, as Keystone deepened our connection with the Justice Leadership Jubilee Program. Keystone was also fortunate to have member Jim Little serve during the first year of the Jubilee program.  His work was with the Meaningful Movies.

Read more about the Justice Leadership Jubilee program here: http://justiceleadership.org/jubilee.html

On Sunday, Dec. 2, we will announce in church that Keystone will vote on Sunday, Dec. 16, to approve our $1,500 due to participate in Jubilee Program. This will be an investment towards this year of Barb's internship, as the other partner churches are doing with their interns.

Questions? Please contact Pastor Lauren at lauren.cannon@keystoneseattle.org
 

 
The work continues to reunite thousands of immigrant families torn apart by our government.
 
TAKE ACTION FOR IMMIGRANTS NOW

Protect Immigrant Families THIS SUNDAY @ Keystone

Keystone, get ready to take action this Sunday after worship. The constant attacks against immigrant families are unacceptable. The proposed change to the “public charge” test is one of those assaults that, if implemented, could hurt millions of immigrants across the country. For those unfamiliar with “public charge,” it is a test that evaluates whether the government will be the primary source of support for an individual seeking primary residency in the US (through a green card). If an individual is deemed a "public charge," they will be denied permanent residency. The proposed rule change would expand the public charge definition to anyone who would use one or more public benefits.

For more than 100 years, the list of benefits considered for the public charge test has only included cash-assistance programs (such as SSI or TANF), and government funded long-term institutionalized care. The proposed rule change would expand this test to include resources that families depend on to meet their basic needs. This includes SNAP (food stamps), Section 8 vouchers, Medicare/Medicaid, and other vital public services. If this rule is implemented, it is estimated that 533,000 people (including 205,000 children) will be impacted in Washington State alone.

You can take action by posting a public comment against this rule change. The Department of Homeland Security is required to read and consider each unique comment. After worship, make a commitment to stay until you’ve submitted your public charge comment. I will be available to answer questions and will bring a few informational handouts for folks to reference. Your comments do not have to be long but must be unique in some way. Speak from your heart, share a story, or speak from your faith values. I will be bringing my laptop for people to use. If others have a laptop that can be used for this action, please consider bringing it on Sunday. For those of you who will not be at church but are committed to taking action, you can do so by using FAN’s link to the Federal Register: bit.ly/FANopposesPublicChargeRule

Remember that you must add your own thoughts and can NOT only resubmit the template provided. Below you will find additional resources with more information about the proposed rule. Here is a link to FAN’s latest public charge e-news along with the Protect Immigrant Families website.

Friends, collectively taking five minutes of action can make a major impact in the lives of people both in our state and in our country. I believe in the power that progressive faith voices have, and I DEFINITELY believe in our small but MIGHTY church. So, let’s stand united and say no to Public Charge.

Amber Dickson
Statewide Organizer
Faith Action Network

 
Other avenues for helping asylum-seekers:

• Northwest Immigrant Rights Project:
Accepting donations to support direct legal services and pay bonds, volunteer interpreters

nwirp.org

• AIDNW (Tacoma):
Accepting supplies on wish list, volunteers, funds to purchase phone cards for people in detention

aidnw.org

• Immigrant Resources & Immediate Support (Skagit, Whatcom, Snohomish counties):
Accepting money to support Yolany Padilla and her son with food, clothing, housing and counseling

irisnw.com

• Church Council of Greater Seattle:
Coordinating volunteers to translate, accompany, house or transport asylum-seekers

thechurchcouncil.org

• Washington Immigrant Defense Network:
Accepting volunteers, funds to provide legal services for difficult cases in Washington

widenlaw.org
 

 

UPDATE: Tent City 3 found a new location!

On Sunday, Nov. 25, Keystone met with representatives from SHARE/WHEEL's Tent City 3, to hear about their efforts towards securing a new location for their homeless encampment. Keystone put it up for a vote, and unanimously approved to sponsor S/W's Tent City3 use such land, once someone leases it to them.

We have now just learned that Lakeridge Lutheran has offered them the space they needed. So we have three things to celebrate: first, we can celebrate the good news that Tent City 3 has a place; and secondly, we celebrate the work of the broader faith community to provide Tent City 3 with space for all these years; and lastly, we can celebrate the generous and courageous folks at Keystone for providing the folks at Tent City 3 an emergency option that they didn't need.

 
Keystone Member request for dental support

Keystone member Sheri Amundson is trying to raise $3,500 for a tooth implant. Here is her GoFundMe page to take donations:

https://www.gofundme.com/tooth-implant-for-sheri-amundson

Questions? Please email Sheri at slabear@comcast.net


Film: THE MUSIC OF STRANGERS: YO YO MA AND THE SILK ROAD ENSEMBLE

(96 minutes; Morgan Neville, 2016)
Friday, Dec. 7; Doors open at 6:30pm; Movie starts at 7:00pm

@ Keystone UCC (downstairs in Battson Hall)

Over the past 15 years an extraordinary group of musicians has come together to celebrate the universal power of music.  The Silk Road Ensemble exemplifies music’s ability to blur international boundaries, blend disparate cultures and inspire hope for artist and audience.  The film focuses on artists as they gather in locations across the world, exploring the ways art can both preserve traditions and shape cultural evolution and provide solace in times of conflict.
 
** All events are Open to the Public. Admission is by Donation **

We help communities organize, educate, advocate & build community around social justice documentary film and conversation.
 

 

Anabell Chang - 12/3
Carolyn Sabo - 12/7
Amber Dickson - 12/11
Leo Denton- 12/22
Elvina Spoon - 12/23
 
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!

Reaching Keystone UCC Pastoral Staff & JLP Interns:


Reach us at your Keystone church office: (206) 632-6021.  This phone is also checked remotely since all staff and interns serve part-time.

Pastor Rich is available Tuesday to Thursday mornings and Friday evenings, and holds additional office times on Saturdays and Sundays.  (Monday is Sabbath.)  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 available Monday-Friday mornings (and during evening classes) and Sundays (Sabbath = Saturdays). Email to make a meeting time: lauren.cannon@keystoneseattle.org

Pastor Yuki is at church two Sundays a month and is available to meet by appointment. Email her at yuki.schwartz@gmail.com.
Click here for: Justice Leadership Program- UCC
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