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How to publicize news and events

Are you a committee chair or group leader who wants to tell people about an event or give them other news? Do you want people to take action while they are at church? If so, you should submit an announcement for the Sunday Update which is included in the Order of Service. Do you want to publicly thank valuable volunteers? Inspire people about helping with a project? Explain an idea or program? You should email an article for the next newsletter issue. Regardless of the type of message you have, check the Publicize News and Events page for tips.

 
March Top

Introduction to Meditation with Tim Geil

Starting Monday, March 8 at EUUC Six Mondays,
March 8 to April 12; 7-9 p.m

Insight meditation, also known as mindfulness or vipassana meditation, comes from the Buddhist tradition. It aims to free the mind from the distortions of self-centeredness, negativity, and confusion. Sign up for this 6-week series the first day of class. Join us for this series recommended by the EUUC Meditation Group, sponsored by Seattle Insight Meditation Society. (Please note that the dates here are a correction of those published in the March newsletter.)

Standing on the Side of Love Immigration Campaign

Peace & Justice Spotlight on Issues

In conjunction with the Standing on the Side of Love Day and this month's movie "The Visitor," we invite you to stop by the Peace & Justice table in the Narthex to sign postcards to our senators with this message: "I stand on the side of love with immigrant families. I honor the love that binds families together. Any system that breaks families apart is itself broken. I pledge to take a moral stand for immigrants' worth and dignity. As the debate rages, I will respond publicly, thoughtfully, and with compassion." These postcards are in preparation for immigration legislation that will likely be coming up soon. You can also sign it electronically from here.

Sunday Meditation in March

Come once, twice, or regularly and get centered and focused before Sunday morning worship services. Join together with others who love to meditate on Sunday mornings in March from 8:30 to 9 a.m. in The Friarplace. This dedicated group of meditators will welcome you whether it is your first time or you have been meditating for a long time. Enjoy some quiet, calm, and centering time before you attend the first service. If you have any questions, please contact Penni Marvel here.

Plan Ahead: Seattle Insight Meditation Society offers a six-week series called “Introduction to Meditation” twice a year at EUUC. This year the spring classes are March 8 through April 12. For further information and to sign up, contact Seattle Insight Meditation Society. Penni highly recommends this class as a way to begin or deepen your practice.

Peace & Justice Movie Night, "Osama"

Friday, March 5, 7 p.m., RE-1&2
Free!

Bring your friends to view this film, and stay for provocative discussion afterwards! Inspired by a true story, "Osama" was the first entirely Afghan film shot after the 2001 fall of the Taliban. Forbidden to work or leave her home without a male companion, yet left without male family members due to the wars, a desperate Afghan mother sends her 12-year old daughter out to work, disguised as a boy. Thus begins a terrifying and confusing journey as she (now called Osama) struggles to conceal her identity when she is pulled into a Taliban school and military training.

Covenant of Right Relations - Seeking Your Views

March 7: in the Order of Service and Online

On October 24, dozens of you gathered to talk about the ideas you would like to have included in an EUUC Covenant of Right Relations. We on the writing team want to say, "Thank you" to everyone who participated and helped create the initial list of covenanting topics. Now, we would like you to review the first draft here. This version will be printed in the Order of Service on March 7. On March 14, please be available to meet between the services to comment on the second draft.

Potluck Luncheon

Recognizing International Women's Day
March 8, 12 to 2 p.m. In the Narthex.
Donations would be most appreciated.

March 8 is International Women's Day and in honor of the event, the Thursday Women's Group of EUUC is sponsoring a potluck luncheon in the Narthex for all of the women of the church and their guests from 12 to 2 p.m. We request that attendees bring a dish or dessert of their choosing and make a donation in the amount of what they might pay to eat lunch out. Coffee and tea will be provided. Proceeds will go to Women for Women International and there will be a program about this organization.

Vision Statement Feedback Open Mic

Sunday, March 14 between services

An "Open Mic" session will be held in Chapman Hall on March 14, between the first and second services, to allow for congregational commentary and suggestions to further refine the draft of the EUUC Vision Statement. The objective then will be for the writing team to produce a version to be presented at a Congregational Hearing sometime in March or April when it appears that the statement fully represents the direction EUUC members wish to take this congregation.

Save March 20th for 2010 Auction and Go for the Gold
"SHARE THE EXCITEMENT... EUUC GOES FOR THE GOLD!"
Tickets go on sale in the Narthex on February 14, 2010.

This is the theme of the 2010 Auction coming on March 20 at the EUUC Olympic Stadium. Mark this historic day on your calendar and plan on wearing your best winter Olympic event duds. Norma Ramirez and her crew will again be preparing a feast worthy of our hungriest athletes.
Back by popular demand is the Heads or Tails event which was a hoot last year. And thanks to the generosity of one of our Olympic Committee members, the winner of the Golden Raffle will be literally winning the gold, a one ounce gold coin valued at over $1,100!
It is time to start thinking about what events/dinners/items you can contribute to make this auction the best ever. Plan ahead, time flies!

Vernal Equinox Vespers Service

Our NEW Earth-based Spiritualities Group will host a Vernal Equinox Vespers Service.
Sunday, March 21, 7:30 p.m.

Our sixth Unitarian Universalist Source guides us to attend to “Spiritual teachings of Earth- centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.”
A group has been convened and plans are underway to create an evening Vespers Service celebrating the Vernal Equinox. This service will be engaging for all ages and take place Sunday evening, at 7:30 p.m. on March 21. We hope to see you there! June will see the Summer Solstice and another service. Are you interested in helping? Contact the DLRE, Layne Richard-Hammock at dlre@euuc.org. Related news: Plans are in the works to offer an Adult RE program next fall titled Introduction to Paganism.

Total Experience Gospel Choir

Annual Benefit Concert
SAVE THE DATE
March 27, 2010 at 7 p.m.
EUUC Chapman Hall
Tickets, $10 adults $2 children, are now available at the Social Concerns table on Sundays in the Narthex.

Be a part of this exciting evening of dynamic performance as Rev. Pat Wright and the Total Experience Gospel Choir return to Chapman Hall on Saturday, March 27. This group has made a commitment to the Gulf region affected by Hurricane Katrina and continues to return to the region to help rebuild homes and the human spirit. We applaud their continued efforts in a region where the poorest citizens are still struggling to recover.

Rummage Sale Help Wanted

March 30 and April 1

Do you brake for Garage Sales? Do they know you by name at Value Village? Then you are the perfect candidate to run the EUUC Annual Rummage Sale on March 30 and April 1. This is a great fundraiser and is really a lot of fun. An experienced and hardworking crew is already in place. Basically you just have to coordinate everyone. I will be on hand to help and keep all on track. Give a call and give it a try! Jeri Valentine is waiting to hear from you.

New Voices Are Always Welcome

New voices are always welcome to join the church choir. If you like the music you hear at church, and would like your voice to be a part of it, we welcome you to join us. Rehearsals are held Wednesday nights from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. Contact Fred Sederholm, if you have any questions.

Do You Shop Online?

A Wonderful Way to Benefit EUUC

If you purchase books or shop at Amazon, please consider starting your shopping trip at the EUUC home page: http://www.euuc.org/.
You can purchase books at Powell's Books in sales-tax-free Portland or purchase nearly anything else at Amazon by following links to those stores from www.euuc.org.  Both of those stores pay EUUC referral fees for purchases made through those links.

Free Money for EUUC!

What’s the catch? By simply using Goodsearch.com, powered by Yahoo! Search, a donation is made to EUUC (the organization you have designated) every time you do an internet search. Now they also have Goodshop.com, in which a percentage, usually about 2%, of every online purchase you make will go to EUUC. Over 1000 online stores are in the program, probably including most of the ones you use. For purchases from Amazon or Powell’s Books:

  • go to www.euuc.org
  • look for links to Powell's Books and Amazon at the bottom of the left navigation bar.

They donate 4% and 7.5%, respectively. EUUC has been enrolled in the Goodsearch program for several years, but since maybe only two or three members have participated, we have only raised $6 so far. However, with greater participation, it could be a wonderful fundraiser with no cost to members. If 100 members and friends participated, averaging two searches a day, and averaging $50 in purchases a month, we would raise about $2,000. That is real money! Free money! Click here or here and indicate Edmonds Unitarian Universalist Church (Edmonds, WA) as your designated cause. Please help. It is easy. Questions? Contact Scott Warner, Treasurer.

Haircut Challenge Going Strong

Corinne Beuchet reports that $300 has already been donated to EUUC from her Haircut Challenge. To add to this total, visit Corinne at her hair salon in Greenwood. You'll be charge $25 for the haircut and every penny will be forwarded to EUUC. Corrine is willing to donate an additional $700 through this program. For more information, click here.  Need references? Doug King, Lori Kunze, Greg Gillis, Kyle Gillis, and Gloria Anderson are willing to vouch for her excellent work. Men, women, and children -- and your referrals -- are welcome to participate. Multiple visits are okay. 

Hosts Needed for Mini-Potlucks

Over the years, one of the most pleasant modes of getting to know other EUUC'ers, has been to attend or to host a Mini-Potluck dinner. Each individual or couple contributes a dish for the meal. In order to continue this tradition, we need hosts to volunteer to welcome about 6-10 guests at an informal dinner at your home this winter or spring. Call or speak in person to Margot Becker to set up a date to host such a gathering. Her phone number is in the directory

A Gentler Footprint

. . . . . . a monthly column brought to you by the Sustainability Committee.

Topic: How Green can you get?

How far can you go in developing new habits to lead a more sustainable life style? Here are some of the changes that I have made just in the last year:

  • Converted my front lawn into a communal vegetable garden with over 600 square feet of raised bed space. I use the rainwater from my numerous rain barrels for watering and produce up to 75% of my food.
  • Gave up using my clothes dryer completely as of June 2009, using the sun in the summer to dry clothes in my back yard and installed a retractable clothes line in my family room for winter drying. (Clothes dryers are the largest consumer of electric energy in our homes.)
  • Started using rainwater in the winter for flushing my toilets. Just got into the habit of filling up a couple of 5 gallon buckets from my rain barrels and bringing them into the house every day.
  • Gave up my TV. I save money and have more time for reading and doing other things, and I am further away from the mental grasp of media corporations and advertising. It is so-o-o liberating!
  • Made a strong commitment to not using any disposable utensils or cups in any circumstance. I carry a coffee mug and reusable plates and cups in my car as well as some storage containers in case I need to take home restaurant leftovers.
  • Changed my bank account to a local credit union.
  • Think about, research, and choose who and what I’m supporting with each dollar I spend.

Additionally, I continue to cycle to work as many times a week as weather permits with my pedal assist electric bicycle; continue driving my small but very comfortable and spacious 40 mpg Golf VW with biodiesel; use renewable energy for eight months of the year from my small solar and wind system; use only organic and non-toxic foods; eat no beef whatsoever, and only occasionally eat other types of flesh. I try not to purchase any item unless I truly have a need for it. I continue discovering more and more blind spots in my own lifestyle that I have not been aware of, and am trying to become less judgmental of all those who have not achieved the same awareness of the cause and effect of the decisions they make everyday in the way they use resources and make purchases. I recognize that my being able to help bring real change cannot come from a space of anger, resentment, or negativity.
Carlo Voli

Walking the Talk

. . . a monthly column by the Social Concerns Committee, Living Our Vision of a Just and Sustainable World

“On a nice day in spring, you should smell like dirt.” —Mary Atwood

Calling all would-be and wanna-be gardeners
Calling all would-be organic veggie eaters
Calling all “I want to learn” gardeners
Calling all green thumbs
For our first organic vegetable garden at EUUC

If you want to plant and harvest your own vegetables at EUUC, sign up at the Social Concerns table or contact Ginny Burger.

For opportunities to serve our community this month, please sign up at the Social Concerns table


  • Volunteer to bake cookies for the Total Experience Gospel Choir Concert on March 27.
  • Volunteer to cook and/or serve breakfast to the homeless at Trinity Lutheran on March 27.
  • Cooking – March 26 Serving – March 27
  • Volunteer at Chase Lake or Cedar Valley Elementary Schools serving the district’s lowest income and highest need students.

With grateful hearts for your nurturing of the spirits of others, Ginny Burger, Chair

Peace & Justice Committee Spotlight on Issues

The Peace & Justice Committee has selected several organizations to support with donations. We wanted a combination of local, national, and international groups that use or uphold personal rights and freedoms, the keystone of peace and justice. We also looked for groups where our small donation would make the greatest difference.

We will introduce you to these organizations over the coming months in this column and at our table in the Narthex. We encourage you to learn more about them and perhaps make a personal donation or other commitment to be involved with any that interest you.

Pennies for Peace

Education is the best deterrent to war and poverty. In researching Greg Mortenson's Central Asia Institute, the organization that builds schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan, we discovered Pennies for Peace.

Pennies for Peace is an international service-learning program which provides curriculum for K-12 students around the world to become global citizens. They learn about “the world beyond their experience and (how) they can make a positive impact on a global scale, one penny at a time. Students learn the rewards of sharing and working together to bring hope and education opportunities to the children in Pakistan and Afghanistan. While a penny is virtually worthless, in impoverished countries a penny buys a pencil and opens the door to literacy.” We liked this approach because it involves and benefits children everywhere. Learn more here.

April Top

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