Common Ground Choir.................. 2 Evergreen's Offerings ......................3 From the Minister ......................... 4 News From the Board ................... 5 Children & Youth .......................... 6 Split Plate Highlight .......................7 Community Connections ..........8&9 UUA, Holidays and Days of Observance ...................................10
Autumn 2022 | Covers September 21st through December 20th, 2022
please e-mail newsletteR@evergreenuu.org for a print copy
from the minister - on page 4
If you missed the Poetry Sunday service on September 18th, in this newsletter you'll get a chance to read some of the lovely poems that were read during the service and written by fellow Evergreeners, along with some poems written by the RE children. You'll find them interspersed throughout. Enjoy!
From Poetry Sunday...
Newsletter
Welcome to autumn, beloved community! As we begin to turn from summer into this new autumnal equinox, I find myself filled with thanks for all that Evergreen has set its sights on accomplishing in this new church year….(Continue reading on page 4.)
Painted green, come inside Up the stairs, nametag wall up the stairs, to the balcony walk into the sanctuary, take a seat Don't be wary, soon the service will start For the children, RE and nursery There the fun will bloom and blossom While upstairs the service goes Afterwards, snacks and coffee And chattering all around At the end, walk out the doors Come back next week, for there is more Not just one service, its a community Of people and friends, we're a family By Aislinn
Evergreen
Table of contents
EUUF Walking Group - Fridays, 10:30 am @ Getchell Trailhead We meet at the Getchell Trailhead of the Centennial Trail. It is on the right side of 84th just beyond the traffic circle on Highway 9. The trail in this area is fairly level and offers more shade than where we have been walking. All levels of walkers are welcome, all you need to do is show up. If you have any questions contact Sandie at skbigg@live.com. Men's Circle - (restarting in October) 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, from 7-9 pm We are a group of men who gather to share with each other our authentic joys, challenges and insights, with the goals of personal growth and mutual support. We pledge to create affirmative, compassionate gatherings through heart-felt sharing, deep listening, honest communication, and confidentiality. We currently meet via Zoom. Contact Dan Hall for more information. Cedar Covenant Circle - Oct. 5th, Nov. 2nd, & Dec. 7th, (1st Wednesdays), 6 pm This Covenant Circle has room for new members, so anyone who would like to give us a try will be welcome. If you have any questions please contact Sandie B. skbigg@live.com. Big Questions - On Hiatus - Keep an eye on the weekly update for when it will return! Book Discussion Group - Last Wednesday of the month 7:15 - 8:45 pm September 28th"Why We're Polarized" Klein, Ezra 269 pages. "A sharp explanation of how American politics has become so discordant... Deeply insightful... a clear, useful guide through the current chaotic political landscape." Kirkus Reviews October 26th "Waking Up White" Irving, Debby, 288 pages. The author's recollections of her own experiences of being an American white woman and coming to terms with the complexity of race in the United States. November 30th Anything by Jane Austen, i.e.Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Persuasion, Mansfield Park, Sense and Sensibility, Northanger Abbey, or Sanditon. Contact Michelle Valentine for more information.
Adult Programs Is there a program you'd like to offer? Contact Desmond at adultprograms@evergreenuu.org. Find more details on our website! www.evergreenuu.org/adult-programs
Autumn 2022
evergreen's offerings
In the words of the hymn: Summertime has turned the star wheel; autumn is upon us. We are already halfway into September and your Common Ground choir is still singing and providing meaningful music for the fellowship. We have no immediate plans to resume in-person worship services, so the recorded music will continue. The choir is pursuing ideas and options to implement some in-person rehearsals, which are much more satisfying and beneficial to the quality of our music. Anyone interested in singing with us is invited to contact Kathleen Goff. You are also welcome to attend our monthly choir meetings on Zoom the 4th Thursday of the month, 7 – 8:30 p.m. We are using a system called Soundtrap which gives singers the opportunity to practice parts and then record their own tracks which are then combined into a complete anthem. It doesn’t take a lot of time and you can add your own voice at your convenience. I do often assign deadlines for all tracks to be finished and recorded by a certain date. All are welcome to become part of the choir. We would love to have you sing with us. Kathleen Goff music@evergreenuu.org
Nice and bright Sunshine down Shines like a beautiful crown Fills the room with rainbow light A memory to hold in our heart As we move to a brand new start by Helen
Sunday Worship Service 10:30 am Join Zoom Meeting Evergreen Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 1607 4th St., Marysville, WA 98270 www.evergreenuu.org 360-659-6621 Office Hours Please check with the Office Admin via email for in-person office hours MINISTER Rev. Joe Rettenmaier minister@evergreenuu.org BOARD PRESIDENT Desmond Smith boardpresident@evergreenuu.org BOARD OF TRUSTEES board@evergreenuu.org OFFICE ADMIN Alli Curtis administrator@evergreenuu.org RELIGIOUS EDUCATOR JW Wenzel redirector@evergreenuu.org NEWSLETTER newsletter@evergreenuu.org
Book Group Field Trip
Interested in Jane Austen? Our book discussion group is returning to annual field trips based on one of the books we read. In past years we visited the International District, had lunch and toured the Panama Hotel after reading "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet" and another time viewed the Edward Curtis photograph albums at the Fleury Gallery in Pioneer Square after reading "Short Night of the Shadow Catcher". We have seen the Book-It production of "Truth Under the Sun" after reading the book about the Seattle World's Fair. We are now set for November to read any book by Jane Austen and then attend another Book-It production of "Austen Unbound" on December 10, 2022. The Book-It Theater is in the basement of the Armory at Seattle Center. Usually we eat lunch and then attend the play. Meals have been a restaurant along Mercer Avenue near the Seattle Center or at the Food Court in the Armory a floor above the Book-It Theater. According to the website single tickets are $63.50, or for parties of 8 or more a 10% discount per ticket. We are opening this event to any and all interested readers! You are encouraged to read a book by Austen, but not necessary if you only want to see a live Saturday matinee play with friends. Contact Michelle Valentine to get your name on the list.
Common Ground Choir
Welcome to autumn, beloved community! As we begin to turn from summer into this new autumnal equinox, I find myself filled with thanks for all that Evergreen has set its sights on accomplishing in this new church year…. On September 11 we celebrated our first Ingathering back in the sanctuary since the outbreak of COVID in March 2020. Your worship team and I enjoyed collaborating on this significant occasion very much and we continue to create fresh ideas for our worship services well into fall and winter. My sermon, “Let the River Run,” set a vision for supporting one another through the transitions Evergreen will be going through as our physical home is put up for sale. My central metaphor for this year’s Ingathering Water Service was how we can each help release Evergreen’s river of life and consciousness once again now that the threat of COVID shutdowns and deadly outbreaks is passing behind us. I do hope you’ll take 20 minutes to enjoy it. It’s available for you here, whenever you may need a bit of spiritual reflection on the new directions Evergreen is heading in. After our Ingathering Water Service, your Search Committee and Board of Trustees members hosted a heartwarming Meet the Minister event in the Parker Room – our first in person gathering since the outbreak. There were many members who came to the church and others who enjoyed our shorter online social hour. For those who were able to join in person there were delicious rewards of fresh homemade pies and ice cream. It was a delicious gathering for the soul, and a warm welcome for me as your new minister. I’m still relishing the in-person fellowship and conversations we all enjoyed with windows open, fans gently blowing fresh air, and all of us wearing masks. It was as if Evergreen's beloved Sanctuary was breathing with excitement and life once again….Ingathering was a fitting celebration not just for September’s liturgical theme of Belonging, but also for October’s theme of Courage. In October, we’ll courageously explore several perspectives on the role courage plays as we serve social justice, equity, and liberation in our communities. Our Religious Educator, JW Wenzel, will deliver the first sermon of the month, focusing on the religious education program’s formational projects our youth and families will enjoy using the imaginative “Superhero Academy” curriculum. It’ll enlighten young and old alike as to how our UU Principles and values serve the most heroic moments in our lives, and sustain us through the more villainous moments that play out in the world. I do hope you and yours will join in the adventure! Contact JW for more details and to learn how to enroll. Finally, beloveds, with inspiration still stirring in my soul from Sunday’s poetry service, and as we now move through autumn’s equinox with its equal parts of day and night, I share this poem from one of my favorite poets: Welcome to our autumn journey, beloved Evergreen, Warmly, Rev. Joe
NEWS FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
from the minister
Desmond Smith, President Chris Martinez-McCullough, Vice President Jennie Lindberg, Secretary Ray Mutchler, Treasurer Ann Kelleher, Past President Tom Gaskin, Member-at-large Sandie Biggerstaff, Member-at-large Rev. Joe Rettenmaier, Ex-Officio Member
Members of the Board:
Contact the Board: via Slack on the #board-buzz channel via email at board@evergreenuu.org
The Journey By David Whyte Above the mountains the geese turn into the light again Painting their black silhouettes on an open sky. Sometimes everything has to be enscribed across the heavens so you can find the one line already written inside you. Sometimes it takes a great sky to find that small, bright and indescribable wedge of freedom in your own heart. Sometimes with the bones of the black sticks left when the fire has gone out someone has written something new in the ashes of your life. You are not leaving you are arriving.
Hello Evergreeners! First of all, a big thank you to all those who participated in the Relaxed Summer Worship environment we used on Zoom during July and August we called “Church-Lite”. It contained all the personal contact time you wanted with your fellow Evergreeners through Zoom breakout rooms and general conversation in a large gallery view, plus just enough of the usual worship routines to make the Sunday gatherings feel like worship days. While all this was happening, behind the scenes there was plenty of productive Fellowship work going on as well including finding and hiring a new minister! The Reverend Joe Rettenmaier started on August 1, and has hit the ground running. His recent Ingathering Service, live streamed from the empty sanctuary, showcased his clear and thoughtful speaking style and drew on his past work as a video production manager. Welcome to Evergreen, Rev. Joe. We’re glad to have you with us. In other news, the Board has been aggressively pursuing the several lines of endeavor that follow the decision to sell the building and grounds, and to find a new home in which we can worship together. We hope to have a realtor selected by the end of September to help guide us through the process of actually selling the property. The Board has been in contact with several churches that have offered their spaces to us for worship, and we are working through the logistics and visioning process that making a selection requires. We received a Chalice Lighters grant to purchase live streaming video equipment, and a Tech Team has been charged with moving that process ahead. And a team has been assembled to inventory the contents of our building to facilitate the discussions we face in deciding what to keep, what to sell, and what to dispose of. If you see a role for yourself in all this activity please step forward and be included. Our Fellowship is in a time of transition and that creates opportunities for all of us to share our talents and time so we all benefit. Also, please read the Board Buzz channel on Slack to be as up to date as possible as decisions are made and a new course is charted. And check the EUUF Calendar for group meeting times and notices for what is happening in the broader Fellowship. Desmond Smith EUUF, 2022-23 Board President
Split Plate Highlight: Cocoon House
Open your heart and home to a teen needing a safe, temporary place to stay! Cocoon House Connections Host Home Program is inviting community members in Snohomish County (families and individuals) to host a young person facing homelessness for a short stay of 1-3 weeks. By opening your home and providing support and encouragement, you can make a significant difference to a teen going through an uncertain time in their life. Cocoon House staff will provide focused support for the youth during their time in a host home and ensure each host home has what they need as well, including training, 24/7 support and a stipend to offset costs. Join the Connections staff Thursdays at noon on Zoom to find out more about this amazing volunteer opportunity. You can email hosthomes@cocoonhouse.org or call 425-737-5419 for more information. https://www.cocoonhouse.org/hosthomes
THE VICTORY GARDEN by Marilyn Bosckis (2022) “Potatoes! We can’t miss!!.” I was only six, but I am told that’s how it started. Dad, with an ear for a good story and an eye for a business opportunity, became a potato farmer – in partnership with a chance-met man of the soil, who was low on cash, but high on vision. The details are hazy, but In the end there were no potatoes, but 50 some bags of super-phosphate were stored in our garage and Mom had started speaking to Dad again. This was the ‘forties; To help win the war We should grow our own vegetables. Our yard had space for a garden so Dad and Da, who was my mother’s father and lived down the block, made it so. And lo, in the garage... All.This.Fertilizer. If there were labels, no one thought to read about bags per acre and other details. Thinking “more is better,” Dad poured a bag or so on the back yard plot. The garden grew, lush and green, green and ... lush! radish tops to my knees, potato vines over my head. The potato bugs were as big as mice! Sadly, none but tiny proto-potatoes lurked under the soil; icicle radishes were huge, hollow shells. We may have harvested some greens things, but little else. But Da happily shared the bounty from his own patch which he had grown as he always had. We still won the war.
Behind the colorful spandex, superhuman abilities, and crime fighting antics, there are real lessons to be learned from superheroes about anti-oppression, personal responsibility, and love. As Unitarian Universalist Religious leadership is rethinking how or when Religious Education is conducted, and congregations have found many families are reluctant to return, it is time to return to square one – rebuilding trust. How? By reclaiming play as an instructional tool! This play-based Anti-Racism, Anti-Oppression, Multicultural (ARAOMC) curriculum can be used in both in-person and virtual classrooms, making it a great choice during Evergreen's transitions. Open to all ages.
Sunday Re Presents: Superhero Academy
I love unicorns They are magical to me I love them a lot By Luna
We've had so much fun getting together this summer, and are ready to roll right into fall! The Youth meet 1st and 3rd Friday of each month. This year we'll have a variety of in-person and virtual regular gatherings along with some viewing parties for Superhero Academy features and discussions. 6th-12th graders welcome!
Our annual change drive is virtual again! Every year our children and youth discuss local issues and social concerns they feel could use our support. Then we ask for contributions by way of pocket change to donate to those causes. Please send a picture or video of your child(ren) "trick or treating" by OCTOBER 28th to be included in our video for the congregation.
Coming up: NO CLASS Oct 2nd (Join JW in the main service!) Oct 30 AFS Youth Gathering (In Person) Oct 21st Nov 4th & 18th
RE Families with Children and Youth
Youth Gatherings
Trick or Treat For Change
September's 4th Sunday Split Plate Offering on Sept. 25th goes to Cocoon House, whose mission is to empower young people, families, and the community to break the cycle of homelessness through outreach, housing and prevention.
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Join us at Seabeck this fall for our Annual Retreat! September 30th - Oct 2nd, 2022 Fall is a spectacular time to enjoy the colors and coziness of the season with fellow Unitarians. Our Seabeck retreat is a multigenerational gathering with something for everyone! The offerings include: Saturday morning adult program, afternoon workshops, a children’s program, worship service, walks in the woods, Saturday night campfire, evening games; gatherings for bridge, bird watching, or conversing on the Inn porch—and much more! Registration is now on a space available basis. You may enter your registration now to be placed on our wait list. If we have room for your party, we will notify you as soon as space becomes available. For more information and updates please visit: www.shorelineuu.org/seabeck-retreat.html
Maintain that summer glow… by joining a Covenant Circle as we head into fall with colorful leaves, shortening day light and the chilly days of autumn. Covenant Circles or small group ministry is based on three things: First, small group members are committed to each other by actively supporting and caring for one another, while fostering close friendships by developing trust and mutual respect over time. Secondly, the small group commits to the fellowship by engaging in service projects that support the fellowships as a whole. The third level of covenant is the commitment of the small group to a service project to care for those in need in our wider community and beyond the fellowship. The structure of the Covenant Circle groups offers its members the opportunity to engage in meaningful topics for discussion each month and to enhance and explore our spirituality and the meaning of life while developing close bonds with fellow UU’s. Our Covenant Circles meet monthly for 1&1/2 to 2 hours. Currently we have four active groups. Three of the four groups have openings. If you aren’t already in a Covenant Circle, we hope you will jump into fall by joining one and get to know fellow UU’s on a deeper level. We hope to hear from you! We welcome Newcomers! These groups have openings: Sandie Biggerstaff, (5 openings) meets in Marysville on the first Wed. (253-318-4894, skbigg@live.com) George Beykovsky, (1 opening) meets on the fourth Tues. (425-422-7936, gbeykovsky@gmail.com) Sue & Tom Gaskin, (1 opening) meets on the 3rd Sat. (425-220-4678, scsg103@comcast.net) You may contact the leaders directly by text, email or phone. And if you need more information please contact me. Warmly, Sue Gaskin EUUF Covenant Circle Coordinator 425-220-4678 scsg103@comcast.net
Covenant Circles - Come One, Come All!
Fallen yellow leaf Tumbles down the alley Seeking its companions. by Carmelita McMurtry-Hall
Need an easier way to access the church directory on your smart phone? You can download the IconCMO app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and have church directory access right on your phone! Simply, go to the app store on your mobile device, search for “IconCMO”, then click download. Once it’s downloaded, you can sign in with the church phone (3606596621) and your username and password that you normally use. After signing in, you’ll see a menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right corner, click that and from there you can click on directory and search for whoever you need. If you can't remember your login info, please contact Alli, the office administrator.
FALL SEABECK RETREAT
Equinox Oh nature, you are my teacher. You hold the knowledge of the ever changing truth and the vast variety of creation that is endless and evolving. From atoms to galaxies, From a living cell to super nova. All evolution following a master plan, The master plan that we are seeing and As part of it, we are being. Oh nature, you strive for balance in all, and what is not balanced, or seeking balance We will experience twice as we make a full orbit of our sun. A perfect balance of light and dark. Observe, we do not freeze when this balance is achieved but continues on until it reaches it again and a again. So, thus in this way my teacher makes it oh so clear, That having achieved a balance, I may hold it only briefly. Then I must move on until I find a point of balance once again. by Nancy Miller
Pastoral Associates are available by phone or e-mail, or zoom. Contact them at pastoralassociates@evergreenuu.org
COME TO THE TREE OF LIFE Come, come to the tree of life, Come with your joys and come with your strife, Come if you’re short, round, square or tall, This tree can give knowledge and comfort to all. This tree has roots as deep as its height. It’s nurtured by truth, compassion and light. Everything everywhere has effects on our tree, So good stewards of earth we help each other to be. Come little children and play in its shade, And learn of the wonders spirit has made; And listen to stories that may make you think That decisions and choices, they all have a link. Come if you’re searching for meaning or truth, Come if your name is Wambe, Okaleen or Ruth. Come hold hands and feel relief from your strain, And till you come again, keep peace and love aflame. by Nancy Miller
September 2022: National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15—Oct. 15) 22nd: Autumn Equinox/Mabon 23rd: Celebrate Bisexuality Day* 25th (sunset) to 27th: Rosh Hashanah October 2022: LGBT History Month 4th: (sunset): Yom Kippur 9th (sunset) to 16th: Sukkot 9th: Clergy Appreciation Day 10th: Indigenous Peoples' Day and Canadian Thanksgiving 11th: National Coming Out Day 26th: Intersex Awareness Day 31st: Halloween and Samhain November 2022: American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month 1st: All Saints Day 2nd: All Souls Day 6th: clocks BACK one hour 11th: Veterans Day and Remembrance Day (Canada) 20th: Transgender Day of Remembrance 24th: Thanksgiving (US) 27th: First Sunday of Advent 29th: Giving Tuesday December 2022: 1st: World AIDS Day 3rd: International Day of Persons with Disabilities 4th: Second Sunday of Advent 11th: Third Sunday of Advent 18th (sunset): Hannukah begins 18th: Fourth Sunday of Advent 21st: Winter Solstice/Yule
UUA news, holidays & days of observance
Please check the calendar on the Evergreen website for the most current offerings, activities, events and worship services. New to Evergreen? Please fill out the Guest Card at evergreenuu.org/sunday.
Submit Something For the Weekly Update, Newsletter or Sunday Announcements! Check out the form for submissions for the Weekly Update, Newsletter, Sunday Announcements and more! You can choose what the title will be, in which publications you'd like the announcement to run, how long it will be publicized, and what images will be included (if any.)
EUUF Calendar
submission deadline for the winter newsletter: December 12th date range: December 21st through March 20th Send your submissions to newsletter@evergreenuu.org Or submit using this form Send your submissions to newsletter@evergreenuu.org.
The 2022–2023 UU Common Read is Mistakes and Miracles: Congregations on the Road to Multiculturalism by Nancy Palmer Jones and Karin Lin, published by Skinner House Books. The Common Read builds community in our congregations and our movement by giving diverse people a shared platform for reflection and a shared focus for action. What calls Unitarian Universalists to create multicultural, antiracist Beloved Community? What do congregations need when they embark on this journey? What common threads run through their stories? In Mistakes and Miracles, Nancy Palmer Jones and Karin Lin—a white minister and a lay person of color—share how five diverse congregations encounter frustrations and disappointments, as well as hope and wonder, once they commit to the journey. The world has seen much turmoil, pain, and yes, glimmers of hope, in the three years since the publication of Mistakes and Miracles. As we enter a Common Read of this book, we find ourselves receiving its report with a changed spirit, an urgent need, and perhaps new hope for multiculturalism and antiracism work in our congregations and our movement. Today, UU faith communities are grappling with a charge to dismantle white supremacy in ourselves, our communities, and our world. What lessons and inspiration can we find in Mistakes and Miracles to guide our striving for Beloved Community, today? The UU Common Read will begin in late 2022 with a recorded conversation with the authors. If you are starting Mistakes and Miracles now, note that each chapter ends with questions to reflect on learning and experiences around multiculturism and Beloved Community work in your own congregation. Materials for in-person and online gatherings will follow. Visit uua.org/read for more information.
For the 22-23 church year, we're following the Soul Matters Worship Themes. Through this Fall season, we're exploring Belonging, Courage and Change, which are represented in some of the images in this edition of the newsletter. For the upcoming Winter edition, the themes are Wonder, Finding Our Center, and Love. If you're an artist at Evergreen, please consider submitting some visual art or poetry that follow along with those themes for the winter newsletter. Your submissions add a great deal of depth to the newsletter that no stock photo can replace.
UUA 2022-23 Common Read