EUUF Info & Choir News ............. 2 Connection Page ........................... 3 From the Minister ......................... 4 Committee Updates ....................... 5 Evergreen's Offerings ..................... 6 From Mission Planning Team ........7 Full Week Faith ............................. 8 Children & Youth .......................... 8 UUA, Holidays and Days of Observance .................................... 9 Miscellaneous ..................Back Page
Late Winter 2021 | Covers January 31st through March 21st
please e-mail newsletteR@evergreenuu.org for a print copy
from the minister - on page 4
Newsletter
During the most recent worship series, I mentioned the congregational practice of “faithful risking.” It’s the congregations that take collective risks - guided by who they know themselves to be and what’s important to them - that achieve magnificent things. And it’s our newfound articulated clarity about ourselves and what’s important to us that offers some safe boundaries for those risks - allowing us an arena of boldness rooted in our clear understanding that (on these things at least) we are on the same page.
Have you appreciated participating in Evergreen but would like to become more a part of the Fellowship? Then please get in touch with Pastor Tom to talk about how to make that happen! We'll be scheduling a workshop soon and we want to make sure that your name is on the list of folks to notify!
Evergreen
Joining in our fellowship
Table of contents
We have many of the sermon portions of worship services recorded and posted to our SoundCloud account - you do not need to have an account to listen! Find recorded past sermons at www.evergreenuu.org, and from the Worship tab choose 'Past Sermons'. You will be directed to a page that looks like the image below.
past sermons
pastoral associates are available by phone or e-mail, or zoom. contact them at pastoralassociates@evergreenuu.org resources and needs survey
From the writer's group...
AN ODE TO THE ALLIUMS by Marilyn Bosckis The onion, of course, is ubiquitous; though some may think it iniquitous. It may make you cry, but if you give it a fry until golden you’ll find it delicious. Onion’s snootier cousin the shallot needs to be ticked on your ballot. It cooks mellow and creamy with a flavor that’s dreamy and sits lightly on anyone’s palate. Garlic, or allium sativum, is culinary platinum It may lurk on your breath, but to delay your death a clove every day is a minimum. Consider the elegant leek whose flavor is mild but not meek. It may seem nouveau riche in a soup or a quiche; most agree the flavor’s unique. Chives are eaten stem and blossom, attractive wherever you toss ’em. Top your eggs with snips or stir them into dips, and on baked potatoes they are awesome Scallions or onions, spring or green, are all the same on the cooking scene. Slice them fresh into a salad. Pep up any dish that’s pallid,. They are popular in Cantonese cuisine. January 2021
news from common ground choir
Your Common Ground continues to supply meaningful music for our ongoing virtual services. We have learned much, adapted and revamped our way of doing things, and so far, we have maintained and nourished our energy to “sing, sing a song”. Guest Author and Musician Earlier this month at one of our choir meetings via Zoom, we welcomed a very special guest, Amanda Udis-Kessler. She is the author of Rebuilding, a poem now set to a Bach chorale melody that the choir is working on. Amanda is a talented poet and musician who has generously offered her work for free use during these difficult pandemic times. It was wonderful to have her visit our choir and have the opportunity to talk with her about her inspiration, intention and performance ideas for this anthem. Watch for Rebuilding to be played at the February 28th service. The choir’s version of another favorite, Building Bridges, is coming up on February 21st. New Songs for the Congregation We are also preparing a couple of songs designed to teach to the congregation and ultimately be included in the repertoire of songs sung during the services: 2 Shaker Songs, featuring Simple Gifts and Love Is Little, the former is well known by the congregation and the latter is new. A UU Prayer – the words are adapted from the Prayer of St. Francis by Mari Budlong and kids. They are set to a melody by Sebastian Temple which has been adapted to fit the words. I believe you’ll really enjoy learning this song and adding it to your regular service repertoire. Open Invitation Lastly, I would like to extend and open invitation to anyone who would like to join the choir for a song or two – no long or short term commitment required. You can be invited to have access to Soundtrap where practice tracks are waiting for you. When you’re ready you can add your own track to the mix becoming part of the corporate sound. It’s the new way to experience singing in a group. If you are interested, send me a message and I will send you an invitation to Soundtrap. Mini tutorials on how to navigate and use Soundtrap are also available. The operative word is SAVE, SAVE, SAVE. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My thanks to the choir for their unwavering, steadfast, stalwart commitment to making beautiful music together. They are truly super heroes. Kathleen
connection page
slack Tips & Tricks
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.)
Late winter 2021
Join the #slack-help channel to explore some tips and tricks on how to make the most out of Slack. There are some new resources posted on how notifications work and how to change your notification settings. There are some useful tips in there for beginners as well as more advanced Slack users. The #slack-help channel is a great place to post if you need some help navigating or troubleshooting Slack.
January 31st - March 21st 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 the Rev. Tom Bozeman BOARD PRESIDENT Fred Haist boardpresident@evergreenuu.org BOARD OF TRUSTEES board@evergreenuu.org OFFICE ADMIN Alli Curtis administrator@evergreenuu.org RELIGIOUS EDUCATOR Mari Budlong redirector@evergreenuu.org NEWSLETTER newsletter@evergreenuu.org
The committee on the ministry
Now that Evergreen has a new Mission Statement, it is time for the congregation to decide how it wants to put that new mission into practice. The Board of Trustees seek feedback from the congregation on the open questions for 2020-2021. While we do not have a concrete date for the first open question, we will set it soon. But to prepare for the open question, please be thinking about "what one or two efforts should we as a congregation focus our energy and resources to fulfill our Mission?" Keep that question in mind and watch out for dates for the 2020-2021 Open Questions Cafe.
update from the treasurer
open questions cafe 2020 - 2021
The Evergreen Unitarian Universalist Fellowship has a new Mission Statement! The words that were approved at the special Congregational Meeting - set to a graphic created by our Office Administrator, Alli Curtis - are these: Taken together, that Mission Statement and the Core Values, Bedrock Beliefs, and Motivating Vision on which we collaborated over this past year can be called the “basic umbrella of congregational life” here at Evergreen. During the most recent worship series, I mentioned the congregational practice of “faithful risking.” It’s the congregations that take collective risks - guided by who they know themselves to be and what’s important to them - that achieve magnificent things. And it’s our newfound articulated clarity about ourselves and what’s important to us that offers some safe boundaries for those risks - allowing us an arena of boldness rooted in our clear understanding that (on these things at least) we are on the same page. The fact that Evergreen has articulated our Values, Beliefs, Vision, and Mission means that we have clear common reference points that can serve as the foundation for Empowered leadership: Whenever I, the staff, the Board, or any other leaders in the congregation want to try something, we can easily check whether it fits within what the congregation has already articulated. Planning or strategy: Rather than an extensive strategic planning process, the Board has just two Open Questions (that build on our work this past year) for the congregation this Spring to guide us into these next 2-7 years at Evergreen. All spontaneity: Having taken the time to get clear about who we are and what we’re about, we can much more easily take action from the same common understanding and support each other in doing so. That’s why it’s incredibly important that we revisit them every year for a tune-up and overhaul them no less than every seven years - so that we can stay confident enough about what we’re on the same page about to be able to be bold in our risking together. The old adage that “actions speak louder than words” is true in a way - but it is no less important to articulate our experiences of Unitarian Universalism that motivate our good deeds. It is true that doing a good thing is good on its own. But when it is clear that good deed is motivated by a nourishing lifestyle, it becomes all the more invaluable - and attractive to others! Let us continue with the good that we do. And let us also be vocally clear with ourselves, with one another, and with the world at large the wellsprings from which our doing arises. In faith, Pr. Tom 774.353.0523 (m)
from the minister
Meet with Pastor Tom
To schedule a phone/virtual meeting, go to calendly.com/therevtombozeman. Or, if something urgent comes up, you can always call/text him at 774-353-0523.
We have closed out the calendar year and completed 6 months of the fiscal year. If your email is registered with EUUF your Year-end tax statement has been emailed. If not, you will receive it by mail. Out of $161,040 pledged, we have $89,970.51 in pledge receipts at year end. $71,069.49 remains by the end of the fiscal year in June. Total revenues YTD are $105,876.69, which is $6,138.69 more than budgeted. Expenses YTD are $90,581.01, which is $14,084.99 less than budgeted.Revenues have exceeded expenses YTD by $20,654.87. Kindly, Ryan Weber – EUUF Treasurer
The Committee on the Ministry would like to introduce our committee and let you know who we are and what we do. Our role is to monitor the health of the various ministries of the congregation, assess how our ministries are going, and inform, advise, & consult with those involved to support them in working together to fulfill our mission. We’re excited in this new year to assist you in making the best of all Evergreen’s ministries! The Committee on the Ministry is currently comprised of Elaine Clark, Mike Mallory, Paul Miller and Pastor Tom. Contact information for each of us is in the Evergreen directory.
The annual pledge campaign starts Sunday, March 14, 2021. You will want to adjust your clocks by an hour forward due to Daylight Savings Time so you will not miss the exciting kickoff to this event. Last year a chocolate fountain provided by Stewardship Committee member Dan Hall was to be the highlight of the day. The pandemic upset that cascade of sweetness, but who knows what delights might happen on-line this year. Instructions will be provided how to make a pledge. The campaign runs until April 11th with the funds collected in the new church year, July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. What better way to greet the coming of Spring than by funding the continued health and growth of our Evergreen Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Now More Than Ever.
now more than ever
Sunday, February 28th is our next Split Plate Offering and the recipient organization is Sharing Wheels! Sharing Wheels Community Bike Shop in Everett is a non-profit organization dedicated to “connecting donated bikes to people who need wheels.” Started in 2002 by a small band of bike enthusiasts, Sharing Wheels has provided refurbished used bicycles to thousands of adults and children through our programs and bike sales. Low-income people, DIY-tinkerers, and basic bike geeks all benefit from their open community bike shop policy. Sharing Wheels received so many bike donations over the holidays that they've run out of space! It costs $25 to $75 in new parts and labor to refurbish a donated kid or adult bike. Financial contributions help with the purchase of these new parts. You can also help by volunteering in their shop. Fill out their volunteer form here if you're interested.
Book Discussion Group - Last Wednesday of the month 7:15 - 8:45 pm February 24th "Before We Were Yours" by Lisa Wingate "A poignant, engrossing tale about sibling love and the toll of secrets." a near-perfect novel set in Memphis 1939 Contact Michelle Valentine for more information. EUUF Writer's Night - February 10th (2nd Wednesdays), 6:30-8 pm Join in an evening of sharing your written works. Non-writers are welcome; the last part of the meeting will be dedicated to workshop / sharing writing techniques, methods and inspiration. Join Zoom Meeting. Contact Orient Coleman or Jen Broadway for more information. Big Questions - 2nd and 4th Fridays, from 7-9 pm Join here to discuss fundamental questions in philosophy. The questions take the Socratic form, “What is …?” What is justice? What is truth? What is it to be spiritual? All are welcome. Contact Desmond Smith for more information. Men's Circle - 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. Women Investigating, Supporting, and Experiencing Wednesday, February 24th (4th Wednesdays) from Noon - 1:30 pm If you will be 60 or older this church year, please join us for lively conversation and lots of laughter! Throughout the year we will explore topics and activities pertaining to this age and stage of our lives, so join in when you can. Be ready for reflection, learning, growing, and FUN! Contact Sarah Taylor for more information. Common Ground Choir 3rd Thursdays, from 7-8:30 pm The choir has been rehearsing via Zoom meetings held on Thursdays at 7 p.m. If you would like to join us, please contact Kathleen at kathleengoff@comcast.net. All are welcome. We have also been rehearsing with practice audio files which can then be added to tracks on SoundTrap. This way we can still provide music for the virtual services and maintain our identity as a choir and as worship leaders. This is a valuable tool which we will continue to use even after things get back to the "new normal". Sunday Afternoon Covenant Circle February 28th (4th Sundays), from Noon-1:30 Curious about Covenant Circles.... Want to build community and lasting friendships with UU’s, while exploring spirituality and life’s meaning in a small group ministry setting? Every 4th Sunday come join us for The Sunday Afternoon Covenant Circle and see what they are all about! Sally Malan and Kelli Sparks, Co-Leaders Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 275 674 184 Passcode: 067957
news from the mission planning team
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
Split Plate Offering Highlight
evergreen's offerings
On Sunday, January 24, 2021, Evergreen held a special Congregational Meeting to adopt a new Mission Statement. It was the culmination of a year-long process during which we journeyed together as a Fellowship to take stock of what we value and believe as a congregation, of what motivates us and what we see as ours to do together in the coming years. The adoption of the capstone of this process - our new Mission Statement - was overwhelmingly approved by the 41 eligible voters present (38 Yes, 1 Abstain): Over this past year, the Fellowship as a whole invested serious time, thought, energy and commitment into every step of the process; Congregants and Friends offered the hospitality of their homes to host Focus and Discussion Groups for folks to engage in thoughtful, small group conversations on our values, beliefs, visions, and other topics. We gathered for luncheons and discussions after Sunday Services and had small group Zoom conversations integral to Pastor Tom’s sermons as part of our engagement in the discernment of our future together as a Fellowship. You sent in your thoughts, your ideas, your visions; the Planning Team disseminated them widely for everyone to consider; you thoughtfully participated in discussions over Slack and later in synthesizing exercises to arrive at consensus. All during this time, the Planning Team witnessed so many vulnerable, honest, and open conversations about what Evergreen means to us. Folks listened to each other with attentiveness and empathy, re-awakening their interconnectedness, demonstrating courage and compassion during these difficult times, and striving to dream about their visions for the future. It has been a very powerful and important experience for many of you - as it also has been for us. The Planning Team would like to take this opportunity to thank the Board and the entire Fellowship for their ongoing support and encouragement over this year as we have carried out the charge entrusted to us. It has been our privilege and our honor to see this task to completion. We are truly grateful to you for your respectful and appreciative participation in the process. To the extent that you added your voice to the vision of promise and possibility for Evergreen’s future, the entire process has been that much more representative and inclusive. In this significant time in our larger world, we look forward to making this Mission Statement a reality…to making it part of how we live our Congregational life, make our Congregational decisions, plan for our Congregational future. We have much to be thankful for and much to look forward to in the months ahead. You have all made that possible with your patience, dedication, and generous spirit. Thank you for all you have contributed to make this such a meaningful process. The Mission Planning Team Ann Kelleher Karen Winchell Nancy Miller Marijo Duprey Sally Malan Laurel Nisler
Q: What do you call a bear with no teeth? A: A Gummy Bear
playing with the season
These resources and ideas are tied to the theme and offer ways for you to engage with the worship series throughout the week.
Valentine's Day isn't necessarily about loving others - and loving ourselves manifests in so many ways. One of them may be a continuing journey of recovery from addiction and/or substance abuse. This book "offers a short, daily experience to help bring readers back to their spiritual center in the daily moments of struggle and questioning."
UUA news, holidays & days of observance
Books / Poetry The Kindness Method by Shahroo Izadi The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo Life Doesn't Frighten Me by Maya Angelou Something to Do by David Lucas Groundhug Day by Anne Marie Pace Love by Matt de la Peña This Is Not A Valentine by Carter Higgins Movement KeralaTourism.org shares how to do Dhanurasana, Bow Pose - from their website: Lie down flat on your abdomen. Ensure that your forehead is placed against the floor and that your legs are close together. Bend your legs at the knees and bring your feet up behind you. Stretch your arms backward and grasp your ankles. Inhale. Lift your head off the ground and simultaneously lift your thighs upwards. Your body should be arching upwards now. Maintain the posture for 10 seconds at the outset. As you practice, you can increase the timing to about one minute. Craft / Activity Good old-fashioned Valentine's Day cards- take some time to slow down and put some time into a few cards for those you love. What better way to show your love than a handmade card, and what better year to show someone you love them than this year of relative isolation and virtual gatherings?
January's theme in class was Racism. JW shared this virtual classroom, and included in the lessons stories about principled children, youth and adults who raise awareness about and stand up against racism. Evergreen children and youth contributed words they learned to create this word cloud, and they determined bringing our RE library more up-to-date with newer books on racism/anti-racism would be a good service project. The Children & Youth decided they wanted to donate the $83 collected from Trick-or-Treat for Change to the Marysville Community Food Bank. Thank you, Evergreen UU!!
Children & Youth
2021 UUA Virtual General Assembly registration now open!
PNW Regional assembly 2021: Love right through
GA is the largest annual gathering of Unitarian Universalists. It provides opportunity to build deep connections, worship, engage in faith development, participate in innovative learning and collaboration. This year, General Assembly will be completely virtual. Registration for GA 2021 is $200 per person Financial support for registration as well as a payment plan are available. June 23-27, 2021 https://www.uua.org/ga/registration
February 14th – Valentine's Day - celebrate by donating to and supporting the Side with Love Campaign February 17th – National Random Acts of Kindness Day First Wednesday in February (3rd for 2021)– National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD) First Friday in March (5th for 2021) - National Day of Unplugging March 20th - National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
This has been a difficult year and we have done many things to Love Right Through all the challenges. Join us for an afternoon of celebrating our accomplishments and challenges with sharing from spotlighted congregations. Engage with small groups around shared identity and how that impacts church and life. Hear what is happening for good in the world and opportunities yet to come. Regional Assembly will run from 12 pm- 5 pm (Pacific) Saturday, February 13th, opening with a lively celebration, welcoming, and congregational spotlights before a break headed into identity-based discussion groups and back for collective sharing and more celebration. The Pacific Western Region encompasses 4 districts, each of which may gather during the weekend as well. Register once & stay informed. Mountain Desert District will host a Saturday morning business meeting, and Pacific Northwest District will gather socially at that time. Other districts are still determining details. Register Now!
Since we’ve all been pushed to move everything online over the last year due to COVID, it can be difficult to keep track of all the different logins and sites we use to stay connected. Here is a helpful recap of all the platforms we use to do what we do that require a personal account and login: The online Evergreen directory through IconCMO Through the online directory you can view contact information for other members & friends of Evergreen, update your contact information, as well as check your contribution statements. This requires a personal login for your household to access the directory. Access is setup by the office administrator. Slack We use Slack to communicate and stay in the loop on various happenings at Evergreen. Committees and groups use it to replace lengthy email chains when planning or discussing anything. There are several channels you can be a part of like #joys-and-sorrows, #grounds, #social-action, and #writers-group to name a few. To join our private workspace you need an invite link to get started. Contact the Office Administrator, Alli to join. Online Giving through Vanco Payment Solutions While you don't need to create an account for one time donations through our Online Giving portal, if you wish to set up recurring donations, you do. The benefit in creating an account is being able to quickly access your donation receipts, update your billing information and being able to start and stop your recurring donations as needed. Google Docs & Google Drive If you're involved in a committee or team at Evergreen, then you probably have a google account to access and use Google Docs and the Google Drive. We use this platform for sharing and collaborating on documents like the worship schedule, board agenda, Order of Service, and even newsletter submissions. If you have trouble keeping track of your passwords, you can try a password manager like LastPass. It's free to use, secure and you only have to remember one password. Once you save a password in LastPass, it remembers it across all your devices. Or you can go with a more analog approach with a non-digital password notebook like this.
Faith Action network's interfaith advocacy day 2021
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.
EUUF Calendar
what's my password?
submission deadline for Early Spring newsletter: March 14th date range: March 21st through May 2nd Send your submissions to newsletter@evergreenuu.org Or submit using this form Send your submissions to newsletter@evergreenuu.org
February 11th, 9:00 AM through 12:00 PM, Online (Once registered, a Zoom link will be emailed to you before the event.) FAITH ACTION NETWORK’s Virtual Interfaith Advocacy Day brings voices of compassion and justice to our elected leaders. We partner for the common good with people of faith and conscience who stand up boldly for our shared values. Meet virtually with your legislators and their staff, and put your faith into action! Register Now! On Interfaith Advocacy Day, you will be able to: Join workshops that will break down the issues on FAN's 2021 Legislative Agenda Learn how to most effectively advocate in today’s legislature Meet with advocates from your legislative district to prepare for your legislative visits Meet with your legislator! Once you register, FAN will set up an appointment for you and others from your district Links will be provided in advance for the main program as well as legislator meetings. Please be sure to register by February 5 - we cannot guarantee that we will have legislator appointments scheduled for you after that date.