Earth and Climate Action Ministry (ECAM) had a banner year. We grew from 6 very active members to 10!! Current members of the Steering Committee are Ann Fletcher, John Chmaj, Mark Norelius, Linda Brown, Marilyn Mayers, Jenny Hall, Richard Gelb, Ron Lovell, and Patricia Paddison.
Starting in 2025 Jenny Hall will be the Contact Person for ECAM.
Following the Climate Justice Revival in September, we created an email list called East Shore Climate Community from attendees who indicated they wanted to be notified of activities and topics of interest regarding environmental issues. Email Jenny Hall if you would like to be added to the email list.
Women-Helping-Women, part of East Shore Women’s Perspective, is very pleased to announce the restarting of our monthly meals for The Sophia Way women’s shelter. We had stopped during the pandemic. Our kickoff date was November 21, which was unfortunately during the widespread power outages from the Bomb Cyclone storm. We managed to find a working kitchen to cook and deliver a dinner for 25. The women were very grateful.
In 2025, we will be cooking in the North Room after church on the 2nd Sundays. (Jan 12, Feb.9…..) We welcome more volunteers. It’s lots of fun and very rewarding. Contact Laurie Wick or Connie Hirnle with questions or to sign up to help.
As the election approaches, our nervous systems are riddled with anxiety. To say that these are confusing and uncertain times would be a gross understatement. So much is at stake and yet we must go on with our everyday lives, despite our heavy hearts. Now is the time to remember that we are not alone. Now is the time to be in community, to lay down our burdens, even if temporarily, and accompany one another through these difficult moments.
If any of this resonates with you, I encourage you to join the East Shore Unitarian community on Monday, November 4th and Wednesday, November 6th from 6:00-8:00 pm for our Election Vespers. We will fill our sanctuary with candlelight and meditation as we hold in our hearts our greatest hopes for our democracy and our collective future.
On November 17, our Lummi partner, Phreddie Xwenang Lane (Sul ka dub), will share his experiences bringing people together for healing, hope, honor, joy, and hospitality. Our Share the Plate for the month of November will be offered to Friends of the San Juans, fiscal sponsors in support of Phreddie’s efforts.
In the spirit of Indigenous traditions, we invite you to a potluck after the service, where we will share food and conversation. The Indigenous Connections Team will provide a vegan stew and a veggie chili. Please feel free to bring whatever side dish you would like to share. Contact Lynn Roesch with questions [email protected]
Phreddie has been to East Shore many times on totem pole journeys and as a speaker. East Shore members have supported his and other Lummi efforts at Lummi Nation, helping in the kitchen at Wex’liem House, witnessing ceremonies, and providing canoe journeys with transportation support, equipment, lodging, and ground support. Phreddie is currently organizing the fifth annual Gathering of the Eagles (GOTE), a weeklong tribal canoe journey through the San Juan Islands. Everyone is welcome during all or part of this journey, following the ancestral waterways of the Lummi people. GOTE includes potlatch-style gatherings where people share food, songs, and stories at each island landing.
“Bringing our communities together and sharing cultural heritage strengthens relationships with Indigenous communities and is an intentional commitment to foster respect between communities that call the Salish Sea home. We recognized the shared responsibility to protect the natural world and that we can achieve great things together.” – Friends of the San Juans
We look forward to seeing you at the November 17 service and the potluck immediately after. Please consider a donation in support of GOTE 2025.
The season of gratitude and giving is upon us. The exciting news is that we are able to continue our traditional Giving Tree supporting six local agencies. These agencies need our help more than ever and families need our support as they struggle to make life “normal” and survive.
The tree will be up starting November 13. Elves will be on site to help you with questions and selection!
Our chosen agencies are: Friends of Youth, Hopelink, The Sophia Way, Sound Mental Health, Youth Care and Childhaven (now AKIN). These agencies support youth, families, seniors, and others in need. Of note: Childhaven (AKIN) is not utilizing tags – stay tuned for updates on how to support them!
You have the option of shopping at a store or shop in the comfort of your home! There are four ways to give. Visit the Giving Tree in the foyer of the church and select a tag. Tags vary in amount of value but are generally $25-$35.
Select a tag from the tree – purchase the gift, attach the tag, and return to ESUC by December 8.
Amazon Wish List – Some agencies prefer to use an Amazon Gift list. Look for a tag on the tree indicating that preference. Click on the WishList link for agency you choose to give to, and just as you purchase anything from Amazon, click on your choice and be sure to designate you want it to go to the agency address provided as you go through the ordering process. Because you are sending a gift, you can indicate on the Gift Message that Amazon lets you fill in that you are from East Shore Unitarian Church. RETURN the tag to the church Giving Tree elves or designated box under the tree noting that you have “sent an Amazon gift”. This will help us track how many gifts are sent.
Gift Cards – If you prefer to purchase a Gift Card – Select a tag from the tree that requests a gift card. Return the tag with Gift Card attached to ESUC. The Giving Tree Ministry will sort and deliver to the appropriate agencies.
Monetary Donations – If you prefer to donate money; you can give to East Shore online or mail in a check (12700 SE 32nd Street, Bellevue, WA 98005). In both instances, please put “Giving Tree” in the memo line. The money will be distributed evenly between the six agencies. Please note, all donations go to the East Shore Operating Fund to support programs like Giving Tree and more.
Remember – this is a great opportunity for family giving! We thank you in advance for your generosity to these people in need.
The Giving Tree Ministry team is comprised of Janis Pock (chair), Paula Doe, Kathie Moritis, Milly Mullarky, Marian Hayes, Janet Fleck, Peggy Phillips. Do you want to join our team? Contact Janis Pock at [email protected].
East Shore has just participated in our 30th year of serving homeless men at ESUC through PorchLight – formerly: Congregation for the Homeless (CFH). This program is part of the year-round rotating shelter program giving the men a safe place to sleep, obtain meals (including a hot dinner), laundry, showers, case managers and stability! Typically, every month, the men rotate to a different church on the Eastside. ESUC hosts the men in October.
This year, the approximately 19 men occupied our Education Building from 6:00 pm through 7:30 am each day beginning October 1. They also “stayed in” on Saturday, October 5. PorchLight provided a full-time staff member to be with the men at all times. The men have been kept safe and healthy throughout the year.
ESUC provided cleaning material, toiletries, food for breakfast and lunch. Several members of ESUC volunteered to deliver groceries and supplies to the North Room. Thank you to Priya Vaidyanathan, Chris and Katie Edwards, Beth Wilson, and Don Durenberger! These items were provided by your pledge to ESUC or through generous donations of the shoppers.
Every night the men were provided a hot dinner – ready to go at 6:15 pm each night! ESUC provided meals all month long with some assistance from a few outside contributors. Cheryl Jurrus, Laurie and Jerry Angelo from St. Andrews, Jim and Ellen Minish. The Hyatt of Bellevue provides dinner the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month and the Muslim Community Resource Center (MCRC) provides dinner the fourth Saturday of the month, regardless of where the rotating shelter is located. An exciting new addition this year was the Issaquah Rotary Interact Club – a youth organization – under the leadership of Cammie Allen and Craig Nelson. ESUC dinner providers were represented by covenant circles, individuals, RE program, and families. Thank you to: Pam Thomas and Lee Dorigan, Mike Radow, Mark Norelius and Elaine Richlie, Evelyn and Leroy Smith, Nicole Berthelemy, Eric Horner, Dean Dubofsky and Trish Webb, Jerry Bushnell, Sarah and Rick Bergdahl, Emily Dickinson Extended family, Ramsey-Kerlee Covenant Circle, RE Families, Leta Hamilton, Monday Night Covenant Circle, Azar and Don Hanson, Priya Vaidyanathan and family, Ned Kurabi and friends, Women’s Perspective, David Langrock, Craig Nelsen.
Also, each night, a member from ESUC was present to host the men and assist the dinner providers. Thank you to Carol Sinape, Grace Coulton, Mike Radow, Bert Velasco, Priya Vaidyanathan, Susan McDonald, Rev. María Cristina, Sarah Bergdahl, Azar and Don Bergerson Hanson, Dean Dubofsky, Beth Wilson, and David Baumgart. Many of the hosts were present multiple nights!
A very special thanks go to our ESUC staff. Without their support, it would have been impossible to continue hosting this year. The men were able to “spread out” to various rooms in the Education building, plus utilize the showers and laundry facilities in Spring Hall. Special thanks to Dianne and Rebecca for their assistance, to Celil for his never-ending support in all ways “building”, to Nicole for assistance in publicity, to Rev. María Cristina for her support and providing Host Duties and to Amanda for actively engaging the RE program in multiple ways from dinner to sharing the RE space!
Funding for this ministry is provided through our Operating Fund. Your pledges are important!
As you can see – this is a big project that involves our entire congregation. Thank you to each and every one who was able to help in some capacity!
At the time of this writing, we are still in the midst of our ministry. A more detailed report will follow. Please know your kindness and generosity are so very much appreciated. The ministry team of Priya Vaidyanathan, Doug Strombom, Carole Sinape, Mike Radow, Bert Velasco, Beth Wilson, and Peggy Phillips could not have done this without each of you! Please consider joining our ministry team. The yearly commitment for the Rotating Shelter is quite limited to August and September (preparation) and October when the men are present. We have also begun to provide lunch one day a month on an ongoing basis to the Emergency Men’s Shelter at Eastgate. Many hands make light work and the work is so worthwhile! Peggy Phillips ([email protected]) 425-417-1366 and Mike Radow ([email protected]) 206-326-9436.
A special thank you to Peggy Phillips for organizing this ministry for many years. Your dedication is inspiring!
