Building on East Shore’s Mission to Promote Justice
Sharing the Plate with groups outside of East Shore is nothing new. Starting in January we will connect our giving and relationship building more closely to the efforts of our existing Social Justice Ministry Teams. One Sunday, during most months, we will learn about how the work of a team is making a difference in our community and which organizations our teams encourage us to support with our volunteer time or money.
We seek to encourage a culture of generosity that will nourish and deepen relationships with others outside our walls who are building a better world, believing that the more of us who are involved, the better.
If you would like to learn more about (or join) our reimagined Share the Plate efforts, please contact any team member (Reverend María Cristina, Laurie Wick, Betsy Gelb and Carrie Bowman).
The East Shore Giving Tree concluded on December 10, 2023. Tags, gifts and gift cards were returned to the church and distributed to our six selected agencies: Childhaven, Friends of Youth, Hopelink, Sophia Way, Sound Mental Health, and Youth Care. We started with 190 tags. Your kindness and generosity fulfilled 157 of those wishes. Thirteen tags that were taken may still be returned. We also received $620 in donations plus we maintain a $350 budget line item. The money will be sent to the agencies with unfulfilled requests at $35 a tag plus the remaining money will then be divided up and distributed to the six agencies. You have made a difference in the lives of others.
Here is a message we received from a woman who works at Sound Mental Health, “I work at Sound Mental Health and I wanted to thank you so much for the gifts for our clients that were provided through the Giving Tree. My clients were so grateful to receive these! I saw first-hand the impact of your generosity. We appreciate it!”
Thank you! The Giving Tree Ministry team was comprised of Janis Pock (chair), Sydney Rivera-Gatins, Paula Doe, Kathie Moritis, Milly Mullarky, Marian Hayes, Janet Fleck, and Peggy Phillips. Do you want to join our team? The timing of this Ministry Team is the fall and makes a significant difference in the lives of others. Contact Janis Pock to be added to the team for next year!
Thank you so much for your very generous donations of backpacks valued at $225 to the 28th annual Congregations for Kids’ Good Start Back to School project. Your help made it possible to provide students from low-income families in the Bellevue School District with backpacks and/or home-use school supplies. Some are from families no longer able to make ends meet; some are refugees fromed violence in Central America or war in Ukraine or domestic violence; some are unaccompanied minors or homeless. Specific district student requests for the 2023-24 school year were down to around 2000, a more normal number. We provided 1035 backpacks for students in K, 2nd, 4th, 6th, 9th and 11th. Since the district provided school supplies for classroom use for everyone this year, we no longer needed to provide kits of supplies for those in need. Instead, we provided school supplies to their Family Connections Centers for these students to take home. What is constant since our very first project is that we, with your help, are still helping the students who need it most.
Congregations for Kids is the only organization that works with the Bellevue School District to provide backpacks and home-use school supplies to these children throughout the district. Students in every school except one needed help this year. In six elementary schools, over 40 students were helped; in four middle schools, over 40; and in two high schools, over 40. Numbers of students in various elementary schools needing help ranged from 5 to 198. Since 1996, we have filled over 36,750 requests from the district.
Congregations for Kids, a non-profit interfaith organization, is a program arm of the Eastside Interfaith Social Concerns Council. For your tax-deductible information, our tax ID number is 94-3036001. Our 14-member steering committee consists of volunteers from seven congregations. Our website, www.congregations4kids.org, has updates and photos from this year’s project in mid-August. Please look – you’ll get an idea just how big this project is!
Through your generous gifts, you have helped make it possible for these students to have the backpacks and/or home-use school supplies they needed to have a good start back to school in September. Thank you for showing them that you care about them. On behalf of Congregations for Kids – and all the kids you are helping – thank you so very much!
Sincerely,
Nancy Jacobs
Chair, Congregations for Kids
This year, the Earth and Climate Action Ministry Team (ECAM) plans to partner with our Minister, Rev. Maria Cristina, our Staff, and interested church groups and individuals as we:
LISTEN TO their ideas, concerns, hopes to take care of the earth. We’ll encourage sharing with a few open-ended questions during:
Group meetings we are invited to;
Individual conversations;
A congregant survey.
BASED on ABOVE, SHARE, CONNECT, and OFFER RESOURCES, SERVICES, and PROJECTS.
Collaborate with other groups at the church, local, or global level,
Integrate resources as celebrants at specific themed worship services,
Facilitate an Earth Day Service April 21 and a culminating Earth Celebration event with other interested groups and individuals.
ECAM aims for East Shore’s Mission through:
LOVE of the Earth from which we and all living things evolved and depend– CONSIDER WHAT A LOVING RECIPROCAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN US AND THE EARTH LOOKS LIKE;
SPIRIT of known and unknown forces of Nature that create and sustain everything–BE OPEN TO LEARNING TOGETHER;
COMMUNITY of the interdependent web of all the earth’s elements and life–COLLABORATE WITH EACH OTHER AND NATURE in MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL WAYS;
JUSTICE as good stewards who heal and enhance our relationships–DO WHAT WE CAN TO TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER AND OUR HOME, THE EARTH.
We shared our plan and began our outreach at the newly formed Collaborative Justice Council on November 6. We will invite ALL of YOU to exchange ideas. To schedule a listening session please contact: Kristi Weir [email protected]
Imagine, Learn, and Take Action with Earth & Climate Ministry
“Imagine the air as the earth’s skin. It is amazingly thin compared with the size of the planet. This air layer is far thinner than the skin of an apple compared with its diameter. Underneath it lies ocean and rock, and upon that rock, lies a wee bit of soil and greenery. Yet inside this fluctuating layer of air, between a rock and a cold place, all life is protected and nourished.” –Adapted from Per Epson Stokes
East Shore has just participated in our 29th 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, about 15 men occupied our Sanctuary and North Room from 6:00 pm through 8:00 am each night beginning September 29. They also “stayed in” on Saturdays, October 7 and 21. 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. The men were able choose from cereal, yogurt, protein bars, snacks, fresh fruit, etc. Several members of ESUC volunteered to deliver groceries and supplies to the North Room. Thank you to Marty Wilhelm, Laurie Wick, Priya Vaidyanathan, Maureen Campbell, Tom and Kristi Weir 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 each night! ESUC provided meals all month long with some assistance from a few outside contributors. Cheryl Jurrus, Andrea Feist from St Andrews Lutheran Church; 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. ESUC dinner providers were represented by covenant circles, individuals, RE program, the Choir, and families. Thank you to: Karen Ramsahai, Mike Radow, Eric Horner, Sarah and Rick Bergdahl, Ramsey-Kerlee Covenant Circle, RE Families, Leta Hamilton, Pam Monger & friends, Deborah Boehm-Davis and Stu Davis, Andrea Kline and the Silver Glen group, Monday Night Covenant Circle, Emily Dickinson Extended Family, Bob Weiss, Laurie Wick and Evelyn and LeRoy Smith, Ann Carlstrom, Azar Bergerson Hanson, Priya Vaidyanathan, Dushyant Giniya, Katie Gill, ESUC Choir, David Langrock and family, and Craig Nelson.
Also, each night, a member from ESUC was present to host the men and assist the dinner providers. Thank you to Doug and Amanda Strombom, Grace Colton, Mike Radow, Bert Velasco, Priya Vaidyanathan, Susan McDonald, Carol Sinape, Rev, María Cristina, Caroline Haessly, Sarah Bergdahl, Azar Bergerson Hanson, Beth Wilson, and Margot Horn. 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. Through their support, we were able to move the men from Spring Hall to our Sanctuary building. The men were able to continue using the showers and laundry facilities in Spring Hall. Special thanks to Dianne and Rebecca for spearheading the adjustment, 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 breakfast, etc.!
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, Ralph Lutz, Milly Mullarky, and Peggy Phillips could not have done this without each of you! Please consider joining our ministry team for October of 2024! We would very much like to hear from you. We are happy to answer questions about the program. The yearly commitment is quite limited to August and September (preparation) and October when the men are present. Many hands make light work and the work is so worthwhile!
Porchlight Dinner
If you would like to hear and learn more about PorchLight, consider signing up for their annual luncheon and fundraiser at: Bellevue Homeless Shelter – CFH (porchlightcares.org). Some members from ESUC will be attending.
Thank you for your support! Contact Peggy Phillips with questions.
The season of gratitude and giving is upon us. The exciting news is that we are able to continue our traditional Giving Tree supporting 6 local agencies. These agencies need our help more than ever and families need our support as they struggle to make life “normal” and survive.
Our Giving Tree decorated with tags is coming back to the foyer of our church! The tree will be up starting November 8. Elves will be on site to help you with questions and selection!
Our 6 chosen agencies are: Childhaven, Friends of Youth, Hopelink, The Sophia Way, Sound Mental Health, Youth Care. These agencies support youth, families, seniors, and others in need.
You have the option of shopping at a store or shop in the comfort of your home! There are four ways to give. In either case: Step 1: Visit the Giving Tree in the foyer of the church and select a tag. All tags and “gifts” to be returned by December 10. 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 10, 2023.
Amazon Wish List – Some agencies prefer to use an Amazon Gift list. Look for a tag on the tree indicating that preference. Go to 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 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 here 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), Sydney Rivera-Gatins, Paula Doe, Kathie Moritis, Milly Mullarky, Marian Hayes, Janet Fleck, Peggy Phillips. Do you want to join our team? Contact Janis Pock.
