In-Person Gathering Needs
– Rev. Nancy Reid-McKee, Minister
The current hope is that we will celebrate our In-gathering service on Sept. 12 as our first in-person gathering since March 2020.
One of the great lessons of these pandemic months has been that people wishing to attend church have had better access to Northlake when Zooming into a service was an option. We want to continue to make all our services accessible to as many folk as we can.
Beginning with this first service we will be hybrid, meaning we will have cameras and screens set up so people who have been joining us over zoom can still use that as a way to connect.
We will have a TV screen on the stage so people in the building can see those zooming in. We will also have cameras set up around the sanctuary so those on Zoom can see all parts of the service.
This will help address access to our morning service for those of us with mobility or some specific health issues, but we are aware that there are other things that might limit access. If you have a disability that limits your participation, would you please let Rev. Nancy know? We might be able to find a way to change things for the better if we know ahead of time!
Our Northlake Executive Cabinet is Your Conduit to the Board
– Diane D. and Ellie P.
Late last year, when the Governance Task Force (GTF) was in the early months of its work, one of the aspects of governance we wanted to learn about was how to empower people so they could easily get their proposals, wishes, requests, and concerns to the Board of Trustees. We wanted a simple method available to everyone. Then, when we met with the leaders of the Cascade UUF of Wenatchee, we got several tips in the good advice we followed up on. They explained that they had created a structure for people to routinely access church leaders to tell them what was on their minds in a close and upon demand” manner.
We immediately realized that we already had a mechanism for people to get proposals, requests, and concerns to the Board of Trustees without needing to attend a board meeting or write up a proposal or lobby. Rev. Nancy had already established and been working with what was referred informally to as an executive committee. The Governance Task Force set about writing a governance document to transform the committee into an Executive Cabinet with a new charter and list of responsibilities including the “on demand community portal” for Northlake. The Cabinet meets about a week ahead of Board meetings to, in-part, set up the meeting agenda.
On May 5, 2021 the Board voted to adopt the charter formally recognizing the Executive Cabinet and its specific duties. So now what does this mean if you want to bring something to the Board and President, Ellie Peterson. To do so first contact the Ellie for guidance about having a spot on the agenda and the date and time of the next meeting. The Executive Cabinet is charged with working with you to determine where, to whom, and how to respond to you. Please include whether you want your information or request on the Board of Trustees discussion agenda or if Rev. Nancy should be involved, and what else is needed. Thank you for taking the time to read this article. The Governance Task Force is Chris K, Elaine S, and Diane D.
If you have questions, please write to [email protected].
Line 3
– Rev. Nancy Reid-McKee, Minister
I recently returned from a trip to Northern Minnesota where I joined over 100 Unitarian Universalist clergy and 2000 activists in the Treaty People Gathering. The Indigenous peoples of the area had called folk to come witness the damage to their treaty lands, violation of agreements made, and this escalated threat to the rivers and streams that are the headwaters for the Mississippi.
In our church and community, one of our focus issues in addressing climate change is around extraction and continued use of fossil fuels. I don’t need to explain the concerns as most of you have read a lot about this and come to your own conclusions. And yet, a company such as Enbridge that builds these pipelines, and companies that fund and insure them, continue to make enough money to override the moral call to protect land, honor treaty rights and save our waterways.
While I was there over 300 protestors were arrested as they chained themselves to structures and machines. Now the local law enforcement agencies are targeting the camps where activists have been living (some for years!), and blocking the driveway to their home.
Just as Standing Rock became a focus of attention for the disregard of indigenous land and threat to water, Line 3 is much the same. I urge all of you to learn more about this effort and support the work to protect our precious planet.
Care For Yourself
– Rev. Nancy Reid-McKee, Minister
As of July 1st, COVID restrictions from the state have been removed. Yet the pandemic is not over, and may escalate with the new variants. So we continue to move into the future with uncertainty and a sense of unease. And so my beloved community, I urge you to pay attention to your self.
First, be aware of how you respond to this sudden lifting of masks and isolation. Some of us will find it difficult to be in social situations once again, after 14 months of being in some form of quarantine. Be easy on yourself. You may find yourself overwhelmed, with feelings of disconnection. You may be ambivalent about interacting with groups again. Pay attention and be gracious with yourself.
And also know that others are experiencing similar feelings and understandings. They may over-respond in situations that are no longer easy. Expect that people will behave in surprising ways.
Also, please stay aware that the pandemic is not over, and especially not for so many of us who cannot or will not be vaccinated. Our young folk do not have access to the vaccine. Those of us with immuno-compromising conditions do not have access to the vaccine. This means family members have to maintain a higher level of caution so they don’t bring the virus into the household. Please be aware of how it must feel to constantly ask people around them to wear masks, as they are trying to protect those they love.
What does love look like in a pandemic? It looks like staying aware of ourselves, of others, and, when in doubt, wear a mask.
Joys & Concerns
This summer our Sunday morning services will all be with the Puget Sound Worship Collaborative. This means we have the joy of sharing leaders from the Saltwater UU Church and Tahoma UU Congregation, along with our Northlake leaders. But it also means, due to the larger size, we will not have a space in the service for sharing Joys & Concerns.
We still care! Please, please send your personal joys and concerns to Rev. Nancy ([email protected]) or Diane F so we know what is happening in your life and can share in the care and love.
July birthdays
Indy M 9th
Daniel P 14th
Paul P 14th
Sasha T 21st
Sonja A 25th