News

Wednesday, December 3, 7 p.m. in the UUC chapel

Drop off your donations December 9-21 at the tree in the lower-level atrium

Monday, December 15, 6–8 p.m. in Nathan Johnson Hall

Thursday, December 11, 7:00–8:45 p.m. in the Knatvold room

Register your child for this winter's ceremony via UUC Connect by Tuesday, December 16 Child Dedication Ceremonies will be held during the services on December 21

Registration is still open for the Break Barriers, Build Beliefs workshop on Saturday, December 6, 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

Worship services at 9:30 and 11:15 a.m. in the chapel and via live stream

Sunday, December 21, Family Solstice Services at 9:30 and 11:15 a.m.

~Shared by Rev. Victoria Poling Rev. Michael J. Crumpler, UUA LGBTQ and Multicultural Programs Director On Thursday, November 25th, a post appeared on my Facebook timeline that read, “The U.S. Government will not be commemorating World AIDS Day this year.” As is my practice to never overreact to what I see on social media, I immediately began to scour the internet for published guidance directly from the government and found nothing. I assumed that since the post originated from a well-known AIDS activist, he probably received the information earlier than the general public. While I await the official guidance to become public, I figured it was the perfect time to draft my annual World AIDS Day reflection. On Wednesday, November 24th, it was announced that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, was dissolved. As World AIDS Day approaches, it’s impossible not to consider its impact on the world of AIDS. Of the many irresponsible cuts exacted by DOGE, the halting of PEPFAR has been the most destructive. From February to July, experts report more than 330,000 deaths worldwide due to AIDS-related illness. In essence, the richest man in the world is responsible for the hundreds of thousands of deaths of the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world. For what? The answer to this question is deeply complicated—and also not very complicated at all. [Continue reading Rev. Crumpler's reflection] If you or someone you love is in need of care and monthly support from a UU Trans/Nonbinary Pastoral Care Program, please visit The Woodlands , for more information.

Wednesday, December 3, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. in Knatvold and via Zoom

Drop off your donations December 9–21 at the tree in the lower-level atrium

Wednesday, December 17, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. by appointment i n Nathan Johnson Hall

Worship service at 9:30 a.m. only in the chapel and via live stream

Whether or not you can attend the workshop, please complete the B4 survey by Sunday, November 30  Register now for the Break Barriers, Build Beliefs ("B4") workshop on Saturday, December 6, 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

Saturday, December 6, 7 p.m. and Saturday, December 13, 3 p.m.

Do you draw, paint, make prints, or take artistic photos? Do you create collages or fabric art? Do you make other forms of 2-dimensional art? The UUC Art Committee invites you to participate in our upcoming Members’ Art Show. This is your chance to show off your talents and share your work with others in our church community. Here’s how it works: church members and friends may submit one or two pieces to be hung as part of a group exhibit in the Chapel Gallery. The art should be prepared to hang on the wall. The acceptable size range runs from small (8 by 10 inches) to quite large (5 feet wide by 7 feet high). If you are interested, please register now. Artists may get the Artist Information and Agreement Form by contacting Rhona Jack ( jackrmj@comcast.net ) or Jan Hood ( janloreyhood@gmail.com ), or pick one up in the church office. Bring the completed form and your artwork to church on Saturday morning, January 10, 2026, between 9:30 and 10:15 a.m. We’ll check you in, and the Art Committee will take care of the rest. We’ll host a reception for all of our artists on Sunday afternoon, January 11 . The exhibit will hang until February 20. Plan on picking up up your pieces on the morning on Saturday, February 21. For more information, contact the Art Committee Co-Chairs as listed above. We’re excited to see and display the amazing creativity within our congregation!

Sunday, December 7, meet the artist at 12:15 p.m.; reception 1–3 p.m.

Help us make our chapel festive for the holidays!

Friday, December 5, 6–8 p.m. in Knatvold and via Zoom

Saturday, December 6, 2–4 p.m. in the Knatvold room

Sunday, December 28, 2025, 2:30 p.m. to Thursday, January 01, 2026, 11:45 a.m.

Sunday, November 23, during coffee hours, in NJH UUC's Social Justice Steering Committee (SJSC) met recently to begin its review of proposals for congregation-wide action discussed at last month's Social Justice REVIVAL and potluck. The event was attended by nearly 40 congregants, and generated a variety of exciting ideas as well as tasty chili dishes. Our committee will gather again next month, continue its deliberations, and perhaps return to the congregation with a proposed plan for 2026. One idea that garnered enthusiasm at the REVIVAL was a proposal to partner with neighboring Eckstein Middle School, where a large fraction of students live in lower-income households and need material support. Attendees also expressed interest in mutual aid (rather than charity) as an organizing principle. Specifically, there seemed to be a desire to create (recreate?) a program within the church for congregants to help one another meet various needs—from transportation to clothing, from yard work to meals. SJSC members will be at one of the Learning Stations in Nathan Johnson Hall this Sunday to hear more from congregants about how we all might engage in mutual aid at UUC. Please stay tuned. In the meantime, you can email any questions or comments to Walter Hatch or Catherine Ruha. (See UUC Connect.) Background: SJSC had been hearing concerns that social justice programming at UUC was flagging and/or operating within narrow silos. We met with members of social justice teams, who encouraged us to help the congregation identify projects that the church as a whole might undertake. In response, we hosted the Social Justice REVIVAL and potluck on October 11. We are still deliberating next steps, and are hosting the November 23 Learning Station during coffee hour to gather more feedback.

The time between and after our services is a time for connecting: greeting new friends and catching up with old ones, sharing a treat and time for relaxed, informal conversation. One of the wonderful things about our Coffee and Conversation time (a.k.a coffee hour) is that it is a multi-age, multi-generational experience. I love getting to see children at UUC weaving through the adults, finding a treat and playing with one another, as well as saying hello and talking with adults and elders. Many of them seem to feel a sense of comfort and ownership at church, that I remember from my own childhood congregation, where I knew that I belonged and that there were a lot of adults looking out for me. As beautiful as this all is, intergenerational community experiences don’t come without their challenges. Our tables and chairs aren’t really built for kids, and they often need help getting up and down. And, as adept as many kids are at moving through crowds, they often move quickly or unpredictably, and this can be a safety concern—especially for those who are a little less sure on their feet. So, starting this Sunday, we are going to experiment with having a Kids’ Corner in Nathan Johnson Hall. This space will have a couple of child-sized tables and chairs, a shelf with some books and art materials, and a rug to play on. It’s set up in the southwest corner of the room, where there's lots of light and children can watch people come and go from church (a spot some of them play in already!) The Kids’ Corner will include options for creative play that encourage community development and are connected to our monthly themes. To be clear, having the Kids’ Corner set up does not mean children will be relegated there during Coffee and Conversation. Lots of children will still enjoy standing or sitting with their parents and other adults after the service. But, it does mean they have a spot to hang out when they’re done with that, and options for play that don’t create a safety concern. Hopefully, this will mean that parents and kids alike can relax a little more after the services and focus on connecting with others and enjoying time together at church. Check out the Kids Corner starting this Sunday, November 23! See you on Sunday - -Aria Curtis, Director of Family Ministry

Sunday, November 23

Worship services at 9:30 and 11:15 a.m. in the chapel and via live stream

Saturday, November 22, 12:30 p.m. in the Knatvold room

Sunday, November 23, 1:15–2:45 p.m. in the Dix room and via Zoom

Saturday, November 22, 3–5 p.m. at the Idris Mosque, 1420 NE Northgate Way, Seattle

Wednesday, November 19, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. in Knatvold and via Zoom

Sunday, December 7, 12:30–2:30 p.m. in the King room

Sunday, November 9, 1–2:30 p.m. in Knatvold or Thursday, November 20, 7–8:30 p.m. in Knatvold

UUC at the November 6 Seattle City Council Budget Hearing The Seattle City Council’s early December deadline for adopting a final budget for 2026 looms. That means budget hearings. Last year’s 2025 budget crisis resulted in programs cuts and raiding the Jump Start payroll tax fund passed to support affordable housing, climate justice, and equitable economic development funding to underserved communities. The proposed 2026 budget reverses some, but by no mean all, of those cuts, in the face of insufficient revenue to meet needs. At the Social Justice Revival in October, your Social Justice Steering Committee heard interest from UUC members in having our congregation participate in advocacy at the city council level for Budgets as a Moral Document. On behalf of UUC’s Social Justice Steering Committee, Rev. Victoria, accompanied by current SJSC member Catherine Ruha and past member Debbie Maranville, attended the City Council’s November 6 budget hearing at 5 p.m. Their aim: support faith leaders speaking in favor of the Church Council of Greater Seattle’s vision of the budget as a moral document, a vision rooted in the obligation, foundational to so many faiths, to care for the pressing needs of all members of the community, especially the poor, choosing care and support over surveillance and punishment. Speakers represented a range of community groups, including Share/Wheel and Tent City 4. In addition to focusing heavily on Seattle’s perennial housing crisis, speakers advocated for community needs around mental health care and other social services. A particular criticism of the proposed budget was that it authorizes additional money to expand expensive mass surveillance tools currently being operated by the city (and in some cases shared with ICE): closed circuit TV cameras, Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPR’s) and more. In this challenging time, it is easy to focus on how to respond to our federal government, especially given the recent federal shutdown and pending federal budget cutbacks to social needs funding. However, what happens on the local level will take on increasing weight. As UUC considers the call for Social Justice Now! we will have an opportunity to consider whether and how we might also “Think Globally [Nationally], Act Locally”.

Tuesdays, November 18 and December 2, 7–8:30 p.m. in the Channing room and via Zoom

Register now for Saturday, December 6, 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

Sunday, November 16, during both coffee hours and 2–5 p.m. in the UUC parking lot

All Ages Worship services at 9:30 and 11:15 a.m. in the chapel and via live stream

Saturdays, November 15 and December 13, 1:30–3 p.m. in Knatvold

Glad you asked! This is a team effort. You can join the efforts of members of UUC who are addressing food insecurity in several ways: Expanding our long-term partnership with Lake City Partners by offering meals at the new Winter Shelter. Sign up here . Giving to the Second Sunday Plate Collection on December 14 for the University District Food Bank. Be ready to make your contribution! Supporting UUC neighbors who care by hosting a Pop-up Food Bank in our parking lot this Sunday, November 16, 2–5 p.m. Bring requested items, listed here . Inviting your small group or committee at UUC to join you in volunteering or giving in any of these and in other ways. We are all in the care of each other. Let's nourish hope, together. With gratitude, Rev. Victoria

Get on the waitlist for December 11-14 at Rainbow Lodge in North Bend, or attend via Zoom

Thursday, November 13, 7:00–8:45 p.m. in the Knatvold room

Tuesday, November 11, 8:30 a.m. and/or 3:00 p.m.

Sunday, November 9, 1:00–2:30 p.m. in Knatvold Come and learn about the new connections we have developed with two other UU churches. We have new volunteers and potential hosts from both! You can meet some of them at our meeting. The Pink Haven Coalition is a national coalition responding to the baseless and severe discrimination against trans and non-binary individuals in red states who need assistance in moving to blue states. Our UUC group is part of this effort, in partnership with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, to create a welcome network for trans/non-binary individuals and their families who are fleeing their homes in order to live freer lives and, if needed, to obtain gender affirming care.

Sunday, November 9, both services (9:30 and 11:15 a.m.)

A Reminder About Phishing Emails and Text Message Scams

Worship services at 9:30 and 11:15 a.m. in the chapel and via live stream

Do you draw, paint, print, make prints, or take artistic photos? Do you create collages or fabric art? The Art Committee invites you to participate in our upcoming Members’ Art Show . This is your chance to show off your talents and share your work with others in our church community. Church members and friends may submit one or two pieces to be hung as part of a group exhibit in the chapel in early January, 2026 . You’ll bring the pieces to church on Saturday morning, fill out a little paperwork, and the Art Committee will take care of the rest. We’ll host a reception on Sunday afternoon for all of our artists. Watch the website News or our Gateway enewsletter for more information later this fall.

Saturday, November 8, 10–11:30 a.m. in Nathan Johnson Hall

Exciting news! Starting this Sunday, we will be trying out a new bulletin board in Nathan Johnson Hall on Sunday mornings. We hope that this will be a way for active, recognized groups at UUC to share information about events and opportunities for involvement. The bulletin board is on wheels and has a dry erase board on the other side. During the week, it will get flipped over and used as a rolling whiteboard available for meetings and events. All flyers on the bulletin board must be approved and posted by staff members. To submit a flyer, email it to office@uuchurch.org or leave it in the labeled box in the church office. We will remove any flyers that have not been submitted to the office. See below for more details about what can be posted on the bulletin board. Questions? Email office@uuchurch.org or stop by the office. All flyers must be approved and posted by a staff member. To submit a flyer for posting, stop by the office or email office@uuchurch.org . Space is limited and approval of flyers is up to the discretion of the Community Engagement Coordinator, in consultation with the executive staff team. Flyers will remain on the board for up to one month. Staff will remove any flyers that have been on the board for longer than a month Flyers must be submitted by an active, recognized team or committee at UUC and must be directly related to their acknowledged mission and focus. If a flyer promotes an event that is happening at UUC, it must be on the UUC calendar before it can be posted (i.e., space must be reserved and confirmed). If the event is happening outside UUC or as part of another organization’s program, the time, date, and venue must be known and preferably on a public calendar somewhere. We will not usually post flyers that promote another organization’s events or fundraisers unless a current UUC team or committee is actively participating and inviting others to do so as well.

Saturday, November 8, 1:30–3:30 p.m. at Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Church