Prayers of the People (including Sun. Aug. 22)

~ We Pray in Community ~
~Please add your love as you pray each name, joy or concern--and reach out to one another!~

• People of Afghanistan; strength to families facing danger. As we examine our militarism. Budgets. Move our hearts to be of aid, in and from Seattle.

• For the people of Haiti following the earthquake, upon more challenge; for local direction on how to help.

• Strength to Rita in this transition time.

• Strength to John and Barb in prep for treatment to begin September 1.

• To Joe, sharing his Seattle Public School teaching retirement, to invite our support of Neuvo Amanacer!

• Safe renewing travels for Dick and Pat to loved ones & Jersey Shore time.

• For continued surprise losses in covid-19 ongoing times.

• For continued arm mobility recovery for Sandy.

• Prayers to lift Betty's sister and brother.

• For summer’s bounty of fruit among our trees and bushes.

• Parents, teachers, staff, our faith community, immersed in navigating school start back and spreading delta.

• Holy god, make us instruments of your peace!

Holy God, in your mercy...hear our prayers!

To have your prayers included in Sunday or Wednesday gatherings online or the weekly Newsletter, please send them to Lauren or Rich (see Reaching Keystone UCC Pastoral Staff at the bottom of the page).

Sunday August 8 Worship online with Keystone 10 :30 AM (or 10 AM for zoom coffee hour!)

Worship this and every Sunday

Invite a friend to come join the Keystone community & Rev. Rich, Rev. Lauren, Elliot, Yigit & the gathered community, for live interactive worship. We hold interactive time to pray, connect and discuss! Music created each week by Yigit & Elliot!

(Video of Scripture Reading and Sermon can be found on sermons page of this website. Click the hamburger lines in the upper righthand corner.)

Zoom link comes out Sunday mornings in email

Email here to receive the link

Come with your coffee to visit: beforehand (starting at 10 AM) or afterwards (come on in about 11:25 AM)

This Week: Congregational Meeting after worship- approx. 11:20 AM

Sunday August 1 Worship online with Keystone 10 :30 AM (or 10 AM for zoom coffee hour!)

Worship this and every Sunday

Invite a friend to come join the Keystone community & Rev. Rich, Rev. Lauren, Elliot, Yigit & the gathered community, for live interactive worship. We hold interactive time to pray, connect and discuss! Music created each week by Yigit & Elliot!

(Video of Scripture Reading and Sermon can be found on sermons page of this website. Click the hamburger lines in the upper righthand corner.)

Zoom link comes out Sunday mornings in email

Email here to receive the link

Come with your coffee to visit: beforehand (starting at 10 AM) or afterwards (come on in about 11:25 AM)

June 10: Histories of Racism, and models for speaking out

Evenings at Keystone UCC

Pray, tell stories, study, change the world

Break up the week with some fellowship!

Thursday, June 10

6:00-6:25pm

Lectio Divina

Twenty-five (25) minute reflective scripture reading practice with Rita and Pastor Lauren, reading our scripture for this upcoming Sunday, June 13: 1 Samuel 8:4-20. No prep necessary.

6:30-7:45pm

Uprooting Racism study circle

with Rev. Lauren. Part IV of Book: The Effects of History, through page 242. Come for conversation to really dig in, as we are learning to be Christians who acknowledge our role in history; Kivel opens this part of the book “most of us (white folks) are woefully misinformed about the actual history of interracial relationships, particularly their more devastating aspects. We have been taught lies beginning with the benign story of Columbus’ “discovery” of America…(p. 179.) …

…Our history effects our current situation.. including the effects of slavery, the genocide of Native Americans, the conquest of Mexico, and the banning of Chinese and later all Asian immigration continue to influence our lives and the lives of people of color.”

Yet “we have a long history of white people speaking out for economic and political justice, and we need to reclaim and learn from those role models.”

All are welcome, thank you for making time, to learn in community.

~ ~ ~
Both meetings will be in our usual Zoom space.
Watch for the Cheat Sheet in your email with the ways to join. Or if you have not subscribed yet: here is the form

3 areas of Research: Volunteers sought: Help Gather info for Keystone-future conversations

Over the months we have been having good conversations about Keystone's future. We are at a point in the conversation where more information would be helpful. 

Though Lauren and Rich may be able to provide some ideas, the research work will need leadership from members of the congregation. Here is what is currently needed:

Keystone is looking for volunteer(s) to research what other churches are learning from their various responses to post-Covid worship. (Ex. sanctuary worship + zoom or FB live, video recording of worship + posting, outdoor worship, etc.)

We are also looking for volunteer(s) to research the viability and zoning for selling our corner of land & buildings to redevelop the church buildings to become low income housing, a worship space, community renters, offices, etc.

And we are looking for volunteer(s) to talk with those who would not be able to attend Keystone for worship, if we worship in the sanctuary. 

Please let Lauren or Rich know if you are interested in one of these opportunities. 

Other areas of research have been well underway all year and continue. For example, how Keystone/ STCC/ PreSchool/ +all our cherished renters can safely come back-in-person. If you are vaccinated, WA State and King County continue to have encouraging words. But Keystone’s process through our winter and spring Listening Sessions have especially kept an ear tuned to whom may still be vulnerable. What do you need? (Ex. how can children safely worship, with singing, with communion, with their class, with hugs at coffee hour? What are the needs of those with particularly compromised immune systems?)

We are thankful for all the participation in the Listening Sessions, held at the end of each month. Next up: this month: Wednesday June 23, 6:30 pm. Save the date- thank you!