Prayers of the People: Week of Sept. 14, 2020

A line drawing in gray of two hands holding a heart, behind words in red that read “Prayers of the People”

In worship on Sept. 13, we joined together in holding up these prayers:

• For the communities who have suffered losses because of the fires in California, Oregon, and Washington. For those suffering from the smoke from these fires. Please send hope and carers and rain so that the fires can get under control. 

• For the firefighters and for people who don't have shelter from the smoke. 

• For dear friends who have lost family members, send them peace and healing, and help us be there for them as friends and co-workers so we can be supportive to them. 

• For dear friends who have passed away, and for those of us who miss them. May they feel the peace and love of God, and may God be with us in our grief. 

• For children who care for their beloved parents, give them strength and endurance and love. 

• For our loved ones who are struggling with depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns, help us be a light and bring life to their sadness. 

• For the work of Megan Phelps Roper, who left the Westboro Baptist Church because of its intolerance of LGBTQIA+ people and others, who carries her insights into conversations with others so that people can understand the power of love and forgiveness. 

• For everyone experiencing grief and fear and anxieties and other unfamiliar emotions right now, and who are uncertain about the future, that we may be able to help them find the comfort and support they need to get through each day, and help them feel not-so-alone, even though it feels that way. Help us help them know that they are loved and to remind them of how much they love others, so we can all make it through together. 

Holy God ... hear our prayers!

These prayers are crafted to carry those shared in worship to our whole community, in the general spirit in which they were given (one pastor or leader makes note as one prays), while guarding their privacy as this newsletter is carried into the digital world.  We also especially welcome you to send Rev. Lauren your note during the week with any prayer request, we are so happy to incorporate it into our online worship (if you may not be up for voicing it). We are also always glad for you to add your prayers to the Zoom chat box during live worship, and we can fold them in to the spoken prayers. Contact Keystone's pastors for any pastoral concerns (contact info is below and at the bottom of this newsletter)

Prayers to include in the newsletter? Email them to Pastor Yuki (yuki.schwartz@keystoneseattle.org), Pastor Rich (keystone5019@gmail.com), &/or Pastor Lauren:  lauren.cannon@keystoneseattle.org, or text/ call Lauren cell:  773.501.7382

UCC News: Week of Sept. 7, 2020

Every Monday at 1:30 pm starting on Sept. 14, the Pacific Northwest Conference of the UCC will host a consultation and organizing effort using the UCC resource Our Faith, Our Vote,  a program to help churches make choices in the elections grounded in their faith. At the Sept. 14 gathering, the speaker will be  Sandy Sorenson (Director of the United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries, Washington, DC office). She is staffing Our Faith Our Vote and will share information and ideas about the program and ways you can get involved. If you're interested, contact Pastor Yuki for the link for the online meeting. You can also sign up for emails from the Our Faith, Our Vote program here. 

Meaningful Movies Virtual Screening & Discussion: Alive Inside

A rectangle featuring two boxes showing two images. In the left box, which has a white background, are two speech bubbles stylized to look like film strips, one in red and one in blue, with the words “Meaningful Movies Project” beside them. Beneath these words is the website address: www.meaningfulmovies.org. and “Social Documentary Film and Community Discussion. The right box is a segment of a movie poster for the film “Alive Inside,” these words are in black type, with the word “inside” set inside a box. The words, as well as images attesting to the film’s critical acclaim, are on top of part of a face of a light skinned person with blue eyes, who appears to be looking up.

5:30 p.m. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2020

Release Year: 2014
Running Time: 78 minutes
Director: Michael Rossato-Bennett“Alive Inside” follows social worker Dan Cohen as he demonstrates music’s ability to combat memory loss and restore victims’ sense of self. An uplifting exploration of music and the mind, the film offers visits with family members and interviews with experts. A joyous cinematic exploration of music’s capacity to reawaken our souls.Free showing of the film on Saturday Sept 12 @ 5:30 p.m. PDT http://SnoKingMeaningfulMovies.org/movie or watch the film any time on Amazon PrimeOnline discussion of the film at 7:30 p.m. PDT
http://SnoKingMeaningfulMovies.org/discussion

MORE MEANINGFUL MOVIES: Latinos Behind the Reel: Challenging a Media Stereotype, 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15. This documentary focuses on Latino representation in the media industry and how those images create real life consequences. Watch the film on Kanopy at home and then join us for an online discussion with Lance Rhoades, Seattle-based film critic. Release year: 2012. Running time: 85 minutes. Directors: Chyng Sun, Miguel ParkerRegistration required.  Please register here with your email and you will be sent the Zoom link or phone number on the day of the event. 

Sacred Heart Update: Helping Folks Get Ready for Home

Since 2010 members of Keystone have been continuing our mission of service to those who are the most vulnerable among us. We started by serving meals at Sacred Heart Shelter every other month. We served meals and shared stories with the families. Being in community and breaking bread and brownies was rewarding and heart felt for all of us. Sacred Heart was so appreciative. However, last year Keystone expressed they wanted to do more and Sacred Heart expressed they had greater needs. They needed more from Keystone than just a meal. And spiritually we all felt it was time for a change. A few of us got together in February this year and discussed what we should do next.  We have many now at Keystone who are giving us a helping hand. Thank you to everyone. 

Recently, we took a Ready for Home kit to Sacred Heart for a father and his 3 children. He told us his story as he was loading his van. He has been working for over 4-5 years trying to get to a point where he could finally get a permanent home for him and his family.  He told us they were on their way to Arizona where he was originally from.   His aunt has a 2-acre piece of property and wanted them to come home and live on the property.  He and his family were very, very happy they were finally getting a permanent residence. 

There will be more positive stories as Keystone continues to be there for Sacred Heart!   Thank you to all of you who are helping and for those of you who are donating.  We are a team!

What We Do:

• Provide “READY FOR HOME KITS” - a basic kit of house-hold items for shelter residents who have procured housing. Please contact Rita Peterson if you would like to help at: smithcrossing(at)gmail(dot)com

• Provide TWICE-A-MONTH FOOD DELIVERY TO THE SHELTER – Please contact Barbara Anderson at gepreston(at)msn(dot)com or Michelle Hebner at mmhebner(at)gmail(dot)com  if you would like to help with our on-going food/supply delivery. Or, you could donate funds through the church.

• Provide CLEANING RAGS as needed -  Please contact Arlene Hobson if you would like to help at: Rleen206(at)gmail(dot)com.

• Provide ON-CALL MAINTENANCE VOLUNTEERS to help keep the shelter looking good and running in tip-top shape – Please contact Dan O’Neill if you would like to help at dan.oneill2(at)gmail(dot)com.

TONIGHT: Justice Bible Study at 6:30 p.m.

The Justice Bible Study Group is back tonight, reading the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 6. Come to the study and bring your questions and your reflections of your week as we try to work out together where we meet God in these stories and in our work in the world.

The study space opens up at 6:15 p.m. for fellowship, and the study will start at 6:30 p.m., in the same Zoom space we use on Sunday mornings and for our other gatherings. Look for a Cheat Sheet coming in your e-mail. 

Wednesday Nights Coming Up:

Keystone StoryTelling: We'll continue telling stories under the theme of "Transcendence." Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 6:30 p.m.  

Lectio Divina: Come for a spiritual practice centered on meditating on scripture and seeking the divine in the silence together. Wednesday, Sept. 23, at 6:30 p.m. 

Listening Hour: The fifth Wednesday of the month are dedicate to getting feedback from you! Come and tell us how Zoom worship, online and in-person communications, advocacy, and other aspects of our shared Keystone life are working (or need improvement!). Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 6:30 p.m. 

Our Wednesday night community space opens up at 6:15 p.m., with the evening gathering officially starting at 6:30 p.m., in the same Zoom space we use on Sunday mornings and for our other gatherings (look for a Cheat Sheet with the info coming in your email every Wednesday night!).