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Saltwater Church is an intentionally inclusive, spiritually progressive,
justice seeking community of all ages, serving South King County since 1954.
| | Saltwater Church Newsletter Dec 12, 2025 | | |
To view our complete calendar of events on our website, click here.
If you wish to schedule an event, click here to fill out a request form.
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Nicki Hagoski's Celebration of Life Service
Saturday December 13, 1:30pm
In Person and Church Zoom Room
Join us as we honor Nicki Hagoski and support her family during this difficult time. The Celebration of Life service will begin at 1:30 pm on Saturday December 13, and will be followed by a small gathering in the Welcoming Room to share memories over coffee and desserts.
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Racial Justice STANCE - special time
Sunday December 14, 1:00pm
Due to the Congregational Meeting on Sunday, STANCE will be meeting at the normal site, gathering after the meeting ends. We expect to be there from approximately 1pm to 2pm. You are invited to bring your signs and join us.
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Identifying Scam Workshop
Saturday December 20, 2:00pm
Church Zoom Room
Did you recently receive a strange email “from the Rev Alison” asking you to buy gift cards? You’re not alone. Join us on Saturday, December 20th at 2:00 PM for a helpful Zoom workshop led by Mark Martinez, forensic accountant, to learn how these scams work, how to recognize the warning signs, and how to keep yourself and our church community safe.
All are welcome.
*** image credit Gustavo Fring
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Tabletop Game Night
Saturday December 20, 6:00pm -9:00pm
In Person AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY
Join us for Game Night on Dec 20. We will be meeting at the Auburn Public Library this month due to the busy holiday season at the church. Please be sure to check the roads ahead of time to avoid any flooding.
Bring a favorite game to share. If you wish to try out a new game, we have a wide selection that will leave your brain and belly tired. Laughter and popcorn provided.
Friends and visitors are welcome to any of our Tabletop Game Nights. We play all types of board games (ranging from lighter games like Clue to more complex games like Pandemic). Our group also plays thematic games, card games, and party & social games. Almost anything is possible, bring your favorite game and let us know about it. Contact Jessica Nash, Director of Faith Formation, with any questions.
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Speculative Fiction Book Club
NO MEETING IN DECEMBER
Our group will not be meeting in December due to the holiday season. Join us in January for our next big adventure. Books we are reading this year are:
- January - The Ministry For The Future by Kim Stanley Robinson
- February - Old Man's War by John Scalzi
- March - Excession by Iain M. Banks
- April - Sassinak by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Moon
- May - Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
- June - The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson
- July - POD by Laline Paull
- August - Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
- September - Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
| December Holiday Activities | |
Blue Holiday Vespers Service
Thursday December 18, 7:00pm
Church Zoom Room
At this time of lengthening nights and seemingly ubiquitous holiday cheer, it can be easy to feel blue. Unmet holiday hopes, loved ones who can no longer join our celebrations, and the state of the world may leave some of us feeling bereft of holiday cheer. If this time is hard for you, Rev. Alison & the Saltwater Lay Ministry Team invite you into a time of ritual, meditation, and music to make space for our sorrow in the midst of the twinkling lights and tinsel. Join us for this all-online service at 7pm on Thursday, December 18th, in the main church Zoom room.
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Bet Chaverim Hanukkah Party
Saturday December 20, 2:00pm - 5:00pm
In Person Welcome Room
Come play games, listen to a story, dance, sing, and eat latkes, salads and donuts. We will be singing along with the New Shalom Klezmer Band.
Please bring a salad to share, your Hanukkah menorah and candles.
Don’t forget you can also bring a toiletry kit donation for the Jewish Family Services Refugee Resettlement program and the Polack Food Bank.
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Saltwater Solstice Fire & Spiral Walk
Sunday December 21, following service
In Person Church Grounds
Join us following our service on Sunday for some solstice festivities. There will be our annual Spiral Walk, warm liquids to share in the Welcoming Room, and we will light our fire pit for the afternoon. If the weather prevents an outdoor fire we will set up our fire circle inside with candles.
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Annual Giving Tree Collection
Sundays Dec 7, following service
In Person Welcoming Room
Hello to all you wonderful folks who are shopping for gifts for kids at Mark Twain elementary as part of the Giving Tree.
Please make sure that you deliver the gifts to church no later than Sunday noon, December 14th.
And thank you to all who donated funds, we have been able to get good gifts for all the kids on the list. Monetary donations can be sent to Saltwater Church with Giving Tree in the memo. Donations may be placed in the offering basket, mailed to the church, or you can use our donation link on the church website (click here).
Sign up for gifts here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D45A8AD2EAAFCCE9-60605983-giving#/
Thank you to all who have already delivered your gifts.
Questions? Contact Margaret Young-Weitzel at myoungweitzel1975@gmail.com, or Judy Featherstone at judyfeatherstone@yahoo.com.
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Handmade with Dove -
A Holiday Fundraiser in Support of the Saltwater Community
Shop for Saltwater at HandmadeWithDove.Etsy.com!
Many of you are used to stocking up on handmade cards from Handmade With Dove at the bazaar fundraiser. Joanne will not be selling cards in person this year, but now you can shop for Saltwater online all year round! Simply check the box to mark your order as a gift and type "For Saltwater" as the gift message. Handmade With Dove will donate $5 per listing purchased to Saltwater Church.
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Annual Holiday Bazaar
December 14 following services
This year's fundraising theme is "Stronger Together," reflecting our belief in community during these challenging times. Our Holiday Bazaar will be featuring a variety of gifts perfect for holiday shopping.
Contact Anjali Lopez at anjalijl@gmail.com or 206-650-6359 if you have an item to donate, want to join our team or both!
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Children's Holiday Bazaar
December 14 during and after service
We offer a special time for our kids to come and shop for friends and loved ones. They will be able to shop with assistance to find treasures to give. We will provide help with wrapping and a receipt at the end for the adults or kids to pay at the bazaar. We will have a variety of items on sale for adults and kids.
This is a favorite time for our kids to shop for the holidays on their own! It is always fun to see what surprises the kids pick to give as gifts.
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To view our complete calendar of events on our website, click here.
If you wish to schedule an event, click here to fill out a request form.
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Annual Congregational Meeting
Sunday December 14, Noon - 1:15pm
In Person Sanctuary &
Church Zoom Room
Please join us for our annual Winter Congregational Meeting!
You'll get updates from the Board of Directors about what is going on at Saltwater including an update from our Facilities Team about our Great Saltwater Shed Redevelopment Project. And you'll get to vote on new paint and trim colors for the Saltwater Welcoming Room!
We look forward to seeing you there!
Very truly yours,
GG
(galenguffy)
President, Saltwater Church Board of Directors
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Minister's Message
"The Blessings of Interfaith Collaboration"
Our Interfaith Thanksgiving Service raised over $400 for the Des Moines food bank. In this week's message, Rev. Alison shares the hope she's finding in the interfaith collaborations she's participated in over the past few weeks.
To read the Minister's Message on our website at:
https://saltwaterchurch.org/ministers-messages/#9dec25
Ways to Reach Rev. Alison Duren-Sutherland
Phone (voice only): 206.627.5119
Email: minister.swuuc@gmail.com
Appointment Scheduling: https://calendly.com/minister-swuuc
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Tis The Season for Email SCAMS
It is that time of year when we see a large increase in fraudulant email requests for monetary donations and requests from our minister. This week an exceptionally well presented scam was sent out asking for gift cards. If you receive an email that looks suspicious, contact our Congregational Administrator for confirmation. Additionally, it is a great practice to always double check the sender's email address. If it is a new address, even if it claims to be from Rev Alison, do not respond.
Rev. Alison has asked the following of us in cases of email scams...
Friends, I encourage anyone who receive fake or phishing emails to report the incident at https://www.ic3.gov/ especially if you fell victim to this scam. Any emails I send to you will come from either ministe...@gmail.com or mini...@saltwaterchurch.org. When in doubt, email me at one of those addresses to check in, or call or text me at the number in my email signature below.
Please NEVER purchase gift cards solicited by email, and make online donations to our congregation from the Donate page on our website: https://saltwaterchurch.org/stewardship/donate/
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Office Closure - No Newsletter Dec 26
The November and December holiday season makes for a very busy couple of months at Saltwater. As a thank you to our staff, we close our office operations from Dec 25 until Jan 2. For this reason tehre will not be a newsletter on Dec 26. Emails and phone calls will receive responses after we return to our regular work hours on Jan 2. Emergencies can never be predicted so staff will be available by cell phone for urgent needs. Please use disgression.
| | Live our Values & Support our Community | | |
A Way To Help Flood Victims
The Seattle Federation is a member of the group Washington Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (WAVOAD), which is comprised of nonprofit organizations which support Washington state's emergency management response. Through WAVOAD, the state requested volunteers from member communities to help staff temporary shelters supporting those who have been displaced by the recent flooding. The Red Cross is organizing that effort, and they’ve asked for volunteers to call 1-800-RedCross to be directed where to go. Anyone interested should call that number.
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We Need Digital Ushers!!!
We are looking for more volunteers to join our Digital Ushers Team. At this time we do not have anyone signed up for our December services and could really use your help.
The success of our multi-platform services depends on the presence of our Digital Usher in our Zoom Room on Sunday morning. These volunteers work remotely and sign up for a Sunday when they are available. They help by participating in before service sound check, letting people into our zoom service, sharing information in the chat box, and by keeping the zoom room open after service for virtual Coffee Time.
If you are already on our team, we thank you. Our services can not happen without your vital support. It is now time to sign up for December service dates, please click here. You can scroll down in the spreadsheet to the date you are able to serve and add your name to the digital usher column. If you are interested in joining the team please message Rev. Alison at minister@SaltwaterChurch.org.
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Join A Serving Team
There is always something going on at Saltwater UU Church, which means there are always ways you can help in our success. Saltwater is YOUR community and we need your help making sure things run smoothly. Do you have a few hours a month that you could volunteer your services? Go here to view our website listing of all of our Serving Teams that could use your assistance. You can also express interest in joining a team through Realm Connect or email Administrator@SaltwaterChurch.org.
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We offer many opportunities to Foster Connection with others in our community. Every month we have groups that meet regularly for a variety of activities. You are invited to drop by and join in our fun. Some groups meet in person, some via Zoom, and some offer both.
Read our Community Activities for detailed information. CLICK HERE
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Saltwater has community groups that focus on ways we can Act for Justice. Our groups meet regularly and often offer activities for the community to engage.
To learn how you can Act For Justice in November, CLICK HERE.
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Share The Plate for December
Federal Way Day Center
During December our Sunday Collection will be shared with Federal Way Day Center: https://ccsww.org/services/federal-way-day-center/.
If you would like to nominate a recipient for Share The Plate you may do so by completing this form.
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To view our complete calendar of events on our website, click here.
If you wish to schedule an event, click here to fill out a request form.
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Worship Theme for December: Choosing Hope
During December we will explore the intesectionality of our UU Values and the practice of Choosing Hope as a way we live those values.
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December 14 December Music Service
Tom Burt, Music Director - All Ages Service
December 18 Blue Holiday Vesper's Service
Saltwater Lay Ministers
December 21 Winter Solstice
Rev. Alison Duren-Sutherland
December 24 Candlelight Christmas Eve
Special service
December 28 Nurturing Hope
Rev. Alison Duren-Sutherland
| | Multigenerational Faith Formation | | |
In The Lighthouse
This week we will be listening to amazing music in service. Our children will have opportunity for crafts and games in the welcome room. We will escort kids to the lighthouse for the purchasing and wrapping of gifts. You are welcome to arrive early (10am) and start shopping before service!
Children's Bazaar
December 14th during service and church meeting , in the Lighthouse
We will be having a little extra time for our children to come in and do some shopping. This is a favorite annual event!
While the adults are able to shop and attend the church annual meeting, the kids can come in and do some special shopping for the holidays. Kids are able to walk away with wrapped gifts ready to go under the tree.
| | Support for Children, Youth, and Families | | |
Childcare for Church Events
Childcare may be requested for any church activity at least one week in advance by contacting our Director of Faith Formation, Jessica Nash, at dffsaltwater@gmail.com. We will do our best to make accommodations whenever possible.
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Sign Up To Use Realm Connect NOW!
click here
Search your email for your invitation to Realm Connect
Thank you to all who have completed their Realm sign up. If you have not received your invitation, please search your email for "Join Our Online Community" as the subject line of an email sent from: notifications@onrealmmail.org.
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Saltwater Church Hours of Operation
With the exception of our minister, all of our staff are part-time employees. For this reason, it is best to set up an appointment if you will need assistance onsite with one of our staff. Contact information for our staff is as follows:
Minister - Rev. Alison Duren-Sutherland, minister.swuuc@gmail.com
Congregational Administrator - Bubba, Administrator@SaltwaterChurch.org
Director of Faith Formation - Jessica Nash, dffsaltwater@gmail.com
Music Director - Tom Burt, Music@SaltwaterChurch.org
Sexton - Marc Cabanag, sexton.swuuc@gmail.com
Administrative appointments with Bubba can be arranged Monday through Friday via email. Bubba aims to have flexibility to accommodate any member's schedule. Phone messages are checked regularly but may take longer than desired to receive a response.
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How to Access the Church Zoom Room
To access Zoom, go to SaltwaterChurch.org/calendar/zoom-room/
and click on "To join a meeting-click here." You may also visit the main church webpage, select Zoom Room from the drop down menu under "news and events" on the top menu bar. If this is your first time using Zoom, follow the prompts to download the application to your computer.
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Saltwater Church Building
If you wish to plan an event please use our online request form: https://SaltwaterChurch.org/calendar/calendar-request/. All gatherings are asked to follow the current COVID-19 guidelines. If you are planning an activity outside of normal business hours you will need Security Access which can be requested by completing this form. If you have questions about the guidelines or need assistance email Bubba, our Congregational Administrator at Administrator@SaltwaterChurch.org. Contact Bubba or Rev. Alison Duren-Sutherland if you are interested in renting our facilities.
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Donations to Saltwater Church
When making a donation on the church website (click here), please indicate where you want your donation to go. After entering the amount of your donation, if you select "Donate with a Debit or Credit Card" you will see a line which starts with a pencil and has "add special instructions to the seller." Please click on those words to specify “pledge” or your desired purpose. It will help our treasurer get money into the right places if that line is filled in. If you have any questions please email or call our treasurer Gaye Greeves at gnatfw@aol.com or 253-508-3961.
| | Please Note: Announcements, updates, and additions to the newsletter must be received by noon Wednesday to be included in that week’s newsletter. Send your submissions to the website form (click here) | |
25701 14th Place South
Des Moines, WA 98198
(206) 651-7358
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