1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity

RICHMOND BEACH CONGREGATIONAL
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
SOUND WAVES
PAUL’S EPISTLE
Church Staff:
Rev. Dr. Paul Ashby
Pastor
[email protected]
Staci Schulmerich,
Director of Faith Formation
for Children & Youth
[email protected]
Jessica Choe,
Music Director
Dear Friends,
Part of the strength and blessing of RBCC is the way we challenge
people to grow in compassion, courage, self-awareness, and
awareness of God. I want to highlight two great movies that the
Peace and Justice Board will share at a movie-and-munchies experience on Friday, April 10th and Friday, May 29th. The first
movie from 2014 is entitled Snowpiercer staring Chris Evans, Ed
Harris, John Hurt and Tilda Swintson. The movie exposes the injustice of a class system where only the rich and the poor exist. In the
Seattle Times, I recently read an article about the evaporation of the
middle class in our area. What the article noted was that in the last
15 years only 5% of the more than 800,000 people who moved here
are middle class wage earners. 95% of those who moved here
either had a household income of under $35,000 or over $125, 000.
I have been to meetings at the Ecumenical Council, St. Mark’s Cathedral and Compassion Seattle, where long term, decades long,
residents of downtown, Capitol Hill, and the U district spoke of having to move to Renton and the SeaTac area just to find an apartment they could afford. Seattle could be on the San Jose path
where only the wealthy can afford residency and people working in
service industry commute hours a day and work for just enough
money to have food and rent.
The second movie is also from last year entitled Calvory. It is a
story of morality and murder that grabs you in the first minutes. I
hope you are able to catch both movies. I enjoy local events on
Fridays because you know what to expect if you try to catch the
symphony or the Mariners on a Friday night driving south on I-5.
I also encourage you to invite our neighbors at United We Stand to
church events. The tent city experience is not simply an opportunity
to help our neighbors in need, it is a chance to be a light of blessing, encouragement, and help. I have also found in two previous
churches that tent communities help churches understand the “real”
struggle in society, the basic humanity we share, and the solidarity
they have in giving to those who have needs moving into the tent
community. It also helps church members look past any tendency
to view the world as if they were the only person in the universe in
need. I am asking them to share their needs with us rather than
Marcia McLaughlin,
UCC Commissioned Spiritual
Director
Amanda Fuentes,
Office Administrator
[email protected]
Church Phone 206-542-7477
www.rbccucc.org
Inside this issue:
Worship With Us
Welcome Corner
2
2
Holy Week Schedule
3
Potluck
Prayers
4
4
Concert Schedule
Book Club
Mary’s Place
5
5
5
Youth Auction
RBCC Players
Save The Date
6
6
6
United We Stand
Sandwich Sunday
Help Needed
7-8
8
8
(Continued on page 4)
Page 1
Page 2
RICHMOND BEACH CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
WORSHIP WITH US IN A PRIL
AT 10:00 AM
Apr. 2
Maundy Thursday
7:00 pm Service
Lectionary: Exodus 12:1-14, (5-10), 11-14;
Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26;
John 13:1-17, 31b-35
Apr. 5
EASTER
Communion
Sunrise Service, Pancake Breakfast, and
Traditional Service
Lectionary: Acts 10:34-43 or Isaiah 25:6-9;
Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 or
Acts 10:34-43; John 20:1-18 or Mark 16:1-8
Apr. 12 Second Sunday of Easter
Sandwich Sunday
Lectionary: Acts 4:32-35; Psalm 133;
1 John 1:1-2:2; John 20:19-31
Apr. 19
Third Sunday of Easter
Lectionary: Acts 3:12-19; Psalm 4;
1 John 3:1-7; Luke 24:36b-48
Apr. 26 Fourth Sunday of Easter
Potluck with United We Stand
Lectionary: Acts 4:5-12; Psalm 23;
1 John 3:16-24; John 10:11-18
WELCOME CORNER
"Let each of you look not only to your own
interests, but also to the interests of others."
Philippians 2:4
In this space each month the Community Life
Board will offer thoughts on Welcome. What
is it?
How do we embody it? How do we do it? We
welcome you to the conversation and invite
you to share your thoughts on “welcome” with
us and we will pass them on.
Contact us at: [email protected]
.April 2015
Hebrews 13: 2 The Message (MSG)
“Stay on good terms with each other, held together by love. Be ready with a meal or a bed
when it’s needed. Why, some have extended
hospitality to angels without ever knowing it! “
Hospitality begins when we perceive ourselves and others as strangers in a community of welcome. Gentle, attentive, patient, and
consistent care is required to create a community where members are intentional about
seeking and welcoming all, especially those
whose abilities, experiences, and cultural traditions are different from the mainstream of
the current community. A community of hospitality is aware, sensitive, and open to divergent cultural practices. It reaches far beyond
the limits of the familiar in a highly mobile
world, transforming both the newcomer and
the established community.
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EASTER WEEK SCHEDULE
SUNDAY, APRIL 5
SUNDAY, MARCH 29
10:00 am Worship Service
6:00 am at Richmond Beach Park
MAUNDY THURSDAY
APRIL 2
7:00 PM SERVICE
7:00 to 9:00 am Breakfast in Pilgrim Hall
FRIDAY, APRIL 3
SANCTUARY OPEN FOR PRAYER
AND MEDITATION
10:00 am Traditional Worship Service
Page 4
(Continued from page 1)
suffer in silence. While no church members have
ESP or mind reading abilities, (that I am aware
of), we all have the capacity to hear and respond
to those who openly share their struggles with us.
On Monday, March 9th, after the community
meeting I was told of a need for sleeping bags
and by just speaking up Bill Runte offered two
and another member committed to check on one
they had not used for a decade. I am encouraging our guests to ask for what they need and I
invite you to do the same.
A special thank you to Marcia McLaughlin for her
many days of study, planning, writing, organizing,
and meetings to help make this time of compassion and sharing a reality.
Peace, Shalom, Peace
Rev. Paul Ashby
FELLOWSHIP OVER FOOD
April 26nd
Our monthly potlucks on April 26 and May
31will include the folks from the encampment,
United We Stand. Bring enough food to serve
some extra folks. Let’s show them the
wonderful spread of food that RBCC can put
on!
All are welcome!
APRIL FOOD BANK
Items Requested:
Feminine
Hygiene Products
RBCC-UCC PRAYER CHAIN
The sharing of our joys and concerns does
not just happen on Sunday mornings.
Thanks to our Called to Care Board a
PRAYER CHAIN has been created that
allows us to request prayers that can
continue as long as we need them. If you
would like this group of people to pray for you
or someone you love (in or outside of our
own church) due to health or spiritual /
emotional concerns, the church office. We
value your participation.
Page 5
2014-2015 Chamber Music
Concert Season
Mark your calendars now! You do not want
to miss anything in the upcoming chamber
music series. This series is produced by
Jessica Choe, and features world-class musicians from Seattle Symphony and more.
These concerts take place in our sanctuary,
and there is always a reception following the
concert. Since the series began, we have
contributed over $12,000 to local charities,
and will work with Outreach to benefit other
organizations in the coming season.
Chamber Music at Richmond Beach

May 22 (Friday) - Music for clarinet and
piano - Sean Osborn and Jessica Choe

June 19 (Friday) - Music for violin and
piano- Emma McGrath and Jessica Choe
RBCC BOOK CLUB
For April we will be reading
Reliable Wife by Robert
Goolrick. Set in rural Wisconsin in 1909, Ralph Truitt stands
alone on a train platform waiting for the woman
who answered his newspaper advertisement for
“a reliable wife”. But when Catherine Land steps
off the train from Chicago, she’s not the “simple,
honest woman” that Ralph is expecting.
We meet the 4th Saturday of the month at the
Lake Forest Bar & Grill. It is in the NW corner of
the shopping center. The time is 9:00 am. We
met there for the first time in March.
If you have any questions, please call the church
office.
SAVE THE DATE
Our next time to serve lunch for the women at Mary’s Place is Saturday, June 13th. We also have
Sept 5th and November 14th. More info later!
Mary’s Place provides a safe place during the day for women and children and several night shelters as well. If you’d like to know more about this wonderful organization, take a look at their website, www.marysplaceseattle.org.
We have a donation bin in the narthex for Mary’s Place. In season clothing for women and children
is much appreciated, as are diapers, children’s toys, strollers. Currently they are looking for laptops
in good condition that are at Windows 7 or better, for the children to use for homework and the
women to use in looking for work and housing. Please email Mary’s Place at info@
marysplaceseattle.org to see if this is still needed! Their website has a list of current needs as well.
Did you know that through our Outreach Board we just spent $1500 on a number of items needed
for the kitchen? Thank you for the support that you give to Mary’s Place through your pledge to
RBCC!
Page 6
SAVE THE DATE!
Mark your calendars to save the date:
June 6 – 7:00 p.m
Parents of the 2015 RBCC Mission Trip Youth
are hosting a live and silent auction with hors ‘d
oeuvres and entertainment. All proceeds will
support our youth and chaperones on their mission trip to the Heifer Project Ranch in Little
Rock, Arkansas.
Tickets are $10 per person and include hors ‘d
oeuvres, soft beverages and one glass of wine
or beer.
Location: Richmond Beach
Congregational Church
1512 N.W. 195th St. (corner of NW Richmond
Beach Rd & 15th Ave. NW)
Shoreline, WA 98177
Contact: [email protected] or
206-542-7477
Did You Know?.......
When you order from Amazon.com through the
church website, 5% of your
order will be given to the
church if you order
through the church website (rbccucc.org). Just
click on the Amazon icon.
Mary’s Place offers homeless women and
their children
rescue, respite, nutrition, safety and shelter
in a setting where relationships are affirmed,
love and hope are discovered, and a new
future begins.
Their goal is to empower homeless women,
children, and families to reclaim their lives.
Mary’s Place will be holding their annual Spring
Benefit Luncheon Tuesday, May 5th from
11:45 am to 1:00 pm at the Seattle Center
Exhibition Hall. If you are interested in
attending, please contact the church office.
RBCC Players Presents : Godspell
Prepare ye for the timeless tale of friendship,
loyalty and love based on the Gospel According
to St. Matthew. Godspell is a love feast…
dedicated to light and joy and love. The music
and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz are remarkably
eclectic; drawing on rock, folk, gospel and
Broadway...it is delightful family friendly show.
It is the story of a small group of people who
help Jesus tell different parables by using a
wide variety of storytelling techniques and a
hefty dose of comedy.
Performance Dates:
 Saturday, May 2
 Sunday, May 3
 Friday, May 8
 Saturday, May 9
7:30 p.m.
2:00 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
Tickets – include Dessert
Adults:
$15
12 & under:
$10
Ticket sales begin Sunday, March 29; at church
on Sundays following worship or contact:
[email protected]
Page 7
MONTHLY POTLUCKS
Our monthly potlucks on April 26 and May 31will include the folks from the encampment, United We
Stand. Bring enough food to serve some extra folks. Let’s show them the wonderful spread of food
that RBCC can put on!
CHANGES IN BUILDING POLICY
A piece of our agreement with Horizon School during the encampment is that all doors of the church
will be kept locked during school/day care hours. A doorbell has been installed by the front door. If
you need to come in, please ring the doorbell. If you are there as part of a group, please arrange to
have a host who will let people in the door. Also, the doors leading into the upper hallway from the
narthex and from Lena Voreis are to be kept closed. You’ll see a sign asking that visitors not enter
without permission. If you are part of Bible study or other group on the calendar, you have
permission! If you wish to use the library or go in any part of the building where the school is, please
check in with Amanda first. Thank you for your understanding of these changes.
HOW TO HELP DURING THE ENCAMPMENT
Get together a group to provide a meal! Can you use the church kitchen? Yes, if it’s not already being used for something else. Please check with Amanda to see if it’s possible. Once you’ve got a
date, go to www.greaterseattlecares.org and sign up for your date. Be sure you click on the
United We Stand tab! Then scroll down to find the calendar. Do not click on the links on the right
hand side or you’ll end up volunteering to help Tent City 3. Marcia McLaughlin
([email protected]) has a list of folks who have agreed to help with meals, if you need suggestions of people to contact. We’ve got a long list of folks who are willing to help!
Provide a healthy snack. Please contact the church office.
There’s a list of needed donations in the church office – tents, jackets, raincoats, TP, batteries, coffee, creamer & sugar are high on the list! Many other things as well. It’s also available on the
Greater Seattle Cares website. When you bring donations, take them directly to the camp, using
the driveway off 15th NW into the camp. You’ll be warmly welcomed by them. It’s a great opportunity
to get to know them and to see what the camp is like.
HOW DO I TALK WITH SOMEONE WHO’S HOMELESS? HOW DO I HELP THEM?
Another frequently asked question! Kae Eaton, from the Mental Health Chaplaincy, will be coming
out to help us answer this question on Wednesday, April 8th at 7pm. She’ll lead a conversation on
being a companion, walking along side someone instead of leading them. Her program is well worth
attending so please come and gain some new skills.
Page 8
FAQ ABOUT THE ENCAMPMENT
What’s the difference between Tent City 3 and United We Stand? This question has been
asked frequently over the last month!
Tent City 3 is an encampment of 75-100 people that is overseen by SHARE and WHEEL. SHARE
and WHEEL are self-organized, democratic, grassroots organizations of homeless and formerly
homeless individuals. SHARE was founded in 1990 and WHEEL was founded in 1993. For 22
years they have been working to eradicate homelessness, educate the community, and empower
homeless people. They oversee a large network of shelters, including some in church basements
and the two large encampments – Tent City 3 which is located on sites in Seattle, North and South
King County, and Tent City 4 which is located on sites in East King County. A primary focus of
SHARE and WHEEL is educating the community.
United We Stand is a small encampment of 25-35 people which broke off from Tent City 3 last fall.
They are primarily people who are working at least part time. They wanted to have more of a focus
on getting into housing than they believed they had while in Tent City 3.
Who is Greater Seattle Cares? It is a faith-based, 501(c)3 non-profit organization, established in
2005 to provide a vehicle for local communities to connect with Tent City 3 for the provision of the
residents’ daily needs and to facilitate their transition to independent living. Last fall, they expanded
their support to United We Stand.
RBCC is providing a site to United We Stand, with the support of Greater Seattle Cares. Tent City 3
is currently at Shoreline Free Methodist Church on 175th and 5th NE.
Sandwich Sunday, Sunday, April 12th
Help Needed For Elaine Lieurance
This is YOUR opportunity to help our
friends at Family and Adult Service
Elaine Lieurance's daughter is looking for a
Center in downtown Seattle. Bread will
“companion” for Elaine Lieurance. Ideally,
be provided, but we need lots of fillings they like someone to visit with Elaine and
such as packages of sliced meats and
help her when necessary. They would like
cheeses. Please have homemade fillings
to have someone help
already prepared. There are several
between the hours of 5:30 p.m. -8:30 p.m.
jumbo size cans of tuna and gallon jars
If can help, please contact the church
of mayonnaise that can be picked up
office.
ahead of time to make at home with
extra goodies added. The Outreach
Board is counting on you to provide
fellowship as we make sandwiches
together during coffee hour.
Richmond Beach
Congregational
United Church of Christ
1512 NW 195th Street
Shoreline WA 98177-2820
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
APRIL 2015
Newsletter
APRIL CALENDAR DATES
Mar. 29—Palm Sunday
Apr. 2—Maundy Thursday, 7:00 pm
Apr. 3—Good Friday, Sanctuary Open for Prayer
and Meditation
IMPORTANT DATES COMING UP
May 2-3 & 8-9: RBCC Players Present
“Godspell”
May 5—Mary’s Place Spring Luncheon
May 9—CareTeam Training
Apr. 5—EASTER
May 22—Chamber Music Concert
Apr. 8—How do I help the homeless?
May 29—Movie Night
Apr. 10—Movie Night
June 13—Mary’s Place Lunch
Be sure to check out our web page
for back issues of the Newsletter,
and sermons.
www.rbccucc.org