Frosted Reds by Demian

• “Christmas is forever, not for just one day,
  for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away
  like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.
  The good you do for others is good you do yourself.”
  - Norman W. Brooks, from his 1976 poem
  “Let Every Day Be Christmas”
  
  
• “Come on, people, come on, children
  Come on down to the glory river.
  Gonna wash you up, and wash you down,
  Gonna lay the devil down, gonna lay that devil down.
  I got fury in my soul, fury’s gonna take me to the glory goal
  In my mind I can’t study war no more.
  Save the people, save the children, save the country now.
  …
  “And the precious king, he loved the people to sing;
  Babes in the blinkin' sun sang
  ‘We Shall Overcome’ ”
  - Laura Nyro, from her song “Save the Country”

• Sunday, December 23, 10:30 am
  Worship and the Fourth Sunday of Advent, with our beloved musician Dan Kramlich.
  
  
• Monday, December 24, 3 pm
  CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT SERVICE.
  Worship and Very Special Day of Music, Dancing, Drumming, Praying, and more. Bring your neighbors, friends, colleagues, families, for this amazing celebratory worship, caroling, candlelight, food, and more, on Christmas Eve. There is room for all God’s Rainbow People of God, for all are beloved of God. Lighting of the Advent and Christ Candles by AJ and Ida Maria Mlekarov, and Mona Howe and their parents.
  
  
  Other Events of Note
  
  
• Sunday, December 12, evening
  Bethany United Church of Christ and Got Green will host a gathering for our campus partners in continuing to vision in terms of sharing resources and working together, creating an emergency preparedness plan, and exploring climate resilience in food and energy. Nancy Huizar from Sustainable Seattle and young leaders will facilitate.
  
  
• Sunday, December 13, evening
  Celebration of Black Power Epicenter and Bethany United Church of Christ with The People’s Institute. A special evening of celebration, food, and sharing our hard, yet wonderful work in racial, economic, climate, and LGBTQ justice led by Senait Brown, KJ Moon, Asha, Nyema Clark, Kinte Perry, and our amazing young people.
  
  
• Sunday, December 16, 1:30-3 pm
  Central and SE Seattle Interfaith Migrant Rights Action Network, meeting hosted by Bethany UCC. Attending: the Know Your Rights Training Team, Accompaniment and Deportation Defense Team, and Policy Advocacy Team. A leadership meeting follows.
  
  
  Ongoing Events
  
  
• Third Saturday Salsa Social - Family-friendly
  Free lesson 3:30-4 pm, or lesson plus dance time 3:30 pm-6 pm for $5
  From our own Suzanne Simmons, who is director at
  My World Dance and Fitness Studio - 206-861-2500
  849 Hiawatha Place South, Seattle.
       = December 15, 2018 - Holiday Celebration, Alma y Azucar live
            $15 advance / $20 at door
       = December 21, 2019 - Holiday Celebration, live music
       = January 27, 2019, 4 pm - Dance Performance at
            Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute
            104 17th Ave S., Seattle. 206-323-7067; info@langstonseattle.org
            $8 kids and $10 adults advance / $10 kids and $15 adults at door
       = May 18, 2019 - Dance Celebration of My World’s 11^th anniversary,
            Mambo Cadillac live

We pray for peace amidst war, love amidst hate, compassion amidst despair, courage amidst fear. We pray for all of our sisters and brothers here and around the world, especially all who are sick, lonely, anxious, fearful, struggling, homeless, unemployed and healing and wholeness, grace and strength for the day.

Prayers for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline that will run through and destroy Native American burial landmarks and sacred spaces of our First Nation People.

Special prayers for our brothers and sisters in Haiti, Cuba, Florida and the Atlantic Coast affected by Hurricane Matthew causing deaths, massive infrastructure damage and numerous people needing to evacuate their homes. Prayers for our sisters and brothers in Syria, especially in war-torn Allepo.

Worship and Music followed by a Shared Meal in the church sanctuary and hospitality room. Be renewed, refueled, reinvigorated for the week, by the grace of God in growing Beloved Community. All are welcome.

Refugee Women’s Alliance (ReWA)
ReWA Preschool Headstart Program
     For toddlers to pre-K, Half Day and Full Day
     Sliding scale, based on income.
Black Power Epicenter Cooperative
Rainier Valley Cooperative Preschool
Got Green
     New Campus Partner working with Bethany
     on Climate Justice.

Black Power Epicenter Cooperative (BPEC)
     Led by Senait Brown and Gary Kinte Perry, as well as
     many young community leaders, together with their
     mentors from People’s Institute, Freedom School,
     and Bethany United Church of Christ.

AA Community Meetings - 7:30 pm

Leadership Training for Youth and Young People
Youth Undoing Institutionalized Racism (YUIR)
Ending the Prison Industrial Complex (EPIC)
     Meets in the church annex.
     YUIR and EPIC are led by Senait Brown,
     community leaders and mentors..

In 2018, Bethany United Church of Christ continues to work
in community partnership with our Muslim brothers and sisters
of Muslim Association of Puget Sound (MAPS), alongside our
Buddhists brothers and sisters and all people of faith, and no faith.

Falun Gong, Buddhist and Taoist teaching and meditation.
Samoan Choir practice

Church and Community Meetings, Gatherings, Discussions and Public Forums

Marching in Seattle, 2018-01-20 To see this image full-sized, click: Concrete Actions of Faith and Social Justice

What does God require of You? To do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with your God.

You are Beloved! I am Beloved! We Are Beloved! All Are Beloved of God!

Each and every one is needed in growing Beloved Community. Please support our social justice and ministry at Beloved Bethany with a donation of any amount to: Bethany United Church of Christ. You and your generosity and kindness are making a difference in our community and around the world. Thank you for giving generously.