- Festival Sunday is Here
Festival Sunday is this Sunday, June 12. Please join GSBC friends for a “bring your own lunch” picnic! (weather permitting) As we continue to be cautious around sharing potluck meals together, we will not be having our traditional picnic potluck. So bring a sack lunch and enjoy visiting with friends in the backyard of GSBC church after worship and our church congregational meeting. Ice cream treats will be provided!!
See you then! - Our Ongoing Anti-Racism Work
– Jennifer Drury, June 9
As we sit between Memorial Day and the 4th of July, when many flags are waving across our nation, I find this statement by the Black Caucus of the Evergreen Association of American Baptist Churches a good reminder of all that Black Americans have endured and sacrificed to build and protect America. Langston Hughes’s poem, Let America Be America Again, originally published in 1936 in Esquire Magazine is striking in that it still speaks the truth of our reality today. We have come so far but we have so far to go to realize the American Dream for all.
Black Caucus Statement – Evergreen Association of American Baptist Churches
It has been 401 years since the first enslave Africans numbering about 20 were brought to the Eastern shores of what would become the United States of America. Click HERE to read the whole statement.
www.ea-abc.org - Pray for Hearts to Heal
Two Sunday’s ago we prayed for the Buffalo community and all those affected in the aftermath of yet another mass shooting fueled by racism. There were four mass shootings that weekend from Buffalo to Laguna Woods, CA. This week we add to our list, Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas. 21 souls lost to gun violence. 19 littles and 2 teachers. God have mercy! -Rev. Denise Aanenson
Photo Credit – ChurchArt
- Ongoing Anti-Racism Work
-Jennifer Drury
I love this example of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in action. Due partly to the history of redlining (where people of color were not allowed to live in certain areas) in Seattle, some neighborhoods have not been able to accumulate the same wealth that home ownership in “desirable” neighborhoods fostered. We see this evident in the schools. PTAs in some schools raise 100s of 1000s of dollars – yes, some close to a half million dollars in a year. They use this money not only to pay for supplies and enrichment but also to pay for extra staff members. Other PTAs only raise a few thousand dollars. To combat this disparity, some better endowed PTAs have started donating some of their funds to other schools. But this has been controversial and huge gaps remain. The initiative described in the Seattle Times article shows another way to bridge this gap that is completely transparent and inclusive from the start. Looking at their donation page, they have translations in many languages. Most importantly, this seems like a joint effort where everyone is working together toward the same goals. It feels less like charity, and more like community-building teamwork. It would be interesting to talk with folks that are involved and see if that is how it is playing out. This certainly won’t solve the problem of huge economic disparities but building community will get us closer to creating empathy across zip codes which could ultimately lead to better public policy. https://www.seattletimes.com/education-lab/seattle-ptas-pioneer-new-more-equitable-ways-of-fundraising/
Seattle PTAs pioneer new, more equitable ways of fundraisingPTAs in Southeast Seattle have come up with a new formula to spread fundraising wealth based on a school’s level of need.www.seattletimes.com
WORSHIP WITH US:
Sundays 10:30 a.m. in person or
Sundays 10:30 a.m. on Facebook
First Saturday of each month: 4:00 p.m.
Worshiping and Office:
6915 196th St SW
Lynnwood, Washington 98036
Mailing:
PO Box 1044
Lynnwood WA 98046
425-774-1010
email Pastor Aanenson at: aanend@gsbchurch.com
