On September 7, our District Meeting hosted Pastor Jan Bolerjack from Riverton Park United Methodist Church in Tukwila, WA. We had 32 people in attendance and more online. We were excited and engaged in the topic of “Welcoming New Neighbors” and then discussed the challenges of hosting/housing many, many, many refugees and asylum seekers. We offered half of the donations that day to help this small church in its endeavors to help foreign people at the door. We would like to continue to help both through the district and the local churches by sending funds or items to help these families. We believe in the efforts that are made there. We all could welcome people struggling to have shelter, find food, and find jobs. As a District of churches, we will
continue to look for opportunities to help Women, Children, and Teens. I continue to hear that we support school children, people without homes, and even teens who have had to leave their families due to personal choices. We are headed for the holidays, which makes us believe all is well and that there is joy and happiness for everyone, but we know that is not true. We wish you all happy holidays, but let us remember and pray for those less fortunate than you and I.
Gay Johnson,
Communications Coordinator
Puget Sound Missional District
Land Acknowledgement
We, the members and friends of Arlington United Church (a merger of the United Methodist and the Evangelical Covenant denominations), respectfully honor the first peoples who have continuously inhabited this land around Arlington and the Stillaguamish River for thousands of years. We acknowledge that the area in which we gather is within the traditional territory of the People of the River, the Stoluckwamish River Tribe, and the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians. They experienced genocide, ethnic cleansing, theft of their lands and water, and forced removal. On October 27, 1976, the Tribe achieved federal recognition and treaty rights and was made eligible for federal services. In 2014, the Tribe was granted a 64-acre reservation by the federal government. They have continued to acquire land in this area, are leading contributors to the area’s natural resource preservation and social outreach programs, and are active contributors to building Arlington’s future. They are teaching their children the cultural traditions of their ancestors, such as harvesting cedar and grasses for weaving, fishing, hunting, and gathering. And through their dancing, drumming, and singing. They believe that everything has a spirit and that they are caretakers of these lands and waters. We thank our Native American brothers and sisters for sharing their land and resources with us. We will strive to work with them to preserve their lands and to ensure all living things therein will thrive. We pray that God and His Holy Spirit support us in this joint endeavor
2024-2025 Officers
These positions were appointed & agreed upon by our Executive Team:
President: Jeannine Lish
Vice President: Susan Alderin
Secretary: Pat Rudd
Treasurer: Karen Guthrie
Communications Coordinator: Gay Johnson
Education & Interpretation: OPEN
Membership Nurture & Outreach: Judy Good
Program Resources: Helen Smith
Social Action: Judy Jewel
Spiritual Growth: Beth Bryant
Chair, Committee on Nominations: Jeannine Lish