Come Worship God With US

Join us for worship

Rainbow Cathedral MCC

225 N 2nd St, Yakima, WA

6:30 PM Sundays

Park around the back of the building

Prayer Vigil

In response to a shooting in Yakima on Friday Night, there will be a Prayer Vigil Tuesday Jan 19 at 12:00 Pm at the corner of 26th Ave and Nob Hill. Join us if you can.

December Happenings

Thanks to everyone who joined us for the window dedication service. It was great to have you all celebrate with us.

The domestic partnership bill is now law in Washington State. If you are wanted to register or need more information, please see the Secretary of State’s webiste: http://www.sos.wa.gov/corps/domesticpartnerships/Default.aspx

Christmas Eve services will be held at 6:30 PM at the church. Join us for lessons and carols.

We are collecting donations for the Red Roof pantry. The Red Roof pantry is a local organization that helps the homeless move into housing. We are looking for gently used household item or toiletry items.

Opinion piece Approve Ref 71

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/10/29/referendum-71-get-past-hatred-and-support-families

Referendum 71 — Get past hatred and support families

BY THE REV. JANE NEWALL 
FOR THE YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC 

A vote to approve Referendum 71 is a vote to keep the domestic partnership law in place. This law provides legal protections for lesbian and gay couples and for heterosexual couples where one partner is age 62 or older. This law allows for older people to gain legal benefits without jeopardizing Social Security or other economic benefits that would be adversely affected by marriage.

Under the domestic partnership bill passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor, registered couples are able to take unpaid leave to care for a critically ill loved one without being fired. Couples are able to cover a partner in family health insurance. It assures that pension and death benefits protect children if one parent dies. It allows for death benefits for the partners of gay and lesbian firefighters and police officers killed in the line of duty.

Approving Referendum 71 ensures that important protections are not taken away from committed couples so that they are able to take care of each other, especially in times of crisis.

What truly confounds me is the hatred in the hearts of people who would gather signatures to overturn other people’s long-sought-after civil rights. Many gay and lesbian people feel we are treated like objects, an issue, an agenda, something to galvanize the far right, the scapegoats of the last decade. We are not an issue. We are people and we take this level of attack personally.

As a minister, I find it very troubling that the anti-gay movement uses religion to support discrimination. Some churches have been leading the hatred. Did these churches forget that Jesus came for all people? Did these churches forget that there are over 39 different types of families and living situations in the Bible, of which heterosexual marriage is just one? Perhaps they forgot that many of Jesus’ ancestors were in same-sex relationships? Do not use religion to justify your hatred. How can you love a God whom you have not seen when you hate your brothers and sisters whom you have seen?

I am thankful that the Washington Association of Churches approves of Referendum 71, as do a number of denominations.

Gay and lesbian people pay the same taxes; their families should be entitled to the same legal and financial protections, rights and responsibilities as any other family. Gay and lesbian couples have children. In Washington state, domestic partnerships are an important way for children of gay and lesbian couples to have the legal rights that children of married couples take for granted.

My partner, Debbie, and I have four children. We want to provide for and protect them, just like all parents do. We have had to spend a lot of money hiring attorneys to give our family the same legal protections that married couples have. With a domestic partnership, the expense of legal protection drops dramatically.

The far right seems to think that by not legally recognizing same-sex relationships, they do not exist. The truth is, legally recognized or not, love between two people is always a radical act. Love is always a blessing. Our relationships survive and it is our love for one another and our families that are our true strength.

When you vote to approve Referendum 71, you are supporting your neighbors, co-workers and vital members of your community.

Approving Referendum 71 will greatly benefit many families, both straight and gay, in Washington state, including mine. We must approve Referendum 71 to secure protections for all Washington families.

* The Rev. Jane Newall is founder of Yakima’s Rainbow Cathedral Metropolitan Community Church.

The Window is here

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/10/26/easy-does-it

 

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/10/26/easy-does-it

 

Halloween Dance

Halloween Dance has been canceled due to lack of DJ and other considerations.

Soory to disappoint.  We are working on other social events in the future.

Crop Walk

Yakima’s 21st Annual Crop Walk will be Sunday Oct 11 at 2:00 Pm starting at La Casa Hogar, 106 S 6th St.. This will be Rainbow Cathedral’s 3rd year participating in the 5k walk. Money raised will go to Church World Services and La Casa Hogar. Join us in walking or support those who are using the following link:

http://www.churchworldservice.org/site/TR/CropWalks/General?px=1015764&pg=personal&fr_id=4393

Sunday School

Sunday School is being offered the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month. The Seasons of the Spirit, a progressive Christian Curriculum, is geared for children 5 to 10 years old. Please join us.

Approve Referendum 71

Referendum 71, a referendum on Washington States Domestic partnership Law, will be on the ballot this year. To support domestic partnerships, vote Approve on the ballot. Visit www.wafst.org for more information.
A fundraiser for Approve 71 will be held in Yakima Friday October Ninth at 7:30 PM in the main sanctuary of the Unitarian Church, 225 N 2nd St. It will be a fun evening with entertainment and guest speakers. Free to the public.

More info about the event:

Charlene Strong, Commissioner with the Washington State Human Rights Commission is scheduled to be the guest speaker at a special “Approve 71 Free Concert” to be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Yakima, 225 N. 2^nd Street, Yakima, Friday, October 9, 2009 at 7:30 p.m..  This event is in support of Referendum 71 (the expansion of domestic partnership rights under House Bill 5688).  Commissioner Strong’s story is both compelling and touching and has been the subject of a documentary entitled “for my wife” –.a universal story about love, dignity and fighting for what is right – something that anyone, gay or straight, can relate to.  Commissioner Strong testified to the State Legislature during debate of House Bill 5688, a Bill that subsequently passed during the 2009 legislative session with strong bi-partisan support including that of Senator Curtis King and Representative Norm Johnson, both Yakima Republicans.  Referendum 71 has been endorsed by more than 200 organizations around the state of Washington, including major employers like Boeing and Microsoft.  This event is FREE and will include musical performances by Yakima’s own Okemah Fruit Tramps, singer/keyboardist Rob Sherwood, and “west side” singer Kelly Wright.  Refreshments will be served during a short intermission and donations will be accepted to support the Campaign to Approve Referendum 7.  If you have any questions about this event, please call 509-901-0868 or email rgs1958@hotmail.com.  For more information on the campaign, please visit www.approvereferendum71.org

Rainbow Cathedral Retreat – Stained Glass window

Rainbow Cathedral is planning  a two part retreat in the fall to design at stained glass window for our church.  We are working with the Grunewald Guild, www.artfaith.com, to vision with us and help us design a piece of art that allows us to show who God created us to be in a way that other’s can experience that too.

Fall dates will be Sunday Sept 20 from 2:00 to 5:00 PM in Yakima and October 22-25 in Leavensworth.

If you are interested in helping underwrite the cost of the window, please email therevjane @ juno.com for more information of how you can help.  Donations of $200 or more will afford you to donate in memory or in honor of someone and have that pers0n’s name on a plaque on  the window.  We have space for two more donors as of Aug 21.

Sandwich Sunday

Join us at 12 noon Sunday Pct 4 to make Sandwiches for the homeless. Unity Church 401 S 8th Ave.

Pride Night Essencia

Friday August 21

 8:00 til midnight

Essencia Bakery

4 Nth 3rd St Yakima

16 and over

 

Essencia usually host Pride Night the 3rd Friday of the month.  This post is updated when we get confirmation of their next date.