Celebration Details & What to Expect

Joining for the first time? Check out V&M's Events Calendar!

What to Expect if you join In Person:

(online details below)
 
What: A lively celebration with a bumpin, professional live band! 

The Sacrament of Communion: V&M has an open table, meaning anyone can participate in the Sacrament of Communion. In the spirit of Radical Hospitality, we serve gluten free crackers (full ingredient list here) and non alcoholic grape juice.
The Offering: We pass an offering basket. There are options to contribute in person as well as online.
Coffee, snacks, and Tea Time: Coffee and tea and occasional snacks are served before Celebration from 10:45-11 and after Celebration from ~12:30-12:45.
When: Celebration begins at 11AM Pacific time. We encourage folks to come a little early (arrive between 10:40-11) to get a hot beverage, make a name tags, settle in, and catch up. 

Where: The Rainier Arts Center 3515 S Alaska St, Seattle, WA 98118 on the corner of Rainier Ave S and S Alaska Street, near the Columbia City library and PCC.

Parking: The small parking lot is reserved for community members with disabilities and limited mobility, and significant encumbrances. Street parking is available nearby. More parking may become available in partnership with local businesses--stay tuned. 
Public Transit: Lightrail: the Columbia City Lightrail stop is on the corner of MLK and S. Alaska, about 3.5 blocks away 
Bus: the #7, #50, #106 bus lines are nearby with stops at: 7: Rainier @ Alaska; 50: 35th @ Alaska; 106: MLK @ Alaska

How: We’re working hard to balance the joys of convening our community with the risks of COVID spread. By implementing some key COVID precautions, we’ll do our best to mitigate some of the risks of gathering in person, while feeling the nourishment of being together in body as well as spirit. 

If you have symptoms of COVID-19, please stay home and join the service online instead
Greeters will encourage everyone to use hand sanitizer at the door
Masks are required and must be worn properly throughout service. KN95 Masks will be available at the door.
Unmasked speakers will take a rapid antigen test upon early arrival
Custom name tags with a RED-YELLOW-GREEN system will indicate attendees’ preference for distance and contact
Community members who test positive for COVID-19 will be asked to refrain from in-person V&M events for 10 days. (And let the care team know if you need help!)
On busy days, there will be a marked section for distanced seating

Accessibility information: The RAC Website has great photos and pans of the main Auditorium and the Event Hall (where children’s ministry will take place). Check it out to get a sense of what to expect. 
Both levels of the RAC are fully accessible and have ADA restrooms. There is an outdoor wheelchair lift to the auditorium and ramps to each level. The auditorium has reserved areas for wheelchairs.
The small (15-spot) parking lot is reserved for community members with disabilities, limited mobility, or encumbrances.
Sound: the band will play with fervor and amplification! Earplugs are available and you might consider bringing noise protection for little ones or those who are extra sensitive to sound.
Scents: as this is a rented space with its own custodial services, we cannot offer a totally scent-free space.
Allergies: The crackers used for communion are vegan and gluten free. They are made in a facility that processes soy, sesame seeds, and tree nuts. See the full ingredient list here. 

What to expect if you Join Online:

What: An engaging online service with professional video and audio streaming. You'll be invited to participate by singing along, sharing gratitudes and prayers in the chat, and participating in Communion and the offering remotely. 

Where: YouTube! Recordings of service are also automatically posted to V&M’s YouTube Channel and also available on the V&M Website. 

What to Prepare:

Grab a candle: we like to kick things off and create the feeling of a sacred space by lighting a candle together. A leftover birthday candle, the candle from your dining table or bathroom, or something you picked out specially for this use—anything goes! 
Communion: we usually share in the sacrament of communion together. Gather a food that gives you nourishment (bagel, blackberries, Sunday pancakes...) and a beverage that brings you joy (water, coffee, mimosa—whatever you like!).
How: 

We’ll use professional streaming equipment to pipe the on-stage service out to our YouTube community. 
The Digital Bulletin is available weekly in the newsletter (button at the top!) 
When: Service will begin around 11AM, and you can enjoy the live music and poppin' comment box in the meantime (you must be logged in to a Youtube/Google account to comment, and folks in-person can see comments from the online folks in real time). 

Accessibility information:

Subtitles available and are auto-generated
Services are recorded and can be watched (or rewatched!) later on V&M’s YouTube Channel and on the V&M Website
Celebration is offered in English as the primary language. We regret that we do not have ASL interpretation at this time.