LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The temperature was perfect, one sunny day last summer as I floated on a rented kayak in a bed of sea kelp on the Monterey Bay. It was the last day of the 2014 Blue Theology Mission Trip sponsored by United Christian Parish (UCP).

Ten youth and one adult sponsor committed to making the earth a better place by being good stewards of the ocean. We were relaxing after a week of beach clean-ups, sand dune restoration and counting sand crabs for LIMPETs (Long-term Monitoring Program and Experiential Training for Students). The sun streamed down and the breeze carried the subtle taste of salt.

That’s when I saw them, or should I say they saw us? Two of the youth shouted in delight, “that sea lion wants in your kayak!”

And not 5 feet away the unblinking eyes of a curious sea otter family stared back at the sea lion and I clearly waiting to see how this would play out. I had entered what the ancients Celtic Christians called “a thin place.” Thin because the veil between heaven and earth is so thin one can fully experience God breathing life into the very world around you. For a group of blue theologians it was the perfect end to the week.

Blue Theology is the awareness that God has called us to be stewards of the earth, but also the ocean. As the health and biodiversity of the Monterey Bay goes, so goes the earth. That’s why we chose the bay for our mission project in 2014 and again for 2015.

One day last year we picked up over 1,000 cigarette butts from one 25 foot stretch of beach. The filters cannot biodegrade and are dangerous for the animals. This inspired some of our youth to do some lake clean-up once we returned home, as well.

But what does this have to do with pizza? Round Table Pizza has partnered with the youth participating in this year’s Mission Trip. They will donate 20 percent of every purchase on Tuesday, May 19, to the 2015 team.

To participate in the Mission Trip each youth must raise $400 and participate in local service projects such as Vacation Bible School, lake clean-up etc. That’s a lot of money in today’s economy, so you can see how eating pizza could help the team out.

Please join us at the Lakeport Round Table Pizza for the United Christian Parish Blue Theology Dine and Donate event. 

You must have the coupon for Round Table to make the donation.

To receive your coupon email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or stop by UCP Tuesday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to pick up as many coupons as you like.

UCP is located at 745 N Brush St in Lakeport. Call 707-263-4788 for more information.