Board Development Days

A day for congregational teams (board members and clergy) to explore and learn together. Note: This day may supplement your traditional Board Retreat, serve as part of it, or provide the foundation for it.

• August 4 at Unitarian Church of Los Alamos, NM
• October 20 at First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco, CA
• November 3 at Valley UU Congregation in Chandler, AZ

Register Now

There are still opportunities to bring a Board Development Day to your area. If you are interested in hosting a Board Development Day in the coming year, let your PWR Primary Contact know.

Talking About Money as Pastoral Care

Thanks to all who signed onto this conversation with Kay Crider and Rev. Jan Christian. Talking About Money as Pastoral Care on the LeaderLab has the recording, the PowerPoint presentation and the hand-out for use in your congregation.

Upcoming OWL Trainings

OWL Grades K-1 & 4-6

• August 17-19, 2018 - Jefferson Unitarian Church - Golden, CO

OWL Grades 7-9 & 10-12

• July 20-22, 2018 - UU Congregation of Phoenix - Paradise Valley, CA
• July 27-29, 2018 - Community Church UCC - Sebastopol, CA 
• September 21-23, 2018 - Foothills Unitarian Church - Fort Collins, CO

OWL Young Adult & Adult

• August 17-19, 2018 - Jefferson Unitarian Church - Golden, CO

2018/19 District Assessments and UUA Annual Program Fund

Beginning July 1, contributions toward your district assessment and APF will be made in single payments and sent directly to the UUA. Mail 2018/19 contribution checks to: UUA APF, P.O. Box 843153, Boston, MA 02284-3153.

Per-member assessments remain unchanged for MDD ($26), PNWD ($27) and PSWD ($28). PCD voted to lower their rate by $2, to $27. The UUA APF level remains at $60 per member again this year.

When congregations affiliate with the UUA, they pledge their support to the Association. Each congregation’s gifts to their district and to the UUA Annual Program Fund are the fulfillment of a promise that has already been made. The 2018/19 combined pledge is designed to help make clear the fact that we are all one Unitarian Universalist Association – bound together in a network of mutual support as an Association of Congregations.

Because we are all in this together

Our UUA Disaster Relief Fund, made possible through the generosity of Unitarian Universalists throughout the country, including many of us in the PWR, has just made a grant of $10,000 to our congregation in Durango, Colorado, as it responds to the local needs due to the fires raging in that area. Make a Donation to the UUA Disaster Relief Fund.

Sign up for a Zoom call for board members of color

If you identify as a person of color/indigenous and will be serving on your congregation's board this upcoming church year, we'd like to put together a videoconference call to talk about the blessings and challenges that are unique to your role. We have two possible dates/times available: Tuesday, July 17 at 6 pm Pacific or Wednesday, July 18 at 2 pm Pacific. Complete the form to register

UU Musicians Network Annual Conference

The UUMN Conference Planning Committee is thrilled to invite you to be part of the 2018 Annual UUMN Conference in Portland Oregon!

• plenary session, workshop and song-leading master class by vocal activist Melanie DeMore
• an opportunity to work with our featured choral clinician, Dr. Iris Levine
• a robust workshop schedule tailored to meet needs expressed by members
• music reading sessions for small choirs and contemporary bands in addition to SATB ensembles
• an informal Coffeehouse for sharing the diverse talents of our members
• the results of the 2018 Vincent B. Siliman congregational song competition
• opportunities to jam with friends old and new
• networking with UU musicians from around continent to share ideas, challenges and creative solutions to the most pressing issues facing church musicians
• a downtown Portland Pub Crawl
• ...and more!

This year also features a professional development day on Wednesday, August 1 sponsored by the UUA’s Music Leader Certification Program. "Collaborative Leadership: An Antidote to the Culture of White Supremacy" will be a song-filled, interactive workshop presented by Aisha Hauser, Beth Norton, and Rev. Dr. William Sinkford.

PWR Congregations in the News

Transgender women in migrant caravan face new struggles seeking asylum in U.S. - AZ Central
The transgender women did not feel safe returning to the shelter, Ramos said. After the transgender women made an appeal on Facebook that they would have to spend the night on the streets, members of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego stepped in and helped them find a secure location to stay in Tijuana, Ramos said.

Personal growth in the world of make-believe - Santa Fe New Mexican
"It is like a practice, like sitting zen," John Cullinan said. "You’re flexing some mental muscle." Cullinan, pastor at the Unitarian Church of Los Alamos, joined Santa Fe Improv seeking a creative outlet. He said he never expected the class to transform his daily interactions and serve as a type of therapy. "It really opens me up to how I’m open to people and receiving them," he said. "It’s a chance to let loose."

TRUU Reverend arrested at Poor People’s Campaign in D.C. - The Sopris Sun
Reverend Shawna Foster had prepared an impassioned sermon for the Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist on Sunday in case she couldn’t be there to deliver it in person. She knew she would likely be arrested at the Poor People’s Campaign launch on Monday, May 14 in Washington, D.C. It wouldn’t be her first time in handcuffs because of civil disobedience, and she wanted to be prepared.

The UU Church in La Crescenta opens a monthly ‘hootenanny,’ the Verdugo HUUT - Glendale News Free Press
The congregation slowly filled the dim Universalist Unitarian Church of the Verdugo Hills in La Crescenta last Friday night, taking their seats to face a small wood-brimmed stage decorated with a single stained-glass window. On the stage were a piano, a red chair and two microphones. However, it wasn't for a worship service. The group was attending the church's monthly Verdugo HUUT (pronounced "hoot"), a night where comedians, singers and musicians perform, and they can bring tears to audience members' eyes — either from laughter or a compelling experience.

Block party! Three churches team up to hold a block party to celebrate life and community - The Union
"For many years, Unitarian Universalist Community of the Mountains has had a tradition of holding its own outdoor service in a park this time of year," said the church's minister Kevin Tarsa. "I love that this interfaith block party offers a playful chance to model some of the bridge building we long to see in our nation."

PWR Job Postings

• Congregational Administrator - All Souls UU Church in Colorado Springs, CO
  Applications open until the position is filled.
• Congregational Administrator - UU Congregation of Phoenix, AZ
  Application open until the position is filled. Preferred consideration deadline is June 30, 2018.
• Director of Religious Exploration - Evergreen UU Fellowship in Marysville, WA
  Applications open until the position is filled.
• Director of Religious Education - Pacific UU Church in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
  Applications open until the position is filled.
• Director of Religious Education - Emerson UU Church in Canoga Park, CA
  Applications open until the position is filled.
• Choir Director - UU Church in Livermore, CA
  Applications open until the position is filled.
• Interim Music Lead, Pianist and Interim Choir Director - Foothills Unitarian Church in Fort Collins, CO
  Applications open until the positions are filled.
• Information Technology Consultant - Berkeley Fellowship of UUs in Berkeley, CA
  Applications open until the position is filled.
• Sexton/Custodian - Berkeley Fellowship of UUs in Berkeley, CA
  Applications open until the position is filled.
• Office Administrator - Evergreen UU Fellowship in Marysville, WA
  Applications open until the position is filled.
• Director of Lifelong Learning - Woodinville UU Church in Woodinville, WA
  Applications open until the position is filled.
• Membership Coordinator - UU Fellowship of San Dieguito, CA
  Applications open until the position is filled.

PNWD Spring 2017-18 Call: Landscaping for Community UU Church (CUUC) in Pasco, WA.

The CUUC building, formerly a carpenter’s union hall, is located in a commercial area with parking and commercial buildings surrounding the church. The proposed landscaping and entry signage will provide needed visibility and inviting evidence of who we are as a faith. Native vegetation, solar lighting, ecologically-responsible materials, and a fence to improve playground safety are all part of the plan. This increased visibility and curb appeal will help CUUC grow. $15,000 is sought for a Chalice Lighter grant to improve recognition of the site as a church. Your donation will help CUUC attract future UUs looking for a community where diverse spiritual beliefs are accepted with love and without judgment.

Read the full call letter on the PNWD website. Please donate online or mail your check, payable to PNWD Chalice Lighters to: PNWD Chalice Lighters, 7511 Greenwood Avenue North, #414, Seattle, WA 98103-4627. Payments will be accepted towards this call through June 18.

PCD Chalice Lighters

The Spring 2018 Chalice Lighter call for the UU Society of Sacramento’s outdoor lighting project has closed and we are waiting the results. Meanwhile, it is time to think about how your congregation might apply to be the recipient of the Fall 2018 call. It will open on September 17.

If your congregation wants to be considered, please get in touch with me now. I will be at General Assembly too if you want to talk about it. And do stop by the Chalice Lighter/Faithify poster session in the Exhibit Hall on Saturday, June 23 from noon until 1:30. I will be there with information about signing up to be a Chalice Lighter or to apply for a grant.

Does your congregation have an Ambassador yet? There are many that don’t. Please let me know that you want to take this on. Send me an email at pcdchalicelighters@pwruua.org

Visit the PCD Chalice Lighter webpage where you will find the application to apply for a grant, a brochure all about PCD Chalice Lighters and where you can sign up to be a Chalice Lighter.

Help keep the flame burning!

In faith,

Karen Urbano
PCD Volunteer Chalice Lighter Coordinator

Pot of Gold - 7th Annual Religious Education Conference

"Reimagining Sunday School" With Kimberly Sweeney & Rev. Sarah Gibb Millspaugh

Saturday, September 29, 2018 - 8:30am to 4:00pm at UU Society of Sacramento, CA. Sponsored by the Pacific Central LREDA Chapter.

All RE professionals and volunteers, UU ministers and lay leaders from the Pacific Western Region are invited to the 7th Annual Pot of Gold RE Conference, hosted by the Pacific Central Chapter of LREDA at the UU Society of Sacramento. Shared keynote presentation by Kim Sweeney, author of "The Death of Sunday School and the Future of Faith Formation" & Executive Director of Courageous Faith Consulting and the Rev. Sarah Gibb Millspaugh, Congregational Life Staff member in the Pacific Western Region. Wonderful meals, worship, keynote conversations, and workshops on skills and models for our educational ministries for children, youth, families and volunteer leaders. Nearby lodging at Larkspur Landing. Free and easy parking at UUSS. Sacramento accessible by Amtrak, airport, and Megabus. $50/person or $40/person for teams of 4 or more per congregation (incl. meals). Rates go up after Sept. 15. Registration form & workshop schedule coming soon. Questions? Contact us at re@uuss.org.

Call to Action: Flood the Desert August 3-5!

Love Resists and No More Deaths are calling UUs to show up for human rights and compassionate immigration policy in Southern Arizona this summer. Participants in "Faith Floods the Desert" will join with humanitarian aid workers who provide food and water in the desert and together resist government repression of this life-saving work. Nationwide, immigration justice organizers are being targeted by federal agencies. As religious people, we answer to a higher law of love and justice. We know that humanitarian aid is not a crime. Migration is not a crime. Drop the charges. Flood the desert.

Learn more and register here!

PSWD is hiring a Youth Con Coordinator

This position supports PSWD youth in con planning, publicity, and overall organization. Please review the job description and encourage folks with strong youth ministry backgrounds, sturdy communication skills, and healthy boundaries to apply. The deadline to apply is Aug. 1, 2018.

Upcoming Youth Events

Cons

• PSWD Fall Con
  October 12-14, 2018
  UU Congregation of Las Vegas, NV
• PNWD Fall Con
  October 26-28, 2018
  Camp Cispus in Randle, WA
• PSWD Spring Con
  March 15-17, 2019
  Valley UU Congregation in Chandler, AZ
• PNWD Spring Con
  April 5-7, 2019
  Camp Cispus in Randle, WA
• PSWD Youth at District Assembly
  April 26-28, 2019
  Long Beach, CA

Trainings

• Thrive Youth West (For UU Youth of Color)
  August 1-5, 2018
  Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno, CA. Applications are still open.
• PCD Youth Advisor Training
  October 6, 2018, 9:00am-5:00pm
  Mt Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church in Walnut Creek, CA.