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.

• September 16 at Tapestry (Orange County, CA)
• October 7 in San Jose (CA)
• October 14 at Live Oak UU Congregation (Goleta, CA)
• October 21 in Marin Co. (CA)
• November 11 in East Wenatchee (WA)
• November 18 at Foothills Unitarian Church (Ft. Collins, CO)
• December 2 in San Diego (CA)
• December 9 at Florence UU Fellowship (OR)
• January 27 at UU Society of Sacramento (CA)
• February 3 in Phoenix (AZ)

Plans are currently underway to offer these throughout the PWR. If you are interested in hosting a Board Development Day in the coming church year, let your PWR Primary Contact know.

Mosaic Makers: Leading Vital Multicultural Congregations National Conference 2017

Oct. 27-29 with an optional Professional Day for UU religious professionals on Oct. 30

First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego

Mosaic Makers is a dynamic gathering and learning community for teams from congregations deeply engaged in the work of building intentional multicultural community. We gather together in spiritual community for two and a half days of workshop, experiential learning, and community building around the theme of strengthening the fabric of Unitarian Universalist multicultural ministries.

This year, we are opening the conference to all congregational leaders who are seeking a path to justice, as this moment in our denomination and society requires us to not only address injustice in the larger world but also in our denomination. We're inviting everyone who wishes to embrace this avenue for disrupting, and eventually dismantling, white supremacy in our culture and in our denomination. Learn to do it – or do it more effectively.

Among our attendees will be UU congregations from around the country who are leaders in multicultural welcome and inclusion, and whose congregations are providing some of the most exciting and dynamic transformation in our movement. Many of these congregations are engaged in combating white supremacy culture. We know that we can learn from each other. We're delighted to help foster real peer-to-peer learning between congregational leaders – professional and lay.

This year's conference has a host of programs and speakers who will develop, enlarge, and amplify our capacity to do this important ministry.

Learn more about speakers, program highlights, and registering for Mosaic Makers: Leading Vital Multicultural Congregations National Conference 2017

Multicultural Renaissance Module Registration Open

Multicultural religious education is a way of seeing and thinking as well as doing. It requires us to truly open our minds and hearts to the perspectives and experiences of others. It requires the humility to see those diverse perspectives to be as valid as our own. It calls us to welcome and include the unfamiliar, those who may be outside our comfort zone. It asks us to acknowledge the realities of oppression and privilege. It means we are open to change and growth, and ultimately care more about justice than comfort.

Nov. 6, 5:00pm to Nov. 8, 12:00pm
Denver, CO
Led by: Rev. Samaya Oakley and Aisha Hauser

PWR Congregational Leaders Survey

A goal of the Pacific Western Region since our staff transition has been to provide services to congregations that are responsive, relevant, high quality, accessible, and communicated in a timely manner.

By completing the survey at the link below, you will offer us valuable insight about how well we have done in reaching that goal, and you will help us identify your own priorities as a congregation that to guide us as we plan future services for you.

Our hope is that this survey will be completed by congregational leaders who served between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017. This includes ministers, other congregational staff, and board members. (If you are aware of individuals who served in these roles who may not receive this newsletter, please forward it to them.)

The survey will require between 15 and 30 minutes to complete. We hope you will complete it by September 14 (or sooner!)

Ministry Transitions in the PWR

You may see new faces in some of the Pacific Western Region pulpits this fall. We want to welcome all the new ministers who have come to serve in our great region. Some are contracted and some are called, but they all have important work to do.

• Rev. Kathryn Bert - UU Church of Vancouver (WA)
• Rev. Scott Rudolph - UU Fellowship of Central Oregon (OR)
• Rev. Hannah Roberts Villnave - UU Church of Cheyenne (WY)
• Rev. Sean Dennison - Rogue Valley UU Fellowship (OR)
• Rev. Kali Hayslett - UU Fellowship of Sheridan (WY)
• TJ Fitzgerald - First Unitarian Church of Honolulu (HI)
• Rev. Steve Wilson - Pacific Unitarian Church (CA)
• Rev. Jenny Peek - Unitarian Fellowship of Pocatello (ID)
• Rev. Monica Dobbins - First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City (UT) (Assistant Minister)
• Rev. Tom Bozeman - Evergreen Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (WA)
• Rev. AJ Blackwood - UU Fellowship of Kern County & the Sepulveda UU Society (CA)
• Rev. Kate Lore - Quimper UU Fellowship (WA) (Assistant Minister)
• Rev. Greg Ward - UU Community Church of Santa Monica (CA)
• Rev. Vanessa Southern - First UU Society of San Francisco (CA)

And we welcome interim ministers who are serving in our region as well.

• Rev. Margret O'Neall - UU Congregation of Phoenix (AZ)
• Rev. Mike Walker - Sierra Foothills Unitarian Universalists (CA)
• Rev. JD Benson - Mission Peak UU Congregation (CA)
• Rev. Gretchen Woods - The UU Fellowship of Redwood City (CA)
• Rev. Thomas Perchlik - Cedars UU Church (WA)
• Rev. James VanderWeele - Northlake UU Church (WA)
• Rev. Eric Posa - Olympia UU Congregation (WA)

The Pacific Western Region field staff can help your congregation if you are looking at a change in your ministry. Whether you are facing the retirement of your called minister, adding an associate minister to your team, or you are considering the congregation's first contract minister, we can help. Reach out to your primary contact as soon as you are aware of any transition and they will connect you with the best resources for the ongoing success of your congregation.

PWR Congregations in the News

Rep. Rob Bishop talks public lands, running for his final term in Layton town hall - The Salt Lake Tribune (UT)
Shelley Page, a reverend at Ogden's Unitarian Universalist Church, believes Bishop should be more "in solidarity with the earth." She was surrounded by conservationists clinging to posters that read, "Save Grand Staircase-Escalante," "Don't touch our federal lands and monuments" and, "Hands off Bears Ears."

Fort Collins congregation votes to be sanctuary church for immigrants - Fort Collins Coloradoan
Foothills Unitarian Church joined the sanctuary congregation movement Sunday with the overwhelming support of its members. The progressive, non-doctrinal church doesn't have any undocumented immigrants moving into its halls just yet, though Rev. Gretchen Haley said Monday they are talking with a handful of people seeking sanctuary.

Immigrant advocates hold prayer service in Gov. Jerry Brown's office to support 'sanctuary state' legislation - LA Times
Among those present was Leslie Takahashi, the daughter of a Japanese internment camp survivor and a lead minister with the Mount Diablo UU Church in Walnut Creek. She said she and other church leaders have been working for years to make California a place of sanctuary for immigrants without legal status. She called the legislation crucial at a time when the president has pardoned former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio and is threatening to end a federal program that provides temporary immigration relief to children illegally brought into the country.

Black Lives Matter signs vandalized at northeast Fresno church - Fresno Bee (CA)
Two Black Lives Matter banners hanging outside the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno were vandalized either Tuesday night or early Wednesday, church officials say, but the church has banners ready to replace them. The church's board recently voted to put the signs up outside the church, the Rev. Tim Kutzmark said. He said the church studied the Black Lives Matter issue as a congregation for two years before the board vote to hang the banners.

Hate-related vandalism marks local church, businesses - Bellingham Herald (WA)
A local church was vandalized Wednesday night, the second time in a span of a month. The Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship had anti-LGBTQ language written in chalk on its sidewalks sometime Wednesday night or early Thursday, said Rev. Paul Beckel, the church's minister.

PWR Job Postings

• Sabbatical Religious Educator - UU Church of Palo Alto, CA
  Application is open until the position is filled.
• Director of Religious Education for Children's Ministry - UU of San Mateo, CA
  Application is open until the position is filled.
• UU Religious Exploration Teacher - Woodinville UU Church, WA
  ​Applications open until the position is filled.
• Music Director - UU Church of Ogden, UT
  Applications open until the position is filled.
• Connections Coordinator - University Unitarian Church in Seattle, WA
  Applications open until the position is filled.
• Director of Religious Exploration - Beacon UU Congregation in Flagstaff, AZ
  Applications open until position is filled.
• Director of Religious Exploration - UU Church of Studio City, CA
  Applications open until position is filled.
• Religious Education Coordinator - UU Community of the Mountains in Grass Valley, CA
  Applications open until 9/10/17 or position is filled.
• PATHS Campus Ministry Coordinator - UU Church of Boulder, CO
  Application deadline: September 15.

Ministry Positions

• Assistant Minister of Congregational Life - Neighborhood UU Church of Pasadena, CA
  Application open until position is filled.