Hello UUC!

I’m delighted to be settling in and getting connected as your Acting Associate Minister for Community Engagement. I’m feeling a sense of abundance and joy at the beginning of a new and evolving season in ministry together.

My garden’s abundance mirrors this feeling. I’ve just finished picking the last fruit from the small yet mighty apple tree in my front yard. The bunnies who live in my hedge and I have been enjoying dozens of light yellow-green, tangy, early-ripening apples that grew large enough for a satisfying treat! I feel grateful for this harvest and relieved that my pruning in the spring encouraged a moderate crop with good growth. My other apple tree, which I did not prune, has many tiny green apples on it, which may or may not ripen.

In this interim time of acting ministry, I’m looking forward to learning what is going well in our justice, care, and spiritual development ministries. I’m excited to encourage ongoing spiritual and justice practices that help us live and deepen our UU values. And I anticipate offering support to our teams in discerning where some pruning might encourage energies to flow into an abundant (and delicious!) harvest next year.

In my first two weeks the talented and capable staff team welcomed me and helped me navigate through our abundance of tech systems to set up access to communication channels. Thanks to some teamwork, I’m excited to be able to communicate with you and start setting up meetings to get to know you!

This month, I’ll be available for meet and greets during fellowship hour after Sunday services on August 24 and 31.

I’m setting up meetings with teams and groups who are involved in justice, care, and spiritual development ministries.

And I’m looking for a couple of volunteers who can help me set up an evening potluck and a brunch so that we can be social and chat more informally. If you can help, please send a note to victoria.poling@uuchurch.org or leave a message at (206) 454-7714.

With delight and gratitude,

Rev. Victoria