News

Worship service at 9:30 a.m. in the chapel and via livestream

Sunday, June 29 after the service in Nathan Johnson Hall This Sunday we will celebrate the June 30 retirement of Janine Larsen , who has served UUC as Director of Ministries and more recently, as Acting Administrator. Bring pie to share! From Janine: My favorites? Rhubarb (without the strawberry, preferably), cherry, lemon, and most everything else. Apple is right at the top of my list too, but I don't often eat it outside my own house because I'm very picky about this particular pie. (Yes, I know yours is also The Best In The World and I'm glad you love it - but that's just how it is for me.) If you're a baker or true pie fan like me, bring a pie you love to share. Otherwise, enjoy some pie that someone else has brought.  And yes, we'll still have coffee, tea, juice boxes, and cookies for those who don't enjoy pie. No questions asked. Read Janine's May 16 letter announcing her retirement here .

Sunday, June 29, 1-5 p.m. in downtown Seattle

Opens Sunday, June 29 All are invited to meet the artist at 10:30 a.m. immediately following the worship service Reception at 11:15 a.m.–1 p.m. in the chapel The Art Committee is pleased to present “The Spirit of Joy: An Exhibition of Paintings” by Sarah C.B. Guthrie , which opens on Sunday, June 29. All are invited to meet the artist at 10:30 am immediately following the service. A public artist reception will also be held 11:15 a.m.–1 p.m. in the chapel. Refreshments will be served. Guthrie explains, “This exhibit brings together my 8+ year investigation into Joy—what it is, how to find it, and why we all deserve it—with my lifetime curiosity into spirit, faith, and existence.” She defines joy as “an optimism of spirit we all carry within us. It’s sparked through our actions and, unlike happiness, is not dependent on our circumstances to be felt. Paradoxically, we can feel joy at the same time we feel anger, sadness, and grief.” For Guthrie, spirit evokes inclusion, love, the sacred, community, and connection. She states, “I am pleased and grateful to exhibit these works of Joy in the heart of the welcoming University Unitarian Church community.” Inspired in part by a recent trip to Japan, Guthrie brings shimmering metallic paint into her colorful abstracts to elicit the ethereal. Guthrie’s use of vibrant colors, combined with the orderly repetition of soft petal shapes, creates vibrant abstract paintings designed to evoke joy. A special feature of her process is that each mark contains dozens of slender lines of color. The marks engage the viewer in optically mixing the colors—inviting them into the process of creating joy through her paintings. Guthrie immigrated to the States from England with her parents when she was a toddler. She holds an MFA in Visual Arts from the Vermont College of Fine Arts, an MA from The George Washington University, and a BA from Davidson College. Her paintings have been part of solo and group shows in museums, galleries, and businesses in Washington State, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, and Washington DC, including at the prestigious Phillips Collection and Bainbridge Island Museum of Art. In Seattle, she is represented by Fogue Studios & Gallery in the Georgetown district. Her works are also held in private collections around the world. For more information about the artist and her work, please visit her website at www.artistgu3.com . The exhibit will hang in the Chapel until August 1.

This spring, UUC’s Faith Land Initiative (FLI) cohort team (comprised of Gayle Childers, Patricia Graesser, Dave Mentz, Rev. Beth Chronister and now Rev. Doug Wadkins) expanded its team and worked on three interest areas. The expanded team conducted research meetings with churches to learn how they serve the community with their spaces and conducted meetings with community service organizations to learn about current community needs. Team members met with congregants to understand your hopes for sharing our space, and we considered decision-making criteria. Thank you to: Jewels Mellen, Roberta Ray, Pat Marks, Rebecca DiNino, Meta Thayer, Laurie Mann for their research work. In meetings with congregants the common hopes expressed included: to live our values, share our abundance, empower lay leadership and ease the burden on staff, and to consider starting small and growing efforts sustainably. Many of us are asking if we can dare to be bold. In meeting with the community and reviewing King County data, top needs expressed were: Affordable housing/sheltering unhoused Available and affordable childcare/early learning Food security Isolation/community (esp. older folks) Healthcare Access & Delivery Meetings also made it clear that there are sets of low-income families in our neighborhood who need additional support. Meetings with other churches were inspiring. Two key points they shared were: Engagement, energy and ownership within the congregation are critical; most sustained community service is congregant-initiated, led and executed, requiring limited oversight by staff once started. Churches are using their spaces in creative and inspiring ways—some share space for free and bring in a modest income from rentals to sustain the church. Free use includes meals, clinics and housing the unhoused. Rental examples are very diverse: preschools, day cares, religious organizations, philanthropic entities, classes, retreats and meetings; parking lot space rentals; community garden plot rental; recurring meeting rentals like 12-Step, Toastmasters, musicians, artists and therapists. Two Examples Two motivating church examples are St. John United Lutheran Church on Phinney Ridge and University Congregational Church. St. John’s is an inspiring place. Offices host the work of three non-profits. Rooms host six 12-Step meetings a month, three music groups’ rehearsal space and an acting class (fees are charged on a sliding scale depending on entity and use). Phinney Neighborhood Association (PNA) serves three meals weekly and offers monthly free haircuts and physical therapy. PNA is a core partner with St. John’s. They have a key and are trusted to oversee their activities and care for the church spaces they use. St. John’s also opens for monthly Community Craft Nights and Game Nights. St. John’s has redeveloped parking spaces as a community garden managed by an oversight committee of four (two community members and two congregants). Fees are charged on a sliding scale depending on need. It’s maintained through monthly work parties and serves as a source of organic food for the community and the PNA hot meal program. University Congregational is a bustling place. When you walk through the door, day or evening, you hear music, actors, meal preparation and children’s voices. They are currently hosting Teen Feed for free to serve about 75 unhoused young people every night. They have hosted Tent Cities in the past. They also rent to many others on a term and recurring basis. Research showed that many churches in our community have developed or are developing affordable housing. Examples range from completely redeveloping buildings to developing a parking lot. Our FLI team is now at a point at which moving forward with any idea will require additional congregational enthusiasm and ownership . Some ideas that the team thought merited moving forward with are: Investigating space rental opportunities Investigating developing a community garden Developing partnerships with others in the neighborhood to address low-income family support needs Establishing a cycle for hosting Tent City 3 or Tent City 4 in UUC’s parking lot Investigating the possibility of using some of our land to create affordable housing Further developing decision-making guidance and a process by which we determine how to share our spaces and with whom, consistent with our mission and values. Please let the team know via email if any of the preceding examples represent your interests and possible commitments. If you’ve already shared an idea you are interested in pursuing and don’t see it listed here, please email details about that idea. Please submit your input to any one of the team: Patricia Graesser , Gayle Childers or Dave Mentz .

From Madi at Bloodworks Northwest : Hello University Unitarian Church Blood Donors, Thanks to your commitment this week we registered 41 donors and collected 29 units of blood components at UUC—a meaningful impact for patients across the Pacific Northwest. We’re incredibly grateful for the continued partnership with UUC and the enthusiasm you bring to every event. The culture of giving that you have created is fantastic - THANK YOU! The next blood drive at UUC will be on Thursday, August 21 . Click here for an appointment .

Hunger does not take a break in the summer. Therefore, UUC will continue to provide sack lunches twice per month for clients being served by Lake City Partners Ending Homelessness (LCP) as part of our Homelessness Ministries. New volunteers ages 10+ are invited to join us in this effort. We seek volunteers willing to purchase food items or prepare baked goods and drop them off, and also 6 volunteers each time to prepare sandwiches, fill lunch bags and deliver the finished lunches. We usually prepare lunches on the first Monday and third Saturday of the month. Our summer dates are July 7, July 19, August 5, and August 16 , 10 a.m. at church. However, arrangements can also be made to drop off food items ahead of time. Volunteering is very flexible; we contact volunteers about two weeks ahead of each date, and if you are available, you sign up. If not, there’s always a next time… For more information, or to be added to our LCP Sack Lunch Project email list, please contact Judy Oerkvitz, joerkvitz@hotmail.com . Thank you!

Monday, July 7, 6–8 p.m., at the Good Shepherd Center/Meridian Playground

In many years, the Eliot Institute summer camps are already filled by now. But recent events have raised some concerns about the ease of travel between Canada and the United States. Some of our B.C. regulars have decided not to risk crossing the border. So it's not too late to sign up! ( Registration deadline for July Eliot is July 5 . Deadline for the two August camps is July 26 .) Not familiar with the Eliot Institute? Read general info about the camps further below, after the specifics of the three upcoming summer camps.

The recording of our June 15, 2025 Annual Congregational Meeting is now available online .

From UUC's Tent City 3 Team When UUC hosted Tent City 3 (TC3) for three months in Spring 2023, our community provided a weekly dinner that proved to be a great opportunity for many from our community to contribute. Allie Harris and Sue Williams coordinated the plan in 2023, after gauging volunteer interest and seeking input from the TC3 community. When we decided to host TC3 again this year (from March 22 until July 26) Allie stepped up again to coordinate, with many from this community joining the effort. In total, UUC will host 16 dinners during this stay. Each Wednesday, 50-60 from the TC3 community dine in Nathan Johnson Hall. And, another 30-40 to-go boxes are prepared for others in the camp, with some on-duty with various responsibilities at the camp and others arriving back at the camp after dinner service concludes. So many meals—and the TC3 community is so appreciative. On top of that, any leftovers are delivered to TC3 on Thursday late morning, providing lunch fixings for some. Each Wednesday, there are 5-6 volunteers involved with serving and cleaning-up with Allie, with several dozen delivering menu items prepared in their home kitchens. To date, 62 from this community have contributed to at least one of the dinners, with 25 donating at least 5 times. Ten volunteers have become regulars, with their involvement hitting double-digits. As during the 2023 stay, Congregation Beth Shalom has partnered with us, and hosted several of the Wednesday evening meals too. Several other congregations are also delivering meals to the camp: St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church, Temple Beth Am, St. Bridget's Catholic Church, Assumption Catholic Church, Our Lady of the Lake Parish, St. Catherine of Siena Church, IMAN Center, St. Dunstan's and Ripe Catering have been delivering weekly meals to the camp since 2023! Even families in the neighborhood are preparing and delivering meals to the camp. So, if you and your friends are inspired to do that, you can check for openings on the TC3 meal calendar here . If you live nearby, or will be at UUC midweek, you are also welcome to drop by with a batch of cookies or muffins, or other ready-to-eat items. These donations are appreciated any time and you can feel free to drop off a batch of any size. Thanks to all for your ongoing engagement with our TC3 neighbors! If you have any questions about dropping off donations or getting involved with TC3, contact Pam Smith Mentz . Of course, you can simply stop by the TC3 camp to say hello or ask about a donation you might like to offer—any time!

Sunday, June 22, 1-4 p.m. at 12531 28th Avenue NE, Seattle

Tuesday, June 24, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. by appointment in Nathan Johnson Hall

General Assembly Worship Service , online only (The UUC building will be closed)

Thursday, June 19

Saturday, June 21 at 1 p.m. at First Unitarian Church, Portland, and via livestream With sadness, we report the death of long-time member, Pete Guest. He died peacefully on May 27 in the skilled nursing facility at Holladay Park Plaza, his Portland retirement community. He was surrounded by his wife, Kris , and son Andrew. Pete had declined over several years and was hospitalized in early April before moving to hospice at Holladay Park for 6 weeks. He was 84 years old. Pete was a UU since college, and active at UUC from the early 1990's until he moved to Portland in 2013. A memorial service at First Unitarian Church, Portland, Saturday, June 21 at 1:00 pm, will be livestreamed. Viewers can go to the church website or click on this link: https://boxcast.tv/view/pete-guest-lr6ej6ouukucdinvxowo . You can read his obituary here .

Thursday, June 19, 7 p.m. via Zoom The UUC Board of Trustees is holding a last-minute final 2024–25 meeting this Thursday at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom. It is open to members.

Wednesday, June 18, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. in Knatvold and via Zoom

Monday, June 16, 7:00–8:30 p.m. in the UUC chapel, by pre-registration

Meeting Materials Now Available Sunday, June 15, 10:45 a.m. in the UUC chapel and via Zoom

Annual Meeting Sunday All-Church Potluck Breakfast 8:45–9:45 a.m. 10–10:30 a.m.: Worship service in the chapel; Children & Youth Annual Meeting in Knatvold Annual Congregational Meeting 10:45 a.m. (Childcare provided in the Children's Suite)

Sunday, June 15, 8:30-9:45 a.m. in Nathan Johnson Hall Cooks and bakers, get out your recipes! Bring your favorite morning dish and ready-to-eats for the All-Church Breakfast Potluck that kicks off Annual Meeting Sunday on June 15. To start the day out in community, all are invited to create and enjoy a Breakfast Potluck together, from 8:30-9:45 a.m. Bring the whole family, and a breakfast casserole or a quick bread, pastry, or other breakfast treat to share. Options for omnivore, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diets are needed. The church will provide the usual Sunday beverages—coffee, tea, and juice boxes for the kids—and we’ll provide compostable plates, bowls, cups, utensils and napkins. You are also welcome to bring your own re-useable place settings if you prefer. Please be sure your breakfast contributions are ready-to-serve when you arrive on Sunday morning. Sorry, food can’t be cooked or prepared at UUC (including cutting up fruit or re-heating). We’ll have “What’s in this dish” forms ready at all serving tables to fill out when you arrive with your potluck offerings. We’ll have a location with outlets for your crock pots etc., to keep your contribution hot. Plan to pack your contributions as best you can to keep them appropriately warm or cold for the one-hour meal span. We’ll have a couple of microwaves available for individuals to heat a single serving quickly if needed. Remember to label your serving dishes and utensils with your name, so you can pick them up as-is when you leave. Because all volunteers will be attending the Worship Service at 10 a.m. and the Annual Meeting at 10:45, we are unable to scrape and wash serving dishes—they will be left in place for you. Volunteers Needed for Breakfast Potluck Set up : We need a few extra Coffee Crew members and potluck volunteers from 7:30–9:45 a.m. to help set up and keep things in order at the potluck, direct dishes to the various tables and help with labeling ingredients. Clean up : We also need a few volunteers to help with clean-up after the worship service and Annual Meeting—putting away chairs, wiping tables, taking out trash, polishing up the kitchen. Annual Meeting : The UUC Board has recruited volunteers to help as sign-in clerks (verifying members-in-good-standing and issuing voting cards), tellers during the meeting (counting and reporting votes), and a few other roles. Please email Janine.larsen@uuchurch.org to sign up for any of the volunteer roles. Many thanks for your support!

Applications due by June 15 I am sorry to share the news that Shameka Davis , one of UUC's Childcare Providers, will have her last day with us on June 15. Shameka and her family are moving out of Seattle, and the commute is just a little too far to make it feasible for her to continue providing childcare at UUC. Shameka has been at UUC a little over a year now and in that time has provided a calm and grounded presence in Sprouts, supported a nurturing environment for young children, and brought lots of fun and creative activities for kids. We will miss Shameka and her daughter Maya! I hope you will join me in congratulating Shameka on the move and wishing her well in this next phase of life. This means that UUC's Family Ministry is seeking a part-time Childcare Provider to support Sprouts and childcare events at UUC. Those who work with our youngest community members are instrumental in providing a strong foundation in what it means to be a part of a loving and supportive church community. Childcare Providers at University Unitarian Church support a safe, fun, and caring environment for children on Sunday mornings and at church events. They work with other staff and volunteers, including teens, to guide young children in creative free-play activities during their time at church. For the full job description and information about how to apply, please click here . Applications are due by June 15, with interviews commencing immediately. Please contact Director of Family Ministry, Aria Curtis , with any questions.

Tuesday, June 24, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. by appointment in Nathan Johnson Hall

After discussion at our last meeting, we have decided to take a break for June, July and August this year, and reconvene in September. When we start up again, we are likely going to switch to fourth Sunday’s so as not to overlap with other groups. We also plan to broaden our focus to anyone who would enjoy sharing time on hand-arts together . Be it continuing to knit care shawls, practicing your personal style of fine art or relaxing with a coloring book, we have found that working on our own projects in community while we chat and listen to each other can add a lot to our lives. See you in September!

From UUC's Homelessness Ministries Team  What started as a simple offer of a parking lot has grown into something much deeper. Our partnership with the Tent City 3 community has brought our communities closer to one another through donations, shared meals, and genuine friendships. Two recent events—the Foot Care Clinics and Community Health Fair—clearly show how meaningful these connections have become. This spring, the church hosted four Foot Care Clinics with healthcare services provided by U-District Street Medicine (UDSM). UDSM is a UW student-run, inter-professional volunteer group that provides healthcare to unhoused individuals in the University District. Student volunteers and healthcare professionals offered foot baths, cleanings, medical consultations, and referrals for additional services. Each participant also received foot care kits and new socks. These kits—containing soap, moisturizing lotion, socks, and other care items—were generously donated by the congregation and deeply appreciated by participants. Each of these sessions were also filled with compassionate care, laughter, smiles, and genuine connection between volunteers and the participants. At the Community Health Fair, U-District Street Medicine partnered with UDSM Outreach, the Student Health Initiative For Access (SHIFA), U-TEST, and Project Helping to provide comprehensive healthcare services. Thirty-three participants received: Complete health vitals checks Pre-diabetes and blood glucose screenings HIV testing Follow-up service information and referrals to additional healthcare resources Essential healthcare kits with care supplies Sharing resources and energy between a community that has much with a community that has little has strengthened both. We look forward to continuing and expanding our partnerships with our neighbors at Tent City 3!

UUC's Science Book Group will take a long summer recess to go outside and play during July and August. We will resume meeting on September 9, discussing Timefulness: How Thinking Like a Geologist Can Help Save the World by Marcia Bjornerud. Join the Science Book Group in UUC Connect to automatically receive information about future meetings.

Worship service at 9:30 a.m. in the chapel and via livestream

Friday, June 6, 6–8 p.m. in Knatvold and via Zoom

Wednesday, June 4, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. in Knatvold and via Zoom

Flower Communion All Ages worship services at 9:30 and 11:15 a.m., in the chapel and via live stream

We have some upcoming staff transitions in the Music Program. I'm sad to say that two of our wonderful section leader/soloists, Rick Scheyer and Camille Watson, will be moving on from UUC this summer. Rick Scheyer has been our phenomenal bass section leader/soloist for the past 24 years! He has been the solid foundation of the choir for all that time, and we will miss his cheerful presence, rousing solos, and thoughtful leadership. Rick has relocated to Mt. Vernon, which makes for a challenging and long drive to Seattle, and so he has regretfully decided that it is time to bid farewell to his position at UUC. Camille Watson joined us as soprano section leader/soloist in 2023. In addition to singing, she has a thriving business creating social media, websites, and photography for local musicians. Her business has become so in-demand that she unfortunately has decided to move on from UUC in order to make more time for her business. We will miss her, but congratulate her on her success. On the good news front, we already have a new soprano section leader/soloist chosen to take over when Camille leaves. Amy Peer has done quite a bit of subbing this past year (both for Camille and for Cally Lindenmier), and she will officially join the music staff in June as our soprano section leader/soloist. Amy will be a familiar face and voice to many, and we are so happy to welcome her in her new role! You'll be able to hear Amy sing at the first summer service, on June 8. Rick and Camille will sing their final Sunday services with us on June 1, Flower Communion Sunday. Please join the Loft Choir and the entire Music Program in thanking them for their time with us when you see them on June 1. Karen P. Thomas Director of Music

The chancel flowers for June 1 have been given by Judith Wood in loving memory of all who have brought their blossoms of varying shapes and hues to this ceremonial sharing table over many years. To sponsor flowers for Sunday worship, perhaps in honor of a loved one or an occasion, please contact the church office .

The Bridging Ceremony celebrates the passage from youthhood to young adulthood; these teens are aging out of Youth Group and taking their place in our religious community as young adults. To symbolize this moment, Bridging teens will each receive a blooming rose, thorns intact; these teens are coming into their own, resilient and ready to face the joys and challenges that life will bring.  Our Bridgers: Phil Crowther has attended UUC since he was 6 years old. Since then, he has been a fixture at Chalice Camp, first as a camper and later as a counselor, and has co-taught the Roots class for the past few years. Phil is passionate about film (Phil made the Family Ministry video used in this year's pledge campaign!), photography, and ultimate frisbee, and will be pursuing all three at DePaul University in Chicago starting in September.

From the Nomination Subcommittee of the UUC Board of Trustees As we previously shared, the Board of Trustees is pleased to introduce our proposed slate of seven exceptional UUC members who have stepped up to serve as members of the Ministerial Search Committee. A large display, highlighting these seven candidates is now located in Nathan Johnson Hall or as you enter the sanctuary. At the Annual Congregational Meeting on June 15, members in good standing will vote on the full slate of candidates. This slate includes all seven individuals listed. Members will cast a single vote to approve the entire slate and not each individual candidate. We are lucky to have found an outstanding group to select our Senior Minister, and we encourage you to attend the Congregational Meeting and vote to approve this full slate, which was selected with the greatest care and with each of you in our heart and minds. Read more about the nomination process .

June 18–22, Baltimore, MD or online

Sign up by Thursday, May 29 Child dedication ceremony on Sunday, June 1, 9:30 or 11:15 a.m.

Tuesday, May 27, 5–7 p.m. in Knatvold

Worship services at 9:30 and 11:15 a.m. in the chapel and via livestream

Janine Larsen, Acting Administrator We are pleased to announce the selection of our Congregational Engagement Coordinator, who will start July 1 . Morgan Sherwood (she/her) is a lifelong UU who grew up at the Boulder Valley UU Fellowship in Lafayette, Colorado. In high school she fell in love with the UU community she found at Cons (youth conferences) and camps and was very active in youth leadership. Morgan recently graduated from Whitman College with a degree in Environmental Studies-Biology. At Whitman, Morgan served as an Inclusion Fellow in the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life and spent three semesters taking and teaching classes inside the Washington State Penitentiary. Morgan is thrilled to be embarking on this new journey with UUC! The Congregational Engagement Coordinator is a new position at UUC, which will: Provide front office presence and direct response to inquiries including meeting scheduling; Coordinate volunteer teams who support general office reception and database tasks; Manage and promote use of our relational database, UUC Connect; Support Connections and Sunday Welcoming Teams; Work closely with our Communications Coordinator, Susan St. John, and our incoming Associate Minister in carrying out our website, social media, and onsite communications strategies. Thank you to the Interview Team for this position—Leslie Robinson, Lora Poepping, Stacy Carlson, and Cynthia Setel—who interviewed 8 candidates (screened from 21 applicants) offering a variety of strengths and diversities. We're looking forward to introducing Morgan to the congregation and arranging opportunities for her to get to know our Sunday Welcoming Team Leads and volunteers, and our Connections Team. Morgan is also looking forward to meeting other Young Adults at UUC and planning some activities together over the next program year.

From the Acting Associate Search Team Dear Members and Friends of University Unitarian Church, We are excited to share some wonderful news with you! The Acting Associate Search Team has concluded its efforts, and we are thrilled to introduce Rev. Victoria Poling as our new Acting Associate Minister for Community Engagement . The position is part of our new staff team that emphasizes working with congregational teams to share the ministry of several essential areas including welcome, caring community and social justice. We will be very collaborative within the staff, as well as with lay leaders to continue to expand leadership development and build partnerships within the congregation and beyond. The associate position is acting, which indicates in this instance that it will likely remain in place as we transition into the new lead ministry and will allow the lead minister to have flexibility to continue the current ministry or seek another associate in line with their vision to build a vibrant and effective shared ministry. We were lucky to have strong candidates for the position. However, the search team was impressed by Victoria’s insightful and experienced understanding of ministry, her wise and compassionate understanding of the ways of church life, and her considerable experience working with lay teams in congregations. As one search team member wrote, "[Victoria] has a calm, grounded presence and, according to members of her current congregation, the humility, spiritual grounding, relational skills, and creativity that was pivotal to supporting their congregations and lay leaders through periods of significant complexity and uncertainty. She is deeply called to serve the land, water, and people of the Salish Sea and has a longstanding commitment to engaging with our UUC community through various roles, such as supporting our Coming of Age mentors, collaborating with UUC family ministry leaders, and leading summer services." Victoria holds a Masters of Divinity degree from Seattle University School of Theology & Ministry, and in addition to her ministerial experience, Victoria has an impressive background in nonprofit management and environmental education, which will enrich our church’s programs and initiatives. Her multifaceted skills and deep compassion make her a wonderful addition to our community. Rev. Poling will begin her ministry with us in August , but will most likely begin some behind the scenes work in late July. Please join us in welcoming Rev. Victoria Poling to University Unitarian Church! We are looking forward to the many ways she will engage with UUC and assist us all as we grow together. Warm regards, The Acting Associate Search Team Aria Curtis, Becca Hutcheson, Eileen Bianamara, Scott Maxson and Rev. Doug Wadkins

~Janine Larsen, Acting Administrator My turn. As of June 30, I’ll be retiring from full-time work at UUC. I’m ready to take up a different pace in my life and turn more fully to other passions. It’s particularly satisfying to wind up my staff position with the end of this fiscal year, to help staff restructuring to be fully embraced and more effectively funded going forward. While I’ll discontinue my Leadership Staff role and full-time presence at the church on June 30, my relationship with the congregation will transition differently than we’ve experienced with other recent staff retirements and resignations. Unlike the “no contact” protocols other staff have followed or chosen, I’ll continue to be available to consult with Leadership Staff as new staff come on board, particularly around on- or off-site orientation and training for the incoming Congregational Engagement Coordinator (look for an announcement next week!). Given current needs, this will likely include some continuing paid time when more than minimal help is needed for staff support, special projects, or to cover gaps in office coverage through the summer months. Most importantly to me, I’ll continue to lead our lively Zen Buddhist Meditation and Study group at UUC. As the program has grown, we’ve named ourselves the Bright Cloud Zen practice groups. We’re affiliated with the larger UU Buddhist Fellowship, and we’re part of the Empty Moon Zen Sanghas, founded by UU Minister and Zen Roshi James Ford. To provide clear boundaries around my continued involvement at UUC, I’ve asked to be recognized as a Covenanted Community Minister, in accountable relationship with the ordained UU ministers of this church. Such appointment will be similar to the “Minister Affiliated” role called out in UUC’s bylaws, but different in some significant ways. First, I am not a UU Minister and will not be eligible to represent UUC as ministerial delegate to the UUA General Assembly. I was ordained as a Zen Buddhist Priest at UUC in 2019. My calling is to serve UUs and others who are exploring or have committed to the path of Zen Buddhism, informed by Unitarian Universalist values and practices. Second, I will be in covenant with UUC’s ministers and Leadership Staff, not the congregation as a whole. So, my appointment will come from the Senior Minister, not by vote of the congregation as is the standard for UU Ministers Affiliated. We’ll have the chance to share this at the short Worship Service before the Annual Meeting on June 15. I will continue to be a regular member of UUC, but in order to make space for UUC’s staff and volunteer transitions I will largely absent myself from participating in congregational meetings, Sunday worship, and most other community events for a while, except by request and consent with the Senior Minister and Staff Leadership. Here’s a fun example of that: I will be your guest preacher on July 6! We continue to walk this liminal time together, very much as I entered UUC in July 2016. I feel like I’ve carried out transitional ministry my entire time on staff here. It has been completely consistent with my Zen practice of “being with what is” and meeting each moment with curiosity, determination, and love. As I approach my 70 th birthday at the end of October, I am eager to devote myself to things that beckon me now: Getting my house in order (literally!), paying attention to my health by making more time for exercise and “sleep hygiene,” the joy of cooking, planning some road trips, hanging out with dogs, and expanding my devotion to Zen practice and teaching beyond UUC. I know we wish each other well and enter this new phase with great fondness. We will still see each other, but not as regularly and without getting into the intimate details of UUC structures. Thank you for your deep care of me, and welcoming me into your community so joyously. Serving this congregation has been a great blessing to me. 

With sadness, we report the death of long-time member Nola Ahola, on May 8, 2025. She was 88 years old. At UUC, Nola was long involved with Covenant Groups and Women's Groups. She particularly valued serving as a mentor for UUC's Coming of Age program. Nola also took great pleasure in attending the UU Memorial Day Weekend Retreat at Seabeck Conference Center for many years. Nola was a Pacific Northwest artist and art teacher whose career spanned six decades. She first gained recognition for her figurative art during the 60s and 70s, portraying dancers and live models in large scale brush drawings. Her later works include vivid watercolors and intricate collages, both figurative and abstract. Nola lived on Lopez Island from 1992–1999 and wrote a bi-weekly arts column, "Artsake" for the Islands' Weekly . Her works were exhibited at the San Juan Islands Museum of Art as recently as 2021. Examples of her art may be found at nola_ahola_art on Instagram and at Saatchi Art . A Celebration of Life for Nola will be held at her art studio on Saturday, June 7. Details are still being finalized; contact the church office for information.

Saturday, May 24, 5:30–9 p.m. at Cal Anderson Park, Seattle

Sunday, June 15, 10:45 a.m. in the UUC chapel and via Zoom

Through May 26, online or with a check

Thursday, May 22, 7:00–8:45 p.m. in the Knatvold room

Wednesday, May 21, 6:30–7:30 p.m. in Knatvold

Wednesday, May 21, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. in Knatvold and via Zoom