We’ve been welcoming new members to our church community. The June, July and August newsletters will feature bios from our new members so our community can read and welcome these wonderful people to WUUC.
This newsletter will feature bios from Mark Rainey, Karen and John Somerville, and Becka Cormier. The June Newsletter featured bios from Alexis Green, Carol Zumbrunnen and Dave Tauscheck, Andy Rosen and Elizabeth Gray. The August Newseltter will feature bios from Ryn and Drew Romanyk (and Alina), Rae Shepherd, and Annette and Dale Lowey. If you don’t want to wait for future editions you can see everyones bio at this linked document.
Mark Rainey
Mark is a retiree and drum fanatic. He has been going through some big life changes, and when friendship and circumstances led him to WUUC, he decided having a spiritual community was a good idea. Mark especially appreciates the values of UU, which are very close to his personal values. Thank you for welcoming Mark into the community.
Karen and John Somerville
John and Karen moved to Woodinville in 2019 after 41 years in Connecticut. Growing up in a military family, John moved often until his family settled in the Hartford area when he was twelve. Karen was born and raised in Seattle. They met “over the phone” while both worked for a major insurance company. After raising their two daughters in Connecticut, one daughter moved to the Pacific Northwest and the other to North Carolina, so they decided it was time to return to Karen’s home region. In addition to their daughters and sons-in-laws they have two grandchildren nearby and three in North Carolina.
John likes sports and reading American history books influenced by where he has lived. Karen likes needlework and spending time with her grandkids. They had intended to find a church community when they moved to the area, but it was put on the back burner when COVID arrived. They are very happy to have found that community at WUUC.
Becka Cormier
Originally from Montana, Becka moved to Washington in 1999. She and her husband, Jake, moved to Woodinville in 2001. After raising and homeschooling her daughter, she is now working from her home studio as a figurative artist and sculptor.
Becka was a member of WUUC from 2000 until 2011. She helped build the church when she was pregnant with her daughter, Amelie.
Casually brought up in the Methodist church, after college Becka became a Wiccan. She was initially drawn to the UU church in search of other pagans. Once at WUUC, her beliefs slowly changed and she left Wicca behind. In 2011, she realized she was an atheist and left the church.
Even though she had just left the church, the community of WUUC helped her get through a brain surgery to remove a benign bone tumor between her left eye and her brain. She is forever grateful for their support.
Becka came back to check out WUUC at the request of her now-adult daughter in August of 2024. She participated in some small groups and the women’s retreat and realized she loves the community here. Still an atheist, she feels like she is at home once again at WUUC. She’s happy to be here.
