On May 19th, 2024 our congregation formalized and celebrated our covenant of shared ministry with the Reverend Dan Lille during his Installation Service & Ceremony and reception at Bear Creek United Methodist Church (BCUMC). Those in attendance in-person and virtually, represented a wide swath of people who have supported both Rev. Dan and our congregation through our four years of shared ministry together: Rev. Dan’s ministerial colleagues and mentors, Rev. Dan’s and Emily’s family and friends, WUUC congregants and our family members as well as our amazing WUUC staff. As Kermit Sprang said during the service in his Greetings from WUUC, “we have been through times when we have felt totally unified – and times when we feared we were tearing ourselves apart. And through all of that Dan has been there with us, and we are where we are now –stronger, more together, more ready to face the future –largely because of his presence.
The event itself was made possible by the efforts and coordinated work of the WUUC Installation Team with the music coordinators, guest ministers, musicians, choir, caterers, ceremony & reception volunteers, photographer, and the gracious hospitality of BCUMC Pastor Brook McBride and staff who donated the use of their sanctuary and building to WUUC for the afternoon. I am deeply grateful to all those who made this event so inspiring and memorable.
So, what did we do together during this Installation Service and Ceremony? An installation service formally celebrates the shared ministry and covenantal relationship between the minister and congregation that has called him. As Kermit Sprang further shared, “because we called Rev. Dan as our minister in May, 2020 this installation has a different character as it affirms a relationship that has had time to develop, that has been tested, and tried, and that we already know is working.” And yes, it will always be work in progress for both minister and congregation.
At this Installation Service/Ceremony Rev. Dan and members of the WUUC congregation shared covenantal words with one another, our promises to each other in creating and building this shared ministry together as beloved community. As we finished saying our words of commitment to each other, Rev. Dan and the Congregation finished the Act of Installation with the shared words, “Thus do we covenant. May we live faithfully into our shared ministry with courage, compassion, and love.
Rev. Dan, Emily and Natalie – Welcome, you’re home.
UUA General Assembly (GA) is totally virtual this year, convening June 20-23, 2024. You have elected three WUUC delegates- Dottie Simpson, Pam Green, and Winny Schnitzler.
This year, delegates will be voting on adoption of the proposed revisions (and 4 qualified amendments) to Article II of the UUA Bylaws.
We are providing an opportunity for discussion of these topics; an in-person discussion after church service on Sunday, June 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. PDT and a Zoom session Wednesday, June 12th 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. PDT.
In addition, a survey will be sent via Announce for you to share with us your feedback about the Article II proposed revisions and amendments. Before then I will provide you with the current Article II and the proposed Article II revisions and amendments which we will be voting on at GA 2024.
We will update you on anything which seems pertinent for you to know beyond this info.
The school year is coming to an end, and Maywood Hills elementary school is sending us a big Thank You!!
We have made 10 monthly deliveries, each meeting or exceeding their expectations. When the school asked for a few changes in the items we provide, we accommodated their request. When they asked for an early delivery for June, we did it – with extra supplies.
None of this would be possible without your ongoing support. Thanks to everyone who has donated to the Totes program! And special thanks to our “scheduled” donors, who signed up to provide supplies every month! They are Barbara Brachtl, Dorothy Bridges, Stephana Ditzler, Jean Fowler, John Hartman, Susan McBain and Steve Jung, Trina Roulet, Pattie Saunders, Marilyn Schmidt, Dottie Simpson, Kate Smith and Marcia & Kermit Sprang.
Totes will be on “summer break” in June and July. You’ll hear from us again in August when it’s time to gear up for the 24-25 school year.
Again, many, many thanks to all our Totes supporters!
After the worship service on June 9th, we are having a Town Hall to present the proposed 2024-25 budget and for the candidates for the elected positions on the Board of Trustees, Endowment Committee, and Nominating Committee. On Sunday, June 23rd after the service we will have a Congregational Meeting where we will vote on the elected positions and upcoming budget. The members of the Nominating Committee extend our gratitude to those completing their terms this year, and to the following members who have agreed to serve in the coming years. We propose the following slate of candidates:
Board of Trustees Candidates
Barbara Brachtl
Nominated for Board, 3-year position
Barbara has been a member of the Woodinville Unitarian Universalist Church since 2005. Previously she served 3 years on the board and has been chair of BAG for a few years. Barbara moved to Bellevue in 2015 and was on the board of her condo association for 7 1/2 years. She moved back to Bothell in June 2023 and is eager to become involved.
John Gamble
Nominated for Board, 3-year position
John and his family (Katherine, Owen, and Ezra) started visiting WUUC shortly after it reopened for in-person activities, becoming members in 2022. At WUUC, John helps to keep the technology running during Sunday services. Before moving to Washington in 2017, John and family lived in Albuquerque, NM. John first got involved with Unitarian Universalism during graduate school, where both he and Katherine were members of First Unitarian Society in Madison, WI. Professionally, John is a physicist, and in his free time he loves bicycles, the outdoors, woodworking, and complicated board games.
Kerrie Vespaziani
Nominated for Board, 1-year position Kerrie has called the WUUC community her spiritual home for almost 21 years. She has been very involved with the church’s music, including playing her flute, singing in the choir, and serving on the music committee (when it existed). She was a co-leader of family night for several years, taught RE, and has recently been a member of the COVID task force. She also served on the board one other time previously.
When not at church, Kerrie works as a nurse for an elementary school in Snohomish. She is mom to Remy (23) and Camlin (21) and her cat Solsken. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, puzzles, knitting, and margaritas with friends.
Endowment Candidates
Dawn Blomberg
Nominated for Endowment Committee, 3-year position
I have been a member of WUUC for many years and my kids have attended RE and youth groups and remain friends with some of their peers to this day. They are 32, 26 and 23! I have served on the board and on many committees over the years and am currently serving on Membership. I love attending the women’s retreat, helping with the rummage sale and attending community events. I am a pediatric speech/language pathologist and own my own company. I look forward to serving on endowment.
Dewey Millar
Nominated for Endowment Committee, 3-year position
Dewey joined the church in 1992. He’s been very active in BAG, Auction, Rummage Sale, Lay Pastoral Associates, Men’s Retreat and is the organizer and leader of the Blood Drive.
Nominating Committee Candidates
Cora Goss-Grubbs
Nominated for Nominating Committee, 3-year position
Cora Goss-Grubbs has been a member of WUUC for 28 years. She has served on the leadership of many church committees as well as the Pacific Northwest District youth conferences, and even on staff for one year as Youth Group Coordinator. Highlights include the music committee, religious education, a ministerial search committee, heading up the rummage sale, and starting our social justice committee that’s now known as ASJ. Strengths she brings to the Nominating Committee include knowledge of many different church ministries and a desire to get to know new attendees while maintaining connections to long-time members. Professionally she is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Substance Use Disorder Professional, and works at Youth Eastside Services as a high school mental health counselor. She is excited to help develop the elected leadership of our church.
Janet Putnam
Nominated for Nominating Committee, 3-year position
Janet Putnam, who joined WUUC in 2003, co-leads the Zen meditation group and sometimes plays oboe for services at church. She was co-chair of the Search Committee from 2009 – 2010, was a member of the Board of Trustees from 2006 – 2010. Janet has been involved with Sister Circle, RE, Membership, the Rummage sale, and the Women’s Retreat, and she has facilitated the Harmony for Hope concerts at WUUC. She particularly enjoys learning about the hidden talents and passions of the members of our WUUC community.
Steph Young
Nominated for Nominating Committee, 3-year position
Steph has been with the church for 5 years. She has been involved in planning the Women’s Retreat for 2 years and was involved in the kitchen when Rev Lo was here. She is a Boeing engineer. Steph has 2 children. One is graduating from college this year and the other is in high school. She is eager to get more involved with the church.
Approximately 1 in 5 adults in the United States experience a mental health condition. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Eastside supports families, friends, and individuals living with mental health conditions in East King County. This month’s collection helps support NAMI Eastside’s mission to provide advocacy, education, support, and public awareness so that all people impacted by mental illness and mental health conditions can lead healthy and productive lives.
The Advocates for Social Justice (ASJ) Committee thanks WUUC members and friends for their generous support of our monthly special collections, which take place during services on the third Sunday of every month (May 19th). Instructions for giving are posted during the service, and you can also donate anytime at https://onrealm.org/wuuc/-/give/now, or by sending a check to WUUC at P.O. Box 111, Woodinville, WA 98072. Please make checks out to WUUC and write “ASJ Special Collection” in the notes.
