by WUUC | Aug 16, 2024 | Announcements, Minister Blog
Greetings WUUC community,
As we enter my fifth year of ministry with you here at WUUC, I want to share the news that I will be taking a sabbatical during the 2024-25 church year. This is a normal custom among clergy of all types, and specifically for Unitarian Universalist ministers. In our faith tradition (and in accordance with my Letter of Agreement), a called minister receives one month of sabbatical time for every year of ministry served. This means that this year (year five), I will be taking a four-month sabbatical starting on November 25, 2024, and returning to work on March 25, 2025. My first Sunday worship service back in the pulpit will be on April 6, 2025 (to give me some time to reintegrate back into the community before planning and leading worship again).
I imagine you might have some questions about how all of this will work. Luckily, I’m not having to figure it out alone. I have formed (and been working with) a Sabbatical Team to create coverage plans that will ensure everything goes smoothly while I’m away. There is still some planning to do and details to work out, but our plans are beginning to take shape.
To share what we know so far, we have created a brochure (attached) with information about the upcoming sabbatical. If (after reading the brochure) you still have questions, bring them with you to church on Sunday. After the worship service (this Sunday 8/18), there will be a Q&A session with myself and the Sabbatical Team to address your unanswered questions.
I am looking forward to my sabbatical; and also to returning from it refreshed, renewed, and ready to dive back into the vibrant ministry here at WUUC! As much as I’m looking forward to this, I know I will miss you all very much and be eager to see you all again by the time March rolls around. For the next few months, though, let’s focus on getting this new church year off to a good start.
See you on Sunday!
Rev. Dan Lillie (he/him)
by Carol Taylor | Aug 1, 2024 | Announcements
This month’s collection helps support Common Power Future who believes democracy is more than just a concept. Through their foundational Learn & Earn program, they cultivate a habit of civic engagement and leadership development in college students, enabling them to lead and facilitate positive civic change in their communities.
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 (August 18th). 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.
by WUUC | Jul 29, 2024 | Announcements
The WUUC Board of Trustee conducted its first meeting on 7/24 to elect the officers. The WUUC Board officers for 2024-2025 are:
President: Jeff Lu
Vice President: Barbara Brachtl
Secretary: John Gamble
Treasurer: Kermit Sprang
Board Members: Azure Forte, Trina Roulet, Kerrie Vespaziani
Non-voting Member: Rev. Dan Lillie
The Board will meet on 8/30 and 8/31 next to plan out its goals and plan for the coming church year.
by WUUC | Jul 29, 2024 | Announcements
August is here and that means a new school year is about to begin. Totes to Go is a program that provides weekend food for students who are at risk of missing meals when school food programs aren’t available. WUUC participates by providing supplies for 15 of those students at Maywood Hills School in Bothell.
Our church has been part of the Totes program for many years. We have a list of items that we collect all through one month and deliver at the beginning of the next. So, the items we collect in August will be delivered at the beginning of September.
How does this work and how can you help? We have regular donors who bring particular items each month. We could use some more of those! Just contact me, Grace Simons. Some folks prefer to wait till late in the month and respond to my message about what we still need. Another way to support Totes is to make a financial contribution that will go to purchasing items needed to complete our list. And finally, at the end of the month, usually after our Sunday service, I could use help loading all our items into my car.
It’s well established that hungry kids don’t learn well. We can help prevent “our” kids from coming to school hungry on Monday mornings. We make a difference in their ability to learn every week!
Questions and comments? Contact John Hartman or Grace Simons, co-coordinators.
by Carol Taylor | Jun 30, 2024 | Announcements
This month’s collection helps support the Northwest Abortion Access Fund serving Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska. Trained, compassionate volunteer advocates run our toll-free helpline. They help people pay for their abortion care by sending funding directly to the clinic. They also help people get to and from the clinic and make sure people traveling for care have a safe place to stay.
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 (July 21st). 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.
by Marcia Sprang | Jun 30, 2024 | Announcements
We welcomed multiple new members to our church (listed below). The June & July 2024 newsletters will both feature bios from our new members so our community can read and welcome these wonderful people to our community at WUUC.
Welcome the new members:
Michael Ervick
Sonia Hoglander
Emily Kuo-Lillie and Natalie
Theresa and Dave Guenther
Jaimie Holt and Thea and Kai
Bonnie Kotzer
- Theresa and Dave Guenther
- Theresa has always had a deep interest in spirituality but struggled with a sense of belonging and common purpose in other church communities. Of major interest to Theresa is what people DO materially to heal the world. I am looking for partners for fun, fearless conversation and finding good trouble to get into. She appreciates the quirky and tolerant folks at WUUC.
- Dave has recently retired from a corporate job in tax, and currently focuses his time on bird watching, biking, hiking and reading. He grew up in Michigan, met Theresa in Philadelphia, then lived in Silicon Valley before moving to Woodinville 22 years ago to raise their three kids. They currently live with two geriatric corgis, both very cute. The increasing slowness of their daily walks is another source of learning for Dave.
- Jaime Holt and Thea and Kai
- Jaime is originally from Vancouver, Canada. As a child of immigrants who left their home countries due to political unrest and war, she has long had an interest in understanding humanity. This led her to the field of anthropology and graduate studies in the United States. She moved on from ancient peoples to studying real live humans. Her background as a professor of anthropology has served her well as she has pursued a career in real estate. Jaime’s passions for research, education, and supporting others in achieving their goals are fundamental to her core philosophy as a real estate broker. Jaime and her children Thea (age 9) and Kai (age 8) live in Cottage Lake, Woodinville with their English Bulldog, Mumu. Thea loves art and singing and Kai loves baseball and animals. They both wrestle, enjoy writing stories and swimming at the lake all summer! They all like to consider themselves lifelong learners, and are excited to join this community where they have greatly enjoyed the intellectual, supportive, and accepting nature of this congregation!
