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!
WUUC members showed up to support the annual Woodinville Pride event during June Pride month. After her child came out, a local mother spearheaded the first annual Woodinville Pride event at DeYoung Park in 2022. Local residents had a vision of seeing more LGBTQIA+ events on the Eastside for those less willing (or unable) to attend larger events in the city. The organizers believe that our youth need more smaller, family-oriented, safe and inclusive events closer to home to show the types of resources available to the queer community and that local LGBTQIA+ artists, crafters, performers, creators, etc. deserve more opportunities to showcase their talents in an inclusive, safe space.
This year, our WUUC volunteers helped vendors unload and set up for the event. I’m not gonna lie, it was some hard and sweaty work. But it was very rewarding to work together, meet new people, and see all the amazing offerings. The vendors were so grateful (and relieved) to see us when we showed up with carts and opens arms. And the event was well attended.
Last year, we helped to staff the welcome/informational tables, greeting people as they arrived and giving out flags, buttons, materials, and directions.
And we helped staff local booths, including for the amazing Lambert House. So many great resources, and cool crafts from LGBTQIA+ related vendors were made available to our local folks.
Unitarian Universalists show up in many ways for the LGBTQIA+ community. And the Woodinville Unitarian Universalist Church is an officially designated Welcoming Congregation. Come join us as we serve and celebrate Pride!
Members of WUUC spent an amazing weekend supporting this annual indigenous event sponsored by the Lummi Nation. We were part of the kitchen crew prepping and serving meals for participants in the Lummi longhouse. It was inspiring to form new relationships, deepen existing friendships, and participate in ceremonial gatherings. I personally returned home touched with a new sense of calm that has remained with me still.
The following article by Carrie Bowman published in the East Shore UC newsletter is republished here with her encouragement and permission (additional photos added by WUUC). You can contribute to support and sustain this event going forward here: https://sanjuans.app.neoncrm.com/forms/canoe-journey-gathering-of-the-eagles
Gathering of the Eagles – Canoe Journey through Ancestral Waters
Written by Carrie Bowman
This year’s Gathering of the Eagles Canoe Journey, organized and hosted by Sul ka dub Phreddie Lane of the Lummi Nation, celebrated ancestral wisdom and cultural knowledge and nurtured the paddlers’ physical and spiritual well-being.
Members of the East Shore Indigenous Connections Team were honored to provide transportation support, ground team support, equipment, and lodging for the 4th annual Gathering of the Eagles. Members of University UC, Northlake UUC, and Woodinville UUC provided equipment, lodging, and hosted presentations in the Seattle area following the Gathering.
Canoes launched at Anacortes on May 19, landed at Spencer Spit State Park on Lopez Island that day, and spent May 20 and 21 on San Juan Island. The Orcas Island community hosted us on May 22 and 23. At each island, well over 100 people greeted the canoes at the beach, where ceremony and wreaths welcomed the canoe families (see the video linked below). Oh, the island communities know how to throw a potluck! Each night, the canoe families and support team were offered homemade food; the canoe families responded with protocol that included gratitude, prayer, singing, dancing, and storytelling. Lummi elders and guests from Hawaii, the Puyallup Tribe, Northwest Indian College, South Africa (Khoisan), Australia (Māori), Diné (Navajo) Nation and Hopi Nation offered songs and prayers.
The canoes landed at Lummi Nation on May 24, where East Shore, Northlake, and Woodinville UUs showed up to prep and cook meals May 24-26.
For the first time at a Gathering of the Eagles event, canoes landed at the ancestral fishing site where Whatcom Creek enters Bellingham Bay (now called Waypoint Park). On May 25, Lummi Nation and Bellingham officials welcomed the canoes and volunteers carried two of them to Maritime Heritage Park, where food, native crafts, and fellowship followed.
While the above logistical report gives a sense of the journey, the spiritual nature of the experience is more difficult to describe. The Gathering of the Eagles Canoe Journey focuses on slowing down and listening to our ancestors so that we can learn from them about how to respect our earth, sky, and waters:
“Leave your ego at home” (Sul ka dub Phreddie Lane, Lummi)
“This feels like the right thing to do, even if it doesn’t make any sense” (Litha Booi, South Africa, about a decision guided by indigenous wisdom)
“Seven days of paddling from homeland island to homeland island of Lummi ancestral grounds was like waking in a living dream…we felt the heartbeat of the Salish Sea” (Whaia Whaea, Australia)
The journey overflowed with acknowledgment and appreciation for the contributions of all. The spirit of the northwest potlatch permeated the Gathering: traditionally, indigenous wealth wasn’t determined by how much a person possessed, but by how much they gave away. All guests returned home with gifts.
Our participation in Gathering of the Eagles brought to mind words about “good work” from Rev Karen Van Fossan’s sermon on May 12: …..prepping food, chopping wood, sorting donations, mediating conflicts, facilitating ceremonies, or otherwise, this work affirmed our dignity and our belonging; in affirming our shared humanity, this work created a context in which we were less likely to resort to interpersonal violence ourselves – most of our deepest needs were met, including the need to give of ourselves with generosity and purpose…..
Here is a video that captures the spirit of the Gathering of the Eagles (thanks to Matt Wickey, a friend of guests from the Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe Voyaging Society). Turn up the volume and enjoy a bit of the journey! https://www.facebook.com/731096245/videos/984226512808979/
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.
We welcomed multiple new members to our church (listed below). The June & July newsletter 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
Mike Ervick
Originally from Chicago, Michael is a 66-year-old retiree who has lived with his wife Kimberley in the Echo Lake community of unincorporated Snohomish County for the last 25 years. During that time, they added three children and a variety of fur babies. Before his retirement, he spent 33 years as a management consultant and adjunct professor. Michael has embraced responsibility and community-minded service since he was very young – moving from scouts to then serve in the U.S. Navy and then continuing with civilian volunteer service in SBA, FEMA, and other disaster response organizations.
Sonia Hoglander
Sonia is an Electrical Engineer with an MBA. She currently tutors math and science for ages from grade school to college!. She was born in Sweden and most of her family lives on the east coast. Her other passions include caring for her new dog, Basil, going for long walks, and growing food in the garden.
Emily Kuo-Lillie (and Natalie)
Emily Kuo (pronounced like “Quo” as in Quote) grew up near Dallas, Texas. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and Spanish… and another bachelor’s degree in nursing. In her 20s she lived in Denver, Colorado where she met her husband, Dan at the UU church they both attended; she was quite smitten with the soon-to-be-seminarian’s thoughtful preaching, and this summer they will celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary!
Emily loves being a nurse and is especially interested in the intersection of healthcare access, ethics, and social justice work; she currently works for NMDP (formerly known as Be The Match) where she cares for volunteer stem cell and bone marrow donors.
Natalie, her daughter, (age 4) is the absolute joy of her life. Outside of work, Emily loves to watch and play tennis, and she and her family enjoy exploring playgrounds, beaches, and dog parks together with their two rescue pups, Bella and Copper.
