From Your Minister

Dear Ones,

The new congregational year has begun, and with it we’re beginning to explore our Soul Matters theme of Invitation.

We’ll begin the month by exploring our vision of shared ministry and how we’re living into it through the work of our many teams, committees, and staff. At our annual Opportunities Fair after the worship service on September 8 you’ll be able to find out more about the many ways you can be involved.

Then, on September 15 after the worship service I’ll be leading a workshop on Articulating (Y)Our UU Faith. This is a mini version of a multi-week class taught in many congregations that invites us to find ways to talk about Unitarian Universalism and our relationship to it. This will be the kickoff for our monthly Lunch then Learn workshops, which will usually be on the first Sunday of the month.

On September 22, our new ministerial intern, Bridget Laflin, will be preaching here for the first time. Bridget will be with us through late May 2025 completing this important part of her training to become a Unitarian Universalist minister. Bridget received her Master of Divinity from Seattle University, and her B.A. from the University of Minnesota. She is currently the Director of Lifespan Religious Education for First Unitarian Universalist Church in San Antonio, TX and previously served as the Director of Religious Education at Woodinville UU Church in Woodinville, WA.

On September 28, we’ll be beginning this year’s music outreach program with a concert from UU musician Pater Mayer, who wrote our beloved song “Blue Boat Home.” Peter will also be joining us for our Sunday service on September 29 when we launch our annual stewardship campaign, “Committed to Caring.” Our stewardship campaign invites us all to reflect on how we support this congregation and co-create it.

At the end of the month I’ll be preparing for a new round of teach the Shared Pulpit sermon writing class. I’m leading this again as part of inviting members to preach some services when I’m on sabbatical from February through April 2025. The class will be October 14 and 28, November 4 and 25, and December 9 from 6:30 – 9 pm. If you’re interested, please contact me.  I’ll be posting more information later in September.

I’m also delighted that this year we’re inviting members, friends, and the wider community to begin a new year of covenant groups, mind and spirit exploration, Our Whole Lives, children and youth religious education, justice work, and much more. I’m also pleased that we’re inviting in the wider community into UUS programming and by providing space for many community organizations to host meetings and fundraisers. I hope that if you’re not already, you’ll be part of this as a participant and by helping make programming happen. Please find out more about how to get engaged in the rest of this newsletter and by reading weekly emails. For together, we are making this congregation a beloved community.

Love and Blessings,
Rev. Diana