08/28/2019 by Shannon Day

Update from the Board 8.30.19

Hello, Beloved Community, We have another great update in our progress to bring our called minister, Rev. Christopher Wulff, to us from Canada! Our R-1 Immigration Visa application has been assigned a case number through USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services)! Also, our 2019-2020 Board has met for one trust-building and planning retreat, and two regular monthly meetings. R-1 Visa Update   With our R-1 Visa case number assigned, we are now in a holding period waiting for a site visit from our USCIS case manager. This pre-adjudication visit will not be announced. The purpose will be to affirm

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08/21/2019 by Shannon Day

Update from the Board of Trustees – Jade Lowry, President

What is the board focusing on this August, you ask? Transparency – One focus is how to be more transparent with our work, and as collaborative as possible with the broader congregation! We’ve talked about how to be present; how to communicate and keep those channels open; how to document and present what needs to be available for public record; and how to best listen and understand the needs and desires of the congregation. Hopefully you will see evidence of this; and we will share our ideas as we go. Listening – We want to hear from you! We are

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08/14/2019 by Shannon Day

Hello from north of the border! – Rev. Christopher Wulff

It’s been a little while since we’ve seen each other, hasn’t it? I miss you all so very much! I’m finding this liminal time between the vote to call in May and my beginning to serve as your minister to be a very rich opportunity for practicing appropriate boundaries, as we persist a little while longer in this state of “Go! Wait, not yet!” Have you ever had an experience like this, where you wanted to dive right into the pool, but felt like you were waiting forever for the lifeguard to blow the whistle? It’s not my strength, but

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07/24/2019 by Shannon Day

Transition Working Group Announcement

We are pleased to announce our Transition Working Group to help us navigate through the time until Rev. Christopher arrives at Westside. Since the R1 Visa (Religious Leader Visa, Canada to the US) Process typically takes a minimum of 6 months, the individuals above, in addition to our Board, will be available as resources to the congregation during our transition. The specific roles of the Transition Working Group will be to maintain a healthy and vibrant congregational community in our gap time by (1) serving as the primary liaison to Rev. Christopher, (2) ensuring we are abiding by the rules

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07/24/2019 by Shannon Day

Minister’s Musings Among the Mountains – “Final Thoughts…”

Nearly 3 years ago I wrote my first column in your online news. This was a section from that column: “I am a strong believer in ‘church’ being a joyful as well as serious experience. Laughter and delight is a powerful antidote to the feelings of powerlessness and despair that can come creeping into our lives otherwise. I hope we’ll be able to experience some joyful and spontaneous moments as we begin our work.” Well, I still think that sentiment is true for us all. Laughter and joy are still with you as Westsiders but the utter seriousness of these

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07/17/2019 by Shannon Day

Update from the Board 7.19.19

Greetings, and happy mid-summer to all! I realized it’s been three weeks since our last update, and I want to let you know of the ongoing effort and activity going in to this transition time, and preparing for our gap time between ministers. The Transition Working Group has all their members identified, and they are already diving in to important background research related to the R-1 visa process, meetings with our district support people, and possibilities for hiring a contract minister during our gap period. They will share an update soon in the Westside Week with more information. In this

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06/26/2019 by Shannon Day

Transition Working Group Update 6.26.19

Greetings!  It is with great excitement that we can announce two individuals who have said ‘yes’ as Transition Working Group Co-Chairs in preparation for Reverend Christopher Wulff’s arrival!  Thank you to Laura White and Judi Finney! See Judi and Laura’s bios below. Purpose of the Transition Working Group The Transition Working Group will play a very important role in these coming months between Rev. Alex’s departure and Rev. Christopher’s arrival. The transition work comes in three parts: (1) maintaining a healthy and vibrant congregational community in our gap time, (2) supporting the effort to bring Rev. Christopher to us, and

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06/26/2019 by Shannon Day

Are you a PNWD Chalice Lighter?

Are you a PNWD Chalice Lighter? Do you know about this vital program that supports congregational growth throughout our region? The Chalice Lighter Program assists the growth of new and existing Unitarian Universalist member congregations in the Pacific Northwest with grants to provide vital capabilities and infrastructure. Grants are funded exclusively through contributions from Unitarian Universalists who participate as Chalice Lighters. Being one of the more than 2,000 Unitarian Universalists who are PNWD Chalice Lighters brings you the joy of watching your modest contribution multiply to a grant of typically $17,000 to support the growth of our liberal religion in

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06/19/2019 by Shannon Day

Minister’s Musings Among the Mountains – Week of 6.21.19

“Angry people want you to see how powerful they are… loving people want you to see how powerful you are.  ~Chief Red Eagle, c 1800 These are times of profound anger in America and the world. Who among us isn’t angry these days? I know that I’ve carried anger as well as sorrow for many years of my life. I can point to people or events and say, “They caused my anger.” Really? Is that really true? Do we not have a choice whether to take on anger – or not? Is it someone else’s fault that we carry the

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06/05/2019 by Shannon Day

President Elect Report from Annual Meeting 2019 – Jade Lowry

Thank you for this new opportunity to serve Westside! I am honored to be in this role, to serve with this amazing slate, and to be one of the many Westside leaders who shape, guide, and grow this congregation. In thinking about what I wanted to say to you today, these are the points that came forward most strongly. This is not a time of waiting. We might feel like we are waiting as we sit here today – waiting for our called minister to join us so we can step into a new flow. As I step into this

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