Pacific Western Region
May 2025 |
Content
Building Together: Our First Year As PWR
Rev. Sunshine J. Wolfe
News: Pacific Western Region
PWR Board Updates - Curiosity Candidate Café & Annual Business Meeting
Cascadia Growth Fund Annual Meeting
Annual Program Fund 2025 Leadership Announcement - PWR
News: Unitarian Universalist Association
UUA General Assembly 2025
Actions of Immediate Witness - Needed!
UUA Moderator Candidates Forum
Side With Love
The Gathering
Green Sanctuary 2030 Orientation
Working with the new Green Sanctuary Materials
UPLIFT Transgender/Nonbinary+ Monthly Gathering
UPLIFT Trans/Nonbinary+ Pastoral Care Small Group
What's next after the Revival? Revival Community of Practice
Emerging Adult Ministry Team News
Sparks RE and Music Leadership
Important Resources
UUA Job Board / UUA Job and Careers
Congregational Incident Form
Community Resilience Hub
Disaster Relief Fund
UU Mental Health Network
Publications
April Publications |
Pacific Western Region Board
President, Keith Strohmaier
Treasurer, Mary Nordhagen
Secretary, Libby Fitzgerald
At-Large, Bob Miess, Rev. Roger Jones, David Sheh, Rev. Sunshine Wolfe
|
Pacific Western Region Staff
PWR Lead
Rev. Sunshine Wolfe
PWR Program Staff
Rev. Summer Albayati
Dr. Melissa James
Rev. Sarah Gibb Millspaugh
Rev. Tania Y Márquez
Sam K. Pearl
PWR Administrator and Bookkeeper
Hara Madera
Melanie Buck |
Pacific Western Region Links
|
Blogpost
Building Together: Our First Official Year As PWR |
We do hope that your congregation is planning to send delegates to our very first Annual Business meeting of the new Pacific Western Region of the UUA organization on Thursday, May 29th. Your PWR Board and staff have worked hard to prepare the budget and new board members for vote as well as to update you on the important work we are doing. We are now ready to request volunteers for new roles. The structure of our region is such that only 1 year commitments are asked for Board and leadership roles with much shorter options to come for programs and volunteer work. It is an exciting time and we look forward to developing the region with you and your congregation or community in mind.
We use dynamic governance or sociocracy as the basis for PWR’s governance structure. In many ways, the Board and staff have come to think of this as a “relationship first” structure. We strive to have decisions be “good enough for now and safe enough to try” rather than attempting a perfect decision the first time round. We take seriously the questions of anti-racism, anti-oppression, and multiculturalism in our work and continually evaluate for that. We engage in rounds for discussion and process observation of our work.
It is rewarding work. It is work that feels meaningful at a time when so much in our world can leave us feeling lost and uncertain. It is this because it is where we practice deeply the values that are very much being attacked in our society today.
If you enjoy participating in the generative work that occurs during transitional time and helping to create programming that is “relationship first” oriented, then we highly encourage you to join our volunteer work with the region. We are beginning to form the circles (like committees or teams) that guide our work as a region. We hope to see you participate in some of those circles as we enter into year two as an independent region.
To complete the PWR Board/Circle Volunteer Application, click here.
- Rev. Sunshine J. Wolfe, PWR Lead |
News: Pacific Western Region |
PWR Board Updates
Candidate Curiosity Café & Annual Business Meeting |
|
Greetings Pacific Western Region,
Here are two important updates from the Pacific Western Region Board.
Come to our Candidate Curiosity Café
In anticipation of our upcoming Pacific Western Regional Annual Business Meeting, we have scheduled two Zoom meetings where you can meet the candidates for our 2025-26 PWR board. Join us on Wednesday, May 14th at 7pm PST, and/or Saturday, May 17th at 11am PST to hear briefly about the region and to meet the candidates. While you will hear about every candidate, not all may attend both meeting times. Please feel encouraged to bring a favorite drink while we chat at our Candidate Curiosity Café.
Click here to register, registration will close on Thursday, May 8th at 6pm PST.
Annual Business Meeting Materials
We are fast approaching for our first Annual Business Meeting as a Region, which is on Thursday, May 29th from 7-8 pm PDT, (8pm MDT/ 10pm EDT/ 9pm CDT/ 5pm HDT). We are asking for grace in our first year, we are sending out Annual Business Meeting materials later than we would like to. We are working through some technical aspects of the meeting and will send out meeting materials once complete. Expect to receive delegate registration instructions, meeting agenda, the proposed budget, and reports from the PWR president and lead.
We hope to see you there!
Blessings,
PWR Board |
Cascadia Growth Fund Annual Meeting |
Cascadia Growth Fund provides grants and loans to congregations in the area formerly covered by the Pacific Northwest Distract, that would be Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and parts of Idaho. Also, we administer the PNWD Chalice Lighters Program.
Congregational leadership in former PNWD are receiving an email invitation to the Cascadia Annual General Meeting. This AGM will be gathered via Zoom on Wednesday the 28th of May at 7:00 PM, Pacific Time. We hope to have Presidents, or their Designee, from as many congregations as possible to hear about the good work that has been done this year, to vote on new board members, and share ideas for the future. If you want more information about this meeting, contact incoming board secretary, Rev. Sarah Schurr at sschurr@uuma.org. |
Annual Program Fund 2025 Leadership Announcement - PWR |
|
Hello Pacific-West Region! The Annual Program Fund has some exciting news!
Every year at General Assembly, The Unitarian Universalist Association celebrates Leadership Congregations. Leadership Congregations are the top 50 most generous Honor Congregations across the Association. These are congregations who contribute the full amount requested to the Annual Program Fund (making them Honor Congregations) and are the most generous of all Honor Congregations.
This year, to broaden Regional recognition, we have expanded our definition of Leadership Congregations to also include the top 10 most generous Honor Congregations from each Region.
Please join us in lifting up and joyfully celebrating the following Leadership Congregations in your Region. On behalf of all the congregations across our Association, THANK YOU!
2025 Leadership Congregations in the Pacific-West Region
Boulder Valley UU Fellowship. Lafayette, CO
First Unitarian Society of Denver. Denver, CO
First UU Church of San Diego. San Diego, CA
Mt. Diablo UU Church. Walnut Creek, CA
UU Church of Boulder. Boulder, CO
UU Church of Davis. Davis, CA
UU Church of Fresno. Fresno, CA
UU Church of Palo Alto. Palo Alto, CA
UU Church of the Monterey Peninsula. Carmel, CA
UU Community Church of Santa Monica. Santa Monica, CA
UU Congregation of Phoenix. Paradise Valley, AZ
UU Fellowship of Central Oregon. Bend, OR
UU Fellowship of Corvallis. Corvallis, OR
UU Society of Sacramento. Sacramento, CA |
News: Unitarian Universalist Association |
UUA General Assembly 2025 |
We invite you to join us for the 2025 UUA General Assembly in Baltimore and/or online from June 18-22—a chance to connect, reflect, and build a future that meets this moment with purpose and courage. This year’s theme, “Meet the Moment,” calls us to engage with the evolving challenges of our world, exploring fresh ways to deepen our faith and respond boldly to our mission. Across five days of powerful worship, insightful workshops, and community-building experiences, we’ll find inspiration together, reconnect with friends and colleagues, and return to our congregations renewed. Join us in person or online to be part of this transformative experience, where every voice matters and our shared vision grows stronger. General Assembly registration is now open and rates go up on March 31st. |
Actions of Immediate Witness - Needed! |
Are you ready to lead others in resistance, action, witness and power? Amplify our power through collective action! Actions of Immediate Witness (AIWs) are a tool for UU's across the nation to get support for critical, immediate concerns. By proposing an AIW at the 2025 General Assembly, you disseminate information and galvanize action from UU's everywhere. Learn about the AIW process.
The deadline for submissions is Friday, May 12th.
|
UUA Moderator Candidates Forum |
The UUA Election Campaign Practices Committee (ECPC) will sponsor a Moderator Candidates Forum on Sunday, May 18, 2025 at 4pm PST, featuring Natasha Walker, individual candidate for Moderator, and Rev. Kimberly Quinn Johnson and Bill Young, Moderator candidate team.
This forum will take place on Zoom and members of the ECPC will moderate. Attendees are strongly encouraged to submit questions for the candidates in advance of the forum by emailing elections@uua.org. Do note, registration is required. |
Side with Love has a number of events coming up. Be sure to check their website for new events near you. Get all the details at the event link.
Congregational Study/Action Issues Feedback Sessions
Join the UUA's Commission on Social Witness to offer your feedback on the proposed Congregational Study/Action Issues (CSAIs). All proposed CSAIs received the required “yes” votes in the Congregational Poll to be admitted to the agenda for UUA General Assembly 2025, where one will be selected for three years of study, reflection, and action. Register for any of the upcoming CSAI Feedback Sessions:
Resources from Side with Love
|
|
May Day and The Gathering by Side with Love on May 12, 5pm PT & 14, 10am PT
People of faith have always come together to resist injustice and build a better world. Now, it’s our time. Just like workers around the world who celebrate International Workers Day on May 1st, Unitarian Universalists are joining the tidal wave of every day people demanding a country that puts our families over billionaires’ fortunes—public schools over private profits, healthcare over hedge funds, prosperity over free market politics. From Tesla Takedowns, labor strikes, to BDS (Boycott Divestment Sanctions), economic interventions can be powerful.
Join The Gathering, Side With Love’s monthly virtual event to strengthen your spirit, make sense of the threats to democracy, and take meaningful action alongside others. This month at The Gathering, on May 12th, we will be anchored in the poetry of Julian Jamaica Soto and Side with Love’s Nicole Pressley will invite us into learning about strategy and what makes economic strategies like boycotts successful (or not!). RSVP for The Gathering.
And remember if you are a board member or staff at a congregation you can join Now What: The Gathering for Congregational staff and board members on Wednesday, May 14th at 10am PT. RSVP for Now What. |
Green Sanctuary 2030 Orientation |
May 7th at 4pm PT
Hosted by Rachel Myslivy.
Get to know the new Green Sanctuary! Green Sanctuary orientations provide an overview of the process and allow for plenty of time to get all of your questions answered. Come learn how to transform your congregation through climate justice.
|
Working with the new Green Sanctuary Materials |
May 21st at 4pm PT
Hosted by Rachel Myslivy.
Learn how one of our Green Sanctuary teams is working through the new Green Sanctuary materials! Released in February 2024, the new materials are designed to be more manageable, accessible, and impactful for our congregations. Join us ton May 21 to learn how the materials are being used by your fellow UUs! --- Come together for shared learning and mutual supports with other UUs transforming our congregations through climate justice. Green Sanctuary community meetings take place on the third Wednesday of the month at 4PT - 5MT - 6CT - 7ET for 90 minutes.
|
UPLIFT Transgender/Nonbinary+ Monthly Gathering |
May 20th at 5pm PT
Join the UPLIFT monthly gatherings for trans, nonbinary, and other not-entirely-or-at-all-cis UUs and friends of UUism. Join us to connect with other trans/nonbinary+ UUs and co-create support and community across our faith. All you need to bring is yourself (and other trans/nonbinary friends, if you’d like)! Non-UUs are welcome if they are OK with being in a UU-focused community (we won't proselytize). If you are interested in this space, and you aren’t (entirely or at all) cisgender, it’s a space for you.
What do we do during the gatherings? They are a cozy community space where we connect with each other with games and breakout groups, share ideas and stories on all kinds of topics, listen to music and poetry (often by trans/nonbinary+ creators), and much more! Register here. |
UPLIFT Trans/Nonbinary+ Pastoral Care Small Group |
May 9th at 5pm PT
What is pastoral care, exactly? Pastoral care is support with navigating life—big and small things, joys and hardships and all those mixed together. It’s not therapy, but a way for us to be in community together, supporting each other. This is a space to share the hard stuff and to hold the hard stuff that others are navigating in their lives.
During our time together, our lead chaplain/facilitators will share opening and closing words, and in between, there is time for everyone to share what's on their heards, and receive what others are sharing about their own lives. It's a supportive, judgment-free place to connect with other trans/nonbinary+ people. Register here. |
What's next after the Revival? Revival Community of Practice |
Wednesday, May 14th at 4pm PT
Hosted by Rachel Myslivy.
So you held a Climate Justice Revival....now what? Come together with other UUs who are also moving through the Rest, Celebrate, Reflect, Synthesize, Organize process following the Revival. Learn together! Make Connections! Move Climate Justice forward together. This informal gathering will provide ample time for conversation and brainstorming next steps together.
|
Emerging Adult and Ministry Team News |
Sparks RE and Music Leadership |
The Spark RE and Music Leadership Professional Development Programs provide Unitarian Universalist Religious Professionals learning communities where they can easily access applicable skills and tools for religious leadership. Courses are also open to interested lay leaders. Check out the lists of classes, these are great resources! |
UU Job Board / UUA Job and Careers |
Congregations are hiring, check out the UU Job Board to see what is available.
The UUA is hiring for several positions. Find job descriptions and application information at their Job Openings webpage. |
Congregational Incident Form |
The simple Congregational Incident Form provides a way for congregations to inform the UUA of a threat or disruptive incident that comes from outside the congregation itself, helping us track trends and create resources.
All forms come to Safe Congregation Program email, safecongregations@uua.org. Please let us know if you have any questions. |
If your congregation is struggling with how to respond in this moment, please check out the UUA's Resilience Hub. This is a location where we are gathering resources to help congregations build strong, connected, and resilient communities. |
The UUA has a Disaster Relief Fund for those who want to make a donation to help congregations who have faced losses due to tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, wildfires and more. Please donate if you can. Learn more about the work of the Disaster Relief Fund. We are Better Together. |
Invites you to join them for their online worship service May 18, 2025 at 3pm PT featuring Rev. Phoenix Bell Shelton Biggs titled Sacred Wholeness: Reimagining Mental Health as Liberation. Details at their website. |
Pacific Western Region of the UUA Newsletter |
This email was sent to congregational leaders, committee chairs and staff.
|
Pacific Western Region - UUA
P.O Box 567
Brighton, CO 80601
United States |
|
|
|
|
|
|
