Pacific Western Region
September 2026 |
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Content
Blogpost
"Get to Know Our New PWR Field Staff, Isaac Castro"
Isaac Castro
News: Pacific Western Region
PWR Annual Business Meeting 2026: Vote Extended, Town Hall on September 12th
Treasurers Roundtables
Presidents Meeting
PWR Staffing for the Next 5 Months
News: Unitarian Universalist Association
President Sofia's Ingathering Message to Congregations
UU Mental Health Network Board Seeking Potential Board Members
UU Institute Resource of the Month: Tending to CL with Promo Code
Administrative Change to the UU Health Plan
Join the UUCEF Quarterly Calls
Beloved Gathering - DRUUMM Village, A National Conference
Moonrise
RE Kickoff: New Ways of Being Together
Support Your Minister's Fundraising Skills
Pledge Drive 101 Series
NEW Woven Faith Curricular Series
Sermon Series Subscription Program
Side with Love
News: Children, Youth, and Young Adults
Deep Dive Child and Youth Safety Training
News: Congregational Announcement
Remembering Our Elders: A Ministry of Unitarian Universalists San Luis Obispo, CA
Important Resources
PWR Chalice Lighters
Congregationally Affirmed Minister's Gathering
UUA Job Board / UUA Job and Careers
Congregational Incident Form
Community Resilience Hub
Disaster Relief Fund
UU Mental Health Network
Publications
August Publications |
Pacific Western Region Board
Co-Presidents, Bob Miess and Libby Fitzgerald
At-Large, Russ Menk
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Pacific Western Region Staff
PWR Lead
Rev. Sunshine J. Wolfe
PWR Program Staff
Rev. Summer Albayati
Mx. Sam K. Pearl
Isaac Castro
PWR Administrator
Hara Madera
PWR Bookkeeper
Melanie Buck
Youth and Emerging Adult Ministry Staff
Mylo Way |
Pacific Western Region Links
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Blogpost
"Get to Know Our New PWR Field Staff, Isaac Castro!" |
Hola! I’m Isaac Castro, and I'm honored & thrilled to introduce myself as a member of Congregational Life Field Staff for the Pacific Western Region.
I hail from the Imperial Valley of California; and enjoy telling people that my Latino roots stem directly from La Frontera - the borderlands of California and Mexico. I’ve recently relocated to the Pacific Northwest and am now based in Seattle, WA.
I graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in Business Management and a minor in Cultural Anthropology. I always uplift that my onramp to Unitarian Universalism came from the UU Campus Ministry Program during my college days - it’s how I first discovered the UU faith and later cultivated a spiritual home at First UU San Diego.
I hold a Master of Divinity degree from Starr King School for the Ministry and am currently a candidate for UU ministry. During seminary studies, I was recognized as a St. Lawrence Scholar. After graduating, I completed a Chaplain Residency at OnVida Health in Yuma, AZ, and then served as the Ministerial Intern with the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Phoenix (UUCP).
My UU faith firmly believes in liberation and social justice, for one another and especially for those within the margins of our society. I’m also a spiritual wanderer who’s eager to learn about other spiritualities.
My name means “laughter” – and my loud, gregarious laugh lives up to this. I’m well-traveled and am always planning visits to different states and cities. One of my most enjoyed health practices is working out at Orange Theory Fitness. I’m also a lover of anime, Golden Girls, competitive board games, reading and writing, the art of storytelling, and a foodie at heart. My family and I are also strong supporters of animal rescue and actively participate in our local community efforts to promote this cause.
I’m looking forward to making connections with all of you as I delve more into this role. I’m truly excited to be able to serve, learn, and grow alongside all of the wonderful congregational communities we have in our beloved PWR.
- Isaac Castro, PWR Congregational Life Field Staff |
News: Pacific Western Region |
PWR Annual Business Meeting 2026: Vote Extended, Town Hall on September 12 |
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Annual Business Meeting on Saturday. Community building takes time, and your presence, questions, and engagement showed that in the best way. We were also glad to see several volunteer applications come in over the weekend, we'll be in touch soon.
We're extending the vote by two weeks, closing at 1pm PST on Saturday, September 12, to give more delegates the chance to register and vote and to help us reach quorum together.
We know the budget raised some questions at the meeting, and we're following up individually with those who asked. If you have a question of your own, please email us at pwrboard@uua.org.
Town Hall
- Saturday, September 12, 2026, right after voting closes at 1pm PST
The duration of the meeting will be 30 minutes, to announce results and chat with anyone who'd like to join. It is completely optional, results will also be shared by email and on social media.
Thank you for being part of this process. We're building something together, and that's worth doing well.
In community,
The PWR Board |
Join the Treasurer Roundtables meetings, now open to any UU Treasurer (all regions, Canada, everywhere)! Every third Thursday of the month from 4pm-5pm Eastern Time folks will gather to discuss ( or learn...maybe?) finance and budget related topics. Facilitated by: Sam K Pearl (they/them) Pacific West Region Congregational Life Staff. September’s roundtable theme is Congregational Budget Processes, co-facilitated by Lisa Lake (she/her) Congregational Life Budget Manager.
Next Roundtable: Thursday September 17, 2026, 1:00 - 2:00pm PT.
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Calling all Presidents, Chairs, and Moderators within the PWR! Connect with fellow leaders, learn new skills, and share your wisdom with others. Our monthly Presidents’ Meeting launching this month of September for the new congregational year is back. Please be sure your MYUUA account has up-to-date leadership information so we have the correct email address on file.
Our first meeting is this upcoming Tuesday, September 15th at 6pm PT/7pm MT/ 5pm AKDT/4pm HDT.
We look forward to seeing you all!
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PWR Staffing for the Next 5 Months |
We are currently short staffed, and it will take a time to train and hire staff. Summer, Sam, and Sunshine will be sharing the workload during this time as we slowly add the newest member of our team, Isaac Castro, into the mix. He will start on August 17th. Look for an introduction to Isaac in our September newsletter. In the meantime, please be aware that you may receive support from us or from Field Staff in other regions as we get back to an effective staffing level. If you have questions or need support, please fill out our Partnership Activation Request form and we will get back to you. We thank you for your support and patience. |
News: Unitarian Universalist Association |
President Sofia's Ingathering Message to Congregations |
To view, Rev. Dr. Sofia Betancourt - President of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), please click here. |
UU Mental Health Network Board Seeking Potential Board Members |
UU Institute Resource of the Month: Tending Congregational Life with Promo Code! |
To celebrate Ingathering season, the registration fee for Tending Congregational Life is 30% off throughout September with promo code TENDING26
September is full of fresh opportunities to welcome visitors and reconnect with members in our congregations and communities. Tending Congregational Life: Guiding the Membership Journey equips leaders and teams with practical tips and tools as your congregation gains momentum this month. Developed by UUA staff in collaboration with the UU Association of Membership Professionals, this self-paced training explores everything from communicating your congregation’s essence to low-risk opportunities for connection, small-group ministry, and stewardship as a spiritual practice.
This season, take a little time to tend to the ways people find their way into and deepen their connection with your congregation. Register for the class. Learn more on UUA.org. Watch the live Info. & FAQ Session Recording (YouTube) |
Administrative Change to the UUA Health Plan |
The UUA Employee Benefits Trust will transition to a new Trust structure that is more closely aligned with the Plan’s status as a “Church Plan” within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code compliance, section 414(e). This is an administrative change that does not affect your coverage or your experience with the Plan. Confirmation of the Trust transition will be communicated via mailed letter to participating members and congregations. This will NOT affect your benefits, coverage, or plan experience, it is only an administrative update. Want more information about UUA benefits and insurance?
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Join the UUCEF Quarterly Calls |
If your congregation has investments in the UU Common Endowment Fund and you have questions or want to know more about what is happening, you can join their quarterly calls on September 8 and December 1 from 2-3 pm ET. Registration is open. Learn more about their work at UUCEF's website. |
Beloved Gathering - DRUUMM Village
A National Conference |
Join DRUUMM (Diverse & Revolutionary UU Multicultural Ministries) for four transformative days of worship, conversation, learning, healing, and celebration as Unitarian Universalists of Color gather to reconnect, deepen spiritual grounding, and build the future together. The gathering will be at Unity Village, Kansas City, September 17-20, 2026.
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A retreat for trans, nonbinary, Two-Spirit, intersex, and gender-diverse UU religious professionals, October 12-16, 2026, Provincetown, MA.
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RE Kickoff: New Ways of Being Together |
As we launch a new congregational year, make some space to pause and notice the new beginning at the RE Kickoff: New Ways of Being Together gathering. In these live sessions, UUA staff will share our latest resources for Religious Education, from curricula to policies and practices to training opportunities. You’ll find tools for taking stock, setting intentions, and moving toward your goals. So, gather your team – including any professional Religious Education staff, key RE lay leaders, ministers and Board presidents – and join us as we kick off the year together.
Two identical sessions remain and will be offered at a variety of times to accommodate many time zones and individual needs. Choose one on the registration form. Registration is open.
- Tuesday, September 22, 4:30-6pm PT
- Tuesday, September 29, 6:30-8pm PT
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Support Your Minister's Fundraising Skills |
Stewardship and fundraising are increasingly important parts of ministry, yet many ministers receive little formal training in these areas. This fall, the UUMA is offering a free four-part webinar series, Fundraising for Ministers, covering stewardship, board engagement, planned giving, and capital campaigns. Congregations may wish to encourage and support their minister's participation as part of their professional development. The series runs on four Tuesday afternoons between September 22 and November 3 and is led by Jessica Cloud, CFRE, a Unitarian Universalist fundraising consultant and educator.
Visit the UUMA site for more information and registration.
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Thursdays 4-6 pm PT on October 22, 29 and November 5.
Do you have questions about what makes a pledge drive effective today? Join us for a three-session webinar designed for stewardship teams engaged in a spring pledge drive. We will explore current congregational giving trends, pledge drive practices that are working, and examples of real UU congregations who have experienced pledge drive successes. Congregations must register as teams, with 3 - 4 people per congregational team.
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NEW Woven Faith Curricular Series |
At the UUA, we’ve witnessed the steady, growing call for an updated UU faith development curricular series—and we’ve responded to the call! We created Woven Faith to both honor our past and incorporate our present and future expressions of faith. Woven Faith also integrates our most current associational learning around anti-oppression practices, supporting the cultivation of both internal and interpersonal social-emotional skills essential for sustainable justice work. Interested in piloting Woven Faith?
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Sermon Series Subscription Program |
Need a Worship Resource?
Designed for small congregations, lay-led congregations, congregations with part-time ministry, and any congregation that is seeking resources for worship, Congregational Life’s Sermon of the Month Series is a monthly subscription service that provides recorded sermons congregations can download and use for worship. Along with a transcript of the sermon, each month’s offering includes suggested readings and hymns.
Check out our archives for a preview of what the subscription provides. Learn more and subscribe at the UUA website Sermon Series page. |
Join a UU the Vote Solidarity Summit near you!
These gatherings bring together Unitarian Universalists, people of faith across traditions, lay leaders, organizers, advocates, and community partners to strengthen regional networks, deepen relationships, and practice the kind of solidarity this moment demands. Mobilize voters, fight anti-trans ballot measures, sing, and build networks of care and collective power. Summits currently scheduled in AZ, CT, DC, IL, MA, MN, TN, VA and more! Find one near you, click here.
Tending SOIL: Leadership Program for Congregational Justice Teams Info Session, September 27, 3-4 pm PT.
Tending SOIL is Side with Love's leadership program for Unitarian Universalists doing justice and organizing work in their congregations who want to work with others to more faithfully and strategically engage in the transformation of the world through liberating Love.
Through SOIL, congregational or regional teams of 3-5 participants will strengthen their Skills, develop their Organizing Plan, practice Interdependence within and beyond their congregation, and deepen their understanding of Collective Liberation (ie, SOIL!) Applications are due October 30th, 2026. The program runs January - August 2027. Register for the Info Session.
Find other trainings, gatherings and opportunities on a variety of topics including Get Out The Vote and Green Sanctuary on the Side with Love calendar. |
News: Children, Youth, and Young Adults |
Deep Dive Child and Youth Safety Training |
Tuesdays, October 20, November 3 and November 17, 11am-12:30pm PT
This three-part series will cover child and youth safety standards and protocols, using real-life scenarios to deepen our exploration of how to best equip our congregations to create spaces where our young people can thrive.
There will be approximately 90 minutes of required pre-work (including a 50-minute video and online resources to explore), then each session will dive deep into a different topic.
- Session 1 (October 20): Ways of grounding and resourcing ourselves and our teams so we are responsive rather than reactive
- Session 2 (November 3): Responding to circumstances that require us to expand confidentiality and manage mandated reporting
- Session 3 (November 17): Practices for shifting the norms and culture of multigenerational spaces to co-create safety
Sessions will be facilitated by members of the Congregational Life and Lifespan Faith Engagement teams at the UUA. The target audience for this series is religious professionals and lay leaders with extensive child and youth interaction.
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Congregational Announcement |
Important Note: If your congregation would like to share an event in the PWR Newsletter, please email pwr@uua.org with the following: event poster (if available), brief summary of the event, and any relevant links. Please note that events listed in this section are sponsored by local congregations and have not been reviewed or endorsed by the UUA or the Pacific Western Region (PWR). |
Remembering Our Elders
A Ministry of Unitarian Universalists San Luis Obispo, California |
“You remembered me!”
These words were spoken when we first approached a member of our congregation to ask about her life. She had been quite active for decades, but at 80+ years of age, had slowed down. She thought people had mostly forgotten her contributions over the years.
And this is the purpose of what we call the Elder Celebration. We want to recognize each person’s lifelong activities – in church and in private life – and honor that collective energy, wisdom and contribution with a celebration event.
We UUs celebrate many rites-of-passage – births, coming-of-age, marriages, memorial services – but we don’t always do a good job of publicly recognizing the active lives and valuable contributions of our elders, some who have become less active and less visible in their later years.
Celebrating our Elders recognizes the arc of our lives. Too often, Elders are replaced by a younger generation and somewhat dismissed as “people who are no longer important in the scheme of things.” The Elder Celebration ensures that their contributions to UUism and life are not forgotten.
If you're interested in bringing this to your congregation, or would like more information, feel free to contact Larry iaquinta, larryq22@yahoo.com |
Chalice Lighters is a program to help fund the growth of the member congregations and communities of the Region.The program provides grants to communities to help them cross a major threshold towards growth. For more information, click here to visit the website. To contact them directly, please email pwrchalicelighters@uua.org. |
Congregationally Affirmed Minister's Gathering |
Ministers who are not fellowshipped with the UUA and are serving UU congregations are invited to gather monthly with the MidAmerica's Regional Lead. We will share information, experiences, and resources with one another and explore questions concerning the UUA and Unitarian Universalism. Register now. Meets are second Tuesday of the month beginning September 9th. Details at the UUA website. |
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. |
The UU Mental Health Network, is driven by a single goal; to empower the Beloved Community in honoring each individual 's unique mental health journey towards wellness..
We envision a world where the Beloved Community: is a place where all members feel welcomed, understood, and held in love; engage in respectful curiosity to understand emotional distress; welcome open, authentic, and fearless sharing about mental health; and passionately commits to mental health justice. For more information, click here. |
Pacific Western Region of the UUA Newsletter |
This email was sent to congregational leaders, committee chairs and staff.
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Pacific Western Region - UUA
P.O Box 567
Brighton, CO 80601
United States |
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