Welcome to CrossCurrents!

This monthly communication is intended to keep you informed about significant happenings and initiatives.

Your thoughts and comments are welcome – please forward them to communications@uucwc.org.  Or let us know if you would like to consider joining the Communications Committee!

Rev. Kim Wildszewski

Rev. Kim’s column will be back next month. Summer office hours are by appointment.  She can be reached at minister@uucwc.org.

Encouraged and Inspired After General Assembly
Robin Pugh, Director of Lifespan Religious Education

I’ve just returned from the UUA’s General Assembly in New Orleans. The theme was Resist and Rejoice. To be honest, I approached this GA with curiosity and trepidation. I wondered about the health of our denomination after several troubling events at our national headquarters. These included: the resignation of former president Peter Morales, a UUA hiring controversy which critics say favors white people, especially white male ministers, and a payout of $500,000 in severance packages to high level staff that departed amid the controversy.

I left GA encouraged and inspired.  Read more…

Robin Pugh, Director of Lifespan Religious Education, can be reached at dre@uucwc.org. Please contact her to volunteer to help teach a children’s religious education class, or if you want more information about UUCWC’s Adult and Children’s Religious Education programs.

From your Board of Trustees

Meet Your New Board Members

Marianne Alt, President, Board of Trustees

At the 2017 UUCWC Annual Meeting we elected five new Board of Trustees members; Marianne Alt (President), Nathalie Edmond, Patrick Kahney, John Ueng-McHale and Colin Unsworth. Each of them brings a unique perspective and set of skills to the board enhancing the talents of continuing board members Ed Dobrowolski, Lynne Quinto, Peter Rafle, and Pam Shadzik.  Read about the newest members here and be sure to say hello and congratulations when you see them in church.  Read more…

Reflections on General Assembly

by Ana DelCorazon, Membership Volunteer Coordinator

With the financial support of UUCWC, I was able to attend this year’s General Assembly (GA) in New Orleans. For those who don’t know or who are new to the faith, GA is the annual meeting of our Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). The gathering includes opportunities for worship, learning, discussion and voting on denomination policy, and connecting with other UUs from all over the United States. This year’s theme was Resist and Rejoice, which the UUA described as “awakening and deepening UUs’ commitment to working in solidarity with people on the margins.” The year’s GA was also full of firsts.  Read more…

Beloved Conversations Panel: General Assembly 2017

On the Friday of General Assembly, three leaders of congregations that took Beloved Conversations were asked to share their reflections having done this hard and sacred work. Robin was one of those three! Speaking before thousands in person, and more online, the full script that Robin shared is below. It can also be found online at http://www.uua.org/ga/off-site/2017/business/iii. A video of the panel is at http://smallscreen.uua.org/videos/ga2017-303-beloved-conversations-panel. Read more…

Wake Now Our Vision Campaign: Legacy Opportunity

Jim, Erb, Chair, Endowment Committee

UUCWC has an exciting opportunity to take advantage of special funding that would strengthen/enhance our financial stability for the future!

Further to the brief introduction at our Annual Congregational Meeting, the Endowment Committee would like to provide more details about the Wake Now Our Vision Campaign and we encourage UUCWC members to seriously consider how they might participate. Read more…

Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray elected UUA President

See more General Assembly news and materials at www.uua.org/ga.

The next Racial Justice Initiative planning meeting is Sunday, August 6th after service. If you have ideas for speakers, curriculum, social action, building bridges with others, etc please try to make it to the meeting. Contact Nathalie Edmond or Dan Tuft for more info or with questions.

UUCWC  will be offering the 8-session class Beloved Conversations: Meditations on Race & Ethnicity in September. The mandatory training for all participants (no exceptions) will be the evening of Sept 22 and all day Sept 23. If you are considering taking Beloved Conversations, please contact Robin Pugh dre@uucwc.org. 

Capital Campaign Preparation Update – We Need to Hear From You!

Jayme Trott, SVTF Chair

The Strategic Vision Task Force met June 27 to review the input received from the congregation so far, and to incorporate suggestions into the presentation for the future cottage meetings. Approximately 40 members have provided feedback and offered new ideas at the recent meetings. Meetings will continue through July. The response for moving forward with necessary repairs and expansion opportunities at UUCWC has been overwhelmingly positive. However, we still need to hear from more of you!!
Read more…