Dear members and friends,

After just short of 21 years of service to Unitarian Universalist Church West, I have decided that this is the right time for me to step into my next chapter and officially retire, with my final day being Friday, September 18th.

Over the past two decades, I have taken great pride in shaping UUCW’s branding and communications, supporting the congregation’s mission, and collaborating with so many dedicated leaders to promote their events, highlight their groups, and spread their messages of community-building. It has been a true privilege to share your joys and concerns in the e-news to help bring comfort and connection, as well as celebrate your happiest moments and proudest accomplishments across social media. I am deeply grateful for the meaningful relationships and connections I have built with so many volunteers, staff members, and congregants over the years.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve the UUCW community for nearly 21 years. I wish the congregation all the best as you begin the new church year and move forward into the future!

Warmly,

Kelly Bognar
Communications and Marketing Specialist

 

 

A Message from Rev. Jill Braithwaite & Mary Nordhagen

Dear members and friends of the UUCW community,

This week, this poem from Irish poet John O’Donohue has been on my mind:

“Fluent”
I would like to live
Like a river flows.
Carried by the surprise
Of its own unfolding.

These are aspirational words for me, and for our life as a community. To be at ease with change, to welcome it with surprise and a sense of unfolding even as we feel the grief that comes with it, to lean into instead of away from the turn of the cycles of life that turn for us all.

Today, we are looking ahead at a turn in the river of this community. Kelly Bognar has let us know that her time with us as Communications and Marketing Specialist will be coming to an end, as she moves into retirement. She will be wrapping up her work with us over the next few weeks, and her last day will be September 18.

Kelly’s creativity and care for this congregation has been abundantly evident during her 20+ years at UUCW. She served as Religious Education Assistant for many years, helping support faith formation for young people at UUCW with creativity and enthusiasm. As she transitioned into a Publications Coordinator role and later the Communications and Marketing Specialist role, Kelly applied her creativity to designing our logo, branding, and countless communications pieces. She worked on the design and layout of our website and managed updates, and she has been key to supporting the stewardship team with communications and event planning.

As we look ahead, let’s take the time to grieve and to give thanks for the many gifts Kelly has given us. Please join in a retirement celebration and send-off after the September 13 worship service, with cake in the Community Room.

The Board, staff, and I have begun working on evaluating the staffing needs of the congregation going forward. We are in the process of creating both short-term and long-term plans that align with our mission and values and that will facilitate our flourishing as a faith community.

We will be communicating updates over the coming weeks and months. As a congregation, we will continue to center ourselves in the present moment, looking ahead to the unfolding of our shared future, and grounding in love together.

In faith and gratitude,

Rev. Jill Braithwaite, Minister
Mary Nordhagen, President of the Board of Trustees