January 2026 Message from UUSS Leadership
Posted by Victoria Owens
Posted on January 17, 2026
This email provides updates from your UUSS volunteer leaders. This month includes information from the Board of Trustees, the Program Council, and the Social Justice Coordinating Committee (SJCC).
Board of Trustees
Happy New Year to All! We wish everyone a delightful New Year filled with peace and love. We are so happy to be celebrating many accomplishments from 2025, including but not limited to:
- Auction Success – with your support, the “Hats Off to Community” Auction was wildly successful, raising more than expected! The funds from this event help UUSS deliver the valuable programming that brings us all together. Thank you for your support!
- Community Partners – the SJCC is proud and grateful to report that in 2025, UUSS donated a total of $52,117 to our Community Partners.
- Justice and Equity Team (JET) Survey – JET conducted a successful member experience survey, with over 100 individuals responding! The information gathered from this important activity is already helping to inform UUSS operations including Board and Program Council strategic action goals.
- Welcoming New Members – over the course of 2025, UUSS welcomed 31 new members into our congregation, along with many other newcomers.
Pacific Western Region – Regional Assembly
The Board is excited to announce that UUSS has been selected as the location of the next Pacific Western Region (PWR) Assembly, scheduled for April 10-12, 2026. The Pacific Western Region of the UUA includes congregations from New Mexico to Alaska, Hawaii to Montana, and everywhere in between. They help congregations like UUSS with leadership connections and training, support and guidance in coping with congregational challenges, and sponsoring gatherings like the upcoming Regional Assembly.
Stay tuned for opportunities to volunteer to help with hosting the PWR Assembly event or to provide local hospitality for out-of-town UU visitors. You can read or subscribe to the monthly newsletter of the Pacific Western Region here.
Safety Committee – Call for Members!
UUSS is forming a new Safety Committee and seeks members with experience (preferred but not required) in law, health, or emergency management, as well as those with experience bringing awareness and sensitivity to the diverse needs of our community, including elders, persons with disabilities, and those from marginalized groups. To learn more or express interest, email . Patty Innes is the Board liaison for this committee. The Board thanks the previous Safety Committee for their valuable work.
Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee has begun its search for candidates for the 2026 open leadership positions here at UUSS. Between now and April 15, we are seeking members for fill these positions. Are you curious or feeling called to be a more integral part of the UUSS community? Are you interested in contributing your time and talents more deeply? Each of you have life and work experience that you can bring to one of these 13 roles/positions. We are happy to chat with you about your interest and provide you with specific information about the various positions. Please contact us at . Thank you for considering a leadership role at UUSS.
Program Council
Soup Sunday – Call for Leaders!
The Soup Sunday is seeking someone to step into the role of Soup Sunday Coordinator starting next fall. This is a key position that keeps one of our community’s most important fellowship traditions running smoothly! If you are interested in leading this valued program, please reach out to for more information. An ideal candidate will have been active in the UUSS community for more than one year, have experience with Soup Sunday, and have some experience organizing group hosting and/or catering events.
Food Fellowship
Program Council invites your input on food fellowship opportunity suggestions! When, where, and how do you like to eat and meet new – and well-known members of our community? After service? At special events? In the cold foggy mornings out on the patio? We are looking for ideas… and volunteers to make them happen! Please reach out to .
How to get in touch with your volunteer leaders:
Your elected Board of Trustees meets monthly. Our next meeting will be Thursday, January 22, at 6:30 PM, on Zoom (by accessing the same Zoom link as the Sunday morning services) and in-person gathering in the library. You are welcome to join us! The Board’s role is to oversee issues of UUSS finances, facilities, personnel and long-range planning; it makes decisions on policies rather than management decisions. You can find more information about the Board and read the minutes and Treasurer’s report here http://www.uuss.org/board/. To contact the Board, email
UUSS 2025-2026 Board of Trustees: Andy Cramer – President, Janet Lopes-Vice President, Victoria Owens – Treasurer, Fred Pannek – Secretary, Members-at-Large: Carl Crain, Dawn Huebner, Emily Moran-Vogt, Mathew Espinosa-Castro, Patty Innes
The Program Council meets on Zoom the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. Persons interested in attending a meeting or contacting the Program Council can email
Your 2025/2026 Program Council members: Sean Fountain – Chair, Joyce Ownbey, Jim Glidden, Michael Feliciano, Dave Paul.
My name is Joanna Welch and I am member of Humboldt UU Fellowship in Bayside CA. I am on the Board and would like to attend the Regional on April 10-12 in Sacramento. How would I apply for this Regional?
Greetings, Joanna! While the Pacific Western Region will hold the Assembly at our church, we don’t think the registration materials will be available until February. You could try contacting the PWR Staff but I know the clergy on staff, including the staff Lead, are at the UUMA Institute all this week. We are sure it will be sent out by a PWR email when it goes live. Thanks for your interest!
Roger Jones, co-minister, UUSS