Dear Members and Friends,
As we approach the end of the church year, I want to share some thoughts about my tenure as your Board President and express thanks to all of you who have contributed to maintaining our church community over the past two years. As I have said, church governance is a team effort.
There are so many people to thank for how well we have survived the past two years. We have wonderful, capable staff. Led by Rev. Dana, our valiant staff includes:
- Jennifer Luce, Congregational Administrator
- Fidelity Ballmer, Director of Religious Education
- Carolyn Bjerke, Music Director
- Jimmy Vasquez, Membership Coordinator
- Brian Fortune, Audio/Visual Technician
- Russell Seveney, Safety Monitor
In the summer of 2020, a few months after the pandemic started, the Board created an Annual Vision of Ministry, basically a goal for the 2020-2021 church year. This vision stated:
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura Board of Trustees will guide the congregation through the current COVID-19 situation to come out on the other side healthy, engaged, and vital. We will be flexible and open to what a healthy, engaged, and vital church will look like in a new post-coronavirus reality.
Little did we know that the pandemic would continue far beyond 2020. Many of us thought (at least hoped) the pandemic would last a few months and we would be back to normal, but we have experienced wave after wave of COVID variants and it is still not completely over.
We have survived the worst of COVID and have reason for optimism. We are beginning to reopen more fully. We have learned to adapt to changing conditions and been able to maintain our sense of community. We are not back to pre-pandemic normal, but there will be a “new normal” that we are still defining.
We will look back a few years from now and realize these were historic times. With crisis comes both danger and opportunity. As a church we have shown great resilience. We have the opportunity to make UUCV a stronger and more vital place as we have learned to cope with the ups and downs of the pandemic.
It was my privilege to work with a terrific Board of Trustees. Over the past two years, the Board has included:
- Xenia Young, Vice President
- Cassie Tondro, Secretary
- Ron Dallas, Treasurer
- Ray Escobedo, Trustee
- Rebeca Fassett, Trustee
- Lisa Connolly, Vice President in 2020-2021
- Silvia Hutchins, Secretary in 2020-2021
- Gary Norris, Treasurer in 2020
- Kent Brinkmeyer, Trustee in 2020-2021
We have many volunteers. There are too many to name individually, but I want to recognize several groups and leaders that helped keep us together:
- Reopening Team, chaired by Bryan Buck
- Generosity Team, chaired by Bryan Buck
- Leadership Development Committee, chaired by Gary Zinik
- Finance Committee, chaired by David Smith
- Worship Team, including Worship Associates and Tech Team
I thank Bryan Buck, our previous Board President, for his steadfast support. I have greatly appreciated his thoughts and encouragement. Many thanks to all of you who have offered words of support to me over the past two years.
Most of all, I thank Rev. Dana for her positive energy and vision. It has been a privilege and pleasure to work with her.
I am optimistic that the coming year will bring increased reopening and vitality to UUCV. We will have a capable new Board President in Jim Merrill. Please give Jim the same support and encouragement you have given to me.
See you in church!
Be well,
Yukio Okano
UUCV Board Presidentt
