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Volunteering at EUUC

Running the church

From the moment you turn into the driveway on a Sunday morning you begin to enjoy the services provided by volunteers that keep our church running seamlessly. First is the trimmed lawn. Then you are welcomed by friendly greeters at the doors. You might sip hot shade-grown coffee before going into the service which is recorded by the Sound Operators.

One of the easiest ways to get to know people at EUUC is to help with the operations. Scan the list of committees, and if one of them sounds enjoyable, contact the chair to learn more about what they do and how your talents would contribute to their work.

Art Show

If you have been at EUUC for a year, you know about the Northwest Artists' Holiday Show. The two-day fundraiser is on the first weekend in November, just in time for early holiday shopping. The wares are not typical church bazaar items made by members.

Professional artists set up booths in Chapman Hall, the Narthex, the Atrium, and all the classrooms, except the Toddler room where free child care is provided. Before the art show all the furniture and wall hangings are miraculously tucked away in closets and The Friarplace. Nearly every member and friend helps by directing traffic as shoppers arrive, operating shuttles to and from offsite parking, and preparing delicious hors d'oeuvres.

Chair: Linda Crossland

Auction

Every Spring members and friends gather for a dinner, silent auction, and live auction. Among the many silent auction items might be handmade desserts, jewelry, and art. Members also offer to host events as diverse as a gourmet dinner party and a guided hike to see mountain wildflowers.

Chair: Pat Garrity

Bookstore

Purpose
to support the mission of EUUC by selling books and other merchandise pertaining to religion and Unitarian Universalist values and by offering the items at a low price.

The Bookstore is open between services and after the second service during the regular church year. You can volunteer to help in many ways:

  • help sell books on a Sunday morning
  • suggest titles that the Bookstore might carry
  • stop by and share your thoughts on a book

Manager: Barb Chessler

Canvass

The Canvass Committee plans and carries out the annual pledge drive, including Pledge Sunday and other special gatherings and communications.

Chair: Doug King

Communications Council

Statement of Purpose -
 to support the overall mission of EUUC by coordinating consistent, clear, and accurate communications in all digital and print media.

The Communications Council helps church leaders communicate with the congregation and people in the wider community. We also work toward helping the congregation stay informed through media designed to meet their needs.

Our volunteers represent the various communication outlets and information consumers at EUUC. We welcome new voices to help guide our discussions on how we spread the word.

Chair: Marcia Helme
The CommUUnicator: April Cook
This Week at EUUC: Marcia Helme
Publicity: Alicia Jones
Bulletin Boards: open position
Proofreading: Malinda Pryde and Terry Bayless
Posters: April Cook
Facebook: Robin Stanton
Website: Nancy Samuels

Denominational Affairs

This committee keeps us connected to Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) organizations and opportunities they provide us. Our congregation is a member of the national UUA and participates in the Pacific Northwest District branch of the UUA.

Chair: Pam Iverson

Facilities

Just like at home, faucets occasionally drip, walls need to be painted, the roof leaks, and nail holes need to be filled. A continuous stream of small jobs keep the Facilities Committee busy. Fortunately, many people generously volunteer their time to help. If you are interested in helping to maintain the buildings, please tell the committee chair what types of work you would like to do.

Chairs: Bruce Baker and Kirk Barker
Aesthetics: Jean Astel
Sound: Jeff Davies

Finance

This important committee develops the budget and oversees the income generating efforts, such as fundraising activities.

Chair: Greg Gillis for everything except rentals
Existing rentals: Mike Averbuch
New rentals and enquires: Administrator

Hospitality

The Hospitality Committee finds volunteers to serve coffee, greet visitors, usher, staff the welcome desk, and work in the library.

Chair: Ellie Nicholls

Human Resources

This group organizes church employee evaluations and acts as a connection between staff and the Board. The committee members recommend fair levels of employee compensation based on the Unitarian Universalist Association Congregational Handbook. This committee also prepares employee contracts.

Chairs: Barb Chessler and Sue Renhard

Library

These people manage and staff the library. They purchase books and make them available for people to borrow. In April they host a book sale for which members and friends donate used books.

Chairs: Pat Meeker and Diane Hettrick

Lifespan Religious Education

Our lifespan Religious Education (RE) program offers classes for toddlers and up through adults. This large program relies on dozens of volunteers to plan and implement programming for various age groups and to teach the classes we enjoy.

Children's RE (up through grade 8): Layne Richard-Hammock, DLRE
Senior High Youth (grades 9 - 12): Youth Programs Administrator
Adult RE: Maria Fuller and Grant Gladow

Membership

The Membership Committee helps visitors become acquainted with our comunity and helps them find a place to participate in the congregation.

Chairs: Kyle Gillis and Lynn Carpenter

Memorial

This committee researches material for the Memorial Album which commemorates members who are deceased.

Chair: Joan Anderson

Music

The Music Committee brings outstanding performances to EUUC through the Friday Evening Concert Series. They support talented musicians within the congregation in performing during Sunday services and at special events. Wil Sederholm, the Music Director‍, works closely with the music committee.

Chair: Bruce Baker

Newsletter

The Newsletter Committee gathers news and creates The CommUUnicator which is distributed to members and friends of EUUC. The editor and proofreaders work together to create this popular source of what's happening in our community.

Editor: April Cook

Retreats

Twice a year we gather together at retreats where we can get to know each other better. Many volunteers work behind the scenes to make the weekends run smoothly for us all.

Summer campout: Lisa Cole and Marikay Gillingham
Seabeck retreat in September: Vicki Curry

Rummage Sale

Our annual recycling event is usually the first Friday and Saturday in May. Members clean out their closets, attics, and garages, and bring their
treasures to the church as soon as the collection period begins in late April. We welcome clean, usable clothing, linens, household items, small appliances, small pieces of furniture, jewelry, sports equipment, pictures, toys, and books. The Kitchen Café appreciates receiving donated baked treats, and the plant shop needs potted plants to sell. Learn much more.

Chair: Jeri Valentine

Web

Purpose
to support the mission of EUUC by providing a public view of the church, by facilitating communication within our community, by aiding church functions through online technology, and by helping potential newcomers develop a sense of our religion, our values, and our community

The Web Team creates and manages the website. Are you interested in the technical side of developing web pages? Do you enjoy taking photos of people? Is writing your passion? Have you created YouTube videos? Do you enjoy work in which you create a tangible product? Do you prefer to work from home? Do you want to avoid committee meetings? If you answered "yes" to any of these, you might enjoy being part of the Web Team.

Volunteers take on small pieces of the overall website, like acquiring and editing photos or posting the sermons. You decide how much or how little you want to do.

Never worked on a website? Would you like to learn how? The Webmaster offers one-on-one training to get you started.

Webmaster: Nancy Samuels

Worship Associates

Apply to join the Worship Associates

Each Worship Associate works with the minister, the staff and other Worship Associates to plan and conduct the church services. They participate in worship in a variety of ways, including delivering an Invocation or Call to Worship, lighting the chalice, introducing the Silent Meditation, offering a short personal reflection, giving a brief homily about the service topic, leading a responsive reading, reading the words of others, helping to lead special services, and hosting visiting preachers and guest speakers. If you would like to join the Worship Associates, please fill out an application.

Chair: April Cook