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Board prioritizes anti-racism, relationships, communication

Board sets goals for continued and new work.

By Hillary Coleman - moderator

This summer has seemed to fly by, and I continually find myself wondering what day of the week/what month it is. I’m sure many of you can relate. These times of COVID sure are weird, trying, unknown and unfortunately not going away. COVID has quickly transitioned all our daily lives, as well as how many aspects of the work in our Conference is done.

Hillary Coleman - PNC moderator

I am also going through a number of personal transitions (most of which were planned). Shortly after COVID began I transitioned into being your Moderator in April, moved in May, got engaged in June, finished six years working at the Coalition on Homelessness in August, and I am starting at UW Evans School for a master of public administration degree in September.

As with others in the PNCUCC, I’m dealing with all of these moments in life while also having to navigate how to connect virtually and in ways that are safe during a pandemic, while leaning into the call to be an anti-racist and speak justice in these times where it is far too clear that our systems are built on white supremacy and cause and perpetuate harm to bodies of people of color.

We need to find ways to reimagine what things can be like, recreate systems that were never rooted in valuing the lives of every person equally, and explore what reparations look like in our communities.

I am grateful for your trust in me to be a leader along with others in the PNCUCC during these times, and look forward to the actions that our conference and churches will continue to take to show God’s unwavering love to the world. 

A few updates from the work of your PNCUCC Board of Directors:

As I wrote in the last PNCUCC news, our board adopted anti-racism as a priority. This is in addition to and interwoven with) our existing priorities around deepening relationships around the Conference, as well as improving communication throughout the Conference.

Board members have joined together for a number of foundational conversations that deepen relationships between members of the board so that we can continue to have important, open, and hard conversations about our institution, specifically with an anti-racism lens. We are using the Lifecycle Model from Washington Nonprofits to frame some of our conversations and at our meeting in September will be further setting goals for the coming months. We’ll be reaching out to folks around the conference with more soon.

With current times and all virtual meetings, it is easier for many people to connect with one another without needing to travel. We’ve seen relationships deepening in the weekly calls that Mike and Courtney are leading, the online worship library, as well as throughout the successful Changing Lives, Changing Times Camp Campaign.

A Communications Team has formed to work on improving communications and to ensure that we have clear, effective communications across the conference so that folks know how and where to find and share information.

The coming months will continue to be different and we are in uncharted territory. We’re seeing how different virtual learning is, how inspiring virtual worship experiences and virtual ways of connecting can be, and how much more we need to listen to our bodies and souls when they are overwhelmed with the number of decisions that need to be made daily to stay as healthy as possible.

I look forward to connecting with more people across the PNCUCC in coming months and reimaging together what our work to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God looks like in this ever-changing world.

For information, call 206-321-4344 or email hillarycoleman@gmail.com.

 

Pacific Northwest Conference United Church News © Fall 2020

 

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