Search PNC News for stories of people and churches in our UCC Conference:

 

Nominating co-chair offers ‘trial memberships’

Al Bentley, co-chair of the Pacific NW Conference of the UCC Nominating Committee, began his involvement with the conference through participating at Pilgrim Firs and N-Sid-Sen camps, the Zoom church moderators’ meetings and attending an Annual Meeting.

Al Bentley, co-chair of the PNC-UCC Nominating Committee with Jenn Hagedorn, offers opportunity to serve on Conference committees.

In experiencing value on the covenantal relationships of congregations to the conference and wider church, he finds it important “for us to work together and respect the faith as manifested in urban areas and smaller communities of Washington, Idaho and Alaska.”

Al had served as Plymouth Church’s moderator in 2008 and 2021, and been involved on his church’s nominating, stewardship, fellowship and community and care committees. He has also been a companion ministry welcoming people who are confused and lost and part of a church group that welcomed a family of Afghan refugees from Kabul four years ago.

Al had grown up in a family active in church life, with parents and grandparents involved in a Baptist church in White Plains, N.Y., and then his family involved in a Presbyterian church in Cortland, N.Y., in his teen years.

He studied government at Oberlin College in Ohio, graduating in 1967 before entering the Yale Law School.

After Yale, he began work in 1970 as a law clerk, with legal services and then as a federal prosecutor in Brooklyn. There he became active in a Congregational church.

In 1981, he moved to Bellevue to be assistant federal public defender in Seattle. He joined Plymouth Church and  has practice law for 45 years. He retired three years ago.

About that time a member of Plymouth Church in Seattle suggested that Al join the Nominating Committee.

“I said yes to the suggestion,” said Al.

“No one had asked me before if I wanted to serve on a conference committee,” Al added, admitting that he had little idea about conference committees, even though he has been active on committees at Plymouth.

He joined the Nominating Committee before the 2024 Annual Meeting at Plymouth.

“It was an opportunity to learn something and make a contribution,” he commented.

Now he knows the importance of asking, so on behalf of the Nominating Committee of the Pacific Northwest Conference of the UCC, he has sent out an invitation to members of the conference.

He is trying a new approach, offering people a “trial membership” on three PNC committees. Usually, service on a PNC committee involves a three-year commitment and election at the Annual Meeting.

However, the Nominating Committee needs to fill vacancies on three important PNC committees. Such vacancies can be filled during the time between Annual Meetings by action of the Board of Directors.

The Nominating Committee is prepared to recommend candidates to the Board for a trial period—that is, to serve until the 2027 Annual Meeting, which will be held on April 24 to 25, 2027.

Al invites people to put a toe in the water to learn about and contribute to the life of the PNC, to establish working relationships with other PNC activists.

“This no-obligation trial membership could be right for you,” he entices.

Trial memberships are being offered for the following committees, Al said.

• Finance and Stewardship Committee helps organize the budget, investment, insurance, property management and planned-giving opportunities within the conference. It tells the story of why the conference matters and communicates that message across the conference. This committee meets the third Wednesday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Work outside meetings varies.

• The Committee on Ministry East member must be from the East Side, Idaho or Alaska).

The role of this committee is 1) to nurture pastors and congregations; 2) to assist local congregations in times of call and crisis; 3) to authorize people to practice ministry within the conference; 4) to maintain covenantal relationships with members in discernment, and 5) to address ethical issues raised by congregations and provide ethics training to clergy.

This committee meets via Zoom on the second Monday at 10 a.m.

• The Nominating Committee identifies, recruits and nominates candidates for leadership positions within PNC and the national setting of the church. It meets via Zoom at 4 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of the month and more frequently as the Annual Meeting approaches.

After moving from Bellevue to West Seattle, nearer his wife’s work teaching at South Seattle College, Al began commuting to his office in downtown Seattle by bicycle.

An avid bicyclist, he is exploring the state, discovering UCC churches in Metaline Falls, Cheney, Chewelah and other small communities of Eastern Washington.

Al invites others to explore the conference, if not by personal visits, at least through Zoom meetings with some of the committees needing more members.

For information, call (206) 669-5914 or email allen.r.bentley@gmail.com.

 

Pacific Northwest United Church of Christ Conference News © October 2026

 

Share this article on your favorite social media