Our Minister

Our spiritual leader, Reverend Katie Stein Sather, has left our congregation after eight years of devoted service to explore other areas of her life. She is dearly missed.

Rev. Katie has long been active in the denomination, serving on the Unitarian Universalist Association's General Assembly Planning Committee and the Unitarian Universalist Women's Federation Board, and was the Canadian Trustee on the UUA Board, thus ex officio on the Canadian Unitarian Board, and later elected directly to the CUC board.

We wish her well in all her endeavours.

Read—or listen to—some of Rev. Katie Stein Sather's sermons.

Beacon will be seeking a new minister to join our congregation in the new year.

Our Congregation

For the next few months, Beacon will be entirely lay led. We have always had an active lay leadership. From September forward we are excited to be welcoming a variety of guest speakers and to exploring new ways of worshipping together.

Our President and Lay Chaplain

Sue Sparlin serves as the President of the Board of Trustees and as the Lay Chaplain for Beacon.

As Lay Chaplain she is available to officiate at weddings, memorials, and other rites of passage for Beacon members and the general public.

Sue can be contacted for information about Beacon and about her services as a Lay Chaplain.

Contact Sue by e-mail at BeaconUChurch@shaw.ca or call her at 778-397-1442.

Directors of Religious Education

Laura Redmond and Heather Brown run the Religious Education classes. Laura leads the younger children's group and Heather the middle age group.

Beacon Unitarian Church holds Religious Education classes on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. at The Pensioners Hall, 318 Keary Street, New Westminster.

Our Choir Director

Our choir director is Marnie Jennings. Marnie directed the Beacon Choir as interim choir director from January through May, and we are delighted to have her back as our permanent Choir Director. For years Marnie ran her own performing arts school, training young people in singing and theatre. At the Beacon Cabaret in May several of her students added their talents to the performance along with the choir for a fabulous afternoon of great entertainment.

Marnie attended the UUMN (Unitarian Universalist Musicians' Network) conference in Madison, Wisconsin, this summer in order to stay current with UU-appropriate music, conducting techniques, and effective interaction with choir and church members. She is very excited to bring her new knowledge and music to our church life.

Here's what Marnie has to say:

Singing with 240 professional musicians at the UUMN was so awesome and inspiring and emotional and fulfilling, and I would love you all to experience it. Since we can't do that in the next few months, the next best thing is to bring it to you. I have brought music and ideas and excitement back with me. Hold on to your hats because we are going to have an amazing musical year. This church has more musicians amateur / professional quality than anywhere else. Please consider coming to choir to add your talents.

The Beacon Choir is an unauditioned choir and welcomes new members. We sing for services twice a month, September through May, and perform in one Concert per year. We meet on Tuesday nights, 7:15–9:15 p.m., at Miller Park School, Coquitlam. Come sing with us!

Beacon Board of Trustees

The Beacon Unitarian Church Board of Trustees is composed of members elected by the congregation, normally for a two-year term. The job of the Board is to handle the administration of Beacon and to provide leadership and direction. The board is no less about vision, as communicated by the congregation, than it is about the tasks needed to keep the church running.

The Beacon Board of Trustees for 2011–2012:

• Sue Sparlin, president
• Karen Greenland, vice president
• Kathleen Johnston, treasurer
• Carol Becken, secretary
• Allegra Sloman, trustee
• Peggy Lunderville, trustee

You can find Board members at services by looking for the tell-tale red name tags.

Donna Hamilton is the editor of The Beacon, our monthly newsletter. Please send announcements no later than mid-month for the following month's issue to donna-h@telus.net. Recent newsletters can be found on the home page, bottom right corner.