The KentUU Board of Trustees invites all members and friends to the Annual Voting Meeting after the second service, in person in Hobbs Hall and on Zoom. Active Members, your attendance is important to reach a quorum.
Eligible voters will have the opportunity to vote on the following items:
Last year’s Minutes: Annual Voting Meeting June 1, 2025
Next year’s proposed budget
Slate of candidates for elected positions
The Annual Report to the Congregation is available to church members and friends upon request or refer to your e-nUUs (5/1/2026).
A visual representation of the new covenant of right relations
As a faith community, our Covenant of Right Relations is the heartbeat of how we treat one another. It is more than just a set of rules—it is a promise we make to ourselves and to each other to live out our shared values.
The Committee on Shared Ministry has spent dedicated time reflecting on who we are today and who we aspire to be. The result is a revised Covenant of Right Relations that invites us to engage with our faith more deeply, more honestly, and more restoratively. Our existing covenant can be found here: https://kentuu.org/policies/covenant-of-right-relations/
Why the Change? Our previous covenant served us well, but as our community evolves, so too must our promises. This new draft shifts our focus from simply “behaving well” to practicing our values together. It acknowledges that community life is not about avoiding conflict, but about how we grow through it. It centers on our commitment to equity, intergenerational inclusion, and the spiritual practice of restorative repair.
Key Highlights of the New Draft:
A Living Promise: We acknowledge that we are a people who make, break, and renew promises. This grounds our community in reality—we are human, we will make mistakes, and we are committed to starting again in love.
Embracing Discomfort: The new language identifies “discomfort” not as a threat, but as a gateway to spiritual growth and deeper connection.
Restorative Approach: Rather than just avoiding conflict, we are committing to “restorative approaches”—a proactive way of healing relationships and moving forward together.
Rooted in Equity: The draft explicitly weaves our UU value of Equity into the fabric of our daily interactions.
We invite every member of the congregation to read the full draft and reflect on how these promises might shape your own journey at the Kent UU Church.
Your voice matters. Please join us to discuss and cast your vote at the upcoming Annual Meeting May 31. Let us covenant together to build a community that is as resilient as it is welcoming.
Our church can have up to 4 delegates as representatives to the annual business meeting of our denomination this summer. General Assembly (GA), is scheduled online for June 14–16, 2026, so you can fully participate in the business meetings from your home. Registration to serve as a delegate is $175, though there will be a free option when registration opens in May. (The UUA wants any delegate to be able to participate in the governance of our association). There is also scholarship money available. More information about being a delegate
Delegates must be KentUU members in good standing. They are appointed by the board, please contact the moderator Randy Ruchotzke randyruchotzke (at) kentuu.org if you would like to be a delegate.
Please contact Kathy Kerns if you have questions about GA or responsibilities of delegates.
Please join us Saturday, May 2nd, 2026 at 2pm In Hobbs Hall
of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent
To celebrate the formal Installation and celebration of our chosen settled minister,
the Reverend Kristina Church!
For those who would like to assist with making this a special event, there are multiple ways to help. Many hands make light work! There are two volunteer sign-up sheets: one for a private luncheon earlier in the day for Rev. Kristina and her ministerial guests; and one for the installation and celebratory reception on Saturday afternoon. You may choose to help with one or both events as your time and interest permits. Please use these links to sign up for something that fits your interests.
CLICK HERE to sign up to volunteer to support the installation service and reception.
CLICK HERE to sign up to volunteer to support the Minister’s private luncheon.
There will be a decorative gift box available at the reception to collect cards, hand-written notes, or other tokens of appreciation that you may wish to gift to Rev. Kristina.
Childcare will be available during the installation ceremony. If you will need childcare, please RSVP to [email protected] so that Colleen and staff will be informed.
The Installation Planning Team (Ellen Doucette, Rhonda Richardson, Susanna Smart) is available to answer any questions you may have. Contact: [email protected]
Please consider donating events, dinners, outings, services, and one-of-a-kind or unique items of special interest to be auctioned live at this event. Large group events and services will also be sold at fixed prices. We request that you please save your silent auction items for our auction in November.
CLICK HERE to VOLUNTEER: We need volunteers for set-up, cooking, donating desserts, checking-in and check out and clean up. All help is deeply appreciated.
On May 31, members of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent (UUCK) will elect three new people to the Board of Trustees for three-year terms that begin July 1.
With a settled, full-time minister, an influx of new members of all ages, upgrades to campus buildings, and COVID in the rearview mirror, the church is poised to blossom. “This is a time of renewal for the church and a good time to be involved,” says Claudia Miller, one of seven current board members.
Board service provides opportunities to deepen relationships with other church members and heighten one’s sense of spiritual connection. “Our strength as a group is we want to make sure everyone’s voices are heard. There’s no ego involved,” said Randy Ruchotzke, who was elected moderator in July 2025 (and has served on the board on and off since the 1990s). He credits the two moderators in place just prior to him, Kara Kramer and Ginny Horvath, with building a close-knit atmosphere after the church weathered some difficult transitions.
Although Kramer had joined the church fairly recently when members of the Leadership Development Team asked her to serve, she felt her newness could be an asset, as well her perspective as a parent of two young children. “I leaned heavily into collaboration and communication to make sure the members, friends, and staff understood what we (the board) were doing and why,” says Kramer. “The board was very committed and stepped up to meeting twice a month versus the old ‘normal’ of once per month so we were taking care of everything that needed to be addressed.” Board members elect their own moderator from within their ranks at the start of each fiscal year.
“I enjoyed the internal work of practicing right relationship with my fellow board members,” says Susanna Smart, who served on the board from 2022 through 2025. “Serving on the board was a spiritual practice for me. It was a way to put the values that we hold as a UU congregation into action. I cared about listening to what was spoken as well as listening for what was unspoken,” she said. Others echoed Smart’s feeling that meetings offer an intentionally safe environment where participants allow the time, space, and willingness to explore differences of opinion.
“I feel that courage can be contagious,” Miller said. “When someone has the courage to say the hard thing, it bolsters your courage to do the same. It makes you feel so close and loving to the group. Not only do you get to know them but you get to care about them.” She adds, “I feel joy at church now. I see people experiencing joy, not just in the service, but when they’re doing service for the church. It grows your soul.”
When asked what tips he might have for new board members, Ruchotzke said: “If you go in with the attitude of a beginner and let the vibe of the group and the sacred duty we have to look after the church–if you let that bubble up to the surface–it can be life-altering.”
Any UUCK member who has questions about service on the board, or who wishes to express interest, may contact Kathy Kerns, chair of the Leadership Development Team, at [email protected].
A BIG thank you to the following volunteers–Kirt Beiling, Lee Brooker, Debbie Johnson, Tanya Kahl, Rhonda Richardson and Marion Yeagler–for preparing, serving and cleaning up for the Lord’s Lunch Congregate Meal. Our team prepared sixty meals which we served to members of our community, many of whom who live with food insecurity. Leftovers were then contributed to Miller House, a shelter for individuals and families who are currently homeless. This UUCK Social Justice ministry brings us into contact with community members including Trinity Lutheran Church staff and student interns. This is a lively, busy group and we welcome you to join us! Interested in volunteering? Our next Lord’s Lunch dates are July 18th and November 7th. Contact me! With gratitude, Camille Pavlicek-Fauser 330-289-2807
The Kent Chorus (which regularly includes members and friends of UUCK), directed by Matthew Swope, will perform American Music of the 20th & 21st centuries, including works by Aaron Copland and Samuel Barber, on Sunday, March 29 in KSU Ludwig Recital Hall in the Music and Speech building (not in the Cartwright Auditorium) at 3:00 PM.
It’s that time of year, again! Your report, to be included in the Fiscal Year 2026 Annual Report is due by April 15. Submitting an annual report is an opportunity to record in the church’s history your team’s activities for this year.
Please email your reports to MaryBeth at [email protected] no later than April 15. The Annual Report will be published Friday, May 1 (thirty days prior to the annual meeting) in accordance with church bylaws.
Important Dates — Mark your calendars:
May 3, 2026 Information Meeting – everyone is encouraged to attend.
May 31, 2026 Annual Voting Meeting – Active Members, your vote matters, please plan to attend the meeting.
The Worship Arts Team is taking proposals for lay-led services. If there is a topic that inspires you in your spiritual journey, the Worship Arts team will work with you to craft a wonderful service. We’d love to hear some new voices in the pulpit!
We have several dates available: June 7; July 12, 19, 26; and August 2, 9, 16, 23.
