We are delighted to announce that after deliberating among several excellent candidates, we have hired our sabbatical minister! The Rev. Peter Farriday is currently serving as interim minister with the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Duluth, MN; he has previously been with our congregations in Humboldt and Santa Clarita, CA. For him, this is a welcome return to the Bay Area, where he acquired master’s degrees at San Francisco State (Radio and Television) and Holy Names University in Oakland (Culture and Creation Spirituality). The people who work with him in Duluth describe him as collaborative, personable, a trusted confidant, and fun, with a good sense of humor. We were impressed by the depth of his sermons and the thoughtfulness of the questions he asked about UUCPA. He will be with UUCPA on a half-time basis.
Amy will be on sabbatical beginning June 12, to return January 7, 2024. Peter will begin on July 17 and lead his first service on July 30. During his 5.5 months at UUCPA, he will lead half the Sunday services and be our anchor for pastoral care, working closely with the Caring Network, music leaders, and Worship Associates, and of course with Rev. Cat and the rest of the staff. To accompany the inspiring services Rev. Peter will be leading, Amy is lining up a roster of compelling preachers for the other Sundays: guests Julie Lythcott-Haims, Rev. Deborah Lee, Doug Muder and Kevin Mann (newly fellowshipped UU ministerial candidate, a leader of the First Unitarian Church of Oakland BIPOC [Black, Indigenous, People of Color] Caucus, and the Bay Area Regional UU BIPOC Coordinator) are confirmed, as are our own Rev. Cat and John Wright, and the full schedule will be announced before the sabbatical begins.
We on the Sabbatical Committee will remain available to respond to any questions you may have in Amy’s absence, if you’re not sure to whom to direct them. Castor Fu, chair of the Staff Relations Committee, will be Acting Head of Staff, and the Board of Trustees, Committee on Ministry, and other staff have a steady hand on the tiller. We anticipate that like previous ministerial sabbaticals, this will be a time of growth and creativity for UUCPA as well as for Amy.
Amy’s sendoff will be on June 11. We’ll shortly announce the date for a welcome party for Peter, so watch this space!
–Amy & the Sabbatical Committee: Randy Helmonds (chair), Marianne Neuwirth, and Kevin Crane