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Welcome to Kitsap Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (KUUF) where people from all over the Kitsap Peninsula region have gathered since 1950 to share liberal religious values and the common search for greater understanding that gives spiritual meaning to our lives. We come together for Sunday worship to learn, to participate in social and community action, to care for one another and enjoy our differences, and to nurture our children and youth through religious education.
We welcome and celebrate all adults, children and youth regardless of faith, creed, race, color, ethnic or national origin; sexual orientation, gender, or gender expression; age, mental or physical ability, economic status, or political affiliation. Ours is a vital and growing congregation, with many programs and activities to offer.
We hope you will find yourself at home at KUUF - newcomers and visitors are always welcome! We look forward to seeing you on Sunday!
Sunday, August 22, 2010 at 8:08PM | Web Admin 
We welcome donations for the silent or live auctions. Popular items include themed dinners, trips and tours, professional services, artwork, handcrafts, vintage and collectables, and gift certificates. Donation forms are in the KUUF foyer or you can donate online at http://go.kuuf.org/auction.
Friday, May 28, 2010 at 9:05AM | Web Admin By Shawn Ultican, Board President
Illustration by Robert Neubecker (uuworld.org)In the Spring issue of our UU World magazine, there was an interesting article called “Who Owns Your Congregation?” Although the piece was thought provoking, what really caught my attention was the illustration a church with beams of light streaming outward like a lighthouse.
I know the concept of religious values acting as a beacon of hope and guidance is a common metaphor, but this image really got me thinking about our own fellowship.
I’ve wondered how we at KUUF serve as a beacon to our community. How do the values we share guide our community, or each of us as individuals, through the storms and turmoil of life? Once people are motivated to visit us, do we greet them as a welcoming congregation? Do we share the light and warmth we feel ourselves?
Historically lighthouses used flame as a source of illumination, focusing it through a lens designed to carry the beam far out to sea. Like the flame of our chalice, the light of our shared values guides us as individuals and reaches out to those in our community. Even the name of our newsletter, The Candle, fits within this theme.
In our daily lives, we each carry the light of our own candle, and many of us work to spread that light in different ways; through social justice, community service, political action, or charitable giving.
Sometimes it can feel as though we‘re holding lone candles in the darkness. But I much prefer the image of those individual flames standing together, hundreds of them, bright and warm and strong. Focused through the lens of our faith and mission, we connect with other places of worship, creating a string of navigational beacons along rocky shores.
Another question that’s come to mind is who’s the equivalent of our lighthouse keeper? Who tends the lamps, shines the lens, and keeps the bricks and mortar standing strong against the waves?
It seems like we’ve often relied on an individual, our minister, to keep the light shining for us. As Reverend Liz wrote in her column last month, this can cause uncertainty during a time of transition. Who will hold us together?
The concept that we are all ministers of our faith, both in our church and our community, implies that we are the keepers of our lighthouse. Working together, it’s up to us to keep our beacon shining bright.
This becomes even more important during try- ing times, and we’ve certainly been through some stormy weather over the last few years. With the challenge of our finances, and the transition to a new minister, we have more change ahead of us.
Just like a lighthouse, we are brighter and stronger when we share our strengths, and remember to stand together.
Friday, May 7, 2010 at 2:48PM | Web Admin The Interim Ministerial Search Committee and the KUUF Board are pleased to announce that the Reverend Don Vaughn-Foerster has accepted our invitation to serve as our interim minister. Rev. Vaughn-Foerster will join us in August. He currently serves at First Unitarian Church of Victoria in British Columbia. He comes to us with many years experience in both “settled” and interim ministries.
You can find some information about Rev. Vaughn-Foerster from the First Unitarian Church of Victoria website.
The challenge grant we announced at the annual meeting is well on its way. An anonymous gift of $10,000 was made as a challenge to cover the $20,000 we need to balance the budget. We are already halfway to the challenge goal with new and additional pledges and gifts. Please consider an increased pledge, a gift or coming up with some other creative ways to help us raise money to meet this challenge. We agreed at the annual meeting that funding for our new interim was a priority. Let's rise to the challenge!
To pledge online go to go.kuuf.org/pledge
