Farewell

Farewell

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes; (turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes; Oh, look out you rock n rollers
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes; (turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes; Pretty soon now you're gonna get a little older
Time may change me; But I can't trace time
I said that time may change me; But I can't trace time

-David Bowie

Many songs and poems have been written about change. As we close out our Religious Education 'regular' class year, there will be some important changes happening on July 1. I am leaving the OCUUC Director of Religious Education position and will be focusing on my studies to become a UU minister. I will also be starting my two-year internship this fall at a different UU location.

Thank you for my wonderful send-off at this year's annual meeting! It has been my pleasure to work with our teachers, parents, Board Presidents Katherine Martin and Tom Loughrey, Rev. Sian Wiltshire, Mary Lundholm, and the OCUUC Board for the past few years. Our kids, youth, teachers, and families are all amazing people! Mostly I will miss working in the classroom each Sunday with our UU young people. Watching them grow up over the years has been a joy and a true privilege.

The RE program has some wonderful days ahead in 2016-17. Karen Magoon Pearson has accepted the DRE position and will begin on July 1! Karen has been a member of OCUUC for seven years and has served the church in many capacities. These include coordinating the young adult program, serving on the board, facilitating covenant groups, and singing in the choir. Karen was OCUUC’s Acting Director of Religious Education for five months from 2014-2015 and Interim Director of Religious Education at Tapestry UU Church in Mission Viejo for four months from 2015-2016.

Karen has worked with children and youth for her entire professional life, including as a nanny, state preschool teacher, AmeriCorps Member and then administrator of an early literacy intervention program, and camp counselor. She received her BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from Pomona College and studied Early Childhood Education at the graduate level at Cal State Fullerton. Karen grew up in Ventura, CA and now lives in Santa Ana with her husband, Jonathan, and their rescue pup, Cho.

Please welcome Karen as she begins her new position in July. You can best support the RE program by continuing to pledge to OCUUC, and by volunteering your time. Just ask Karen how you can help our families!

With Gratitude,

Rayna Hamre