We are excited to announce that we have hired a new Acting Director of Lifespan Faith Formation & Family Ministries. Her name is Rev. Leah Ongiri.
Rev. Leah is an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister who has served in religious education in four congregations. She served as the Consulting Director of Religious Education at the UU Fellowship of Durango, the Minister of Faith Development at the UU Fellowship of Gainesville, the Director of Religious Exploration at Starr King UU Church (Hayward, CA), and the Membership and Education Assistant at the UU Church of Oakland. Rev. Leah served as the Associate Minister at Fox Valley UU Fellowship in Appleton, Wisconsin, one of the large churches in our UUA, for nine years.
If you have been a member here for decades, you may recognize Leah’s name. She also grew up here at First Unitarian Portland! One of her first jobs was as a Childcare Assistant working under Lynne Bacon, one of our former Directors of Religious Education and an active member of our community.
Rev. Leah has shared her enthusiasm for working with us in this time of discernment as we build on what’s working and imagine what comes next for our children, youth, and families and as we move towards a learning community for our whole lives. We were blessed to receive 24 applicants for this position, which we narrowed to four candidates. Leah was our first choice.
Please join us in welcoming her this coming Sunday, November 5th. She will work part-time, mainly during the week this month, and begin working full-time next month.
With excitement,
Rev. Alison Miller, Rev. Tom Disrud, Jen Thomas, Saranna Weller-Filz, and Joan Morris
The Interview Team for our next religious educator