Welcome Rev. Jim VanderWeele – Interim MinisterWelcome! Welcome to Northlake! Rev. Jim VanderWeele will begin serving as Northlake Unitarian Universalist’s interim minister after serving Community Church UU in New Orleans, LA for the past fifteen years. He will be joining us in August. He is excited to be joining a caring and compassionate religious community that has long been engaged in outreach into the local community.
Rev. Jim received his B.A. in Religion at the University of Iowa, taking courses on world religions, ethics, and spiritual formation. His Masters of Divinity was earned at Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago, IL.
His decision to enter ministry was spurred by his deep appreciation for the Covenant between congregations and the Unitarian Universalist Association found in our Principles and Purposes. The first time he walked into a UU congregation he noticed the UUA’s Seven Principles posted on the atrium wall and immediately felt hooked by their significance when he came to the second principle, a covenant to affirm and promote justice, equity, and compassion in human relationships.
Churches, in his view, are abodes bounded by the Spirit of Love. Since we all desire the feeling of love, we strive to share such a loving spirit in church. The Spirit of Love functions as source for: inner work through spiritual study, and outer work through social justice and the relationships we build with social justice organizations in our area. The Spirit of Love has become, and remains, Rev. Jim’s guide and guideline in life. Rev. Jim arrives in Kirkland with an expectation that this congregation will continue to offer to all the opportunity to build their skills and experience the benefits of spiritual growth.
Many of the social justice projects of our members will happen outside Northlake’s four walls, but the spiritual values promoted within our walls often lead our members toward greater service in the world around us. This ethically oriented approach to ministry led his former church to designate Rev. Jim as their first Minister Emeritus. In the Spirit of Love and Spirit of Life may we do whatever we can to maximize the blessings people will feel here, in this beloved community.
Welcome to Northlake!
Margaret Rogers – Director of Lifespan Religious EducationMargaret Rogers is a lifelong Unitarian Universalist from Arlington, Virginia. She has attended Northlake UU Church since September 2012 with her two children. Margaret has a Master in Teaching degree from the University of Washington. She taught middle school mathematics, and she has a great deal of experience working with children of all ages.
Margaret’s vision for Northlake’s Children’s Religious Education program is to create a space where children and youth feel comfortable, safe, and valued, and where they can develop the relationships that will support them as they grow in their personal and spiritual identity.
Sandy Naranjo – Business & Rentals ManagerIn the office Sandy loves to keep things organized and moving forward. Being a part of the Northlake community that gives such voice, heart and action to the expression our collective Unitarian Universalist values it a joy and a blessing.
As Rentals Manager, Sandy has the pleasure of working with people who are celebrating life events like weddings, graduations, concerts, recitals, parties, Celebrations of Life, and meaningful spiritual services. Northlake’s beautiful sanctuary and chapel provide an ideal and welcoming space for such celebrations in the lives of people in our Northlake family and in the broader community. We are truly a welcoming congregation.
Working in coordination, the Rentals Committee, Board of Trustees, and the Rentals Manager develop long-term relationships with people and organizations that are an active part of our Northlake Campus as renters of our facilities. Several of these remarkable relationships are Eastside Audubon Society, Aaron’s Place Kirkland – Northwest’s Child, Leadership Preparatory Academy, Trinity Reformed Baptist Church, Portage Bay Big Band, and Aspiring Youth.
Maria Khavin – Pianist and Northlake Choir AccompanistMaria Khavin, a pianist and choir accompanist, joined Northlake in 2010. It is her foremost and ultimate goal that the entire congregation feels enriched, uplifted and inspired by the music she performs or accompanies!
Maria grew up in St. Petersburg, Russia, in musical family, and started piano lessons at age 6. She studied with several wonderful teachers and subsequently graduated from State Music College in 1992, just before moving to United States. In Seattle area, she is an active member of music community and has been in demand as music teacher, recitalist and collaborative pianist. She performed with NOISE for kids, Mahler Festival, Sacred Music Foundation, Ladies Musical Club, Public Opera, KING 98.1, Lyric Opera NW, among many other professional organizations. Maria holds Master of Music degree from University of Washington, where she studied with Professor Craig Sheppard, and is certified music teacher in state of Washington.