Our Minister

Our spiritual leader is the Reverend Katie Stein Sather. Whether leading a Facilitators Chalice Circle or preaching to the congregation on one of "her" Sundays, she articulates the vision of Beacon Unitarian Church as a "just and loving community" for us.

Rev. Katie studied theology at St. Stephen's College in Edmonton, Alberta, and has served churches in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Southfield, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. She lives in a heritage house in Maple Ridge with her husband Al, a dog, and two cats.

She says of her religious journey: "I grew up in a mainline Protestant church, but it never was comfortable for me. I wanted to honor my own religious experience in nature and my intellectual side. I needed to do this. When I first attended a Unitarian service in 1984, it felt like I had come home."

Rev. Katie has been active in the denomination, serving on the Unitarian Universalist Association's General Assembly Planning Committee and the Unitarian Universalist Women's Federation Board, and was the Canadian Trustee on the UUA Board, thus ex officio on the Canadian Unitarian Board. She is currently Corresponding Secretary for the CUC's Lay Chaplaincy Committee.

You can reach Rev. Katie by e-mail at ksather@shaw.ca

Read—or listen to—some of Rev. Katie Stein Sather's sermons.

Beacon is also fortunate to have Sue Sparlin as our lay chaplain.

Our Director of Religious Education

Karen Gosetti has a Master of Arts degree in Creation Spirituality/Arts of World Cultures from Naropa University, Oakland, California and has experience working creatively with children and youth.

"Beacon's principles and children's curriculum resonate with my interest in reaching children through arts based values education."

Karen enjoys writing and performing children's stories and engaging people in creative movement with her sacred and world dance background.

Her role as Director of Religious Education is to provide leadership, spiritual guidance, inspiration, and practical assistance to coordinate, administer, and implement religious education programs for children and youth.

Beacon Unitarian Church holds Religious Education classes on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. at The Gathering Place, 2253 Leigh Square in Port Coquitlam.

You may contact Karen by e-mail at karengosetti@shaw.ca.

Our Choir Director

Our choir director is Kay Norton. Kay has directed the Beacon Choir for six years. She was an elementary music specialist teaching in the Burnaby School District for 20 years. She directed the Burnaby District Children's Choir for three years. She also co-ordinated The Primary Days of Music for Burnaby for many years. Kay has served on the BC Orff Executive as Vice President, President, and Past President the past six years.

Kay has attended UUMN (Unitarian Universalist Musicians' Network) conferences in Detroit, San Diego, Boston, and Portland (2009) in order to stay current with UU appropriate music, conducting techniques, and effective interaction with choir and church members.

Kay conducted the choir for the Northwest Regional UU Fall Gathering at SFU in November of 2008. The Beacon Choir participated in the Candlelight Service in 2008 and the "For Pete's Sake, Sing" 90th birthday service for Pete Seeger in May 2009, both at the Unitarian Church of Vancouver.

The Beacon Choir is an unauditioned choir and welcomes new members. We sing for services twice a month, September through May, and perform in a Spring Concert in early May. We meet on Tuesday nights, 7:30 - 9 p.m., at Miller Park School in Coquitlam. Come sing with us!

Beacon Board of Trustees

The Beacon Unitarian Church Board of Trustees is composed of members elected by the congregation, normally for a two-year term. The job of the Board is to handle the administration of Beacon and to provide leadership and direction. The board is no less about vision, as communicated by the congregation, than it is about the tasks needed to keep the church running.

The Beacon Board of Trustees for 2010–2011:

• Sue Sparlin, president
• Karen Greenland, vice president
• Kathleen Johnston, treasurer
• Carol Becken, secretary
• Gary Atha
• Allegra Sloman

You can find Board members at services by looking for the tell-tale red name tags.

Donna Hamilton not only serves on the Beacon Board of Trustees. She is also the editor of The Beacon, our monthly newsletter. Please send announcements no later than mid-month for the following month's issue to donna-h@telus.net.