Congregational Treasure. Mar. 30, 2020. When she first joined the UUCF community in early 2009, Ann King, a nurse, asked the ministers if there was any way they could use her skills. Rev. Bill Welch asked her to set up a table in the Commons after services to take people’s blood pressure. That was a time of high stress in our country. Ann doesn’t shy away from stress and always handles it so calmly and gracefully. She is invested in uplifting others. Since joining our congregation, Ann has assumed many roles and contributed a great deal.
In 2014, she joined the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program. Ann distributed flyers in neighborhoods to get the word out, met one-on-one with students to determine their English language needs, led multiple levels of instruction and even recruited her family members to teach. Ann’s dedication didn’t stop with just leading classes. She connected with the students in a personal way, showing genuine care about their families and concern about any health or personal problems that students shared.
In 2015, Ann joined the Annual Yard Sale team, and for the past 3 years, she has taken a lead role in the large Boutique section, carefully researching prices for our upscale items and cleaning and arranging the Boutique to maximize revenue.
Twenty Sixteen was a busy year for Ann:
- She trained for and assumed leadership of a covenant group and led that group until stepping down to group participant in fall 2019.
- She also joined the UUCF Refugee Resettlement Project and in October 2017, assumed the leadership role. Beyond the many extraordinary efforts that Ann helped coordinate to see this refugee family through to self-sufficiency, she was also incredibly hands-on, resourceful and persistent. She found free dental care for the family, enrolled the mother in Medicaid and the children in Kaiser health care, stayed connected with the mother through a health scare and helped them manage limitless details. The family has stabilized, and Ann continues to be involved to problem-solve crises and lend a hand whenever she is asked. Most recently, she helped the family traverse the snags of transitioning to Section 8 housing.
- In September 2016, Ann was recruited for and agreed to join the Pastoral Care Team. A great fit for this team, Ann has never hesitated to take on a new assignment to reach out to someone by sending a card, making a phone call or visiting them. So good at striking that balance between listening and stepping in to offer help, Ann has a gentle, non-judgmental and patient presence. In October 2019, she assumed the co-chair role of the team. Her role involves making assignments, coordinating Pastoral Care representation at memorial services and learning Realm (no simple task!). Ann has persisted in learning Realm and perseveres in trying to train Pastoral Care Team volunteers so they can use it as a tool. She always does more than is asked of her and she does it with a generous and calm presence.
While doing all of this, Ann has also taught a number of classes in the Adult Programs curriculum and served on the Intern Committee from 2016 to 2018.
During her 11 years at UUCF, Ann has shared with this congregation wonderful leadership and organizational skills and a steadfast persistence. Her spirit of kindness is a true gift. Ann is a treasure.
Written by Libby Jenkins