The Pastor’s Pen – September 2025
It was exactly one year ago this past Monday that I started here at Pacific and oh, what a wonderful and productive year it’s been! If there was any doubt I’m in the right place (which there really wasn’t), there is certainly none now! Everyone with whom I’ve engaged has been so welcoming and positive, and I truly feel like this is my spiritual home.
There is also no doubt how much you all love this community, given the care and energy you put into making it so amazing. So, I wasn’t surprised after I arrived when a number of people I connected with shared how important it was for them to be certain our congregation has a name that all can feel comfortable with and that is representative of the value-driven and welcoming community we are.
Those conversations jump-started an effort to reconsider our name and, a year later, after fits and starts by a new minister often too eager and guidance by members of our community, we have landed on a smooth process for considering our name. For some, the decision to consider a new name is welcome and necessary. For others, to whom it is a surprise or to whom it doesn’t feel as necessary, I’d like to address the reasoning behind engaging in the work.
Just as UU’s value the right to freedom of expression, we are also very aware that words not only have meanings but can evoke emotions, including strong emotions, both positive and negative. Words can significantly uplift just as words can strike painful emotional and psychological blows.
When the problems of the world are so huge, something like a name change may seem almost irrelevant. However, especially given these incredibly distressing problems, in conjunction with our desire to be a welcoming community where people can find respite, if there are concerns about being unwelcoming or potentially inflicting pain, we cannot dismiss that.
This past weekend confirmed something else for me regarding the benefits of this process. We had two meetings to discuss potential name changes, and the conversations highlighted the importance of regular consideration of the meaning and purpose of our community and the work we do. Such conversations are tough, and so communities often avoid them, but the great wisdom that was shared demonstrated just how important they are. The exchanges encouraged all of us to think about new perspectives we may not have otherwise considered. Whether we change the name or not, the work we did this past weekend and the work we are doing in the process of considering our name vis-à-vis our purpose, facilitates growth and, therefore, is worth the effort.
Participants brought up history, spirituality, faith, values, the perception others have of us, the very idea of what a faith community is, given the politics of the times, and many other vital things we need to be regularly considering. I was particularly impressed with our teens who brought up the brilliant idea of reclamation. I don’t want to go into details because I don’t want to sway anyone else’s decision, but let’s just say, we have amazingly wise young people. I ask that we carefully consider what we call ourselves, if for nothing else, to make sure we are setting our youth up for success as they lead us into the future.
Pastor Berg
