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October 15, 2026

Greetings, Shadow Rock Family,

Your Governing Board recently held its annual Planning Retreat. Since much of the Board’s work happens behind the scenes, I’d like to share an update on the work accomplished this past year and the plans taking shape for the months ahead.



First, we took time to reflect on the past year in three areas, which I have listed below.

Our shared vision is for Shadow Rock to grow into a Whole Life Center—a broad umbrella that includes our worshiping congregation and additional expressions of ministry and community life. From the Board’s brainstorming last January, three initial focus areas emerged:

Media Literacy - Media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and act using all forms of communication.

Kennedi Martin*

Cindy Gattorna*

Heidi Zinn

OWL - Our Whole Lives - is a life-affirming sexuality education program. It dismantles stereotypes and assumptions, builds self-acceptance and self-esteem, fosters healthy relationships, improves decision-making, and has the potential to save lives. 

Phil Tackman*

Liz Curry*

Tim Tutt

Support for Groups - This group is exploring ways to support groups that meet on our campus, as well as opportunities to support outside programs and organizations.

Barb Hass*

Roy Zaborowski

Carla Rutherford

Rick Stuart

NOTE: *Convener/Co-convener

During the retreat, Tim also shared four Affinities he sees as central to Shadow Rock’s identity and invited us to consider how we strengthen clarity, connectivity, and communication within and among them.

Our hope is to fully live into all four affinities over time. For now, we are beginning with Media Literacy, OWL, and Support for Groups—and we cannot do this alone. We need the gifts and energy of the whole congregation.

If you feel called to help shape one of these areas, please reach out to a convener or contact me at president@shadowrockucc.org.

As we look toward the coming year, we do so with deep hope and a sense of possibility. The work before us is meaningful, and the energy within our community is strong. Together, we have the opportunity to grow, to imagine boldly, and to continue shaping Shadow Rock into a Whole Life Center that reflects our values and our vision. I am grateful for each of you and excited for what we will create in the year ahead.

Peace and Grace,

Linda Merritt, President

On behalf of the Shadow Rock Board