United Church of Christ installs new pastor
By Avi Rutschman avi@theacorn.com

The Simi Valley United Church of Christ held an installation service on Feb. 19 for June Goudey, its new pastor. The event marked the first installation of a new pastor since the church's inception in 1995.

Goudey has served in the ministry for 26 years and has lead congregations in Arizona, Massachusetts and California as a local church pastor and an interim minister.

Although Goudey attended church services regularly as a child, she separated herself from religion while pursuing a bachelor's degree in physical therapy at Boston University.

"I was very active in the youth groups of my childhood church in Everett, Mass., but when I went to college, I just stopped. I felt like I needed to pursue some questions," she said.

The Simi Valley UCC is a progressive church that prides itself on its diversity. According to the church website, it has 18 core values, some of which include viewing "the Bible (as) a record of faith journeys to be taken seriously, but not always literally" and practicing "an affirming faith, rather than one based on guilt and/or fear." The UCC was the first national denomination to recognize gay marriage.

Goudey would like to see the Simi Valley UCCcontinue its community support programs- it currently does a great deal of work with Simi's homeless population-and would like to see the community form an interfaith alliance to help combat problems affecting the area. The Simi Valley UCC is at 370 Royal Ave. in Simi Valley. To contact the church, please call (805) 526-6001 or e-mail pastor@uccsimi.org.