The Unitarian Universalist Church of the Verdugo Hills is proud to announce that their new consulting minister has been signed. Rev. Stefanie Etzbach-Dale will make her first appearance in the pulpit at 10:30 a.m. this Sunday, Sept. 13. She will be observing a traditional water ceremony and discussing current state legislation concerning clean water rights for all (AB 1242).

Rev. Stefanie received her masters degree of divinity from Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago in 2005. She has served as consulting minister for several churches, focusing on worship and membership development, visioning, planning, volunteer and community resource management, victim advocacy and anti-oppression work. Over the past year, Rev. Stefanie has concentrated on serving those living with severe mental illness, many of whom are battling addiction and/or homelessness. She has served on a speakers bureau to educate the community on mental illness and to improve the general knowledge and acceptance of those so afflicted. She is also a member of UU’s newly formed addictions and recovery ministry.

UUCVH is located at 4451 Dunsmore Ave. in La Crescenta, one block south of Foothill Boulevard. Services are held every Sunday, frequently with guest speakers, at 10:30 a.m. Children’s Religious Education classes are held concurrently with the service, and free childcare is available. Coffee and light refreshments follow in the church’s Fellowship Hall.