Meet Our Ministers

Our parish co-ministers and primary worship leaders are co-ministers Revs. Wayne Arnason & Kathleen Rolenz.  Every other year, West Shore invites a seminarian to become our ministerial intern, who also leads worship. We are always pleased to welcome back to our pulpit minister Emeritus, The Rev. Dr. David Cole; and Minister Emerita The Rev. Dr. Marjorie Skwire. 

Reverends Wayne Arnason & Kathleen Rolenz were called to serve as parish co-ministers in June 2000.  They have been nationally recognized as outstanding preachers and leaders in the field of worship.  Their book “Worship That Works: Theory and Practice for Unitarian Universalists,” was published by Skinner House Books in 2007.

Children are an important part of our worship life.  The Parish Co-Ministers and Director of Lifespan Faith Development, Kathy Strawser, create Intergenerational Services once a month.  These services are designed to speak to children of all ages as well as adults. Children’s Worship occurs monthly in the Chapel.

Wayne and Kathleen were married in 1998.  Wayne is a fourth generation Unitarian Universalist from Winnipeg, Manitoba.  Kathleen grew up in Akron, Ohio, and first discovered Unitarian Universalism at the UU Church in Kent, Ohio.

Student Intern Minister 2009-2010

Sunshine Jeremiah Wolfe is the 2009-2010 intern minister at West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church in Rocky River, OH.  Ghe is a student at Starr King School for the Ministry in Berkeley, CA.  Ghe discovered the call to ministry while serving the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tucson as their Spiritual Development Director.  Sunshine brings to gher ministry a love for community, deep care for those who need pastoral support, and a commitment to creating beloved community through healthy communication and creating justice and resisting oppression. 

     Ghe is originally from Indiana where ghe learned to love the earth, sing, and the importance of family.  Sunshine is a member of Diverse and Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM) and Transgender Religious professional Unitarian Universalists Together (TRUUsT).  Sunshine is genderqueer and asks that you use the non-gender pronouns “ghe” and “gher” in reference to gherself.  The “gh” is pronounced like the “g” in beige.  A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) link about what being GenderQueer means is now available.  Click here.