Throughout the 2020-2021 program year, we are profiling various lay leaders in our congregation. This week, we feature Elaine Mittell, the Lead for our Caring & Companioning Team since 2019. Elaine became a member of UU Wellesley in April 1997.
Elaine lives in Wellesley with her husband Doug Poutasse, a member of UU Wellesley Hills since January 1998. Together they have identical twin daughters, Nicole and Lauren, aged 31. Nicole lives in Framingham and works as a kindergarten teacher in Weston, MA. Lauren lives in Madison, NH, where the family has a second home, and works as a second/third grade classroom teacher in North Conway, NH. Elaine and Doug also have two grand-dogs, Kali and Emma, whom they love to visit.
Recently, Elaine connected with Board of Trustees Chair Kathy Coolidge to answer a few questions about herself.
Where did you grow up and go to school?
I grew up in Framingham and went through its public schools, graduating from Framingham South High in 1974. I went to Harvard/Radcliffe College, majoring in Psychology and Social Relations, and graduated in 1978. I met Doug the first day of my freshman year of college, on Sept. 13th, 1974! (It was seven years before we became “more than friends.”) I then got a Masters in Social Work from Simmons College in 1981.
What is your religious background? What brought you to UU Wellesley Hills?
I am of Jewish heritage and grew up in a non-practicing household. I got involved with UUSWH because my neighbor was a member and a college friend, Lisa Muto, was a member, too. They both encouraged me to attend. I knew enough about Unitarian Universalism to understand that its values and priorities were the same as my professional ones, so it seemed like a good fit for me. I started coming when one of my daughters asked why we didn’t participate in a faith community — and I kept coming after attending meetings of the Caring Community group and finding my soulmates there. I became a member in 1997.
What kind of work do you do?
I have been a social work professional since 1981. My professional specialty was intervention with community-based, at-risk older adults. Even when I wasn’t working, I continued to do social work as a volunteer. I later became a social work educator in 2004, going back to my alma mater, Simmons. Since 2014 I’ve worked as a clinical consultant for emerging social work professionals.
What parts of congregational life are most meaningful to you?
Membership has given me the opportunity to learn and grow in countless ways, such as when I had the opportunity to travel to Burundi and Transylvania. Both of those trips got me out of my comfort zone. I had a chance to develop my own Credo as a Coming of Age mentor and I established an ongoing relationship with an inmate through a prison ministry which began 18 years ago. I’ve also had the opportunity to develop deep and meaningful relationships through all of those activities.
My longest term involvement has been in lay pastoral care. As a member of our Caring Community groups since 1997, I’ve formed important connections with members of all ages. My life as a social worker segued very naturally into my church involvement with pastoral care and social justice. Unitarian Universalism is such a perfect fit for me! I have also enjoyed my work on the earlier UUSWH website and on congregational data base management. These are my version of a video game! I love to bring order to chaos — like organizing the kitchen clean-up sessions or weeding the church garden.
You are the Lead of the Caring & Companioning Team — what does that involve?
As the Team Lead, I coordinate pastoral care with a team of wonderful, caring UU Wellesley Hills members. We try to make sure we are all taking care of each other — providing sustenance for the journey. We do a lot by phone and correspondence, but we also provide concrete help too, like delivering meals. During the pandemic, we’ve combined our Pastoral Companioning Team and Caring Community into one group, the Caring & Companioning Team. There are about ten of us combined, in addition to Rev. Kelly and Joan.
You’re also the Assistant Clerk — what can you tell us about that?
This is a newly created position to assist the elected Clerk on the Board of Trustees. Along with Michael Packard, I maintain the congregation database in Breeze, track membership numbers, and also manage the document repository on the church Google drive.
How are you managing quarantining?
I spend a lot more time with Doug! I never really slowed down because there is never enough time for all the projects I’ve chosen to do. I’ve never walked as far or cooked so much.
What’s most important to you at this point in your life?
I’m driven to continue to find ways to make a difference — to make my little corner of the world kinder and more just. I am outdoors whenever I can be — walking, hiking, gardening, swimming. I love every minute I can spend outside. I used to be very involved with crafts like weaving and quilting, but they don’t fit into my life right now. I hope to return to them. Taking care of and being present for family and close friends is a major focus.
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Be sure to come to Fellowship Hour this Sun. Apr. 11th at 11:30 a.m. to meet Elaine, who will give a brief presentation about her work as our Lead of our Caring & Companioning Team, as well as her work as our UUSWH Assistant Clerk.
We are very glad to have Elaine Mittell serving as one of our supremely capable lay leaders here at UU Wellesley Hills!
Tags: Meet Your Leadership