Four years ago, Mill Valley resident and yoga instructor Erin Elliott began offering weekly community yoga classes in a Tiburon church hall. She couldn’t help but wonder about the missed opportunities to utilize the church’s beautiful spaces beyond the class and of course typical church activities. The result? Elliott has created Westminster Events at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Tiburon – just off Hwy. 101. Still in the start-up phase, Elliott calls this a “reimagined community center,” and will be kicking things off with a pair of “In Conversation”-style events that are sure to garner a huge turnout.
The first event, set for Sunday, Nov. 13th from 3-4:30pm, features Tiburon Town Councilmember Noah Griffin in conversation with Rev. Rob McClellan, Westminster’s senior pastor. The dialogue is likely to cover a ton of ground, as Tiburon resident Griffin has lived in Marin for more than four decades, is both an accomplished jazz musician and noted Juneteenth National Independence Day poet and has lived Black American History AND made history. Griffin, Tiburon’s first Black town councilmember, will share rich stories from his varied and extraordinary life with McClellan.
“Please join us for what promises to be a lively conversation with this committed life-long community advocate and supporter,” Elliott says. “Admission is free and all are welcome. Light bites will be served after the program. Bring a friend or two. Westminster Presbyterian Church is at 240 Tiburon Blvd.
Four days later, Elliott invites a pair of powerhouses to the dais, as Paula Reynolds, a force of nature in Mill Valley for decades, who has been a Mill Valley School District Trustee, Throckmorton Theatre Board Chair, Business Advisory Board Chair, Mill Valley Chamber Board Chair, The Redwoods board member and current director of operations for the Mill Valley Chamber, sits down with one of the most vibrant, challenging voices in Marin over these past several turbulent years: Vicki Larson, author and longtime Marin Independent Journal columnist and editor.
Larson and Reynolds sit down on Thursday, Nov. 17 from 7-8:30pm. They will discuss Larson’s new book, Not Too Old for That: How Women Are Changing the Story of Aging, especially as it relates to the impact of COVID isolation and how it has seemingly fast-tracked the breaking down of some classic “aging women” stereotypes. Who hasn’t heard the stereotypes about women of a “certain age?” And yet, our modern era is witnessing women consistently breaking through tired and hurtful aging stereotypes to better reflect who they are, how they live, and who they want to be as they age. No matter their age.
Larson challenges the narrative for women at midlife and beyond, asking questions on what we’ve been told about aging and encouraging us to instead ask ourselves, What do we want it to be like? How can we get there? Vicki says the key is having curiosity, being open-minded, and being intentional about the ways we are becoming our future selves. Women-and those that love and work with them-have an opportunity to create new narratives for themselves; ones that value women at all stages of life.
Both Westminster Events will be held at Westminster Presbyterian Church at 240 Tiburon Blvd. Tiburon.
Contact Erin Elliott for more info on either event.