Dear Members and Friends,

As I step down from your Board of Trustees, I’m taking this final opportunity to share my appreciation for you, the inspiring members of UUC.

It has been an honor to serve on the Board for the past three years and as president during this last eventful church year.

Watching the recording of the annual congregational meeting and then participating in Jon Luopa Day reinforced for me what a special place UUC is. Our community demonstrated in those events our consistent care for our church, for our individual members and for our wider society. We showed a deep commitment to democratic process, an honor of service and a dream for a future in which we can live our mission to awaken spirit, nurture hope and inspire action.

At this time of transition, I hope that we can each center our vision to create a more connected spiritual community where all individuals welcome, value and support one another and contribute to the common good. I hope that we truly will risk leaving the safety of known ways to open ourselves to experience awe and mystery. I trust that we will be responsible stewards of the gifts we hold in trust, endeavoring to leave a generous and sustainable legacy for those who come after us. I would also hope that, regardless of what November brings, we will vocally and actively oppose injustice.

We enter this transition period with a budget that is still short of pledged funding by $20,000. Even if we close the $20,000 gap, the approved budget leads us to say farewell to beloved staff members, Family Ministry receives no additional support for another year, and we reduce staff benefits. This reality is frustrating and heart breaking.

What this loss means in concrete terms is less ministry and program support. Please offer your patience and any requested assistance to our staff as they cope with this reality. 

Our interim minister, Rev. Doug Wadkins, joins us in August. It is likely that one of his first activities in August will be meeting with staff members, the Finance and Stewardship committees and the Board of Trustees to do a deep dive into our current financial situation and options moving forward. We can’t expect any new fundraising or staffing adjustments prior to these critical meetings.

As we move forward, please offer your thanks to John Crusius, who moves off the Board after three years of service and welcome aboard new Board members Nicholas Eddington and Alison McCormick. I know you will support them as they step into their new roles along with our officers for this church year: Paula Nurius – President, Hugh Kimball – Vice-President, Jim Thompson – Treasurer and Sooraj Kuttykrishnan – Secretary.

They and you face an interim period in which we are called to contribute all that we can to the life of this community. We will need to honestly share our aspirations and concerns for our future as we embark on deep discernment. We will need to volunteer our time to fill gaps in staffing and to meet identified congregational priorities, like nurturing leaders and volunteers, engaging with the broader community and welcoming all those who come through our doors – returning members, new families, and those seeking a place to feel valued for who they are.

Whatever the fall holds, you can expect to be called upon to help hold our church family together in love and faith.

I’m looking forward to leaning into a period of deep discernment with you in the coming months.

Thank you again for your support of the Board of Trustees and me personally. 

Best, 

Patricia Graesser

Outgoing Board of Trustees President