Minister’s and Annual Giving Chair’s letters
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Minister’s Letter
And I’ll bring you hope, when hope is hard to find.
And I’ll bring a song of love, and a rose in the wintertime.
– “Come Sing A Song With Me”
Dear UU Churchers,
There have been so many weeks this year when my faith in humanity, my attunement to the good in us and our world, and honestly my hope for our future have felt far away. And then, every week, Sunday comes around and we gather with our tears and our love and our care for this beautiful, brutal world. We sing together, and feed each other, and our children lead us in holding each other’s sorrows and joys, and I feel my heart welling up with hope once more. Each Sunday the terrible news is put in relief against the loveliness of human community. The more I dial in to the caring acts of our community throughout the week, the less power the horrors around us have over my imagination.
That’s what we’re supporting when we support our church: hope, when hope is hard to find. Blossoming, even in the cold of winter.
And word is getting out about the hope that is growing among us, in a time when people desperately need some hope. Our worship attendance has reached record heights over the last year. Our building is bustling with ministry teams and new groups, thriving children’s and youth programs, and values-aligned community groups. Our space is being used every day for all the things that sustain us: for liberation organizing, singing, eating, connecting, yoga, art, and dance.
We hold our annual giving campaign each year in celebration and nourishment of the hope that this community kindles in our hearts.
The good news is, our budget has been really healthy this year. We are excited to continue that health with your help. For the coming year’s budget, we are looking at about a 5% total budget increase, in order to give our staff a cost of living increase, keep up with generally increasing costs for maintenance and janitorial services, and increase the continuing education funds for our staff, who are deepening their investment in our community by growing their skills.
We know this modest increase is possible with gifts from our growing cohort of new members and friends and giving increases from those who are able to consider a 5% increase to keep our momentum going.
Whatever you are able to contribute to the sustenance and thriving of our beloved community, know that you are a source of hope for me and for all of us in this beloved community.
With gratitude,
Rev. Dr. Molly Housh Gordon
Annual Giving Chair’s Letter
Dear UUCC Members and Friends:
The national and local news continue to be discouraging, but the stories shared during our 75th anniversary reminded me that UUCC has experienced challenges before and has always come through even stronger. Just last year we were concerned about covering essential expenses, but our congregation exceeded our hopes by supporting a growth rate of 12%!
This year we are happy to report that due to our healthier finances, our stewardship target is a more modest 5%. Reaching our funding goals would allow us to:
- Meet the UUA recommended cost of living adjustment/benefits
- Fund continuing education for our outstanding employees
- Ensure reserves cover on-going maintenance, facility and janitorial expenses
- Purchase more hymnals for our growing worship attendance (now back and/or above pandemic levels)
- Continue our efforts to support hope in our congregation and the community
Annual pledges fund 85% of the operating costs to meet our goals and 70% of those expenses go toward staff compensation. A fact sheet included with this mailing describes these and other key finance measures.
Now it’s time for our once-a-year stewardship campaign. For just two weeks, we will be reaching out to members, friends, and visitors. We know everyone’s financial resources are different and so everyone should decide how much they can afford to pledge based on their current life situation. We ask everyone to consider increasing your contribution by 5%, that means fifty cents more for each ten dollars of your current pledge. The right gift feels good and provides a meaningful connection to the hopes and dreams of our community.
Feel free to contact me if you have questions about this pledge process or the budget itself. Once you’ve decided, please submit your pledge on or before the deadline of Sunday, March 8, 2026, using any of the available options.
Thank you for being one of the UUCC roses that brings HOPE to our loving congregation for the coming year!
In community and appreciation,
Christine Heath
Chair, Annual Giving