On June 29, we are going to engage in the democratic process at our 97th Annual Congregational Meeting. Can you imagine? We’ve kept our church’s democracy going for nearly a century. Among many other joys and sorrows, our community has persisted through the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War, and a global pandemic.
By and large, we have stood on the right side of history. Highlights include performing our first gay marriage ceremony in 1959; sending our beloved Rev. Pipes to Selma, Alabama to support the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the historic 1965 march; providing direct support to the National Farm Workers Union during the Delano Grape Boycott in the 1970s; becoming a designated Peace Site and a Sanctuary church in 1986; becoming a Green Sanctuary in 1997, and officially becoming a Welcoming Congregation for LGBTQ+ individuals and families in 2003. We have been fighting fascism and lighting the way for freedom since 1927, well before the Chalice became the official Unitarian symbol. In this particular place and time, our light is more important than ever.
This will also be my third and final Annual Meeting as President of the Congregation. It has been my honor and privilege to serve as our Congregational President since 2022, and as Vice President and a Member-at-Large before that. I became President just as we were coming back to in-person services after a long period of being entirely remote due to COVID. Our congregation has shown incredible resilience in the 10+ years since I became a member. I truly can’t imagine how I would have gotten through this last tumultuous decade without this community. In times like these, that sometimes leave me feeling frightened and unmoored, I find comfort in being in our sanctuary. I feel a connection to all that came before us. I also feel the hope that comes with knowing that we’re all working together toward a brighter future.
I have two requests as we head into the Annual Meeting. First, please attend the meeting in person if at all possible. Since our 2023 bylaws change, we now need 25% of voting members present at the Annual Meeting for a quorum. And since the Annual Meeting is being held later than usual in June, some people might already be off on summer travels. All who can be here should come so we can conduct the business of the church. If we don’t meet quorum, we can’t pass the budget or elect the fabulous slate of board candidates. And, as much as I love you all, I can’t just keep on being President in perpetuity, so we need to make sure we show up for this.
Second, if you didn’t review the fair share giving guide when renewing your pledge this year, I’d encourage you to take a look. If a raised pledge or a meaningful one-time gift is feasible for you and would get you into the recommended range, or a higher level of the range, I would ask that you consider making that commitment. As we promised at our last Annual Meeting, we enhanced the hours and scope of work of our Director of Multigenerational Religious Education this year and next. We are staffing for abundance and are already seeing results in the quality of programming, as well as increased participation by children, youth, and families throughout our community. Although this has resulted in a budget that predicts deficit spending and a reliance on our reserves in the next fiscal year, we still have the opportunity to close the gap and strengthen our financial position with additional support from members of our community.
The other highlight of the Annual Meeting this year will be voting on our new Mission and Vision Statements. I’m grateful to Rev. Kikanza Nuri-Robins and Julie Nyquist for their leadership in this important part of our Developmental Ministry, and for all who shared their thoughts, which ultimately resulted in the statements. If you missed the previous communications about this, or just need a refresher, the statements are:
Mission
We are a sanctuary for the liberal spirit, cultivating joy, inspiration, and beloved community. We awaken the conscience of people of all ages through ministry, education, music, art, and service. We live our values of love, justice, and compassion out into the world.
Vision
We are a beacon for love, liberal religion, and multigenerational community–acting in solidarity for social justice, championing peace locally and globally, and living in harmony with the natural world. We are a diverse and inclusive beloved community welcoming all people who share our values.
To me, the Mission Statement does an excellent job of expressing who we are – a continuation of the historic, liberal community that began in 1927. The Vision Statement captures who we aspire to be.
If you see any of our board members who are stepping off the board this year – Members at Large, Trish Brassard, Audrey Erbes, Norm Richey, and Shanna Shaked, and Past President, Barbara Kernochan – please thank them for their leadership. Congregational board work can be challenging, and they stepped up for us when called.
Finally, I’d like to thank you for trusting me to lead our Congregation over the last few years, and, as always, for being part of this community. See you at the Annual Meeting!
Eileen McCormack
President, UUSM
Link for fair share guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1c6iZigfKu64bNdETl91mlGzJuQGWF_oY/edit?tab=t.0
