There’s so much to think about as we’re heading into the busy end of our congregational year. First, I hope to see you at our Special Congregational Meeting at noon on Sunday, May 18th, for the purpose of seating our Ministerial Search Committee. Here is the final agenda. We need to have a quorum of 25% of our voting members present in order to conduct the meeting, so your presence is vital. This is an important step on our path into settled ministry. On behalf of the Board, I’d like to express deep gratitude to our Leadership Development and Nominating Committee (LDNC), who have taken such a thoughtful and thorough approach to the process. Many thanks also to the members of the Board and Membership Committee who helped canvass the Congregation for recommendations for the Search Committee, and to the overwhelming number of congregants who participated in the canvass and took the time to share their thoughts.
And so many thanks to the seven people who the LDNC named for the slate. Susan Hendricks, Chela Metzger, Beth Rendeiro, Norm Richey, Shanna Shaked, James Witker, and Cassie Winters all received many recommendations from their fellow congregants, and engaged in discussions with members of the LDNC before agreeing to take on this important work for the community. Read their bio statements here.
I know that the LDNC is still hard at work in getting the Board slate together in advance of our Annual Meeting on June 29th. More details to follow on that soon, but please mark your calendars. I‘ve heard from members of the LDNC that the Search Committee canvass also helped them in finding great new Board candidates. So the time that you took in sharing your thoughts about the Search Committee has also benefited our community in unexpected ways.
We’re still receiving pledges from last month’s pledge drive. As I mentioned in a previous column, we are seeing a budget deficit for the first time in a few years. As we’re embarking on a search process with the goal of finding a highly qualified settled minister — who may have a lot of choices on where to go — we should do our best to close that gap. Most of the pledges that we’ve received so far are higher than last year. Thank you for that! If you’re still working on getting your pledge in, please consider raising it. And whether or not you’ve submitted your pledge, I’d encourage you to consider adding a substantial one-time gift, in addition to your pledge. I understand that in uncertain economic times, it may be uncomfortable to really stretch and commit to the highest pledge that you can. So, if you can get more comfortable giving a meaningful one-time gift, that would also go a long way in showing a strong financial picture to our prospective ministerial candidates.
Finally, if you see Denise Helton or Gretchen Goetz, please thank them for their leadership in Stewardship. This is their second year leading the campaign, and I’ve seen the dedication and thoughtfulness that they bring to the work. They care about everything from documenting their processes in a guide for future leaders to planning an awesome pizza party. We are so blessed to have them. We’re also blessed to have the members of the LDNC, the members of the search committee slate, and every one of you who bring your own talents and perspectives to our congregational life. Thank you so much for being part of our community!
Eileen McCormack
President, UUSM
