Dear Congregation,

I am grateful for the conversations I’ve had with many of you over the past three weeks, as we’ve talked about the budget and the mission and vision of First Universalist.  I have been listening deeply to you. I’ve heard your hopes, dreams, and loving critiques of this faith community. I know the past few years have been years of growth, change, and transition, with new staff and ministers joining the church. Some of you used to know every person in the office, and now you only know one or two staff members.

We are a relatively new and young staff, and we’re finding our way with each other and this congregation we love.

Amidst the change, there are core values and practices that remain. We remain a progressive faith community, honoring freedom of thought, respecting the religious authority and intuition of the individual, living with love at the center of our lives, moving deeper into our racial justice journey, and putting our hands to work in the community.

This is the unchanging core, the non-negotiable center that remains the bedrock foundation of this church. This core is reflected in the words we say when we dedicate young children: “We touch you with water on your brow, your lips, and your hands, to dedicate your thoughts, words, and deeds to the service of the larger Life.” At First Universalist, from cradle to grave, generation after generation, the Universalist spirit of love and hope is alive in our minds, words, and actions. This is the heartbeat of who we are.

Your annual financial pledge helps this ministry flourish. If you haven’t pledged yet for 2014-2015, please do so here! Each and every pledge, no matter the amount, strengthens our shared ministry. If you have questions or concerns about the church, please reach out to me: justin@firstuniv.org.

As it stands today, we will be presenting a balanced budget, which you can see here, at the June 1^st Annual Meeting. We have made significant and very difficult cuts to our budget, and we’ve realigned staff portfolios. We will not be hiring a Director of Faith in Action; instead, Faith in Action will be in Rev. Jen Crow’s portfolio, and we will continue to weave justice ministry through everything we do. (For a look at who does what in particular ministry areas, please click here). We’ve cut back the hours of our Minister of Worship Arts, eliminated a staff position in the Religious Education program, and have made other cuts to various programs.

But consider this: if each pledging person or couple in the church pledged an additional $100 for the 2014-2015, we could restore nearly everything we’ve cut! My wife and I are adding an additional $100 to our pledge. Will you join us? It takes just seconds click here, and it helps to ensure that the core values of this church shine brightly into the future.

I’ll see you in church,

Justin