Greetings,

I have the privilege of offering the first letter from the Board of Trustees in 2024. Happy New Year!

My name is John Bishop (he/him). As I start this new year, I am mid-way through my second year of service on the Board. With this Church year, I began serving as the Board’s Secretary. I joined the Board in 2022 in the midst of big changes in our Church. We had just called a new Senior Minister, and the congregation had just begun to emerge from the pandemic. Changes have continued ever since. Fortunately, I have spent my entire career advising labor unions and non-profit organizations in my free time. These experiences have taught me well that change in human organizations is a given. The challenge is not so much how to prevent change but how to turn it into something constructive when it happens.

Our Church is still gratefully accepting pledges for our Annual Fund Drive. To date we have received approximately 86% of our $1.5 million goal. One year ago, we were in almost the exact same place. This is one instance where I most definitely would love to see change rather than “more of the same.” Following a path identical to last year’s could force our Executive Team to make hard budget choices that would affect beloved Church programs and staff. I remain hopeful that change in this area is possible, and that our congregation can and will come forward with the additional pledges necessary for us to meet and even exceed our Fund Drive goal before our budgeting process begins in earnest. Many of your Board members have volunteered to reach out to congregants directly to inspire more pledges. If you are contacted (and even if you are not), I hope you will consider giving as generously as you can. I feel confident we can change to a Church that operates from a sense of abundance rather than scarcity.

In this same vein, I hope for change in the degree to which our congregation can and will be involved in our budgeting process. To that end, I am pleased to report representatives from the Board and Executive Team will hold a congregational forum to update us on the Church’s present finances and the upcoming budget process. Rev. Alison Miller and our Board’s Finance Committee will provide updates on the Church’s finances and respond to congregant questions. The forum will be held in Eliot Chapel on January 21, following the Sunday Service. Of course, congregants also are always welcome to attend Board Finance Committee meetings which occur the second Tuesday of each month (5:00 to 6:30 p.m.) and the regular Board meetings which occur the first Thursday of each month (7:00 to 9:00 p.m.).

I am delighted to see positive changes arising quickly this year from the community conversations Rev. Alison facilitated during her first year as our Senior Minister. Over 200 congregants participated in those conversations. The themes which emerged showed, among other things, that congregants are hungry for more opportunities where they can meet to make meaning, make connections and make a difference (in our congregation and in the wider world). Our Church staff has responded promptly to what they heard from our members by initiating several different Community Circles which either have already started or will start later this month. Parent circles were scheduled to start January 14, after the Sunday Service. LGBTQ+ community circles will launch starting in the evening on January 24. And Thursday morning community circles (open to all) will kick off on January 25. I urge all congregants who are interested to check your Front Steps e-newsletter – or reach out to one of our ministers or to Jen Thomas, our Membership Engagement Coordinator — for details on how to join one of these circles.

Finally, there are important changes proposed for our denomination nationally. As you may have heard, recommended changes to the UUA Bylaws (Article II) will be considered and voted upon at the next UUA General Assembly. Your Board will hold a forum to review and discuss the proposed changes this month on January 28, from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Buchan Reception Room. This should be an ideal opportunity for congregants to learn more about the proposals and to express their views directly to Board members and to delegates who will represent our church in the voting process. I urge all to attend if they can.

Our church continues to change in so many ways. I look forward to working with our ministers, staff, and Board to move it in a positive direction.

Yours in faith and solidarity,

John Bishop