Greetings!
After having written almost every one of these letters for two years when they were the “Moderator’s Letter,” I have been delighted with the results I have seen as different board members share their thoughts about our church and our shared journey together.
I am very excited to be here during this time of change in our church. We have said goodbye to staff members we have come to love and respect, which brings a certain nostalgia. We are also welcoming new staff and beginning to see the results of decisions made last year to add new positions.
Specifically, we now have a full-time Acting Communications and Social Media Coordinator who is revitalizing our outreach to people who might find a spiritual home in First Unitarian while keeping us informed about what is going on – thank you, Nikki Beezley. We created a new Membership Engagement position and welcomed Jen Thomas to help us rethink what it means to be radically hospitable – not just greeting new people but helping them find ways to connect and find a home in this amazing congregation. And now have a new Acting Director of Lifespan Faith Formation and Family Ministries, Rev. Leah Ongiri. I was especially delighted to learn that Leah is joining us. Beyond Leah’s many years of experience, she is one of our own. I have had the pleasure of teaching in the Learning Community preschool program with her mother, Sylvia Hart-Landsberg, for over ten years.
Our “Sharing our Hearts” campaign is entering its final week, and Celebration Sunday is next Sunday. I thank all of you who have made your pledge; your generosity helps us fund all the amazing things this congregation does. And I encourage those of you still thinking about what supporting the church means to join in making good things happen. A few examples of what your generosity supports: our social justice work that carries our UU values of Interdependence, Justice, Equity, and Transformation into the wider community and world; our Learning Community that provides love, community, and the opportunity to make meaning for our children and youth; our Lay Ministers who hold each of us and offer support and companionship when we experience difficulty or loss; our music program that comforts, inspires, and brings joy every Sunday morning; and, of course, inspired preaching that gives us all something to think about.
This year, we have an important role in our larger UUA faith community. For the last three years, a dedicated group of people from across the UUA have been leading a process to review our Purposes and Principles (Article II of our bylaws), and their final proposal for changes is available. The Board, Executive Team, and our delegates to General Assembly will hold several gatherings this year to talk about these changes and hear your thoughts and feelings about them. Our delegates to General Assembly will vote on the proposed changes next June. I encourage you to learn about these important changes.
I have always found Fall to be more about new beginnings than the new year. This Fall seems especially alive with possibility. I can’t wait to see what this new year at First Unitarian will bring.
In service,
Mindy Clark for the Board of Trustees