Love of life means hope for me
Borne on a new day
You are the new day…

At First Unitarian, we aspire to nurture the individual spirit and, together, work toward Beloved Community. Whether we are in-person or at a distance, the liberating mission of our faith calls us to welcome the new day that is dawning. Though much around has changed, we look to the church to remind us of what is most important. Though it must alter with the trials of these times, we need the church to abide.

Most of us have moved or are moving back into a version of normal, a new normal. Our choirs have started to sing together once again. Distanced and masked. Their voices are helping to lead us in worship once again.

Our vaccinated youth are gathering in small groups once again … distanced and masked.

We have worked to foster connection, change, action and hope even while at a distance, especially while at a distance. And on November 7, we will be opening our Sanctuary once again for in-person worship – subject to safe capacity. Our staff are preparing for this return while also upholding the virtual ministry that has seen us through these last 18 months.

Our commitments to justice continue to deepen. We can discover a vibrant future…a future more diverse and inclusive of race and cultures, of ages and stages, of understandings about gender and able-bodied-ness, of religious language and practice.

There will be more changes and challenges, of course. Masks and distancing will be some of the outward signs, but there will be inner ones as well. And the world in which we will gather has shifted, too. There is no going back. Only going forward.

We were blessed with a staff that was able to shift quickly towards an effective online ministry. As we return in-person, we will need to support both that return and the expanded virtual church that we have created. We do not yet know the full scope of what that will require. But I can assure you that we will need more financial and human resources to sustain our new hybrid model. And not evolving in this way will come at a cost.

We must now make room for growth. Our message and our mission must reach farther than it has before to usher in a new generation of participation. Membership, communications and technology will all play a vital role in that development.

I want to ask you to support First Unitarian in this period when change is in the air. I ask for your gift so that our outreach and our in-reach can deepen to meet “The New Day.”

Your financial gifts help sustain a church in transition. A new Senior Minister will be selected this year and that is always a major transition for a church. But the opportunity here should not just be identified with a new minister. We are laying the foundations for hope with each decision we make.

Here is what we are asking:

If you are new to pledging we hope you will join us in helping fund the church. You’ll want to know that a pledged gift is a non-binding sum you plan to donate to the church over the coming calendar year. Pledged gifts can be paid now or anytime in 2022 on a schedule that works best for you.

If you and your family are struggling, as recovery from the pandemic takes shape, give if you can, what you can, and let us know how we may be able to help. Our emerging hybrid ministry strives to support each connection and family in this time no matter their finances.

If you held your gift steady last year, despite the pandemic, and your financial situation is more certain today, we ask you to make this your year for an increase. We will put it to good use.

If your gift was $1,200 last year, would you consider making it $1,500? That would be an additional $25/month.

If your gift was $600, can you make it $900? If it was $100, are you able to step up to $200?

If you stepped up last year with a generous increase in your gift to the church…and many did…we ask you to hold steady at that level or consider a one-time additional gift.

Regardless of what you did last year, if you’re called to increase your gift as the church enters a new chapter in its life, we welcome your generosity.

These incremental changes to your gift truly make an impact. We fund this church together. Your increase helps assure we pay our staff fair wages, strengthens our Sunday services, grows our reach into more people’s homes and hearts, furthering our work in the world and growing our community. We are glad you are here; we are stronger together.

First Unitarian is here for you. We will meet this New Day together in faith, in hope and in love.

Blessings,

Bill