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May 16, 2007 The Parish Minister’s Column The Rev. Barbara J. Pescan
I send a huge thank you to all who have made their pledges for the 2007-08 year at UCE. And, a big thank you, too, to all of you who have paid your pledges for 06-07. It makes such a difference in how we plan for the near future of the programs, staff, buildings and grounds to know you support these ongoing efforts. The last time I checked in with the tally-ers we were $44,000 ahead of where we were at this time last year. That’s such fine news.
In our eagerness to retire UCE’s mortgage (a suggestion that came out of Michael Durall’s visits here last year) the board charged a task force of Sandra Danforth and Chris Isely to begin with that premise and to also ask others what else we might need to do to improve the financial and broader picture at UCE. So, the Capital Campaign Planning Committee -- people gathered to the effort by the possibilities they could envision -- researched several additional things, including replacing UCE’s aged furnace. We came up with the original case that you will be able to look at, along with the board’s recommendation to the congregation based on what Paul J. Mack & Associates (who did the feasibility study) believes UCE could support with such a campaign.
You will have lots of information about our plans for next year and about the capital campaign, but here I want to say something about principles, values and dreams. Whether or not we articulate the seven principles on every occasion of our striving and reaching out, they are nonetheless moving in all that we do. I see them in how the board and RE board do their work, how the good leaders of the congregation work in concert with each other and with the ministers -- I see the principles living within our institutional life. Through differences of opinion, great visions, even in shortfalls of imagination -- I see the congregation opening hearts, minds and wallets to make sure our values create what is possible here.
When we move ahead with the capital campaign (and I hope you will vote to do that at the Annual Meeting, May 20), we will be putting our UU values to work by retiring our mortgage, with a more fuel efficient heating system, and by supporting the work of a Membership Director to help us reach out into the community with our message. And, just as our shared offerings, leaving our hands, live through the work of our offering partners, our values become our pledges. And, those pledges leave our hands and live in our programs long into the future. They grow in our imaginations, too, to lead us to what we will do next. In all of this we are sustaining our liberal religious movement to touch the world with love and mindfulness, with solid thinking and right relations. The practice of Unitarian Universalist faith is not always easy, or clear, or unambiguous but, it’s simple, really -- we build our faith by living our faith, day by day, year by year, pledge by pledge, and person with person. Thank you for your faith in our faith. Unitarian Church of Evanston
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