Post-holiday break brings a flurry of activity for staff as we continue our virtual services and work from our home offices to keep programs moving forward.  

Special Notice: Budget Town Hall Meeting – Wednesday February 10 at 7 p.m.  and Sunday, February 14, after the service at 12:30. Click here to join the Wednesday Budget Town Hall. The link for Sunday will be shared in next week’s newsletter. 

The Budget Working Group (Treasurer Susan Comstock, Rev. Eileen Wiviott, ISC Member-at-Large Rob Wingader, Board Vice President Joe Romeo, and I have met over the past many weeks to assemble the 2021-22 Budget. The preliminary budget was approved at the January ISC meeting and the January Board meeting. As the pledge drive results come in we will continue to meet and revise the budget as necessary to prepare for a vote at the Virtual Annual Meeting in May 2021.  

Pledge Drive 2021-2022 – The pledge drive team is gearing up for our 2021-22 Fiscal Year Pledge Drive. A kickoff will be held at worship on February 28th, our first digital pledge drive due to COVID 19. Look for details in upcoming newsletters.  

REALM Directory and Registration – The UCE directory is now only on Realm. If you have not set up your Realm account, please do so asap. If you need a new email invite, please email admin@ucevanston.org. You will not be included in the directory until you set up your login. If you cannot find someone in the directory, use the search function. Please note the search function is not perfect and requires some patience. Here are some helpful tips:

• Realm will only recognize exact spelling of names: e.g. if someone is David in Realm and you search Dave, David will not show up. 
• You can search using the first few letters of someone’s first or last name: e.g. you can type in “Dav” and  both David’s and Dave’s will show up.
• Once you type in a name or the first few letters, a drop down with names will appear. You can click on the name if you see it, or click “More Results.” This will bring you to a list of everyone in Realm that has those letters in their name.
• Do not type in a name and press enter. This is not intuitive, but this may pull up a random name that is close, but not who you are looking for. 
• If you are having trouble finding someone, feel free to email the office at admin@ucevanston.org and Jessica Meis can supply the contact info you are looking for.

Rentals – I am pleased to report that I am getting rental inquiries for the summer and fall. I am working on a contract with a bike camp for the parking lot area. COVID guidelines will be adhered to, of course. Weavers Guild of the North Shore is planning small group meetings that will include live streaming. We are finding new ways to cross the bridge from full COVID closure to the possibility of larger gatherings next fall. This will help us greatly as rental income loss has hit our budget this fiscal year.  

Capital Campaign – projects continue as we are about to launch the Intergenerational Playscape and Ramp slated to begin construction in April. In the days ahead Faith Formation task force members and parents will meet with Indira Johnson, artist, and Britta Francke of Nature’s Perspective to see these exciting plans and have an opportunity to give feedback and ask questions. The ramp and garden space will offer space for families and congregants of all ages to gather outside. There will be benches, tables with chairs, a labyrinth, hopscotch, pathways, a water fountain, areas of play with natural materials, and more. We have taken great care to ensure accessibility and inclusion for all.  

The Sanctuary Cooling Team continues to meet by zoom weekly. We have received four responses to our Request for Proposal (RFP). The team is now evaluating the information, submitting our questions and will meet with each contractor. Greg Grabowski, Andy Schlickman (Green Team), Michael Drennan (Green Team), and I have spent several months carefully evaluating the best system for UCE cooling. We are addressing not only costs, but feasibility and environmental questions.  

Lobby and Wing refurbishment projects continue. Selecting furnishings during COVID-19 restrictions is a challenge. Johna VanDyke has ordered new carpeting for the ramp and sanctuary platform. We proceed with plans as discussed at our lobby focus group meeting which addressed flow, layout, installation of a lighted cabinet for history items and storage below, as well as movable kiosks for computers to aid with check in, attendance and visitor information. Room 2 will get new furniture. Lighting in the lobby in the area over the current seating area has been upgraded, as well as in the area outside the bathrooms. New lighting is being installed in Room 2 in the next two weeks. We opted for a more intimate, ambient system in that room since it is used for small group meetings, covenant groups and small memorials.  

Upcoming projects for the fall and beyond include an inclusive and accessible washroom in the lower level, security cameras on each level of the church, a hearing loop, a funds to be set up in a Building Fund account for emergencies over the next several years.  

Our grounds – We look forward to the spring when planting continues on the west lawn. Barbara Butz and a team of members and friends will install a pollinator garden in the large open oval space you see just east of the bike racks.  You will see changes along the west side of the wing as new plantings will be installed to replace the old and dying bushes.  

Just imagine summer 2021 – a new garden area, playscape and ramp on the east lawn, a pollinator garden with butterflies on the west lawn and new plantings on the west side of the wing, as well as our new parking lot. One day we will all walk that path from Greenwood to our entrance and gather together once again. I am looking forward to that day.

Please let me know if you have questions about finance, buildings and grounds, or capital campaign. My email is srobinson@ucevanston.org. 

Sandra Robinson, Executive Operations Director