From EOD: April 8, 2022
Greetings Members and Friends,
We are into the 4th quarter of our 2021/22 fiscal year which ends on June 30. The Budget Working Group of the Integrated Stewardship meets this weekend to revise the budget draft based on results from the pledge drive. Members of the team are Board President Joe Romeo, Sr. Minister Eileen Wiviott, Treasurer Tom Carlton, ISC Member-At-Large Susan Comstock and myself as Executive Operations Director and Staff Lead of ISC. The draft will be presented at the ISC meeting on Thursday evening and to the Board of Trustees on the following Thursday evening. The budget will be voted on at the May 15th Annual Meeting.
For those of you who may not have had the opportunity yet to pledge please do so as soon as possible. Every pledge counts as we review budget numbers as we are required by policy to include in our pledge income only pledges in hand. Thank you to all of you have done so. Your financial participation and support make it possible for us to continue to provide the quality programming and worship that we all need now more than ever. We have done well to weather this pandemic and are working very hard to continue that momentum.
Two major fundraisers are ahead. Mark your calendars and plan to join us on April 30 at 7 p.m. as Emma’s Revolution returns to the UCE stage with their powerful and beautiful voices for social justice. Click here to purchase tickets.
On May 15th we begin set up for Rummage Sale 2022. Just after the Annual Meeting we return to the famous raucous turnover of the sanctuary as we prepare for the sale. Please sign up with this link to volunteer after the service or for work in a particular department, or to bring sweets for the café. All of these efforts will contribute to a successful sale. It is not only an important fundraiser for UCE, but a wonderful time for members and friends to enjoy time together. See the article in this issue of the newsletter with more information about the sale and the donations tips form which is an easy-to-use guide when figuring out what to bring for the sale.
This Saturday, Afternoon of the Arts will be held in the sanctuary for all ages. More information is listed in this newsletter. Shirley Adams will lead dancing, Adam will play songs from his famous playlists, among other fun art projects. Drop by and see me at my clay sculpting table. It is guaranteed to be a great time for all. Don’t miss it.
Thank you to Johna and Will VanDyke, Gay Riseborough, Eleanor Boyer, and Eleanor Speis-Ferris for continuing our Lobby Arts Program. Please visit the lobby and enjoy the current exhibit by artist Leslie Riley. Our Endowment has funded this year’s program with a grant. We hope that Afternoon of the Arts donations and other contributions will continue to make this program possible. The arts help to nurture our spirits at UCE. We want to continue the legacy that Rosemary Zwick began so many years ago.
Capital Campaign projects continue. You may have noticed activity outside the lobby on the west side of the building. Our new air conditioning installation has begun. Once completed in early summer we will landscape the area and provide camouflage of this area so that it remains attractive as guests arrive to our building.
Inside the building you will soon notice a new Welcome Desk where hospitality team members will greet you and you will immediately know you are welcome at UCE. We will also add a sofa to the mix of chairs, some of which will be moved to another room in order to provide a good mix of comfortable and easy to use seating. I hope you have noticed the new children’s reading area with a bookrack especially for them.
Our UCE Garden Team meets regularly to plan for maintenance of and improvements to our gardens. We have the pollinator and prairie gardens on the west side, the peace garden to the right of our entry, welcoming planters along the front of our west entrance, new grasses and yews along the west wall of the wing, hostas along the south end of our new parking lot, and, of course, the new playscape area which is almost complete.
For information on Administration, Finance, Buildings and Grounds, to make suggestions or learn more, contact me at srobinson@ucevanston.org.