News From Denominational Affairs – Capital Campaign Update

BUILDING OUR FUTURE…SUPPORTING OUR VALUES

Following the service on Sunday, August 5, we learned about plans being made to evaluate UCE’s ability to raise Capital Funds to finance church needs identified in the Long Range Plan developed over the 2017-18 church year.  Much work has been done to obtain estimates of the costs of Building and Grounds Repairs and Enhancements, Hospitality and Welcoming Improvements, Accessibility and our Ability to Advance Social Justice.  The estimated cost of these improvements is $1,256,000.  To see a list of some of the specific projects, please ask the UCE office for a copy of the handout on Objectives provided at the meeting.

To learn just what capability UCE has to raise these funds, we have contracted with Pratapas Associates, an experienced fundraising consulting firm who has served several other Unitarian Universalist congregations in the Chicago area.  The purpose of the August 5 meeting was to learn about the Capital Campaign Feasibility Study with which Pratapas is helping us right now.  Steve Pratapas explained the process with which information will be gathered from church members to help make the decision about how we will proceed.  There will be a Focus Group for the Board of Trustees and other key church leaders, 35 church members representing a cross section of our congregation will be personally interviewed, and all other members will receive an email survey to determine our attitudes and abilities to participate in the campaign.

There were responses to questions by those in attendance, and additional questions can be directed to the members of the Capital Campaign Feasability Study Committee which consists of Ann Peterson, Janelle Brittain, Sandra Robinson, Jeanne Kerl, Carol Nielsen, Susan Comstock, Martha Holman and Linda LaPlante.