Notes from the Board
Terry ad Lisa, Co-Presidents
3/09/2020
Spring is doing its utmost to start bursting out. The daffodils on the Fellowship grounds are blooming, (thank you, Donna Munro!) the morning birds are singing, and all of us are waiting to see what will come of our current health state of emergency.
Your Board has been spending a lot of time in the last weeks focusing on creating a budget for 2020-2021, and on dealing with our Fellowship’s response to COVID-19. We’re hoping you are seeing and reading the emails and regularly checking our KUUF website, kuuf.org , to keep apprised of what is happening regarding services and meetings.
We are so fortunate to have the leadership of Reverend Jessica and Jennifer Ingalls, our Parish Nurse, to advise us on appropriate precautions and protocols. While we were sad on Sunday not to see members of our Beloved Community in person, and sing in the choir, it was wonderful to join together in a virtual gathering through the efforts of Rev. Jessica, Bonner Sams, Rev. Zackrie Vinczen, Chris Smellow , and Mick Cox from Cedars, who put yesterday’s service together.
A virtual community is STILL a community, and we could feel many lights shining across the Web as people signed in, posted comments, and sang Spirit of Life together. We do not know how long this period of not meeting together in person will last, but I know our membership will be reaching out to those among us who need support, physical or emotional. Please reach out to us on the Board, Reverend Jessica, or other Fellowship members if you are feeling isolated. And if you know someone who may be feeling isolated, please reach out to them. As Reverend Jessica said so well, the interconnected web of all existence is NOT merely a metaphor. We hold each other together, and that is what makes a Beloved Community.
Our budget for 2020-2021 is currently a challenge. We have increased Reverend Jessica’s time to ¾ time, which increases her office hours to 3 days per week, as well as expanding her leadership role in worship and personnel. She continues to give us far more than simply the time for which we pay her. But this, of course, has required us to expand our budget.
Many thanks to all who have submitted their pledges. Right now, only 58% of households who have pledged in the past have returned pledges. In our board discussions we noted that individually we don't typically call in to start a new pledge to Public Radio or Muscular Dystrophy or similar campaigns during their pledge drives. We just keep the automatic monthly donations going through our banks. But Public Radio, just like KUUF, needs to know what money they can count on for their budgets. So, if you are doing this - keeping your automatic withdrawals going without filling out a pledge card - do drop a note to the Stewardship Drive chairs, Peter Kreidler and Jill Clarridge, or our administrator Tanesha a note to let them know, so your pledge amount can be counted on for the budget. It is the great generosity of our members, in dollars and in time, that allows us to create the vibrant place that KUUF is and continues to be.
What else is happening at KUUF? (a brief and probably incomplete listing):
· We have a newly-designed website! Many thanks to our Media Committee!
· Our Growth Feasibility Task Force has been meeting to discuss the possibility of increasing seating space in the Sanctuary, and possible expansion of the total space. You will hear more about this when we get back to normal operations. And we may have a capital campaign in our future.
· We have volunteers gearing up to start a no-dig potato and herb garden near the overflow parking lot.
· Along with the Easter Seals building, we have begun a food composting program, and improved our signage on what to do with what as we do our best to reduce what of our garbage goes to the landfill.
· We have created a new and clear protocol for everyone using the Fellowship for cleaning and disinfecting the facility.
· As we continue to find our way through this current challenge with COVID-19, we are exploring exciting new ways of being together and keeping our beloved community connected, even when we are physically distanced.