We are going to bring our Blue Boat home. With Commitment Sunday on March 6, the crew of the SS UUFH is going to start the refueling stage of bringing our own Blue Boat into safe harbor. The Annual Pledge Drive Kickoff will be fun, creative, and joyful. Your pledge drive team, led by Vickie Powers and Liz Curtis, has been preparing for this yearly event and has had a great time doing it.
We don’t like to talk about money, so let’s talk about how much we enjoy and appreciate what happens at UUFH. Our Sunday services are the frosting on the cake. Look inside the layers and you will find more treats: religious education, music, social justice, concerts, music, green initiatives, welcoming outreach for all people, pastoral care, neighborhood groups, Soup Sundays, and intergenerational meals. We host Qigong, AA, the Community Band, literacy and other community services. Inside the layers of our cake we find Feed the Kids, backpacks for hungry kids, aid for Syrian refugees, Dream Scholarships, Smart Start, handicap accessibility, and more.
But it takes commitment from many people to keep this Boat afloat. Imagine what we can do when we decide to put our oars in the water. We can fund a lift and solar panels, just like that! Many of us have gradually realized what kind of support it takes when we see past commitment levels and decide to increase our own giving. Take this for example: out of 119 pledge units last year, 23 pledge units gave $96,000 of the $195,000 total.
Understandably, many families are not yet at the point of being able to lend that much support, but the important message is that 96 pledge units gave almost $99,000, so it takes gifts of all sizes to meet our goals. Study the UUA guidelines for giving (included in the pledge packet you’ll receive in the mail,), and see if you can meet or exceed those suggestions. Our Fellowship is a loving and giving community, and I know this year’s campaign will succeed. We will bring the SS UUFH into a snug harbor next month. Let’s all put some wind in the sail.
Jim received a warm greeting upon returning from his Sabbatical. Although serious health issues disrupted his plans, I am happy to hear from him that his energy levels have returned, and he has successfully recovered and is ready to go. Thanks are due to the Sabbatical Team, the Committee on Ministries, and ministers Judith, Michael, and Sally Beth. We had smooth sailing throughout the Sabbatical period, and I look forward to the remaining months of my term with Jim at the helm. I am so sorry about all of the nautical jargon, but hey, sometimes “ya gotta do what ya gotta do!”
Keith Dalbec
President