News: August 21, 2026
Beloved Community,
When this newsletter comes out I will have completed my 7th full week of being Board President. In that time I spoken with many of you, formally and informally. These conversations have educated, heartened, and stretched me; all of these outcomes are appreciated.
My takeaways lead me in one direction: we are a vibrant community, persistent and hopeful (see the homily from our Water Communion service to understand the delineation between those two terms), nurturing each other and the wider community. Our committees and teams are charged with energy. Our staff is dedicated. At times there are healthy tensions among us. At times we bemoan our limited resources. We love a good celebration. And we all care deeply about ensuring First Unitarian Universalist remains a beacon for liberal voices and actions.
In some of the conversations I have heard concern about our budget and finances. Those concerns are shared by the Board and the Finance Committee. Two weeks ago, our Treasurer, Yeiglin Escalante, provided newsletter readers with a deep dive into the Finance Committee’s current work (read it here). Her words, and the efforts of the Committee should lift all of us; we have dedicated people looking to understand and safeguard the short and long-term financial viability of our church. Yay! And thank you!
Recognizing that the church’s financial health is a frequent topic at annual meetings and table conversations, the Board dedicated its recent 2026 summer workshop to grounding ourselves in the foundational aspects of the Board’s and Finance Committee’s responsibilities to you.
Specifically, Yeiglin, Board Member Eileen Allan, and Board Vice President Albert Pucio led us through detailed discussions regarding:
In Yeiglin’s newsletter 2 weeks ago, she stated that the answer to “Are we ok?” is complicated. To that I’ll add, “Yes, and.”
Yes, and our in person and on line attendance numbers are growing.
Yes, and our membership numbers are steady and strong. ( 2024: 290 / 2025: 279 / 2026: 280)
Yes, and the number of pledge units (i.e., pledging households) per year is also steady and strong. We’ve had between 220 and 230 pledge units in 4 of the last 5 years. The outlier was 2025, when there were 2045 pledge units.
Yes, and we have a talented staff.
Yes, and there are things all of us can do to alleviate some of the complications: timely submission of pledges; participation in the Chalice Society; spread the word that our facility is available for rental.
In today’s crazy world, being able to respond to the question “Are we ok?” with “It’s complicated & Yes and” is a victory that speaks to our persistence and offers a glimmer of hope.
Finally, I offer a correction to a statement from my July newsletter. I mis-stated information about the Board’s June vote on the FY 2026-2027 budget. What I should have said is this:
At our June Board meeting, the Board adopted a proposed budget that was $60,000 lower than the FY 2025-26 budget and $10,000 lower than the proposal presented at the June 7 Annual Meeting. I apologize for the error.
Want to discuss this or other topics? Come to my open chat session, this Sunday, 10:45 and 12:45 in Conference Room 204. No topic is out of bounds.
In Community,
Carolyn
When this newsletter comes out I will have completed my 7th full week of being Board President. In that time I spoken with many of you, formally and informally. These conversations have educated, heartened, and stretched me; all of these outcomes are appreciated.
My takeaways lead me in one direction: we are a vibrant community, persistent and hopeful (see the homily from our Water Communion service to understand the delineation between those two terms), nurturing each other and the wider community. Our committees and teams are charged with energy. Our staff is dedicated. At times there are healthy tensions among us. At times we bemoan our limited resources. We love a good celebration. And we all care deeply about ensuring First Unitarian Universalist remains a beacon for liberal voices and actions.
In some of the conversations I have heard concern about our budget and finances. Those concerns are shared by the Board and the Finance Committee. Two weeks ago, our Treasurer, Yeiglin Escalante, provided newsletter readers with a deep dive into the Finance Committee’s current work (read it here). Her words, and the efforts of the Committee should lift all of us; we have dedicated people looking to understand and safeguard the short and long-term financial viability of our church. Yay! And thank you!
Recognizing that the church’s financial health is a frequent topic at annual meetings and table conversations, the Board dedicated its recent 2026 summer workshop to grounding ourselves in the foundational aspects of the Board’s and Finance Committee’s responsibilities to you.
Specifically, Yeiglin, Board Member Eileen Allan, and Board Vice President Albert Pucio led us through detailed discussions regarding:
- the roles of the Board and the Finance Committee in the finances of the church,
- how the Board and the Finance Committee work together to influence the planning of the annual budget,
- the status of Renew & Rebuild’s efforts to make capital improvements,
- our financial safeguards and internal controls, and · the Strategic Plan’s (link) recommendations regarding the church’s financial position.
In Yeiglin’s newsletter 2 weeks ago, she stated that the answer to “Are we ok?” is complicated. To that I’ll add, “Yes, and.”
Yes, and our in person and on line attendance numbers are growing.
Yes, and our membership numbers are steady and strong. ( 2024: 290 / 2025: 279 / 2026: 280)
Yes, and the number of pledge units (i.e., pledging households) per year is also steady and strong. We’ve had between 220 and 230 pledge units in 4 of the last 5 years. The outlier was 2025, when there were 2045 pledge units.
Yes, and we have a talented staff.
Yes, and there are things all of us can do to alleviate some of the complications: timely submission of pledges; participation in the Chalice Society; spread the word that our facility is available for rental.
In today’s crazy world, being able to respond to the question “Are we ok?” with “It’s complicated & Yes and” is a victory that speaks to our persistence and offers a glimmer of hope.
Finally, I offer a correction to a statement from my July newsletter. I mis-stated information about the Board’s June vote on the FY 2026-2027 budget. What I should have said is this:
At our June Board meeting, the Board adopted a proposed budget that was $60,000 lower than the FY 2025-26 budget and $10,000 lower than the proposal presented at the June 7 Annual Meeting. I apologize for the error.
Want to discuss this or other topics? Come to my open chat session, this Sunday, 10:45 and 12:45 in Conference Room 204. No topic is out of bounds.
In Community,
Carolyn
