News – February 3, 2023

Dear Members and Friends,

I love that I have the opportunity to thank you all for welcoming me into your UU family. For those whom I have not met yet, my name is Margarita Arevalo and I joined the First UU staff in December as the new Membership Coordinator. This position is a transition for me since I have spent over twenty years in the construction industry building environments for communities and building relationships with design and construction teams, building owners and building users. I bring those soft skills with me here to help the diverse community of First UU and help grow and build the congregation.

In the seven weeks that I have been with you all, I have seen how much work and dedication everyone contributes. From the staff that handles most of the behind the scenes tasks to the board members, countless volunteers and to the Welcome Team that I have been working closely with each Sunday morning. The Welcome Team play an integral part of the congregation as they greet each visitor and member before and after each service. They are here for both services and help in the Sanctuary and Channing Hall, ensuring everyone is comfortable and enjoying their visit. The members make First UU a great safe place to be around.

My fellow staff have also welcomed me and have provided me with support as I carry on with the responsibilities of updating the Membership Directory and completing annual reporting with the UUA. I have witnessed their interactions with the membership and they truly care for each one of you as well as any visitor that joins us on Sundays or for special events during the week.

The welcoming environment that you all have created is a blessing for me as I invite more visitors to First UU to share this amazing community with others. For anyone that is still interested in becoming a member, you can join me this Sunday, February 5, 2023, after each service to learn more about becoming a member of the congregation, learn more about the path to membership, membership history and how to become involved in the First UU community. I will host the Membership 101 Inquirers Series monthly to allow everyone the opportunity to participate and will host it virtually every second Thursday of each month for those who watch our livestreamed services. New visitors, former members, and adult children of members are welcome to attend.