Rev. Matthew's March Minister's Report
March 8, 2022
Dear BUU Board of Directors,
Thank you for working so hard over the last month to move BUU forward. I have witnessed passion and conviction among us both expressed and heard and seen it turned into the fuel that has propelled us onward. The Sacred Spaces compromise that you developed and funding solutions that you considered have brought a focus to our needs and given us a path to follow. Thank you.
I’m pleased to share that we are beginning to see clear patterns emerge for our Sunday services: Our 10am service is consistently full at 35 people. Our 11:30 service has six people on average. Virtual attendance via Zoom at our 10am service ranges from 8-12. Our worship recordings posted on our website average 10 views.
Thanks to Jermain, we completed our annual UUA certification on time. We certified 94 Members on February 4. We then welcomed five new Members on Sunday, February 20:
David Doyle
Mary Arrigoni
Tanya Leighton
Alice Parker
Lorelei
After recording the death of Dorothy McKenna, we now recognize that we have 98 Members of the congregation. Jermain has been hard at work ensuring that our ICON system matches this total.
Our Stewardship Team has been hard at work listening and developing strategies so that we can clearly convey our needs and achieve our proposed budget. I’m grateful for the flexibility and enthusiasm both Jerry and Martha have shown quickly responding to the changes in direction that we have had to take over the last few weeks. “Blossoming Together” has become a campaign more and more focused because of their diligence and faith in BUU.
Holding Covenantal Conversations
As our meeting on Thursday, March 3, came to a close, I heard many of you express how low your energy has become due to the stress within the congregation. In that moment, I offered you my hope that you would find time to rest and then take time to recognize and regulate your individual stress. My concern for you and our congregation kept me pondering all that you shared. As I do when we have a congregational puzzle, I invited colleagues to ponder pastoral responses with me. Rev. Sarah Gibb-Millspaugh, our Pacific Western Region Congregational Contact, listened carefully and offered a suggestion that feels right for BUU at this time, engaging the UUA’s Hope for Us team.
Hope for Us was formed last year in response to needs within congregations just like ours. The team is a gathering of religious educators who view conflict as the open door for faith development. This innovative approach is refreshing and timely and I invite you to learn more about this program: CLICK HERE. It is my belief that this group of UU coaches can help BUU hold covenantal conversations to recognize the stresses within our hearts and in the congregation and guide us to reinvigorate BUU's mission and ministry.
As we learn about this program and how it will meet BUU’s needs, I’ll be continuing to pastor to individuals, puzzle with colleagues about our congregational needs, and ponder with you all as a part of our moving forward.
With gratitude for your work and prayers for your renewal,
Rev. Matthew Funke Crary
Minister of Borderlands UU
Dear BUU Board of Directors,
Thank you for working so hard over the last month to move BUU forward. I have witnessed passion and conviction among us both expressed and heard and seen it turned into the fuel that has propelled us onward. The Sacred Spaces compromise that you developed and funding solutions that you considered have brought a focus to our needs and given us a path to follow. Thank you.
I’m pleased to share that we are beginning to see clear patterns emerge for our Sunday services: Our 10am service is consistently full at 35 people. Our 11:30 service has six people on average. Virtual attendance via Zoom at our 10am service ranges from 8-12. Our worship recordings posted on our website average 10 views.
Thanks to Jermain, we completed our annual UUA certification on time. We certified 94 Members on February 4. We then welcomed five new Members on Sunday, February 20:
David Doyle
Mary Arrigoni
Tanya Leighton
Alice Parker
Lorelei
After recording the death of Dorothy McKenna, we now recognize that we have 98 Members of the congregation. Jermain has been hard at work ensuring that our ICON system matches this total.
Our Stewardship Team has been hard at work listening and developing strategies so that we can clearly convey our needs and achieve our proposed budget. I’m grateful for the flexibility and enthusiasm both Jerry and Martha have shown quickly responding to the changes in direction that we have had to take over the last few weeks. “Blossoming Together” has become a campaign more and more focused because of their diligence and faith in BUU.
Holding Covenantal Conversations
As our meeting on Thursday, March 3, came to a close, I heard many of you express how low your energy has become due to the stress within the congregation. In that moment, I offered you my hope that you would find time to rest and then take time to recognize and regulate your individual stress. My concern for you and our congregation kept me pondering all that you shared. As I do when we have a congregational puzzle, I invited colleagues to ponder pastoral responses with me. Rev. Sarah Gibb-Millspaugh, our Pacific Western Region Congregational Contact, listened carefully and offered a suggestion that feels right for BUU at this time, engaging the UUA’s Hope for Us team.
Hope for Us was formed last year in response to needs within congregations just like ours. The team is a gathering of religious educators who view conflict as the open door for faith development. This innovative approach is refreshing and timely and I invite you to learn more about this program: CLICK HERE. It is my belief that this group of UU coaches can help BUU hold covenantal conversations to recognize the stresses within our hearts and in the congregation and guide us to reinvigorate BUU's mission and ministry.
As we learn about this program and how it will meet BUU’s needs, I’ll be continuing to pastor to individuals, puzzle with colleagues about our congregational needs, and ponder with you all as a part of our moving forward.
With gratitude for your work and prayers for your renewal,
Rev. Matthew Funke Crary
Minister of Borderlands UU