by Samantha McCoy, Secretary
Your Board of Trustees has been thrilled to be able to take part in the return to multiplatform services in recent weeks. Each week when I attend a service, whether I participate online via Zoom or head to the Ridge in person, I find myself struck by how lucky we are to have the community that we do. We have our beloved property on Clapboard Ridge Road, with a light-filled Fellowship Hall and terrific classroom/meeting facilities on its lower level. We also now have a state-of-the-art audio-visual system that allows us to have services that are simultaneously live in person and live via the web, with the possibility of hosting both presenters and guests from anywhere around the world. At these services, I get to see so many familiar faces that I’ve come to know and care for over the nearly nineteen years that I’ve been attending UUCD services and programs. I also get to see more and more new faces, some arriving for the first time, and others beginning to get to know us after a few visits. Each of these factors is a gift and I am grateful for all of it – and all of you!
April is stewardship season at UUCD. I won’t try to steal Peter Horton’s thunder, our dedicated Stewardship lead, but I do want to take a few moments to make note of this moment. Each month, your Board of Trustees is examining ways to serve and strengthen this community. A part of that is our financial commitment to this congregation and its future. We are each carefully considering and committing to our 2022-23 pledges as I write this piece. The hard truth is that our congregational budget can only be what our pledges allow it to be. If we appreciate and care for our beloved staff members, if we want to maintain and continue to improve our welcoming campus and facilities, and if we want to see vibrant and exciting programs, we each need to pledge in a way that funds this crucial work. The other side of stewardship is giving of ourselves and saying “yes” when a need is presented. For the 2022-23 congregational year, your Board will be looking for new members to fill the positions for those rotating off and various ministries and teams will be looking for new participants to support their efforts that make UUCD the place we know and love. Please consider how you can find a way to say “Yes!” when the opportunity is presented to you. As I mentioned when I opened this piece, I feel lucky to be part of this congregation and am cognizant of the many gifts it has given me and my son in the years we’ve been attending. My pledge and service next year will reflect that feeling and my gratitude.
Each month this year, a Board member has been “hosting” a coffee hour chat after a Sunday service. I will take that turn in April. Please keep an eye out for me and don’t hesitate to approach me with any questions you might have, ideas you’d like to forward to the Board, or stories you’d like to share. Happy spring!