by Admin | Apr 2, 2018 | Building and Grounds
by Linda Pietrzak
There are stealth Building and Grounds volunteers out there. They are people who work around the church without getting much recognition besides their friends. I have been catching them doing many things to make this church building and grounds a better place for us all: Gudrun Eastham seems to spend so much time here that I have been looking for where she hides her bed. She straightens the sanctuary chairs, maintains the bulletin boards, has sewn curtains for the alcoves, and many other jobs I cannot name. Several of the Safe Sleep monitors go the extra step to pick up and empty the trash. Kappy Paulson not only emptied the SS trash but also filled the empty containers with overflow from the previous week. Jennifer Luce, the Office Administrator, called Harrison to pick up ALL the barrels plus any other bagged items. We must always remember the Kitchen Crew not only for our weekly post service sustenance but also many other functions at the church. You, too, can join their ranks. Start easy when you see trash on the ground pick it up, either carry it to a trash can, or take it home with you. We will all thank you for your efforts.
The March Saint Patrick’s Work Party was such a success. It is amazing what 14 people can do. Our focus was on the weeds on the Ralston side of the church. Check out the work that Sherry Anderson, Ruth and George Owens, Kitty Merrill, Joyce Sattler, Merle Oberg, Geoff Dann, and George Naugles did. Mark Mendelsohn removed graffiti from behind the Whale’s Tail Bench. Mike Sixbey whacked the weeds around the trash enclosure, Bill Peltola, Ruth Owens, and Ted Lombard picked up and emptied trash around the property. Joyce Lombard scrubbed the tables in Berg Hall. Linda Pietrzak, Wil Devine, and Phil Wiseman worked on cleaning the gutters and making sure the drainage around the building was working properly.
Please take time to thank all volunteers when you see them. Contact Linda Pietrzak: linda.w.pietrzak@gmail
by Admin | Apr 2, 2018 | Finance Committee
• UUCV has three financial enterprises, not just one. The primary budget is approved at our congregational meeting in June is for most of the programs of the church except Lift Up Your Voice and the Inreach Outreach Fund.
• Pledge payments are the source of revenue for most of our church programs, such as paying employees, and nearly everything else to keep the church humming.
• Our weekly offerings are the source for the Inreach/Outreach donations that go to other nonprofit charities and individuals in need of assistance.
• Lift Up Your Voice is now used primarily for the Park Outreach activities. It originated with grant money and has benefited from Inreach/Outreach offerings.
• You can make one time donations or set up automatic pledge payments at http://www.uuventura.org, by clicking on “Give” on the right side of the masthead area, then, click on the picture of the mouse and following the instructions; or by contacting contact David Smith
by Admin | Apr 2, 2018 | Stewardship Report
Do UU Know?
Kappy Paulson has created a lovely Memorial Book honoring UUCV members who passed away in the past few years. To establish a starting point, it begins with Rev. Dana’s ministry to UUCV. The beginning of the scrapbook lists the names of people who passed away. The intent is to add pages to keep the book current going forward.
Each person who passes away is memorialized with a page in the book. Take time to view the red scrapbook located on the Joys & Sorrow’s table in the church entrance way.
Contact: Maura Raffensperger: Maurapics@gmail.com
by Admin | Mar 22, 2018 | Adult Programs
by Beverly Jordan, Community Life Coordinator
The Adult Programs Coordinating Team (APCT) includes Xenia Young, Carolyn Briggs, Kathleen Wheeler and myself.
If you are interested in facilitating an adult program at the church, contact us for an application. We’d enjoy hearing your ideas! Beverly@uuventura.org. Click here for the current Adult Programs Brochure:
by Admin | Feb 27, 2018 | Minister
We Are Building a New Way is our theme for our stewardship campaign for 2018-2019 is based on the hymn from Singing the Journey.
We are entering a critical time in the financial life of the church. By several measures, UUCV is the most financially stable church I have ever been a part of. Experts recommend that churches carry operating reserves of two months of expenses. UUCV is the first church I’ve ever seen that actually has that (and a little bit more). In addition we have even more in other reserve funds, most of it in the Legacy Fund. There is a rub, of course. Most of that money – particularly the Legacy Fund – is not intended for operating expenses.
For several years now this church has been living boldly, “staffing for growth.” Which means we have staffing levels to serve a larger church in order keep our doors open to all who seek a new way. We have been able to do this – while also calling a new minister – in large part due to generous members who contributed to a 3-year bridge fund which comes to something over $40,000 a year. We’re halfway through the bridge. We have one more fiscal year – 2018-2019 – before those funds go away.
And now the growth we have been staffing for is actually happening – and then some. The number of children and youth in our RE program has more than doubled. Our adult membership is growing between 15 and 20 percent. Wow. Just wow. The vision created over the last 5-10 years is coming to fruition.
A new life and energy is nearly palpable throughout the church, and the good news is that it is manifesting in a growth in giving – of every kind. We’re on our way to being able to “cover” the bridge pledges.
Our new challenge is that this growth may already be outstripping our staffing capacities. Don’t you wish life would just happening in a straight predictable line?
All this makes the next two years critical.
We have a fabulous staff who want to do even more to help UUCV come alive. We have a chance to grow in depth, in vision, in transforming lives and in transforming the community we serve.
As it should be, our reach still exceeds our grasp.
Our financial resources are one of many ways we are generous. This is an abundant community. We have so much to share. Now is the time, if you are able, to increase your annual pledge.
There is so much more that we can bring into the world. So many new things to build in our hearts and beyond.
With love and gratitude,
Rev. Dana
