I can sense it…the Fellowship is strong with you! Our budget drive starts this Sunday, March 23rd – so join our fellow members in Chu hall after service to pick up your pledge envelope and enjoy lunch to kick off our budget drive.
To keep our Alliance strong, this is the time of year we ask all members and friends to pledge their financial support. Our annual budget, funded primarily through your generosity, allows us to be a community of inspiration, connection, and service to the wider galaxy. The Fellowship is sustained primarily by our pledges (roughly 80% of our funding comes from members and friends like you, through our Annual Pledge Drive), so we all truly count on the support of every individual and family.
Now, if I consult the Jedi archives, “fellowship” is defined as “a group of people united for a common purpose or interest.” Much like a certain rebel alliance from an unnamed sci-fi saga, our congregation comes together for a shared mission in a welcoming and supportive space. We gather to strengthen our beliefs, build community, and uplift one another—something especially vital in today’s world.
This year, with guidance from the Personnel and Finance Committees, our Board is implementing updated UUA-recommended salary guidelines. We plan to increase staff salaries to better align with the rising cost of living and inflation in our area.
To support this and maintain our facilities—including both our existing and new buildings—and expand our vital programming, we’ve set an ambitious pledge goal of $490,000.
Your pledge ensures the continuation of our Sunday services, Faith Formation classes for younglings and Jedi Masters alike, outreach through newsletters and streaming, and the sustainability of our growing rebel base. The Fellowship recommends using the Fair Share Contribution Guide to help you determine your commitment level. If you have previously been pledging – consider revisiting it this year, and reassess whether it’s still the right level for you or if you are ready to move to a deeper level of support.
We ask that you make a written pledge during our April Annual Pledge Drive by either filling out and returning a pledge card at the Fellowship (these are collected by Katy Julich, our office administrator), or click this link to pledge on-line and entering your annual pledge in the giving menu (which can even allow you to use automatic monthly payments). Not a member yet? Stop by the Stewardship table at the luncheon to learn how you can support our mission. And for those tuning in online from their own hidden outpost, visit our website and click the “Give” tab to contribute to our Operating Budget.
May the Fellowship be with you!
Tim Davis
Stewardship Trustee-at-Large padawan