The Congregational Meeting was a huge success with getting so much done.  We now have an excellent balanced budget for 2023/2024, we have great teams for our board, nominating and personnel committees, we updated the bylaws and we have a new mission statement.

We can now turn our attention to developing a strategic plan to live into our mission statement.  So many important ideas were raised in our Cottage Conversations, Congregational Conversation, and Board Meetings. Now, we need to develop a plan of action to focus our attention and resources.

The Mission/Purpose Task Force listed the following priorities as implicit in our new Mission:     

• To work toward equity and justice in our own congregation and the larger world.
• To care for our planet and the interdependent web of existence.
• To welcome all people to a safe space for spiritual, emotional and intellectual growth.
• To value diverse beliefs, open-minded inquiry and a search for truth and meaning.
• To be especially intent on welcoming people who traditionally may not have felt safe and welcomed in our congregation and the larger community (people who identify as members of the LGBTQIA+ community, BIPOC individuals and other people who have been disempowered, disadvantaged, and disenfranchised)
• To be conscious of the needs of youth and young adults and also of how ageism impacts older adults.
• To care for each other with respect, non-judgment and compassion.
• To engage with partner organizations to serve the broader community.
• To become a more anti-racist congregation.
• To act courageously with compassion to bring love and kindness to creating a more equitable, just and peaceful world.
• All guided by our UU Principles.

I have been thinking about all the many things that we already do to support our congregational community and the larger community.  I wonder how we can bring understanding that all these activities are UUCville so we can be recognized in the community for all our initiatives together.  I wonder if we can develop greater recognition for all we do so that people will start thinking “There are those UUs again!”

I also notice that so many of the extremely valuable things we do help people (and the planet) suffering the downstream effects of upstream injustice.  I wonder if UUCville might bring a unique perspective to working on the upstream problems that create so many problems.  Surely our many messages of love, respect, open-minded inquiry, and the interdependent web of our planet could facilitate change and healing upstream

I look forward to being a part of our next steps of Love in Action!

Pam Mcintire