Greetings Fellow Congregants,
Wow! The Easter Service this year was a barn burner. I hope you were able to be there. Our combined choirs, ably led by DeReau Farrar, uplifted and inspired our hearts. Bill Sinkford’s sermon was its equal and the congregation was buzzing as we left the sanctuary. An Easter to remember.
Great news on our Burn the Mortgage campaign. We have met our goal. This will relieve our Church operating budget of an annual expense of over $100,000. If you have not pledged to the campaign, please take a moment to make a contribution. We’re going to have a fire!
Our 2018 Congregational Survey is now open through April 23. If you have not done so already, please take time now to complete it–It takes only 10 minutes (or less) to complete. This is a valuable tool for the Board and the ET*–we use your responses to evaluate performance and shape the direction and focus off the Board and ET for the upcoming year. The survey is also available via this link, tinyurl.com/UUPDX2018, and paper copies will be available at the April 22 service for those who prefer to fill it out by hand.
Our third Board/Congregational Forum of the year is scheduled for Sunday May 6th, after second service. We plan to share the results of the 2018 Congregational Survey and get your feedback on the results. We will also review the goals the Board set for itself this year and connect those goals to our Church’s mission. We will then break up into small groups for discussion where we’ll seek your input on possible Board goals for the upcoming church year.
Also on May 6th, between services, there will be a meeting led by our Finance Committee and staff on the proposed 2018-19 operating budget. This is your chance to get your questions answered on the budget that will be on the Annual Vote ballot in May.
Speaking of which, the Annual Vote is upon us!. You will receive your ballot in the next two weeks. In addition to voting on the proposed 2018-19 operating budget, the ballot will allow you to vote for candidates running for the Board of Trustees, the Nominating Committee, and the Church Foundation Board. Completed ballots returned to the Church in person must be received by 11:15 a.m. on Sunday, May 20. If you are mailing your ballot, it needs to be received in the Church office by Thursday, May 17 (the office is closed on Friday and Saturday, so mail can’t be received then). In order to vote you must both be a member of First Unitarian (signed the membership book) and have made a pledge of record by Monday April 2 (this year’s Date of Record).
Cheers,
Randy Russell
Moderator First Unitarian Board of Trustees
*The Executive Team (or ET) includes our Senior Minister, Bill Sinkford; Associate Minister, Tom Disrud; and our Church Administrator, Kathryn Estey.