As many of you know, our budget picture has shifted this year. A significant reduction in tenant income, along with somewhat lower overall giving with a lower number of members, means we’ve had to make some careful staffing adjustments. As a result, evening coverage on our campus is changing. As these updates roll out, we are grateful for how supportive our lay leaders and members are in embracing changes that will help us keep living our mission and serving our community.

Beginning right away, our last sexton on site will leave at 8 p.m. rather than 10 p.m. If you schedule a meeting or event, or have a recurring meeting that goes past 7:30 p.m., you will need to work with staff to learn our new evening meeting protocols. We’ll provide clear, simple instructions so you’ll know exactly what to do.

Our campus is made up of several interconnected buildings with an aging central heating system. In our older buildings, we can’t efficiently heat just one small area at night. Our Buchan Building (completed in 2007) can heat and cool individual rooms, so it’s much more practical for evening use. For that reason, some groups that currently meet in other parts of the campus may be asked to move their evening meetings into designated rooms in Buchan, especially during colder months. We know many groups have favorite spaces they’re used to, so we appreciate your flexibility in concentrating evening activity in areas we can heat efficiently.

With our recent staffing changes, we’re sorry to have to pause beverage service for small groups using our facilities. We’re looking at alternative ways beverages might be offered in the future and will share updates as plans take shape. For groups currently receiving beverage service, that support will conclude on February 28. Groups are always welcome to bring beverages for their own meetings. (As a gentle reminder, we ask that beverages are not taken into our Main Sanctuary or Eliot Chapel.)

Changes to familiar routines can take some adjustment. Stewarding a campus of our size is a shared effort, and these changes help us use our buildings responsibly while staying within our means. Questions about scheduling or closing procedures are always welcome—please contact the office.