Congregational Vote on Bylaw Changes and GA2024 Delegates

Congregational Vote on Bylaw Changes and GA2024 Delegates

In early April look for an Announce message regarding a special Congregational Meeting on Sunday, April 21st to vote on proposed Bylaws changes and also to elect 3 WUUC delegates to the UUA virtual General Assembly 2024.  WUUC is governed by a set of Bylaws, or rules, agreed to and voted on by the congregation.  In reviewing the Bylaws this year, the Board and Rev. Dan have identified parts that are no longer relevant, new content that needs to be added, and the fixing of some wording to bring our Bylaws all up to date.  The Board will make the proposed Bylaws changes available to the congregation for review in the early April timeframe and will hold a Town Hall  meeting the Sunday before the vote, to provide an opportunity for Q/A on the proposed Bylaws changes.  Questions?  Contact:  Board Members – Trina Roulet, Azure (Blue) Forte or Jan Radoslovich.

Let’s Chat Pledge Drive

Let’s Chat Pledge Drive

WUUC Annual Budget Drive 

The theme for this year’s annual budget drive is “Let’s Chat.”  This is a lighthearted reference to the fact that it is through communication that we connect and build community and find hope, love, meaningful relationships, and support.  The mutual values, concerns and trust of our community sustain and bolster us. We build and maintain that community with our energy, time, and finances. This financial foundation supports us and enables our impact on the lives of our members and friends as well as a positive impact on the world beyond the church.

2024-2025 Budget Drive 

The annual budget drive is the time each year when we reflect on the importance of WUUC to ourselves, our families, and to our greater social mission. We believe it is essential that we have a vibrant Unitarian Universalist Church presence in our local community to provide an open-hearted and open-minded welcome to all who may seek us out.  A well-funded, fiscally sound church speaks of the commitment and dedication of its members to the Unitarian Universalist faith and its sustaining principles and beliefs. 

Make Your Pledge Today

You can make your pledge right here at https://forms.gle/XmwY92nRwE7s9WV1A

Drive Goals 

The goal for this year’s drive is $330,000.  Your generous financial support will help ensure that WUUC can:

  • Ensure fair compensation for our minister and staff in accord with UUA regional recommendations.
  • Account for increases in the cost of running our programs.
  • Be a good steward of our building and grounds. 
  • Attract and retain new members, including those with young families that are vital to the church.
  • Ensure WUUC financial stability into the future. 
  • Pursue our congregational mission to provide a spiritual home and liberal presence in the broader community.

How We Use the Budget

It takes significant financial resources to support the level of church facilities and staff required to sustain our community. Our budget funds all programs and services, a mortgage, utilities, and ongoing maintenance and upkeep so we have a safe and inviting space to work, play, and worship. Operating expenses fall into these categories: Services and Minister (35%), Religious Education (19%), Building and Grounds (11%), Administration (14%), and mortgage, insurance, committees, UUA dues, and other expenses (21%).

In addition to our full-time minister Dan Lillie, we employ the following staff:

Office Administrator: May Killorin
Choir Director: Matt Smith
Accompanist: Terry Levitt
Bookkeeper: Devrah Bennett
DRE Consultant: Margaret Rogers
RE Coordinator: Tracye Hirasawa  
Custodian: Manny Macias

The annual budget is gathered by the finance committee with input from staff, ministerial leads, and program committee chairs. It is then reviewed by the Board and voted on by the congregation. The annual budget drive goal is determined by the annual budget needs of WUUC. The Minister is responsible for managing the staff and the leads and chairs manage their program budgets.

Fair Sharing Giving

Giving is a personal decision based on many factors. As you determine your financial commitment, please consider giving 2-10% of your income as you are able and willing. Many of our pledging members and friends make annual fair share pledges. Nearly 40% of our members self-report that their commitment fits within the “fair share” guideline. If everyone did so we would have an abundance to carry us into the future.  We encourage you to review this table to determine which level of commitment is appropriate.  

View the UUA’s Fair Share Giving Guide.

FAQ’s

 Q: How do I know how much I should pledge?

A: We believe that members want to contribute their fair share, but it is often hard to decide what that means in dollars and cents. We recommend you consider 2-10% of your income and offer this broad range because we know that 10% of your income when you’re struggling to make ends meet is much harder than 10% of your income when you have few or no financial difficulties.  

Q: What do others pledge?

A: The average annual pledge commitment for fiscal year 2023-2024 was $3,474, with a median pledge of about $2,000.

Q: Are the church’s needs greater or less this year?

A: We are rebounding from the pandemic and expanding our outreach to increase our membership. Additionally, we need to replenish our reserves to ensure a healthy financial future.

Q: What happens if we fall short of our annual goal?

A: We have to make difficult cuts and tradeoffs, including adjustments to expenses and programs.

Q: I’m already giving time and talent, isn’t that enough?

A: The funds needed to run a church are substantial.  Without the generous financial support of members and friends, WUUC could not continue to support the services and programs vital to our community.

Q: How much does this pledge drive matter?  How much of our annual budget comes from this drive?  How much do other sources contribute?

A: The drive makes up 90% of our operating expenses. Other fundraisers and unpledged support contribute, but a successful drive is essential to ensure a healthy financial future. 

Q: I already give on Sundays. Is that sufficient?

A: WUUC relies on a sustained monthly income to meet its recurring operating expenses and to cover unexpected events. We cannot make extended agreements such as staff contracts and mortgages without having a guaranteed income.

Thank you!

From your annual budget drive team:
Jo Raymond: Stewardship Chair and Treasurer

Kathy Fosnaugh: Kick-off Event Coordinator
Mary Alexander:  Communications, Art and Graphics
David Simons:  Brochure
Charlotte Benson:  Calling Steward Coordinator
Holly Beck: Volunteer, Script Program
Kermit Sprang: Board Treasurer
Marcia Sprang: Ministry Lead

In Memory of Carol Pitman

In Memory of Carol Pitman

In July 2022, we ran this article of Carol Pitman’s reflection on her career. Carol passed away this month. 

“The ultimate source of spiritual and transcendental experiences

Teaching music has resulted in many unspoken rewards for me. However, I always kept in the back of my mind, what a L.A. teacher once wrote in the L.A. Times.  She said, “Get your lovin’ somewhere else!”

In my early years, I gave young children piano lessons at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston where I was part of the Young People’s faculty.  Many teaching skills needed to be developed such as choosing music suitable to their age and developmental stage. At the same time, I was studying music education at a local university.

My favorite school district was in Long Beach, California where they had a very well developed music program, because of the consultants in the music department who had an outstanding vision of what a school music program could be.  I was a traveling vocal music teacher, visiting classrooms in K-6.

Classroom music was important, but it was in the glee clubs that selected students learned the value of hard work as they prepared 2 and 3 part songs for festivals and PTA programs. They learned the importance of perseverance and cooperation in achieving a higher musical goal. Every spring, the L.A. philharmonic performed for 5th and 6th graders. These classes were given special listening lessons to prepare them for the concert experience.  Important listening skills were developed. 

My volunteer work began when I moved to Kirkland in 1991. I discovered our new church and began to participate in the choir.  The group needed a soprano so I sang with them until they needed an accompanist.  Later on, I served on the music committee when the church was ready to hire a choir director and accompanist.  I also helped the search committee discover our beautiful grand piano.

To me, a life in music reflects the ultimate source of spiritual and transcendental experiences. I feel much gratitude for having made a small contribution this source.  Perhaps not very practical, but ESSENTIAL.” – Carol Pitman

Call for WUUC Delegates to 2024 Virtual General Assembly

Call for WUUC Delegates to 2024 Virtual General Assembly

This year’s all virtual UUA General Assembly (GA) will be held June 20-23rd.  WUUC will have 3 members serve as delegates for discussion and voting during GA General Sessions. Delegates must register for GA to vote on business and agenda items. At the 2024 Virtual GA, delegates will cast votes on qualified amendments and whether to adopt the proposed new version of Article II of the UUA Bylaws. In February, look for an Announce e-mail message from the Board, asking for your interest in serving as a WUUC delegate to GA. Per the WUUC Bylaws, voting members have the exclusive right to elect or dismiss…delegates to General Assembly. Once the Board knows how many members are interested in being a delegate to GA, we’ll communicate the process for delegate selection. For more information on the 2024 Virtual GA, please click on this link: General Assembly: The Unitarian Universalist Association’s Annual Meeting | UUA.org

February Updates from your WUUC Board of Trustees

February Updates from your WUUC Board of Trustees

Even through this past holiday season, Board members have been working on several important governance items.   Here are some highlights of our work:

  • We completed and submitted to the UUA Ministerial Fellowship Committee (MFC) our Evaluator Form for Rev. Dan’s 3rd and final Preliminary Fellowship year. We partnered with Rev. Dan in evaluating seven areas of ministry: worship and rites of passage, pastoral care and presence, spiritual development for self and others, social justice in the public square, administration, serves the larger UU faith, leads the faith into the future.  This process also gave us the opportunity to articulate goals and action steps for the coming year related to each of the above ministries, an excellent roadmap for our collective futures.  
  • Our treasurer, Kermit Sprang worked with the Finance Committee to create the WUUC Budget Worksheet for FY 2024-2025.   This involves collecting and collating information on all potential sources of income as well as the many categories of expenses including ministerial and staff office, committee/team, building and grounds, utilities, dues, etc.  The congregation will have the opportunity to preview this budget at the February 11th Town Hall. 
  • A Board sub-group (Trina Roulet, Azure Forte, Jan Radoslovich) has been hard at work on the Board goal to organize, update and refine the WUUC organizational infrastructure (governance documents such as policies/procedures) in a sustainable form.  This will be a multi-year project.   With a herculean effort by Trina Roulet, we have completed most of the assessment phase of this project and are kicking off the next phase by asking the Board, Ministry Council, Committees and Teams to create or update their charters.  In the WUUC  church bylaws – Section 4:  one of the Board charges is the establishment and chartering of such committees as it may deem appropriate.  The charters will provide the congregation with a clear and current description of the purpose and functions of WUUC committees and teams, which will benefit our understanding of each other’s work. 

The Board is dedicated to the health of the congregation and sincerely wants to hear what you think about how things are going.  

Some ways you can reach out to the Board:

  1. Email to board@wuuc.org
  2. Send email to any Board member: President Jan Radoslovich, Vice President Jeff Lu, Co-secretary Jeff Anderson, Co-secretary Linda Sherry, Treasurer Kermit Sprang, Azure (Blue) Forte, Trina Roulet.
  3. Submit an Online Feedback Form. This form will be read only by the Board Secretary who will respond to you and share your input with the appropriate person(s).  Please note that including your name makes it much easier to clarify and follow up, but is not required.

Here is both a link and the full URL to the form:  WUUC Feedback Form

  1. Contact Rev. Dan Lillie at:  RevDan@WUUC.org , or through the church office.
  2. Contact the church office at:  Offfice@WUUC.org, or call 425-788-6044
  3. Talk to any Board member at church or a social function, and also remember that we are not on-duty at all times, so may suggest another time to talk.