Dear Friends,

February is the short month, the month of love and yes, stewardship.  Stewardship is rooted in belonging; an essential human need.  UU congregations are brave spaces for belonging.  We are invited to question, act on shared values and experience refuge, regardless of identify.  We express our intent to belong by lovingly placing our signatures in UUFM’s communal book.  In doing so, we embrace co-ownership, a commitment to nurture and tend our mutual bonds.  Love is reciprocal; it is given and returned in undulating waves.  We grow our faith in this community of belonging.

Belonging is not a passive relationship.  It does not mirror spectator sports or consumptive choices of shoppers accustomed to cherry-pick “goodies,” leave loose change on the counter and shrug acknowledgment of community on the way out the door.  Co-ownership is larger than chipping-in to pay the bills or sending in annual dues.   I hold in my mind an image of a multi-cultural, multigenerational family, gathered to share simple fare, grateful for life itself; deeply aware that the whole is sustained by its many parts.  Our choice to belong to a UU community is more than a commitment to this church alone.  We simultaneously commit our concern and support to larger communities, of which we are a part, and to siblings who haven’t experienced the benefits of our privilege.

Reciprocity is expressed as stewards step up and step back, in sequence, to share their talents, time and treasure; anchored by the knowledge that we all are loved, worthy, welcome and needed by our religious community. Evidence of shared love for this faith and one another can be observed all around us.  And, of course, this same communal love must be reflected in church finances.  Each week, a virtual plate is passed in worship.  Leaders speak honestly and openly about our needs – to sustain our church, pastor, and programs and support our larger communities.  Our membership has increased, yet our costs exceed our income.  Lavish generosity is not required.  Like belonging, the resolution is grounded in community.  Roughly 70% of us pledge each year.  UUFM needs every member to pledge and we need our members who regularly pledge to increase their giving by 10%.  These two changes will close the gap.  Let us choose to belong to a self-sustaining community.  Thanks for your many expressions of LOVE for this community dear Valentines.

In gratitude, Penny