2/2/21

Dear Members and Friends of the Unitarian Church of Montpelier,

In these challenging COVID times, many things have changed.  We meet for worship, virtually, hearing and seeing each other on small computer screens, rather than in the warmth and glow of our beautiful sanctuary.   We are so blessed to have Rev. Joan, Liza, Verdis, Kellie, Sam, Becky, Elaine and Eliza as such a solid presence in our Sunday services and church office. They are doing a miraculous job of holding us together in love, as we craft a vision for our future.   And, as we gather together at our virtual coffee hour, we find bits of community, in brief conversations and connection.

We’re getting through it…and this will not go on forever.  So, we persevere and together we thrive.

As spring approaches, (ever so slowly), another important aspect of our church life is coming to our virtual lives: our annual pledge drive.  In ordinary times, we’d be setting the date for a big fellowship event, recruiting members to be canvassers, and reaching out to speak to everyone in person, one-on-one.  We would have valuable conversations about our church and what level of financial support each of us can provide for our on-going programs, supporting our staff, maintaining our building and increasing our outreach.

This letter is intended to assure you that the Stewardship Committee is on it!!   Things will be different this year, for sure, but the basics remain the same.  We will depend on ZOOM, and telephone calls, and clear communication in a variety of ways.  We are hoping that many of you will feel called to contribute at the same level you have in years past, or at a higher level if you can.  And we encourage new members to respond with generosity to the suggested giving guides which all will receive in a later mailing.

Stay tuned!  You’ll be hearing more about together we thrive in the days and weeks to come.

In faith and community,

Sue Stukey, for the Stewardship Committee