Fall 2025 Message from the Board
Hello, friends! On behalf of the UCM Governing Board, welcome back to church! After the summer break, we’re happy to reconvene and reconnect each Sunday.
Whether you’re a long-time member, just getting to know UCM, or somewhere in between, we’re glad you’re here. Community is the beating heart of our church, and you’re part of that pulse.
Community was a central theme of our summer Board retreat. As we reflected on last year and prepared for the coming seasons, we continually came back to how this congregation is one that deeply cares for each other and the world.
We are a group of people who truly want to live out the shared mission of welcoming all as we build a loving community to nurture each person’s spiritual journey, serve human need, and protect the earth, our home.
As Board members, this year we’re focusing on how to strengthen the foundation from which we grow — so that UCM can flourish.
Our priorities for the 2025-26 church year are:
- To complete our strategic long-term visioning and planning process, with a focus on climate resiliency and,
- To support UCM’s financial health and long-term sustainability so we may continue to serve our congregation and the wider community in times of joy and in times of need.
As we settle into a new season, the coming winter asks us to prepare. We stack wood, order heating fuel, pull out the sweaters, and stock up the pantry. We put gardens to bed and rake leaves. We also prepare to take care of each other. In the increasingly volatile political climate, we can find and create strength in community.
Over the coming months, we invite you to linger a little longer in conversation at coffee hour, to join a church committee, or engage in the lifespan spiritual exploration offerings. Let’s prepare for a flourishing future together, and take care of one another along the way.
As members of the Board, we invite you to reach out to any or all of us throughout the church year. We’re here to listen, engage, and help weave connections between members, staff, and the wider community.
We’d like to acknowledge and thank those members of last year’s board who concluded their board service at the end of the 2024-25 church year: Steve Grunewald and Brenda Bean.
Jeremy Beaudry (President), Emily Seiffert (Vice-President), Ansel Ploog (Financial Officer), Jen Matthews (Secretary), Steve Gold (At Large), Susan Koch (At Large), Katie Spring (At Large)