Passin’ Through
If you’ve ever wondered how many congregations currently make up our Unitarian Universalist Association, the answer is around 1,025 – roughly the same as sixty years ago, when the Universalists and Unitarians joined ranks.
There’s lots to be mined from this and other statistics ( to have a look at the overall trends, check out https://www.uua.org/data/demographics/uua-statistics) but whatever the exact number of UU congregations, we can bet the ranch nearly every one of them is dealing with budget issues. Many were facing challenges before COVID was even the watchword of the times, so steep was the general decline in brick-and-mortar religion. The virus has only exacerbated those challenges.
Apologies for the painful twist of words, but UUFH has not been immune to these two developments. Throw in an older than average UU age cohort, and you can feel the pain your last few boards have felt.
So, what’s to be done about a dying institution (conventional congregations, ours included) and a virus so potent 41.3 million us have contracted it? Where’s the way forward?
First, recall that everyone has a financial reality. We just do. UUs regularly rank among the highest income per capita of any religious tradition; but that doesn’t come close to describing the financial reality many of us face, day in and day out.
Second, here’s some suggestions, old and new. See which ones will work for your reality::
● If you haven’t pledged for 2021-22, please do. It’s nearly impossible for your leaders to build and monitor annual budgets without pledging;
● If possible, pay your pledge ahead of time. This allows your board to set/change priorities as the year goes along;
● If possible, raise your pledge. Search your heart and pockets to see if you can give more;
● Make UUFH the sole or primary focus of any charitable giving for 2021-22. You probably have other passions and causes, but maybe you can shift your giving for a stretch;
● Support the fundraisers some of your folx will be putting together over the course of this fiscal year. Have some fun, get to know some people a little better, give some extra money;
● Trust and support your leaders, especially your board and president. They’re solid, savvy people who said yes when asked to serve you. Treat them with love and respect as they navigate one of the most complex eras in our denomination’s storied history;
● Manage your own anxieties about money. The sky is not falling, you have outside support, and this isn’t the first challenge UUFH has faced down. It’s tempting to crush the numbers and panic, but that doesn’t tell the whole story – the story of a people on a journey since 1981, proclaiming the message of liberation in these parts.
Lastly, I’ve never been shy about asking our people to increase their support for their congregations. But I’ve always kicked in as I can. Just know that Mary and I are upping our pledge by at least 50%, and paying as soon as we can. As I told the board, it definitely won’t balance the budget, but it does let you know we believe in you, too.
Blessings,
Don