December 17, 2024.
December at UUCF is bringing the joy back for me. Last week’s Joy Service, as usual, raised the rafters with heartfelt music, dancing, and even surprise games. But I’m realizing with that joy comes a need for reflection. I am craving the time for quiet meditation offered at this Friday’s Blue Christmas Silent Retreat. This has been a challenging and discouraging year for many of us. I know there’s work to do to Grow, Connect, and Serve.
So that’s why on behalf of the Board, I’m writing to share that – as promised in September – we are bringing an essential discussion process to all congregants in January. Yes, this is our Living the Mission effort.
Please keep reading! We need everyone’s attention on this activity and a commitment to participate in at least one – and hopefully two or more – Living the Mission discussions.
We are a new congregation in many ways. We have many new members, which is exciting. And members who have been here for a while will recognize that we’re in an evolving world. Together, we need to reevaluate who we are – what UUCF’s mission means to us in 2025 – and how we want to live out this mission in the coming years.
The Board is organizing many group discussions to start this evaluation. These encounters will help us reflect on who we are and how we want to be in the world together. And, as a more concrete outcome, these discussions will give direction to the Board, Coordinating Team, and staff on programs, policies, and the priorities influencing the changes needed to live our mission.
Our Living the Mission discussions will be:
- Sunday, January 12 – In person, after the worship service
- Thursday, January 16 – In person, during informal chats at the Soup’s On Community Dinner
- Sunday, January 19 – Zoom discussion, in the afternoon
- Sunday, January 26 – In person, after the worship service
- Sunday, January 26 – In person, during informal chats at the RE Family Potluck
- Saturday, February 1 – A final joint “Ignite the Flame” workshop at Cedar Lane UU Congregation*
*Cedar Lane UU is conducting its own Living the Mission discussions with its own congregants in January. We expect to gain insights by collaborating with them in this workshop. (We are planning bus transportation from UUCF.)
We’ll send a reminder in early January about these events, with the specific questions that we plan to ask, in case you want to think about them ahead of time.
This is our time as a congregation to come together, share what’s important to all of us today, and, through careful listening and reflecting, envision what will be important in the days to come.
Be well, and share community and positivity this beautiful December.
Stacy Casey,
President, UUCF Board of Directors
Other UUCF Board Members
David Addis, Vice President
Dillon Ginley, Treasurer
Annemarie McCaslin, Assistant Treasurer
Gina Wells, Secretary
Kaye Cook, At-Large
David Saunders, At-Large
Raju Tonapi, At-Large
Marcia Tugendhat, At-Large
Rev. David Miller, UUCF Senior Minister and ex-officio Board member