We are nearing the end of our annual pledge drive, which has been enthusiastically and capably led by Julie Milner. Julie agreed to step into this role, acting as a one-person pledge drive team, because she believes in UCE, in our mission ~nurturing the human spirit for a world made whole~ and our capacity as a community to support it.
On March 17th, Susan Comstock, our knowledgeable and skilled church Treasurer, presented a preliminary budget from the Budget Working Group, including a pie chart showing how our financial contributions support our mission. We did our best to accurately put dollar signs and percentages on our commitment to justice, but of course, it’s nearly impossible to divvy up our budget this way.
Some have expressed disappointment that, according to the pie chart, we only contribute 9% of our budget to Social Justice. However, this assumes the other sections of the pie chart don’t overlap with social justice or serve our mission. They do!
Our commitment as a congregation to justice is not encapsulated only in the budget lines dedicated to our social justice teams, or even in the amount that we donate through our shared offering. Our commitment to justice is found in virtually every aspect of our congregational life – in the efforts of our staff and volunteers and the use of our building. It is reflected in paying just wages for just work.
Looking at a large piece of the budget pie that reads ‘Building & Stewardship’, you may not see the ingredients in that slice: the countless ways our building is used to host gatherings related to justice, to feed and house people, to advocate for affordable housing, and hold Beloved Conversations.
When we hosted the emergency overnight shelter for two weeks in January, our budget did not parse out the hours that Liz and Steve spent cleaning the church every morning or unclogging the toilets. We do not itemize the time that they take to set up for soup kitchens or meetings of social justice teams, or presentations related to climate change or racial equity.
In fact, each of our staff members spends a significant portion of their time on social justice, not just me, your Minister for Faith in Action. Sandra uses an equity lens in every contract she signs. She ensures that our building is open, accessible and safe for groups within and beyond our church membership to use for the vital work of justice and she goes above and beyond to support efforts like the Empty Bowls fundraiser. Much of Tamiko’s time is used to support our efforts in making the world whole, by promoting the events and activities we engage in to learn and grow as justice leaders.
Mary Shelden, our Director of Lifespan Religious Education, is leading people of all ages in their quest to live our principles more fully and she weaves social justice into every faith development and learning experience with our youngest to our eldest learners.
And when you look at the piece of the budget pie that reads ‘Worship and Music,’ know that it can’t be separated from our striving toward justice either. Every sermon Rev. Greg and I preach is infused with the call for greater justice and equity. Many of the songs Vickie chooses for the choir to sing or the hymns we sing together are inspiring and empowering us to share our voices in the world. We are singing to make the world more peaceful, just, and free. It is the work of ministry and of this church to nurture spirits so that we can go about the business of trying to heal and repair the world.
It isn’t just our money that supports the mission of the church. Your offering of time, energy and passion demonstrates our shared commitment to justice and equity. There are countless ways for you to engage in our mission and, when you do, it translates into collective power, organizational strength, and shared leadership. Together, we make an impact in our community and the larger world, as well as in our own hearts.
When you decide what to pledge and consider where your pledge dollars are going, know that you are supporting transformative, justice making work, which is our work to do together. Know that your financial support and our church budget as a whole does reflect our deep and pervasive commitment to making the world more peaceful, equitable, and whole. Please give as generously as you are able and may what you give bring you joy.
Practicing Beloved Community at UCE 