Starting this Sunday, April 7 through Saturday, April 13, midnight, all funds donated to Share the Plate will go to UUCA's social justice partner The Dream Project. 

Since 2011, the Dream Project, a non-profit organization, has supported promising young immigrant students in their pursuit of higher education. Through mentoring, scholarships, advocacy, and community outreach, the Dream Project empowers students and their families to succeed against all odds. Over the past few months, the Dream Project's Mentoring Program helped 40 students, through the volunteer hours of 30 mentors who helped the students navigate the college application process. In addition, this spring the Dream Project plans on awarding $135,000 in Dream Project scholarships. 

And in the face of great uncertainty and threatening news headlines, the Dream Project is planning to do more. They received a record number of scholarship applications this year and as a result have decided to award 90--also a record number--and to increase the amount to $1,500 (renewable annually). In addition, they developed new initiatives to provide social and emotional support for the students and their families, who live with high anxiety.

UUCA has always been a trusted partner; let's maintain that relationship. As Pat Findikoglu, another mentor, says: "This is putting faith and allyship in action."

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR MAY 4: Dreamers Voices for Solidarity Benefit Concert - Hosted @UUCA.

A Message from Bea Ann

My Dear UUCA Family and Friends,

I am writing to announce my resignation as Director of Children, Youth and SHINE Choirs at UUCA. I will finish out the church year and my final day in service will be June 3.

For close to 15 years, I have had the privilege of working with our children and youth; getting to know them; helping them find their voices, building confidence, creating community and instilling our UU values through music and social outreach opportunities. It has been a role I’ve been honored to hold and one that has brought constant joy to me over the years. I have been deeply moved by the musical, emotional and spiritual growth I have witnessed with these kids and youth, during our rehearsals, our musical sharing in services and most especially during all of our many and varied service trips and outreach activities that have been a big part of the children and youth music programs at UUCA.

 

Likewise, I have been incredibly moved by the joyful singing of those in the SHINE choir, their compassion for others and the community we have created together at Goodwin House. What a magical experience to see residents from the memory unit, with otherwise non-expressive faces, light up when we sing familiar songs together! How rewarding it is to watch our youngest members—as young as two—actively engage with our oldest members—as old as 100!

I have witnessed first-hand the transformational power of music and hope that—as UUCA transitions and grows-- these programs will continue on, with adequate funding, and be viewed as critical to the church’s mission. I leave knowing the Music Ministry is in excellent hands under Mimi’s leadership.

Per UUA protocol, and in conversation with colleagues at the UUA, I will be leaving UUCA for at least a year. My husband and I have been members of UUCA for over 25 years, having fulfilled a variety of leadership roles before I was a member of the staff. We will miss our involvement and all the many committed and dedicated individuals who have helped make this congregation so wonderful.

We have no doubt UUCA will navigate this transition with grace and love and emerge stronger than ever. We wish you all well on that journey in the coming year.

With deep gratitude and love,

Bea Ann

Bea Ann Phillips

Budget Meetings for FY2018-19

This Sunday Tamara Srader, Acting Executive and Chief Administrative Officer, will hold the fourth of six open budget meetings for the fiscal year 2018-19. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. Below is the list of scheduled meetings and topics:

Sunday April 8, 1-2:15 p.m.-- Share the Plate

Wednesday April 11, 6-7:15 p.m.--Draft Budget

Saturday April 14, 1-2:15 p.m.--Draft Budget

Final Report of the Annual Giving Campaign

The annual giving campaign concluded last week with a final report to the Board of Trustees on the status of pledges received. As of March 29, we had achieved 606 pledges for a total pledged amount of $1,121,982. This compares to last year’s closing totals of 709 pledges for $1,291,426. The result is that there will likely be approximately $170,000 less pledge income available for projected income in the 2018-19 budget currently being developed for review at scheduled congregational meetings and placed before the congregation for vote at the June 3 congregational meeting.

The decreased income derives from three primarily identifiable sources. First, and most obviously, the number of pledges is significantly fewer by about 15%. Notably, pledge participation was significantly greater than prior years until the third Sunday of the campaign (413 pledges this year verses 334 and 303 in the two prior years at that point).  Read complete report here >

A Transformative Week for Our Youth

By Elisabeth Geschiere, Coordinator Youth, Young Adult, and Social Justice Programs

Last week our Youth Group spent a week living, serving, and learning in Pipestem, West Virginia at the Appalachian South Folklife Center (ASFC). This was UUCA’s third time partnering with ASFC. It's an organization whose history and mission to serve and empower their community to live more dignified lives, to teach compassion for all, and to keep their cultural heritage alive and thriving aligns beautifully with our UU principles. Throughout the week, a third of our group worked on home repairs for an elderly woman named Ms. Linda. It turns out that Ms. Linda lived and worked in D.C. for thirty years but grew up in Princeton, W.V. Five years ago, she returned to the home that has been in her family for three generations to take care of her sick mother. The other two thirds of our group spent half the week deep-cleaning a United Methodist church in Bluewell, W.V., whose pastor, Rev. Melissa, shattered all of our stereotypes by being a charismatic, politically progressive, female pastor doing impactful radical hospitality and justice work in her community. She inspired all who met her with her strength, faith, and stories and she graciously sent us all home with a jar of homemade apple butter which her eighty and ninety year-old congregants make annually. The other half of our week was spent serving ASFC by repainting bunks and repairing flooring in one of the dorms, as well as clearing a steep hillside of brambles, leaves, and litter. Other highlights of the trip included attending an evening concert and open mic night at the Riff Raff Arts Collective, where some of our youth chose to perform, and a history lesson and hike with Ranger Richard at the New River Gorge National Park, where we learned about mountain top removal, the coal mine wars, and local ecology. Each night during Sharing Circle we lit our chalice and reflected and worshiped through singing, reading poetry written by ASFC’s co-founder Don West, and creating space to be real about our struggles and to appreciate and affirm each other’s achievements. It was a truly transformative week for all.