Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Briarcliff, Croton, and Ossining

Not in his goals, but in his transitions man is great.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Dear Members and Friends, 

Happy New Year!

I’ve been reading a lot about transitions lately. Much of the literature centers on our own Fellowship transition to calling a new minister. The other “transition” is personal and centers on my move from a happy and fulfilling 44-year professional career into a happy  and hopefully long retirement this coming year.  The issues are the same in both cases. There are endings, confusion, concern over what’s next and time in a “neutral zone,”  a termed coined by author William Bridges that represents the all-important space where we empty ourselves in order to learn how we want to fill ourselves once again.  The “neutral zone” is the place where we can safely explore new things and new ways of thinking and experiencing our lives and our spirituality. 2012 is full of the promise of new things. We have many opportunities and events to help us learn about who we are and how we want to see our Fellowship in the future. 

Midyear Business Meeting-Sunday, January 8 at 12:30 p.m.

Over the past few years, the Board has held a midyear business meeting to let you know about how things are going at the Fellowship. This year’s meeting is very important because we will be discussing, in detail, the ministerial search process which commences this winter. We will discuss the Ministerial Search Committee-the selection of its members, the significant responsibilities and the commitment of time and energy required of committee members and the steps and timing for the search process itself. We will also discuss our budget and the financial commitments we will need to make this year to meet all of our goals.  A meeting notice and agenda will be distributed prior to the meeting. 

Beyond Categorical Thinking (BCT)-Sunday, January 22-single service at 11:00 p.m. followed by lunch and workshop from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

You have probably heard me talking about BCT at the Sunday services. Jacqui Williams and Donna Dolham from the UUA Transitions office will facilitate this workshop to promote inclusive thinking and help prevent unfair discrimination in the search process for our new minister. Signup sheets are available at the coffee hour. Make sure to take a ticket and mark your calendar. 

Congregational Retreat-Community Unitarian Church of White Plains-Friday, March 23 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday, March 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

This is our opportunity to build community to determine what we, together, see as our vision for the Fellowship and our mission as UUs. The identification and articulation of our vision and mission will help us to call a Minister whose skills and characteristics are as representative of the congregation and our goals as possible. There will be lots to do and you can expect to work hard. But the rewards will be great because you will be creating the structure for the future of your spiritual home. More details will be available in upcoming emails and newsletters. 

Your presence is needed to make this process and these events meaningful and successful for all of us. I urge you to please attend all of these events.

Babysitting will be available for all events.

Stewardship Campaign-Month of April

In an earlier newsletter, I announced that our Stewardship Campaign would take place in February with Sharon and Greg Kullberg as chairs. The Board met with Sharon and Greg  at our last meeting and decided together that, in light of all that we want to accomplish this winter and early spring, it would be better to hold the Stewardship Campaign in April.   This way we will have a better idea of our goals and what we will need, financially, to attain them.

Lots to do and lots to learn. It is a very exciting time for all of us. The Board and I are delighted to be partnering with you on this journey and encourage your suggestions and questions.

In joy,

Nenette Kress

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012 at 1:32 pm and is filed under President's Letter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Dear Members & Friends,

No need for a crystal ball to know that the holidays are here already. Our Fellowship is poised for a wonderful holiday season of celebration, and we have some good news to start us off.

TRIANGLE PARCEL
After many years of thinking, talking, negotiating, (and re-thinking and being distracted by other issues and then talking and then waiting . . . and waiting while more urgent issues were addressed), your Board has concluded the process of purchasing the fabled “triangle parcel” which adjoins our property. The parcel is approximately ½ acre and is located directly behind our property; it borders the rear parking lot for Gaetano’s Grill at 2025 Albany Post Road and the ±12 acre undeveloped “Santucci” parcel at the intersection of Albany Post Road and Watch Hill Road. (You may recall that the Santucci parcel was the focus of a potential development proposal for an ice hockey facility/ recreation facility in 2006/ 07.) The purchase price for this ½ acre parcel was $15,000, or less than $0.70 a square foot. Needless to say, the Board’s discussions with real estate experts confirmed that this was an extremely favorable price.

Over the years various Boards have looked, inquired and considered the merits of acquiring this parcel. Some long time members may recall that the triangle parcel was the focus of serious attention immediately after we purchased our parking lot (former County Road 657) from Westchester County in 2003. Since acquiring our parking lot, the prospect of adding the triangle parcel was discussed in the 2004 Strategic Planning Task Force Report and has generally been part of the long range planning discussion/ process for several years.

Why add acreage when we’re unsure of our future? Yes, there is some uncertainty about where, how and when we’ll grow- but there is no doubt that UUFBCO doesn’t exist in a vacuum. To grow, evolve or merely survive the future, we have to think strategically. Your Board was motivated in part by the opportunity of taking advantage of a “down” real estate market; we believe this additional acreage will enhance the value of our property.

Among the many reasons motivating this purchase are the following:

Investment. Our cash reserves are presently earning 1% APR. We have no mortgage and healthy reserves. The purchase price is less than a dollar a square foot (!) and is a one time expense; i.e., our property is tax exempt and aside from a negligible increase in our property insurance, there will be no continuing operational cost. The purchase was funded entirely from reserves. From a purely financial perspective, the opportunity to invest a small portion of our reserves that don’t otherwise earn that much sitting in the bank is sound.

Future Potential. This acquisition increases our total acreage and therefore, increases the potential resale value of our property. Development potential is calculated largely (but not exclusively) on “floor area ratio” (FAR), meaning the larger the property, the larger the structure that can be built. If we build or rebuild here, we can build a larger structure. Alternatively, a developer could also build a larger structure; remember: our property sits on a 4-way intersection and if (if) we ever decide to sell our property, its potential for commercial development is very real. We believe that this additional acreage will increase our options for growth if we stay here, and also improve the ultimate sale price if we do choose to sell and relocate.

Strategic Planning. The near development of the 12 acre Santucci parcel at 9A and Watch Hill Road is a sobering reminder that things around us change and will continue to change. The Hilltop Nursery across the street was a private residence a few years ago. With the acquisition of the triangle, we both protect our border and position ourselves as a potential player in the future development of this neighborhood.

Thank you to Rick Turner for negotiating this important deal and to Jeff Hass for helping with the business end of the process.

BEYOND CATEGORICAL THINKING
Our Beyond Categorical Thinking Workshop (BCT), a prerequisite for our Ministerial Search and our Congregational Retreat, will take place on Sunday, January 22. Workshop leaders Donna Dolham and Jacqui Williams, along with Reverend Orlanda, will conduct a single 11:00 a.m. service. We will then break for a congregational lunch, which will be followed at 1:00 p.m. by the BCT workshop. As noted in last month’s president’s letter, this workshop is to help us work through our feelings and reactions to ministerial candidates who may be bisexual, gay, lesbian or transgender, a person of color, or a person who may be physically challenged in some way.

ENJOYING THE HOLIDAYS TOGETHER
In a world that is quite fractured, we are very fortunate to have each other to share this warm, wonderful season. Reverend Orlanda will celebrate Hanukkah at the Fellowship on Sunday, December 4; bring your favorite holiday goodies to share during the coffee hour on Sunday, December 18 at the single 11:00 a.m. service; come caroling at the Christmas Eve service at 4:00 p.m. on December 24; and join Reverend Orlanda for the last day of Kwanzaa on January 1 at the single 11:00 a.m. service. There will be no service on Sunday, December 25.

I wish you a season of warm hands and full hearts, filled with children’s smiles and the love of good friends and family.

In joy,

Nenette Kress

This entry was posted on Saturday, December 3rd, 2011 at 11:23 pm and is filed under President's Letter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Dear Members and Friends,

You can feel the air crackling at the Fellowship. All committees are in full swing and the activity is focused and energized. Reverend Orlanda joined us at the first Leadership Council meeting on October 1 and has attended most, if not all, of this year’s committee meetings as well. We shared plans for the year, (make sure to read the committee news in each monthly newsletter), and finalized the calendar. The next day the Board held its retreat which was facilitated by Andrea Lerner, our district leader. It was, for me, the best retreat we have had since I joined the Board. We brought the discipline we used in the interim process last year, and with Andrea’s facilitation and Reverend Orlanda’s guidance, kept ourselves on track. What resulted is an understanding of the developmental tasks that need to be accomplished during the interim period and a timeline for the search process.

From Transition to the Search for Our New Called Minister

There are five developmental tasks that Reverend Orlanda will help the Fellowship accomplish this year as we move through the interim and discovery process. Each will help us understand who we are and what we value, and eventually determine the type of congregation we want to be in the future and the kind of spiritual guide we seek to lead us there. Through this process, including during our congregational retreat, we will: claim and honor our past; illuminate our unique identity; clarify multiple dimensions of leadership; renew connections with available resources; and renew our vision. In preparation for the March Congregational Retreat, a team from the UUA Transitions Office with Reverend Orlanda, will conduct a January Sunday service and seminar entitled Beyond Categorical Thinking. The goal of this service is to help us acknowledge and understand our feelings in calling a minister who may be bisexual, gay, lesbian or transgender, a person of color, or a person who may be physically challenged in some way.

Search Timeline

Over the next two years, a search committee will be identified and its members will move the congregation through the important and intense process of finding our new called minister. Many of you have asked about the timing for this process. The timeline is:

March/April 2012-Identify search committee; conduct congregational survey; conduct congregational retreat.

Fall 2012-Search Committee reviews candidates; exchange candidate packets; conducts phone interviews.

Winter 2013-Search Committee conducts pulpit visits with three to five pre-candidates of which one will likely be selected.

March 2013-Search Committee meets with selected candidate.

Late April/Early May 2013-Candidate Week, where the selected candidate will preach for two Sundays and meet over the week with the congregation in various venues.

Late April/Early May 2013-Immediately following the second Sunday service of Candidate Week, a congregational meeting will be held to vote on the candidate.

August 2013-Minister arrival/move in

In the coming weeks and months, you will hear more about the fulfillment of the developmental tasks and the search events from Reverend Orlanda, members of the UUA Transitions Office and the Board.

Stewardship Campaign

This year’s Stewardship Campaign, (formerly known as the pledge campaign), will be held during the month of February. Greg and Sharon Kullberg have graciously agreed to chair this important event to support the financial needs of the Fellowship. More information will be available in the coming months.

Important Dates

Arts and Crafts Fundraiser-Friday and Saturday, November 4and 5 with art displayed throughout the month of November. Volunteers needed.

Fall Cleanup-Saturday, November 12. Volunteers needed.
Beyond Categorical Thinking-January 2012. Watch for date.
Stewardship Campaign-February 2012.

So Much To Be Thankful For…
This has been an eventful year for our Fellowship. It has been filled with many joys as well as the heartache of illness and loss. Yet, each Sunday we come together to share with each other, learn from each other, and support each other, all in a spirit of warmth and love. It is these connections that help to make our Fellowship the spiritual home that it is for all of us. My thanks to all of you for your many contributions to our Fellowship, and for simply being you.

Happy Thanksgiving!
In joy,
Nenette Kress, President of the Board of Trustees

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011 at 8:55 am and is filed under President's Letter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Dear Members & Friends,October is upon us and we are on a fast track from here to the end of the calendar year. October 1, we have our first Leadership Council meeting of the Fellowship year, and October 2 is this year’s Board Retreat. Reverend Orlanda has attended most, if not all, of the committee meetings this year and has brought her experience and counsel to each. She will be joining us at the Council meeting as well. Our Board Retreat this year is being facilitated by District Executive, Andrea Lerner. Andrea’s experience with congregations entering the called minister search combined with Reverend Orlanda’s interim skills, will help the board determine our objectives and navigate the journey as we move through our search process over the next two years.

Welcoming Congregation
During coffee hour several weeks ago, Ken Counselman and I were standing next to the framed letter to the left side of the sanctuary door that cites our Fellowship as being a Welcoming Congregation. Ken said that it’s probable that many of us might not know what being part of a Welcoming Congregation means. It prompted me to learn more and share it with all of you.

The Welcoming Congregation Program is a completely volunteer program for Unitarian Universalist congregations that want to take intentional steps to become more welcoming and inclusive of people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender (LGBT). First launched in 1990, the Welcoming Congregation Program grew out of an understanding that widespread negative attitudes, deep prejudices, and profound ignorance about lesbian, gay, and bisexual people existed within Unitarian Universalism, which resulted in the exclusion of lesbian, gay and bisexual people from our congregations. Within the next decade, it became clear that transgender individuals also faced particular problems. This reality troubled many people who are committed to making UU congregations welcoming and inclusive places for all people, especially minority groups who have traditionally experienced exclusion, discrimination and misrepresentation within our society. Citing the principles of our UU faith-especially the affirmation of the inherentworth and dignity of every person, the 1989 General Assembly voted to initiate the Welcoming Congregation Program.
Today, 65% of U.S. Unitarian Universalist congregations and 92% of Canadian UU congregations are recognized as Welcoming Congregations, and UUFBCO is proud to be one of them. This Sunday, take a moment to look at the letter proclaiming our Welcoming Congregation participation. It is an important example of why we have chosen to be Uus.

Reminder
This month we will have two lay-led services, one on October 2 and one on October 30. This means that there is only a single 11:00 a.m. service. Also, this year’s fundraiser, a musical cabaret, will be held on Saturday, March 10. Mark your 2012 calendars so you don’t miss it.

October is a symphony of permanence and change.
Bonaro W. Overstreet

Take a moment to appreciate its beauty.
In joy,
Nenette Kress, President of the Board of Trustees

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011 at 8:51 am and is filed under President's Letter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Dear Members & Friends,I miss you. Summer has gone by very fast and it is hard to believe that we are ready to start a new Fellowship year.

Welcome Reverend Orlanda
As you know, we are welcoming our interim minister, Reverend Orlanda Brugnola this month. To help Orlanda get to know us and to help her make her ministry as effective as possible, we have formed a Transition Team. The role of this team is to provide Orlanda with history and insight about our congregation and to act as organizational and facilitative willing hands as her ministry proceeds. The team, consisting of Bearnie Croft, Geoff Golson, Ken Swanson, Amalia Connolly, Sandy Lewis and Gary Simon, will be Orlanda’s “brain trust” as she guides us through our visioning and towards our search process next year.

Exciting Changes
If you stopped by the Fellowship over these past months, you have seen many changes. We have a beautiful new minister’s office, a bright, clean kitchen and a newly painted sanctuary thanks to Brian and Leigh Kahn and Sondra Treadwell and her grandson, Ben, who have done the lion’s share of the work. Thank you also for the helping hands of Greg Kullberg and sons–JJ and Mike, Daria Gregg, Lynda and Steven Karanikolas, Ken Swanson, Sandy Lewis, Bob Hudson, Sheri Brown, Don Parrish, Lourdes Valls-Weissman, Jim Terry, Dave Morkal, Peter Fromme and Ginny Stillman. The commitment of this team in the midst of heat, hail, thunder and lightning has been amazing. Special thanks to the Lynda Karanikolas and the Arts Committee for their help with selecting paint colors. And, thanks to the Trinity-Boscobel Methodist Church for lending us their scaffolding which was a big savings for us. We appreciate everyone’s energy and commitment. Thank you also to the presenters of our summer services. I attended a number of them and always came away intellectually stimulated and spiritually rejuvenated.

Sunday Services
Our regular services start on Sunday, September 11 when we will commemorate the tenth anniversary of 9/11 at both the 9:00 a.m. and the 11:00 a.m. services. We will hold our Water Communion on the next Sunday, September 18. We welcome everyone to bring special water from your summer vacation. Please remember to microwave your water before adding it to the communal vessel so that we may use this water for our new baby dedication ceremonies throughout the year. In addition, we will have our Welcome Back Potluck immediately following the service on September 18 and we look forward to all of your delicious contributions. Finally, all Worship Program Sundays will have only one service at 11:00 a.m. Please watch the bulletin for the dates. We will also make sure to indicate this time change on our web site, our phone message and our outdoor signage.

Mark Your Calendars
• Sunday, September 11-Ten Year Anniversary of 9/11
• Sunday, September 18-Water Communion Service/Welcome Back Potluck
• Friday, March 23 and Saturday, March 24-Congregational Retreat

Lot’s more to come. Welcome back.

In joy,

Nenette Kress, President of the Board of Trustees

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011 at 8:49 am and is filed under President's Letter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Dear Members and Friends,It is hard to believe that we are in the last month of our 2010-2011 Fellowship year. It has been a year full of wonderful events, great memories, a new piano and progress on our journey towards the new ministry for our Fellowship. Our interim search committee-Rob Malionek, Gerry Peet, Anne Pearl and Janet Englund-has identified an interim minister out of the nine candidates presented to us. We are still in the process of formalizing the contract and will have more information for you at the annual meeting on June 5. I urge you to attend this important meeting as we elect board members for the coming year, hear about the accomplishments of our committees, get a report from the facility task force, and approve our budget.

There are still outstanding pledge amounts due for the 2010-2011 pledge year. We are making investments every year in the growth of our Fellowship, our new full-time interim minister being one of them. Each of us needs to honor our pledge commitments to enable us to fulfill on our vision and to meet our goals of a financially healthy congregation.

On May 21, we celebrated with Reverend Jim and his family at a grand event overlooking the Hudson. The sun came out and so did a show of the talent that makes our Fellowship so unique. Dave Morkal emceed and shared his memories of Jim over the years. Spirits in Harmony and the choir sang, and Jim played his famous ragtime music. An endowment was established in Reverend Jim’s name to carry on his legacy to the Fellowship. Contributions will continue to be accepted. Send them to Rita Ruotolo marked for the Reverend Jim Endowment Fund.

Over the past year, at each Sunday service, each holiday celebration and each amazing sermon, we have felt the tug on our hearts because we knew that every event marked another milestone to Reverend Jim’s last year with us. We have celebrated him joyously at his party and now must deal with the reality of his leaving. As you all know, June is Jim’s last month with us as our spiritual leader. He will always be in our hearts and thoughts as a dear friend and minister. There’s still time for hugs and stories and for us to help Jim and each other as we go through our parting.

Dates to remember: Annual Meeting, June 5; Picnic, June 12

In joy, Nenette Kress, President,

Board of Trustees

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 7th, 2011 at 3:14 pm and is filed under President's Letter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

We’ve come to rely on those members who continually contribute energy, time and money to make our Fellowship what it is today. This month, I wanted to take this space to thank those people, individually, who made two of our most recent initiatives so successful.

Auction Appreciation
The first is a big “thank you” to Ginny Stillman and her fundraising committee of Bethany Davis, Betsy Turner, Janet Englund and Catherine Marsh. This very small committee, through its fundraising events, provides very big financial returns that enable the Fellowship to make needed capital improvements to our facility. To date this year, through a combination of the Auction, UU On-the-Road events, Art & Craft Show, B & B Hospitality and last fall’s folk concert, Fundraising has raised $20,000. A successful Auction means lots of goods and services to bid on along with entertainment, food, set up and clean up. Thanks as well to those who so generously committed their time to the event. It was a delight for the eye, ear and palate. And last but not least, thanks to every one (see below) who donated items to be auctioned. The memories and returns in enjoyment will last all year long.
Sheri Brown, Peter Callaway, Cornelia Cotton, Berni Croft & Bob Hudson, Dana Cole Salon, Pam Davis, dePrez Liquors, Marjorie Donahue, Janet Englund & Jennifer Gentry, Adele Fishman, Clare & Eddy Fried, Chris & Peter Fromme, Carolyn Fuller, Jeanette Gould, Daria Gregg, Linda Griffin, Carl Grimm, Jeff Hass & Marianne Loffredo, Doug Jacoby, Dick Joseph, Just in Thyme, Leigh & Brian Kahn, Marjie Kemper, Nenette Kress,Sharon & Greg Kullberg, Francoise LeGoues, Sonya & Sandy Lewis, Stephanie Madura, Jeanne Mahoney, Catherine Marsh, Kathy Williams & Dave Morkal, Chuck Morrissey, Brian & Kyla Oliver, Molly & Don Parrish, Anne Pearl, Susan Peters, Jana & Lang Phipps, Karen Quinn-Panzer, Jan Ruotolo, Rita Ruotolo, SharaNiko Photo, Sally & Gary Simon, Ginny Stillman & Jim Russell, Jackie Stoner, Bethany & Ken Swanson, Paul Tarricone, Elizabeth ter Porten, Phyllis Tortora, Betsy & Rick Turner, Patrick Varekamp, and Tillie Weinbaum.

Key Persons
The second is the wonderful response to the sale of our piano keys. As of Sunday’s service(I know more were purchased), we had sold 67 keys for a total of $6,700 and the keys are still for sale. A round of applause for our Key Persons listed below.

Purchase of One Piano Key Each:
Anonymous donator, Board of Trustees, Jean Brigleb, Sheri Brown, Peter Callaway,Matt & Christine Clayton, The Connolly Family, Amalia Connolly, Ken Counselman, Berni Croft & Bob Hudson, Iris & Roger Dayer, Marjorie Donahue, Jessica Franklin & Suleman Khawaja, Marge Grimm, Carl Grimm, Lorraine Keegan, Sara Kelsy, Sharon & Greg Kullberg, Francoise LeGoues, Herb & Bobbe Lipton,Teri Lukin & Chris Oliver,Catherine Marsh, Bettina Meyer & Al Morgillo, Maria & Chuck Morrissey, Dawn Norris, Anne Pearl, Jan Ruotolo, James Russell, Erika Schenker & Roberta Kosse, Sally & Gary Simon, Nenette Kress for Mille Stand, Bethany & Ken Swanson, Nancy Thomas & Judy Wells & Lydia Rivaud, Phyllis Tortora, Sondra Treadwell, Lourdes Valls-Weissman, Heather Hewitt & Matthew Weidner, Kathy Williams & Dave Morkal.

Purchase of Two Piano Keys Each:
Joel & Karla Cambron, Suzanne Hall & Jim Covington, Janet Englund & Jennifer Gentry, Clare & Eddy Fried, Jessica & Robert Malionek, Catherine Marsh-NY Community Trust Fund matching, Peter Stand & Susan Walker for Holly & Milly Stand.

Purchase of Four/Five Piano Keys Each:
Brian, Leigh, Hayleigh & Harrison Kahn (4), Nenette Kress (5), Anne & Elliot Sumers (5).

What is striking about these lists is the number of names that we see repeated event-after-event, year-after-year. I know how much creativity, innovation and energy resides in each of you. I urge you to commit yourself to an upcoming event. It would be my greatest pleasure to include your name in my next thank you note.

Dates to remember:
May 1-Coming of Age Ceremony (single 10 a.m. service)
May 15-RE Sunday
May 21-Reverend Jim’s Celebration
June 5-Annual Meeting (11 a.m.)
June 12-Annual Picnic

In joy, Nenette Kress,
President, Board of Trustees

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 17th, 2011 at 6:42 pm and is filed under President's Letter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Dear Members and Friends,

There is a lot of news packed into this letter, and indeed, the entire newsletter. Please take few minutes to read it and to note the events listed in your calendar. We are anticipating a full and exciting spring.  

Religious Education 

Peggy Clarke is resigning as of Director Religious Education effective April 6. We greatly value all that Peggy helped us accomplish during her time with us. RE has a strong  structure and focus including a path for continuing education for our adults. The result of this great foundation is that Peggy’s successor steps into a strong and growing program that is valued by the parents, loved by the children and filled with great expectations for the        future. And, the future is already here… Jane Podell, the former RE Director at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Poughkeepsie, will be joining us as our new RE Director in April. Jane brings 17 years of RE experience and a lot of great ideas and enthusiasm. We wish Peggy all the best in her new endeavors and welcome Jane to our family. 

Quiet Pledge 

We have $137,150 in pledges through March 15 and not all forms are in as yet. We’ve begun our budget process with the committees, all of whom have ideas and needs for 2011-2012. Your pledge commitment helps us plan how to make it all happen. A gentle reminder-if you’ve not sent in your form as yet, please do so as soon as possible. We are counting on your help to make next year a great year. 

“Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent” ~Victor Hugo 

I know I said thank you to Keith Harris, Erika Schenker, Daria Gregg and the Music Committee for all their efforts to bring us the piano. But, I hadn’t heard it played… and beautifully played it has been by Erika these last two Sundays. It is an amazing addition to our musical legacy. Thank you to all of you and to our “key persons” for making it happen. 

B & G-Whiz! 

We have spring at the Fellowship thanks to the collective energies of B & G. It was a tough one, but we lost not one member, friend, kid or car.

Celebrating Rev. Jim Covington

Earlier this year, I asked you to mark Saturday, May 21 in your calendars for our party to celebrate Rev. Jim. Here are the particulars for the celebration:

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Briarcliff, Croton and Ossining
invites you to a celebration honoring the Rev. Jim Covington
upon his retirement after serving 21 years as our Minister

Saturday, May 21, 2011
4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The Cove
5 John Walsh Boulevard
Peekskill, New York 10566

Celebratory entertainment

Hot and cold hors d’oeuvres, Cash Bar

Advance tickets required at $20 per person
Tickets will be available after services from Sunday, April 24 to May 15
Children’s tickets at $20 per child
Babysitting will not be available

Jim has requested in lieu of gifts, that contributions be made to
the Rev. Covington Endowment Fund.
Contributions can be made at the event.

It promises to be a wonderful event. We look forward to seeing everyone.

More Dates to Remember

• April 2-Taking a Chance on Love Auction

• May 15-RE Sunday

• June 5-Annual Meeting

• June 12-Picnic

So many people in the world are going through such great difficulty. Our Fellowship encourages contemplation and sharing. I constantly am surprised and delighted each week by how renewed I feel after spending time with all of you. Thank you for giving me a place to find serenity.

In joy,

Nenette Kress, President
Board of Trustees

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 6th, 2011 at 5:07 pm and is filed under President's Letter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Dear Members and Friends, 

First, a big thank you to Patrick Varekamp. I must say that when Patrick came to me with the idea of a Quiet Pledge, especially one earlier in the year from our other pledge drives and during a year of change, I was a bit concerned. To date, in response to Patrick’s articulate letters, posters and gentle reminders, 99 out of 127 members and six friends have pledged for a total of $131,500, which is ahead of where we were at the same point in last year’s campaign by $4,215. In addition, there are 27 members and two friends who have not yet made their pledge.

For those who have not yet pledged, please take a moment and complete your form. We need your support and contributions to hire our interim Minister, our new RE Director and to plan for, among other things, an all-Fellowship retreat in the fall…to meet whatever your dreams are for our Fellowship. Reach out to Patrick or to me with any questions. Forms are available at services or from our administrator, Rita Ruotolo, at uucroton@gmail.com.

The Interim Minister Search Committee and members of the Board met with Doug Ford, the UUA District Compensation Consultant, to discuss the compensation portion of our application for the interim minister. We have appropriately budgeted for the compensation, and the next critical step is to complete the interim minister application by April 15. Names of interim candidates are provided from UUA for the committee’s consideration by the end of April, with interviews taking place in early May. We look forward to having our interim minister selected by the end of May.

The new piano will be at the Fellowship in the next week or two, thanks to the efforts of Keith Harris and Erika Schenker, who took test runs of several instruments, and Daria Gregg, who located the magnificent Steinway for us. Valued at $40,000, we were able to purchase it for just under $15,000 from the owner who wanted it to have a good home at the Fellowship. A portion of the piano will be paid for from Dirk Barrett’s bequest-$7,500, and a plaque will be created and placed on the piano in Dirk’s memory. We are hoping to raise the remaining $7,500 in a unique and fun way. You each have an opportunity to be part of this exciting process by purchasing one of the 88 piano keys for $100 each. Bring your checkbook to services and sign up to be a “Key Person” in our ongoing musical legacy.

Bright yellow flyers have sprouted in everyone’s mailboxes in preparation for this year’s fundraising auction on Saturday, April 2. Complete the form to let the fundraising committee know what items you are contributing to the auction-goods, services, re-gifting, merchant donations-are all welcome.

Green shoots are coming up…I saw a crocus the other day. Spring is not far away.

In joy,

Nenette Kress, President, Board of Trustees

This entry was posted on Friday, March 11th, 2011 at 10:51 am and is filed under President's Letter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

 Dear Members and Friends,

February is a favorite month of mine. It’s the shortest winter month. My five-year-old granddaughter, Kiera, celebrates her birthday on Valentine’s Day.  We really can begin to think about warmer weather a bit… And the grocery store is selling pussy willows-one of the first harbingers of spring. 

Lots of things are going on this month. During the latter part of January and on into February, the Fellowship has sign-ups for the various committees-an opportunity to fulfill our vision by using your talents and following your interests with other talented members. Once signups are completed, each committee elects a chair, reviews and reissues its charter and sets its goals for the new year. I urge you to participate. Committee membership is very rewarding. Our Quiet Pledge, that ran through the month of January, resulted in our receiving pledges from 59 percent of our members and friends totaling $108,450. If you have not made your pledge as yet, please make sure to do so. Forms are still available after services or through Rita Ruotolo, our administrator.  

This year’s Nomination Committee has been established. Matt Clayton, Teri Lukin and Jim Russell will be canvassing the membership for candidates to fill four open board positions for the 2011-2012 Fellowship year. Any members interested in serving on the Board of Trustees may submit their names to the Nomination Committee for consideration. The Board’s interim minister selection task force consisting of Gerry Peet, Jeff Hass, Janet Englund and Rob Malionek is developing a profile of our Fellowship, our goals and the appropriate compensation for a full-time interim minister. At this month’s Board meeting on February 16, Doug Ford, the District Compensation Consultant, will help us understand how to put together our financials to present to the interim candidates we will be talking with in the spring. 

Keith Harris and the Music Committee are continuing the search for a new piano. They  presented a number of options for instruments to the Board and will continue looking for a piano that is the best mix of size (appropriate for our space), quality and price. Once the best piano has been found and the purchase made, the piano will be dedicated to Dirk Barrett and will bear a plaque honoring his many contributions to the Fellowship. 

Mark your calendars for two important events. Saturday, April 2, 2011, the Fundraising Committee will hold its biennial auction. This event is always fun. Ginny Stillman and her committee will be reaching out for volunteers to help with the event. On Saturday, May 21, the Fellowship will celebrate Reverend Jim Covington at his retirement party. The event will be held at the Cove, Charles Point, in Peekskill. Hold these dates and watch for more information in the coming weeks and months. 

Stay warm and Happy Valentine’s Day.

In joy,

Nenette Kress, President

Board of Trustees

This entry was posted on Saturday, February 19th, 2011 at 3:50 pm and is filed under President's Letter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Dear Members and Friends,This fall has presented us with many opportunities to spend time together both during services and outside. The Music Committee turned an impromptu visit from UU composer and lyricist Jim Scott into a musical evening at the Fellowship on October 23. Our single service on October 31 was a resounding success. 83 members and friends carpooled their way to the Fellowship to share a warm and beautiful UN Sunday together. The greeting during the service and the coffee hour were all the better because we got to see people we might not see every Sunday.

We have a full calendar this November starting the first weekend with Peggy Clarke’s ordination on the 7th at 4:30 p.m. at the White Plains Fellowship. We look forward to celebrating with Peggy. Babysitting will be available on site. On Friday, November 12 at 7:00 p.m., we will have the first of our Fellowship Hall Meetings-our version of a town hall meeting. The topic is Transition Talk. Gerry Peet and I will facilitate a discussion on the process of choosing an interim minister. This session will help prepare us for our meeting with Reverend Craig Hirshberg on December 12. Please try to come. Babysitting is available for this event as well. Coffee and cookies too. During the day on Saturday, November 20,B&G will hold the our annual fall cleanup. Hard workers are needed. November 20 is also the date for the opening reception of the 46th Annual Artists of Northern Westchester Show followed by Art Sunday on the 21st.

Over the next few weeks the Membership Committee will be sending out invitations to members to attend a Community Dinner in the coming months. These small gatherings, held at members’ homes, will provide an intimate setting for good food and good conversation on your vision and dreams for our Fellowship’s future. Watch for more information.

In its continuing commitment to the governance of the Fellowship, the Board has established a Finance Committee. The role of this standing management committee is to strengthen our financial controls through centralized coordination of our financial activities including day-to-day administration and fundraising activities. Chaired by Jeff Hass, treasurer, the committee is comprised of members with expertise and experience in finance, accounting and budget coordination. The committee will meet quarterly and will work closely with the chairs of the stewardship and fundraising committees and the annual pledge chair.

Finally, there are several opportunities for continuing UU adult education available through the Fellowship. These include SoulWork: UU Spirituality Exploration facilitated by Peggy Clark and held in the Fellowship Hall, the Church Revitalization Group held at the home of Eddy Fried, and Harvest the Power: Leadership Development taught by Peggy Clark,Michael Tino and Frances Sink in the Fellowship Hall. I hope you find time to check them out. See the Sunday bulletin for dates and times.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. I wish each of you a very special and happy holiday with your families and friends.

In joy, Nenette Kress
President, Board of Trustees

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010 at 2:45 pm and is filed under President's Letter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Dear Members & Friends,Well, autumn is here officially, even though we’ve had only a few crisp days and just a tinge of color on the leaves. However, the Fellowship is in full swing. We had our first Leadership Council meeting on September 18. It was a full room as the committees shared their plans for the year- they have exciting and robust agendas, which we will all learn about as we move through the next several months. And, the Board held its retreat on the same weekend to map out plans for governance, communications, our interim minister search and by-law changes. Lot’s going on.

As I mentioned in my last letter, we will have two single service Sundays this year. This means that we will combine the 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. services into one 10:00 a.m. service so that we all may share our spiritual time together. The date for the first single service Sunday is October 31, UN Sunday. Reverend Jim and Eddy Fried will present the service together. Remember, we will all need to car pool, so reach out to other members and friends to offer or get a ride. Gerry Peet says that the single service Sundays will be like a “huge hug.” Hope you agree.

As you know, our Pledge Campaign has a new time this year, with the core part of the drive taking place in January. Patrick Varekamp has graciously agreed to lead the pledge campaign. Thank you, Patrick.

We have a few date changes, so mark your calendars. Reverend Craig Hirschberg will conduct her Minister-in-Transition services at both services on Sunday, December 12. For those of you who would like to learn more about the transition process, log onto www.uua.org/leaders/leadership/transitions/index.shtml. There is a wealth of information on ministerial transitions on the site. I found The Transitional Ministry Handbook especially helpful. It provides good information on the process and is easy to print. Pages 3 through 10 concentrate on the interim ministry-which we will be starting shortly.

Peggy Clarke’s ordination will now be held at the White Plains Fellowship, (needed more room), at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 7. Our Fundraising Auction will be held on Saturday, April 2.

 
A couple of things on giving… Remember that your company or organization may offer a matching contribution program. This means that for each dollar you pledge, your employer contributes a matching dollar. Not all employers offer this program, but it is certainly worth checking out. Also, on a personal note, this has been a year of joys and sorrows, many of which I have shared with this Fellowship. As I do every fall, I reviewed my will. This year, I increased the amount that I am bequeathing to UUBCO in remembrance of the kindness of this congregation. What you have given to me, I hope will be given to others in the future. Please consider doing the same.

 
See you soon.
Nenette Kress, President
Board of Trustees

This entry was posted on Monday, October 18th, 2010 at 5:09 pm and is filed under President's Letter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Dear Members and Friends,

The summer has flown. It is hard to believe that it is time to start a new congregational year. I remember my first September service with UUBCO. I never had been to a Water Ceremony before and was deeply touched by it-adults and children sharing their summer experiences through the communion of life-giving water-and its symbolism of our shared faith coming from many different sources. In this coming year, which is one of change for our Fellowship, it is important that we remember and celebrate the unique contributions we each make to bring life to our community. We need to keep communications flowing by   sharing our ideas and addressing our concerns so that everyone participates fully in creating the vision for our future. 

The Board is working on opportunities for everyone to be part of the process as we say farewell to Reverend Jim and transition to a new minister including open conversation sessions between services, single Sunday services where the entire congregation comes together, and events where we can meet socially in smaller groups. While still in the planning stages, you will be hearing more about these opportunities very soon. 

Already we have a number of important dates for you to put into your calendars. Of course, in addition to the Water Ceremony, we have our Welcome Back Potluck after the 11:00 a.m. service on September 12. Social events is looking for food contributions… Contact Susi Dugaw or Maria Morrissey to let them know what you are bringing. Sunday, October 24 at 4:30 p.m. at the Mount Kisco Fellowship is when our Religious Education Director, Peggy Clarke, will be ordained. We are all invited to celebrate this momentous occasion. The  Reverend Craig Hirshberg will meet with us at both services on Sunday, October 31 to  discuss our journey in search of a new minister. I urge all of you to come and hear what she has to tell us. Our annual fundraising Auction will be held on Saturday, March 5. You will be hearing more about these events and many others in the coming weeks. 

The single most important goal that I have as your president is for open communications among all members of our Fellowship that are tempered by understanding, compassion, patience and inclusion. But I cannot do this alone… I need each of you to work with me. I am sure that we will have our moments when all is not in harmony, but if we remember to work in partnership with one another we can expect to have a very healthy and fulfilling year. 

One housekeeping item. Many of you place your pledge checks in the offering basket, which is fine. However, please mark your checks either “pledge” or “plate” so that we can make sure that it goes into the right account. If not marked “pledge” it will be assumed that the contribution is for the “plate.” Thank you for your help on this. 

See you on September 12.

All the best,

Nenette Kress, President, Board of Trustees

This entry was posted on Friday, September 10th, 2010 at 12:33 pm and is filed under President's Letter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Dear Members and Friends,

It’s been hot, hot, hot. It reminds me of my summers as a child in Lancaster, PA where the sun made the corn, tomatoes and fruit really sweet, and a breeze really welcome. While the summer always passes quickly, the heat slows you down a bit. So grab an iced tea and a good book and spend some time in the hammock, because September is coming very quickly.

Summer program services have had double digit participation. And no wonder… They have been great. Phyllis Tortora helped us learn about our Unitarian vocabulary, giving us some background on the words and symbols that we all love, but the sources of which we may not know. Ken Counselman, Marge Grimm and Gretchen Ostrander took us to this year’s UUA, giving us a front row seat at its many opportunities to meet UUs and to learn more about the GA plans. Amalia Connelly has us meditating and Jeanette Gould helped us learn how to be more caring about our communications with one another. That’s just what went on in July. There is still an entire month of programs that will enliven your summer including Peter Callaway’s “The Best of Jim (Covington).” I urge you to come.

July also gave us a beautiful, windy day on the river for our annual picnic. It was a lovely time to spend with each other in good conversation with good food.

Peggy Clarke, in addition to being our DRE, has become the Consulting Minister at Mohegan Lake. Peggy’s new ministerial experiences will contribute to the richness of her work with our RE program and give our Fellowship more opportunities to get to know our UU neighbors at Mohegan Lake.

The Board and the committees continued meeting over the summer to make plans for what will be a full new year of learning, transition and change. In October, Craig Hirshberg,Director of Ministerial Transition from the Metro District, will meet with the entire congregation to discuss our journey to our search for a new minister. Watch for the date and more information in the weekly bulletin. Just a reminder that the board meets monthly on the third Wednesday of every month at the Fellowship beginning in September. The dates are on the website calendar. You are welcome to come and see how we work together. Reach out to any of us at any time-Gerry Peet, vice president, Shahan Islam, secretary, Jeff Hass, treasurer, Rick Turner, Anne Pearl and Janet Englund.

Enjoy the rest of your summer. But come back on September 12 with a full pencil box and your pencils sharpened. We will have our water ceremony and our welcome back potluck in our B&G spiffed-up Fellowship. I look forward to a special and rewarding new year with all of you.

Best,
Nenette Kress, President
Board of Trustees

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 11th, 2010 at 4:59 pm and is filed under President's Letter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

By now you have received Jim’s letter announcing his retirement in June 2011. The foundation Jim has laid here (compassion, empathy, love, acceptance . . . to name a few of the pillars) will endure and resonate for many years to come. I believe our Fellowship is on the cusp of some big things and in the years ahead- at a community supper or a spring cleanup- we’ll trace it all back to Jim Covington; the Baptist minister from (West) Tennessee who found his calling as a Unitarian Universalist and lovingly served the Croton Fellowship for over 20 years. We will carry on, build upon and move toward the community Jim Covington preached about and nurtured.

So, although I often write of changes made, planned or under consideration, we will have to add a big one to the top of the list: we will soon begin a search for a full-time minister. As I mentioned at worship this last Sunday, Jim gave the Board ample notice of his plan to retire and the Board has used this time to read and discuss the search process. Board members Jeff Hass and Gerry Peet have led our ad hoc team on the intricacies, details and terminology of selection process- yes, it’s somewhat of a bureaucracy, but that’s how human beings organize and work together! So we will now turn to the UUA and rely on their experience and expertise to guide us ahead. There will be opportunities for all to participate in the search process. The first step will be to retain an “interim” minister who will begin in the fall of 2011. The interim minister cannot serve as Jim’s permanent replacement. The interim is an experienced minister who has been trained in the search dynamic/ process. He or she will guide us and help us navigate our way forward to “calling” a full-time minister to “settle” here. As I also mentioned on Sunday, if you have any questions about any aspect of our search for a full-time minister, talk to any Board member at coffee hour or on the phone.

This is just one of the many challenges that lie ahead for the 2010-11 Fellowship Year. In preparation for our next year, we will hold our annual meeting this coming Sunday, June 6 at 10:30 a.m. and consider a list of tasks: (i) (possibly) changing our name (or not), (ii) considering a Fellowship covenant, (iii) adopting a budget and (iv) electing 3 new members to the Board- among other things! I distributed a proposed agenda so members could familiarize themselves with the issues in advance. There are three seats open for election on Board of Trustees and the Nomination Committee has recommended the election of Jeff Hass, Gerry Peet and Janet Englund. I strongly endorse their candidacies and urge you to vote for each. Jeff and Gerry are each currently members of the Board and their service and respective contributions have been tremendous. I look forward to working with Janet who has been active in the Revitalization Committee (that’s an impressive credential for me!).

This is my final letter to you as President. Writing a letter each month has been an added chore, but also a task that has forced me to focus on our goals, our needs (our bats, our bills, etc.). Serving as President has been an honor. I follow a long line of better Presidents (and Board members) that were each inspirational and each gave so much to keep our Fellowship running. Serving as President is a role with unique rewards- first and most significantly: getting to know many members outside my personal “orbit.” My commitment to the Fellowship, and its future, has been forever enriched. Thank you for entrusting me with this special role.

Rick Turner, President
Board of Trustees

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 8th, 2010 at 1:17 pm and is filed under President's Letter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Dear Members and Friends,The Board held an informal meeting to review the proposed 2010-11 budget on Sunday, April 25 after the second service to hear concerns and (hopefully) answer questions. A copy of the budget was distributed via e-mail in advance of the meeting. (If you don’t have access to e-mail, just call the Administrator, Rita, at the church office and request a “hard” copy; Rita will place a copy in your mail box). The budget process is a combination of two dominate themes: (i) what we must do to sustain the on going work and mission of the Fellowship and, in addition, (ii) an effort to give form and shape to our aspirations. Last year we funded the Music Ministry program and we have all shared in the joy as this program has taken root and taken off (a mixed metaphor). This year, the Board made a very deliberate effort to prioritize our Religious Education program by allocating funds to increase the Director’s time from the current quarter time to a half time. Many of you have heard Jim say that the Religious Education program is one of our most important ministries; the Board shares this same vision. What many adults find so attractive about Unitarian Universalism is also appealing to the young-an honest search with honest (if uncertain) answers and a deep commitment to respecting life and sharing a small planet. The vitality of the RE program is readily apparent and the Board feels an obligation to facilitate and promote that positive spirit by expanding the DRE’s role to half time. And so our budget grows-as we make a conscious decision to grow ourselves and yes, we’ll need your help to do it.

Next on the Board agenda, is the capital budget and again the same two themes emerge: (i) what must we do to keep our church safe and functional and (ii) what improvements would we like to see done. Many have asked for better handicap access and after being on crutches myself, I agree that is a very worthy project. Some improvements to the parking lot might get us an additional space or two and with the roof fixed, we need to repaint the sanctuary. But how much more money should we invest in this place-we’re bursting at the seams; some (Jim) Sundays are SRO and our holiday and social events verge on being too crowded to enjoy. Should we try to relocate or stay where we are? The capital budget will be voted on together with the operating budget at the annual meeting.

The other budget news is less glamorous, but equally important. Many of you may be aware that our stalwart Treasurer, Greg Kullberg, is leaving the board at the end of his term in June. OH! NO!! His service to the Fellowship has been a gift to all of us-the treasurer’s role is demanding and crucial to virtually every aspect of Fellowship life. With Greg leaving the Board, we will re-define the job to make it less burdensome on any one person and also take the opportunity to institute new fiscal policies. We were very, very fortunate to have Greg assume this role, but we cannot count on always being so lucky in the future; to insure that our cash management practices continue to measure up to the standard that Greg has set will take some work- it won’t happen by accident.

Lastly I want to thank the Church Revitalization Group (a part of the Adult RE program)for attending our last board meeting. The group is reading The Almost Church Revitalized, by Michael Dural (there are a lot of copies in circulation if you are interested). The group is talking about what UU’ism actualized and practiced could be and . . . what we can be. Their energy and spirit energized the entire Board meeting; thanks.

Rick Turner, President
Board of Trustees

This entry was posted on Monday, May 3rd, 2010 at 12:48 pm and is filed under President's Letter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Dear Members and Friends,”What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Wm. Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act I.

On March 7, we had a “special” Fellowship meeting following the 11 a.m. service to discuss the possibility of changing the name of our Fellowship and (possibly) changing the name of RE at the Annual Meeting on June 6. And, at the most recent Board meeting, a representative of the Program Committee informed the Board that the Program Committee would like to change its name! (to the “Worship Service” Committee). I am not sure what all this name-change may mean; are we re-defining ourselves? Perhaps we are giving more thought to who we are, or who we want to be? Regardless of the underlying motivation, we take names seriously because the term used to denominate and identify a thing is the beginning of its definition. A name frequently conveys a message, whether intended or not. And so a rose by any other name may indeed smell as sweet, but the question remains would you pause and bring that same flower to your nose and dare sample the aroma if it were called something dark and menacing; I think not.

What a name connotes may be a bit circular, but there is a very real feeling among our members that our current name (Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Briarcliff-Croton-Ossining, Inc.) is unwieldy and does not fit us well. Last year, the Board established a task force, headed by Anne Sumers, to explore the issue and . . . what a deep, rich issue it is! Are we a Fellowship, a Church or a Congregation? Must we include the term “Universalist,” or should we include the term Universalist? Do we limit ourselves by a geographical reference or . . . does a location convey where we can be found? On March 7, about 40 or so members met to discuss all these issues, meeting first in small groups of 4-5, and then as one group we listed various names, and in a voting process led by Des Fitzpatrick, everyone voted for his/ her favorite with a democratic twist: those members voting for the names garnering the least votes were eligible to vote again for any of the remaining names. We will use this same process again at the Annual Meeting, so let me explain: we stated with 12 names (as recommended by each small group) and everyone present voted for his/her favorite. We decided we wanted to end the process with four possible names to bring to the annual meeting and so the name with the least votes was struck from the list of possible candidates and those members who had voted for that same name were invited to vote again for any of the remaining names on the list. The process was repeated until the following four names remained: (i) Rivertowns Unitarian Universalist Fellowship; (ii) Hudson Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation; (iii) Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship at Croton; and (iv)Hudson Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. These four names will be presented to the membership in June for consideration and, in addition, the name recommended (unanimously) recommended by the Task Force, i.e., the “Unitarian Fellowship at Croton-on-Hudson,” will be on the list for consideration. In addition, members will also be offered the option of “no change” as well. So, there are the 6 options that will be presented to you at the annual meeting on June 6-please prepare for this momentous occasion: think about it, discuss it at coffee hour and in your community circle.

As many of us look forward to (possibly) adopting a new name, our more immediate goal is the 2010/11 budget. Des and Jean Fitzpatrick are leading the pledge drive this year and many of you have heard the pledge testimony from fellow congregants on Sunday mornings. The 2010/11 budget will, I believe, be a watershed; members talk about the need to undertake new programs and new initiatives, but these ventures cost money. And,although there are big expectations for the coming year, many of the underlying statistics presented last year remain unchanged: each Sunday service costs over $3,300 (!!); just 17 “pledge units” (or families) provide more than 50% of the operating budget; more than half of our brothers and sisters give less than the suggested minimum. If members want our Fellowship to undertake new initiatives and expand our programming, your financial support is essential. The recommended minimum pledge is $750.00; if you gave less than this amount in 2009/10, please think of how much you get out of our Fellowship, and our potential! For those meeting the minimum pledge, please be as generous as you can-we have some grand plans, big hopes and compelling needs on the horizon!!

Rick Turner, President
Board of Trustees

This entry was posted on Friday, April 9th, 2010 at 5:46 pm and is filed under President's Letter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Dear Members and Friends,As I write this, the Board has just scheduled a special Fellowship meeting on March 21 at 12:30 p.m. for all members to hear Francis Sink, our UUA Metro District consultant for “Right Relations,” speak about developing a Fellowship Covenant. You may be aware that several committees have begun the process of drafting a covenant-an affirmation of how members will relate to one another in performing committee work, and…equally important, how we want to be in the world around us. Drafting a covenant is no small task; B&G has been working on a covenant for several months and the Board finally adopted a covenant in December - concluding a process begun in September! On March 21, Francis Sink will address the purpose of a covenant and the value such a commitment will add to all our future work, including discussions regarding our mission, vision, governance and growth- WOW. Yes, we have a lot of big, fundamental, crucial (the adjectives are endless) issues that we must address in the very near future AS A CONGREGATION; the big issues on the horizon can’t be left to committees or the Board or to a volunteer task force. Defining who we are and where we are going is too important to delegate and leave to others; each one of us must come forward and participate in these discussions about our future together. BUT (and here’s where the covenant comes in), before we begin these many conversations, we must ensure that all our discussions and exchanges will occur in an environment consonant with our U.U. faith and ideals. That is why establishing a fellowship-wide covenant is such an important first step to all the other issues, challenges and opportunities we will soon confront. So that is the goal of a fellowship covenant: to create an environment where divergent, conflicting and (even) antithetical ideas are freely voiced…and heard! And if you can read this, you know such an environment does not happen by accident.

Developing a fellowship-wide covenant will not be easy; it raises knotty issues, such as how do we enforce the covenant? How do we respond when a member dismisses the obligation of personal service, or demeans our potential to help heal a broken world and show hope where there is none in sight? I don’t know the answer, but if we can all discuss these issues together, that would be a terrific start. In short, we need everyone’s participation to make this as meaningful a process as it can and should be. The process of developing a covenant will begin with our meeting with Francis Sink on March 21; please come-especially if you are not actively participating on a standing committee, i.e., we need everyone’s ACTIVE engagement. At the March 21 meeting, it is the Board’s hope that a task force will emerge to shape and manage development of our covenant by organizing small and large group discussions of what a covenant might, or should, include. Ideally, this task force will collect the thoughts of our membership and work through the mechanics of drafting a proposed covenant to present to the whole membership for consideration at the annual meeting. Rev. Jim will ask the community circles to spend some time on discussing a Fellowship-wide covenant and if we really pull together, we should have a draft document that everyone has seen, discussed, debated, and thought about for consideration at the annual meeting. Anne Pearl and Gerry Peet will be the Board representatives on the covenant task force; are you interested in serving, participating or helping? If so, please let them know and please come to the special meeting on Mach 21 at 12:30 p.m. All the other news from the Board room is much more mundane. Committee budgets must be in to the Treasurer by no later than April 1 (no joke). If all committees can get a proposed budget in by April 1, the Board will convene a special meeting to discuss a draft budget on May 2 at 12:30 p.m. in the sanctuary-well in advance of the annual meeting when members will be asked to vote a budget up or down.

On March 14 the annual pledge drive will begin. We have ambitious goals that will require generous pledging. For example, the Board wants to increase the time commitment we pay our employees more fairly to more accurately reflect to time they give and their value to our community. We need to keep improving this facility to make the limited space we have as functional as possible. And we need to improve our administrative and management systems-we’re growing and as we grow we must add to our infrastructure: we need a safe to secure petty cash, we need better internet and telephone access and we need to pay for our new roof and bat eviction! In 2009, the Board established a suggested minimum pledge of $750; many are not yet at this level of commitment; if you are not at this level please think about the personal value of our Fellowship to you in you life and . . . the POTENTIAL of the UUBCO, Inc.!

Lastly, the annual meeting has been scheduled for June 6 at 10:30 a.m. There will be a regular service at 9:00 a.m. and at 10:30 a.m., we will convene the annual meeting. Three trustees are up for election; if you are interested in serving on the Board, please contact any member of the Nomination Committee.
Please try to attend - it’s your Fellowship.

Rick Turner, President
Board of Trustees

This entry was posted on Monday, March 8th, 2010 at 5:29 pm and is filed under President's Letter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Dear Members and Friends,
Did you attend the “leadership” training on January 9? Well, about 35 (!) members did and it was a fantastic insight into the obvious: change is inevitable . . . and, get this: this congregation will change! That may sound sophomoric and even self-evident, but when stated by an “outsider,” schooled and trained in congregational development, the statement takes on added meaning. Doug Zelinski was the UUA representative that came to speak with us on January 9 and guide us through various discussions about growth and realizing our potential, including a discussion of the various congregational models, i.e., family,pastoral, program and corporate. Each model has its inherent attributes. The close-knit community and government-by-consensus typical of small family, or pastoral, congregations are, for example, simply not possible in a larger congregation. A larger, “program” size congregation, such as ours, cannot function on consensus alone-the issues are too large and the implications (policy, finance) for the organization are too broad to poll everyone on every issue. One interesting fact that Doug used to illustrate the need to amend the governance model to fit the size of the congregation is the inherent complexity of communication; the options for communication increase geometrically (as opposed to arithmetically) with an increase in size-meaning simply that for a larger group to function efficiently, the pathways of communication (i.e., organizational structure) must be formalized, institutionalized and constantly re-enforced. Does “formal” and “institution” sound . . . unpleasant? Well, it need not be. Set aside all pre-conceived notions of “bureaucracy” and “institutions” and remember we, as an organization, are committed to the democratic process (note the word “process,” which is too frequently omitted) and be assured you will have many opportunities to participate in the process of change if you make an effort to do so.

What does all this mean? How will a change in governance begin? Well, the process has begun. Many in the congregation have read The Almost Church, Revisited by Michael Durall and found his analysis inspiring. The Adult Religious Education (ARE) class is digging into the text in a group-effort to digest all its implications-join in! In addition, a group of congregants is now engaged in studying the principles of “healthy congregations” that will help us (both members and leaders) make better choices in the future. And as President, I want you to know that your Board is deeply committed to implementing a structure that will facilitate, nurture and promote dialogue, spiritual growth and positive social action. So what should a concerned, committed member do? GET INVOLVED. Don’t sit on the sidelines and expect the conversation to come to you. Participation is easy: engage your fellow congregants and Board members in dialogue; seek out the groups that are discussing Durall’s book; reach out to members studying the attributes of healthy congregations and ask questions. In short, the responsibility to participate in congregational life is a choice.

Did I say the process of change has begun? On January 24, 2010, the Board convened our second “mid-year” corporate meeting to solicit member opinions on various issues. The group discussed many issues including whether to publish our Handbook/ Directory on line next year (at considerable savings) and if so, how to best protect personal information, such as home addresses and telephone numbers. An ad hoc committee (Des Fitzpatrick, Bethany Swanson and Patrick Varekamp) will study the security issues and present the Board with a report listing the alternatives and proposing a recommendation. We also discussed whether the Fellowship is ready to vote on changing the name of our congregation. You may recall that an ad hoc committee to consider a name change was formed in 2008 and recommended that our name be changed to the “Unitarian Fellowship at Croton-on-Hudson.” The motion to change the name was tabled at the 2009 annual meeting to give members more time to think about the name and discuss its merits. The congregation voted to continue this discussion on March 7, 2010 at 12:30 p.m. If you are interested in this issue, please attend and participate in the discussion. And, although the congregation deferred action on changing the name of RE, our RE Director, Peggy Clarke, will address members on March 7 and discuss the rationale for changing the name of the RE Committee to the Committee on “Lifespan Faith Development.” Some “official” corporate business was also conducted at our mid-year meeting; the congregation voted overwhelmingly to reduce the size of the board to seven. A seven member board will, in theory, promote more focused discussion on the big issues-a small, but significant change in our evolution and governance.

I would also like to announce the formation of the 2010 Nomination Committee. I have appointed Patrick Varekamp, Eddie Fried and Bethany Swanson to serve as the Nominating committing in anticipation of our annual elections in June. If you are interested in serving on the Board, please talk to them and make your interest known.

Rick Turner, President
Board of Trustees

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 4th, 2010 at 7:53 pm and is filed under President's Letter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

              Happy New Year!  You may have heard this greeting many times in the past few days and although our “Fellowship Year” begins on July 1, the mid-year “doldrums” are a good time to take stock and reflect as we begin the annual re-organization of our standing committees.  

            First, some notable accomplishments by our committees stand out and merit recognition.  For example, the Fund-Raising Committee, chaired and nurtured by the indefatigable Ginny Stillman, organized and managed a terrific Crafts Fair in December that brought in ±$1,400.00 (!).  This was the first year we have hosted a craft fair and look for it again next year as all who attended this event agreed it has the potential to become an annual tradition.  This past Summer and Fall the B&G Committee tackled some big jobs that everyone can appreciate: gravel was added to the lower parking lot (eliminating the mud bog), our electrical system was upgraded and improved (with the help and advice of the Green Sanctuary Committee), exterior lighting was added to illuminate the upper parking lot and a new room in the basement has been refurbished and made suitable for use. The Membership Committee also had an inspirational Fall: many visitors have been welcomed and numerous visitors have been moved by our mission, minister, and Fellowship to take the next step and join as members!  (If you attended our Christmas Eve service you know how our numbers have grown!)  The Music Committee has become established, enriching both the participants and Fellowship with song.  Sharing and Caring continues to provide support to our members in need and the Religious Education Committee, together with our RE Director, Peggy Clarke, is administering a model program with attendance reaching an all time high! 

            If I neglected an accomplishment (and I am sure that I did), I apologize, but this brief recitation is only a small fraction of what we (yes, including you reading this) have accomplished.  We can do more (!) and we will do more (!!), as our standing committees re-organize and recommit themselves to serving our Fellowship-while simultaneously  sharing in the fellowship of service.  Look for the 2010/11 Committee Sign-Up sheets in the Morehouse Fellowship Hall throughout the month of January.

            In addition to the committee re-organization, a number of significant events will be held in January.  On January 9, there will be a “leadership conference;” an attempt to discern where we want to go and how we can best achieve our goals.  As I have said many times, we are all leaders, so we are anticipating a healthy attendance!  The Saturday seminar/workshop begins at 9:00 a.m. and runs to 3:30 p.m.-lunch will be provided. 

The following day, Sunday, January 10, immediately following the coffee hour, the congregation will re-convene at 12:30 p.m. to hear Doug Zelinski, a representative from the UUA Metro District, discuss with the general membership the rewards and challenges faced by a growing congregation (that’s us) and how we can make the transition to a larger format successful.  Please note:  We will not celebrate Jim’s 20-year anniversary on January 10 (the actual anniversary date) as previously announced.  Instead, this historic event will be celebrated, commemorated and acknowledged on January 24 when Jim’s sermon will be a reflection on his years here with us-I’m sure it will be a very special service.  I apologize for any confusion this change may cause.

            On January 24, immediately following the celebration of Jim’s 20 years with our Fellowship, the Board will convene a special “mid-year” corporate meeting to discuss various issues of concern, including whether (i) we are ready to change the name of this  Fellowship; (ii) whether the Directory, and all the home addresses and private phone numbers, should be posted on the web, or published in hard copy; (iii) whether holding the June annual meeting during the worship hour is appropriate, and so on.  I’m really looking forward to the month of January and I hope you are too! 

Rick Turner, President, Board of Trustees

This entry was posted on Friday, January 15th, 2010 at 4:12 pm and is filed under President's Letter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.