by Michael Waas, Trustee, UUCWC Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees held a winter retreat on January 9th. As with the fall retreat, this was an opportunity to explore how the board can support the ongoing work of the congregation, as outlined in the Board of Trustees 2020-2021 goals, by embracing the Simple Church philosophy, continuing to develop and promote connection, and considering the long term needs and plans of the congregation.

We also spent our time together that morning dreaming about what might be, contemplating where we are headed, and discussing how best to ensure the continued vitality of this very special community as we look at the (hopefully) post-pandemic era.

I was reminded throughout the retreat – as I so often am during board conversations – of how truly vital the UUCWC community is, in both the sense of being “absolutely necessary and important” and “full of energy”.

Though it has been a tumultuous nine months since we last shared the same physical space on a Sunday morning, our community has continued to engage and grow and nurture each other in ways both large and small (not to mention virtual). And though these intervening months have brought uncertainty, loss, and challenge to many, we continue to see ongoing engagement and support for the work being done by UUCWC.

This makes dreaming about the future of UUCWC an exciting proposition, even as we do so without a clear understanding of what the ongoing impact of Covid-19 will be over the coming months (year?) and when, exactly, we’ll be able to be together again in one space.

There is much ongoing work and conversation focused on the practical aspects of planning for the future of a large and growing congregation. Beyond the ongoing work being done by the Capital Campaign Committee, the board continues to discuss, with the Personnel and Finance committees, the most effective and sustainable long-term approach to managing the church’s many and varied financial responsibilities. We are also having ongoing discussions about how best to ensure leadership within UUCWC is shared and equitable and open to all, without asking too much from any one congregant.

Here’s to continuing the dreaming and planning and conversations over the coming year (and beyond).