At our Annual Congregational Business Meeting this past June, two significant things were approved – we voted to change the church’s fiscal year and we passed a budget following a rather difficult budget cycle. In response to problems that surfaced during this past spring’s budget cycle, the Board’s Policy and Governance (P&G) Committee undertook a thorough evaluation of our budgeting process. In this article let’s look at what these changes are and how they affect our 2023 budget and beyond.
Fiscal Year Change
Formerly our fiscal year matched our program year (July – June) and now matches the calendar year (January- December) beginning January 1, 2023. Many of the technical changes this shift requires have already been accomplished by our able staff. With the fiscal year change, the Board of Trustees needs to present a budget covering all of 2023 before the end of 2022.
Our Budget Process
Those involved agree that the budgeting process this past spring was awkward. A look at our process, starting with the policies and bylaws that govern how our budget is built, was initiated by the P&G Committee. A P&G Task Force comprised of Grace Colton, Lori Saccardi and Mary Anderson met through the summer with the goal of forming a more inclusive and transparent budget process as described in a newly created interim charter. Five areas of concern were identified:
Per the church bylaws, the Board of Trustees (BOT) holds the fiscal responsibility of the congregation/church. Therefore, the group that creates the budget should be a “committee” under the direction of the BOT.
An interim charter, ratifying an Interim Budget Committee, was passed by the Board to cover a shortened budget cycle (September 2022-December 2022).
A church’s budget is a moral document and reflection of its mission, not simply a financial plan. It should be created through a collaborative process which includes mission centric as well as financially-focused constituencies and representation.
The Interim Budget Committee Charter lists a six-member BOT Committee comprised of the Minister, Director of Finance Operations, Board Treasurer, Financial Stewardship Committee Chair, a second Board Member, and member of the newly formed Committee on Ministry. This group has been meeting regularly since September and has held two Town Halls to present progress to date, answer questions, and receive your input. More Town Halls are planned.
It is recognized that Budget Committee members may have conflicts of interest when making budgeting decisions.
The Interim Budget Committee Charter outlines how to deal with a conflict of interest, and how to address issues that are not resolved within the Budget Committee (such as a tie vote).
Continuity of constituency representation on the Committee needs to be assured.
Budget Committee members are required to attend all meetings. If a member misses two meetings, the Board will appoint a permanent replacement from within the constituency that member represents (e.g., Board member to be replaced by Board member, SLT by SLT, etc). This will help keep communications clear and the process transparent.
Due to the recommended changes described above, an Interim Budget Committee and Charter were created. However, they do not comply with existing East Shore policy 2.10 (no bylaws are affected by the interim changes). This policy was suspended by the BOT for this interim period as allowed in policy 7.6 when there are crucial time-sensitive circumstances.
This suspension was done as the time to complete a full 2023 budget was brief and the budget process needed the revisions noted above. Please be assured that the adopted interim charter contains most elements of policy 2.10. Most importantly, this newly created Budget Committee, its charter, and policy 2.10 will be fully evaluated early in 2023, resulting in an updated policy and charter in time for the 2024 budget cycle to take place in late 2023.
For a full look at Policy 2.10 click here. Take a look at the Interim Budget Committee Charter here.
What Happens Next?
Funding the proposed 2023 budget. As you will recall, we made pledges to cover the first half of 2023. These pledges do not cover the second half of 2023. Early in 2023, an abbreviated Mission Fund Drive will be held to provide for the second half of the year, which is how we will contribute toward the entire fiscal year 2023. (We will continue to depend on other revenue sources.) Toward the end of next year, the Mission Fund Drive will align with the new fiscal year.
Your feedback will continue to be crucial as we move forward. The Budget Committee is using an “extended replacement” strategy to fund all of 2023. The budget we approved in June of this year (covering the first half of 2023 as approved by the congregation) is foundational to the full 2023 budget. Town Halls have already been held for your comments. With your feedback, a second round of Budget Town Halls is scheduled for November 6 and 7. Please check the church calendar for details.
Look for more on goal-setting and long-term planning in the coming months. Our annual church budget must reflect the needs and long-term goals of our congregation. It is important that ALL areas of our church engage in long-term planning and goal setting. This will allow us to look 5-10 years into the future and then fund the annual “bites” that will allow us to attain those goals.
Budget constraints will continue to be a challenge. Due to our generosity, we can fund current needs without deep dives into our Endowment Fund as in the recent past (again, we will continue to rely on some endowment funding). This was due not only to increased pledges (thank you!), but also to one-time-only gifts. Our financial picture was not changed in the long term. Again, look for more on goal-setting and long-term planning.
Hello, my friends. As many of you know, we now only have one caretaker to cover all the cleaning, maintenance, and repairs on this large campus. While Celil is a wonder and always willing to assist, the huge volume of work doesn’t allow him to do everything we were accustomed to when we had a second caretaker. As many groups are returning to meet onsite, I am sending a reminder that you are responsible to set up and tear-down your own events. Sadly, I did not get any responses following my July Beacon article asking for volunteers to form a set-up team we can call on, but my dream is to have a group of members who are willing to help out occasionally. I would be very happy to hear from any of you who would like to volunteer for the “dream team” of set-up volunteers. I do want to express my appreciation to all of you who kindly stepped up for Salmon Bake and for the Totem Pole event. We are very grateful to you for offering your time and helping to make the events extra special.
Meeting Set-up/Tear-down Procedures:
Complete the Member Room Reservation form, on our ESUC website. Under Additional Comments and Questions, include which types of tables you would like, and you will be informed where to locate them prior to your meeting. Also note if you would like a TV cart for your meeting. The carts are first come/first served, so submit your requests early. Instructions for use are located on the carts. You must bring your own laptop to connect.
At the end of your meeting/event, please return the room to its original arrangement.
If you have used one of our kitchens, please wash and put away dishes and utensils, including emptying the dishwasher.
Wipe tables and counters and clean debris out of sinks.
Make sure coffee pots are cleaned and coffee grounds removed.
Brooms or vacuum cleaners are located in each space so that your group can tidy up messes.
Many thanks for your cooperation. Contact [email protected] with additional questions or updates.
The Article II Study Commission has been working on revising the section of UUA Bylaws that has the Principles/Sources, UUA Purpose, Inclusion, and Freedom of Belief Statements. They have been working through feedback they got at General Assembly 2022 about the Principles/Sources and Inclusion statement. In September 2022, they asked for feedback on the UUA Purpose and Freedom of Belief Statements.
In September 2022, they scheduled ten Zoom sessions at various times for people to look at draft language and discuss it. Another round of revision will follow, with more feedback sessions in late October/early November. After it simmers over the holidays, they will put together their proposal in early 2023 to send to the board. The proposal will be considered in mini-assemblies before the vote at General Assembly 2023. Mini-assemblies are attended by delegates from each congregation.
You can find out a lot more here. Consider being a delegate for East Shore at General Assembly 2023. Look for a call for East Shore delegates in church communications. GA will be both in person in Pittsburgh and online. Being an online delegate was a free option last year.
It was only two months ago when we voted unanimously to call Rev. Dr. María Cristina Vlassidis Burgoa to be our next settled minister. At the time we did not know any specifics as to when she was going to be moving and beginning her position at East Shore. We would now like to provide an update as we are sure that Rev. María Cristina and Mama Lily have been on your minds and in your hearts.
Rev. María Cristina’s First Worship Service
Let’s start with the date that may have the greatest significance to many of you, her first worship service. You will want to be sure to mark your calendars with our annual In-Gathering service which this year will take place on Sunday, September 11. This is always such a special event for East Shore as we celebrate the ways many of us return to various rhythms of our lives. And this year the service will mark our embarking on a new chapter with Rev. María Cristina as our minister. It should be epic!
Official Start Date as Minister
Another important date to be aware of is the day Rev. María Cristina will officially start her position as minister. That day will be August 15. We expect her first days and weeks will likely be occupied moving into her office, getting set up in our IT systems, and attending meetings with staff, Board, and certain groups. As that date approaches, we will coordinate with Rev. María Cristina to communicate with the congregation how to get in touch with her directly and when her office hours will be.
Rev. María Cristina and Mama Lily are Moving to the Area this Month
Finally, we are very happy to announce they have found a wonderful place to live in the area. We do understand they will be able to move into their new place sometime in July. Out of respect for their privacy we’ll leave out details of precisely when and where and let them share more as appropriate.
Help Rev. María Cristina Get to Know Us
If you haven’t already, please consider contributing to the Getting to Know Us project. Women’s Perspective Team is creating a binder filled with individual profiles written by each of East Shore’s members and friends– in our own words! Your contributions will be a huge help as Rev. María Cristina gets to know her new flock. To assist you we have an online form with a few questions and where you may include your personal narrative and photos as well. Copies of a physical form are available in the office. Stay tuned for details on opportunities for support and for updating your database profile!
We remain as thrilled as ever that we are so shortly going to be building our future with Rev. María Cristina. We will certainly continue to be in touch with her as needed and share more news over the summer.
As a Membership Professional I am often asked “how can we be more welcoming?” It’s a complex question that will always have an answer because I truly believe we can never be TOO welcoming! Since I arrived, I have helped implement many small, but impactful changes.
In 2019, I worked with the Auction and Facilities Teams to put accessible doors as the Fund-a-Need. Thanks to so many generous donors, we were able to fit all the doors we were hoping and more. We also have worked to make sure halls, aisles and bathrooms are easily assessable. One huge benefit of our Sanctuary is that we do not have pews. This allows us to have those in wheelchairs tell us where they want to sit and we can simply remove a chair.
Speaking of restrooms, have you noticed the sign hung up between the restrooms in the Sanctuary? It says those restrooms are Gender Affirming, letting all those who come in know they should use the restroom they feel most comfortable in. We also note there is a private, all gender restroom in the administration building. Thank you to amanda alice uluhan and Dianne Upton for getting a new, more inclusive all gender sign.
Also in 2019, we began encouraging the wearing of pronoun buttons and using pronouns from the pulpit. Aimee Woolwine designed the buttons we use and can still be made by request to me at [email protected]. The buttons are a great way to let all know we care about you. This helps normalize a culture of not making assumptions about a persons gender, which is always welcoming!
At the 2019 General Assembly, I learned about the Pathway to Membership model. After working on it and talking to members about what made them feel like they finally belonged, I published a new Pathway to Membership for East Shore. This model gives people a clear direction on how to get involved. Here is what new member Janet Covin said about the process: “For someone who has decided membership is what they want, it’s a great tool to help guide them through to their goal. If someone hasn’t made a decision to become a member, but wants to engage with ESUC and the community, the Pathway is still a good tool to help the “explorer” engage in ways that meet both their needs and ultimately sets them on the path to membership – should they decide to do so later.” Since then, my version of the Pathway to Membership has been used as a resource and example of what to do for other congregations and is lifted up in the Beloved Conversations Among Membership module.
Also in the Among module is the Growth Plan I worked on with Rev. Furrer. This plan still applies to us today as a great way for us to look at ourselves on how we can be more welcoming, and also looking out to see how we can be seen.
Other great improvements to our welcoming include the Choir! Eric Lane Barnes encourages anyone who wants to sing to be involved, even if they don’t read music. The busy bags and rugs for kids in the Sanctuary is a clear, visible sign kids are welcome in this space! And our new Covenant Circles and the Daily Check-in group has been a great way for people to feel more connected and more involved.
The energy at East Shore is high, and with new changes on the horizon I have no doubt we will grow. Let’s just remember the dream of growth shouldn’t be to “save us” or get us more money, it should be because we know how great this community is and we want others to have that same experience. With that in mind we will always be welcoming new faces.
by Nicole Duff, Director of Membership Development
To say I was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and generosity you all showed for East Shore in the last weeks would be an understatement. I hope you have seen the new proposed budget for 2022-23 which takes advantage of that love and generosity to provide Rev. Maria Cristina with a solid foundation to get off to a good start. Thank you.
In four days, on June 5, we will celebrate the four-year tenure of Reverend Steve Furrer at East Shore. The pandemic greatly hampered Steve’s need to connect personally and get to know us. Still, despite the lack of human contact so central to his ministry, Rev. Steve helped calm our troubled waters and get us ready to call a settled minister, just as he was supposed to. We owe him a huge debt of gratitude. Please stay after worship on June 5 to join the festivities. Also, you may leave a virtual memory for Steve here .
This is my last Board Buzz article as your Board President, many thanks are in order. First, to the Nominating Team for putting my name forward, and the congregation for trusting me to lead. This role has given me a chance to grow, by turns, braver, more humble, more honest, more awed, more tolerant, more grateful. This is my exploration of spirituality, gained through service to the East Shore community. If you think your heart is too faint for Board work, think again. It grows on you, as you grow into it. This year, Sheridan Botts and Leta Hamilton are completing two years of service with distinction. It isn’t easy hearing no so many times. It isn’t easy trying to assemble a team which reflects varieties of age and viewpoint among our congregation. (This isn’t us, but one UU church in the state has no board members under 70!)
And thank you to the other Board members who have put up with my bossiness, my annoying use of Robert’s Rules of Order, my railroading of the agenda, the calling of many extra meetings. Through it all we disagreed well and agreed well.
And thank you my fellow Eastshorians and friends. We have undertaken many initiatives and ministries to spread our mission and the Eight Principles of the UU movement. Many of you have made sure I know how you feel about things. Just the way you are supposed to. I appreciate the vibrant, hopeful energy behind all your suggestions. There’s always a danger in leaving someone out, but even so, I’d be remiss if I failed to mention two folks especially: Ann Fletcher, who has seemingly been everywhere, Policy and Governance, head of the Staff leadership team review last summer, then immediately heading the Ministerial Search Team, and Grace Colton, master of the bylaws. Those two always made sure we met deadlines and didn’t run afoul of the law.
And thanks to the staff. I’ll say more about Steve this Sunday. To Nicole, for working with me on innumerable eblasts and Beacon articles and extended deadlines and last minute edits and re-edits. To Eric for his creativity and humor, to amanda alice, for her passionate advocacy for the younger people among us. To both of them for adding texture and sensory elements to worship. To Rebecca for speedy and thorough reports on any subject I ever asked for. LeAnne’ bejeweled fingers adding substance to our joys and sorrows. And to Dianne, Vanessa, Celil, Jenny, LeAnne for answering all my many, many questions with grace and accuracy.
This is an impressive community. We have done much and are poised to do so much more within and without East Shore. Let’s. And let’s take care of each other, while we do those great things, in a spirit of mutual help and camaraderie. We need each other.
