Throughout this past year, our church community has shown resilience and commitment. We have been resilient in the face of unexpected challenges, and we have remained committed to our UU values. After a year of pandemic-induced closure, we can now look forward with hope to a future when we can come together, not just virtually, but in the real world.
Our annual stewardship campaign begins on Sunday, March 7. Please join us in renewing your commitment to our church community.
We can be proud of so much during these difficult times:
• Our Staff, Worship Associates, and the AV Team provide online services and virtual meeting spaces.
• The Religious Education program continues with Zoom gatherings and web based resources.
• Our Souls Matters Groups and other small-group ministries meet regularly.
• We mobilized to live our values through a massive get-out-the-vote effort organized by our Human Rights Task Force and UU-DAN.
• Our justifiably acclaimed program, Independent Living for Young Adults (ILYA), continues to help young adults who have aged out of foster care.
• We have held special collections for organizations like the UUSC, Murray Grove, Delaware Alliance Against Sexual Violence, Planned Parenthood, Emmanuel Dining Room, and NAMI.
• We have continued to provide pastoral care, ministerial support, and even assistance with financial and food insecurity to those in need.
• We welcomed Kathy Harris as Music Director in October.
• We, again, lived our values by giving caring, loving support to our Senior Minister, Pamela Wat, in taking a much needed personal leave, and we have welcomed our temporary minister, Tracey Robinson-Harris, to provide ministerial leadership until Reverend Pam’s return.
Through these and other actions, we have demonstrated our values, maintained a sense of belonging, and preserved a place where each of us become our best selves.
We now ask you to join us in returning your pledge commitments by March 28, 2021. In asking for your pledge, we recognize that the pandemic has affected us in different ways. Some of us have suffered terribly, both emotionally and financially. For others, the pandemic has been a major inconvenience, but we have pressed on. A few of us may actually be better off than a year ago. We ask you each to consider your own situation when renewing your pledge. If you have been fortunate, please consider a pledge that will recognize that others have suffered.
Reverend Tracey recently reminded us that stewardship is not just a financial commitment, it is a pledge of faith and hope for the future. Through our resilience, and with our commitment, First Unitarian will be sustained in these days and in the years to come.
With faith and hope,
Leslie Dickerson and Travis Laster
Co-Presidents
Please check your mail boxes for commitment forms, automatic renewal forms and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to return the forms to the church office. If you prefer, you can make your commitment and renew your automated giving on our web site at https://firstuuwilm.org/first-u-resilient-and-committed-pledge-drive-for-fy-2021-2022/. If you have any questions, please contact the church office, at officemgr@firstuuwilm.org. Thank you for your support!