Dear Ones,
It’s our Giving Season! On its face, this is about the unglamourous need to collect enough pledges and donations for First Unitarian to function next year and beyond. But don’t miss the deeper opportunity to pause, assess, and appreciate.
My practice is to use this annual event to ask what the church means to me personally. Where would my family and I be without the spiritual encouragement, social nourishment, justice connections, and personal deepening we get from this place? I’m not sure I could begin to answer such a question, so I know this is the right community for us.
Last year my partner Amy and I were proud and a little scared to raise our pledge to a level that felt like a stretch. This time around, our reach is to maintain that pledge. We’ve had some significant unplanned expenses, but we want our pledge to stay solid. We depend on First Unitarian, and we like the idea that the church can depend on us. Pledging is how we express the hope that others will find meaning here, and we also want to continue to benefit.
I invite you to join me in your own stretch gift. Don’t reach until it hurts. Let go of that old “No pain, no gain” motto. Rather, to quote my late seminary professor and beloved UU leader Patti Lawrence, "Give until it helps." Do you give an amount that connects and satisfies you, that makes you feel invested and happy? If so, thank you. If not, what would it look and feel like to take that risk?
Wherever you are on the spectrum of giving, thank you for being in this conversation. Thank you for taking this time to reflect on how this place matters to you, and how you matter to First Unitarian.
P.S. If you haven’t received a paper mailing with important information about our financial wellbeing and a letter from Rev. Alison and Rev. Tom about how we can live out our vision, please contact Erin Tafuri at 503-444-4044 or stewardship@firstunitarianportland.org
With love,
Rev. Leah
P.S. Read the fun wrap-up from last month's reverse offering, including kids' stories about the magic they made with their $5.
