Week 4: State of HVUUC -- Facilities Maintenance & Ministerial Search Committee

As we begin a new year and the second half of the fiscal year, we wanted to share how the Board of Trustees, committees, and volunteers have worked diligently to sustain our church and members during this very different year. During January we will share inspirational news about the state of the church.

For week 4 we’re sharing information about facilities maintenance and the ministerial search committee.

Facilities Maintenance

Leaves were a big part of the fall work day.

Facilities improvements and repairs continue even though we are not meeting at the church. With our hands or our resources we:

• Cleaned the carpet in the sanctuary.

• Painted the sanctuary and foyer.

• Held a fall work day where about a dozen people raked leaves, removed a stubborn stump, cleared brush, weeded the playground, pruned, and raked more leaves. If you would like to help with ongoing upkeep, please contact Greg K at facilities@hvuuc.org.

• Installed benches (thanks Charlie M!) along the hiking trail.

• Installed a French drain outside the nursery door to prevent flooding.

• Installed cloud noise panels in the fellowship hall (thanks Greg K!).

• Repaired the deck (thanks Joseph V!).

The foyer bathrooms are closed for now. The original septic tank had a severe leak and the field bed lines are crushed. We are working to connect these bathrooms to the newer septic tanks.

Your generous pledges over the years have funded these expenses. Thank you.

Ministerial Search Committee

UUA rainbow chalice

The search committee has been meeting at least weekly for the past several months to gather materials for HVUUC’s search packet, and recently they reviewed ministerial applications and conducted first interviews.

Precandidating offers have just been made! Precandidating is like a serious second interview where committee members “visit” neutral pulpits to hear final candidates preach and meet with them several times formally and informally over the course of a weekend.

It has been hard for congregants to feel connected with the process, so the committee provides updates in News on the HVUUC.org website. You can keep up with where the search committee is in their tasks by visiting the Ministerial Search Committee Tasks page at HVUUC.org.

Please remember that committee members have a duty of confidentiality to each other and the ministerial candidates, so please respect those boundaries.

The search committee would like to thank everyone in the congregation who supported their work by sharing information and feelings through the survey, focus groups, and cottage meetings. The committee truly couldn't have done all this without you! And the board would like to thank the search committee (Dottie B--chair, Brittany B, Cindi H, David K, Denee M, and Sarah S) for all their hard work!

If you have any questions about search, please contact search@hvuuc.org.

The Board of Trustees is always available for your questions and comments. Please contact us if we can assist you at board@hvuuc.org.

In fellowship,

Dana York, President, Board of Trustees

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Week 1: Finances

In week 1 we shared:

• That the church’s finances are healthy.

• How we are working together to keep them that way.

Week 2: Services, Music, & Religious Education

In Week 2 we shared:

• How we have offered services as a team effort since the beginning of the pandemic.

• How religious education has adapted with the help of great volunteers.

• How the music program is evolving with the help of volunteers, technology, and our new music programs director.

Week 3: Fellowship, Membership, & Caring Team

In Week 3 we shared that:

• Responsible fellowship has continued despite social distancing restrictions.

• We have had a new member join us during this time as well as visitors to our YouTube services and coffee hour.

• The Caring Team continues helping members and friends stay connected and support each other during times of need.