Our annual pledge campaign has launched, and it is time to consider how each of us will support ERUUF financially in the upcoming fiscal year. As Rev. Cayer shared with us, there is much good news. ERUUF is in excellent condition and has experienced abundant growth in 2018 with increases in both membership and member engagement. But, “it takes a village,” a village of staff and volunteers to support and sustain this growth.

Based on widely-used guidelines, congregations of our size need an operating budget of at least $1M to fully meet their needs. The 2018-19 FY budget is $956,800, so we need to grow our giving to meet that benchmark.2019 Stewardship Logo Small

What would we do with a bigger budget? Trustee Julie Edmunds shared this insight in her recent testimonial (listen below).

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When Julie asked Rev. Brett directly how many hours she spends on administrative work that could easily be offloaded to another position, she answered 20. That’s 20 hours that could be spent ministering (which of course is what we hired her for)! And that’s just one example.

Hence, our focus in 2019-20 will be to enhance staffing, specifically adding support positions that will enable ERUUF to better deliver our excellent programming to a growing community. This will augment and better sustain the capacity of our current hardworking staff to execute ERUUF’s vision and mission. As Rev. Cayer shared on Sunday, ERUUF is in “go mode,” and our staff needs more support to ensure we continue to grow, thrive and serve as a beacon.

Every pledge counts and we strive for 100% participation, regardless of the size of the contribution. For each and every gift, we offer our deepest thanks. And with an average increase of just 5% per pledge, we can meet this period of growth in a way that is healthy for all involved.

As you and your family plan for your financial pledge this year, the Board of Trustees encourages you to reflect on your values and ERUUF’s mission. And then, please join us in expressing your values with a pledge that makes you proud to be doing your part to sustain and grow the beloved community that is ERUUF.

With grateful acknowledgment of all of the time, talent, and treasures that each of you shares with ERUUF, the Board of Trustees thanks you for your support. It takes a village!