Conference Theme Focuses on Money

Five years ago members of the Unitarian Church, Davenport, IA, (217), were wrestling with whether to build an addition to solve their overcrowding problem. Members wanted to, but doubted they could pull it off, said former president Martha Easter-Wells. "There was a feeling of scarcity," she said. "We'd been through some rough times and there was a feeling of 'Yes, it would be nice, but we can't do this.'"

Needing to start somewhere the congregation called in a UUA financial consultant. He helped them organize a successful annual canvass and that led to a building campaign as members began to dream about—and support—an expanded future. The campaign aimed for $370,000, but fell short at $325,000. But by then there were too many people who believed in the project. They took a deep breath and held a Miracle Sunday. The final tally was $430,000, well over the top. The new building opened last May.

"The success story for us is not the building, but what this project did for the spirit of our congregation," said Easter-Wells. "We were able to build a much more wonderful building than anyone thought possible and it was just a process of getting more and more people to believe."

Eighty miles up the road from Easter-Well's church is The Peoples Church UU, Cedar Rapids, IA (236), where longtime UU John Ely is taking a stand for his principles.

Last year Ely set up a charitable gift annuity and promised to contribute $1,000 for every congregation in the Prairie Star District that contributed its fair share to the UUA's Annual Program Fund. He paid in $40,000 and he has since made another substantial contribution to a district stewardship education program.

Ely, a retired Quaker Oats executive, is encouraging UUs to make a stronger connection between their theology and their giving. He believes in the rule of thirds. "I keep a third, invest a third and give away a third." Finding that his  retirement fund has risen significantly faster than anticipated, he observes, "If you've had any savings and invested them wisely,  you're probably being amply rewarded now. But money is like gasoline. It can be terribly dangerous if you don't use it right, but you sure can get mileage out of it if you do. I want to use mine to generate some excitement in our movement."

Easter-Wells and Ely are among more than twenty-five UUs who will share their stories of responsible stewardship at the first-ever UUA-sponsored conference on giving, "From the Myth of Scarcity to the Reality of Abundance," to be held on June 24 in Salt Lake City, just before the opening of General Assembly that evening.

Carla Kindt, the UUA's director for major gifts, said the conference is designed for all congregational lay leaders, not just financial officers. Religious education and social justice committees and others who are struggling with fundraising and other stewardship issues are invited, she said.

Topics include models of large, midsize, and small church stewardship success, congregational money management systems, endowments, whole family/whole church stewardship, theology of money, and raising money for justice work.

The Rev. Michael Schuler, First Unitarian Society, Madison, WI (1,049), will describe his congregation's significantly increased levels of giving, including support of a new congregation and a campus ministry program.

There will also be a workshop called An Examined Life, for individual UUs who want to reflect on their own giving. It will include stories of individuals who are making meaningful contributions to their religion. "We think there are a large number of UUs," Kindt said, "who will value a stewardship conference that speaks in terms of the actions of the individual. Many people have more resources at this point in their lives than they expected to. Yes, they're paying for college and braces, but relative to the world's resources we are incredibly affluent and there is so much more we can do with our affluence to make a positive impact in our world."

Cost of the conference is $50 and must be paid separate from GA fees. The conference, underwritten in part by "Handing on the Future," the recent UUA capital campaign, will include opening and closing worship ceremonies and will be from 8:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The GA's first plenary session, including the banner parade, begins at 7 p.m.

Conference brochures and other information (now available on the UUA website) will be available in early March from the UUA Education and Research Administrator, 25 Beacon St., Boston, MA 02108; (617) 742-2100, ext. 269.