With Gratitude

By Central East Region of the UUA

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With Thanksgiving this week and the holiday season approaching, this marks the beginning of the season of thankfulness and gratitude. And so we want to take this opportunity to say Thank You.

First of all, thank you to all of those who stepped up when the pandemic became a reality for our congregations in March this year. Those who stepped up to find new ways to connect. Those who figured out how to do worship, religious education classes, small group ministry and meetings online. Those who held those more vulnerable in your hearts and your hands and created ways for them to actively participate without putting their health at risk. A year ago, none of us could have imagined what this year was going to bring, but you have risen to the challenge. Your staff are in awe of what you have done and continue to do.

Thank you to the congregations who pay their fair share to the Annual Program Fund and those who stretch to pay as much as they can. Your funds make our work possible and allow us to provide resources, trainings and support to all our congregations in the region and the UUA.

Thank you to all our Chalice Lighters who make a commitment to help those beyond their own congregation with growth and outreach projects, or to recover from devastating situations. Your generosity has an impact on the lives of our congregations and members that you cannot imagine.

Finally, we could not do it without our volunteers. Those who volunteer in our congregations to make them representatives of our values in your communities. The committee chairs and members, those who plan events, congregational volunteers who help us with on the ground planning and logistics for events and more. We would not be able to do anything without our volunteers. To you we say Thank You over and over again.

So to all of you who make these many things possible, we say Thank You.

Your Regional Staff

Rev. Megan Foley, Cristina Sanchis, Rev. Renee Ruchotzke, Rev. Dr. Hope Johnson, Patricia Infante, Beth Casebolt, Rev. Evin Carvill-Ziemer, Sana Saeed, Rev. Sunshine Wolfe, Amy Kent and Shannon Harper.

If you are feeling grateful and want to share your bounty with others, Giving Tuesday, December 1st, is a wonderful opportunity. Giving Tuesday kicks off the holiday season, when charities, families, businesses, community centers, and students around the world come together in common purpose: to celebrate their cause and to give. Donations to the UUA on Giving Tuesday will be doubled. Learn more at their website. Faithify.org, our UU Crowdfunding platform has a number of worthy projects that you may also consider. The UU Service Committee and your own congregation are all worthy recipients.

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