April 22, 2023

Midwest Unitarian Universalist Conference & Midwest Unitarian Universalist Foundation

2022-2023 Annual Report to the MidAmerica Region & the Mountain Desert District

Midwest Unitarian Universalist Conference

History: With the consolidation of the American Unitarian Association (AUA) and the Universalist Church of America (UCA) in 1961, the Midwest Universalist Conference and the Western Unitarian Conference formed the Midwestern Unitarian Universalist Conference (Conference) and the Midwest Unitarian Universalist Foundation (Foundation).

Purpose: The purpose of the Conference is to further the interests of Unitarian Universalists and their institutions in the mid-continental states (i.e., MidAmerica Region and the Mountain Desert District); to support those institutions to spread the message of Unitarian Universalism; and to distribute returns generated by funds held in trust by the Foundation, a subsidiary corporation. The purpose of the Foundation is to hold those funds received from the AUA, UCA, and other sources in trust, and to invest, administer, and safeguard those funds.

Funds: There are four funds for which the Conference and the Foundation are responsible:

• the General Fund, which provides an annual grant to the MidAmerica Region and the Mountain Desert District, and which can fund other initiatives;
• the Ryder Fund (1888): the investment returns are used to provide emergency financial support for retired ministers and their partners;
• the Iva Laughlin Fund (1903): the investment returns are used to provide emergency financial support for elderly Unitarian Universalists;
• the Colchester Fund (1926): the investment returns are used to provide an annual scholarship that is awarded by Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago to a Unitarian Universalist theological student.

Since June 2016, the MidAmerica Region has been the fiscal agent for the Midwest Unitarian Universalist Conference. This role is limited to holding funds distributed from the Midwest Unitarian Universalist Foundation related to the Ryder, Laughlin, and Colchester Funds, as well as limited funds to support small grants, such as those of the Munroe Husbands Grant Program, which provides grants to lay lead congregations for leadership development, communications tools for outreach, growth, and related matters.

The Conference Board has developed materials to publicize the funds available from the Ryder Fund, the Iva Laughlin Fund, and the Munroe Husbands Grant Program. Our tech consultant, Barb Gutsch, has provided fund descriptions for publication in the MidAmerica Messenger.

All Grant Program applications can be found on the Conference/Foundation website. Work on the website has continued this year, thanks to Ms. Gutsch, a former MUUC Board Member, who serves as the Webmaster.

Committees: The Conference has in the past operated through several working committees: The Nominating Committee, the Colchester Fund Committee, the Laughlin Fund Committee, the Ryder Fund Committee, and the Munroe Husbands Grant Program Committee. However, due to the difficulties encountered by the MidAmerica Nominating Committee over the past two years, we currently have only four members, and so are acting as a Committee of the Whole.

A distribution in the amount of $6,498 from the Colchester Fund was sent to Meadville/Lombard Theological School. This money was awarded to a theological student as the Colchester Scholarship for the current academic year, but the student subsequently withdrew. Meadville-Lombard expects to award two scholarships in 2023.

No applications for grants were received this year. MUUC is pursuing several lines of communication to rectify this situation: Regular use of the MidAmerica Messenger and the Pacific Western Region Newsletter, improving our website, submitting an application for a virtual poster at General Assembly, and requesting time at the MidAmerica Regional Business Meeting. We believe there are eligible recipients, and we are committed to finding them.

Other Business: The MUUC Board is planning for the dissolution of the Mountain Desert District and its subsequent merger into the Pacific Western Region. We expect to continue to provide an administrative grant and personal assistance grants to the congregations and retirees of the Mountain Desert District. The Colchester grant to Meadville/Lombard will remain the same. We have retained a lawyer to help us in this matter and in reviewing some archaic language in the original bequests.

Interim Meetings: The Conference directors and the Foundation directors work separately during the year via quarterly video conference.

Meeting with MidAmerica Region Board and Staff: This Zoom meeting is planned for April 5, 2023.

Annual Meeting: The Boards of the Midwest UU Conference and the Midwest UU Foundation have traditionally held our annual meeting in Chicago in early May, where we meet separately and jointly. The 2022 hybrid meeting was held on Saturday, May 7. Plans are still being finalized for the 2023 hybrid meeting, to be held April 21-22 due to hotel availability.

Distribution from the General Fund: Part of the agenda at the Annual Meeting was to determine the annual grants for 2022-2023 to the MidAmerica Region and the Mountain Desert District. These grants are based on a formula that takes into account the number of congregation members (weight = 45%), the number of congregations (weight = 45%). and the geographical size (weight = 10%) of the region or district. The number of members and congregations was based upon UUA certification data as of February 1, 2020.

The maximum amount available for distribution is 4% of a rolling 13-quarter moving average of the Foundation's General Fund. The distribution for 2022-2023 is as follows: $92,615.07 to the MidAmerica Region and $24,536.93 to the Mountain Desert District.

$10,000 was distributed to the Munroe Husbands fund.

Conference Board Directors (Four members, three vacancies) (three-year terms, may be re-elected once) (one director represents the Mountain Desert District, six represent the MidAmerica Region)

• Bob Lovell, President, UU Church of Greater Lansing, Lansing, MI (2024, first term)
• Rollie Hanson, Vice President, First UU Society, Milwaukee WI (2023, first term)
• Judy Bentley, Secretary, First Unitarian Church Albuquerque (2025, first term)
• Charles Lewis, Church of the Larger Fellowship, Des Moines, IA. (2023, final term)
• Barb Gutsch, (Contractual Technical Consultant, Non-Voting) UU Fellowship, Salina KS

MidAmerica Region and Mountain Desert District Purposes

Please note that the Midwest Unitarian Universalist Conference requires an annual report from both the MidAmerica Region and the Mountain Desert District to confirm that the work of these two organizations continue to be aligned with the purposes of the Conference which are listed above, and Conference's interests which are as follows:

Section 1a. To facilitate the vitality and growth of Unitarian Universalism in the Midwest and Rocky Mountain states (i.e. MidAmerica Region and the Mountain Desert District).

Section 1b. To strengthen Unitarian Universalist congregations, districts, regions and organizations and institutions, including the Unitarian Universalist Association and Meadville/Lombard Theological School.

Section 1c. To invite congregations to effectively serve the communities in which they are located in accord with their mission and the principles, purposes, and ends of the Unitarian Universalist Association.

Section 1d. To encourage outreach and support of Unitarian Universalists living in the Midwest and Rocky Mountain states who do not live in communities served by Unitarian Universalist congregations.

Midwest Unitarian Universalist Foundation

MUUF operates on a fiscal year from April 1 to March 31. The Foundation began in 1962 with assets of $200,000. Assets have grown through the addition of funds from closed churches (though no additions in the past 20 years) and investment growth. The Foundation pays out investment returns to the region and district based on 4% of a thirteen quarter moving average of total value of the funds. As of December 31, 2022, the value of all funds managed by MUUF is $3,563,784.44.

The financial statements are audited annually. The auditor of record is Boyem Barenscheer of St. Paul, Minnesota. The audit report determined that the financial statements represented fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and the changes in net assets and cash flows in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United State of America. The Foundation also files an annual 990 tax return with the IRS and State of Illinois.

The Foundation assets are invested in a variety of mutual funds and exchange traded funds which provide investment diversity. The Foundation determines its asset allocation each year and currently strives for a 70/30 allocation between equity and fixed income. The Foundation Board reviews its investments on a quarterly basis and monitors performance against standard benchmarks. The Foundation is very sensitive to keeping investment costs as low as possible while seeking reasonable returns.

Foundation Directors: (three-year terms, directors are named by Midwest UU Conference)

• Katherine Brewin, Chicago , IL President (2023)
• Laura Gossman, Casper, WY Secretary (2024)
• Vicki Pratt, Omaha, NE Assistant Secretary (2025)
• Brian Hellmer, Fitchburg, WI Vice President (2025)
• Rebecca Pace, Cincinnati, OH Treasurer (2025)
• Christopher Franklin, East Peoria, IL (2023)

Katherine Brewin was appointed by the Conference Board and the Foundation as its registered agent in the State of Illinois.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the Conference and Foundation,

Robert G. Lovell, President
Midwestern Unitarian Universalist Conference
Date: April 22, 2023