President's Corner, June 2013

Some of the things I wanted for my birthday or Christmas never materialized. The was no rocking horse nor was there an electric train (I know, a girl's didn't play with trains then). But I did get the “Umbrella Doll” which had an umbrella that worked like a real one  (growing up in Bakersfield, an umbrella was a thing of curiosity).  I loved rain; whenever there was enough, I would get to play in the mud.  Now, I love to garden—the adult version of playing in the mud!

President's Corner, April 2013

“What is the most important difference UUCB could make in the community?”

As I mentioned in my last column, the Board of Trustees has begun asking friends and members of UUCB for input on one of our Powerful Questions, such as the question above.

Why are we doing this? The Board gets its authority from the you, the members—the "owners," if you will—of this congregation. You elected us. Our job is to create a vision and a direction for this church that is in line with your values and desires. But the only way to know what those are is to ask.

Once we have enough conversations under our collective belt, we will identify the common themes and use this information to hone our Ends statements, our "desired outcomes." It then becomes the Coordinating Team’s job to direct the church’s activities and resources toward implementing these Ends.

But right now we’re still in the information-gathering phase. If you would like a volunteer to contact you to get your input on a Powerful Question, please email Jane Middleton and let her know.

And speaking of volunteers… Providing answers to our Powerful Questions is very important, but there are LOTS of ways you can participate. Do you have an area of special interest? Would you prefer a short-term project? You get to decide how many hours you can give and what best fits your interests.

All of us on the board are volunteering our best efforts and we sure could use your help. If you’ve ever thought about looking for a way to become more involved and give back to your church, contact Alisa in the office (525-0302, ext. 306).