As we close the month of March, I am encouraged by the ways our congregation has practiced paying attention over the last several weeks. We have come together and worked individually to notice what is emerging in the here and now and to respond to what calls for our care. In this spirit, the Board has been deeply engaged in reflecting on the current state of UUFM and envisioning new possibilities for what comes next.

A significant portion of our attention this month has been preparing for the upcoming Annual Meeting on April 12. Congregational meetings might seem daunting, but I invite us all to recognize the opportunity this gathering offers us in creating a moment for us to consider where we are and to collectively discern where we are called to go next. A core area of work this month was centered on financial stewardship and long-term sustainability of UUFM. I cannot express enough my gratitude to Catherine Newell, Cybil Perkins, Brice Hobrock, Jay Williams, Jason Coleman, and Kaidy Li Smith for their thoughtful contributions to this crucial work as members of the Finance Team and Income/Expense Discrepancy Task Force. Your careful attention to both our current realities and future possibilities reflects a deep commitment to the health and vitality of UUFM. I am also appreciative for the participation of the UUFM community in activities hosted by the Income/Expense Discrepancy Task Force as they completed their work. Budgetary conversations are not always fun, but they are incredibly important, and the collective insights from across the congregational community will allow us to make strategic decisions moving forward.

As we shift into April, the monthly theme invites us to embrace possibility. This theme resonates with me in this moment, especially as I am approaching the end of my tenure as the Board Chair. In this moment of transition and anticipation, the Board is actively engaging in strategic visioning and action planning to support the long-term sustainability and growth of our congregation. When we embrace possibility, we look beyond constraints and instead allow ourselves to radically imagine what could be. We remain grounded in who we are and what we value. And we also dream.

At the same time, embracing possibility is not solely about envisioning the future. It is also about the choices we make in the here and now. We must re-orient ourselves toward what is emergent and take tangible steps, no matter how small, toward something new. Each of us holds the capacity to help shape what comes next. 

This month, I invite you to reflect on two simple but powerful questions: What is one action you can take right now that moves the needle from our current reality toward a new possibility? What might become possible tomorrow that feels out of reach today?

Through this shared commitment, we will continue to co-create a UUFM community that is resilient, responsive, and rooted in critical hope.

In community,

Mac Benavides

Board Chair