The Finance Committee is struggling to complete next year’s budget to be approved by the congregation at our June annual meeting. The results from the annual budget drive have fallen short of our goal by a significant amount. As a result, we have cancelled all discretionary building projects (painting, new water fountain, etc.) this month to save money for the coming year. We have developed three tiers of budget cuts, beginning with some discretionary projects and cutting contributions to the building reserve fund and sabbatical/search committee fund that will have to be made up in future years. The second tier of cuts takes away staff salary increases and/or professional development expenses. The third tier cuts staff hours.

We can avoid the worst of these cuts if more members who pledged last year will pledge this year. We can avoid more cuts if people will increase their pledges or pledge for the first time. We are the people who pay for our staff salaries and programs and for the building to be maintained and improved. We are the only ones who can provide the funds for the budget to cover these costs.

If you have already pledged, please consider revising your pledge upward a little bit more. You can simply send a message to Fran to let her know you would like to increase your pledge a little in light of our pressing needs for this coming year. You can also contact the Annual Budget Drive stewards at budgetdrive@fusn.org. -FUUSN Finance Committee: Karen Bottar and Brian Gill, CoChairs; Faith Kreider, Urban Larson, Alan Cody, Laurel Farnsworth, Judy Curby (Treasurer)