by David Schowalter & The Stewardship Team

It is that glorious time of year again… no, no, not Spring yet…, but Stewardship Season!

This year, the stewardship theme is “Planting our Future,” which takes its cue from the incredible work our Garden On Team is doing with the landscaping of our reinvented property.

The themes of gardening, particularly the way UUCW is doing gardening, align well with financial stewardship and the flowering of our community:

Planting seeds:  What we fund today, and the investments we make today, will have impacts on our church and our community right now and for generations.

Biodiversity:  By avoiding monoculture, we allow symbiotic relationships to develop that will make our entire community healthier, more resilient, and thoroughly fulfilled.

Native Plant Gardening:  Our gardens are now part of the “Sacred Grounds” program with the National Wildlife Federation, which promotes “native plant” gardening.  As a congregation that is committed to the growth and well-being of our community, many of our outreach efforts help those closest to us thrive during very challenging times.

Balance:  We want to be responsible with our staff, our programs, as well as our future by balancing our budget like a garden needs balance in the soil chemistry and among individual decorative elements.

Cultivation:  A beautiful and productive garden requires effort, time and perseverance.  It is a process, and not just an end product.  The work is never done, but it will feed and nourish you forever if cared for properly.

Please mark March 6 on your calendars as Stewardship Sunday.  We will have some fun playing with these themes and initiating our campaign for pledges for the next church year.  In addition, a member of the Stewardship Team will be available in Fellowship Hall after the service every Sunday in March to gather your thoughts and concerns about how we financially support this spiritual home that we hold dear.  In the meantime, please reach out to .  We want to hear from you!

The Stewardship Team

Catherine Roberts

Moira Rouse

Dave Schowalter