Board Minute — November 2025

It’s November and you may be wondering… what has your Board been up to this year? The main focus of this year’s Board is UUCC’s financial health. A strong financial foundation will be paramount for both our search for our next Settled Minister next year as well as securing UUCC’s financial security into the future. There are many people working hard within our UUCC community to achieve this goal.

Shortly after arriving at UUCC, our new Executive Director, Laurice, began a historical review of finances. Some questions arose that could use outside expertise. UUCC began searching for an accountant to complete an independent review of our books and to ensure we are accurately and effectively using our bookkeeping technology. This search is ongoing and an official review has yet to begin. Several changes have been made to improve our financial procedures. As part of professional development this year,
Hannah, Laurice and Rev. Lisa participated in QuickBooks team training. The payroll schedule was also adjusted at the end of the fiscal year to standardize payroll for our beloved staff.

The Work of the Balloon Buster Task Force

Another team working hard at UUCC is the Balloon Buster Task Force which started convening this summer. The goal of the task force is to address UUCC’s $1.1M loan that matures in April. This loan allowed for the expansion of the OBIC building in 2014 and for the building of Sanctuary C, the place we celebrate worship each week. For a detailed history of our spiritual home here at OBIC please refer to Laurice’s email sent to the congregation October 15.

The Balloon Buster Task Force was given the challenge of identifying a recommendation to the Board for the best way forward financially with our upcoming loan maturation. They determined the options are to pay off the loan, extend the loan, renew the loan, or refinance the loan. The task force met for several months and underwent a rigorous review process. After consulting experts, other congregations/leaders and reviewing our own history, they concluded that a multi-pronged approach is best. To most effectively meet the requirements of the loan and maintain a balanced budget going forward, they believe that refinancing and reducing the principal will likely both be necessary to make a difference to the bottom line. Rather than a formal capital campaign, the Balloon Buster Task Force recommended initiating a special fundraising appeal alongside the annual budget drive.

The Balloon Buster Task Force recommended that the Board hire an outside consultant who specializes in stewardship with Unitarian Universalist congregations nationally. The task force met with Rev. Lydia Ferrante-Roseberry at Stewardship for Us, a UU stewardship consulting firm, to discuss possible ways forward with our financial situation. The Balloon Buster Task Force continues its work to refinance the loan as we move forward with the consultant.

The Board reviewed our options going forward and the proposal from Stewardship for Us, then voted unanimously to hire Rev. Lydia. She has 25 years of experience as a parish minister in three different congregations aligning vision with values and fostering generous giving to live into that vision.

Stewardship for Us

More on what Rev. Lydia will be doing to support UUCC as we explore a special fundraising appeal alongside our annual budget drive. It begins with a Next Steps Weekend in January, more information coming soon. During this weekend, Rev. Lydia will guide UUCC in examining the congregation’s strength, challenges, risk, and opportunities to help strengthen stewardship and generosity. She will help lay the foundation for budget drives, strategic planning, and other areas determined during the weekend focusing on the congregation’s values.

This process starts many weeks before our January date – Rev. Lydia will review our congregation’s information both from a historical and financial perspective. We want YOUR input – every member, friend, and supporter of UUCC. There will be opportunities to engage throughout this process with surveys before the Next Steps Weekend and in small groups during the weekend. Then Rev. Lydia will review her findings and give her recommendations to the Board. There is an option to continue working with her going forward and that decision will be made after the Next Steps Weekend.

We, as a Board, are very excited to work with Rev. Lydia as well as each one of YOU to see what UUCC can achieve together. The Board is grateful to our fearless leaders, Rev. Lisa and Laurice Grae, and to the members of the Balloon Buster Task Force – Kevin Mercer, Jaquie Weinberg, and Eric Kieley for their dedicated work and expertise. We are excited to secure our financial path ahead for our Settled Minister search next year as well as to improve UUCC’s financial health so that UUCC can live into its mission and values for decades to come.