A few minutes ago, I was reading the study materials for my covenant group meeting this afternoon. This month’s topic is Emergence. One of the readings was an analysis of The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. We’ve all read that book, right?  Of course, the theme is ultimately metamorphosis. Have you ever considered this story from this more global perspective? So much simpler to understand than adult philosophy! It got me to thinking about how much TUUC has transformed in the thirteen years Skip and I have been part of this congregation. We first experienced the slow-moving days where we weren’t very colorful and perhaps we were nurturing each other more than the outside world. I might say we were plodding along in a positive direction, but slowly and not making much progress on our journey. Then came a long period of unsettlement during which we began some self-evaluation and discussions about what we want to be and where we want to go in the future. With Linda’s guidance and nurturing, we have begun to emerge from the cocoon within our own walls and show our true colors to our greater community and beyond. We have begun to develop a clear path to the future in so many ways. There is a spirit and a will within us these days. It is beautiful to see. We have begun to spread our colorful wings and fly. We have the potential to soar and to shine brightly in our world.

Now I must bring us back to earth for just a minute. In order for our church to succeed in these lofty endeavors we need sustenance. We have the sustenance of spirit. We also need the sustenance of capital to keep us strong and sound. Our budget for next year is $279,500, a 9% increase over last year. We MUST achieve this goal. This is not simply asking you to be generous. It is asking you to go the extra mile and make TUUC a priority in your family budget. Don’t depend on the person sitting near you. Each of us makes up our congregation and we are all responsible for keeping it strong. Please make every effort to increase your own pledge by at least 9% to match our needs.

Help us continue to transform as we soar into the future. Help us show our brightest colors for all to see!

Barbara Tripp

TUUC Board President