Sunny Notes: 04.01.26 - The Progress of the Stewardship Campaign
In January, the Stewardship Team held Envisioning Sessions to hear from folks about what they most want to see at BUF in the 2026-2027 congregational year. In mid-February, we kicked off this year's Annual Stewardship Campaign to raise funds not only to cover the necessities, like fair wages for our staff and paying the mortgage on our building, but also to pursue some of the worthy projects and hopes that came out of the Envisioning Sessions. Now, as we approach the end of this year's Stewardship Campaign, it's time to talk numbers (see attached chart for details on our progress).
Our Treasurer, Patricia Conover, and John Stewart have been hard at work creating our budget for 2026-2027, as well as calculating the costs of several of the Envisioning goals. As reported during Sunday's Budget Listening Session, below are the approximate costs to fund several of these important items:
Working for the future of our UU tradition and this congregation by supporting youth and families through increased program hours for our Religious Education Director: $19,000
Creating more opportunities for spiritual connection and inclusive worship through support for services like Taizé: $3,000
In keeping with recommended increases, a 3% cost of living adjustment to provide fair wages and salaries for staff: $6,000
Much-needed increase for building maintenance and repairs: $3,000
Connection to our larger Unitarian Universalist Association through General Assembly scholarships: $1,000
During the 2025-2026 Stewardship Campaign, BUF raised $363,680 in pledges. This year, we are excited to report that we have raised approximately $370,000 so far. However, in order to make good on the above Envisioning goals, we need to raise $404,000. If you have not yet pledged and you intend to do so, now is the time. Just contact our wonderful Administrator, Alison, at BUFadmin@buf.org or 360-733-3837, and she can help you submit your pledge.
In a world that is chaotic and challenging, I am grateful that BUF is a constant—a beacon of stability, peace, and goodness. And I hope we can make BUF even better by fulfilling our Envisioning goals!
— Sunny, minister
