Sunny Notes: 04.22.26 - Hope & Gratitude

When I opened my newsfeed this morning, I saw so much despair out in the world. And yet, as I sat down to write my column this week, I was filled with hope and gratitude for so much within our BUF community. 

I am delighted that we welcomed eight new members to BUF during the Sunday service this week: Rachel Howard, Kivrin Howard-Collins, Irma Gutknecht, Harvey Iwata, Kas Miller, Maren Robison, Sue Smith, and Ally Wright. In an era when demands on our time and resources are at an all-time high and houses of worship are struggling to retain members, our community is growing. All of these folks bring unique gifts that have enriched and will continue to enrich our congregational life. Stay tuned in the coming weeks to learn more about our new members, as BUFster Carola Tossetti collects and shares photos and bios in the Social Hall and Mid-Week Update. 

I also am so grateful to all who submitted a pledge during this year's Annual Stewardship Campaign—both in response to our initial appeals, and during our final call on Sunday, April 6 when we raised over $19,000! Our Stewardship Team has communicated their appreciation, and I want to echo their sentiments. Because of you, we will now be able to fully fund the Envisioning Goals the congregation identified. It felt incredible to sit in on the Board meeting where the budget was approved before going to the congregation in May—instead of hard decisions and painful cuts, there was excitement over all that we will be able to do in the 2026-2027 year. Thank you! 

Finally, a huge thank you to all who have shared congratulations and support around my ordination. I am so touched that so many of you tuned in to watch the ceremony or caught the recording on YouTube. It feels good to be official. And it feels even better to be able to be an official minister at a congregation like BUF! I love this community—its people, its work, its ministries, and its beautiful space—and I love the goodness and healing it is creating in a chaotic and challenging world. 

— Rev. Sunny, minister