Dear friends,

November is here! UCG had a spiritual filled summer and then we kissed the last days of summer goodbye and welcomed the fall season with small group registrations, powerful pride events, climate and creation events, banned books month, putting our youth to work in our seminar rooms, hosting the new Kids Night Out (formally Parents Night Out) and so much more!

Last month, I wrote about some small improvements and changes around campus. Those projects are still happening, and we hope to have this place looking its Sunday best with some power washing and window cleaning. Seminar C is slowly but surely getting pieced back together and received a new coat of paint from our youth in late October. Hopefully by the time this comes out, the floors will be refinished too. Then Phoebe will set her sights and team on Seminar B. Thank you to everyone involved from demolition to decor.

As we come into the thanksgiving time of year, I also want to thank our congregants, church friends, and visitors. Many of you have stopped by or sent a note of thanks or encouragement since I’ve accepted the new director position. I’m thankful to know this community appreciates my work and time. I’m also thankful we have been able to weather two hurricanes with minimal damage to our property and our congregants remain diligent and willing to help others in need.

I’m excited to end the year with all three directors in place. I look forward to helping grow into our new roles and help balance the plates that our ministers and office staff juggle. I ask that we continue to be compassionate and kind as I begin to help Tami with some training on small groups and events. This may mean my response time via phone or email may be delayed. Ligia will begin to implement new techniques and changes to our various routes of communication and how to help folx find their way to UCG. Change is a comin’ and it is a little scary but as the new ONA t-shirt says, we are “better together.”

Take care,

Shanna Swiers