Friends, it has been my joy to work (as a non-voting member) with the members of the PPP subcommittee this summer, under the leadership of facilitator and current Council Exec member Jim White. It is also my joy to share with you that we have reached an unanimous decision on the uses of the $112,900 available thanks to our participation in the Payroll Protection Plan. This decision was affirmed unanimously, with one abstention, at the August Church Council meeting. 

We had a number of loose criteria as we made our decision, as well as a good deal of reflection on the financial realities of UCG and other not-for-profits. We wanted to use the funds in ways that would make a sizable impact, would serve multiple constituencies, and would contribute to the long term sustainability of UCG. At the end of the evening, we have decided to tithe 10%, $11, 290, of the monies to an as-yet-to-be-determined agency or ministry in the Gainesville community. Our intention is to give to an agency that might not themselves have access to the PPP or other larger grant sources, and we have already received several recommendations from different church committees.

We also determined to give 10%, another $11,290, to the capital reserve fund, which might help offset some of any budget shortfalls in the coming year, without being so large an amount as to serve as disincentive to pledge or prove difficult to make up in 2023. 

Finally, the remaining 80%, or just over $90,000, will be used to renovate and update the Education Wing here at UCG.  This focus for funding was selected for several reasons: children, youth, Family Promise and the Friendship Group, as well as outside groups, use these classrooms and bathrooms. The condition of these rooms is such that they serve as a barrier to participation for some families: they are dirty, dated, in some cases dangerous, and uninviting. A project of this sort is needed, but also exciting and inspiring:  an investment in the future ministry of our congregation, and sorely needed to support the dynamic ministries we already offer. Not only will these rooms — with new lighting and electrical, floors, paint and fixtures,  — allow us to serve UCG’s youngest members and render them more accessible in particular the neuro-diverse members of our community, but they also increase our capacity for rental income, programming, and asking for financial support through congregational pledges.  We are working towards having an estimate for the scope of work to share at the October 3 Congregational Meeting. 

There were other projects we considered, other formulas and percentages, but I am deeply proud of the conversations we had and extremely energized by this decision. Thank you for entrusting us with this important work! 

Bromleigh