As a community we’ve begun talking about how we should proceed to live out our values in many arenas of congregational life, not the least of which is our relationship to UUCT’s endowment.

During the last budget building cycle in the spring some people were surprised by a few things. Some heard, perhaps for the first time, that there was an endowment, a pot of money that had been set aside in investments. Some learned that the endowment had indeed benefited from the stock market boom. In light of that robust endowment, the congregation voted to use about $30,000 from it to balance the operating budget for fiscal year 2022-23. Money has its uses. In this case the money allows us to increase internal support for programs and administration.

Yet, there are questions that remain about the endowment. Should it be preserved for a future building project? Should it be spent to support annual budgets? The larger question, the one that stands behind all questions of the use of the endowment is: How will we, as people who’ve committed ourselves to dismantling racism and oppressions in our institutions use the endowment?

The answers to those questions lie with the congregation. Just as we had the power to approve using monies from the endowment to support our budget we have the power to direct the use of endowment going forward. 

The answers to all the questions above, and more, will best be found in deliberate dialogue across the congregation. Robin Gray and Rev. Holly are extending an invitation to all to discuss the uses of the endowment on Zoom, Thursday, December 8th at 6:30 PM. To receive the Zoom link, contact Robin Gray (robingray021@gmail.com). An in-person discussion is planned for January 21st.  Also contact Robin if neither of those dates are convenient for you, and we’ll look for other opportunities to discuss this important topic. 

For now, please make time to consider the questions and help the best answers emerge Thursday, December 8th, 6:30 p.m. on Zoom.