“Give More in 2024” 

The title of this year’s annual giving campaign is offered with some tongue-in-cheek.  However, it also represents a challenge to each of us to dig deeper – for profound spiritual transformation, and, yes, financial resources – while envisioning a mission of widening our impact in the community.

Central to our mission for 2024 is the effort to develop the consciousness of ourselves and the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Plattsburgh toward true implementation of the 8^th Principle we affirmed:

“We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.”

We enthusiastically affirmed this principle (conceptually), but we have not yet demonstrated we have acquired the skills and deep spiritual commitment to truly live it.  This requires digging deeper … into ourselves as individuals, and as a congregation … so that we can widen the circle of concern and impact.

Let us unpack a few key concepts from this principle:

• Journeying toward spiritual wholeness. Surely, this is the primary reason for engaging with a religious organization: challenge and support to grow spiritually – and develop our “best selves.”
• Build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community. Most of us desperately seek community.  And, to be spiritually whole, it must be an embrace of a broad community without boundaries.  As Unitarian Universalists, Love is our spiritual discipline.
• Accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions. We must be accountable to one another to live our shared values: interdependence, equity, pluralism, justice, generosity, and transformation.

“The Ask”

We are at a crossroads in the life of this fellowship.  For several years, we have been operating on deficit budgets.  Dwindling funds could lead to our extinction IF WE DO NOT BECOME RELEVANT TO THIS MOMENT.

Specifically, we seek to raise $100,000 in this campaign, a 13% increase from last year’s pledge drive.  We can do this by reaching deeper and wider: current pledgers can dig deeper to raise their pledge; and casting a wider net to those who have not yet pledged, inviting them to join in this group challenge.

The following documentation provides practical details.  But this is the underlying spiritual message: Give more in 2024 – in mind, heart, and spirit – and give financially to support this religious community which challenges and supports you to grow into spiritual wholeness – while widening the circle multiculturally and multigenerationally.

Thank you for accepting this challenge!

Your Stewardship team: Rev. Nicoline Guerrier, Nancy Lewin, Commissioned Lay Minister, 

Ursula Jones, Treasurer, Gerald Bates, Fund Development

Ways to “Give More”:

• For existing pledgers, consider increasing your pledge by 13% or more.

• NEW THIS YEAR: Matching Gifts! If you are pledging for the first time this amount will be doubled through a matching donor fund.  If you are an existing pledger and increase your pledge by 13% or more, this increase will be doubled (until the fund is exhausted).

• And if you are 72+ and take a Required Minimum Distribution, your donation can reduce your taxes. (You can access this document on our website.)

Want to know more? Visit our FAQ page. 

Complete your Pledge any way you choose:

• Email: treasurer@uuplattsburgh.org 
• Complete the enclosed form via this link to pledge online.
• If you have pledged previously and want to maintain that pledge, you do not need to do anything!  We will confirm your 2024 pledge later this month.

To Donate or establish payments:

• Via our Website (to donate by credit card, direct withdrawal, or PayPal) 
• Text to Give:  [AMOUNT] ANNUAL [OPTION: WEEKLY or MONTHLY] to 518-594-8008 
• Mail:  4 Palmer Street, Plattsburgh, NY 12901 

And as always, if life is challenging and you need support at this time, please reach out to our minister, Rev. Nicoline.

Centering justice, spiritual wholeness, and a financial base that will secure our future, let us dig deeper for a wider impact by “Giving More in 2024!”