by Nate

As many of you know, 2U's budget - like that of many families, businesses, and other nonprofit organizations - is in a tenuous position. Our Treasurer Ann Marie Onesti provides details on our budget status in this issue.
 
It's tempting to blame the economy, and no doubt that's part of the problem. However, for 2U struggling to balance the budget has been a yearly occurrence for at least the past five years. Apparently, many mid-sized UU churches face this type of growing pain when expanding to serve a larger congregation. We decided that if we are going to break this cycle, we'll need creativity and a plan.

To that end, we invited all the church leadership to gather on a recent Saturday morning to think about where we should invest and how we can increase our financial resources. We gained and affirmed some valuable insights and we plan to share them in the next Anvil after more of you have had the chance to participate in the conversation. That opportunity is coming up this Sunday.  You are invited to a Financial Strategy session on February 1, 11:15 - 12:45, and again at 12:45 - 2:15. We look forward to seeing you there.

On January 19 we invited people to use the MLK day holiday as a day of service.  We planned to move forward if we had at least six people sign up.  We had 21 adults and 7 children volunteer!  It was a day of service but also of fellowship.  We packaged and delivered the food for the Lakeview Pantry, assembled over 60 hygiene kits for the Night Ministry, distributed a church mailing to the neighborhood, organized some closets in the church and then shared lunch together.
Special thanks to David for bringing the streaming videos of Dr. King and to all those who brought extra items for the hygiene kits.
 
The experience was so positive and what I kept hearing from people was how they'd like to "do this" more often.  In that spirit, our next Service Day is Monday, February 16 - Presidents Day.  We will work from 10am-noon and then have lunch together.  There will be a variety of projects, some in support of our justice partners and some nitty gritty stuff to help the church. 
Everyone is encouraged to attend.  Please feel free to bring food for the Lakeview Pantry or small toiletry samples for Night Ministry if you come.   Please RSVP to Lisa Todd secondunitarian@att.net or 773-549-0260 x.11 or sign up at the What's Happening table on Sunday morning. 

by Matthew

Hello. I hope everyone is surviving the winter.  I have a couple of priority items to share with you since my last Anvil update.
 
As many of you know, Erik Rasmussen, a long-time member of this church, passed away last summer. While I did not know Erik personally, I know from others that his presence is greatly missed. Erik was very involved in the Lakeview community, including the Lakeview Action Coalition. He also helped on the 2U hospitality team. Those who knew him say Erik was always warm, funny and welcoming. He was also generous. In his will, Erik left 2U a substantial financial gift. That money is invested in various mutual funds, so the exact amount is flux, but it is in excess of $70,000.
 
The money is being allocated to the Fleishman Reserve Fund to ensure that we have a healthy operating reserve, something that is greatly needed during these economic times. The board tasked members of the Endowment Committee to assess the portfolio and determine if we should adjust some of the investments. They are meeting with financial planners at the bank where the funds are currently held and will present options to the board at our February meeting. Look for more updates in the near future.
 
At our January meeting, the board did take one action with some of the Rasmussen funds. We unanimously voted to restore retirement benefits for part-time staff. You'll recall that this was cut from the budget at last year's annual meeting. At that time, the board pledged to restore these benefits if new money was made available. 2U's staff is a dedicated and impressive group. They work tirelessly on our behalf. It's important that we honor their commitment to the organization.
 
There's also news to report on the church loan and capital projects. With our new loan now in place, a capital projects team is being formed. The team will help staff evaluate bids and prioritize projects. They'll make recommendations to the board, which will have ultimate oversight of this process. If you'd like to join the project team, please contact the office or our treasurer, Ann Marie.
 
Finally, there have been some changes to the board since the annual meeting. Three members resigned for personal reasons. Per our bylaws, the board appointed three new members: Tim Fox, Elizabeth Derrico and Sally Haffner. Each brings a unique skill and incredible energy to the board. We delighted to have them on the leadership team.

by Ann Marie

Lakeview Action Coalition Leadership Training

Dates: Feb 2, Feb 9, Feb 16, Feb 23, 2009

Time: 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm (Doors open at 6pm for snacks)

Location: Second Unitarian Church

Cost:  $0

To learn more about the training please contact: Jennifer Gonzalez, jenrg@lakeviewaction.org, 773-549-1947 x364

Hosted by the Young Adult Ministry

Friday the 13th of February, 7:00 - 11:00 pm. 
$10 admission at the door.

FEATURING:
·        Live Music by Miss Jackie & The Sass, Kat Wyand & more! 
·        Entertainment by DJ Timmy
·        Silent Auction
·        Appetizers & Deserts
·        Wine, Beer & Soda
·        Board Games
·        Twister Competition with Prizes!!!

The W.I.D.E. Community has been working on our mission statement. This helps us prioritize our work, explain what we're engaged in to others, and integrate new members.  A mission statement helps focus a group. A good mission statement explains:
Who a group is,
Whom a group supports,
What a group does,
and What end goal a group is aiming for.

Our mission statement is still a work in progress. The current version: We are the W.I.D.E. Community - Welcoming, Inclusive, Diverse, and Equitable. We serve the 2U Community. We demonstrate our faith and convictions by adopting projects that nurture and enhance 2U's ability to be welcoming, inclusive, diverse, and equitable.

Interested in joining us? We're hosting a Spotlight luncheon in February "Is Racism Dead now that Obama is President?". We will also have an open meeting for new members on March 15.

When? Sunday February 15, 11:30 am- 1:30pm

Where? the Minister's office (in the basement)

Who? Anyone who wants to know more about UUism, Second Unitarian Church, or wants to meet some other good people.

What? A conversation about UU ideas and sharing our own questions and paths. Lunch and childcare are provided, so please RSVP.

Check out the Sources of Our Faith sermon series to help you think about questions you might have. Sign up at the What's Happening table at church or contact Lisa Todd.

Why? Because if you've gotten this far in the blurb you have some questions about church or faith or belonging to a community in an intentional way. Join us!