Stewardship Update
A HEARTFELT THANK YOU to the 192 members and friends who have pledged so generously during March to this year's Stewardship Drive! As of late last week our pledge total was closing in on the $500,000 threshold, and running nearly $40,000 ahead of the same date last year. This response is a wonderful statement of support! But to enable the entire range of programs we ask of our church, we still face the challenge of meeting a $588,000 pledge target. To get there, we will need to hear back from every active member and friend. All pledge commitments received by Wednesday, April 3 will be included in the revised honor roll of timely pledges, to be published along with next week's Unitarian. Please respond using the online pledge form at the Church's website, or reply by email directly to Susan Street at sstreet@uubelmont.org.  − The Stewardship Committee

Sunday School Program Notes

Thank you to the winter term teachers - many of whom struggled in through drifts and snowy streets to teach Children's RE! We had 31 volunteers teaching our preschool through 8^th graders this term. Heartfelt gratitude goes to Sarah Keniston for teaching 5^th and 6^th grades throughout both the fall and winter. Special thanks to Kathy Crawley, Lauraine Dalton, Deveaux Duckworth, Meredith Hughes, Marianne Leahy and Heli Tomford who helped out with our classes even though they do not have children in the program. Our cooperative RE program depends on the willingness of parent and congregational volunteers to teach, and it is heartwarming to see so many members of the FCB community reaching out to engage with our children.

Opportunities to Help

(Sign-up sheets will be posted during coffee hours)

Our spring term begins on April 7 and ends on June 9. We are in need of teachers for the 11 o'clock service in our preschool, 3^rd and 4^th grades, 5^th and 6^th grades and in our 7^th grade Neighboring Faiths class. If you could help out, even for a morning or two, please let me know.

Cantastic Food Drive a Success!

The FCB community came together during March to donate food for our Cantastic Food Drive. We were able to donate ten bags of groceries to the Belmont Food Pantry and filled eight big containers with baby food and other goodies for the Grow Clinic. During the Major Music Service, children in grades 1 through 6 made Cantastic Robot Sculptures using the cans and boxes of food plus a few fun props. Look for our photo display in the Lower Gathering Hall! 

The Caring Connection is a group of Church members and friends who provide support to members of our community who find themselves in some difficulty and need short-term help. Please let us know if you could use some assistance, or know of someone who would benefit from our support. Contact: Laurie Graham at caring@uubelmont.org or Susan at the Church, 617.484.1054 x 201.

• Gabrielle, Steve, Esperanza & Luna Garschina-Bobrow on the birth of Ventura Garschina-Bobrow!

• Donna Santagati, Scott & Dante Moorman on the birth of Gaetano Kobayashi Moorman!  

To submit your own virtual candle, contact Jim Staton at jstaton@uubelmont.org or call him at 617.484.1054 x207. Guidelines for these submissions are available on the Church website at uubelmont.org/caring-connection.

Ushers Needed for the Spring Term

Please consider volunteering for one of our teams for the spring term that runs through the end of the regular church year (June 9). Team members commit to ushering about once a month at one service. Ushering offers a wonderful opportunity to interact with members and visitors and to provide a valuable (yet time-limited) service to our community. If you would like to usher occasionally but feel uneasy about signing up for specific dates,you may indicate that preference and we will contact you as needs arise to see you if you are available. Here are the dates for each team for the winter term: