Widen the Circle of Love

The goal is for everyone in the congregation to participate!  

The canvass goal this year is $648,741, which is an increase of $27,203 over last year's pledges, a 4% increase.  That works out to an increase of $990 per week, which we can achieve together. Your increased pledge will help support a half-time ministerial intern and a ¾ time Director of Communications to improve our outreach to each other, our community, and beyond. 

Your pledge of time will help support our excellent programs and services.

As a part of our covenant of membership, all members are expected to make a financial pledge, according to their ability to give. There is no minimum amount for a pledge of record. You do not need to be a member to make a pledge. 

The need for financial support is obvious, but the need for pledging might not be. By pledging our support in advance, we make it possible for our congregational leaders to support UUCR’s programs and personnel. Pledging means they can plan for the 2023-2024 budget year. Pledges make up about 75% of the UUCR budget. Covid-19 curtailed rentals and fundraisers, so pledges are extra important. 

Here are some of the blessings that you provide through your pledge:

• Our beloved staff

• Programs and events to support our principles

• Outreach to our local community and beyond

• Engage our youth more fully

• Family faith formation for all ages

• Sunday morning worship and fellowship

• Social justice in our community and beyond

• Joyful music and arts ministries

• Remote access to services and programs

• Beautiful spaces indoors and out

First and foremost, we want to continue to fully support our excellent staff. We want to continue to maintain our facilities and develop services and programming for members, friends, and visitors. The proposed budget also includes other important items.

UUCR has a proud history of being a teaching congregation; continuing to support and nurture UU ministers is a blessing to our faith and to our congregation. We plan to keep our current half-time intern minister a second year, through June 2024. 

This year, we will focus on the canvass theme “Widen the Circle of Love” by concentrating on building a multicultural and spiritual community that welcomes and honors every person. We plan workshops and outreach activities to educate ourselves and to generate radical ideas for widening our circle of love.

We have made a generous investment in the installation of a media package this year. The next step is to hire a part-time professional who can develop its full capabilities. We aspire to widen our circle to include members, friends, and visitors from our community, nationally, and beyond. 

The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) has provided great service during the pandemic. UUA’s programs help to strengthen and expand Unitarian Universalism beyond our own congregations. We aspire to become an Honor Congregation (formerly Fair Share) to help our denomination grow.

If you have made a pledge to UUCR in the past, we hope you will raise your pledge by 4% to support a no-frills, responsible budget for FY23-24. 

If you have never pledged, consider these ranges:

• Between 2% and 10% of your pre-tax income

• Between 20% and 90% of the amount of federal income tax that you pay

• Between 20% and 90% of the purchase price of your newest motor vehicle

Levels from faith traditions:

• 10% of your income (tithe) 

• 2.5% of your net financial assets (compare zakat) 

The UUA Fair Share Contribution Guide offers detailed suggestions. 

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Rockville has a long tradition of strong financial management of its resources.  It maintains solid financial records that are auditable, and from a financial management perspective operates similar to a small non-profit organization.  Its Financial Officers consist of a Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer for Receipts and an Assistant Treasurer for Disbursements, all supported by a bookkeeper.  The Finance and Investment committees provide regular oversight of church assets.

UUCR operates on a July to June fiscal year.  Each October, the Board issues budget guidance to staff and committees for submittal of funding requests for the upcoming fiscal year.  The Finance committee reviews and assembles these submissions into a draft budget that is submitted to the Board in January for approval.  This becomes the basis for the annual spring canvass drive.  Each June, at the conclusion of the canvass, the Board adjusts its operating budget (to begin the following month) to reflect pledge card commitments.

The pie charts below overview the Board’s approved income and expenses anticipated this year and estimated for July 2023 to June 2024, our canvass budget

The congregation owns 6.4 acres of land, maintains five buildings and serves a congregation with 319 members.  The annual cost to operate our facilities is approximately $140,000/year and rising.  Expenses include custodial services, utilities, building and grounds maintenance (four of our buildings are close to 60 years old), trash and snow removal, water, sewer and insurance.  This year, UUCR paid off its mortgage, relieving budgetary pressure caused by inflation and the pandemic. 

Our office expenses run in the low $20,000s.  This includes maintenance and purchase of office equipment and supplies, software and database expenses, telephone, internet and postage costs.    

Our largest expense, at 69% of our canvass budget, and the heart and soul of our congregation lies in its staff.  UUCR employs five staff who work ¾ or full-time (Minister, Director of Religious Education, Congregational Administrator, Director of Congregational Engagement, and Director of Communications).  UUCR has three half-time employees (Intern Minister, Director of Music, and Youth Program Assistant). Three staff members work 12 or less hours/week (Pianist, Audio-Visual Lead, and Building Sexton). 

Questions regarding UUCR finances can be directed to Bill Newhouse, Chair of the Finance committee, or to Kent Hancock at the canvass table in the lobby.

Our financial condition is good. We have continued to be able to fully pay our amazing staff, meet the rest of our financial obligations, and maintain our beautiful campus. 

UUCR has thus far met all the financial challenges we have faced during the pandemic. Members and Friends remained generous during the last year’s canvass; however, our investments declined with the market drop and high inflation is driving up operating costs and impacts our fair compensation of staff. Our canvass budget is able to absorb the impact of reduced returns from our investments and rising costs largely because we paid our mortgage five years early. 

The Board intends to pass a balanced operating budget later this spring.  This budget aims to provide the resources to make UUCR what it is and what it can become. The congregation needs a 4% increase in contributions from Members and Friends in the coming fiscal year. 

For more information about UUCR finances and the canvass budget, graphic overviews can be found in our budget charts and budget table .