Board & Finance 

Board Bits

March & April Board of Trustees Meeting

We gladly recognized and approved Peter and Barbara Giolitto, Art Sherman, Robert and Denise Stanley as new members of UUCGN. 

Welcome to our congregation!  We are pleased to have you join us on our journey to building a more peaceful, just, and loving community.

We were delighted to approve hiring Ellen Hemrick as UUCGN’s Interim Director of Religious Exploration (IDRE), effective May1st! Ellen’s 

background in education, extensive work with area social justice organizations and causes, as well as her long standing commitment to UU

religious education at UUCGN make her an ideal leader to help shape our Youth Religious Exploration (YRE) program and support the

development of our children, youth, and their families.  YRE has been a growing program; and, Ellen’s expertise and commitment portend good

things for UUCGN’s future.  Congratulations, Ellen!

And, thank you to the Personnel Committee and Youth Religious Exploration Committee for their good work in creating a job description,

working with Finance in developing the compensation offering, and conducting the necessary steps to enable hiring Ellen. We continue to

benefit by the good, professional endeavors of our Personnel Committee and the committed, energetic enthusiasm of the YRE Committee! 

We extended our appreciation to Al Curran, chair, and the Strategic Plan Task Force for continuing their extensive work to facilitate our 

congregation effort to create a three-year plan to guide UUCGN.  Following the Congregational Meeting on 4/19-22, UUCGN members 

overwhelmingly (98%) approved the Strategic Plan 2026-2028. (That vote total, Mr. Trump, is what an actual mandate looks like.)

In line with the Congregation’s approval of the Strategic Plan, The Board appreciated the work of the Task Force members for their work over 

16 months conducting 12 focus groups, 2 congregation-wide workshops for input and feedback, and a congregational meeting to consider and 

vote in order to approve their Strategic Plan. With the final report being concluded on May 15th, we officially thank the Task Force members 

and dissolve the task force so that they may return to civilian life.

Our gratitude goes out to Al Curran; Lisa Nickerson; Martha Cornell; John Newton; Jim Tice; Ron Baldwin; Tabitha Stadler; Cliff Welles; Chris 

Cowan; and Rev. Tony Fisher for their tireless and fruitful work!  We have a good direction for our future!

We appreciate the efforts of the Finance Committee, under Linda Allan’s leadership, in developing the 2026-27 Fiscal Year budget which was 

adopted by the congregation as a result of the Annual Congregation Meeting on March 29th. The Finance Committee’s thoughtfully prepared 

budget has put us in good shape for the coming year. Thank you!

We appreciate the congregation’s exercise of democracy in the Annual Congregational Meeting on March 29th in approving the annual budget,

voting on two bylaws, and electing new Board of Trustee and Endowment Board members. We welcome new Board of Trustees members 

Janet Hoffman, President; John Newton, Vice President; and Ellen Hemrick, Trustee.  Additionally, we pleased to welcome Joyce Laeser, Joe 

Libertelli, and Patrick Parker as new members of the Endowment Board.  Jay Cockcroft and Tom Menaker will continue to serve on the 

Endowment Board. 

And, we are deeply grateful for the good work of outgoing Board of Trustee members Skip Lundborg, Vice President; Sandy Cunningham, 

Trustee; and Chris Cowan, President. We also appreciate the good work for the Endowment Board members who have fulfilled their terms: 

Larry McCarthy, Chair; Jane Graham; Recording Secretary; and Adrianne Cady. A job well done by all! Thank you!

Congratulations and appreciation are extended to this year’s Nominating Committee of Adrianne Cady, Marjorie Corrallo, Jane Ellsworth, Joan Leary, and Joe Libertelli for enabling these new members to come forward to serve important roles for UUCGN.  Thank you!

We recognized that March and April, 2026 have been exceptionally busy months at UUCGN as we celebrated UUCGN’s 50th Anniversary with 

a magical Gala Dinner (3/14), a joyful Congregational Open House (4/11), and the thoughtful creation of memories and forecasts with the 

UUCGN Time Capsule (4/19) consecrated by our children and youth. We appreciate the efforts of so many members involved in making all the 

events over the past several months! Our appreciation goes to chairpersons of the 50th Anniversary Committee, Steve Espinosa, Ann 

Fullarton, and Cheryl Nunes for organizing so many wonderful moments appreciating the history and life and our congregation.  Well done!

We approved the Personnel Committee’s updated revisions to the Employee Handbook and Personnel Policy involving child protective policy,

sexual harassment and misconduct policy, and other updates. We’re appreciate the good, conscientious work of Janet Parkhurst, Ligaya 

Beebe, and Cath Maslyn!

We approved a Facilities Committee proposal for a soft wash cleaning of the entire church building’s roof and minor repair of rusted and 

damaged metal coping near the main entrance.  

We also anticipate projects protecting the parking lot and road with asphalt resealing this summer.  We are additionally investigating a 

contracted project for the exterior repainting for the church building.

Endowment Notes

The UUCGN Endowment Fund was created to ensure that the mission, values and work of the Congregation continue well into the future.  The Fund’s principal was started with and continues to grow with donations from members of the Congregation.  The Endowment Board is responsible for managing the Fund (independent of the UUCGN Board of Trustees).  

Prudent investment of the Fund’s assets by the Board is crucial to preserve the principal long term and to generate return on investment which can be reinvested to grow the principal.  It also allows for the potential of annual support of the Congregation’s mission apart from its general operation.  When the Fund exceeds $500,000 in any year, the Board is empowered to review/approve proposals to allocate up to 5% of the Fund for these purposes:  program enhancement, building and grounds enhancement, community outreach and/or UUA’s wider mission. 

So far this year the EB has funded the 50th Anniversary Open House Celebration in March and the creation of a choral piece by Shawn Allison dedicated to the 50th anniversary to be premiered by our choir at a service in March.  Last year these funds paid for the new riser in the sanctuary and supported the installation of the handicap accessible doors.  

In these challenging times, the significance of UUCGN’s ongoing mission cannot be more clear.  Your gift to the Fund helps to ensure that the opportunity for connection, support and service to the community you found at UUCGN will be available for the generations ahead. 

1.  You can honor someone with a memorial or testimonial (for someone living) donation in their name to the Fund at any time.  Contact the office. 

2.  Please consider a future gift in your name as a member of the Fund’s Legacy Circle.  You can choose from among several planned giving options to include the Fund in your estate plans.  You will join other Circle members whose own legacy furthers the legacy of UUCGN.  Contact the office to have someone from the Endowment Board contact you.

3.  Make a gift in your name to the Fund any time.  Contact the office.

Thank you from the UUCGN Endowment Board! Click on this link for our brochure.