Embedded Files
Finance Committee Corner
Linda Allan, Treasurer
Dear Friends, As we enter our annual stewardship season, we are reminded that generosity is not only about financially sustaining our congregation — it is about shaping who we are and how we live in the world.
Charitable giving is one of the ways we live out our deepest values. When we share our gifts freely and in good measure, we strengthen the web of connection among us. Giving from the heart helps us live more righteous, grounded, and compassionate lives. It is a spiritual act that changes us — it expands our awareness of abundance and our capacity for love.
Here at UUCGN, your generosity makes possible the ministries that touch lives — from worship and music that lift our spirits, to care and justice that extend beyond our doors. Each pledge reflects faith in what we can do together.
This year, as you consider your pledge, we invite you to reflect on what this congregation means to you — the friendships, the learning, the opportunities to serve, and the shared commitment to building a more just and loving world. When we give generously, we participate in something larger than ourselves.
May our giving be an act of gratitude, faith, and joy — one that transforms not just our congregation, but each of our lives. Living Fully is Living Generously!
With appreciation and hope, Your Stewardship Committee Members
Topic for October - The Tax Man Cometh
Did you know that you can support UUCGN with a tax-savvy pledge? If you are 70.5 years or older, you can make a Qualified Charitable Deduction (QCD) directly from your IRA to UUCGN. A QCD counts toward your required minimum distribution (RMD) but it is not taxed as income to you if the IRA custodian sends your gift as a QCD directly to UUCGN. This method of charitable giving reduces your taxable income in the year it is made while supporting UUCGN's mission by funding your annual pledge. For more details, consult your tax advisor or contact Linda Allan or Anna for instructions.
Where Your Generosity Goes
As part of our commitment to transparency, we’re sharing a snapshot of how your pledges and contributions are put to work. The pie chart below shows how our funds have been allocated so far this year, and the accompanying graphs compare expenses with pledge income month by month. You’ll notice that April shows unusually high expenses. This is due to our annual insurance premiums being paid in full that month. Fortunately, because we’ve been diligent about setting aside reserves, we were able to cover those costs without stress. We hope this update helps everyone understand the rhythm of our financial year and how careful planning—combined with your ongoing generosity—keeps our congregation strong and our ministries thriving. Thank you for all you do to sustain this beloved community.
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.
Board Bits
November 25, 2025 Board of Trustees Meeting
• We were pleased to learn Martha Cochrane, Cindy Collins, Robert Douglas, and Martha Dykman have signed the membership book to join UUCGN. We unanimously approved their membership and warmly welcome them to join our journey for building a more peaceful, just, and loving community! Please extend a warm welcome to our new members!
• We appreciate the dedicated culinary wizardry of Stephanie Perkins, Maria McCormick, Bill Haubrich, Anna Riazi, and the Hospitality team in creating such a memorable Stewardship Committee reception on November 21st. The Pavilion and table settings were beautiful, the cuisine was delicious, the entertainment of Abbey Allison and Sebastian Plymette was superb, as was Martin Parks and Larry McCarthy’s mastery at the wine table, and Steve Espinosa’s and Linda Allan’s messages. It all came together beautifully. And, the weather was delightful. It was great to hear the Board of Trustees committed an increase of 22.7% in their pledges for the coming fiscal year. It was a great start for the Stewardship Campaign! Our appreciation to all involved!
• We approved Mike Kurko’s Facilities Committee request to replace the Pavilion and RE Building patio area gutters and install improved gutter guards for $9606. In addition to stopping leaks from the gutters onto the patio, the new seamless gutters and gutter guards will help reduce maintenance costs over time. We appreciate Mike’s good work in keeping our facilities in good condition for the longer term.
• We also noted Mike Kurko has submitted his retirement from the Facilities Committee at the end of this fiscal year (March 31). We are deeply indebted to Mike for his many years of leading the effort to manage our complex facilities and grounds. We are currently seeking members interested in serving to maintain our beautiful facilities. If anyone is interested, please contact Chris Cowan for information.
• We were glad to learn from Al Curran, chair, about the progress being made by the Strategic Plan Task Force as they completed the congregational focus groups, analyzed the themes emerging from members’ concerns about our future, and are preparing for the Congregational Workshop on Dec. 6th. The Workshop is a key part of our democratic process for the congregation to determine its specific strategies for living our values in the future. We encourage everyone to participate on Saturday the 6th to determine UUCGN’s future! Please contact Anna Riazi, Office Administrator, if you have not already registered for the event so we can facilitate providing food for the Workshop.
• We approved the hiring of Aubrey Reiter as a Nursery care assistant with the anticipated cost of $400 through the rest of this fiscal year. We welcome Aubrey and appreciate her help in working with our young children.
• In this time of growing financial challenges for many among us, Rev. Tony reported the Minster’s Discretionary Fund has been depleted. We approved $6,000 to be applied to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund to enable Rev. Tony to continue assisting those in need among our members and community.
• We were glad to hear from Steve Espinosa about the coming events and activities for our 50th Anniversary Celebration. Most immediately, we look forward to the memorabilia and photos to be displayed in the Menaker Gallery in December. The 50th Anniversary Committee has a great line up of activities through the coming Season! We appreciate their creativity and care in celebrating UUCGN’s history.
• We appreciated the information from Rev. Tony about UUCGN members participating in the Sunday Vigils at the I.C.E. Detention Center in the Everglades to demonstrate our UU values for social justice. With the support of generous benefactors, we have been able to rent a bus to transport members to and from the Vigil over the past few weeks. We are grateful for the generosity of donors making this transportation possible.
• We were glad to hear the recruitment of members to form the new Communications Committee is underway and several members have stepped forward to volunteer. Chris Cowan reported that we’ll continue to ask members with marketing, public relations, and social media experience to join in the effort to market UUCGN more visibly in the greater Naples region.
• We approved the effort by Linda Allan and Chris Cowan to form a Joint sub-committee of the Finance Committee and the Board of Trustees. This blended committee will work to facilitate communication and planning for the annual budget, bylaw changes, etc.
• We were also pleased to learn from Skip Lundborg as head of the Program Council that committee chairs will begin working to submit their budget requests for the 2026-27 fiscal year. This work in advance of the budget process will help us fully incorporate our operational needs into next year’s financial plan.
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