I have some very exciting news to share. An anonymous donor has pledged a matching gift to First Parish for up to $20,000 for the Carlene Merrill Fund! To secure the gift, we need to raise matching funds, either through donations or pledges to fund.
The Carlene Merrill Fund (CMF) will address staff issues that are difficult to resolve in a single year’s budget. The goal isn’t to move staff funding out of the Annual Budget, but to help cover big changes in staff costs in a budget year to give the Annual Budget some time to absorb the increase, a bridge from one fiscal year to the next. The fund will be used to support the staff, as determined by the Standing Committee with input from the Human Resources subcommittee. Our staff is essential to the First Parish. Staff provide our Sunday Worship Service, our Faith Formation Program for Youth and Adults, Pastoral Care, support for our volunteers in their ministries, and they keep the church running doing whatever else needs to be done. In our covenant we commit to bear witness to justice, and to be good stewards of our congregation. Part of living out our covenant and our UU values is being an ethical employer. We want to make sure that our staff is paid justly, has good health benefits for themselves and their family, and has the support they need to do their job to the best of their ability. Carlene’s legacy will help us fulfill that responsibility.
Joan Coyne, Tom Coffey, and I will be leading a fundraising drive to match the $20,000 gift. The campaign begins December 7 and will run through February, but donations received since the kitchen dedication in Carlene’s name on September 5 will count toward the match. Watch for more information about how you can help us meet the match.
I’m closing with a quick note of gratitude. Ron Deschenes and the members of the safety committee have been hard at work improving First Parish’s safety procedures. Ron has connected with other churches in the area to learn how they are addressing safety concerns, established a relationship with the Chelmsford Police Department, attended workshops and trainings on church safety, and secured radios for ushers and greeters to better communicate during Sunday services. Just to be clear, there are no current threats to First Parish. But Ron and the safety team are doing the behind the scenes work to keep us safe during challenging times and we are very grateful for taking this project on!
As always, please feel free to reach out. Enjoy the holiday season!
Have mercy,
John S.
