September, 2011

Dear Central Midwest District Chalice Lighter,

Since its inception, the Chalice Lighters program has provided funding for growth projects to more than 40 congregations. Serving CMwD congregations in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin, Chalice Lighter grants provide funds for congregations to add professional staff, build new or enhance existing space, conduct public relations and outreach programs, or to fund new congregation starts. We are pleased to announce that our Fall 2011 Chalice Lighter Call will support Beverly Unitarian Church on the south side of Chicago.

Beverly Unitarian Church will use their grant money to plan and implement a series of public forums around issues of concern to the South Chicago and suburban areas as a way of bringing more visitors to their congregation and increasing their influence in the community. These forums will be closely connected to Unitarian Universalist values and principles and seek to present multiple perspectives on important issues. In conjunction with the forums, congregational leadership is working on improving their welcoming and greeting processes for visitors. They decided on this method of hosting public forums as a form of outreach based on several successful ones held there in recent years.

Donations for this call will run from the end of September through December 15, 2011. Because Beverly Unitarian Church has asked for a smaller grant, representing about a third of what we usually raise, the Chalice Lighter committee has decided to take a larger percentage for administrative costs to improve our database and communication systems. Normally, 5% of each call is put aside to cover administrative costs (stationery, postage, updates, etc.). This nominal 5% does not allow us, with the staff cutbacks we have experienced, to continue to keep the Chalice Lighter system running smoothly and efficiently, so we wanted to let you know about this “one time only” effort to fund improvements to the administrative processes of the Chalice Lighter program.

Specifically, Beverly has asked for $3,000. Last year, each call generated $10,000 - $13,000. The Chalice Lighter committee voted to take 20% of the donations for this single call for administrative upgrading. We are hoping to raise about $2,000 for this effort. The balance received will go into the Reserve Fund for Emerging Congregations, which is our standard practice with donations received over the amount of the grant. If you have any questions about this, please feel free to contact Dori Davenport Thexton, our staff liaison to the Chalice Lighter program - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 708-805-1866.

We hope that you will send your $20 (or more!) donation for this project in the envelope enclosed, or contribute online by visiting the web site for the CMwD Chalice Lighters: www.cmwd-uua.org, select Chalice Lighters in the top right corner, then Donate Online. Minimum donation for participation in Chalice Lighters is $10 per call.   As always, we thank you for your generosity and support of the growth of Unitarian Universalism in the Midwest!

Sincerely,

The Chalice Lighter Committee: Matthew Brenner (Evanston, IL), Nicolas Cable (Divinity School student), Rev. Lori Hlaban (Brookfield, WI), Karen McMillin (Oak Park, IL), Kimberly Perry (St. Louis, MO), Rev. Martin Woulfe (Springfield, IL) and Dori Thexton, Central Midwest District Staff liaison

Countryside Church
Unitarian Universalist

September 9, 2011

Central Midwest District Chalice Lighters
c/o Central Midwest District, UUA
1555 Sherman Ave, Suite Suite 345
Evanston, IL 60201

Dear Central Midwest District Chalice Lighters,

On behalf of Countryside Church Unitarian Universalist, we thank you for the generous grant of $13,000 to our congregation. These funds will help us to create a staff position for a Membership Coordinator. We have been seeing growth in our congregation but we have also made some substantial changes in the last couple of years, including adopting a set of aspirations of memberships that include involvement, service, pledging, and regular attendance. We are expecting more of ourselves. In light of that, we also expect to take better care of every person who comes to our congregation. We want to provide easy integration into the programs and activities so that people feel at home soon and know that we actually do care about one another, we are creating a leadership development program that will evolve into a spiritual growth and belonging program. The purpose of that program is to help everyone to blossom not simply as congregational leaders grounded in Unitarian Universalism, but as persons outside the congregation as well. We have been drawing heavily on the Harvest the Power curriculum.

The role of the Membership Coordinator will be critical in all of this new work. Our congregational "slogan" is "Come Grow With Us" and we will be able to more fully realize that growth because of this grant. We are excited to be able to strengthen our flourishing as a congregation and deeply grateful for your generosity and support.

Yours in the faith,