A letter from Karen 5-9-11

When I was a child, I believe my parents experienced gaps in their household budget as well as for their small business. They did not discuss these concerns with me – though I remember sensing the tension in their voices through my bedroom door as they discussed the trade-offs that were necessary to maintain the financial future of our family. They made the hard grown-up decision. I was not aware of the impact on my basic well being. Over time I experienced greater involvement in those discussions that highlighted the ways in which my earning power was needed to support such things as my own college education. It was part of becoming an adult.

Sometimes it feels like the conversations that congregational leadership have about budgets and money seem a little too much like the ones I heard through my bedroom door . We convey concern but we sometimes fail to highlight the ways in which we share responsibility for sustaining what we care about. In fact, we are all adults here and everyone needs to know that the tension in the voices is real and the trade offs are significant.

We are opening the door, and here’s the deal.

The numbers and the projections are in. At this moment there is a $175,000 gap between the projected revenue and what we believe we need to fully fund FUS staff, facility, programming and debt reduction for the 2011-12 fiscal year.

Here is what is on the table to balance this budget. Unless we are able to increase our revenue line, any or all of these measures will be taken.

· Close the Society for a week. This is the “staff furlough” concept that amounts to a 2 % cut in pay for our staff.

· Eliminate our Campus Ministry program including staff position

· Reduce music staff

· Reduce R.E. staff

· Eliminate Adult Religious Education

· Use restricted funds to support youth programming

· Reduce Social Justice Program budget by 50%

· Triple staff contribution to health insurance (from 5% to 15%)

· Forego paid website support

· Cancel Quest program start-up

· Reduce curriculum supplies for adult RE

· Postpone full financial audit

· Eliminate leadership development budget

· Reduce Unitarian Universalist denominational support to 5% of Fair Share

· Cut six months from our Governance Consultation contract

· Use all of our remaining restricted music funds to support music programs

· Institute “materials fee” for choir/chorus members

· Eliminate registration-fee scholarships for delegates to General Assembly and District Assembly

· Eliminate funding for additional parking

· Cut cleaning budget

· Eliminate support for Dane County United

· Postpone transition from Office Manager to Business Manager

These changes significantly impact FUS programming and the tradition of excellence that we have all come to expect. They also limit the Board’s Vision of Ministry for the coming year, a vision that would expand our congregation’s ability to grow into the potential promised by our new facility and our changing governance.

For increased pledging of $10 per month per adult member we could almost close this gap.

Please take time to review the 2011-12 Annual Plan (LINK HERE) and attend the Budget Forum on Thursday, May 12 at 5:00 P.M. in Courtyard rooms ABC. Changes in annual pledge for 2011-12 may be made by e-mail to Tracy Grade, tracyg@fusmadison.org.

In trust,

Karen Gustafson

Rev. Jody Whelden is a Staff Chaplain at St. Mary’s Hospital, and a FUS member since 1996. She has served as Consulting Parish Minister for Prairie Unitarian Society and for The Free Congregation of Sauk City-UU.