By Rev. Dr. Richard Speck
UURMaPA Board President
(From Fall 2025 Elderberries)
Thanksgiving approaches as I write this column, so I want to offer some thanks for those who keep our organization strong. Let me start with thanks to the Fall 2025 Conference Planning Team and Worship Team:
Barbro Hansson, Sonya Sukalski, Jeff Briere, Jef Gamblee, Terry Ellen, Wayne Walder, Anita Farber-Robertson, Joan VanBecelaere, Linda Wright, Sylvia Howe.
The conference had the largest attendance ever, with almost 200 people participating. The programming was stimulating and the stories and odysseys were very moving. We have improved over the years in meeting the moment with themes that are attracting ever more registrants.
Our long time Conference Zoom Master, Jon Claney, resigned in the summer to take a full-time position with First Unitarian Church, Wilmington, Delaware. He did great work for us over several years. Replacing him is Cynthia Becker, a lifelong Unitarian Universalist who has a background in video conferences. She was behind the scenes at our recent conference. She lives in Vancouver, Canada.
I also wish to thank Ann Marie Alderman for her years of service as our Membership Coordinator. She helped us transition from the old way of keeping up—with three separate spreadsheets—to our Church Center system, where we enter the data once and it sorts automatically into areas. We are still getting used to how the system works. Ann Marie had to step down due to personal concerns. We seek a new Membership Coordinator. If you might be interested, contact me, president@uurmapa.org.
I am saddened to announce that our Treasurer, Paul Johnson, has had to resign due to health issues. Paul hoped to complete his term as treasurer, but circumstances prevented it. We are grateful for the work that Paul was able to do, and we hope he can find some well-deserved rest. The board will be appointing a temporary treasurer to complete Paul’s term. The Nominating Committee has proposed a person for the position. The board will discuss it soon.
The board is also working on goals for this year. We laid out broad areas for our work and are now putting substantive plans into place to guide us and allow us to see markers for completing those goals. We are working on strengthening connections (among ourselves, primarily), improving fundraising for the organization, and increasing diversity and inclusion in our membership. Stay tuned for how you can help us fulfill these goals.
The last item I wish to discuss is our annual fund-raising appeal. You will be receiving (or have already received) a letter from me, asking you to financially support our organization. We do not ask for dues to be a member but rely upon each of you contributing what you can to strengthen UURMaPA and our programs. Please give generously when the letter comes.
I close with words from our hymnal, #355 We Lift Our Hearts in Thanks:
We lift our hearts in thanks today for all the gifts of life,
And most, the gifts of hope and love, of wisdom, truth and right.
Yours in the Faith,
Richard Speck, UURMaPA President