Please fill out the pledge form below. It will be sent to our administrator and recorded in our confidential database. Thank you!!
2026 – 27 Pledge Campaign
From Our Minister
As we enter our fourth year together, I am reminded of the power we hold as a congregation. We hold one another in times of crisis and transition, offering assistance and presence. We offer all ages opportunities to learn and grow and to build our capacity to make a difference in our community. From support of anti-poverty programs like the I-HELP program to organizing with Valley Interfaith Program, we take our role as a community advocate and leader seriously. From the Our Whole Lives curriculum to UU the Vote and from small group ministries to social gatherings, we gather, grow and give to a shared future. I invite you to give generously in our pledge campaign so that we can continue to build our power and capacity as a congregation while also tending to each other with love, care and compassion. It’s an honor and a joy to serve as the Senior Minister of Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation alongside
all of you.
-Rev. Sarah
From Our Board President
Thank you for thoughtfully making your pledge! Your donations throughout the year sustain VUU, allowing us to create community and work towards a better world. Your pledge allows us to be a reliable employer, to be good stewards of our Sanctuary and property, and to plan our future. I am forever grateful to be part of this community with you. VUU brought me lifelong friends, opportunities to grow as a father, a leader, a musician, and citizen of the world. I hope we can take a moment to reflect on our relationship with VUU as we make our pledges this year. It takes everyone, so thank you for being part of this community.
-Mark Foote, VUU Board President
Who Are We?
In these challenging times, we at VUU stand united as a beacon of hope for personal and religious freedom, and in support of marginalized groups in the wider community. Here we find love, acceptance, and a spiritual home that nourishes and connects us with the most important things in life. The VUU umbrella has room for all individuals seeking spiritual growth, no matter what their age, race, or identity. We honor the inherent worth and dignity of every person. We are welcoming to those who feel isolated or lost in the larger world. This is why we love VUU, and with that love comes the desire to see VUU continue to prosper.
VUU means different things to each of us:
- Sunday Services
- Faith Formation
- Music
- Social & Environmental Justice
- The Warmth of Community
- Hope for a better world for ourselves, our children, and the wider community
In fact, several of these — or maybe all of these — are meaningful to many of us.
We are blessed with a staff and leadership team that give generously of themselves. Support for them, for each other, and for our many diverse programs is part of our proud tradition. Together, we are saving the world by transforming hearts, opening minds, and nurturing spirits. This is why we give.
Where Are We “Growing To”?
The dollar goal for this 18-month Pledge Campaign is to raise total annual pledges by $75,000 or about 17%. We believe that as a congregation, we can do this together if every member and friend pledges as generously as they can.
Using data from congregational surveys and our Next Steps Weekend, we have identified four goals shared by a wide cross-section of our membership. A 17% increase in total pledges will enable us to meet these goals.
Our Four Goals
- Hire a permanent Director of Faith Formation. The current budget for this position is $43,000. An increase of $20,000 will get us a ¾ time DRE. (If we reach for the stars and increase pledges enough to provide $41,000 for this goal, we can hire a full-time DRE!)
- Continue to support our blossoming music program by finding permanent funding for the Music Director. This 15-hour/week position is currently funded by a one-time Special Funds grant of $30,000. We need to raise pledges by $30,000 to continue this position. (If we reach for the stars and increase pledges enough to provide $40,000 for this goal, we can fund a ½ time Music Director.)
- Fairly compensate our Minister and our Administrator by giving them cost of living increases totaling $15,000. As conscientious employers, we have a sacred obligation to meet this goal.
- Finally, an additional $10,000 is needed to adjust expenses for inflation.
How Do We Get There?
When you support VUU, you are also supporting your values here AND in the wider community. Whether you attend regularly or occasionally, your financial partnership with VUU supports your values. Your pledge makes a big difference — EVERYWHERE.
80% of our income comes from our committed pledges. If we all stretch just a little bit we CAN reach our pledge goal. Our success depends on all of us. Let’s all work together to grow VUU, because VUU is a great place to be!
18-Month Pledge Campaign
To make financial planning and budgeting more efficient, we are moving our pledge year from January-December to July-June to match VUU’s program year. You are being asked to support this effort by making an 18-month pledge that covers January 2026 to June 2027. Here is the timeline.
Fall of 2025
11/ 2: Congregational Conversation — Introducing the 18-Month Pledge Campaign
Cottage Meeting sign-ups begin
11/15: Training for Cottage Meeting Stewards
11/16: Stewardship Sunday — Pledge Campaign Kick-off
11/16-12/7: Cottage Meetings — Time to make your pledge!
12/14: Deadline to turn in completed pledge cards
12/21: Celebration of our Success!
Fall of 2026
Mini-Pledge Campaign — A chance to revisit your pledge
Spring of 2027
Pledge Campaign for FY 2027/28
WHERE DO YOUR PLEDGE DOLLARS GO?
The chart on the right shows the percentage of total pledge dollars that support each of the major program areas at VUU.
GIVING TABLES
You might want some guidance about possible levels of support for VUU.
GIFTS NEEDED FOR OUR GOAL
Considering the wide variety of income levels in our congregation, we need pledges of many sizes. Here’s what success would take
