What a Saturday! I had my usual morning coffee and mini-cinnamon roll but then I participated in Chalice’s annual board retreat with the Coordination Team to set congregational goals for the following year. We met in the rainbow room at Chalice and the retreat was facilitated by Sarah Gibbs Millspaugh (far right in the picture), our Unitarian Universalist Association helper here in Southern California.  After an orientation to a “Tumultuous time for religious communities” led by Sarah, we studied Chalice traits compared to other similar UU congregations, and information about millennial parents (ages 27-41). Sarah also led a discussion on Emergent Strategy: Organizing for Social Justice.  These were all very informative and enlightening discussions.  Lastly, we had to wrestle with Chalice finances and how to address a possible operating budget shortfall next year. And finally we had to establish congregational goals. We managed to layout an outline, but the details are still in progress.

Saturday evening I went to see singer-songwriter Peter Mayer at the Solana Beach UU fellowship. Peter may be familiar to some of you as the composer of “Blue Boat Home”, a favorite song from our teal Hymnal. He is a favorite UU troubadour of mine and I half-jokingly say that Peter Mayer is who I want to be when I grow up. What an end to a very special day!

So besides retreats, things are moving at Chalice. The contracts for the shade sails and solar installation have been signed. Kathleen Swift has been hired as our new Director of Family Ministries (as well as being our administrator). And I would also like to extend my welcome to Amber Vlasnik, who is joining the Board after Alice Dodd’s departure. We are all pleased that she will be adding her wit and wisdom to the board.

Be sure to visit our campus in the next few months to see all the changes and improvements!

Inspire, connect, act.

Blessings,

Tom Carlstrom, Board President