As we finish our 7th year as a congregation, I think it is more than fair to say we have come a long way and that the efforts of many people have gone into getting us where we are.

Here are a few highlights from this past year:

- We have had an engaging Welcoming Congregation process and are about to hold our congregational vote on becoming designated a Welcoming Congregation. In doing so we will join ALL of the other UU churches on the Front Range!

- We have just completed our first financial year (the end of this month really) completely on our own (we had start up grants in the first years to help us get going)...and we will finish this year with a little bit more money than we started with. This is due to everyone who pledged being as generous as they could be in meeting, even exceeding their pledges, a record breaking auction and some exciting matching gift campaigns.

- Meanwhile, we start the upcoming fiscal year with the momentum represented by our biggest pledge drive ever!

- We have revised our by-laws to reflect our current view of how the congregation should operate and that document is ready to be voted on today as well

- We have selected a new religious education coordinator for next year and I hope you all look forward to meeting Kristen Famula in August when she starts work with us. We were able to agree on a solid package for her that is fair to all and provides for 16 hours a week of support for our RE program (that is up from 10 hours/week this past year).

- Our choir has continued to grow and thrive and we have had some amazing and fun special music along the way.

- We just completed our first year with Rev. Jann as an installed minister ...who I think you will all agree is the fulcrum of the whole community. In this year’s budget we have been able to fully fund her on a full time basis showing both our recognition of her contribution to our community and the results of our individual resolve to be generous in sustaining our community.

- Several of us created the Caring Circle which has extended the ministry of the church to our caring lay people.

- We updated our email communications in the newsletter and announcements, with a big thanks to Diane Long for leading that effort

- We have created and sustained a wide variety of small groups and had loads of fun at a wide variety of events which start out as fund raisers sold at the auction and turn into great parties!

- ...and of course, the weekly miracle of transforming a gymnasium to a spiritual sanctuary each week, then back to a gymnasium, thanks to an assortment of outstanding volunteers

- And the list goes on from there...Habitat on the Hill, our Somali family, lots of active church committees, the completely unexpected but much appreciated challenge grants; the "building your own theology" class; the number of new members who joined our community; and....well, you get the point! The state of our church is great and getting better.