[February 2017]

Senior Minister’s Message: What Am I Missing?

By Rev. Roger Jones

[NOTE:  Roger is away on sabbatical leave until late May.  He wrote his monthly Unigram newsletter columns in advance.  If you have questions about the sabbatical or how things work at UUSS during this time, click here to see Sabbatical Q & A.]

Greetings from this undisclosed location.  I will be traveling soon, plus reading and attending a spiritual retreat.  I’ll tell you all about it in a few months.

In February I will miss the chance to offer auction items for the annual Spring Fling–our Dinner, Auction and Raffle.  I did let the volunteer team know of a few things I could provide for the auction.  What will YOU offer?  Please mark your calendar for this, the biggest and funnest fundraiser of the year: Saturday, April 29, 5:30 PM, at UUSS.  Click here to add your service auction items and have a sneak peak.

In February I will miss marking my 56th birthday with you.  Save me some cake!  Yes, the aging process does not slow down when I go off duty!  I’m now 4 years younger than my father was when he died suddenly.  I am blessed with better health.  I didn’t have to go to a war zone as a young adult, as he did.  And I take better care of myself, so I expect to live longer than he did.

Thoughts of my mortality make me think of how I can make sure my assets will help those who need it.  I want to put my resources to work to extend our Unitarian Universalist values.  I have taken some time to decide what organizations and people to list as beneficiaries for my retirement investments and life insurance.

Unitarian Universalist people institutions are at the top of my list  of heirs and beneficiaries, and this includes UUSS.

I have been given so much by our congregations, our denominations, my hardworking ministerial colleagues, and my UU seminary.  I want to pass along some of these benefits for a strong Unitarian Universalism in the years to come.  I’ve thought about my house, car, and other assets, and how to plan my estate so my resources will “pay it forward.”  Please see our Legacy Giving page on the website, or talk to Rev. Lucy or to one of our Trustees if you have questions or wish to share your good news with them.

I hope you can take some time to think about extending your influence after your death.

And I hope to see you in just a few months!

Yours with thanks,

Roger