<div dir="ltr"><div><span id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-b0cd7f18-7fff-40b4-0dc2-67f6605b2480"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Dear Committee of Chairs,</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">It has been a long time since our last meeting when we gathered together in late April.  </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(55,56,57);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Many of you told us afterwards that it was so great to see familiar faces and to feel connected to one another, even if only by Zoom.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.295;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:8pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Now that we have begun our church year and we’ve all become more familiar with online gatherings, we are inviting you to join us for our next Committee of Chairs meeting, which has been scheduled for November 10 from 6:30 – 8:30 PM.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.295;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:8pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The purpose of the Committee of Chairs is to come together, sharing information about our committee work and learning something new in support of the church as a whole. Meetings are planned, agendas set and convened by rotating members of the Committee of Chairs. </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">We are asking for you or members of your committee to volunteer to lead the October meeting.</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> The Executive Team and Staff will be able to provide guidance and technical assistance.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.295;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:8pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The work is not onerous. Reaching out to learn what Committee Chairs feel they need, planning an agenda, facilitating the meeting — this is the work required. UCM staff and the Executive Team are ready to support the leader.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(55,56,57);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">As with our individual lives, Covid-19 has dramatically changed how UCM functions – new skills to learn, new responsibilities, loss of in-person connections, more challenges balancing home and work life among them. S</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(55,56,57);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">trong lay leadership is a hallmark of the Unitarian Universalist faith tradition and we believe this is a critical time to participate in the life of our church.</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(55,56,57);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">While most of us continue to grieve over the loss of our in-person community, now is a critical time to share and learn together using Zoom as our meeting place. We want to fully live our UCM Mission.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(55,56,57);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Please volunteer to lead the November 10 meeting by contacting </span><a href="mailto:ucmexecutiveteam@gmail.com" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(5,99,193);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">ucmexecutiveteam@gmail.com</span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(55,56,57);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> by October 23. We hope to hear from you.  </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(55,56,57);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">UCM Executive Team</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(55,56,57);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Rev. Joan, Ron, Leslie & Claudia</span></p></span><br class="gmail-Apple-interchange-newline"></div><div><br></div><div><br clear="all"><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><font color="#674ea7"><b>Elaine Ball | Congregational Life Coordinator</b></font></div><div dir="ltr"><font color="#674ea7"><b>pronouns: she/her<br></b></font><div><font color="#000000">Unitarian Church of Montpelier</font></div><div><font color="#000000"><a href="mailto:ucm.membership@gmail.com" target="_blank">ucm.membership@gmail.com</a> | 802.595.9801 | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/elaine.ball.stehel" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/elainestehel" target="_blank">Twitter</a></font></div><div><br></div><div><i>"I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own." ~ Audre Lorde</i><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>