Dear Friends,
What a busy and rewarding time for our congregation! The Board gathered recently and we wanted to share a few highlights from our meeting with you.
👥 Board Members in Attendance
Heather Martens, Julie Stewart, Gordon Paynter, Michael Pileggi, Justice Bovee, Lisa Greene, Matt Lassegard, and Becca Bracket. Ann Beecher was unable to attend the meeting. Also joining us were staff member Tim Roehl and guests Reverend Chad Snyder, Denise Victora de Meireles, Cindy Anderson, Tassi Bisers, Paul Riedesel, and Mary Brabec (via Zoom).
🗳️ Annual Meeting – Mark Your Calendars! (May 17)
Our Annual Meeting is coming up on May 17, and we have some exciting news to share ahead of it. We are pleased to announce nominees for two open Board of Trustee positions: Mary Brabec and Denise Victora de Meireles. Also to announce new members of the Foundation Board: John Leisenring, Cindy Pichotta, and Shelley Shreffler. The Board will elect its new officers by e-mail vote within 10 days of the annual meeting.
💬 Budget Conversation – Sunday, May 3 at 12:15 PM. Chalice Room #213
Before the Annual Meeting, we want to hear from YOU! Join us on Sunday, May 3 for a congregational conversation about the 2026–27 budget. Your voice matters, and we hope to see many of you there.
🌿 Miyawaki Mini-Forest
We unanimously approved the Miyawaki Mini-Forest on our grounds. Tassi Bisers presented the proposal. There is no cost to FUS for this mini-forest. We have to thank the city of Minneapolis — they will be supplying the plants, an arborist, the work in amending the soil and planting. Volunteers are excited to care for the fledgling forest as it grows. It was discussed that this will be a good learning experience for adults and children alike.
📣 New Marketing Campaign
We approved plans to reconvene the marketing task force to renew the successful 2025 media campaign. The Foundation has generously offered to fund $50,000 of the proposed $65,000 to $70,000 cost of the campaign. The remaining cost will be covered from board reserves. Since the upfront costs were paid in 2025, the cost is significantly lower in 2026. We are excited to search and hire a new membership director.
🤝 A Few Other Notes
– We adopted a Disruptive Behavior Policy to help ensure our space remains safe and welcoming for everyone. This policy will later be folded into a more comprehensive safety and security policy.
– We are continuing to refine our Building Use and Rental Policy and will have more to share next month.
– Social Justice leader Lillie Benowitz shared a wonderful report on all the advocacy work happening in our congregation — there is so much to be proud of! The Board is exploring how to best coordinate and amplify these important efforts going forward.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who showed up, served, and contributed to our community this month — including Karl Winthrop-Davies for his tremendous work during Candidating Week, and Paul Riedesel for his dedication to our budget process.
I would be remiss not to mention that last Sunday Reverend Snyder was called to be our new settled minister with 93% of the vote. The excitement last Sunday was palpable. Reverend Chad expressed his excitement about his appointment and also lamented that he has to wait until August 1 to minister to the congregation.
Our next Board meeting is Thursday, May 28. As always, we are grateful to serve alongside each of you.
With warmth and gratitude,
Matthew Lassegard
Board Member
FUS Board of Trustees