This email provides updates from your UUSS volunteer leaders, and this month includes information from the Board of Trustees, the Nominating Committee, and the Program Council.

Board of Trustees and the Nominating Committee
The Spring Annual Congregational Meeting is this Sunday, May 17th – in the Sanctuary, after the service. You may attend in person or via Zoom. The Spring Meeting is an important occasion when we vote on candidates for Leadership positions, and vote to approve the 2026/2027 Budget. You can review the proposed budget, click here.

The Nominating Committee wants to thank everyone who expressed interest and are delighted to present the following candidates:

Board of Trustees:
Vice President of Board – Ted Scott-Femenella
Treasurer – Victoria Owens
Member at Large – Lue Bishop
Member at Large – Karen Smith
Member at Large – Mathew Espinosa-Castro

Program Council
Program Council – Michael Feliciano
Program Council – Danielle Vickers
Program Council – Joyce Ownbey

Nominating Committee
Nominating Committee – Bobbie Keill
Nominating Committee – Linda Osborne
Nominating Committee – Michael O’Neil
Nominating Committee – Susan Davis-James

Endowment Trust – Randy Webb

Good News from Stewardship

The Stewardship Committee reports that pledges totaling 99% of our 2026/2027 goal have been received! To date 331 pledges have been received. The Committee is continuing outreach to members and friends who have yet to pledge.

UUA/General Assembly

The theme of the UUA’s annual conference this year is “MEET THE MOMENT: TOGETHER EVERYWHERE”. GA this year will be virtual, held online June 14-21, 2026, where participants gather to worship, witness, learn, connect, and make policy decisions for the Association through a democratic process. If you would like to attend as a UUSS delegate Contact Rev. Roger or Board Member Janet Lopes soon! Learn more at uua.org/ga.

Shared Offering

Thanks to your generosity, in March UUSS contributed $4,236 to Wellspring Women’s Center (and a giant pile of diapers and wipes), and $972 to Effie Yeaw Nature Center our 5th Sunday offering recipient. In April our contribution to The Creation District was $4,402! Our Community Partners for May are NAMI Sacramento, and on the fifth May Sunday (5/31/2026) Effie Yeaw Nature Center!

Save The Date: SUNDAY, JUNE 7th

Plan now to attend a special event after service on Sunday June 7th when the results of the UUSS Pulse Survey, taken in May 2025 will be presented, followed by discussion workshop!

Program Council 

The Program Council has provided affinity badges — colored ribbons that attach to our nametags — for the four Affinity Groups currently at UUSS. Look for the People of Color Caucus, Crone Connection, Young Adults, and Men’s Group tags displayed by some of each group’s members on Sunday!

The Program Council is also recruiting for a Food Fellowship Committee and considering the specifics of what the Committee will do to help introduce food fellowship opportunities into our community wherever possible, not only Soup Sundays! We also are excited that two volunteers have stepped up to lead Soup Sunday!

How to get in touch with your volunteer leaders:

Your elected Board of Trustees meets monthly. Our next meeting will be Thursday, May 28, at 6:30 PM, on Zoom (by accessing the same Zoom link as the Sunday morning services) and in-person gathering in the library. You are welcome to join us! The Board’s role is to oversee issues of UUSS finances, facilities, personnel and long-range planning; it makes decisions on policies rather than management decisions. You can find more information about the Board and read the minutes and Treasurer’s report here http://www.uuss.org/board/. To contact the Board, email board@uuss.org

UUSS 2025/2026 Board of Trustees: Andy Cramer – President, Janet Lopes-Vice President, Victoria Owens – Treasurer, Fred Pannek – Secretary, Members-at-Large:  Carl Crain, Dawn Huebner, Emily Moran-Vogt, Mathew Espinosa-Castro, Patty Innes

The Program Council will meet next via Zoom on Thursday, May 21, 6:30 PM. Persons interested in attending a meeting or contacting the Program Council can email programcouncil@uuss.org

Your 2025/2026 Program Council members: Sean Fountain – Chair, Joyce Ownbey, Jim Glidden, Michael Feliciano, Dave Paul.