Here is a recent message from Carey McDonald, Vice President, Unitarian Universalist Association.

A summary of the state of Unitarian Universalism in the United States:

“…membership is steady, while religious education enrollment and average Sunday attendance continue to fall.

Adult membership is steady overall, coming in at 154,704, almost identical to last year. We have stabilized a downward trend in membership that had run 2010-2017, but beneath the headline we see substantial movement in membership figures in congregations. Last year 43% of congregations grew their adult membership, and 30% grew their RE enrollment. Growth is coming largely from our smallest congregations – of the almost 400 members we added to brick and mortar UUA congregations last year, 70% were from congregations of under 150 members. Regionally there is also some variation. The Central East, New England and Southern Regions grew this past year, and the Southern Region in particular has been a source of growth over the past five years.”

Where does UUCE fit into this overall picture? We have taken in at least 30 new members this year, bringing our total membership to 353 members. That number fluctuates as people move or decide not to participate any longer in the community. But the spirit of this community is thriving. The trend is toward engagement and spiritual and religious growth, embracing what it means to live into and live out of our UU values. We are a community that plays together, worships together, challenges one another, and seeks to impact our world for a higher good.

May we keep on keeping on…

In gratitude,

Rev. Lo