Please consider joining or rejoining the Chalice Lighter (CL) program. It’s completely optional, costs a minimum of $20 three times a year ($60) and has provided $11,000 to our UUCWI, enabling us to buy and implement our hybrid system. The grant was funded by generous Chalice Lighter congregations throughout our region, Cascadia. If we can keep our promise of 30% of our members donating to the CL program, we can apply for another grant in two years.

What you should know about the Chalice Lighter Program:

Chalice Lighters assist Unitarian Universalist member congregations in the Pacific Northwest with grants to provide vital capabilities and infrastructure.

Chalice Lighter grants help congregations grow by:

• securing, improving or furnishing a building
• reaching out to the community to attract new members
• initiating a new congregation
• funding any other creative program to facilitate growth and vitality

A congregation applying for a Chalice Lighter grant must meet certain minimum requirements at the time of application. A congregation must:

• have at least 30% of its members enrolled as Chalice Lighters
• be a UUA Annual Program Fund Honor Congregation (UUCWI is one).

Chalice Lighters donate a minimum of $20 three times a year when the call comes from cascadiauu.org, a US 501(c)3 charitable nonprofit investment organization. These calls for donations come by email on March 1^st, July 1^st and November 1^st. As your CL ambassador, I can answer questions and cheer you on! Your CL communication will come from cascadiauu.org and your donation will go directly to cascadiauu.org.

The more of us who take the Chalice Lighter pledge, the more help the program will have to offer to growing congregations. What’s more, just by being a Chalice Lighter, you will help UUCWI qualify for future Chalice Lighter grants and enable us to keep the commitment we made when applying for the grant.

I hope you will consider joining or rejoining the Chalice Lighter program. Simply go to cascadiauu.org and click on “Chalice Lighters”. Then click on “donate”. The preferred method to donate is online; if you prefer to send a check, there is a form to use which I have. Remember to identify yourself as a UUCWI member on this form or online.

Contact Judy Kaplan for more information.