Goals for 2022

Last year I shared my goals for the year ahead in the February issue of the ORacle, so I figured I would do that again this year.  When I agreed to take this position, back before we had ever heard of COVID-19, and before the duplex fire, I had lofty goals that included big ideas.  Now I am much more pragmatic – basically, I just hope that we stay intact and afloat.  Slightly more specifically, I have 4 primary goals as President for the coming year.

  1.  Find more ways to gather and engage that are COVID-19 safe and satisfying for the community.

Many have had it with Zoom and virtual activities and are craving in person opportunities.  Others are still uncomfortable being with people outside of their immediate household in person indoors, even in small groups.  Finding meaningful ways to connect that draw people together, whether in person or virtually continues to be a challenge.  I hope that as we continue to wrestle with this challenge, we will get better at finding multiple ways to connect that work for more and more members of our community.

  1.  Move the remodel project forward.

Now that the results of the facilities vote are in, I am anxious to see us move forward.  We need to complete the financial feasibility assessment and launch our capital campaign in the coming year.  We will need to revisit the construction plan and create a design whose construction costs match the estimate of the funds we can raise.  This is also a golden opportunity to begin to lean into the neighborhood and really be a part of the solution.  I look forward to robust conversations with the congregation as to how we’d like to do that.  (See the article in the January ORacle to learn more about What’s Next and how to get involved.)

  1.  Inspire and empower new leaders in the congregation.

Looking at our new board it is fantastic to see so many fresh faces, newer members and younger members and even some longer-term members who are stepping into leadership for the first time or after a hiatus.  All this wonderful new energy and the varied perspectives are so exciting!  A big thanks to the Nominations Committee for putting together such an inspiring new board.  This is a great trend that I want to see continued.  There are still many opportunities for members who want to get more involved.  I hope that we continue to recruit and engage more and more new leaders from among our membership.  If you are interested in stepping up and joining in, please reach out to me and I will help you find the perfect spot for your interests and talents in our active and vibrant volunteer community.

  1.  Be more welcoming and inclusive.

Our DEI (Diversity Equity and Inclusion) Task Force has been folded into our Social Action Committee and will continue to help our congregation find ways to be more inclusive and welcoming.  It is important to make all our members feel comfortable and valued.  We want everyone at TBO to feel that they have a place and truly belong here.

I appreciate your suggestions about ways to advance the effort to reach any of these goals (or other goals too).   Feel free to share your ideas with me.

 

Here’s to reaching our goals in 2022!

Melanie (she/her)

President