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AEU Weekly Update: October 19, 2023
AEU Weekly Update: Thursday, Oct 12, 2023
Dear Members,
This past Saturday, the Board held our first meeting of the 2023-24 Fiscal Year!
Introducing Two Newly Certified Ethical Culture Leaders & an Officiant
We are proud to announce that the Board has certified KC Slack (Washington Ethical Society) and Nori Rost (New York Society for Ethical Culture) as Ethical Culture Leaders. Both KC and Nori are dually affiliated in fellowship with the Unitarian Universalist Association. Jessica Kruse of the Ethical Society of Mid Rivers was also certified as an Officiant. Ethical Culture Officiants are endorsed by the AEU to perform weddings, memorials, and other rituals that witness the shared rhythm of life.
KC Slack
KC has served as Senior Leader of the Washington Ethical Society since August 2022. Their work as a clergy person, chaplain, academic, and artist is grounded in embodied practice and focused on finding and building beauty into the future.
Nori Rost
Dr. Nori Rost representing the New York Society for Ethical Culture at a rally on the first anniversary of the January 6th insurrection.
As the full-time clergy Leader for the New York Society for Ethical Culture, it has been Nori’s honor to be a voice for justice both in the congregation and the larger community. She looks forward to continuing this important work as well as providing resources for individuals to grow ethically and spiritually in community.
News on Apportionments
We’ve received a lot of feedback about the current apportionment formula, and we hear you. The Finance Committee has presented a three-year financial plan to reduce the AEU’s dependency on Society apportionments and grow services that support our member Societies. The plan will:
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Maintain 22/23 apportionment with no increase in FY 23/24
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Develop a responsive, easy-to-understand formula that redirects money to Societies; a less financially stressful apportionment formula
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Reduce AEU dependency on apportionment from Societies by expanding and diversifying income sources
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Increase annual income by $48,000 by growing major donors, retaining existing donors, and re-engaging lapsed donors.
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Introduce a standard practice of Board giving ($29 per month per Board member with a 10-20% increase each year)
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Create a new, non-religious 501c3 in addition to the AEU’s religious designation that enables us to raise funds through grants for justice, art, science, climate change, and culture change initiatives