"A Growing and Responsive Community"

“The church in the woods with roots in the city” — that’s how board member Verne thinks of UUSGS.

It’s not just because the sanctuary, now nestled in the woods, was located in downtown Springfield many years ago. Our congregation’s work in the local community is what keeps its roots watered.
Social justice work drew Verne to the congregation when he first moved to the area 30 years ago. So did the music. A singer and guitarist, Verne quickly found a place for himself here as a songleader.
His involvement in the congregation deepened with his appreciation for the blend of intellectual depth, spirituality, and openness to questioning our ministers have brought to Sunday services throughout the years.
Verne has seen how dynamic the congregation has become, in more ways than one. With young families coming in, its membership is increasingly intergenerational. And we’re open to “new directions that meet changing needs,” as Verne puts it.

Verne says his donation to UUSGS’s capital campaign goes hand-in-hand with his commitment to the congregation, as the campaign aims to meet the community’s needs.

Verne recently felt the impact of the technology upgrades donors made possible during the campaign’s first phase. While he’s always enjoyed the high-energy musicals our community theater group puts on, the March production of “Head Over Heels” was an experience like no other.

“For the first time, I could understand what was being said and what was being sung!” Verne says with a laugh. At 81 years old, he says his ears need a good sound system. “And it’s there now.”

Donors are also helping our space become more adaptable to different needs. The moveable chairs that replaced pews in the sanctuary have benefitted Verne’s song-leading; he can now easily move singers around to group them by vocal parts.

Verne says the creativity with which our leadership has responded to changing needs since the start of the pandemic is still going strong. He’s grateful to be part of a congregation focused on “growing and changing, developing and not being stuck in patterns, but being responsive.”