After months full of repairs to facilities, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tucson needs cash to keep its doors open.
The church’s problem: long-term debt and a current budget shortfall. The Rev. Diane Dowgiert attributes the financial straits to unexpected but necessary repairs, an email to the congregation explains.
To cover all of those expenses, the church needs roughly $60,000, Dowgiert said.
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Tucson, 4831 E. 22nd St., has dubbed May 31 “Miracle Sunday” and is asking church members to come bearing their wallets. There is also an option for online donations at uuctucson.org. On Wednesday, the board of trustees will meet and discuss future options, depending on the donations received.
“I feel bad writing the letter, because we have had smaller announcements to people to step up, and they have,” said Michael Herman, the board president who wrote the email. At this point, the congregation has actually contributed more than the original budget anticipated for this point in the year.
“It’s always hard to ask, and what I know is that when they are asked, they come through,” Dowgiert said. “This congregation is resilient.”
Primary income includes donations, room rentals, an on-site day care and fundraisers. As of May 22, the church had an income of $386,770 with expenses at $434,273, according to the email, which is now available online. These are estimates, Dowgiert said. For the entire fiscal year, which ends June 30, the church budgeted a total income of $416,477, with expenses at $428,598.
“We have historic buildings that have been recognized as historic buildings in Tucson on the modernism tour, and they’re aging,” Dowgiert said. “Over time, it has just been catching up with us.”
Facility work in this fiscal year includes a replaced water heater, electrical panel, HVAC unit and thermostat, the removal of mold, a prolonged remodeling of a church room and repairs to plumbing, locks, a dishwasher and roof leaks. The church also had to fix flood damage caused by September monsoon storms and vandalism of the sanctuary’s stained glass over the 2014 Easter weekend, according to the email and the church’s 2014-15 annual report.
Although church members did step up to help with costs, when cash wasn’t available, the church paid bills using an overdraft account. That debt has been restructured into a loan, Herman wrote.
The congregation has about 275 members and can swell to 400 attendees, Dowgiert said, attributing part of that spike to snowbirds. That makes income slim in the summer — a pattern many Tucson churches encounter, she added.
Next week, the board will consider alternative steps.
Options include dipping into the church’s operating reserve fund, which had $23,700 as of Feb. 28, according to the annual report. The church could also withdraw interest from or close the endowment fund it has with the Unitarian Universalist Association. The annual report records that fund at $38,470.38 as of Feb. 28. The former option leaves the church without its “cushion,” and the latter would eliminate an old investment account, Herman said.
The church, which is more than 60 years old, could also take out a mortgage on its property, Dowgiert added.
Shutting the doors temporarily is a last resort for Herman, though the church would remain open for third-party renters and the day care.
“We would save some money in the short term, and if you have to pay the bills, you have to do what you have to do,” he said. “The downside is your staff doesn’t get paid, and that’s not really a respectful relationship with your staff, and for a lot of people, our church is our home, and if your home is closed for a couple of weeks, that’s not a good feeling.”
