by Moira Rouse & David Schowalter, Stewardship Team & Melissa McKeon, Board President
Last year, we “Defied Gravity.” This year, in the sequel, we are grounded in something just as powerful — For Good.
If you’ve seen Wicked: For Good, you will recognize that in the title song, Elphaba and Glinda sing about how they have been changed by each other — not perfectly, not easily, but permanently. They don’t pretend the road was smooth. They acknowledge misunderstandings, conflict, and growth. And yet, they remain grateful. They remain connected. They are better for good because they stayed in relationship.
Another memorable song of the movie, “There’s No Place Like Home” captures the realization that home is not about perfection, but about belonging — the people and relationships that shape us and anchor us. Elphaba implores the marginalized not to leave Oz, stressing that even during intense conflict, we are ultimately drawn back to the place where we are known, loved, and changed for good.
That’s stewardship.
There is no place like home. And home is not perfect.
Our home country is navigating deep polarization, oppression, autocracy, anxiety, and uncertainty.
Our home state of Massachusetts is wrestling with economic pressures and a crisis in affordable housing.
Our home city of Worcester is growing and changing — vibrant, diverse, hopeful — yet also facing strains of affordability, and questions around equity and justice.
And here at our spiritual home, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester, we must navigate budgets, aging infrastructure, and the evolving needs of a congregation that lives its values boldly.
It would be easy, in uncertain times, if not to leave for greener pastures , then at least to pull back. To wait. To see how things shake out.
But the heart of “For Good” — and the core meaning of stewardship — says something different: Stay.
Invest.
Be changed, and change others. Evolve.
There’s no place like home. We don’t stay because everything is easy. We stay because this is where transformation happens, where we practice democracy in real time, where we find ourselves and seek ourselves. We stay because this is where our children learn who they are and who they can become. We stay because we shape something together here that matters.
Stewardship is not only about balancing a budget. It is about choosing to invest in our shared home — even, and especially, when the world feels unstable. It is about saying: This community has changed me for good. I will help ensure it continues to change lives for good.
When we pledge, we declare belonging. We are making sure when someone walks through our doors seeking hope, justice, or a place to breathe, UUCW is here — steady, courageous, and compassionate.
Our 2026 Pledge Drive begins March 1. In the weeks ahead, you will hear more stories about how this community changes lives — and how your generosity sustains that transformation.
As we begin this season, take a moment to reflect:
How has UUCW changed you?
Who here has shaped your journey?
Where have you grown — for good?
There’s no place like home. And home becomes stronger when each of us chooses to invest in it.
Let’s stay.
Let’s build.
Let’s invest— For Good.
Moira Rouse and Dave Schowalter
The Stewardship Team
From Melissa McKeon, Board President:
Every New Year’s Day, I spend a couple of hours with my college friends on a Zoom call. It’s a chance to get caught up that, over the years, has subtly changed from discussions of children’s graduations, to children’s marriages to grandchildren and, more recently, to retirement. I find that many of my college friends have taken the opportunity offered by retirement to give back to their congregations a little more than they were able to when child-rearing and careers took up most of their time. Part of this year’s discussion zeroed in on many of the problems faced by churches all over the country. My friends in the wealthy suburbs of Philadelphia, San Francisco and Baltimore have churches facing a familiar list of problems, declining attendance and declining financial participation being the most significant.
Some congregations have lost their physical space and now share one with another group or several or rent elsewhere. Some share a minister. Some are staffed almost entirely by volunteers, who give up the equivalent to a full-time job in order to save the church’s purse the cost of a staffer. Some no longer have religious education programs, as there are no children to serve. The picture is pretty grim.
And while we feel sympathy for our roommates on this earth, I think we can be proud of UUCW.
In the post-pandemic era, every church has faced declining participation, and the increased opportunity for digital participation does not always translate into a personal connection to the church. Here at UUCW, our numbers are still robust – and increasing. Our Connections team brings in new families regularly and helps them meet folks and investigate our programs.
For most congregations, finances are the major worry, and here, too, we can be proud that all the efforts of our church donors, volunteers, staff and congregants have kept the church on an even keel. We continue to be able to meet the challenges of an aging facility, of increasing costs for insurance and energy and—this year—snow removal! And last year, when we presented to the congregation the full need we faced during our pledge drive, YOU STEPPED UP!
As we move forward with this year’s pledge drive, we thank you again and again for your dedication to the mission of this congregation.