March  2026 

Leadership Council News
(Fire Alarm Progress, Council Retreat, Council Vacancies, and Sanctuary Sound System)

Fire Alarm Progress:
• Obtaining permits to move ahead with the work is ongoing.

Council Retreat:
• Council Has met three times to continue our work in defining our strategic plan. Neal Watkins, from the FL UCC Conference, has been a helpful facilitator. We hope to share our work with you at the Annual Meeting.

COUNCIL Vacancies (additions):
• The following Council members have resigned:
• Linda Newton - Vice-Moderator of Grounds
• Sharon Leidheiser - Treasurer
• Dee Rogers - President, Women’s Fellowship - as of 4/26/26.
• Term complete as of March 31, 2026:
• Gayle Davis - Christian Education Committee
• Susan Jack - Worship Committee
• Sharon Leidheiser has applied and filled the Church Clerk position.

New Partnership:
Council voted unanimously to begin a new partnership with the Social Justice Alliance of the Florida Suncoast. For more information, go to their website at www.sjafs.org.

Sanctuary Sound System - Viewing Worship online:
The sound quality in the Sanctuary has been an ongoing problem, not only for people attending worship, but for those viewing at home.  Council has approved a proposal from Creative Sound & Lighting Solutions to begin upgrading our analog soundboard to digital, replacing >ten year old speakers with updated ones extending the sound projection in a 160 degree array, purchasing additional microphones to enhance sound quality for the choir, and repairing damage from two separate power surges. The new system has a projected lifespan of 10-15 years. We have already received a donation for 50% of the total cost.

Annual Meeting:
• Our Annual Meeting is on Sunday April 26th in Naar Hall following lunch.

FEBRUARY

CALL for INFORMATION - for ANNUAL REPORT

PLEASE NOTE:

At the Annual Meeting, the Nominating Committee will provide the names of each Chairperson or Vice-Moderator and Members of all recognized and functioning teams and committees of Venice United Church of Christ.

Examples include Library Committee, Scholarship Committee, Policies Committee, Congregational Care, etc.

Please send an email to Maria Groody, at mphilgro@gmail.com by February 16th. Include the name of the Committee/Team, the Chair/Vice-Moderator, and the members - indicate voting members.

If you are looking for new members, let me know.

The Ministry group forms are available.  The ministry groups that were submitted for 2025 were:
Bella Handbell
Deborah Circle
Feeding the Hungry
Food Pantry
Fun and Fellowship Bridge
Immokalee
Monthly Men’s Breakfast
Prayer Shawls
Teller Group
Flower Ministry
Website

If you would like to update your group’s ministry form or start a new ministry, I can email you a link or send you a form by email.  Let me know.

Thank you,
Maria Groody, Moderator
mphilgro@gmail.com
Leadership Council News - February 2026
(Fire Alarm Progress, Council Retreat, Council Vacancies, and Calendar Update)

Fire Alarm Progress:
$13,360 received to date.  Most materials have been ordered and stored in Naar Hall.  Waiting for permits to proceed.

Council Retreat:
Council will host a follow-up retreat with Neal Watkins on February 11.

COUNCIL Vacancies:
The following Council members have resigned:
Linda Newton - Vice-Moderator of Grounds
Sharon Leidheiser - Treasurer
The CHURCH CLERK position continues to be vacant.
Term complete as of March 31, 2026;
Gayle Davis - Christian Education Committee
Susan Jack - Worship Committee

If you have an interest in assuming any ONE of the above vacancies, please speak with the outgoing staff for information on their duties.  You may also ask Paula Hagan, Vice-Moderator of Human Resources or any Council member.

NEWSLETTER, CALENDAR and WEBSITE/APP information:
On our Homepage of the website - www.veniceucc.org you will find (QUICK LINKS) or FOUR NEW BUTTONS which can quickly link you to the Worship Service, Sunday Bulletin, Monthly Newsletter of Events or the Church Directory (need your password)

CHURCH DIRECTORY APP - This APP lists members of our Church Family - Past, present and future.  It is not an official membership count.  Please log in to verify your information is correct.  If not correct or you do not want to be part of this directory, send a voicemail to Maria Groody.

As always, if you need assistance with technology, please see Sharon Leidheiser or Maria Groody during fellowship time.

UCC FL Conference is on February 7, 2026

Conference is by ZOOM from 9AM to 1PM.  It is an OPEN registration.
Click on the link to preview Conference documents.
www.uccfla.org/annual-meeting/

Leadership Council Highlights - January 2026

(Fire Alarm Donations, Council Retreat, Bylaws Review Committee, and Pastor Relations Committee, Technology Info)

Fire Alarm Donations:
As of now, we have received $12,600 in donations. We are half-way to our goal of obtaining $25,000 to replenish our Endowment Fund.
Council Retreat:
Leadership Council did not have a November or December Council Meeting.  Instead, we held a retreat on November 17 & 18 hosted by FL Conference Facilitator Neal Watkins.  The goals were for us to join together and identify VUCC strengths and weaknesses, and share our thoughts on our main goals and objectives moving forward.
We were to have a follow-up with Neal Watkins on December 16 but that did not occur.  We will attempt to reschedule the conclusion with Neal.  In the meantime, Council will revive the momentum we experienced in November at our January Council meeting.
Bylaws Review Committee:
Our Bylaws Review Committee members: Barbara Quinn, Helen Markus, Jane Chittick and myself met several times since our last Annual Meeting to revise the grammar/sentence structure and align the format of our document.  The Final Draft is on our Leadership Council Drive, which you can review here.
Pastor Relations Committee (PRC):
At our Annual Meeting, a motion to revisit the membership of the Pastor Relations Committee was passed.  At our April 2026 meeting, we will vote on the membership change.
The Pastor Relations Committee may consist of five members: the current Moderator, one other Leadership Council member, and three members of the congregation at large (one or two may be from the Pastor Search Committee)
The PRC has been meeting every month, and the members are Gary Leidheiser-Chair, John Bartel, Marianne Dickson, Toni Yahres, Barbara Talmage, and Maria Groody-Moderator.
Just as a refresher, this committee exists to support the Pastor as well as church members in their relationship with the Pastor.
Technology Info:
There have been changes to the APP and website.  Leadership Council will begin short, five minute updates to alert members of progress, during Fellowship Time.  Please stop in for coffee and hear the news!

Special Meeting  Vote : 11/30/2025

The congregation overwhelmingly approved to move forward with the Fire Alarm Installation.  
Work will begin after the new year.

At the meeting, Mel Burrowes included in the motion, an appeal to the congregation to raise at least $25,000.  This will prevent us from withdrawing the whole amount from our Endowment Fund.

Interesting enough, there are approximately 115 giving households in our VUCC family.  
 If  each  were able to give a gift of $225, we would reach that goal!

CONTRIBUTIONS from our VUCC family are appreciated.  We have received >$6,000 already. 

All monies not received in donations will be withdrawn from our Endowment Fund, which now stands at $773,759.
Notes from Maria Groody, Moderator

Church Clerk position is still vacant

We are still in need of a Church Clerk, since September.  Although ChatGPT has been taking minutes for us, it still requires editing.  Unfortunately ChatGPT cannot upload the minutes to the Council Drive, or complete the many tasks that will need to be done prior to our Annual Meeting.  If you are interested, please contact Paula Hagan, Vice Moderator of Human Resources or contact me, as I have been Church Clerk for three terms.