How to Get Involved with or Donate to the UU Church of Buffalo

Updated

You can support the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo (UUCB) in two main ways: give money through one of its designated donation channels, or give time by joining a ministry team. The church lists four donation routes—Annual Pledge, Share The Plate, Legacy Creation, and Honor/Memorial Gifts—and several ministry teams, including Food Ministry, Lay Pastoral Ministry, Pastoral Care Ministry, Social Justice Ministry, and the Technology Team. Which one fits you depends on whether you want to make an ongoing financial commitment, a one-time gift, or a hands-on volunteer contribution.

Donation Options

The website groups giving under a "Support Our Mission" section with these named options:

Option What it is for Best if you want to…
Annual Pledge A recurring yearly commitment to fund the church's mission Make a predictable, ongoing contribution
Share The Plate A designated giving program (typically a shared collection) Give to a specific cause alongside the congregation
Legacy Creation Planned or long-term giving Leave a lasting gift to the community
Honor/Memorial Gifts Gifts made in someone's name or memory Recognize a person or mark a loss

A general Donate link appears in the site's main navigation and again next to the livestream call-to-action, so a straightforward one-time gift is always one click from the homepage. The site does not publish amounts, payment platforms, or membership requirements for giving, so confirm any details directly with the church before committing to a pledge.

Getting Involved Through Ministry Teams

Beyond money, UUCB organizes volunteer work into ministry teams. The ones named on the site include:

  • Food Ministry — hands-on work around food and hospitality
  • Lay Pastoral Ministry and Pastoral Care Ministry — congregational care, including a "Care for People" Advisory Task Force
  • Social Justice Ministry — justice-focused organizing and action
  • Technology Team — support for the church's technical and online operations
  • UAIM Women's Society — a longstanding church group

There are also advisory committees (Endowment, Finance, Fixed Assets, Governance, Nominating, Oversight, Respectful Relations, Stewardship, and Strategy) for members who want to contribute governance or professional skills. If you are new, the Path to Membership page in the "Who We Are" section is the natural starting point before joining a team.

Staying Connected

To hear about events and volunteer needs, the church publishes several communication channels:

  • E-Blasts — the "Current Eblast" is linked from the homepage
  • Newsletter — under Communications & Events
  • UUCB Calendar and UUCB Events — for dated activities and gatherings
  • Order of Service — the current order is posted for each worship service

Worship itself is available in person or by livestream on YouTube at live.buffalouu.org, so you can get a feel for the community before deciding how to participate.

A Practical Sequence

  1. Watch a livestream or attend a service to understand the community's values and tone.
  2. Read the Path to Membership page if you are considering a deeper commitment.
  3. Choose a giving route that matches your intent—Annual Pledge for ongoing support, Honor/Memorial for a tribute, Legacy Creation for long-term planning, or Share The Plate for cause-specific giving.
  4. Pick a ministry team aligned with your interests, such as Food Ministry for hands-on service or Social Justice Ministry for advocacy.
  5. Sign up for the E-Blast or newsletter so you learn about events and volunteer needs as they arise.

The main pitfall is treating "Donate" as the only entry point: the site clearly frames involvement as both financial support and participation in ministry teams, so choosing one without considering the other may leave you less connected than you intended.