Hey everyone, I’d love some insight from other UUs who’ve been through this.

I really love my local congregation. It’s such an open, genuine community where people care deeply about each other, and that’s what keeps me showing up. But I’ve started to worry about our long-term sustainability. Our average age is around 55, and most new members are also older. We don’t have many younger people or families joining, and attendance overall has been slowly shrinking.

At the same time, we’re struggling financially. We can’t do much community outreach or use the space outside Sunday services because of tight funds. There’s so much heart here, but not much visibility or growth.

I’m not trying to replace or sideline our longtime members, since they’re the backbone of this place. I just want to help make sure the community they’ve built continues for future generations.

I’d love to hear from folks who’ve faced this before: • What’s actually worked to attract new or younger members while keeping elders engaged and valued? • How can we stay relevant and connected on a small budget? • Are there creative outreach or program ideas that have helped your congregation find new life?

PS this is being cross posted so if you see it twice it was intentional.