I hope you will share my excitement at the stories about the diversity of people who are connected with United Church Homes. Our challenge continues to be to discover the unique individuals who are part of the tapestry of UCH. It truly is a journey of discovery.

This issue of Spirit continues to explore that diversity. Our cover story features Brenda Gould, a resident of Pickfair Square in Ohio, whose faith not only inspired her to serve as a missionary in far-off lands, but to do so for more than 12 years! Imagine being moved by the spirit to donate 4,500 days of your life to aid others. Just incredible! Many are called to mission work. Few answer. Fewer are so thoroughly committed.

You’ll also meet Linda Robinson of Macy, Nebraska, who faced difficult circumstances when she was very young, only to overcome them and lead a life of distinction. Then there’s Charlie Dale of Canal Fulton, Ohio, whose personal values and experience led him to write a book about being a gay man in Nazi Germany. Finally, we encounter Rev. Lou and Mary Anna Speller of Indiana, supporters of United Church Homes whose contributions to the growth of UCH span nearly 50 years. The Spellers are representative of those whose ardent belief in our mission and vision sustain and perpetuate our ministry.

This final point is important because we are about to unveil a new vision, mission and core values for the organization. What’s been developed is the result of a process involving many key constituencies: the Board of Directors, donors, senior management, community staff, campus leaders and current residents. We’ve invested a great deal of intellectual and spiritual capital in this effort to redefine our vision, mission and core values for the future. The process has been one of discovery, and a celebration of the diversity and community that is essential to our ministry.

At this point, we’re testing the ideas that have been developed to gauge how well they resonate within the organization. We anticipate being ready to introduce the new vision, mission and core values soon. As we move forward toward our Centennial Celebration in 2016, we believe this initiative will set the stage for a new century for United Church Homes in which we honor our past, build on our tradition of excellence, and grow our ministry of service.

We invite you to join us on that journey!