President’s Report September 2021
Pam McIntire
This month we have begun preparing for the Developmental Minister search. The board selected members for the Developmental Minister Search Committee and met to discuss what goals we will have for the developmental ministry years. We will have two Listening Circles to talk with congregants about the goals we all believe are important (Tuesday, September 21 6:30 to 8:00 and Sunday, September 26 1:00 to 2:30 – On Zoom, link provided here ). The final goals will be a large part of our application so we can find a developmental minister with expertise in those areas.
As a first draft of possible goals to begin the conversation, members of the board drafted this statement to begin the Listening Conversations:
As is true for most congregations, through the years, UU Cville has developed structures and ways of being that we take for granted and maybe that we are not even aware of. These underlying assumptions have guided our understanding of who we are, what our mission is in the world, and the way we operate. Through our self evaluation in interim ministry with Rev. Linda, we have identified many beliefs, patterns and habits that may get in our way of who we want to be. In Developmental Ministry, we have the opportunity to set goals to make changes and consciously alter our path. To this end, we would like to hear from you about what goals you suggest for our Developmental Ministry.
To begin the discussion, the board would like to offer up a start on possible goals.
First we believe we need to take a look at who we take ourselves to be. We would like to develop a more unified understanding of our identity. Who have we become as a congregation? Who do we want to be? How do we treat each other? How do we welcome new people? Who are we with respect to being an anti-racist congregation? Are we a congregation content to be a smaller, pastoral group or do we want to grow and function as a larger organization?
Second, we need to look at why we exist. We would like to develop an understanding of our mission that empowers us to move forward together to make a difference in the world. What is our purpose? What is our mission in Charlottesville and the world? What are we working toward? What is it that calls us forward and unites us? Why do we belong to this church? What inspires us to contribute to this church with time and money?
Third, how is our foundation supporting our identity and our purpose? We want to strengthen the structures of our church that support our mission. How can we improve our stewardship? Our governance? How can we share leadership and encourage new leaders? How can we develop and engage our membership? How do we build resiliency, support forward thinking leadership and embrace our ever changing world.
The Developmental Minister Search Committee members are Ann Salamini, Chris Little, Kim Curtis, Larry Moulis, Liberty Powers and Pam McIntire (board representative).
The more time I spend on the board, the more I am amazed at everything so many people do to keep moving forward. I am grateful for Rev. Linda, Rev. Alex and Rev. Leia and their wisdom and vision guide and support the congregation. I feel so sad that our beloved Rev. Alex will be leaving us this month. Her deep understanding of how we care for each other has guided us for eleven years. I am grateful that we have had this time with her. It was wonderful to be at the gathering to say goodbye to Alex. It was so good to see people in person (although masked) and to feel the commitment and caring we feel for each other.
Our ministers have been talking about how we can structure church activities to keep us all engaged and nourished. I have been amazed at their broad and yet practical view of our congregations needs. They ask: How can we keep everyone safe from getting COVID through congregation activities, and yet provide the sense of community and growth that we all so desperately need? Our Zoom services have been incredible (many thanks to the all the people who work so hard to make them come together). And, can we get together in other ways? We need to be together! I look forward to hearing more about their creative ideas to keep us connected and fulfilled in our mission together.
I was fortunate to be in the sanctuary for the service on September 12. I was astounded at the tech that is required to bring off a multi-platform service – cameras are pre-programmed for certain angles, microphones are strategically placed, videos appear on screen at the right moments, and we had live streaming of Scott on the piano and our Reverends on the chancel. We have an incredible team! Speaking of tech, our Director of Administration and Finance, Sean Skally, is an incredible gift to our congregation. I don’t know what we would have done without him these years. Behind the scenes, he keeps it all running. He guides the tech for the services, keeps the building in good shape, manages all the beautiful renovations, monitors all our accounts and finances, and does an unbelievable number of other tasks from plumbing to installing security systems. Many thanks to Sean!
As the board engages in setting goals for this year, and continuing to think about membership, stewardship, and leadership, we welcome your ideas and your questions. Please email Pam at president@uucharlottesville.org.