It is exciting to be working on our four Developmental Goals and to see the steps we are already taking. Here are some of my thoughts on where we are with our plans.
Goal 1: We want to define a broad shared vision of our purpose for being a congregation so that we can feel energized, dedicated, and aligned in the use of our resources.
After watching the Simon Sinek TED talk and reading more about defining our vision, I am convinced this is the next right step for uniting and further energizing our congregation. I hope we can engage and empower a Taskforce to begin discussions with the whole congregation on this important initiative.
In the last months, I have become increasingly aware of how our congregation is acting with loving kindness in so many aspects of congregation life. It seems to me that we already have a commitment to living our UU values in our actions with each other and the larger community. And yet, as seems common for UUs, we each have our own vision of what we are up to. It would be so powerful if we could bring together all these visions so we can all feel part of the whole.
Goal 2: We want to be a more welcoming, inclusive, and anti-racist congregation, cultivating greater diversity in our membership and stronger engagement with the broader Charlottesville community.
I greatly appreciate Rev. Tim’s wisdom and action on helping us become a more welcoming congregation. His Newcomer’s Circles once a month after the service on Sunday are a terrific idea and it is wonderful that he is present in these groups. I love that newcomers are able to meet directly with our minister at the start of their contact with our congregation!
As we examine all the aspects of how to be welcoming, it will be good to hear the congregation’s thoughts on our shared vision and mission and to develop our welcoming initiatives in coordination with the work on Goal 1.
An important part of the work for Goal 2 will be collaborating with the Social Action Council in their community outreach. I look forward to learning how the board can support the council.
Goal 3: We want to strengthen our Stewardship Ministry to manifest passionate support of our mission with time, wisdom, and finances.
Forming a Stewardship Steering Committee is a terrific idea! I think that this will go a long way to providing the guidance we need to manage our human, physical, and financial resources.
Goal 4: We want to strengthen our internal processes and communication skills, build trust, and become more emotionally and operationally functional than we have been historically.
Providing clear messages to the congregation about the structure and function of UUCville is a critical part of strengthening our whole system. We will work on reviewing and updating information on our committees, providing a concise description of the Board and Governance, and writing a frequently asked questions reference to help everyone know how things get done at UUCville.
I am impressed with how these goals and the action plans span the realm from our overall vision for who we are and what we are up to how exactly we will manage our resources and get things done.
It is a great pleasure to be a part of a group that is able to put love and kindness forward while being clear about how to take action. Love in action is inspiring!