Summary Report From March 23 Leadership Council Meeting

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Our UU Marin Leadership Council had a terrific turnout of more than two dozen leaders for a working session on March 23rd. Here is a summary of the work produced by the small groups during our table group sessions. Thank you to Board of Trustees, Linda Klein for organizing this day, and providing this detailed report:

SUMMARY OF ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ASKED OF SMALL GROUPS AT LEADERSHIP COUNCIL, MARCH 23, 2024

  • How can things be communicated to all congregants in a way that reaches more people? (Many don’t read the newsletter or look at the bulletin board or web site.) How can we develop a communications team?

Make the newsletter more sophisticated. Jazz up the newsletter. Reinstate announcements in Sunday Services; some people are auditory learners; announcements can be community builders; they could be at the very end and not interrupt worship.  Take a survey and ask people how they best receive information.  Print announcements and insert them in the Order of Service. Send more special emails. Board summaries should be in the newsletter with links to the website.  Use links to the website in the newsletter for more complete information. Have posters, videos, sandwich boards or tables in the lobby or on the patio.  Use the bulletin board in the entry way.

  • Look at the UU Board goals.  What strikes you about them?  Are they relevant and timely?  How can your team help the Board fulfill these congregation goals?

Put the Board goals in the newsletter at the beginning of the church year.  Put the goals on the bulletin board. Announce some of the goals to congregation in the service periodically. Put the Board goals in the Board packet each month. Get feedback from the teams and committees about how they are helping fulfill the goals and how they are working toward the goals. Announce the goals at each Leadership Council and where we stand in fulfilling our goals.

  • How can we ensure congregants know the purpose of the Committee on Shared Ministry and the Healthy Congregations Team? How can more collaboration between those team/committees and other committees and teams be accomplished?

Stop calling them by their acronyms and use the full name. Make presentations during Sunday services by the team or committee. Have joint committee and team meetings between Shared Ministry and Healthy Congregations and other committees and teams that have natural overlap or connections. Show members of the team/committee via name tags.  Post the names of people on the committees or teams on the bulletin board.  Have the minister model and demonstrate to the congregation, maybe through role playing possibly in some Sunday services, right relations to set the right tone. Publish a booklet of all team/committee names and purposes and contact person to hand out to newcomers as well as curious long-time members.

  • What can you as a team/committee or individual do to improve right relations at UU Marin?

Communicate directly, no triangulation.  Hold each other accountable for keeping the covenant by gently mentioning a break in right relations. Each committee or team write its own covenant for their meetings. Start each team or committee meeting with a reading of the covenant.  Use words of encouragement, like “great job.” Model behavior; act out covenant. Be an “Upstander,” meaning stand up for the covenant rather than a bystander. Don’t avoid conflict but model and encourage healthy conflict.  Address the whole congregation periodically during a Sunday services. Make recommendations for conflict training when needed.

  • How can we as a congregation learn to be more welcoming and open?

Provide intercultural development training.  Participate in Come to the Table.  Participate in the “common read” that ASD will be leading.  Partner with a local church of a different culture. Invite music from other spiritual cultures. Have more Sunday service time devoted to covenantal conversations in reference to how to welcome. Volunteer to be a greeter or connector.

  • What is the purpose of this congregation to you personally, not our mission, but your personal reason for coming to this congregation. 
    • Provides community as well as extended family for children.
    • Reminds us of our best values.
    • Provides learning and development spiritually.
    • Encourages search for truth and meaning in life.
    • Challenges us to be the best version of ourselves.
    • Provides intellectual and spiritual development.
    • Give us a source of access to higher power.
    • Provides music and activites for kids.
    • Gives us knowledge and participation in the larger community of Marin and the world.
    • Is a homebase for being a better person.
    • Is Spiritually uplifting.
    • Gives us variety or persepctives.
    • Provides belonging.
    • Is the local representative of the worldwide UU movement to counteract intolerance of acceptance of others.
    • Works for social justice.
    • Expands our own capabilities.
    • Provides education.
    • Gives us the opportunity to have an impact on the world.
    • Encourages us to heal the world and make a difference.