Where Do We Go From Here?

By Shawn Ultican, Board President

The KUUF Board of Trustees met on Saturday, September 11, 2010, for a “start up” retreat with Reverend Don. The goal was to review where we’re at as a congregation, where we want to be in the coming year, and what we need to accomplish to get there.

Please join us for Brunch with the Board after our service on October 10 to discuss these ideas, add your own, and provide suggestions on how to make it all happen.

We started the retreat by reviewing two documents - our 5 year plan, approved by the congregation in April 2009, and the results of exit interviews conducted by Janine Larson from the Pacific Northwest District office of UUA following the resignation of Reverend Liz.

From this, we brainstormed issues that need to be addressed. The broad categories we came up with are:

*Reconciliation and conflict resolution *Committee reorganization and revitalization *Effective communication

After our brainstorming session, the Board prioritized the issues and tasks we’d come up with. These are summarized below, and many of them are interrelated:

Reconciliation:

Awareness that people have been hurt on both sides of past disagreements.

Support a culture in our Fellowship where problems and concerns are addressed, not ignored.

Approach this process in a purposeful way, with empathy and compassion, so that people are heard.

Recognize the need for compromise, not everyone will get what they want.

We need to “walk our talk,” our mutual covenant is a key part of maintaining positive relationships, especially when we passionately disagree.

Revitalization:

Emphasize our core principles and values, and display them prominently in the foyer.

Develop a comprehensive plan for our campus, and assess feasibility of different options.

Restructure committees, with small groups focused on specific tasks and projects instead of ongoing duties.

Do a better job of welcoming, integrating and retaining new members.

Express appreciation in different ways for the many gifts our members bring to the Fellowship and community.

Have more fun together! Foster playfulness and creativity.

Have multiple Service Sundays each year, with some focused on working to improve our governance and community of faith.

Energize adult religious education and include community.

Communication:

Make deliberate effort to improve communications within our congregation.

Distribute The Candle newsletter in a way that people will read it.

Clarify, update and publish policy and procedures.

Regularly communicate our mission and accomplishments to our community, and work together with other local UU fellowships.

We’re working on a few of these changes already, such as compiling more copies of the Administrative Handbook, containing our current policies and procedures, which will be available to the congregation, staff, and committees.

We’ve also set aside part of the bulletin board by the restrooms for Board business. Postings will include recent minutes, our meeting schedule, and a list of current Board members.

If you have any other suggestions or concerns, please let us know! We are here to serve the health and well being of our Fellowship.