GA 2008

Confessions of a GA Junkie

2008-07-28T22:20:00.000-07:00

JoAnne Smith
Membership Coordinator (Volunteer Position)
Valley Univarian Universalist
Chandler, AZ

I attended the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association in Ft. Lauderdale Florida, June 25 to 29. It was my 26th GA! Why am I addicted to General Assemblies? GA is a smorgasbord of the best Unitarian Universalism has to offer: uplifting worship services, inspiring lectures, informative workshops on how to do church better, social justice information, and spiritual practices. It was very powerful to be in the company of 3020 UU’s including 1556 delegates from 504 congregations.

Delegates participate in plenary sessions to hear the reports of UUA leadership and do the business of the association. These sessions are chaired by the UUA Moderator, Gini Courter, who conducts the session with wisdom and humor.

Beth McGregor, chair of the GA Planning Committee, was clearly pleased to report to the delegates on the significant and rapid progress that has been made in the "greening" of GA. She reported that another step is taken every year in this area, and that the UUA has been recognized with the Silver Green Award from IMEX (the international meeting and exhibition planning organization) and the Twin Spires award from the Portland Convention and Visitors Bureau as best convention of 2007. This is the first time recycling of plastic, paper and metal has been offered in the Ft. Lauderdale Convertion Center.

A highlight of GA is the Service of the Living Tradition, a moving service that honors those entering and retiring from the ministry and those ministers who have died since the last service. There were tears in my eyes when The Reverend Jim Norman’s name was read and his picture projected on the monitors. He served our congregation from 1989 to 1994.

GA is a source for wise and humorous quotes:

One light : Untarianism / shining through many windows: Universalism

Why did the UU cross the road? To help the chicken find the path best for her.

This is the church of no wrong notes--some of them are from other songs.

Unitarian Universalists believe in:
Oneness of God
Love of neighbor
Service to humanity

Social Justice Actions at GA

2008-07-28T22:14:00.002-07:00

Part of the business of the General Assembly is to pass resolution having to do with social justice issues.
A Congregational Study Action Issue (CSAI) was chosen, with which UU congregations will engage for the next four years. The CSAI for 2008-2012 is Ethical Eating: Food and Environmental Justice, for more information go to this link: http://www.uua.org/socialjustice/issuesprocess/currentissues/55648.shtml

Among the Actions of Immediate Witness was one supporting farm workers, titled, End Present-day Slavery in the Fields, it can be found at:http://www.uua.org/socialjustice/socialjustice/statements/115809.shtml

Another Action of Immediate Witness that speaks to those of us in Arizona was the AIW to Oppose the Florida and California Marriage Protection Initiatives which was expanded to include all states that might have similar issues on the November ballot. The resolution can be found at http://www.uua.org/socialjustice/socialjustice/statements/115812.shtml

Report of UUA Moderator Gini Courter

2008-07-28T22:14:00.001-07:00

Report of UUA Moderator Gini Courter

Description of the report in coverage of Plenary VI on Sunday at http://www.uua.org/events/generalassembly/2008/commonthreads/117153.shtml

Why dos the word need UU Congregations anyway?
Accept people wholly
Place to be religious without sacrificing the soul
Transcendent religious experience focused on this world
Our country needs UU congregations because we need authentic community to work for justice

What should your community demand of your Unitarian Universalist congregation?
UU Leadership --moving ahead together
Value interdependence over independence
Authentic religious community
Followers that honor leaders and hold them accountable
People committed to pulling the next man/woman up

What is Congregational polity?
Self governance but relation with each other as an association of congregations
Working on youth empowerment is a way to cooperate with neighboring congregations

Greet everyone who enters our doors: Welcome to the best church in Chandler--we're glad you found us

Report of UUA President Bill Sinkford

2008-07-28T21:58:00.000-07:00

Report of Bill Sinkford, President to the UUA

(Brief Summary: More notes on Thursday Plenary Session at
http://www.uua.org/events/generalassembly/2008/commonthreads/115837.shtml
Sinkford’s address is near the end)

The vision that guides his work and that of the UUA staff is summarized in three important goals:
1. Support health and vitality of local congregations
UU RE Curriculum
Diversity of Ministry
New direction for support of youth ministry from national organization to programs in congregations
Growing congregations
What is the saving message of your congregation?

2. Open doors to those who yearn for what we have
Time magazine ads
Google ads
No longer content to be invisible
Growth initiatives
Satellite ministries in Albuquerque, NM

3. Credible religious presence in the world
Marriage equality
Campaign for peace while supporting troops including having more UU chaplains (whom he infroduced)
AIDS prevention -- Just say no didn’t work in the Garden of Eden
http://www.faithinpubliclife.org/ is a good on-line resource

Who is my neighbor? New sanctuary movement

Now is the Time capital campaign results: $50 million goal $39 million raised at Association Sunday events in congregations

Challenges for the future:
Attention to language
Association of congregations
Youth ministry
Faith development
Vision, mission, goals

New Slogan:
Nurture your spirit and heal the world

Ours are the only hands in this world
Ours is a theology of hope and courage

Bill Sinkford at Closing Worship: Let us develop a confidence of who we are and who we might yet become

Forest Church Received the Distinguished Service Award

2008-07-27T21:44:00.000-07:00

"I am proud of this award, and don't feel particularly sinful saying it," said the Rev. Dr. Forrest Church, accepting the 2008 Annual Award for Distinguished Service to the Cause of Unitarian Universalism at the Saturday morning plenary. Church, who was senior minister at All Souls Church in New York City for more than 20 years, and is one of the best-known contemporary UU theologians and authors, described pride in its good sense: "When pride brings us together, it is cause for celebration." This award, he said, demonstrates this kind of pride. "It sets its recipient not apart from but as part of the great Unitarian Universalist tradition.

The author of 13 books and editor of 10, Church has distinguished himself through his ministry, public service, and scholarship. His most recent undertaking is facing his own death. When Church learned that his cancer had returned and that he had but months to live, he wrote another book called Love and Death. Death was much on his mind when he told the crowd, "Anyone who boasts privileged insider information on the creation or creator is, from a cosmic viewpoint, stretching presumption to its outer limits. When we die none of us is going to have but the faintest notion what this mystery was all about."

He also thanked the gathering and UUs everywhere for their ongoing support. "You have helped me bring God home when my faith was homeless," he said. "When I was down you have taken me and lifted me up, guiding me, walking with me, kneeling with me when I could only kneel and lifting the fear from my heart."

For more information on the award go to http://www.uua.org/pressroom/pressreleases/114259.shtml

Lecture Note: “Love and Death” by Forest Church

2008-07-27T21:21:00.000-07:00

Forest Church is the Senior Minister of All Souls UU Church in New York City, renowned author and speaker. He has cancer and his days on earth are numbered. The title of his lecture, "Love and Death,” is also the title of his latest and probably last book.

Death is the religious response to life.
Death is one of the hinges of life
I became a minister when I preformed my first funeral

Life is like a stained glass window with different panes on the different aspects of our life
When one pane becomes cloudy or dark we focus on that to the exclusion of all the other aspects of life

Guiding themes for a successful life:
Do what you can
Want what you have
Be who you are

Accept the total package
Life lives us until we pay attention
We can't live life fully until we accept our death
Fear of death comes from unfinished business
“If only” are the two saddest words in the language
Salvation is here
Integrity: peace with ourselves
Reconciliation: peace with others
Redemption: peace with death

Death may come as thief in the night but it cannot steal the love you have given away

Crisis --don't ask why, ask where do we go from here. Know we must do it together
Don't ask what you did to deserve this fate--we did not earn the privilege of being here
Think about the choices of your ancestors and the infinite genetic possibilities that combined to create you
Infinite sequence of genetic accidents mean there are infinite odds against our being here

Remember this mantra:
Human-humility-humble-humus

Amen-I thank you-I love you and may God bless us

Quotes from his answers to questions:

Avoid the pain of grief and loss by closing your heart--love is grief's advance party

When we are disappointed in America we should not be less American but should hold the leaders to the vision the fore fathers dreamed.

More detail found at http://www.uua.org/events/generalassembly/2008/commonthreads/115714.shtml

Workshop Note: Breakthrough Congretation: Pacific Unitarian Church in Ranch Palos Verdes, CA

2008-07-27T21:11:00.001-07:00

Go to http://www.uua.org/events/generalassembly/2008/commonthreads/115781.shtml for more details about this presentation

History
Became an unhealthy congregation
Distrust of UUA guidelines for salary and benefits of employees
Distrust of other denominational resources

Road to recovery
Decision to change ministries
Interim minister helped developed a covenant of good relations
Developed trust between all people
Participated in UUA media campaign in region
Become radically hospitable

Other Actions
Needed to increase staff
Pastoral care director
Hired through an enhancing ministry fund
Stewardship ministry
Move from corporate to religious model
Dealt with the question: Who are we serving?
Moved from philosophy of scarcity to philosophy of abundance
Tracked donations to other charities

Ideas for building community
Honor incoming and outgoing leadership
Fourth Friday fun night
Easter egg hunt congregation brought plastic eggs with money which was donated to shelter
Town hall meeting once a month preceded by a potluck

Put trust back into Trustee
Financial records given to congregation
Make sure governance model is being followed
Re-chartered standing committees to keep focus on goals
Social justice program carried out with passion
Strategic plan is critical--Survey congregation for goals

Workshop Note: Growing Your Congregation:Marketing and Membership

2008-07-27T21:11:00.000-07:00

Presenter: Valerie Holton vholton@uua.org

More resources available at http://www.uua.org/leaders/leaderslibrary/congregationscount/index.shtml

Steps in membership Commitment:
Interest-worship-fellowship-covenant relationships-commitment-leadership –evangelize

Website analysis through the eyes of visitors

People first go to church when they are tension or transition
Ask visitors “What can we do for you?”
Make sure they meet 4 people
Worship is visitor friendly--avoid acronyms like UUA, RE, etc.
Families as greeters
First 10 minutes are crucial
Follow up contact within 72 hours
Send a stamped, self-addressed Postcard in the Guest Letter: what did you notice first, what did you like most--least
Must build relationships--like covenant group

Membership questions
Do I fit?
Does someone want to know me?
Am I needed?

How to stop doing everything
The journey is a process
Ask guests "What can we do to help you?"
Emails are good because they can reply
Track number of first time visitors
Yearly number Should be same as number of members
Give members postcards or email to invite friends

Count new members compare to number of first time visitors: should be 12% to 20%
Active members-
Track involvement of new members
What is the number of people who leave
Exit surves would you recommend us to friends or family
Have people committed to talk to guests

Call folks who have not been attending
Covenant groups service project: being ambassadors

Marketing
What is the objective?
Who do we want to reach?
What do you offer?
Focus groups with people like the ones you want to attract
Direct mail brings about 2% response
Samples of direct mail pieces available on UUA website
Mailing lists from like-minded organizations
Postcards effective
Geoselect.com is a source for addresses

Use new banner developed by the UUA: Nurture your Spirit. Help Heal our world.

Google ads
Google home page
Choose key words and create ads that speak to that
Natural search results --increase your links relevant to search words

Guerrilla marketing
Join UUA PR e-list: pr-l@lists.org
Sun shades
Bumper stickers

Testimonials during services
No church work for 15 minutes before and after service

Partner with another congregation to sleuth visit and evaluate welcoming practices
Cluster of congregations
Regional website
Regional workshops
Special events
Targeted direct mail
Share templates--customize for individual congregation

Workshop Note: Spreading UUism Usnign New Media

2008-07-27T20:40:00.000-07:00

“New” media:
Blogs--allows users to post content

Three types of blogs
Text based
Podcasts - audio recordings
Video blogs

Podcasts
Sermon podcasts
On-line music
Choir podcasts must pay fee to post copyright mate

Email lists used to send short nuggets not emotional content, subject clearly states content

In a survey of visitors:
None had responded to print ads
Three a week responded to website

Suggestions:
Voices of Liberal Faith DVD given to newcomers
Video tape "elevator speeches" and post them on a blog
Podcamp.org
Www.uuplanet.org for on-line videos
Promote UUism when you respond to issues on blogs
Promote website by putting on a blog
Google site for tips on promoting blogs
UUA website link to Voices of a Liberal Faith on our website
Send link to Beliefnet quiz to friends and other prospects
Sheet of info about church with coupons for free admission to events given to guests

More information at www.danielharper.org/blog

Workshop Note: Regional gUUerilla Marketing

2008-07-21T00:40:00.000-07:00

Regional gUUerilla Marketing
Presented by:
Linda Laskowski llaskowski@uua.org
Cilla Raughley cillar@mac.com

For more detail and some excellent resources, go to the link http://www.uua.org/leaders/leaderslibrary/congregationscount/index.shtml

Identify a geographic area that makes sense for marketing and logistics purposes, e.g.: Media coverage, proximity for face to face meetings, number of congregations, etc.

Let the ideas come from the group with implementation subject to who is willing to do it. Pick no more than three to implement at one time.

Go initially for easy wins—something visible and tangible.

Track your results: number of visitors who responded to specific advertising, website traffic, etc.

Possible strategies
Create an area website (could be funded by Chalice Lighter grant)
Include map of congregations
Auto sun shades are mobile bulletin boards
Radio ads that refer to website
Learn how to get free coverage
Speak out on conflicts in area
Sponsor events that address controversial issues
Google ads very effective and cheap
Ongoing visitor surveys
Create PR Kits