Breakthrough Congregations

Harlan Limpert, Vice President of Ministries and Congregational Support, introduced breakthrough congregations at the 2011 General Assembly this way:

When President Peter Morales talks about the role the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) staff can play in the life of congregations, he sometimes says he wishes the UUA had created the slogan that Home Depot has made so popular in recent years: “You can do it, we can help.” This cute and catchy slogan conveys a belief that congregations already have the capacity to do all those things that enable it to live out its mission in the world. They sometimes just want help, and sometimes we can provide it.

At other times the role of UUA staff becomes that of lifting up the good work of congregations and encouraging other congregations to learn directly from them.

That is the idea behind the Breakthrough Congregation initiative. Created seven years ago, it was an effort to identify those congregations that had achieved significant and sustained numerical growth and give them an opportunity to share at General Assembly what they’ve done, and how they’ve done it. Why not look to the experts—those lay and professional leaders who have already "cracked the nut" around growth—and give them the opportunity at general assembly to share their wisdom?

The following Breakthrough Congregations were selected by the Unitarian Universalist Association's Growth Team. Each congregation shared their story at General Assembly.

View a chart of congregations by size.

2011

All 2011 videos are 8 minutes long.

• Westside Unitarian Universalist (UU) Congregation, Seattle, WA
• UU Congregation of Beaufort, SC
• UU Church of Peoria, IL
• UU Congregation of Fairfax, VA

2010

2010 Videos are 12 minutes long except Mankato (14:30).

• Unitarian Church of Harrisburg, PA
• Unitarian Church of Summit, NJ
• UU Area Church at First Parish, Sherborn, MA
• UU Fellowship of Mankato, MN

2009

2009 Videos are 12 minutes long.

• First Unitarian Church of Des Moines, IA
• UU Church of Bloomington, IN
• UU Congregation of South County, Peace Dale, RI
• First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque, NM, with branches in Socorro and Edgewood

2008

• UU Fellowship of Wayne County in Wooster, OH
• Pacific Unitarian Church, Rancho Pales Verdes, CA
• Bull Run UUs, Manassas, VA
• Unity Temple UU, Oak Park, IL

2007

• Davies Memorial UU Church, Camp Springs, MD
• All Souls Unitarian Church, Kansas City, MO
• First Unitarian Church, Portland, OR
• Carbondale Unitarian Fellowship, Carbondale, IL

2006

• UU Fellowship of the Eastern Slopes, Tamworth, NH
• UU Fellowship San Luis Obispo County, CA
• First Unitarian Society of Madison, WI
• UU Church of Annapolis, MD

2005

• Quimper UU Fellowship, Port Townsend, WA
• First UU Church of Dallas, TX
• White Bear UU Church, Mahtomedi, MN
• All Souls Church Unitarian, Washington, DC