Tapestry of Faith: The New UU: A Program for Welcoming Newcomers to Unitarian Universalist Congregations

Leader Resource 2: Letter to Panelists

Part of The New UU

Complete the personalization of the letter by filling in the brackets in the text below. To determine the length of time each participant may speak, assume that the presentations will take 20 minutes and divide the time among the panelists.

Dear Panelist,

Thank you for agreeing to meet with The New UU workshop on [date] in [place]. We anticipate that the panel portion of the workshop will begin about [time], and last approximately 30 minutes. Our purpose is to share with prospective new members how people's lives have been enriched by being part of this congregation. We are including panelists from a variety of generations and experiences. [List the specific panelists.]

Each panelist will have [amount of time] minutes to describe their experience. We're relying on you to talk about how your life has been changed by being part of our congregation. After all the panelists have told their stories, the workshop participants will have 10 minutes to ask questions of the panel. Sharing compelling stories will help our workshop participants understand the value of church membership and participation. You may learn something, as well, from hearing others' stories!

We're very grateful for your participation. It helps provide potential new members with a deeper understanding of our congregation, as well as faces they will recognize. It's also an opportunity for you to get to know new people in our congregation and welcome them warmly.

Sincerely,

[Facilitators of the Workshop]