Learn about some common difficult meeting behaviors and a few strategies to cope with them.

Learn about how to prevent destructive conflict in meetings by nurturing a culture that promotes respectful communication and creative interchange.

First, be sure you have prepared well for the meeting. Setting up the Space Plan to have one or two people arrive early to prepare for the meeting. Their duties should include the following: Chairs should be set up in a way that is comfortable....

Planning well in advance enables leaders to relax and be more present at the actual event, in addition to creating a comfortable environment for participants. The following are nine key areas to consider in preparing meetings. Discern Who Needs to Be Part of the Planning and Carrying out of the...

If meetings are to be truly meaningful and transformational, it is crucial to involve participants fully.  Read eleven ways to maximize participation.

There have been many processes and methods that are based on the notion that there is collective wisdom that can be gleaned from the whole.

Practical Decision Making How a congregation makes decisions should reflect all the characteristics of a free church. Respectful participation, democratic values, and reference to common principles and mission should be common in our practices and most clearly evident in congregational meetings....

Congregational boards hold the authority and responsibility for the congregation as an institution, as designated in the bylaws.

Congregational leaders today are facing challenges that have no easy answers or quick fixes. Developing practices that enable the congregation to use its collective wisdom to experiment with different ideas and approaches....

Failing to use a microphone is a form of exclusion. “When I’m excluded, I feel weary, frustrated, and invisible."

Going to my gym taught me how leaders can create a climate of acceptance, encouragement, and empowerment for newcomers.

Smooth and efficient meetings require planning, structure, transparency and practice!  It takes a lot of practice to be a good facilitator. Even more importantly, good facilitators don't go it alone--they ask other leaders to take on different roles to keep the meeting on schedule and on topic.

Congregational budget-makers frequently divide into two camps that approach the task in different ways. The first camp is likely to include children of the Great Depression, experts in finance, elementary school teachers, and persons anxious about their own money situation....

In every worship service at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley, you’ll hear diverse voices, sources, and viewpoints. The congregation is committed to being a multicultural community, and honors that commitment in every service in a measurable, noticeable way: at least one worship...

“Everything around us and within us is made up of energy particles that are woven together into a universal tapestry. Since everything is connected, there is an intimate relationship between the atomic space around and within me, and the atomic space around and within you — regardless of where...

Renaissance Module Ministry with Youth Blue Boat Blog by the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries Competencies for Ministry to and With Youth a collaboration between Congregational Life and the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries (2016) Yo… Ministry Advising: A Complete Guide by the...

Read the curriculum before you begin the program, focusing especially on the materials lists. Take note of activities that require extra preparation, and plan ahead so you will have the necessary materials in time. Some of the workshops require advanced preparation and/or coordination between the...

There are many leadership development events throughout UUA regions including Leadership Development Cons and Youth Leadership Schools. Bringing the Web to Life is not intended to compete with or replace these programs, rather it is meant to complement immersion experiences. In addition, because...

Eight of the nine workshops have the same basic structure. Each hour-long workshop begins with a chalice lighting and check in and concludes with a Taking it Home handout, which is a review of the session and an invitation to participants to practice the things they’ve learned throughout the week...

Religious educators working towards Religious Education (RE) Certification or just interested in a focused training to learn best practices in RE leadership are invited to register for the “Curriculum” Renaissance Module which will be offered March 1-3, at Northlake Unitarian Universalist...