A church in New Hampshire learned a hard lesson last year when an electrical fire heavily damaged its 120-year-old building. The Nottingham Community Universalist Church’s insurance coverage fell far short of costs of restoring the building. The renovations are expected to cost around $275,000.

Each year, core leaders agree on short-term goals. They agree that barring an emergency, they will not be diverted from these objectives. Leaders trust one another, respecting the work each does. They resist micro managing….

Q. We are dealing with a class that has a couple of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and the teachers are having difficulty. Any ideas? A….

Q. Our church bought enough copies of Singing the Living Tradition so each person attending a service can use the hymnal. Since we have made that purchase, do we have automatic permission to excerpt readings, hymns, etc. to print as inspirational messages in our newsletter that circulates to more…

Those of us who have served on nominating committees know the experience can be either a joy or a tragedy. Some years everyone we call says yes, grateful for the opportunity to give something back to the congregation that means so much to them and wondering why we hadn’t called sooner. In other…

Music directors are third in line when it comes to getting paid in some of our congregations. Congregations that struggle to pay the minister and director of religious education at responsible levels often find they have little left for music. At First UU (Unitarian Universalist) Church of…

Q. I have always understood that the check-in process should be brief, personal, and without interruption. Is it possible that some of the objections to the process are due to sometimes letting check-in become too lengthy and more interactive than it should be? Many of us may have a totally…

When recruiting volunteers for committees, rather then telling them “we need you to fill this slot,” tell them why they’re the best person for the job. Elaborate on their qualifications, insights, and experiences. Tell them how it fits into the mission of the congregation and how their…

Rev. Jacqueline Ziegler, interim minister at the Unitarian Church of Harrisburg, PA (281 members), holds an annual service where members and others may come to remember an animal companion. People are invited to bring pictures of animals that have been part of their lives. At the service they are…

Q. The idea of providing child care for church and committee functions has not been a priority in our congregation….