Creates a shared vision of the church, an effective mission statement and dynamic mission-centered goals to implement the mission. Develops and affirms a clear identity and purpose with a strong sense of mission. Mission(s) used as a compass in decision-making. Members can identify the...

In this model, the heart is your core values & mission, the arrow is your aspirations or vision, and holding them in relationship is intentional values or covenant. Accidental values act as a counterweight to our aspirations.

What is working well today, including the tried and true, and new ideas. What is not working so well, and how can it be improved or replaced. How can we use technology and social media. How can we reach the people who are hard to reach. Can we effectively diversify our revenue streams....

Recognizing the baggage we bring and the anxiety many of us have about money and stewardship, how can we talk about sharing our gifts in service of the whole, that is, our beloved faith community....

Participants will be invited to reflect on their recent campaigns and learn how to generate new ideas, new themes, and attract new people. Consider what have we not done for a while, what stewardship message does our congregation need this year, what would we do with more money....

We often claim that budgets are moral documents, and that congregational budgets should reflect our values. But line item budgets that include "office supplies, utilities, salary" and other such descriptions don't show how these line items serve the mission of the congregation. How might...

What could possibly go wrong? A look at UUs and Stewardship presented by Bill Clontz of Stewardship for Us. Dawning Future, November 2015...

Being in right relationship with people who have disabilities is more than etiquette. It requires that we treat others fairly; that we ensure that everyone has the same opportunities, resources, and rewards....

Do you find yourself discouraged by all the complaining in your congregation, including your own criticisms? Do certain individuals and issues keep howling louder and louder for attention, drowning out hope for the healthy congregations and relationships? Come join each other as we see how we can...

Marcel Proust wrote, "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." In order for congregations to truly see how friendly and hospitable they are, it is helpful to learn from others. This session will provide the nuts and bolts for setting up your own...

Are we having fun yet? Surprisingly, many UU congregations aren't. The stress of church work, interpersonal conflict, and lack of resources, to name a few, result in congregational members worrying more and enjoying less. Based on the Shawn Achor book, The Happiness Advantage, this session will...

Greeting visitors and members at the doors of our congregations is more than saying hello and collecting information. This session will explore the art of greeting and will offer a blueprint for setting up your own greeter training program and monitoring its effectiveness. 2013...

Why Dying and Rebirth are Essential Components of Growth Congregations that aspire to be vital, strong and growing follow a constant cycle of birth, aging, death, renewal and rebirth. This session will look at several theories around the life cycles of congregations and will suggest the critical...

How can our relationships with earning, spending, investing, and giving be spiritually healthy and grounded in our deepest values? How would our congregations and communities benefit from spiritually healthy money conversations?...

Fun and Effective Team Building Activities for Your Board, Committees, and Congregation Synergy is what happens when a group of people accomplish something that one or two or a few alone could not. Where there is teamwork, there is synergy....

In marriage we have vows and in congregations we have behavioral covenants. Without intention and agreements on how to process disagreements and conflicts, vows and covenants can end up meaningless, or even harmful. In other words, we need to agree on how to fight, for fight we will. In this...

Webinar presented by Rev. Richard Gilbert, president of UU Retired Ministers and Partners. 2015...

The challenges that Membership Professionals face require that one react both with their head and with their heart....

The most common symptom of this dreaded “disease” is focusing on only one aspect of the membership experience, i.e., visitors and newcomers. But there is a whole lifecycle of the membership experience that calls for creative and effective engagement by the membership committee. Those involved in...

Five Ways of Growing Your Congregation. Mark Bernstein discusses five ways of growing strong, vital and lasting Unitarian Universalist congregations. 2012 Additional Resources Five Types of Growth (doc)...