I've been hearing stories from different congregations where the Social Justice Ministries are re-inventing and re-invigorating themselves by finding out the potential swe… spot where the congregation's mission, capacity and will meets the needs and potential impact of the community. Here is a...

Abridged Excerpt from “The Future of Justice Ministries” by Rev. David Pyle The Keynote for the UU Pennsylvania Legislative Advocacy Network Annual Meeting 2016 I always default to hope. It is the most constant aspect of my personality. And yet, hope has seemed more difficult these last few days...

Following recent political changes and the social turmoil it has precipitated, UU Churches are experiencing an influx of first-time visitors and returning old friends. On social media, people are looking for community and are being pointed to our congregations. Gone are the days when a liberals...

Sometimes, living in a bubble can be a good thing. It can create a barrier between harmful things on the outside and precious things on the inside. In some ways, our congregational covenants operate in this way....

How can small congregations become aware of and adopt successful stewardship concepts and practices as they grow?

Entry points are a great way to introduce your congregation to new people and help them learn how to get involved.

When leaders feel desparate, they often make these mistakes when looking for volunteers.

Community Organizing Tools and Tips for Interconnection and Impact.

First Church in Sterling "commissions" their "Called to Care" team upon completion of their training to honor their ministry to the congregation.

What sustains a ministry or a marriage or a friendship or a membership in a congregation are things like respect, patience, forbearance, generosity, flexibility, forgiveness, a sense of humor, and, when all else fails, sheer will power.

Part of the Wi$dom and Generosity Track at the 2016 General Assembly, this workshop equips lay and ordained leadership for effective stewardship in our congregations. It is a "flash” presentation of the most innovative and successful fundraising ideas.

Get your new employees off to a healthy, happy start every time! Learn about formal administrative onboarding and proven practices for welcoming and orienting staff.

Is your congregation's attendance flat or declining? Are the results from your stewardship campaign disappointing? Are you dipping into an endowment to help cover your operating expenses? Are you thinking about cutting the budget by reducing the working hours of your program staff?

Congregations often look to the corporate and not-for-profit worlds for models of leadership, organizational development, fundraising and volunteer management. Unfortunately, they also look there for models of governance to the detriment of their core purpose....

Mother Teresa wrote, “Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.” More than two thirds of Unitarian Universalist Churches have fewer than 150 members. In many ways, the future of our faith rests in the continued strength and vitality of these “small”...

The UUA Outreach team offers tips, tools and exercises to help extend the outreach of your congregation!

Encouraging members and friends to be generous givers requires a clear message about your mission and a culture of relationship-building. Learn how to make stewardship an organic part of membership.

Given the increasing shortage of UU ministers, congregations might wish for a simple way to evaluate their own fitness for ministry. Ministers, likewise, might find an objective scale helpful in discerning whether a congregation is ready for them. This scale is similar to the hoped for outcomes...

We're better together. You've heard this before. And often it is in the context of pooling resources to create something larger than we could offer as a separate entity....

As a movement, we talk about thinking big. We also need to think small. We need mini-ministries. We need to encourage and equip people to create communities and experiences where they are and with what they have.

Congregations are legal entities required to comply with all sorts of legal requirements. While religious institutions might be exempt from a FEW legal requirements, churches are NOT exempt from most. This includes many requirements stemming from being an employer. This post pertains to the UU...

I'm a "stealth greeter" in my home congregation. I go up to newcomers after a service and strike up a conversation about what brought them to church that day, and then I listen. 

Stories from UU Congregations showing growth, creativity and vitality in the program that ran from 2005-2019.

All congregation sizes based on certified membership at the time the stories were shared.

Shifting from a humanist fellowship to a more spiritual and inclusive community helped them reach the goal of owning their own building.

Making welcoming part of everyone's responsibility, and putting energy into small group ministry helped this congregation achieve sustained growth.

They chose to give up a historic building they dearly loved in order to build a new, larger home as their gift to the future.

A multiracial congregation offers a liberal sanctuary in a conservative area.

This congregation thrives because "This congregation says 'yes!' "Newcomers feel warmly welcomed, there are lots of activities aimed at getting people together, people feel their talents are appreciated.

They moved beyond their former mentality of scarcity and invest in new facilities, programs, and personnel, and…we needed to become a fair compensation congregation.

A church where people grow spiritually, and then out of that give to the larger world.

The congregation's leaders said there were seven values that sustained and guided them: we value everyone's voice; it's okay to ask for help; we value the advice we receive; we value the generosity of angels; we value the growth of liberal religion; we value social justice; and we value fun.

A family-oriented and welcoming congregation

This congregation grew from 250 to 500 members and its budget has grown from $144,000 to $740,000 in ten years.

A church boldly faced its problematic behaviors and focused on navigating the diversity already in its midst, and grew from 350 to 520 members.

This congregation was a committed multi-racial church, growing and extending its influence in the wider community.

To celebrate their Centennial, they planned to raise and give away $100,000 and perform 100 hours of service, which helped unify the congregation.

A 300+ year old church renews itself by focusing on mission, covenant, and welcoming.

A suburban congregation looks to renew its sense of mission by buying a building in a diverse neighborhood.

After a major conflict, the church rebounded from 160 to over 500 by embracing its multicultural values and its spiritual connections.

Focusing on key values and core mission enabled the congregation to grow without straining their budget.

Currently the congregation has more than 1000 active members, and its leaders believe they have broken through "unseen and powerful barriers by taking care of the church building, planning for the future, and welcoming visitors."

A congregation in a community of 8000 grew from a house church to 220 members, partly on the strength of the religious education program.

A church focuses on shared ministry, community building, and religious exploration as a growth strategy.

With Branches in Socorro and Edgewood, First Albuquerque grew in depth and in numbers (564 to 715) in five years.

Hear lay and professional leaders describe how they have grown in depth and in numbers (93 to 128) in the past five years.

Lay and professional leaders describe how they have grown in depth and in numbers (304 to 405) in the past five years.

After an intentional decision to grow out of a 30-year 250 member plateau, they grew the membership to 400 in eight years.

During the 5 year period when they grew from 170 to 240 members, they made an intentional effort to keep the long time members connected, and most stayed.

First Unitarian Society of Madison, WI, the largest Unitarian Universalist congregation in North America, grew from 400 to 2,000 members in 17 years.