We are excited to announce that our new cohort of Peer Facilitators is launching! And that these folks could be of benefit to your congregation.

These dedicated UU leaders gathered in February for training and beginning their new role. Some of you have gotten to meet a few of them as they’ve been attending events with regional staff leads to gain experience. We’re so excited about this because of how wonderful these folks are, how excited they are to support their sibling congregations, and the depth of curiosity and excitement they’re bringing.

There are times in a congregation’s ministry where it would be really helpful to have someone else facilitate and hold the space so all the leaders can participate. This is what the goal of the peer facilitator program is.

And they’re really “peers” in many ways. Between them they have years of experience in congregational leadership as Board President, Treasurer, and Board member. They’ve served on Ministerial Search Committees, Transition Teams, and Capital Campaign Teams. They’ve been Worship Associates, Pastoral Associates, Religious Educators. They’re bringing a whole array of facilitation skills and life experience we’re excited they get to share with our congregations. They understand congregational life because they’re living it too.

This isn’t in place of your Primary Contact or Regional Staff. We’ll still hold the more complex facilitation, conflict, ministerial transitions, and more. Peer Facilitators are skilling up for Board Retreats, congregational visioning, holding space for your decision making processes.

Please reach out to us (Google form) if you have an upcoming process that this sounds right for. Especially if you’re hoping for a facilitator for your Board Retreat this summer or early fall. As we on-board these new folks they may be co-leading with Regional staff or co-leading with a more experienced Peer Facilitator.

Is there a cost? Yes. There is a small stipend of $300 for a Board Retreat level of time (more information is available in the Google form linked above). The Region will support travel expenses for Honor congregations. And you’ll know you’re working with a facilitator in relationship with your primary contact.