Faithful Risking A Practice of Spiritual Leadership

Ducklings jumping from pier into water

Another practice of Spiritual Leadership in congregations is faithful risking. Spiritual Leadership calls us to risk stretching beyond where we are comfortable, beyond what we think we are capable of in the name of Love and Justice. This kind of stretch is how our congregations reinvent themselves, adapt to new realities, and renew our historic covenant.

By Faithful Risking, we mean choosing to take action even though the outcome is uncertain and things may not go as we intend or plan -- and we risk losing something we value.

Sometimes we have to choose to move, to take a risk, or to stretch beyond our comfort. Sometimes we are flung into motion when risks come whether we welcome them or not. This was the case at the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic, which required sudden, radical changes to almost every aspect of congregational life.

We can, individually and collectively, meet these situations faithfully or not. That is a choice that is always before us. To what extent we will live aligned with our values? And what will we risk for that alignment?

Practice Makes Possible

Displaying 1 - 10 of 19.

  • A target is spray-painted onto wood blocks, with a hatchet hanging by the blade from the bullseye.

    What is bringing you JOY? How can we make things EASIER for you? What good questions for all of us. Whether we are parents, children, youth, or elders; whether we are long-time engaged volunteers, or occasional worship-goers, trust me-your congregation wants to know the answers to these questions.

    By Wren Bellavance-Grace | April 16, 2024 | From Doing Our Inner Work
  • An arrangement of various flowers and leaves on a marble top with the words "DO", "LOVE", "HOPE, "PEACE", "CARE", and "LIVE" written in black sharpie on pieces of masking tape.

    Julian, do you not know? Do you not know about sorrow? And Julian, do you not know? Do you not know about pain? As our November newsletter was approaching final edits, horrific news of our country’s 565th mass shooting of the calendar year broke out of the city of Lewiston, Maine. As sometimes...

    By Wren Bellavance-Grace | October 31, 2023 | From Centering Gifts
  • A collage of autumnal gatherings from nature on a dark background.

    This month we are delighted to share a voice from our pews. Author Rumni Saha recently shared a version of this essay with her congregation, and sent a copy to our NER office as well. We asked her permission to share it with you. Doing so is a faithful risk by our sibling in faith, and Faithful...

    By Rumni Saha | September 27, 2023 | From Tending to Tradition
  • A group of people sit on chairs together in a circle under the sun and trees.

    [This post is a follow up to "When We Wonder Together" (Practice Makes Possible - March 7, 2023)] In March, the theme for the bi-monthly gathering for our community of practice Spiritual Leadership for Culture Change (SL4CC) was "Discernment for Faithful Risking." We distinguished discernment fro...

    By Meck Groot, Joe Sullivan | June 21, 2023 | From Faithful Risking
  • Three people and two dogs wander in the distance in heavy fog. The image is in black and white.

    In our experience, most Unitarian Universalist congregations are not culturally predisposed to using discernment as a way to determine direction, focus or action. Our congregations generally use "the democratic process" in which group decisions are made by majority vote....

    By Meck Groot, Joe Sullivan | March 7, 2023 | From Faithful Risking
  • A red eraser next to a yellow cup on its side with color pencils and a green sharpener

    In 2020 General Assembly delegates voted to begin a review of Article II of the UUA Bylaws. Article II is the covenant between and among UU congregations. It currently contains our seven Principles and six Sources. It also has language about inclusion and freedom of belief....

    By Erica Baron, Meck Groot, Joe Sullivan | November 21, 2022 | From Practice Makes Possible Blog
  • Art models building blocks

    The point of a community of practice is for people who want to get better at something to learn from each other through regular interaction. Even people new to a field can help the group learn. Their observations and questions can identify unrecognized practices and raise awareness of which...

    By Meck Groot, Joe Sullivan | October 20, 2022 | From Practice Makes Possible Blog
  • black and white weights

    “How are you?” I asked my DRE colleague on our recent phone call. Her response was not exactly typical, but becoming more familiar. She’d had a bout of Covid about six or eight months before. Although she’d been quite sick, it could have been much worse, and she was grateful for the vaccines...

    By Wren Bellavance-Grace | August 23, 2022 | From Practice Makes Possible Blog
  • Banana-grams tiles spelling 'explore'

    Last year, at their request, I met with Follen Responds to Racism (FRR), an anti-racism team at the Follen Community Church in Lexington, MA. We had an animated conversation. They told me about their work and the many ways they are addressing racism within and beyond their congregation. I was...

    By Meck Groot | March 22, 2022 | From Practice Makes Possible Blog
  • Hello tag

    “Hello, who are you?” “I don’t know; I’ve never met me before!” This dialogue is from a comedy skit a friend and I wrote for an elementary school talent show. My comedy career never took off, but this dialogue resonates with me these days, as we collectively emerge from two years of...

    By Wren Bellavance-Grace | March 15, 2022 | From Practice Makes Possible Blog