We are delighted to be writing this blog as the Southern Region’s new Co-Leads. 

Wait - what? 

Four years ago the four District Boards that made up the Southern Region voted to regionalize. In other words, they chose to break down District boundaries, pool resources, and combine the staff members from four Districts into a unified team. The Boards began, as is our tradition, with a covenant. This covenant was with our Unitarian Universalist Association and with each other. They wisely saw the value of re-covenanting in order to make the bonds stronger and the relationships deeper and richer. They saw the possibilities in freeing up resources. They understood that our covenant is the balance to our polity. 

Many things have happened because of the work of those dedicated and visionary leaders. The GIFT program was made a possibility. A new way of doing ministerial transitions has been piloted. The Southern Region staff has become a vibrant and highly functioning team. 

We are at another developmental moment - it is now time to look at the next steps. Our UUA is investing in those next steps by funding leadership in the Southern Region, supporting the staff team, and funding two Leads. We will be focusing on the strategy of time and services to our congregations and the development of healthy team work across our Association. 

We never want our congregations to feel disconnected or that they cannot get the help that they need. We also want to make sure you have a prompt and appropriate response to your questions. To that end, please feel free to call anyone on your Southern Region team. We are here for you and want to serve. If you are unsure about whom to call for a particular circumstance, please contact Jessica Curren in the Southern Region (virtual) office, jcurren@uua.org or 407-894-2119. She will be able to direct you to the staff member who has the expertise you are looking for.

We look forward to discovering what is next - together!

Your new Co-Leads - Natalie Briscoe and Connie Goodbread