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  • One of the most important factors in a vibrant congregation is a high level of covenantal trust between the minister and the lay leaders.  When I say covenantal, I intentionally mean the promises made between the leaders and members and in service to that which is greater than the congregation...
    Leader Resource | By Renee Ruchotzke | June 10, 2013 | From LeaderLab
    Tagged as: Covenant, Shared Ministry Teams
    Page/Article
  • Imagine that your congregational leaders are talking to the bank loan officer in anticipation of a major capital campaign project.  The loan officer asks who has the authority in your congregation to sign for the loan.  "Why, our president!"  ...
    By Renee Ruchotzke | June 7, 2013 | From LeaderLab
    Tagged as: Competencies for Leadership, Governance for Congregations
    Page/Article
  • Congregational polity in UUism emerged from its colonial roots with values of local control, free consent of the membership, under self-imposed rules.
    Story, Timeline | By UUA Commission on Appraisal (COA) | June 6, 2013 (reviewed March 2026) | For High School, Adults | From LeaderLab
    Tagged as: Congregational Polity, Governance for Congregations, UU History, UU Identity
    Page/Article
  • Congregations traditionally promote and encourage Unitarian Universalist values through sermons, religious education, and social justice work. Unity Church-Unitarian in St. Paul, Minn., is taking its values to a new level—applying them to the companies that it buys products from. Unity Church...
    By Donald E. Skinner | June 1, 2013 | From InterConnections
    Tagged as: Congregational Administration, Facilities Management, Finance for Congregations, Governance for Congregations, Racial Justice & Multicultural Ministries
    Page/Article
  • When the offering plate comes around on Sunday morning at First Universalist Church of Denver, Colo., many nonprofit groups in the community feel the earth move just a little. This is the third year that the congregation has given its entire offering—every Sunday—to local groups or to support...
    By Donald E. Skinner | May 1, 2013 | From InterConnections
    Tagged as: Congregational Administration, Finance for Congregations, Fundraising for Congregations, Governance for Congregations, Membership in Congregations
    Page/Article
  • Many of our congregations are wondering what our home congregation might look like in a changing context.  So today, we’re going to use a different part of our brain. 
    By Tandi Rogers | April 21, 2013 | From LeaderLab
    Tagged as: Mission/Vision/Planning
    Page/Article
  • Unitarian Universalists tend to use a lot of words when we attempt to explain our religious beliefs and values. We have a complicated faith that does not fit into typical questions about religion from outsiders. This makes sense at a national level. We have a big tent that makes room for a lot of...
    By Renee Ruchotzke | April 9, 2013 | From LeaderLab
    Tagged as: Communication, Membership Growth & Outreach, Mission/Vision/Planning
    Page/Article
  • Is it possible to imagine that an armed intruder could show up on Sunday morning at one of our congregations, inflamed about our inclusiveness or a particular justice stance we’ve taken in the community, and proceed to do us harm? It happened in 2008 at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist...
    By Donald E. Skinner | April 8, 2013 (reviewed May 2025) | From InterConnections
    Tagged as: Conflict Management in Congregations, Congregational Administration, Facilities Management, Governance for Congregations, Safe Congregations, Staffing & Supervision
    Page/Article
  • A fundraising campaign that began in 1993 at the First Unitarian Society of Wilmington, DE, now the First Unitarian Church, was supposed to be all about raising money for a new building project. But along the way the campaign came to be about more than just First Unitarian....
    By Donald E. Skinner | April 1, 2013 | From InterConnections
    Tagged as: Finance for Congregations, Governance for Congregations, Membership Growth & Outreach
    Page/Article
  • Congregations who care about growth keep detailed tracking records and look for long-term trends.
    By Renee Ruchotzke | March 26, 2013 | From LeaderLab
    Tagged as: Covenant, Governance for Congregations, Mission/Vision/Planning
    Page/Article
  • It is, of course, every congregation’s desire to have most of its members actively engaged in personal growth, in deepening their spiritual development and working to improve the larger community and the world. There’s a lot of all of that going on at First Unitarian Church in Dallas, which has...
    By Donald E. Skinner | March 1, 2013 | From InterConnections
    Tagged as: Congregational Administration, Covenant Groups & Small Group Ministry, Governance for Congregations, High School-Aged Youth Faith Development, Membership Growth & Outreach, Professional Development for Religious Educators, Young Adult Faith Development (ages 18-35)
    Page/Article
  • I have a love-hate relationship with meetings.  Some of my best experiences have been when I was in a room with engaged, creative people doing important work or solving a difficult challenge.  Some of my worst experiences have been when I was in a room where people talked at--or over--each...
    By Renee Ruchotzke | February 26, 2013 | From LeaderLab
    Tagged as: Effective Meetings
    Page/Article
  • Very few things that a congregation does affect it as greatly, or are as important, as the choice of a minister. Wonderful ministerial-congregational matches provide new life and purpose to an institution and help lead both parties well into the future....
    February 7, 2013
    Tagged as: Bylaws & Policies, Governance for Congregations
    Page/Article
  • Some congregations have only one category of membership, whereas other congregations maintain several categories of membership (for example, voting, associate, student, and inactive). If you decide to have more than one category, you must clearly spell out the requirements, rights, and...
    February 7, 2013
    Tagged as: Bylaws & Policies, Governance for Congregations
    Page/Article
  • Congregations who have no provision in the bylaws for removing members often get bogged down with lists of names of people who are no longer interested, no longer in the vicinity, no longer known by anyone in the congregation, or no longer alive. It is helpful to include a provision in the bylaws...
    February 7, 2013
    Tagged as: Bylaws & Policies, Governance for Congregations
    Page/Article
  • If the crux of Unitarian Universalism were reduced to a few points in space and time, they would be those potent moments just before and just after we keep a promise, or we break it. All that is exceptional about being human and becoming whole is crystallized in these decisive microseconds.
    By Douglas Zelinski, New England Region of the UUA | January 29, 2013 | From LeaderLab
    Tagged as: Covenant, Diversity & Inclusion, UU Identity
    Page/Article
  • Your mission is what is hanging on the wall, Your system is what is happening down the hall....
    By Renee Ruchotzke | January 22, 2013 | From LeaderLab
    Tagged as: Change & Conflict, Communication, Mission/Vision/Planning
    Page/Article
  • A dedication ceremony provides a finish line for the congregation to cross, a time to say “well done” and “we’re done.”
    By Donald E. Skinner | January 1, 2013 | From LeaderLab
    Tagged as: Congregational Administration, Facilities Management, Governance for Congregations
    Page/Article
  • This video discusses the various policies and procedures congregations need to consider when creating and managing a website.
    Video | By Beth Casebolt | November 4, 2012 | From LeaderLab
    Tagged as: Bylaws & Policies, Websites
    Page/Article
  • As congregations prepare for a new church year, newly elected officers will be taking up responsibilities on governing boards. Here are ten tips to help that work go smoothly, courtesy of the Rev. Ian Evison, Congregational Services director for the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Central...
    By Donald E. Skinner | August 1, 2012 | From InterConnections
    Tagged as: Congregational Administration, Governance for Congregations, Leadership Development
    Page/Article