Being in community can be challenging. But being in a faith community can give us the opportunity to explore our edges and test our assumptions.

Toward more inclusive and engaged decision-making with Sociocracy. This 12/3/2022 webinar recording offers an overview of Sociocracy and some real-life examples of it being used in UU congregations. This webinar was co-sponsored by Sociocracy for All. Some Theological Grounding for Sociocracy...

Ideally, policies guiding the minister, staff, and ministry teams come out of mutual conversations to create clarity around roles, responsibilities, and accountability. Ministry policies should feel collaborative and serve to guide ongoing programs and future decisions.

Safety policies are especially important to have in place before you need them, so they can be thoughtful without the anxiety of a current safety situation.

The mental model of the "Social Discipline Window" can be helpful in understanding different patterns of how we might respond when someone is causing harm in our communities.

Learn how Sociocracy can use the wisdom of the circle to help our congregations thrive by decentering unhelpful power structures.

Right Relations Teams are lay leaders entrusted to help the congregation practice faithful communication and creative conflict based on values of mutuality and consent.

The following (from the Northlake UU Church in Kirkland, WA) is an example of a chater (or charge) for a Right Relationship Team (aka Healthy Congregation Team): Purposes: To facilitate the well-being of the _________ Community by fostering harmonious relations and mediating conflicts within the...

Support and accountability for different aspects of right relationship lie within different parts of the congregation. 

Last summer, East Shore UU Church in Kirtland, Ohio had just been through a very difficult year. Along with the continued challenges with the pandemic, they had to say goodbye to their developmental minister after 5 years. The search for a new minister ended in disappointmentLast summer, East Shore

Our covenants articulate our intention, but how do we live into the practice? Right Relations Teams are lay leaders entrusted to help the congregation practice faithful communication and creative conflict based on values of mutuality and consent. 

When handling sensititve information, leaders need to understand what they can share and what they need to keep confidential.

Congregations, like all organizational systems, need feedback loops.  Regular assessment of the ministry is essential to group self-awareness and growth.

Honoring a retired minister or religious educator with emerit/a/us status requires a congregational vote.

The title Minister Emeritus / Emerita is granted to honor a minister's long and meritorious service to a particular congregation.

Unitarian Universalists are a covenantal, not a creedal, Faith. There is no belief requirement, or creed, that you have to say to join us in community, even though there are beliefs that we would consider to be outside the boundaries of our faith....

What is a covenant? For most of my time as a leader in Unitarian Universalism, I have understood covenant to be the words we use to describe the agreements we make to each other. What I have learned over time is that the words are more like a map. They help us understand the covenant....

​​​​​​​Because our UU faith is grounded in values that call us to care about one another, we want to consider the vulnerable among us when making decisions.

Resources to give you frameworks, starting points, tips and tools to help your congregation serve its mission in today's environment of virtual and in-person connection.