When the Rev. Barbara Meyers began a mental health ministry at the Mission Peak Unitarian Universalist (UU) Fellowship in Fremont, Calif., in 2005 it was the only one. Not anymore....

One of the first things that visitors see when they walk into the building of the Westside Unitarian Universalist (UU) Congregation in Seattle is Westside’s Covenant of Right Relations. The covenant, a set of guidelines designed to create “a welcoming, respectful, safe, and vibrant spiritual...

A new survey estimates that 0.3 percent of American adults identify as Unitarians. That’s not very many—but it’s a lot more than belong to our churches.

Sue Parilla, Jefferson Unitarian Church’s (JUC; Golden, CO) volunteer coordinator, helps people find places to connect within the church. “I ask them, ‘What’s missing in your life? What would you like to do here? You came here for a reason. What is it?’” She keeps profiles on each new...

Q. A 16-year-old girl whose parents do not attend our church is attending our Exploring Membership class....

All of us are welcoming. Right? Visitors come on Sunday morning, and as soon as they step in the door they feel the love, not only from the official greeters, but from everyone else....

Q. I've heard that if the sanctuary or meeting hall is too full on Sunday morning it will discourage growth. Is that true? At what point does that occur? A. Church consultants often use the figure of 85 percent, says Rev. Bob Hill, district e xecutive of the Unitarian Universalist Association's...

What does our congregation need to do to grow? Should we be more welcoming, or is it a matter of adding more ways to integrate folks? Or should we really be focusing on outreach? It can be hard to know what to do if you're part of a membership committee....

Creating a night at midweek for friends and members to come out for a "church night" is a tradition for many of our congregations. It's an important time to build relationships in a more relaxed setting than on Sunday morning. And it provides a worship opportunity for those who have difficulty...

Try as we might, conflict is a part of life in many of our congregations. A group may not like the direction the church is going. Someone feels left out. There is too much spirituality on Sunday morning. Or not enough. The minister or religious educator is going down the wrong path....

Q. Our church has just gone to two services and had our first congregational meeting after the second service. We wonder if we are disenfranchising those who attend the first service since few people return for the meeting....

Q. One of the things we struggle with as a congregation is cultivating enough leaders. Our current leaders are getting burned out and there aren’t enough new ones coming up to replace them. We’re getting frustrated. A. Try the following ways, says Eunice Benton, district executive for the...

Does any congregation ever have enough volunteers? Most of us struggle with that. It can be one of the most frustrating parts of being a lay leader. But there are ways to make finding and keeping volunteers less of a problem. Start by asking them the right way: face-to-face....

When Carol Hosmer found it necessary to temporarily drop out of her church ten years ago to deal with some family dynamics that were consuming much of her time, she discovered something uncomfortable. It seemed that no one missed her. She explains: “It was a mid-to-large-size congregation and one...

Ever wonder why friends and members leave your church? The Membership Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley (UUCB) in Kensington, CA (526 members), did and went to the trouble of conducting exit interviews. It’s a process that can tell you a lot about whether people feel...

They go by various names—circle suppers, dinner for eight, second Friday suppers. When they work well they bring friends, newcomers, and members of the congregation together monthly to share food and get acquainted. They can be a powerful tool for creating community in any sized congregation. But...

When you decide to join this church it will be a big moment for you and for us. We have a responsibility to see that you are made welcome and that you find a place in our midst where you can make friends and continue your spiritual journey. In return, we ask that you make an effort to become...