Transcript A People of a Powerful Faith - UU District of Metro New York

Presented by Chris Buja
Growth and Vitality Consultant
Metro New York District


Opening Words
Chalice Lighting




Unitarian Universalists are!
Or at least we could be…
Where does power come from?
Institutional Power: the greatest power to
create social change derives from a common
commitment to a common focus.




…thinking about why Unitarian Universalism
exists…
…thinking about why your congregation
exists…
…thinking about why your congregation does
what it does, and how it does it…
…and if your congregation’s why is not
inspiring/motivating- what are you going to
do to change that?



A clear, concise, compelling sense of and
commitment to religious mission
A cadre of leadership committed to that
mission above all else
An organization designed to process that
mission in an effective manner

Rev. Robert Latham




TED talk by Simon Sinek
Author of Start With Why
~6 minutes of an 18 minute clip
Consider what implications the concepts
presented have for your congregation and
Unitarian Universalism as a whole

Initial reactions?

What



How



Programs/activities of a congregation
“ends”, result
Via ministries, within 7 principles
“means”
Why

Purpose, reason for being, mission


“Why” is a synonym for mission
Other synonyms for mission:
Purpose
 Reason for being
 Why something was created, why it exists
 Charge
 Mandate
 Pursuit
 Goal
 Aim

Thom Belote:
Mission is the need for members of a congregation
to be aligned in a common purpose, to be
articulate about why they exist and what they are
in the world to do, and to achieve clarity in this
understanding.
David Bumbaugh:
…speaks to the congregation’s calling, the source
of its integrity and it’s central reason for being.
What are we called to be and to do? Why must
this congregation exist instead of why does this
congregation exist?







To get more visitors
To get more members
To get more pledge units (so I don’t have to pledge
as much…)
To get more volunteers (so I don’t have to
volunteer as much…)
To experience community for community’s sake
To satisfy as many individual agendas in a
consumer-oriented fashion
Because “that’s what we’ve always done…”




Our mission is to create and propagate a view of
reality that will enable humans to rise to their most
mutually fulfilling capacities.
Our mission is to provide society with a conscience
that honors the worth of both humans and
creation.
Our mission is to proclaim a view of reality that
empowers humans with the motivation to live all
their relationships with profound and mutually
fulfilling meaning.
Our mission is to provide an ennobling view of
reality that gives meaning to human existence and
direction to human community.




How do we know what our “why” really is?
Mission-covenant statement? Maybe…
Does statement reflect why congregation
SHOULD exist as opposed to why it DOES
exist?
More than what is written or said about your
congregation’s why…



…what does an “energy audit” reveal as the
actual why, purpose, mission, reason for being,
your congregation is living out?
What does your congregation “spend” its time,
energy, money, leadership, resources on?
That will reveal the true mission of your
congregation!




Where does majority of congregation’s energy
get focused?
What theme dominates the worship
experience?
What is your congregation known for in the
surrounding community?
If a new minister were called, what would
congregation want minister to “push”?





Review a year of newsletters and see what gets
the most focus
What programs receive the most time, energy,
and resource focus?
What theme dominates the announcements
made?
What notion is the focus of congregational
pride?
If congregation had bumper sticker to
announce its posture to community, what
would it say?



Reflect on questions individually
Share with a neighbor in pairs/small group
Feedback highlights to large group

Breakthrough Congregations


WellSprings Congregation


exemplifying one or more growth areas
A clear “why” that is thread throughout
Original Blessing

A clear “why” that is “doing church” in different
ways in Brooklyn





Numerical
Maturational
Organic
Incarnational
Associational

Hint, hint: Numerical growth is a by-product, a
result of the others!
You are going to grow spiritually and
numerically and your problem will be
how to accommodate all the excited
people who want to invest in the
nobility of social transformation.

We are a spiritually ambitious movement
seeking a closer relationship with God through
creative worship, social justice and
compassionate community.








Prayers for the Earth at East River State Park
Monthly, Sunday evening worship service“contemporary”
Running in McCarren 5K
Small group ministry following up on worship
theme
Service and learning at Taqwa Community Farm
Meditation Hike at Harriman State Park
Book club on spiritually themed books
Mural creation for community





A community charged full with the charge of
the soul
Specific set of core values and core beliefs
“Springboards” = small group ministry
6 years, ~200 in attendance between two
services, ~200 members, (began with less than
50)
Weekly update: potlucks, ballgames, small
groups, retreats, etc.



Mark Bernstein, CERG Growth Consultant, for
webinar and powerpoint material
Rev. Robert Latham, for powerpoint and
written sources
Rev. Thom Belote, Doug Zelinski, Rev. David
Bumbaugh for references included







Faith Formation 2020 by John Roberto
Moving on From Church Folly Lane, Latham
A Tale of Boxes, Latham
The Almost Church, Durall
The Almost Church Revitalized, Durall
Simple Church, Geiger
Leadership on the Other Side, Easum




Take questions home with you
Powerpoint can be emailed
If the answer to “why” isn’t compelling
enough, inspiring enough, motivating enoughmake it a “why” worth living for!
Closing words and extinguish chalice

Categories for activities
Community building experiences
 Learning experiences
 Worship experiences
 Leadership development experiences
 Spiritual justice experiences
 Multi-generational/cultural experiences


Internal vs External


How much is spent on the internal community vs
spent “outside” a congregation’s walls?
Institution vs Movement

How much is spent to maintain the institution, the
administration, the bureaucracy vs the
transformational opportunities “out there”?




Our mission is to transform ourselves and our
culture by addressing the critical issues of our time
with a message that invokes a noble human future.
Our mission is to speak and model a message that
offers the power of wholeness in human relating
and the inspiration of hope in human destiny.
Our mission is to transform how humans relate to
themselves and the planet through a stewardship
of reverence and regeneration.
Our mission is to empower ourselves and our
society with a view of reality that enables us to live
in harmony with the rhythms of the universe.
We have allowed individualism to triumph
over community and enshrined this triumph
in community. The mantra of this
enshrinement is “unity in diversity”.

Our mission is to create a joyful sanctuary for
spiritual and intellectual growth, embracing all
souls in a nurturing community…