"We're all in this together...to make a difference," by Rev. Kenn Hurto

This month, many congregations begin the annual stewardship process. Budgets for the next year are shaped, priorities are set, and -- typically -- institutional anxiety goes up. Many of us just have a hard time with the "Ask." Often, leaders frame this process as a money-focused event, which is far too limited. It's about re-commitment to our shared work. It is to affirm our ministry does have a claim on our lives. 

Here's (some of) what we know about effective stewardship: We know ...

•  Commitment follows good ministry. And good ministry is a matter of clear purpose to effectively use our shared gifts to make a difference in our members' lives and in the world about us. 
•  Stewardship is not about "What's in it for me?" It's about "What difference shall we make?"
• Generous giving is a spiritual, heart-driven matter. Budgets matter are planning tools and statements of priorities and values. But no one gives to line-items. 
• People give to people, not to pieces of paper. A pledge is not just filling out a card of intent, it is a conversation by which leaders remind members of how their gifts were used (well, one hopes) and how forth-coming gifts will both sustain prior commitments and move the ministry to some new level of effectiveness. 
• There is a level of giving that arises out of loyalty and duty. But greater generosity comes out of excitement for how additional resources will make new things possible. We know people want to give to success and to aspiration. Again, it's: "Tell me, what difference will my gifts make?"

All stewardship efforts begin and end with the "Ask:" "What investment of time, talent, and treasure can we (meaning the whole congregation) count on from you in the next year?" The Ask is a conversation among ourselves. There are several ways to Ask: 

• A one on one meeting, the historic "canvass-call." 
• Small groups discussing the ministry, followed by each participant pledging at the end of that.
• "Celebration Sundays," sort of a pep-rally service which includes members making pledges all at once.
• (Far less effective) Sending letters or e-mails (as though pledge was agreeing to pay a bill), or leaving cards out on a table with exhortations to turn them in.

We know especially there are no gimmicks or magical tricks that "work." Any particular canvass approach can be effective. But we know also that all techniques lose effectiveness with time. That said, stewardship always comes back to this: A clear purpose to your ministry, passion for the possible, effective use of prior gifts, an engaged dialogue among our members about what really matters, and openly asking for fair share giving.

Lastly, what is a fair ask? We know capacity varies greatly, so it helps to offer guidelines. The most equitable is a progressive, percentage of income. Our UUA has an excellent giving guide to illustrate how: http://www.uua.org/documents/congservices/stewardship/fairshareguide.pdf. This is far better than asking simply for fixed dollars or an percentage increase over last year.

Our UUA has many resources to help you, including your Congregational Life Consultants serving the region (listed below). Just ask. All blessings in your ministries!

Kenn Hurto, Southern Region Congregational Life Consultant & Executive Lead

UUA Southern Region Welcomes New Congregational Life Consultants!

The Southern Region of the UUA is pleased to announce that it has added two new Congregational Life Consultants to its staff. We look forward to serving our congregations and spreading Unitarian Universalism in the South with them!
 
Natalie Briscoe received her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin in 2000 where her focus was on learning and perception across the lifespan. She received her Master's degree in counseling and human development from the University of North Texas in 2002. She has served as Director of Religious Education for two churches, one in North Texas and one in Seattle, Washington. She also served the Southern Region as a Healthy Congregations Consultant and as a Youth Ministry Consultant. This year Natalie received the Ruth Clark Award for service to Unitarian Universalism from the North Texas Association of UU Societies and the Norma Veridan Award foroutstanding contributions to Religious Education in the Southwest District. She is married to her best friend, Sean, and the couple welcomed their first son Ian to the family last June. Natalie has a passion for playing roller derby, rescuing pugs, and serving Unitarian Universalism.

 

Kathy McGowan describes herself: "I grew up in Springfield, Ohio and attended college in St. Louis and Boston. After graduating from Brandeis University, I moved to New York to pursue a career in the theatre and make a life with my husband, Vaughn. Vaughn and I have two children, Grace, now age 22 and Tucker, age 19. In addition to my work in the theatre and Unitarian Universalism, I have worked with "at risk" youth and in the child welfare system. I have been a UU for over twenty-five years. I am very proud of the work I have done with the cluster of congregations known as CRUUNY, Capital Region UUs of NY, living out the Cambridge Platform. I am thrilled to be starting this next chapter of my life, doing the work I love, and living in a new part of the country." Kathy brings a great deal of experience in working with congregations and district structures from her time in the St. Lawrence District. 

 

 

"The Smart Church" by Connie Goodbread

The Smart Church:
What would happen if we were generous with and about Unitarian Universalism?

By Connie Goodbread
cgoodbread@uua.org

I am going into my eighth year as Field Staff for our Association.  One of the regular responsibilities of the job has been a monthly newsletter article.  When I first began the job and had more than one District newsletter, I thought it would be easier if I had a theme.  I had just finished compiling the Unitarian Universalist Healthy Congregations supplement, entitled The Smart Church.  I thought that I might stay with that concept and write questions that helped focus my attention and stimulate my thinking.  The question above was the first one I asked myself.  What would happen if we were generous with and about our faith? What would we need to change or do differently? How would my thinking and behavior change if I were truly generous with and about our faith?  It is the question that I have come back to over and over again in the past eight years.

I think living with a generous heart is its own reward.  I think that generosity leads to many things.  If we are a generous people we are also a grateful people.  If we are a generous people we are a trusting people.  Have we been generous, grateful and trusting?   Was the consolidation between the Universalists and the Unitarians based in generosity and trust?  For far too long we have asked “What do I get for my pledged money to my congregation?  What do we get for the money we send to our Association?”

Our Unitarian Universalist Association is us - you and I and our congregations at our largest presence in the world. It is our opportunity for greatest impact on and contribution to the world.  So the question is not what do I get for what I pay, but rather, is our Association doing the work of building the world we dream about?  Are we affecting the world in a positive way?  Are we doing what we are called to do?

As an Association we have developed powerful curricula, such as Our Whole Lives and Tapestry of Faith. The Standing on the Stand of Love campaign has had an impact on other denominations, law making, elections and human rights campaigns. We make significant contributions to trauma relief during disasters. We have initiated humanitarian outreach all over the world. We are at the forefront of immigration reform and civil rights.

It is as an Association of congregations that we have our biggest impact.  As individual human beings and congregations the work is exhausting and lonely.  It is a much richer experience with a greater impact on the world if we do the work in community, as an Association.

We are entering into a pilot program for funding our Association.  It is called Generously Investing For Tomorrow - GIFT for short - and it is a bold new approach.

GIFT recognizes that our presence beyond congregations is not a hierarchy but is the “connective tissue” that enables us to share information, resources, and inspiration, empowering us to reach the wider world. We are ready to build community, take responsibility for our Association, and strengthen our capacity for outreach. - Bill Clontz

Here is how the GIFT Program will work.  Instead of District and national requests, there will be a single request, to be shared by the District/Region and our national Association. The amounts pledged by each congregation may vary somewhat from the earlier formula (some more, some less, some the same) but the overall amount of Associational money is about the same - this is not an increase overall.

The goal is for all congregations to pledge 7% of the congregation’s certified expenditures, not a per member contribution.  GIFT will begin on July 1, 2013 and together over the next two years we will collaborate, learn, evaluate, and fine-tune the process.  We think that it provides a simpler, more covenantal way for congregations to support our Associational work.   We are hoping that if you have any questions you will contact us (my email address is above).  We also hope that you will stay in relationship and help us to develop the GIFT Program.  As we enter into the pilot program I continually come back to - What would happen if we were generous with and about Unitarian Universalism?

Jennifer Nichols On Thansgiving

My favorite holiday is coming up next week – I can hardly believe it’s next week!  Thanksgiving is about getting together with family and friends for a meal and fellowship and, at my house, the Cowboys game and Frisbee and board games.  We generally have 25-30 over, my family, my ex-husband and his family, and friends who are too far away from their families to be with them – either by distance or emotional chasm.  Our door is open and there always seems to be enough food.  While I try to be this open and giving throughout the year, it comes most naturally at Thanksgiving.

Recently I had the privilege to visit with a colleague and mentor, Rev. Dwight Brown, a few weeks before his death.  He knew he was dying and he was especially eager to share a couple of things he’d been thinking about quite a lot.  I didn’t want to lose what he said, so I immediately wrote it all down once I got my car.  I needn’t have worried because at his memorial service, every person  who’d seen him in the last few weeks, mentioned the same things – apparently Dwight had been thinking about this stuff QUITE a lot.  It was interesting to hear the different take we each had.

Dwight Brown was a thinker, big time!  He and I didn’t always agree, especially theologically, but I knew that within the realm of Unitarian Universalism there was room for both our ideas about God (or not), human nature, etc.  That last visit he told me he was dying and that put him in mind of a conversation he had with his daughter when she was very young.  She supposed that people died to make room for new babies.  Near the end, it tickled Dwight to remember that conversation and he seemed to quite like the idea that his death might in some way make room for new life.

Thinking of new life, he expressed that his life was a gift from his mother, and hers from her mother, and hers from her mother all the way back to the mother of us all – the big bang.  We are cradled in the arms of the universe and our lives are such miracles!  Dwight may have been rejoicing in the scientific wonder of that thought, and, as I listened, I heard all about God.

Dwight then spoke of something his father had talked with him about.  There are two kinds of people in this world, he said, those who approach others (or life) with a closed fist and those who approach others  (or life) with an open palm.  This seemed to resonate with Dwight on many levels though he spoke specifically about Unitarian Universalism for a bit.  He postulated that we UUs don’t like it when people disagree with us because we know they are WRONG (mischievous smile).  But dialogue cannot happen with a fist, the palm must be open.

How much more could we accomplish in helping change the world if we opened our palms and were actually accepting rather than tolerant, open to broader beliefs and interpretations rather than not?

After a long full life, most of it as a dedicated Unitarian Universalist and revered elder of our faith, Dwight’s words and ponderings were like a gift to me, and I hope now, to you.  His legacy will live on in name and spirit at the Dwight Brown Leadership Experience.

I give thanks at this time of Thanksgiving for Unitarian Universalism and our saving message that love is an answer.  Here’s wishing you and yours a safe and joyous Thanksgiving!

MacArthur Fellow: Dr. Nancy Rabalais

Dr. Nancy Rabalais, a long-term member of the Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was  named one of twenty-three MacArthur Fellows. “Working across a broad spectrum of endeavors, the Fellows were selected for their creativity, originality, and potential to make important contributions in the future.”

Dr. Nancy Rabalais is the Executive Director and a Professor at Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium in Cocodrie, LA. As a Marine Ecologist, she was selected for “documenting the environmental and economic consequences of hypoxic zones in the Gulf of Mexico and informing strategies for restoring the degraded waters of the Gulf and the Mississippi River basin.”

The Fellowship brings with it an unrestricted prize of $500,000 over a five-year period. Dr. Rabalais said that she will put the funds back into the important research, education and outreach that she conducts with her numerous colleagues, who have made their many achievements possible.  Dr. Rabalais was astonished when she received the call. “I knew about the prestigious award and have always honored it, but never thought I would ever be one. It is truly an honor.” 

Further information, story, photos and video are available at http://www.macfound.org/fellows/875/.

Southern Regionalization Webinar

A Message from Denise Rimes, President, Southeast District of the UUA: 

Dear Congregational Leaders,

I am in touch to urge you and other leaders in your congregations to attend and participate in one of the two upcoming webinars hosted by UUA staff members that are listed below. These webinars will provide a brief overview of regionalization efforts across the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Southern Region, of which the Southeast District and your congregation is a part.

Regionalization is an effort to be better stewards of time, money and resources. It is well underway.   Our covenant of support and care calls congregations to be in deep relationship with one another. This support and care includes financial support for our Association of congregations. There has been deep dialogue about how to fund needed programs and staffing for those programs in a more covenantal way. As part of regionalization efforts, The Southern Region (Mid-South District, Florida District, Southeastern District and Southwest UUC) is participating in a pilot program to change how the annual ask for our Unitarian Universalist Association and district funding occurs.  This topic is the spotlight theme of the webinars I urge you to attend, as this program will develop over the next two fiscal years. Your voices are needed, your concerns should be shared and your participation will help to develop the program.

Feel free to contact me or the UUA Staff Members I've listed below for additional conversation about the new funding approach or to further discuss regionalization. It is important that we have access to each other during changing times; we'll find a way to be with you to share what's happening, answer your questions and address your concerns. Let us know how things look from your perspective!

Thank you for being among the leaders of our faith to move it forward.

In faith,

Denise Rimes

Southeast District, President

Monday, December 10, 2012
7:00 PM- 8:30 PM Eastern Time 
Registration: 
http://www.anymeeting.com/PIID=E950D680834738

Thursday, January 17, 2013
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Eastern Time
Registration:
http://www.anymeeting.com/PIID=E950D680834839


For both of these webinars, you may use the following log in information:

Conference Call: Toll Number: 213-416-1560, Access Code: 371 7887

Click here to log in when the webinars begin.

The 2012-2013 UUA Common Read

"The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness" by Michelle Alexander has been selected as the 2012-13 UUA Common Read. Alexander, a legal scholar, examines the redesigned racial caste system in America as it is enforced through the War on Drugs.

Some congregations are supplementing their study of the Common Read by watching documentaries about the War on Drugs such as  "The House I Live In," by Eugene Zarecki. The UU Fellowship of St. Augustine, FL recently hosted a presentation on the Common Read by Patricia L. Smith, Ph.D., a member of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Lubbock, Texas.

Is your congregation studying the book? How has it affected your ministry?