The Start of Short Term and Long Term Planning Efforts at UUC
As stated in a Letter to the UUC Congregation on November 24, 2009
Dear UUC Members,
We would like to bring you up to date on our progress in planning for the future of our beloved community and to let you know about what lies ahead for us over the next few months.
As you may recall, at our annual meeting in May, our congregation found itself in the midst of significant change, change that brought out fears for the future of our community. Rev. Millie Rochester had decided to accept the call to lead another congregation and our music program was being restructured.
There was concern expressed at the meeting that the changes in the music program would prevent us from hiring a quality director for the chorale and would diminish the overall quality of the music program. Likewise, there was concern that without Rev. Millie the children's religious education program would suffer. And underlying all issues was the concern that we must have a sustainable staffing structure. The congregation voted to employ a minister for this year to help us bridge the gap in filling Rev. Millie's roles and to help us discern our ministry needs. This decision allowed us to bring Rev. Bill Welch to work with us for the year.
We are pleased to report that the fears about the music program did not come to fruition and it is going well. We were also able to hire a very well-qualified Music Director in Dr. David Katz. Those attending services know that he is off to an excellent start. In the short time that he has been here, he has been able to fulfill a long-time dream of the congregation by forming a children's choir. It has already had its first performance.
To deal with the issue of the number of ministers, the UUC Board authorized a task force to look at alternative approaches. In late August, the task force began its work and quickly realized that the options were many and the time short. There was insufficient time to responsibly complete its work by the December deadline originally assigned.
A "start-up weekend" was held in October, and it became clear that there was confusion among some members of the congregation as to what Rev. Bill's role, particularly in the ministry discernment process, was intended or should be. Through the process of the "start-up weekend" meetings, the board also realized that making successful choices about a sustainable staffing model for the congregation was more complicated than originally envisioned. It requires tailoring the professional staff to the congregation's ministry.
To do that tailoring we need a clear vision of the congregation's ministry: its mission, goals, needs, governance and resources. We are at a turning point in our congregation's life. Making decisions about our professional staff is an opportunity to look at our congregation in depth and to focus clearly on our vision and mission. Unitarian Universalists have always asked that they be known by what they do. This is our chance to find out who we are, and what we want to be and do. It is not a short-term process. It requires time, analysis and discussion.
In 2003 we developed and adopted a long range plan following a year-long planning process. Our religious community achieved many of the milestones in that plan. Our congregation has also changed significantly since 2003, and now is an appropriate time to develop a new strategic plan to meet the needs of our members and community as they exist today and into the future.
In October, the Board approved the development of a new strategic plan and assigned a group to develop a charge or guidlines for a strategic planning committee. Rev. Bill has brought a wealth of experience, insight and energy to our vibrant congregation. The Board has tasked him with focusing primarily on the roles previously covered by Rev. Millie. He, along with the rest of the professional staff, will be asked to be a resource to the planning committee. We anticipate that his talents will be particularly valuable.
At its November meeting, the board approved the planning committee's charge, and decided to initiate meaningful dialogue with the congregation about both our vision for the future and how we can make things work in the near term. The discernment process adopted by the board includes several focus groups and a town hall meeting to be held in December. These meetings will discuss our vision, as well as ways in which we might proceed in the near term to make progress in that direction. We hope you will actively participate in these meetings. Details will be forthcoming shortly.
The committee for strategic planning will begin its work shortly, and will be engaging the congregation over the next year and presenting a new strategic plan for the congregation's consideration. The committee charter has been approved.
By using this congregational turning point to develop a new plan, we have the opportunity to fuse work previously done with new ideas and information to understand and redefine ourselves as a congregation. By focusing our vision and redefining our mission we can set out goals and concrete plans for reaching them. Within that context we will understand our resources and can define the staffing model that will sustainably enable us to meet our needs as defined by our mission. The new plan will be bold; it will embrace our greatest ideals; and it will test our capacity to achieve great things. As in the past, we are confident that you will actively support this effort.
We will keep you informed about all of these efforts as they unfold. Your thoughts and suggestions are vital to the success of both our short term and long term planning efforts. We have much to do and look forward to working with each of you in creating the very best spiritual community we possibly can.
Signed
Rev. Abhi Janamanchi and Sue Boone, President of the Congregation
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