One of the tasks at the annual Board of Trustees retreat is to review and assess the goals from last year and to create new goals for the current year.  These are the goals the Board has approved for the 2020-21 church year.  We will monitor progress for each goal through the year. 

Goal:  Financial Monitoring

As part of striving to act for justice, we will monitor and support UCE’s financial activity and assure the use of our anti-oppression lens.  We will

  • work in collaboration with the ISC to develop an annual budget
  • encourage staff to use an equity lens when hiring outside contractors by discussing these regularly
  • present the annual budget to the congregation in a clear and transparent manner
  • encourage the Endowment committee to use an equity lens in making investment and grant decisions
  • encourage good stewardship and generosity in the congregation in ways that are sensitive to the differing financial situations of our congregants
  • monitor the work of the Capital Campaign Implementation Committee in the final phases of the campaign, to be sure that funds are retained for reserves

Goal:  Improving Linkage

As part of being community builders, Board members will work to maintain and improve the connection between the congregation and the Board. We will

  • publish the Board email address as an option for the congregation to communicate withus.
  • publish the Board minutes after they have been approved, and meeting agendas before the meetings on the website and in the newsletter, as well as instructions on how to attend meetings.
  • listen to and read summaries of such activities as the Minister Search cottage meetings and survey results to integrate that information into board decisions.
  • participate in and read the summaries of the Interim brown bag events to integrate that information into board decisions.
  • use newsletter articles and announcements to help inform the congregation regarding the term “linkage” as defined by the UUA.
  • utilize the Facebook Member-to-Member page for Board announcements.
  • increase the use of Realm in communications.

Goal:  Addressing Covid-Related Changes

To best support three Ends, being Spiritually aware, being Intellectually excited and being Community builders, we must recognize that UCE has undergone many changes since the onset of Covid-related quarantines in March of 2020.  Board members will evaluate the various changes to operations and congregational community that have been implemented during 2020 to determine the best path into the future.  We will

  • create a list of changes that have been implemented during 2020 due to Covid-related restrictions.
  • establish a subcommittee to review the pros and cons of each listed item and create a report back to the Board with recommendations regarding retention and/or improvements.
  • review the report and make recommendations back to the parties responsible for implementing the specific changes.

Goal: Interim Work

As an important step in building the community of UCE, the Board will continue to support and engage in the Interim work so that we reach our collaborative goal of resolving old issues and understanding who we are as a church, thus providing an accurate and timely UCE story to the Ministerial Search Committee for their writing of the congregational record.  We will

  • communicate monthly at least one week prior to board meeting with Rev. Karen Gustafson about Interim Working Report progress for clarification regarding status, needs, progress.
  • check with board members via email prior to this clarification call/meeting.  At each board meeting, the report will have included questions from the board and answers.
  • engage in and encourage congregants to participate in Interim activities.
  • support Interim minister and fulfill any requests they have of the board.
  • relay questions from the congregation regarding Interim work to the Interim minister.

Goal: Supporting the Ministerial Search Committee

To support all of the Ends of UCE, the Board will continue to support and engage in (as congregants) the Ministerial Search Committee work so that we call a ministerial candidate who will support our journey with our UCE mission and end statements.  We will:

  • develop the 2021-22 budget in conjunction with the ISC to support the preparation of a compensation package offering.  This must be ready for approval by the October 15th board meeting.
  • assign two board members to a Compensation Team to work with Tom Hempfling from the Ministerial Search Committee (MSC) to prepare a compensation package for the prospective ministerial candidate. This must be approved by the board at the October board meeting and completed by the end of October.  The Compensation Team board members will be available to the MSC negotiator(s) to provide Board response to any questions.
  • improve the return rate of MSC survey by helping to text/call congregants during early September, including board member direct participation.
  • improve the attendance rate at cottage meetings through clearly stated board publicity, including board member direct participation.

Goal: Anti-Oppression Work

As steps to support all of our Ends statements, we will work to ensure that anti-oppression efforts are a part of all UCE activities, we will

  • encourage all members to read the Widening the Circle of Concernand encouraging congregational discussions of specific topics in the book,
  • hold monthly Board of Trustees meetings to discuss specific topics in Widening the Circle of Concern.
  • pursue the adoption of the Eighth Principle,
  • strongly encourage all Board members to take Beloved Conversations,
  • encourage all leaders to take Beloved Conversations,
  • ask all councils to use the racial equity lens in their meetings,
  • monitor and support the Anti-Oppression Task Force,
  • request that the Endowment committee examine grants and investments using an equity lens, and
  • strive to increase the portion of shared plate contributions that is given to appropriate outside organizations.

Generative Thinking Goal

As a way to insure the continued pursuit of all of the Ends Statements, the BOT will pursue generative thinking.  We will

  • regularly devote time to generative as well as fiduciary and strategic thinking
  • where appropriate, incorporate generative thinking into the policy governance monitoring process
  • have a “generative observer” report after each BOT meeting
  • bring generative thinking into the shared plate and endowment process
  • carefully monitor and incorporate the generative thinking aspects of the interim ministry, Anti-Oppression Task Force, and ministerial search process
  • update our Key Big Questions annually at the BOT retreat.