August 2021 - Page 3 of 3

From the Board of Trustees: August 6, 2021

The 2021-2022 Board of Trustees has started its work! With a transitional meeting in June and a July meeting of the new Board it has been a busy summer. Two innovations to support Board efficiency and effectiveness will continue: During the meeting the Process Observer and the Generative Process Observer pay special attention. At the end of the meeting, the Process Observer describes how well the Board interacted and accomplished the agenda. The Generative Process Observer comments on how creatively the Board considered and accomplished the tasks on the agenda, specifically how much time was spent discerning strategic and mission-based questions. Other tasks are assigned to Board members to provide experience for new and returning trustees and spread responsibility for activities across the entire Board.

A couple other innovations being implemented this year involve the Executive Committee. On a trial basis, we are moving toward a three-year presidential commitment; the first year an elected leader will serve as Vice President (Carla Williams this year), the second year the leader would serve as President (Joe Romeo) and then the cycle would be completed with a third year as President Emerita (Jessica Tomell-Presto). Also, there will be a rotating participation of trustees who are not officers in the monthly Executive Committee meetings. The intent is to create more opportunities for involvement and leadership experience for each Board member, and for the Board to benefit from the experience and wisdom of its previous president.

Other continuing activities:

supporting our ministerial staff as we navigate the challenges of the pandemic and plan for in- person worship in September
engaging in discussions about Widening the Circle of Concern including congregational discussions at the Reflections with the Board sessions planned for the 3rd Sunday of the month starting in September
reviewing the progress of the Capital Campaign Implementation Committee and the Endowment Task Force, and monitoring the Budget and Financials

Plans for 2021-2022

convening in August for a Board retreat that will include discussion of the UCE End Statements and development of Board goals
exploring mechanisms to measure the progress of programs and achievement of End Statements

Want to know more about any of these topics? The Board minutes and agendas are available on the UCE website or feel free to contact the Board at BOT@ucevanston.org!

From the Board of Trustees: August 6, 2021UCE UCE2021-08-04T22:40:04+00:00

Reflections with the Board: August 8, 2021

It is our goal as the Board of Trustees to maintain connections with you. To that end, we are hosting a program entitled, “Reflections with the Board.” We have hosted these sessions via zoom on the second Sunday of each month at 10 am before the service. (We’ll adjust the schedule as necessary in the fall.) Our next session will be held on August 8th at 10 am. For this session, the Board would like to talk with you about Widening the Circle of Concern. This month we will discuss Chapter Six, Religious Professionals. You did not have to attend any of our previous sessions to join us.

Read Chapter Six

Questions from Study Guide for WTC chapter, Religious Professionals:

Do any religious professionals of color serve your community, in capacities such as minister, religious educator, musician, membership professional, or administrator? How do you know an individual holds an identity of color?
If you do, have the bodies that supervise them (e.g., board, committees on ministry or personnel) read this chapter?
What groups or individual leaders in your congregation have the most influence on the recommended actions outlined in this chapter? How can you encourage them to become engaged?
How do your congregation’s hiring practices and policies support or not support religious professionals from “marginalized/traditionally under-represented communities/identities”?
Do you know of policies and practices to minimize micro-aggressions? Trauma? Disrespect? Harm? Abuse?
Does your congregation or community support or encourage the participation of religious professionals of color in supportive collegial groups? Finding Our Way Home? UU Professional Chapters for Identity Groups?

Which of these questions would you like to discuss? What have you been learning as you have been reading Widening the Circle? Please join us on Sunday. Thank you.

Join the Zoom Meeting

Reflections with the Board: August 8, 2021UCE UCE2021-08-03T17:57:47+00:00

REAL Event Racial Equity Learning Moment

Did you miss the compelling Ware lecture at this year’s General Assembly? Do you want to meet Desmond Meade via video? Join REAL for a 30-minute viewing of Desmond Meade talking about the fight for voting rights and his personal story as a citizen returning from prison who has been disenfranchised for years — and what he did about it. You may have some insights and questions yourself! We welcome all to this REAL meeting on Wednesday, July 28th, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm.

Join the Zoom Event

REAL Event Racial Equity Learning MomentUCE UCE2021-08-03T16:42:38+00:00

Beloved Conversations Registration Open Through August 31, 2021

The REAL Team highly recommends that anyone who has not taken the online version of Beloved Conversations sign up for “Beloved Conversations: Within”. The Beloved Conversations in-person curriculum has evolved to be a three-part online curriculum divided into the Within Phase, the Among Phase, and the Beyond Phase. If you took the original in-person curriculum, the new online Beloved Conversations: Within is a restyled individual curriculum that will bring you something new. If you have not taken any form of Beloved Conversations, now is a good time to take the Within Phase curriculum, because the next phase, Beloved Conversations: Among, is a congregation wide curriculum that the REAL Team is exploring.

UCE has scholarships available for the Beloved Conversations: Within registration fee. Please contact Rev. Susan Frances at sfrances@ucevanston.org.

Beloved Conversations Registration Open Through August 31, 2021UCE UCE2021-08-03T16:38:02+00:00

August 8, 2021

We will host an online worship service on Sunday, August 8th at 11:15 am.

Living Our Mission Through the Arts: Dance
Nurturing the Human Spirit and Making the World Whole Through the Arts: living our mission through the arts. The creative endeavor is more than the fluff of life. It is essential to our humanity to create, express, and process our struggles through the arts. This August we will explore five modes of artistic and creative expression and their centrality in making meaning in our lives. This Sunday, we focus on dance. Worship participants include Heike Eghardt, Shirley Adams, Alicia Hempfling, Robb Geiger, Jessica Tomell-Presto, Jen Halman, Laura Pettibone, and Rev. Eileen.

Please submit your Joys and Sorrows through this online form. If you submit a message by 11 am, we will try to read it that Sunday. Thank you for your patience as we are adapting to best serve you all! Note there will only be one service time so that we can gather together as a whole community of faith. You can still give to the shared offering through “text to give,” mail a check to the office with “shared offering” in the memo line, or go to our website and hit “give” on the upper right or click here. This Sunday’s shared offering recipient is Black Lives of UU.

August 8, 2021UCE UCE2021-08-03T21:24:42+00:00

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