News from the Board of Trustees

May 29, 2015
Submitted by: Barbara Ghoshal, Trustee

The Unitarian Church of Evanston will celebrate its 125th birthday next year. When I learned this recently, I was surprised. And curious. What had happened to us since 1891? Who were our founders? What were the lives of our members like, what beliefs did they hold, through so many years?

I’ve been around the church long enough (seven years) to know some of the (moderately) old stories. I’ve heard accounts of long friendships begun here, of partnerships, of children (now grown), nurtured through the religious education program, of years of glorious music, of proud moments when the congregation took action for justice or peace. I’ve heard about serious disagreements as well, conflicts resolved only when some members left UCE and formed new religious associations.

In 2011-12, when interim minister Janet Newman was guiding us through the ups and downs of our remembered past as part of our ministerial search, a timeline was created by the congregation. Much of my sense of UCE’s more recent history comes from this. It can be found at http://ucold.hanssos.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Timeline-2011.pdf

I realize that UCE had been led by a variety of ministers, but my knowledge of them has been collected in bits and pieces. For example, in the front of my hymnal last Sunday, I found this inscription: “In fond memory of Rev. Homer Jack who loved us way beyond his years with us 1948-1959.” During a recent pledge drive visit, a long-time member told me tales of Ross Weston, minister from 1960 to 1965. Also, I was aware of a powerful sermon online by ministerial intern David Pyle, entitled “Let Us Dare,” which covers Martin Luther King‘s visit to UCE, the period following King’s assassination, and racial relations in Evanston during the ministries of Ross Weston and Charles Eddis (1966-1978). You can read David’s sermon at http://celestiallands.org/wayside/?p=241

I had read that David Sammons (1978-1983) was at one time involved in the formation of an Evanston Ecumenical Action Council. At our most recent rummage sale I purchased a copy of a sermon by Roger Fritts (1985-1993). Entitled “My Favorite Philosopher,” the sermon made accessible the ideas of Martin Buber. I knew, of course, that Ann Tyndall and Barbara Pescan (1995-2002) had ministered to the congregation together, and that Barbara Pescan had then led on her own (2002-2011). And in 2013, Bret Lortie joined us.

An online search led me to more names of former UCE ministers. There was James Vila Blake (1892-1916), author of our Historic and Living Covenant (1894), which we read together each week. There was Lester Mondale, who in 1933 (at which time he was at UCE) signed the first Humanist Manifesto, in 1973 the second, and in 2013 the third. There was John Nicholls Booth (1942-1948), who was both a minister and a master magician.

There have, of course, been many others who have played a part of our history—ministers of religious education, staff members, lay leaders and all the others who have contributed to the long life of our church. It is my hope, in the course of the celebration of UCE’s 125th birthday, that through our archives, our recorded memories, and the research and writing of the historians among us, we will all learn more of the lives and ideas and actions and wisdom of those who came before us. They have left us a great gift.

January 30, 2015
Submitted by: Brian Nielsen, Vice President

My Self Alive

Last October 18, a Saturday, over 100 members and friends of our UCE congregation met to consider as a group what our deepest hopes and dreams for the church are. The ideas that attendees shared that morning were written down, discussed in both small and larger groups, and at the end of the meeting passed along to the Board of Trustees. There was excitement in the sanctuary. Time well spent! And we on the Board knew we had a job ahead to capture the spirit of that day in a concise document that the church could use to help steer a course for the future.

It took us several rounds of meetings over a three-month period to synthesize five core statements from the workshop, or “ends statements” as they are referred to in the literature on Policy Governance . Reverend Bret presented those five ends statements as part of his sermon in January, using them as five answers to the question “Who do we want to be in the world?”

Spiritually aware: We cultivate spiritual awareness, joy and wonder through words, music, the arts and the natural world;

Intellectually excited: We foster intellectual excitement, lifelong learning, truth seeking, and respect for our traditions of reason and faith;

Community builders: We build beloved community through inclusive welcoming, compassion, care, generosity and forgiveness. We create a supportive place to take risks and grow in service to others;

Diverse in belief: We are a people of diverse beliefs united by our covenant. We develop relationships that open us to the lives of people in our congregation, community and world;

Acting for justice: We act for social, economic, and environmental justice through study, advocacy, and outreach.

The Trustees will be using the ends statements to help direct our actions over the coming year, but we’ve come to realize that the statements can be used by any member or friend of UCE as inspiration for thinking about how to more fully participate in the life of the church.

Which of these five statements really speaks to the core of your spirit? It may be just one; or it may be more. In fact, it may be that all five inspire you to take action within the church community.

Which statement might motivate your action? When a volunteer opportunity is posted at UCE do you regularly try and find time to participate? Do you volunteer to bring food to UCE lunches? Do you greet people at the door on Sunday? Do you go to the Community Renewal Society MLK celebration? Have you thought of teaching a course, organizing a poetry reading, screening a movie, having three new members over to dinner at your house, making bag lunches for Connections for the Homeless? How do you make your way at church and demonstrate how UCE’s values play out in your life?

All five statements provide me with ideas that I can act on. Action allows me to meet new people, make new connections, spend time with those I know and experience the love of being present in a shared community. I hope they can do the same for you.

December 19, 2014
Submitted by: Janet Hartmann, Board Member

A personal view of ‘policy governance’

You have read a number of board newsletter posts about our undertaking of policy governance. I’m a big fan of policy governance but I hope that case has already been made. Instead, I want to write about trust and respect as essential elements in policy governance.

Once the board establishes the “Ends,” under policy governance, we charge the Senior Minister with marshalling the congregation’s resources while abiding by the Executive Limitations policies. The board must provide oversight (called “monitoring”) but we must refrain from micromanaging. Micromanagement is wasteful and damages morale. Not micromanaging means a Senior Minister does not have to achieve those Ends exactly how I would or you would. He or she has to achieve them in any reasonable way that doesn’t violate those Limitations.

In order to maintain this relationship, there must be trust and respect. The Executive Limitations are thorough and provide ways to address those situations in which the Board finds that these limits are not being observed. In our congregation (like most congregations), we have had difficult periods that have left some of us distrustful. In a recent board meeting we were discussing how to have sufficient oversight with healthy skepticism but without micromanaging. I made the observation that the difference between skepticism and distrust is respect.

I have a personal experience I want to relate. I have been a leader in the writing of policies—not only organizing and leading the meetings, but being one of the biggest cheerleaders because I believe so strongly it is the best way to govern. This fall, a family situation caused me to abruptly step back from my volunteer work at UCE (and many other things) to focus on being at home. This was quite difficult for me, because I felt I was letting my fellow board members and the congregation down.

All the board members have been personally supportive. More than that, they have stepped up to the tasks of leading the writing of policy End Statements and reviewing all Governance, Executive Board Linkage, and Executive Limitations policies written earlier. I don’t know if they are going about it exactly how I would have, but I respect them and trust that they are doing a good job. This feels like a gift, not only because it relieves my distress but also because it has made clear how trust and respect can work.

One of the advantages of policy governance is “velocity of action.” In other words, more good things can happen when you let go a little.

November 26, 2014
Submitted by: Dick Whitaker, Board Member

Why am I doing this again?
–Signing on for three years on the UCE Board of Trustees? Well, it’s not as though I didn’t know what it is like. Two prior commitments, during the ministries of Charles Eddis and of Barbara Pescan, gave me a good idea. But now it’s different. We are a nine member board now and we are working toward policy governance. This means we have less time for day-to-day matters, and need to do more delegation. And most of that involves delegation to staff, committees, and councils.

It’s a more appropriate way to run things. Staff spends at least twenty times as many hours on church business as we do. And our committees and councils are directed towards particular jobs, such as social action, endowment, music, etc. They may also spend as much or more time on their concerns than we do.

That’s why policy governance is so important. It starts by knowing where the church wants to go. And, to get it right, we’ve been asking you in various ways these last several months. Now we are in the process of distilling this information into ends statements, such as “become a greater force for environmental justice in the community.” Ends statements are then translated into statements of the means used to carry them out, such as, “plant and maintain two rain gardens.” These are followed by monitoring statements which the Board uses to ensure anticipated results. An example: “review program expenditures on a monthly basis to keep them in line with annual budget allocations.”

So the Board’s main jobs are to understand, translate, consult, and monitor. We’ll have a full plate in the coming months. Before I signed on, I just wanted to help in Improving UCE’s future. I never thought that UCE’s Board would have the potential of being so focused and effective. I am looking forward to the next three years.

October 23, 2014
UCE Board Notes
By Jane Kenamore

I am beginning my last year on the UCE Board, and it’s been a fascinating experience. During my 3-year tenure, the board has experienced the ministerial search, Reverend Bret’s first and very successful year; and now we are joining other major UU churches in a move to policy-based governance.

Since June, the Board has been drafting policies, which together might be compared to a constitution. Under the leadership of fellow board member Janet Hartmann, all of us have met at various times throughout the summer and fall to examine, write, and rewrite policies on every possible aspect of church governance. We are scheduled to complete the draft by the end of November.

An essential part of policy based governance is the section on “end” statements, or goals for the church that are based on congregational values. On October 18, Reverend Bret, Janelle Brittain, and Lorna Galich led the “Appreciative Inquiry” workshop that examined why UCE was important in our lives. Asked to reflect on meaningful individual experiences in connection with UCE, small groups compiled short lists of values demonstrated by the stories. The Board will examine the list, and from this will write “ends” for UCE. While the Board will monitor staff periodically to ensure they are following the new policies, the staff will have a freer hand to work to accomplish the “ends” established by the Board.

This is an exciting time for UCE, and I am happy to be a part of the change process.

October 3, 2014
A Request from your Board of Trustees

We sure do hope that you have heard about the Appreciative Inquiry (AI) workshop scheduled for October 18th. Writing on behalf of the Board of Trustees, we invite you, we urge you to attend. Broad participation by our members is vital to the work of this year’s Board and will impact UCE for the next several years.

The Board will pay close attention to what comes out of this morning’s session — the values that are distilled will be our guideposts and marching orders, what we will keep looking at through the next few years as we work to ensure that UCE is on the right path. It’s really important that those guideposts reflect the broad spectrum represented in this congregation and that all voices are heard.

This will be a pivotal day. You will hear stories about it echoing among us for years to come. If you miss it, you will likely be regretful: we have few opportunities like this one in which we gather our diverse membership and share our stories.

Though we will focus on the ‘appreciative’ parts of our experiences, the parts that sustain and inspire us, this is not ‘just another feel-good exercise’ but a disciplined way to get at the heart of what we are and what we should be about.

If you want some background:

The board is currently shifting to a model of governing called ‘policy governance,’ in which the most important policies are called “Ends statements.” These are statements of the difference we want UCE to make in our lives and in the community. These will drive our vision for the next five years and we will hold ourselves and our staff accountable for accomplishing them. We expect the conversation and reflection from this workshop to provide much of the basis for identifying our values and giving substance to our vision.

So please make plans to join us on October 18th and RSVP by phone or email. We will serve breakfast for you (and the family) from 8:30-9:00. Childcare is available, there will be related activities for children. Junior high and high school youth are encouraged to participate in the workshop.

If you have any questions about Appreciative Inquiry or Policy Governance, please contact any board member or staff member: we like talking with you about these topics.

Submitted by
Shirley Adams
Sarah Vanderwicken

August 22, 2014
What a Cool Summer to be a Board Member
Shirley Adams, Board President

Were you away on holiday this summer? This note is being written by the Aegean Sea on an island called Mytilene, an area my partner and I favor due to its proximity to Turkey and its un-crowded beaches and warm waters. (There is also good Internet service and great food.)

Should you worry that the work of the church slows while board members travel and staff members take their annual holidays?  Actually, the new board and our ministers are spending extra time together this summer. It sounds like a tedious duty: we are writing policies – not how most of us would normally spend this enticingly cool summer.  But, with the help of Janet Hartmann, who can organize complexity into clarity, and Rev. Lortie, who has been through this once before in San Antonio, we are actually having rather spirited sessions. I bring healthy food to the sessions (no meeting without eating) and some earlier experience with this new animal called ‘policy governance,’ a result of my UU board service in Atlanta.

After learning from the earlier hard work of several other strong UU congregations, we are defining what policy governance means for UCE.  Each board member is contributing and you can be assured we all have our own personal views about change and how to protect what we love here and also make it stronger. We are mixing the best parts of our traditions here in Evanston with a governance style that capitalizes on our professional staff, talented lay leaders, a spirited congregation and a visionary and focused board of trustees.

It is the job of the board to move us each year a bit closer to realizing the vision we all have for this church. You will be asked to help with an important piece of this year’s work: save the morning of Saturday, Oct. 18, and bring yourself and your family to UCE. Together we will tell stories about the ways we “nurture the human spirit for a world made whole” and name the values that inspire us.

Enjoy this cool summer at home or on holiday and when you see a board member in church, ask them about writing policy – the answer will not be boring.