Update from the Board Chair
Update from the Board Chair
My apologies for not updating the congregation more frequently during the year. I plan to remedy that in the next few months. Know that it is not because I have been sitting at home streaming all 72 seasons of the Real Housewives of the UUA.
After my medical leave absence in the fall, I came back to full-time board work on Dec. 1st. One of the main priorities was getting to know Greg and establishing a working relationship with him. This takes time—but Greg and I have worked at it and, even though we both face a barrage of events, meetings, and planning sessions–we speak frequently and try to reflect on matters both philosophical and mundane. I appreciate Greg’s Midwestern roots, his calm/reflective manner and his willingness to learn how to navigate UCE in all it’s uniqueness.
Update on the interim period: Greg has been listening a lot through feedback forms, listening sessions at Curt’s, affinity groups, and sessions with councils and with board members. In addition, he’s been leading us through the first stage of the interim process—looking at our Heritage. The scrapbook has been the main activity in this stage, as well as the lovely UCE Through the Decades service in February. I will let Greg tell you more about what he is learning about us, but please know that we have been having substantive conversations about topics like:
- What is the relationship between the congregation and the minister?
- How do the staff and congregation treat each other?
- How do we talk about money and finances at UCE and how could that improve?
- How do we measure success against our ENDS?
- What are the good things that this congregation is doing?
- How could we be helping the most marginalized folks in our community?
- What do our young people and our young families need?
- What should Religious Education look like? How is it changing?
- How do our processes compare with other UU congregations?
- How do we help members gain leadership skills? How we we encourage new folks to step up to take on new leadership roles?
- How do we raise enough money to not have a leaky roof, a new kitchen, etc.?
Board members don’t have all the answers to these questions, but please be patient with us as we wrestle with them and soon, we will begin to involving you all in these discussions. Stay tuned.