Session Two 2009

“The saving message of my congregation is that we nurture the human spirit. We encourage and help people to get in contact with the holy in their lives. And we help heal the world”.From article by William Sinkford, UU World, Summer, 2008
Check-in:

Reading: Community. Somewhere, there are people to whom we can speak with passion without having the words catch in our throats. Somewhere a circle of hands will open to receive us, eyes will light up as we enter, voices will celebrate with us whenever we come into our own power. Community means strength that joins our strength to the work that needs to be done. Arms to hold us when we falter. A circle of healing. A circle of friends. Someplace we can be free.

The leadership of the Fellowship developed 4 goals at the annual retreat last Fall and is looking for feedback from the congregation on how well we are achieving said goals. Below are the 4 goal statements and following each statement is a series of questions. Please read the goal statements and assign someone in your group to record responses to be shared with the Committee on Ministry.

1. Enrich and deepen the bonds of congregants to the Fellowship and to each other so that we are a true extended family and GUUF can be a focal point of our lives.

Do you feel that we have deepened the bonds of our community? What evidence do you see of our progress or lack of progress in this area? What evidence would you like to see?

2. Increase our visibility and value through social action and other outreach in order to enrich and deepen the bonds of congregants to the greater community, our faith and the world.

In your opinion, have we increased our visibility through social action and outreach? How have progressed in the greater community? Our UU faith? The world?

3. Enhance our services and programs, and expand community forums to enrich the spiritual and intellectual growth of our congregants and the wider community.

In your opinion have we enhanced our services and programs in this area? What evidence can you share that we have or have not progressed in this area? What things can you point to that show progress or lack of progress n the spiritual and intellectual growth of our congregants?

4. Ensure that our governance structure is understood, creates a culture of openness and engagements, and develops and supports new leaders.

Have we made progress in this area of making sure that our governance structure is understood? Do we have a culture of openness and engagement? Do we develop and support new leaders?

Closing ritual: May the light around us guide our footsteps, and hold us fast to the best and most righteous that we seek. May the darkness around us nurture our dreams, and give us rest so that we may give ourselves to the work of our world. Let us seek to remember the wholeness of our lives, the weaving of light and shadow in this great and astonishing dance in which we move.