Trustee Tid-Bits

Joan Lund

The month of June is upon us, when we, the Florida District, are afforded the opportunity and responsibility of hosting our Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (UUA) General Assembly (GA) in Ft. Lauderdale, June 25–29. I look forward to being with you this year, especially because I was not able to attend the District Annual Meeting in April. For those of you have been to a GA you know what an exhilarating and wonderful experience it is. For the first-timers you will find much to do and learn during our UU days together. This month I am writing about something I touched upon in the lengthy report which can be found on the District website, written after I returned from the April UUA Board of Trustees meeting: a new DVD, “Listening to Experience”, produced by the District Services Staff Growth Team.

This recently-completed DVD captures the wisdom and experience of twelve ministers from some of the fastest growing UU congregations in our nation who gathered for three days in November 2007 to talk about how to increase the number of Unitarian Universalists in the world. Five thousand copies have been produced, and are being distributed, along with a letter from Rev. Bill Sinkford, UUA President, to UU ministers, seminarians, theological school professors and instructors, and hundreds of key lay and professional leaders throughout the Association. During the conversation among these ministers, they responded to questions posed by the Rev. Alice Mann of the Alban Institute which included:

• What is the saving message of your congregation?

• How does your congregation help people move inward and outward on their spiritual journey, and how does this relate to congregational growth?

• What institutional, organizational, and practical nuts and bolts need to exist in order for a congregation to grow and keep growing?

• What are the obstacles or roadblocks to growth?

This is an excellent DVD for ministers and lay leaders to watch together over several meetings and benefit from the wisdom of these ministers. A list of questions to discuss, the same ones that served as the basis for the conversation in November, is included in the packaging, as are the names of the participating ministers.

If you would like a copy of the “Listening to Experience” DVD contact Heather Bond, District Services Administrator, <hbond@uua.org>. Again, I look forward to being with you in June. In the meantime if you have questions, concerns, or just wish to talk about “something UU” call me at 813.931.9727 or email me at <jlund@uua.org>.

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Venice

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