Subject: Will anyone join me?
Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 14:17:50 EST
From: [David Heagy]
To: [Birds of a Feather, UUCF Chat]
In a message dated 2000-03-13 12:02:32 PM Eastern Standard Time, [Pat Moore] writes:
> We are a UU church. We pride ourselves with the idea that we are made up
of
> diverse thinkers. We believe in each person's inherent worth. Isn't there
> some way to address the heartfelt needs of our diverse thinkers (e.g.,
> theists and atheists, newer members and older members, those who want
more
> congregational participation in services/meetings and those who don't)?
If
>we
> open our hearts and minds and work toward some compromises, I believe
we'll
> see fewer people leaving and also have a healthier, happier congregation.
Being a scientist/engineer, it helps me to know what the issue and goals are. Pat and others, is this the goal? "address the heartfelt needs"? If so, then it may be more helpful to not spend more time analyzing the symptoms (pledge units and members). In my experience, it takes a 10-25% change in counts to begin to be an important difference, since there are so many factors that can affect these counts. So if we see a change of more than 50 units in one year, there MIGHT be a problem.
I believe there is a better use for our time. I think there have been about 6 different people looking at the same numbers (probably for 1-2 hours each), and another 50 on the email lists reading them. That's about 20 hours we could have spent on solutions. I fell into the same trap.
I believe we have ample indications of heartfelt needs from the discussions that were open to all: "Conversations about a liberal religious community", "Searching for the Future", the mission statement articles and discussions, and the long range plan update. On top of that are the feedback forms, future facility surveys, and members coming to board meetings.
With the participation so many we now have a prioritized list of goals for each lay ministry. They are the goals that people feel will give the church and the individuals the greatest spiritual growth or satisfaction from the limited amount of time and energy we can contribute. And the strategic planning processus allows adjustments to these goals and the action steps if needs or resources change.
So I personally am going to focus my limited time and energy on those selected goals that will give me the greatest spiritual growth and delight. That means I will strongly resist spending time analyzing past problems and symptoms. We discussed our needs, we selected a focused set of goals, we have a plan for taking steps for the goals. Now I want to feel satisfaction from our efforts to reach the goals.
Will anyone join me?
David
Subject: The Leadership listening
Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2000 08:41:36 -0500
From: "Billye Stevens"
To: "David Heagy", "Birds Of A Feather"
Dear Dave,
I want to join you, though by this time I want to believe Jim Nelson's control and the attitude of Kurt Jensen represented at Sunday's Forum is not still lurking. I said Sunday how hard some of you on the Board are trying. Was Chris Mason, the only relatively new involved Member who attended Sunday's Forum?
The following tale is what my Fraternal Grandmother called, "getting it out of my craw". For over a year I had been asking, "Where do I go to talk about the changes here?" On June 26, 1996 I wrote to Jim at his home, as it was just as his summer vacation began. Jim responded saying, "I'll give you a call at the beginning of the fall to see if you 'd like to talk about the items in your letter." ...."I would ask, however, that letters of either concern or joy - be sent to me at the church." A copy went to Bruce Vernor, then President of the Board, and Dave Banks, Treasurer. Bruce called me, and later Craig Goff, V.P. When I met with Jim in the fall, he was so calmly defensive, I felt in my gut Jim could not change." Lola Usack's call the summer of '97, for the Forum of 25 people, was therapeutic in that they said what I had been thinking and even saying to a few. When my time came, I said, "WOW! I thought I was alone."
Would it feel good to believe I could forget the past and love being at UUCF again, to want to see the new building plan come to fruition, trust where my small pledge would strengthen UUCF. We worked so hard on the grounds when the Sanctuary was our dream and pledges fulfilled. I am not yet ready to pledge April 9. Change cannot happen with one meeting. Last night I spoke to Paul Kohlbrenner that the UUCF Financial Summary painted a much rosier picture than I see at the Church.
All the new Mbrs. are helping to pay for our long term liabilities (line items starting 25000, total $231,058.69), past inability to build, rebuild, redo the parking lot, loans for our heating/AC, and furnace, and large personnel costs (line items starting 60000). All the while I, but mostly you all, are paying on the U.S. Govt.'s debt and interest. Sunday, Jim asked the affluent people to contribute 5% of their unprecedented wealth to UUCF. He signed what for him was an important covenant to do the same. Dave, about a year after Jim Nelson came, he said that he and his family were going to do the 5% bit and has invited those who give similarly to his home for dinner. That must have impressed the new Mbrs. with stars in their eyes who think they are contributing to a place for their children.
Expect to see you tonight. Your suggestion is a start. Real affection to you and Diane
Subject: Re: The Leadership listening
Date: Sat, 18 Mar 2000 11:29:18 EST
From: [David Heagy]
To: [Birds of a Feather]
In a message dated 2000-03-14 8:48:03 AM Eastern Standard Time, [Billye Stevens] writes:
> Would it feel good to believe I could forget the past and love being
> at UUCF again, to want to see the new building plan come to fruition,
> trust where my small pledge would strengthen UUCF.
I just finished reading the latest newsletter. It is full of activities for growth and fun that many people are putting their energy and time into. Pledges support these activities and not a new building. I hope you will join in the spirit represented by all those activities, and use your rich experiences and caring to start your own style of activity to promote spiritual growth and community transformation.... something that will give you personal delight and satisfaction. If you're like me, you have a limit to the time and energy you have each day. I'm trying to choose activites that make me feel good and that benefit others.
David
Subject: Re: Re: The Leadership listening
Date: Sat, 18 Mar 2000 13:35:54 EST
From: [Marcia Halme]
To: [Birds of a Feather]
David, you may be listening. But is your response to try to resolve conflicts that arise, or is it to refute all claims made that you don't like? This last not of yours sounds like the latter.
Goldfinch