Update: Based on your feedback I'm 100% redesigning my training programs!  Make sure you sign up to get training updates. Details are coming out the week of June 23, 2021.

Friends, here's an overview of my new Digital Ministry Accelerator program, DMAX for short.  It is a 12-week program for Unitarian Universalist parish ministers (this round) and their congregations.  Interested ministers, I'd love your feedback! 

Please complete this brief program survey: SURVEY COMPLETED

Your responses will help me finalize the program design and the day and time we'll hold our weekly strategy sessions.    Thank you!

Friends, recently I had the opportunity to be a guest on the new Unitarian Universalist podcast "The Flame" by Roddy Biggs!

Grateful for the chance to reflect on a range of issues related to UU life, ministry, media, and the pandemic through this conversation.  Thanks, Roddy!  

If you'd like to have future episodes delivered to your device, subscribe to The Flame podcast.

About the podcast

The Flame is a Unitarian Universalist faith-centered podcast offering voices and stories of hope, love, resilience, and community. Witness real conversations, ones that sometimes tackle challenging topics but safely and bravely. Whether you are a lifelong Unitarian Universalist, new to the faith, or this is the first time you are hearing of the Unitarian Universalist faith, I welcome you just as you are.

As we enter year two of the pandemic, uncertainty is a core aspect of our ministry context.  How can we lead when so much is unknown? 

Leaders and their congregations must have great clarity of mission and the vision they want to work toward.  To work toward a clear mission-driven vision,  facing the unknown as a community together is the path. 

We can't have productive conversations about models, approaches, and staffing if we don't have clarity on our mission in 2021 and a powerful vision specific to our present ministry context.

YouTube video chapters
(0:00​) Welcome
(3:19​) Covid19 Year One. 
(7:28​) Covid19 Year Two?
(9:16​) Leadership, Clarity, and Uncertainty

In this interview with the Rev. Christana Wille McKnight, minister of First Parish in Taunton, MA , we discuss the principles and strategies that helped this Unitarian Universalist congregation move from being at risk of closing to becoming a thriving small congregation playing a major role in Taunton’s revitalization efforts.  

Get the "Playbook"
Rev. Christana Wille McKnight has kindly shared a Google Doc on the 11 points we discussed in this interview.  To get the playbook, click here to open the Google Doc and then hit the add to drive icon to save a link to it in your drive.

WATCH

VIDEO  CHAPTERS
(0:00​) Countdown
(0:43​) Welcome
(2:00​) Overview of Transformation
(6:00​) Rev. Christana Wille McKnight's "playbook"'
(6:25​) 1. Live Invitational Culture
(9:29​) 2. Use Accessible Language
(12:05​) 3. Put Your Words into Action
(17:15​) 4. Create Intentionally Welcoming Community
(19:20​) 5. Reflect Your Community and Context.
(20:48​) 6. Understand that Every Person Who Comes to Your Church Will Change It
(25:18​) 7. Know Your Community’s History, Culture, Demographics and Needs Deeply
(32:25​) 8. Create the Infrastructure to Help the Church You Want to Become Thrive
(37:35​) 9. Create a Multicultural Worship Experience
(39:45​) 10. Talk About Racism, Classism and the Injustices in the World in Meaningful Ways and Work to End These Unjust Constructs
(45:10​) 11. Understand That Unitarian Universalism is a Theology, Not Culture.
(53:45​) Wrapping up!

•  Due to internet issues we had to use a cell phone for an internet connection. We decided to go forward as is instead of rescheduling.  There some resulting audio pops. Sorry for the glitch.   

• You may watch here as well as on my Unitarian Universalist Youtube Channel and Facebook Page.   

LISTEN

Listen to this interview via my podcast below. You may subscribe here and have new episodes automatically delivered to your device.