What do you think will make our church thrive and succeed in the next 5, 10, 15 years?

I was just reading Rev Debus's Hold My Chalice. She's asked by congregation leaders to come up with a plan and, she jokes, " I’m not sure they got what they were hoping for, because I think they were looking for the practical ideas they could implement." and then goes on to list out broader minsterly ideas the group could think about.

But it got me to thinking, if you were to write out practical, implementable ideas - what would you like to see change? It can be pie-in-the-sky ideas.

A few things I'd like to see

- the UUA to be as serious about reparations as they said they were last General Assembly. Live your values. I'd personally like to see a portion of that go to divinity school scholarships to diversify our pool of ministers.
- with the congregational minster shortage, more and meatier tools for congregations that are lay-led.
- more collaboration between churches, facilitated by regional staff. Let's stuff the newsletter with ideas and inspiration from members (not just think pieces by ministers or workshops by staffers). I want to know where i can find a CUUPs program or a Death Cafe. I want to know what different churches do for music, for social enrichment, for social justice. I want to think "Oh, that church down the road is good at ____ while the one two towns over is really strong in the ___ area" instead of each UU church being its own island.

What else?

I had a kind of tough emotional experience at church this week. My minister gave a talk about updating article 2. She said it is an exciting movement for UUs. We are changing with the time. We have identified six values that represent UU today which will replace / update the princples and sources.

The whole thing just made me feel left out, like those 'we' statements didn't really have anything to do with me.

I am emotionally invested in being a living tradition, and I was aware that the article 2 commission did a lot of work, and I have seen the six values. None of that was a surprise. And I'm not here to fight change.

What was surprising to me was how it made me feel. Being informed "we" as a religion are going through these changes made me feel ...alone? Irrelevant. It's such a contrast to the 8th princinple project which had so much positive discussion, which each church was invited to opt into.

I'm wondering if anyone else is experiencing the same or has words of wisdom for me.

The young peoples Divestment protest was FIRE.

The music was lovely but a bit too hymn focused for me.

The Amendments to Article Ii were a mess, I was really disappointed that the study commission got to pick which got floor votes vs making it more based on delegate support. It ensured minimal changes. I do like the article 2 revison overall but the amendment process was rushed and seemed to be an afterthought. They were selling tote bags with the unamended graphic which tells you they never expected the vote to go anywhere.

I liked Pittsburgh and being down town and all the opportunities that the convention center had for outside space.

There are a lot of complaints about misgendering and poor access for disabled delegates which is a shame. The moderators apologized and said they would try harder next time, which felt like ... a very easy thing to say.

Overall it wasn't what I hoped it would be. I hope others had a better time .

I am thinking of attending this year's GA, despite the high cost ... $500 per person. I am my congregation's delegate. However, if I'm reading the website right, it looks like all in person attendees will be required to mask indoors at all times. This is so atypical I find it almost hard to believe. No church in my area requires masks for all, doctors do not require masks, and I live in New England which was a pretty committed mask wearing area during the pandemic height.

Can anyone offer some insight?

Additional questions-- does the UUA board mask fully when they meet? Do all UUA staff always mask indoors?

We got to a UU "church" with a "minister" on Sundays - where we "worship" and sometimes sing "hymns". I really don't like all the psuedo-Protestant language. And "worship" is the hardest for me. I do not worship or venerate any deity or concept. That language makes my skin itch. (I've been told worship doesn't have to be directed towards any object. Sure, Jan). I'm not mad that people use and like the term. But for me.... I'd like to know some good alternative terms to use to make me feel comfortable when I get invite in the weekly email to "attend worship".

We are not a Christian church, but I really enjoy our candlelight and carols service on Christmas Eve.
We practice a secular Christmas at home and it's nice to be able to enjoy that with our church friends.

While our church occasionally talks about Jesus as a teacher during the year......... talk about the nativity, or the Holy Family, or angels, etc. is not part of our holiday celebration. We do non-religious carols like Good King Wenceslas , Jingle Bells, Winter Wonderland, Silver Bells. There might a "savior" or two in there, IDK, I don't really care.

We also have a solstice celebration with earth poems and bonfires and intention setting practices.

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Does your church do anything for the holiday season?

Most churches are livestreaming right now. Church's first and primary responsibility is to their members - but- understand that some people are seeking connection for the first time, or willing to step into a different church to give it a try. This is a lot easier if services are streamed, not zoomed.
Zoom requires each person to sign in, and either show a video of their face OR leave a blank screen with a name. It's much less anonymous than streaming so can be intimidating to join in.

Zoom is great for coffee hour, small groups, youth groups, sunday school, etc - I like zoom - I am just suggesting using something less intimate for Sunday services, so people can pop in and leave quietly as a trial. So many people really need community now, let's make it very easy.

If you have been on a family or personal UU retreat, please tell me about it. I am in need of something. I want to know if these are worth the price, based on real experiences.
Thanks.

It's going to be in Providence RI this year, which is do-able for me. Is it for ministers and all politics, or is it enjoyable and soul-nourishing for everyday UUs?

Here: https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/commission-institutional-change/blogre/tapestry/adults/commitment/statement?fbclid=IwAR2aGN_fjHFTN9cunTCwEqsedv1ZJSwsru7rByGQ6JHwbLIdf-QHb-DJ-W0

I agree with some parts of this but I also find it so frustrating.

" To some of us, the conversation about white supremacy culture, its reach, and impacts are a given that impacts our daily lives. For others, perhaps a significant majority, naming white supremacy culture or even the existence of racial bias is an affront, offensive, and may even, for them, seem to interrupt the justice work of our Association by questioning its goals and values. "

Then they go on to characterize people in the "significant majority" as being just those who think there is no racism since we "won" the civil rights movement, or people who think racism exists only in terms of individual relationships / not systematic.

There's more to it, but this is so dismissive of any voice that isn't fully committees to major institutional change, that it feels more like an indictment than a welcoming to continued conversation. Is there a middle ground?

Or am I asking the wrong question?