Tips by Laurel Amabile, Lifespan Program Consultant

Have you come into a Unitarian Universalist congregation and want to organize a community event? Are you trying to interest congregation members for a social justice cause? Not sure where to start?

STEPS TO TAKE: ~Familiarize yourself with the organizational structure

1. Identify who has decision-making power and get to know them.
2. Ask about the mission, vision and goals of the congregation and look for ways your project can fit within that framework.
3. Learn about the budget and how it’s spent, as well as the congregation’s fundraising policies–you can tell a lot about the priorities and values of the organization.

OTHER ASPECTS TO EXPLORE:

-The People & the Politics

1. Get your hands on the congregation’s by-laws and read through it carefully.
2. Who holds the power and authority in the organization
3. Who do you talk to to get things done?
4. Who maintains the master calendar?
5. Who your supporters are or could be

-The Programs

1. Learn about the current programs and identify what may be missing—would your program fill a need?
2. Find out who oversees Adult Programs or Young Adult group and make contacts.
3. Look for ways to combine or enhance existing programs, for added value.
4. Get involved in the congregation. If you’re not a member, JOIN! If you are not making a financial contribution—PLEDGE!

-Resources

1. Familiarize yourself with the budget (how money is spent, for what, etc.)
2. Find a way to contribute as well as access resources.
3. Offer to gather and organize the congregation’s resources for you and others to use and benefit from.
4. Learn what the fund-raising policies and procedures are and follow them. If such Structures are not clear or existent, work to create them.
5. NEVER interfere with annual canvass!

Be aware of the “church time� phenomenon. Things can take longer to get done in congregations than other types of organizations because of its unique culture and practices, so get started well in advance. Factors that can slow down organizing include: meeting frequency and full agendas, effectiveness (or not) of committees and church leaders in making decisions. Major programmatic or budgetary decisions may require action by the congregation as a whole.

Be organized –CREATE A DETAILED PLAN AND PRESENT IT! Once approved, carry your plan through, and publicize it. Seek evaluative feedback and report back to the congregation, as appropriate or expected. Build suggestions into future program planning and know that it doesn’t take long for a successful program to become a tradition. GOOD LUCK!

~revised 4/2003, LBA

The Church of the Younger Fellowship (http://uucyf.org/intro.html ) is one of the most revoluutionary ideas in our movement today! Imagine a church that exists to fulfill the spiritual needs of UU Young Adults (18-35 year-olds) and that will allow us to have a voice within the UUA.

In February of 2005, the Church of the Larger Fellowship Board of Directors welcomed the CYF into its organization, creating a designation for CYF members.

The Task Force and other committees will continue to meet in the coming months to establish organizational structure and financial needs, including a procedure and date by which an official CYF Steering Committee may be elected. The CYF Task Force is currently building an online spiritual community for young adult UUs that incorporates sermons and services by ministers and lay leaders that focus on young adult issues, local organizing for social action, spiritual and social needs, public worship resources for local congregations who wish to reach out to young adults, and much more!

Join the CYF today and help to build our own UU congregation! (https://secure.uua.org/clf/cyf/joincyf.html)

The CYF is intended to be affordable to its members, and sets its minimum
suggested donation at less than $1 a week!

Link to the Young Adult & Campus Ministry section of the Unitarian
Universalist Association website: http://tjd.uuyan.org/

For more information on Florida District Young Adult programs, contact Frank
Wells, flya@fmw3.com or Nadya Hand, nadyahand@hotmail.com . For support with UU Campus Ministry, contact Laurel Amabile, Lamabile@uua.org or 828-231-0960.