Trustee Report, October 2005
UUA Trustee Report
Joan Lund
Rain, rain, and more rain is what the Trustees faced during the long weekend in
New Trustees routinely join the Board (BOT) in odd numbered years and I was one of two Trustees in charge of their orientation, held on Wednesday afternoon. Even though Ed Wilde and I conducted the orientation I admit to continual learning about the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). During the orientation, in addition to ?covering? the Trustee Manual, we toured
Wednesday evening and all day Thursday the BOT experienced a retreat facilitated by consultant Susan Stratton, Leading Edge Mentoring, whose specialty is focused on ?owner-accountable? governance. The BOT was involved with both the theory and integral practical application of Policy Governance. We spent some time on Saturday in a ?mock? Board meeting using the language, principles, and practices of Policy Governance. Ultimately the BOT decided to continue applying many Policy Governance strategies with ?an eye? on deeper exploration of governance models.
Informal notes were prepared by observer, District Presidents Association President, Eric Kluz. My report will be organized by reports/topics, and loosely by sequence. As always if you have questions or comments please email/telephone me at jlund@uua.org or 813-931-9727. In addition you can to the UUA website www.uua.org for detailed reports by the staff and Rev. Bill Sinkford, plus BOT minutes from the June, 2005 meeting in
Working Groups
These four groups meet the Friday preceding the BOT meeting and I currently serve on the Congregations Working Group (CWG).
Association (AWG)
There was discussion and review of Independent Affiliates (IA). The Administration will continue to receive and process IA applications in the same manner that has been in place up to this time. Changes to the IA process will be implemented once the BOT has established and crafted new criteria for IA status. The BOT plans for the new criteria to reflect our value for collaboration and an understanding that the UUA is not served by IAs being an alternative for congregational life. The allocation of resources will be shifting toward congregations and districts as we focus on the importance of well-supported congregations as the strength of the UUA of Congregations. IA status will focus increasingly on relationship and engagement. Once the BOT has agreed upon a transition plan, which will be over the next couple of years, IAs both aspiring and in existence will be notified of a clear timetable for these changes. The Taskforce for Ministry To and With Youth met recently. A survey will be completed by the end of February and distributed to youth with a variety of different involvements in UU youth ministry. From April to the end of May all congregations will be encouraged to discuss their visions and needs for youth ministry. Process guides and feedback forms will be provided. The Taskforce will meet again at the end of July followed by district gatherings in late 2006 through the spring of 2007. It was stressed that it is very important to have ministers involved in this process and district staff will be needed to help/encourage/be involved in these discussions. UU theological schools update and discussion occurred.
Congregations (CWG)
DPA president, Eric Kluz, was in attendance. Feedback on the Congregational Presidents? Workshop at General Assembly (GA) was discussed, noting that the timing conflicted with a workshop of interest to many congregational presidents (CP). The BOT will take responsibility for the congregational presidents? event at GA in 2006, recognizing it as an opportunity to communicate with the owners. Future CPs will be viewed and designed as meetings of owners, not customers, and will employ the language of Policy Governance. Specifically, the focus of meetings must be empowerment and ownership rather than customer service and programmatic initiative. Eric reported the DPA to be ?healthy and vibrant?, although struggling occasionally with identity and mission issues. The DPA meets in November with a varied agenda. Rev. Sinkford met with the CWG and pointed out that the UUA needs to be in relationship with the international community, and the primary purpose needs to be the enrichment of our congregations. The question at this time is: how do we make our international programs consistent with our primary purpose? The CWG reviewed the International Vision Statement and discussed the role of the BOT in relation to this vision, noting the direction seems to be in transformation through attentive engagement with other cultures, not ?missionary? or ?charitable? work toward them. In a joint meeting with the Growth Working Group (GWG) discussion included asking the question, what would a good relationship between the BOT and the district boards look like? Some district boards do not seem to use the knowledge and resources of the UUA Trustees as well as they might; consistency among district boards in this area would be helpful. The question in need of follow-up: How would we describe best practices in relationship between district boards and the UUA BOT?
Growth (GWG)
Rev. Tracey Robinson-Harris, Congregational Services Director, updated the group on Regional Growth Strategies currently underway through 14 regional partnerships and Presidents? Roundtable initiatives in various locations. (Roundtables are regional groups that provide funding through local donors with the assistance of Stewardship and Development). In an effort to provide reports that will be more useful to the GWG and the BOT in monitoring progress and results in these initiatives, the following motions were stated and passed by the BOT: 1) The UUA Administration shall not fail to provide the BOT with regular and timely benchmark and monitoring reports through the life of growth projects, for each of the five strategic areas outlined in the ?UU Growth Strategies? memo from the Growth Team (1/12/05); 2) The UUA Administration shall not fail to put into writing the terms, expectations, and agreements of current and future partnerships between the UUA and regional, local or other entities designed to foster healthy congregational growth. One of the three purposes of the UUA is to open the doors of UUism to people who desire a liberal religious community. The strategies/processes include: 1) Creating a Growth Team to advise and make recommendations to the president; 2) Supporting innovative ideas that arise from congregations or clusters; 3) initiating and support metro/regional growth strategies; 4) making UUism more visible in the world; and 5) identifying ?breakthrough? congregations and practices and assist congregations in learning from one another. The UUA has released a DVD on the 2005 ?Breakthrough Congregations? as well as a CD with ?Drive-time Essays?. These are available to all congregations and readily copied for others. Let me know if you would like to have either/both of the CDs. Since May, 2005, the Church of the Younger Fellowship (CYF) has grown to about 250 members. Most are between 25 and 30 years of age; many grew up as UUs but haven?t found a congregation to join as young adults. ?Bridge Connections? packets for graduating high school seniors are becoming successful since they were instituted 4 years ago. Strong involvement of youth in congregations outside YRUU and RE is the best predictor of their continuing involvement with UU congregations as young adults. Rev. Bill Sinkford updated the GWG on the Pathways Congregation new start in the
Living Our Faith (LOFWG)
The LOFWG had a short discussion on how they see their mission as a working group which included envisioning, assessing, and monitoring efforts toward living our faith, being creative about what works, which includes thinking ?outside the box?, and making sure the mission of the UUA BOT happens in our congregations and in the world. Several questions were put forth regarding what would thinking ?outside the box? look like regarding the social justice work? How can we do work at GA that helps congregations do justice work? Why does it feel like we continue to be inspirational but people don?t leave GA with a broader sense of the possibilities of doing justice work? Too often we seem to get away from doing the work to focus instead on the words to describe our values. What would it look like to have GA do some of the work on the Latino/a issue in plenary? What about highlighting the work that congregations are doing? Too often, the focus is too much on developing a single standard approach to a social justice issue and fails to understand the different ways that the work is actually done effectively in our congregations. In various reports during the meeting days there was information concerning the fundraising for Gulf Coast Relief and there will be more information in Executive vice-President Kay Montgomery?s report. The LOFWG agreed to respond to the ad hoc organizers of Anti-racism/Anti-oppression/Multiculturalism (AR/AO/M) stakeholders group, who asked that the UUA BOT and the Journey Toward Wholeness Transformation Committee (JTWC) provide leadership, direction, and support in pulling together an organizing committee. The stakeholders group is finishing a compilation of their report of the workshop held at the 2005 GA, which will illustrate the breadth, width, and passion of the desire to have this work continue in this larger context. Our Association secretary, Paul Rickter?s letter on behalf of the BOT will express appreciation for their concerns and inform them of appropriate avenues for them to pursue, including Diverse Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM) and the Journey Toward Wholeness Transformation Committee (JTWTC).
President Rev. Bill Sinkford?s Report
Bill began by reminding us that even though our theology is one of hope, the seemingly endless world-wide disasters take a toll on our spirits. We may get depressed and find ourselves angry at times but we need to forgive ourselves and move on in these circumstances. At the time of his report more than 7,000 UUs have contributed more than $2.3 million to the Gulf Coast Relief Fund and distributed some $300,000 to help our congregations restore their ministries. Approximately 1/3 of the total contributed will go to that purpose, including support for a UU presence in a rebuilt
The conversations between Meadville/Lombard and
Executive Vice-president, Kay Montgomery
Kay reported the staff changes, hires, and resignations. She also informed the BOT about UUA dedication to providing the safest possible environment for staff and visitors, especially children and vulnerable adults. The UUA is conducting background investigations on all current and future employees as a condition of employment. The goals of this initiative are: 1) to model the practice that is asked of UU congregations; 2) to enhance the safety of children, youth and vulnerable adults visiting the UUA offices and/or staying at Pickett and Eliot Houses; 3) to enhance the safety of UUA employees; and 4) to reduce the liability to the UUA in the event of a lawsuit. Kay reported that Veatch income will be $825,000 during this fiscal year, which will be used for justice work, growth, and credentialing.
Secretary, Paul Rickter
Paul reported the congregation member certification deadline is 2/1/06. Congregations will be able to register on-line starting 11/15/05. He noted 120 congregations failed to be certified by the deadline last year. Paul also informed the BOT that the next UUA presidential election will be in 2009 and at this time there are five persons who have shown preliminary interest and the process so far is ?collegial?.
Financial Advisor, Dan Brody
Dan is our new Financial Advisor and shared a number of transparencies reflecting the financial ?state? of the UUA beginning with two photos from 1968 during his first visit to a UU church, which was involved in draft resistance. Financial highlight from fiscal year 2005 include: our total net assets up $2.2 million and unrestricted net assets up $1.1 million; expenses were up 1%; Friends of the UUA gifts was up 28%; Annual Program Fund revenue was up 5%; and cash was up 13%. Beacon Press revenue exceeded expenses. Beacon Press surplus in 2005 was $270,000. Some future agenda items for Dan include: conflict of interest policies; debt management; socially responsible investing; unrestricted bequest income; and the health insurance plan.
Moderator, Gini Courter
Gini first reported to the BOT by PowerPoint a series of amusing and telling ?signs? and treated us to a metaphor using a manual about dealing with bears (she had been in
Finance Committee, Lyn Conley
Much information came from the Finance Committee. The expenditures for the 2005 GA budget were higher than income and the overage was absorbed into the operating budget and covered by the contingency fund. In 2006, attendance at GA is being estimated as higher than the previous year, largely due to the location:
Anti-racism/Anti-oppression/Multicultural Team (AR/AO/MT)
I am the chair of this group. In September the AR/AO/M T observed the Committee on Committees process with an eye on intelligence gathering. There a few people of color/under-represented folks on BOT appointed and elected committees. Although white allies are a viable option there is some concern on how they would be identified. The AR/AO/M T will continue to look at different levels/stages of competencies of BOT members. The role and scope of AR/AO/M Team work was discussed. The BOT realizes there needs to be a better understanding of the historical inception of, and the connections between various AR/AO/M groups/affiliates and the BOT.
Additional Information
A Special Review Commission (SRC) was established following distressing incidents involving UU youth of color at GA. The SRC met in September, systematically reviewed the available material/reports, formulated work plans, and established a timeline. Throughout September and October the SRC conducted and documented interviews, and will continue to work as charged until January when the final report will be submitted to the BOT. Ultimately, the events in
responsibility of the involved individuals nor of any particular group or groups, but of the UUA and its member congregations.
The BOT passed the following motion: Recognizing the vast number of talented and committed Unitarian Universalists in congregations all across our Association who work quietly and effectively for our faith and the wish to encourage all UUs to be agents of change in their communities and the world, the Association?s Unsung UU Award and Unsung UU Youth Award will be discontinued, effective immediately.
