CONGRATULATIONS TO EMERSON UU CHURCH |
| Posted on Aug 26 2010 at 7:27 AM |
Leap of Faith Growth Initiative In May 2010 Rev. Peter Morales invited the ministers of several congregations with admirable records of numerical growth to join him in considering how best to encourage and support numerical growth in our congregations. Out of this consultation emerged the Leap of Faith Initiative. This pilot project has identifie d 9 vital congregations (called “Aspiring Congregations”) desiring particular support in order to take a big “leap” forward, and match them with mentoring congregations experienced in particular areas of congregational development. We will be using an outside evaluator to help us monitor this experiment for effectiveness as we move it into larger phases of impact in the future. Some core aspects of this program are: • We affirm that there is wisdom within our congregations. All of them have the capacity to change, grow, and deepen in their missions and ministries. Leap of Faith will create congregation to congregation Learning Communities to share this embedded wisdom. • These congregational partnerships will include mutual mentoring as well as experiential learning as they share what has worked for them in developing vital ministries. • Each aspiring congregation will determine the areas of learning and experience that will help take them “over the threshold” to sustained numerical growth. These may include new technical skills, adaptive approaches and culture changes. • Congregational teams will gather at a Launch Conference in New Orleans, October 23-24 in which they will develop their congregational narratives and begin to build their Learning Community with their mentoring congregation. • As Learning Communities, participating congregations will share what they are learning for the greater health and well being of Unitarian Universalism. Aspiring congregations have committed to share their learning with other congregations through websites, social media, blogging, webinars and workshops both this year and in the future. • The Steering Team is working with a professional outside evaluator in a rigorous assessment process, which will roll forward the most helpful aspects of this project in subsequent years with additional congregations. • The nine congregations chosen in this pilot year are Unitarian Church in Summit, NJ, First Parish in Milton, MA, First UU Congregation in Ann Arbor, MI, UU Church in Bloomington, IN, First Unitarian Church in Des Moines, IA, West Shore UU Church in Cleveland, OH, First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh, PA, Emerson UU Church in Houston, TX and First Unitarian Society of Denver, CO. • The Leap of Faith Steering Team is Nancy Bowen (lead), Alicia Forde, Annette Marquis, Janine Larsen, Phil Lund, and Stefan Jonasson with support from Congregational Life Staff Team members. As part of the “Celebration of 50 Years and the Future of Our Faith” we urge your generous contributions to the “Leap of Faith Growth Initiative.” Outside evaluation and learning will provide a model for strengthening our connections and empowering increasing numbers of congregations to “Grow Our Faith.”
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