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Florida District Connections
September 5, 2009 | |
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Notes From Our District Executive
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 Risk Management" is not a phrase likely to elicit much excitement in any quarter. Yet, for congregational leaders, this is an important notion.
We come into the hurricane season with its attendant anxiety and the scolding lectures of officials to have our evacuation or ride-it-out plans in place. In addition to your personal plans, have you any idea of how ready your congregation is? Do you know if your leaders can lay their hands on the "emergency preparedness" document? Is there one?
When it comes to wind and rain issues, leaders think of the congregation's properties, as they should. But is someone charged with the caring community dimensions? Is there a plan to provide support to your shut-ins or others unable to evacuate? Do you have a telephone tree to do a post-storm check-in? A phone-tree is a simple and good idea for any congregation, any time you need to get word out on any matter. I urge you to set one up before you need it!
Risk management is not only about emergencies: it also includes the dull, even boring work of ensuring fire extinguishers have been inspected and charged in the recent year or that exit doors have the appropriate panic bars in working order. It includes a decision-tree of who is in charge if the President and/or Minister become unavailable. It includes proper money-handling, conflict management, grievance procedures, an annual insurance audit, and ensuring the physical, emotional, and moral safety of any who come to the congregation's events.
Sadly, it also includes having someone monitor congregational events with a watchful eye, having been trained to deal with any unwelcome intruders. After the shootings at our Knoxville, Tennessee congregation last year, several of our Florida congregations have instituted procedures for having someone in a "watchers" role who knows how to implement safety procedures quickly. As I say sad, but this, too, is part of that boring "risk management."
Let me encourage you to ask your leadership to invite the local police and fire to come walk through your facilities with an eye for safety. They'll be glad to do it.
We hope and pray our risk exposure is always low and coping policies gather dust, unused. Yet, one of the ways we care for one another is to pay attention to such questions long before they might ever occur. That's the "management" part.
If we in the District can help you further, let us know.
Meanwhile, have continuing safe and effective ministries.
Rev. Kenn |
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Notes from our Lifespan Program Consultant
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 Up Coming Events - Mark your calendars
This is the district calendar link:
http://www.floridadistrict.org/?page_id=87
Please pay close attention to the wonderful programs that are being offered by your Florida District UUA.
Plan now to join us for next year's Southland Unitarian Universalist Leadership Experience
Now is the time to budget for Southland Unitarian Universalist Leadership Experience. This is an opportunity for current and future leaders to deepen their understanding of congregational leadership and to develop their abilities with other Unitarian Universalist leaders. This program will be held August 8-13, 2010, at The Mountain Retreat and Learning Centers. For more information visit http://www.uusouthland.org/
Connie Goodbread
Lifespan Program Consultant
Florida District UUA
cgoodbread@uua.org
Nurture your spirit. Help heal our world. |
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Trustee Tidbits |
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 In Tampa we have the good fortune of having Ron Hammerle as a friend. He has done much research on mega-churches, including attending Sunday services at several of them. He has come to a number of conclusions about what is universal with all of them and may be useful to us as we work to welcome guests and grow. This month I share some of Ron's findings. Thank you, Ron.
The single most effective step in growing a congregation is to bring a friend to church for either a topical interest group or a planned service. Mega churches are comprised and sustained by small, special interest groups. These small groups serve as leadership training places as well as provide fellowship. Most guests who become members do so because of their participation in small groups, rather than attendance at the regular service. Hymnals are not used; the words are projected on a screen and state of the art sound and video is present. The choirs of these churches consist of talented, well-prepared, semi-professional singers who are dressed casually. These churches feature contemporary, upbeat, melodic music and they use contemporary musical instruments, specifically not an organ. Although there is emphasis on making guests feel welcome it is not overdone...no proselytizing.
From Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Church, which perhaps many of you have read, Ron has gleaned pearls of wisdom. It is important in leadership to be able to distinguish what is essential and what is not. In Warren's church each first-time guest receives a welcoming letter and an enclosed pre-paid postcard which contains three questions: 1) What did you notice first? 2) What did you like best? 3) What did you like least? Nearly 90% of the thousands responses to the first question received say the guest noticed the warmth and friendliness of the people. In addition Warren believes the church can drain the life out of people by committee work. There are no committees in his church, just different lay ministries. He says the difference is committees discuss it, ministries do it; committees talk and consider, ministries serve and care; committees discuss needs, ministries meet needs.
I visited one "mega-church" in August, Without Walls International in Tampa, totally devoted to the love and gospel of Jesus, led by a dynamic, charismatic woman. But the atmosphere was more like what I know of early evangelical revivals so perhaps attendance at another "more representative" church is in order. According to Ron, who also attended that Sunday, WWI is not a good representative mega-church. To be sure I learned little; it was loud, the congregants wandered in and out as the "spirit" moved them, and I observed no encouragement from the pulpit for congregants to think or question.
I wish all of you in our Florida congregations a good and meaningful year as you pursue excellence and your work in social justice. You can reach me at jlund@uua.org or 813-931-9727. I look forward to hearing from you.
Joan Lund |
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August District Packet |
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 The September 2009 monthly packet has been posted to the District website and may be viewed at the following link:
http://www.floridadistrict.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/fld-september-2009-packet.pdf
Please share the information contained in the monthly packet with individuals in your congregation. This edition of the District packet contains the following items:
· District Executive Rev. Kenn Hurto letter, page 1-3
· District Calendar, page4
· The Smart Church by Connie Goodbread, page 5
· Third Tuesday Webinar series flyer, page 6
· CONtroversy Beacon Youth CON flyer and registration, pages 7-9
· Sustainability Workshop flyer, page10
· Northeast Cluster Fall Gathering flyer and registration, pages 11-12
· Southeast Cluster Workshop and Annual Meeting flyer and registration, pages 13-14
· Association Sunday 2009 information, pages 15-16
· UUSC/Afghanistan Teacher Training project, pages 17-19
· Equality Across America information, pages 20-21
Looking for a single event flyer? District event flyers are linked to the calendar page on the District website (see http://www.floridadistrict.org/?page_id=87). Simply click the event listed on the calendar and the flyer will open. UUA, Congregation, Cluster, and Affiliated Organization event listings are linked to those entities websites whenever possible.
The complete packet is also linked to the website calendar (go to the calendar link at www.floridadistrict.org and click the "entire monthly packet" notation above the calendar). Please note this is a multi-page download and may take a few minutes to open if you are working with a dial-up connection and/or older computer. |
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Around the Florida District - News and Events to note
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Upcoming Florida District Events - Save these Dates
District Board Meeting - November 20-21 - Canterbury Retreat Center, Oviedo
Cluster, Congregation & Affiliated Organization Events
University UUS - Women's Group Events - September 13, September 25, October 24, October 30 - contact the congregation office for additional information
Southwest Cluster Workshop and Meeting - November 7 - UUC Naples
S.W.I.M. (Southeast Winter Institute Miami) - Dec. 26-Jan. 1 - Miami
 Florida District welcomes these new ministers to our congregations
The Reverend Jim Fuller, UU Church of St. Petersburg
The Reverend Don Beaudreault, UU Congregation of Vencie
The Reverend Roberta Finkelstein, First Unitarian Church of Orlando
The Reverend Garry Gallun, UU Church of Jacksonville
The Reverend Margaret O'Neall, UU Church of Sarasota
The Reverend Bill Welch, UUs of Clearwater
Help Raise Funds to Train Afgahan Teachers on Human Rights for Women and Children
Regional Unitarian Universalist Service Committee Coordinator Jeff Harper is encouraging all Florida District Religious Educators to have their congregations participate. See the flyer in the September Packet (pages 17-19) or contact Jeff Harper for more information. |
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Things to Know in Our Extended Unitarian Universalist World |
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Public Relations Resources for Congregations
 UUA's Office of Information and Public Witness has public relations how-to resources available that are specifically designed to help congregations publicize their new minister or director of religious education. These resources are online at: http://www.uua.org/leaders/leaderslibrary/congregationalpr/index.shtml
The arrival of a new minister or DRE is a relatively easy story for congregations to pitch to local media and the coverage of new congregational staff tends to be positive. Stories about new ministers and DRE's are helpful in introducing the new staff person to the larger community, and provide an opportunity to remind the community of the congregation's ongoing programs and values.
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Unitarian Universalists Embracing Facebook
These congregations now have a Facebook presence. It's a great way to link to prospective Unitarian Universalists in your area. Check it out:
Unitarian Universalist congregations in
Jacksonville
Fort Lauderdale
Plantation
Tallahassee [campus ministry]
Orlando, University
North Palm Beach
Sarasota [campus ministry]
Orlando, First Unitarian
Will you be next?
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 Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth
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