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Fall Leadership Home

Tracks

Tracks

Making a Meaningful Worship Year

Leader: Rev. Susan Smith

FOR: Ministry Teams, ideally: Ministers, DREs, teachers, worship associates, youth, lay leaders

The Great Adventure

Leader: Connie Goodbread

FOR: Board members, DREs, ministers, lay leaders, UU evangelists, youth

Why are we here? What is Unitarian Universalism called to be in the world? What is at the core of our faith? What would happen if we were generous about and with the faith? How could we affect the world? What kind of a legacy do we want to leave?

In this workshop participants will begin where they are on their spiritual journey. We will talk about Unitarian Universalism and how we define our faith. We will explore the transcendent values at the core of the faith. We will look at trends that will effect our congregations in the next ten years. We will explore the five aspects of growth and how to apply them to the growth of our congregations. We will talk about human resistance to change and how to take principled stands as servant leaders for the good of the whole.

Multiculturalism in UU Leadership: Cross Cultural Empathy

Leaders: Raziq Brown and TBD

FOR: Board membesr, DREs, ministers, lay leaders, UU evangelists, youth, social justice seekers

Maybe you've been in a situation kind of like this before.

You and a friend are playing a game, your friend does something fantastic.

You: Whoo, that was a good job boy!
Friend: Who are you calling Boy?
You: Come on man, lighten up. I didn't mean it that way.
Friend: Don't tell me to lighten up, and in what way did you mean it?

Unitarian Universalism is a liberal religion that can allow for a uniquely multicultural religious space, however when creating multicultural spaces problems can arise amidst cross-cultural relations.

Where is the line between Cultural Diffusion and Cultural Appropriation? Is it a line or a gradient? Some cultural beliefs can be completely opposite to my own. If I cannot completely understand another's culture is it possible that I could empathize instead? And how can I do that while avoiding my own prejudices?

In this workshop we will analyze several forms of media from several Non-UU to sharpen our skills in Cultural Empathy.

Lay Pastoral Care/Chaplain Training

Leaders: Jennifer Nichols, Elandria Williams

FOR: youth wishing to become peer chaplains, pastoral care team members, DREs needing pastoral

care skills, ministers who wish to train lay leaders, adult advisors of youth

This unique training combines the best of the UUA’s Chaplain Training specifically for youth and adult advisors of youth and the lay pastoral care program, Befrienders, developed by Kay Tellekson.

This values based training focuses on the following:

· A ministry of presence

· Understanding confidentiality - when to keep, when to break, safety concerns

· Maintaining appropriate personal boundaries (physical, emotional, etc.)

· Assertiveness & self care

· Perceiving and responding to the needs of the community as a whole

· Developing communication skills: inner listening, active listening, empathetic listening, non-verbals, etc.

· Understanding and accepting different emotional situations

· Referral & community resources

· Working as a team with ministers, professional staff, other chaplains, worship planners, and conference staff

· Legal and ethical considerations to ensure a safe and healthy community

Administration of Faith Development Programs

Leaders: Pat Ellenwoodand Patti Withers

For: DREs, MREs, RE Committee Chairs/Members, RE Coordinators, Ministers

No matter how part-time the job or how small the program, a coordinated, well managed and smoothly running program stems from competent administration. The amount of time religious educators have for the other responsibilities in their portfolio depends largely on how well they understand the procedures that are fundamental to administration. Whether you are brand-new or an experienced leader, we hope to guide you toward greater proficiency in this important aspect of our ministry.

Overall goals for the participants of this module are to
• focus on the specific, official documents for religious educators
• identify the elements in the administrative role.
• develop the skills for collaborative leadership with staff, the religious education committee and others in the congregation as part of a larger
shared ministry.
• strengthen the organizational skills needed for the effective management of data, time, volunteers, risk, and conflict.
• explore strategies for effective communication, decision making and delegation.

        Here is the schedule we will use for the module.
November 9
8:00 – 10:00 PM                                Admin Module               Session 1
November 10
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM                        Admin Module               Session 2
1:00 – 5:00 PM                                   Admin Module               Session 3
6:00 – 9:00 PM                                   Admin Module               Session 4
November 11
8:45 – 10:45 AM                                Admin Module               Session 5
1:00 – 2:00 PM                                   Admin Module               Session 6