A significant shift in the Board's thinking about the Association's outcomes ("ends") was in focusing on the value added by the Association, not the differences made by its member congregations. Rather than thinking about the above as the UUA mission or vision statement, think of it as the Board's instructions to the Administration. Note the terms "networks", "covenanted communities" and "covenanted UU congregations". We defined "covenanted communities" as:
Covenanted
Communities: The basis of a Unitarian Universalist congregation is not creed,
but covenant. The term “covenanted communities” includes congregations,
and also includes other Unitarian Universalist communities--external to, or
overlapping with, congregations--who have a covenant, but are not currently
defined as formal congregational status, under UUA bylaws.
The remaining statements provide more detail about this overall outcome:
1.1 Congregations have and use UUA resources necessary to enhance the spiritual and religious exploration by people in their communities and to enhance the ministry of their members.
1.2 Congregations are better able to achieve their missions and to spread awareness of UU ideals and principles through their participation in covenanted networks of UU congregations and covenanted communities
1.3 Congregations are intentionally inclusive, multi-generational and multi-cultural in powerful mission to, and with, under-served and un-served communities.
1.4 Net increase in the number of people served by our congregations and covenanted communities.
1.5 Net increase in the number of mutually covenanted congregations.
1.6 Net increase in inspired religious leaders equipped to effectively start and sustain new covenanted communities.
1.7 UU institutions are healthy, vital, collaborative partners invested in the future of UUism, its principles and theologies.
1.2 Congregations are better able to achieve their missions and to spread awareness of UU ideals and principles through their participation in covenanted networks of UU congregations and covenanted communities
1.3 Congregations are intentionally inclusive, multi-generational and multi-cultural in powerful mission to, and with, under-served and un-served communities.
1.4 Net increase in the number of people served by our congregations and covenanted communities.
1.5 Net increase in the number of mutually covenanted congregations.
1.6 Net increase in inspired religious leaders equipped to effectively start and sustain new covenanted communities.
1.7 UU institutions are healthy, vital, collaborative partners invested in the future of UUism, its principles and theologies.
The next few months will be spent getting feedback on these outcomes -- I will explain how we are doing it in the next post. Your feedback is always welcome, either as a comment to this one, or to llaskowski@uua.org.
