The Congregational Handbook

How to Develop a Healthy and Vital Unitarian Universalist Congregation

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Online Edition
Edited by Margaret L. Beard and Susanna Whitman

Copyright 2005, Unitarian Universalist Association, Boston, Massachusetts

Contents

Introduction

1. Becoming a Congregation
2. As a Member of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
3. Guided by Vision, Mission and Covenant
4. Sharing Unitarian Universalism
5. Effective Congregational Governance: Organizing for Mission and Ministry
6. Conflict is Part of Congregational Life
7. Staffing Your Mission
8. The Ministry of the Congregation: Reviewing Your Congregation's Ministry, Minister(s), and Staff
9. Creating and Maintaining a Safe Congregation
10. Knowing Where You've Been: Maintaining Records and Archives

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I. Becoming a Congregation

• New Congregation Development
• Intend to Start a New Congregation: Contact Your District Staff
• Openness of Your Congregation's Programming to the Inherent Worth and Dignity of Each Person
• Your Congregation's Bylaws: A Guide to Effective Writing and Revising
• Congregational Membership in the UUA
• New Congregations and Regional Growth Strategies
• Belonging: The Meaning of Membership
• Sustainable Action: Planting the Seeds of Relational Organizing

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II. As a Member of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations

• The Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
• The Unitarian Universalist Principles and Purposes
• UUA Services to Congregations
• UUA Resources for Congregations
• Staff Groups of the Unitarian Universalist Association
• The District as a Resource for Congregations
• Reporting Membership Figures and Other Congregational Data
• The Unitarian Universalist Association Directory is available from the UUA Bookstore
• The Annual Program Fund
• District Grants
• The APF Committee
• General Assembly
• UUA Calendar

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III. Guided by Vision, Mission and Covenant

• Vision, Mission and Covenant: Creating a Future Together
• Social Justice and Anti-oppression
• Identity Based Ministries
  • The Accessibilities Program
• Office of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Concerns
• Antiracism and Multiculturalism - Racial and Ethnic Concerns Program Office
• Antiracism and Multiculturalism - Journey Toward Wholeness
• The Beyond Categorical Thinking (BCT) Program for Ministerial Search Committees
• Involving and Including Young Adults
• Involving Youth and Including Youth
• Involving and Including Families and Children

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IV. Sharing Unitarian Universalism

• Congregational Growth
• Congregational Size Transitions
• The Membership Journey
• Your Congregation's Facilities
• More than 101 Membership Ideas
• Percept Demographic Studies
  • Planning a Ministry Focus from Your Ministry Area Profile
  • Available Contacts for Some Identity-based Ministries Your Congregation Can Offer to:
    • Young Adults
    • Youth
    • Several Identity-based Ministries
    • Antiracism Work to Prepare for Ministry Focus
    • Latino/Latina Ministries
• Adding Worship Services
• Antiracism, and Anti-oppression, and Multiculturalism
• Lifespan Faith Development is a Growth Strategy
• Continental Growth Conferences
  • Congregational Change is Personal: Meeting People Where They Are and Moving On (2006) for Mid-size Congregations
  • The Sixth Continental Conference for Large Churches: Congregations in Good Company (2005)
• Planning for Growth and Vitality Weekend Workshops
  • Planning for Growth for Small Congregations (up to 150 members)
  • Planning For Growth for Smaller Mid-size Congregations (150-350 members)
• The Uncommon Denomination
  • The Uncommon Denomination: Tier 1
  • The Uncommon Denomination: Tier 2
  • The Uncommon Denomination: Tier 3
• Small Group Ministry
  • UU Small Group Ministry Network
  • The Complete Guide to Small Group Ministry: Saving the World Ten At a Time
• Los Unitarios Universalistas
• Public Relations, Public Ministry
  • Sharing the Good News: A Public Relations Manual for Congregations:  A step-by-step handbook for communications committees.
• Growth Resources
  • Growth Resources List for Small Congregations (1-150 adult members)
  • Growth Resources List for Mid-size Congregations (151-550 adult members)
• Services for Large Congregations (550+ adult members)

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V. Effective Congregational Governance: Organizing for Mission and Ministry

• Governance In Congregations
• Your Congregation's Bylaws: A Guide to Effective Writing and Revising
• Effective Congregational Committees
• Contact Your District office staff to discuss your committee
• Join in Communication Forums, to discuss committee ideas with others in congregations
• See InterConnections newsletter for lay leaders
• Congregational Committees:
  • Membership Committee
    • The Membership Journey
    • 101+Ideas for Membership Growth
    • Hospitality and Belonging
    • Belonging: The Meaning of Membership
    • 3 Person Membership Committee for Small Congregations
    • Participate in the UU Service Committee Coffee Project
  • Religious Education Committee - Lifespan Faith Development Committee
    • Contact your district program consultant or, if you don't have one, your district executive
    • Covenanting for Excellence in Religious Education
    • Curriculum Mapping
    • Teacher Development
  • Social Justice Committee
    • For the Committee's own growth
    • Some Options for the Committee's programs
    • Social Justice Resources
    • What You Can Do! 
    • Invest in 1% Community and Receive UUA Matching Funds
    • Comprehensive Socially Responsible Investment Resources
    • Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
  • Worship Committee - Sunday Service Committee
    • Worship Web
    • Church of the Larger Fellowship
  • Committee on Ministry (Ministerial Relations Committee)
    • See page 29 of Assessing Our Leadership
    • Creating Effective Committees on Ministry part II
    • Policy Based Governance and its relation to COMs
  • Youth Adult Committee (YAC)
  • Finance Committee
    • Join the discussion on the email list UU-Money and search the archives for further answers.
    • Financing Church Staff
    • Invest in 1% Community and Receive UUA Matching Funds
    • Comprehensive Socially Responsible Investment Resources
  • Denominational Affairs Committee
    • Tell me about General Assembly
    • Denominational Affairs Can Spark New Vitality
  • Every Member Canvass Committee
    • Congregational Fundraising Services
  • Long-Range Planning Committee
    • Your district office staff
    • Vision, Mission and Covenant Development
    • Searching for the Future: Clarifying the Vision of Your Congregation
    • Holy Conversations by Gilbert Rendle and Alice Mann
  • Nominating Committee
    • The Nominating Committee: Making It Work for You
    • Transparency in Nominating Committees
    • Volunteer Coordinators Help Fill the Committees
    • To Keep Committees Filled, Make Church Meaningful
    • Your Congregation's Bylaws on Nominating Committees
  • Music Committee
    • Ask Your Unitarian Universalist Musicians Network District Liaison about your Congregation's Music Program
    • Unitarian Universalist Musicians Network Mentor Program for congregations with a small music program, or with no or a non-UU music director
    • Congregational Membership in the Unitarian Universalist Musicians Network , for Small Congregations
  • Caring Committee (Pastoral Care Committee)
  • Young Adult and Campus Ministry Committee
    • Church of the Younger Fellowship
  • Buildings and Grounds Committee
    • Ideas for Building Improvements
    • Become a Green Sanctuary
  • Leadership Development - Volunteer Development Committee
  • Publicity or Communications Committee
    • Sharing the Good News: A Public Relations Manual for Congregations: A step-by-step handbook for communications committees.
    • Congregational Newsletter Content
    • Communication Forums, to discuss with others in congregations
• Meetings that Work
• Facilitating Fruitful Retreats 
• Lay Leadership Resources
  • Lay Leadership Quick Start
  • Lay Leadership FAQs and More
  • Interconnections
  • All Are Chosen Margaret Beard and Roger Comstock editors
• Congregational Polity
  • Congregational Polity
  • Interdependence: Renewing Congregational Polity

[contents]

VI. Conflict is Part of Congregational Life

• Systems Theory
  • Growth Resources List for Small Congregations (1-150 adult members), See section on systems
  • Growth Resources List for Mid-size Congregations (151-550 adult members), See section on systems
  • Contact your District staff members
• Conflict Management
  • Contact your District staff members
  • Behavioral Covenant , See page 3
  • Behavioral Covenants in Congregations: A Handbook for Honoring Differences by Gilbert R. Rendle

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VII. Staffing Your Mission

• Church Staff Finances
  • District Compensation Consultants for all church staff
• Safe Congregations:
  • Responsible Staffing
  • Background Checks
  • Ethics in Congregational Life
  • Restorative Justice for All
  • Clergy Misconduct Complaint Process
• Resource for All Church Staff:
  • The Religious Leader
• Evaluation and Review for Lay Leaders and All Church Staff:
  • Assessing Our Leadership
  • Congregational Self Assessment
• About Ministers:
  • Ministerial Settlement
  • Professional Development for Ministers
  • Community Ministry
    • UU Society for Community Ministries
    • Community Ministry in the UUA
  • Ministerial Credentialing
  • Clergy Misconduct Complaint Process
  • Unitarian Universalist Ministers' Association
• About Religious Educators:
  • DRE Search Process
  • Religious Education Covenanting
  • Religious Education Credentialing
  • The Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA)
• About Church and Congregation Administrators and Administration:
  • Association of Unitarian Universalist Administrators
  • Shortcuts to Church Administrator Resources, See Sidebar
• About Church Musicians and Church Music Programs:
  Planning a Ministry Focus from Your Ministry Area Profile
  • Available Contacts for Some Identity-based Ministries Your Congregation Can Offer to:
    • Young Adults
    • Youth
    • Several Identity-based Ministries
    • Antiracism Work to Prepare for Ministry Focus
    • Latino/Latina Ministries
• Adding Worship Services
• Antiracism, and Anti-oppression, and Multiculturalism
• Lifespan Faith Development is a Growth Strategy
• Continental Growth Conferences
  • Congregational Change is Personal: Meeting People Where They Are and Moving On (2006) for Mid-size Congregations
  • The Sixth Continental Conference for Large Churches: Congregations in Good Company (2005)
• Planning for Growth and Vitality Weekend Workshops
  • Planning for Growth for Small Congregations (up to 150 members)
  • Planning For Growth for Smaller Mid-size Congregations (150-350 members)
• The Uncommon Denomination
  • The Uncommon Denomination: Tier 1
  • The Uncommon Denomination: Tier 2
  • The Uncommon Denomination: Tier 3
• Small Group Ministry
  • UU Small Group Ministry Network
  • The Complete Guide to Small Group Ministry: Saving the World Ten At a Time
• Los Unitarios Universalistas
• Public Relations, Public Ministry
  • Sharing the Good News: A Public Relations Manual for Congregations:  A step-by-step handbook for communications committees.
• Growth Resources
  • Growth Resources List for Small Congregations (1-150 adult members)
  • Growth Resources List for Mid-size Congregations (151-550 adult members)
• Services for Large Congregations (550+ adult members)

[contents]

V. Effective Congregational Governance: Organizing for Mission and Ministry

• Governance In Congregations
• Your Congregation's Bylaws: A Guide to Effective Writing and Revising
• Effective Congregational Committees
• Contact Your District office staff to discuss your committee
• Join in Communication Forums, to discuss committee ideas with others in congregations
• Unitarian Universalist Musicians Network
• Staffing a Music Program in UU Congregations

[contents]

VIII. The Ministry of the Congregation: Reviewing Your Congregation's Ministry, Minister(s), and Staff

• Ministering Congregation
• Assessing Our Leadership See InterConnections newsletter for lay leaders
• Congregational Committees:
  • Membership Committee
    • The Membership Journey
    • 101+Ideas for Membership Growth
    • Hospitality and Belonging
    • Belonging: The Meaning of Membership
    • 3 Person Membership Committee for Small Congregations
    • Participate in the UU Service Committee Coffee Project
  • Religious Education Committee - Lifespan Faith Development Committee
    • Contact your district program consultant or, if you don't have one, your district executive
    • Covenanting for Excellence in Religious Education
    • Curriculum Mapping
    • Teacher Development
  • Social Justice Committee
    • For the Committee's own growth
    • Some Options for the Committee's programs
    • Social Justice Resources
    • What You Can Do! 
    • Invest in 1% Community and Receive UUA Matching Funds
    • Comprehensive Socially Responsible Investment Resources
    • Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
  • Worship Committee - Sunday Service Committee
    • Worship Web
    • Church of the Larger Fellowship
  • Committee on Ministry (Ministerial Relations Committee)
    • See page 29 of Assessing Our Leadership
    • Creating Effective Committees on Ministry part II
    • All Are Chosen Margaret Beard and Roger Comstock editors
    • Congregational Self Assessment
    • Faith Communities Today Reports

    [contents]

    

    IX. Creating and Maintaining a Safe Congregation

    • Personal Safety of Congregation Members
      • Safe Congregations Resources
      • Clergy Misconduct Complaint Process
      • The Safe Congregation Handbook: Nurturing Healthy Boundaries in Our Faith Communities
      • Ethics in Congregational Life
      • Background Checks
      • Liability Insurance , Search "Liability" on this site
    • Planning for Disasters for the Congregation and Its Building
      • Hurricane Preparedness, Florida District Resource
      • American Family Safety
      • Church Mutual Insurance Company
        • Risk Management Self Inspection Checklist
      • Red Cross:
        • Get Prepared
        • Prepare for all types of disaster
      • Preserving Congregational Records and Archives
      • Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
        • FEMA's Hazards Web pages

    [contents]

    

    X. Knowing Where You've Been: Maintaining Records and Archives

    The Unitarian Universalist Association recommends putting church records on CD-Rom and storing multiple copies in several locations for greatest safety. All your financial record keeping and official church documents should be "backed up" on the computer, periodically. When the threat of a severe storm comes, the back up discs can be put in a bank vault.

    • Preserving Congregational Archives
    • Preserving Our Past: maintaining Church Archives
    • Create a Historical Archive with Publicity, Planning
    • Church Office Basics
    • Join UU-cong-archives Email List for discussion of this topic

    [contents]

    

    Copyright © 2005 by the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, 25 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108-2800. All rights reserved. Publication or sale of all or part of this work or the production of multiple copies for use outside of the Unitarian Universalist denomination requires written permission. Contact Mary Benard, mbenard@uua.org, to request permission. For all other inquiries related to content or obtaining hard copies of related PDF files please contact Susanna Whitman, swhitman@uua.org.

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Unitarian Universalist Association
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