Growing UUism: Regional Strategies and New Congregation Formation
Overview: Regional/Metro Strategies 1999-2005
October 2005
Report prepared by Tracey Robinson-Harris
Five years ago, the ground work was laid and opportunities created for the Association to experiment with new ways of sharing and growing our faith. In 1999 the Executive Staff Council completed work on a strategic plan that included two significant shifts relative to growth. These were to:
"Undertake a major revision of the existing extension grant-making programs, moving toward a strategy in which underserved and/or high-potential metropolitan areas are identified and locally tailored growth plans developed and resourced."
"Develop and test new means for attracting and retaining new members in preparation for a major national campaign for that purpose."
Out of the first objective came a metropolitan/regional growth strategies process that was piloted in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex (2000-present) Out of the second came the "Uncommon Denomination" media campaign test in Kansas City in 2002-2003.
Information on UUA marketing outreach and regional strategies focusing on marketing outreach:
This report focuses on the first of these two objectives.
During the 2001-2002 year the Board-appointed New Congregation Formation Task Force developed bold recommendations and best practices for new congregation formation. The Board received the Task Force report in June 2002, commending it to the UUA Administration, asking that means of implementation be explored.
In April 2003, the New Congregation Implementation Team reported to the Board regarding the capacity building that would be required in order to implement the bold recommendations. Organized around the visionary recommendations of the Task Force, the Implementation Team's focus was on capacities related to each of the four Task Force recommendations:
- create ten multi-staff new congregations per year for each of the next five years.
- establish milestones for the congregation's development and subsequent funding. The use of clear criteria and evaluative measures to increase the chances of growing the Association while wisely spending precious resources
- UUA Board support congregational growth through significant contributions from the Campaign for Unitarian Universalism. The creation of a broad range of resources to support the creation and growth of new multi-staff congregations.
- UUA take an active role, in cooperation with districts, in providing funding resources for the creation of new multi-staff congregations. Districts take a lead role, including providing funding resources, for the creation of grassroots and spin-off congregations under 250 members.
The full text of both of these reports may be found below.
In November of 2000, UU leaders in the DFW and the UUA engaged in conversation about what Unitarian Universalism could offer and how we could grow in the Metroplex. Out of these conversations, a Growth Strategy Team was created to take the vision and longing expressed by leaders and turn it into strategies and tactics for growing our faith.
At the same time that UUA Implementation Team was at work, the DFW Metropolitan Growth Strategy Team was completing the planning phase of its work and had determined that starting a new congregation intended to be a large congregation within three to five year was the first goal to be undertaken. The congregation that is Pathways is an experiment in new ways of starting, and news ways of being, a UU congregation. Pathways organizing began in earnest in January 2003. The first public worship service was held in September 2004.
While the organizing strategy we imagined has served us well as a guide, the reality of Pathways did not develop quite as that blueprint would have it. We've learned lessons about staffing, capitalization/cash flow, pacing, reaching our target demographic, support on the ground, and what being a high expectation UU congregation from the "git go" looks like and asks of its staff, leaders, members and friends. Pathways website at www.pathwaysuu.org  . See the attached spreadsheet for financial support information.
With Pathways launched, next steps in the DFW Metro Growth Strategy include a focus on hospitality and welcome in advance of the marketing campaign, financial support for congregational growth projects provided by NTAUUS (two grant cycles have been completed), and the marketing outreach being done June-August 2005.
The Joseph Priestley District partnered with the UUA and congregations in the Philadelphia/Wilmington and Baltimore/Washington areas to develop regional growth strategies for each area (2001-present). Both planning processes are complete. Implementation teams were formed over the summer of 2005. And in each area, an initial effort is already underway.
The Philadelphia/Wilmington regional growth strategy will include our second large new church with significant support from the Joseph Priestley District, Main Line Unitarian Church, the UUA and lessons from the Pathways start. The Rev. Ken Beldon began August 1, 2005 as the Lead Minister. The congregation will be in Chester County, PA. An opportunity to be part of a two year consultancy for growth has been offered to the congregations geographically closest to the site of the new church. See the attached spreadsheet for financial support information
The Baltimore/Washington regional growth strategy includes a focus on growth with diversity. Support for the Davies Memorial congregation and their plan for intentional outreach to African American community in which it is located began in FY2003 and concludes in FY06.
Both JPD plans are on line, linked from the web site address below.
In 2005 four large mid size congregations in the Clara Barton District joined together with the UUA in a Partnership for Growth focusing on the transition from large mid size to large congregation. This is a four year commitment. One outcome of this partnership will be best practices resources to support large mid size congregations as they grow.
This plan is linked to the website address below.
Preliminary conversations in several other areas are underway. We anticipate three new regional/metropolitan strategies in development in 2005-06.
For more information please see the links below.
NEW: UUA Growth Strategies Overview  (January 2006 Report to UUA Board)
- UUA Growth Strategies Updates
"Breakthrough Congregation
Discussion Guide 2005" (in Word "booklet" format  ) by Rev. Dr. Richard Speck, Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley and
Ms. Claudia Hull, MEd (UUA)
Update: Pathways in transition letter and FAQ from Laurel Hallman, Senior Minister of First Unitarian Universalist Church, Dallas; and Bill Sinkford, UUA President
New
Congregation Formation Task Force Final Report
May 2002
New Congregation Implementation
Team Preliminary Strategic Map
New Congregation Development: A Manual for District Staff and Volunteers
Your Congregation's Bylaws: a Guide to Effective Writing and Revising
Dallas Fort Worth Regional
Growth Strategy
July 2002
For information on Pathways – the new large church planted in northeast
Tarrant County, Texas go to www.pathwaysuu.org/
Dallas Fort Worth Regional Growth
Strategy Executive Summary
July 2002
DFW Large Church Start Up Plan
July 2002
Dallas Fort Worth Regional Growth Strategy – process, assessment and recommendations
A New Partnership for the Growth of Large
Congregations
A Proposal from The Unitarian Society of New Haven, CT, and
The First Unitarian Church of Worcester, MA
Update: Year One Report
Links to the Joseph Priestley District regional growth strategies for Baltimore/Washington
and Wilmington/Philadelphia are found at www.jpduua.org/
Philadelphia Wilmington (JPD)
Metro Growth Committee New Church Task Force Report
October 2004
NEW: Free Flowing – a periodic update on the progress of the WellSprings Congregation
NEW: Overview of the Planting Team Start – WellSprings Congregation
Joseph Priestley District Policy
on New Congregation Development
An Imaginary Timeline
– possible organizing strategy for large church
Learn the steps to take for becoming a member of the UUA by following this
guide: Congregational
Membership in the Unitarian Universalist Association
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