New Website a Key Tool For Congregational Leaders

If you've ever struggled to find information about something you wanted to do in your congregation or about some aspect of the UUA, a website created by the UUA's Office of Lay Leadership Development will make life easier. Unveiled at GA in June, the InterConnections Resources website has four parts:

Quickstart--a link to the most useful websites, articles, and books for those who have assumed a new leadership role in their church or fellowship and need basic information. For instance, if you've just become Membership Chair, you can find the information you'll need about that role.

Events for Leadership--a searchable database to help you locate conferences, workshops, classes, programs, and other events to help make lay leaders more effective.

FAQ--Frequently Asked Questions about most aspects of congregational life and the UUA. Here's one question: How can we improve our annual canvass? There are six answers to this question including references to the UUA's Office of Congregational Fundraising Services, books on the topic, the Congregational Handbook, and articles in InterConnections.

Another question: How can we get people to volunteer? There are two answers to this question, both of them articles in InterConnections. Both answers have clickable links to instantly bring up the articles.

The most frequent resources cited in the FAQ are UUA staff, InterConnections, and information available at district offices. Other resources include the UUA Congregational Handbook, books, and UU World magazine.

InterConnections--the InterConnections website itself, which provides access to all five years of InterConnections articles and permits searches by keywords.

Harlan Limpert, director of Lay Leadership Development, said the website grew out of conversations he had when he joined the UUA staff last fall. "I learned very quickly there were a tremendous number of resources to help leaders be effective. But there wasn't always an easy way to find those resources. I wanted to create one-stop shopping where people could find anything they needed." He said ministers and religious professionals will also find the site helpful.

Governing boards might want to consider having a computer available at their next board meeting or at meetings of committee chairs and other lay leaders to demonstrate the new site, Limpert said. "We want everyone to know about this site because we think it's going to be one of the most useful tools lay leaders have ever had. And it's accessible to anyone, anytime." There is a place on the site for users to pose questions or suggest additional resources.

The website was created with the help of UUA staff and lay leaders who contributed information, but especially the Electronic Communication, Information Technology, and District Services staff groups.

Limpert, who works from Minneapolis, Minn., has been director of lay leadership development since September 2002. He is a UU minister and has more than 25 years of lay leadership experience. He recently served a term as president of the First Universalist Church, Minneapolis.

Lay leaders who have looked at the site are enthusiastic. "It's what we've been asking for," says Kathy Teplitz, chair of the Mass Bay District Leadership Resources Council. "Now we have something we can guide our congregations to for quick information. I think it's going to be a very powerful tool."