Town Hall Webinar
Governance and Regionalization
May 11, 2011
Agenda
Welcome Opening Words Update on Governance Initiatives
UUA Board DPA (District Presidents’ Association) Southeast District (SED)
Profile SED Board Actions
Southern Region Profile December Orlando Meeting Orlando Platform
Governance Next Steps Regional Staffing
Opening Words
These are the days that have been given to us; let us rejoice and be glad in them.
These are the days of our lives; let us live them well in love and service,
These are the days of mystery and wonder;let is cherish and celebrate them in gratitude together.
These are the days that have been given to us;let us make them stories worth telling to those who come after us.
William R. Murray
UUA Board Actions
Transition to Policy Governance Focus on linkage with sources of authority
and accountability (congregations) Strengthening the democratic process (5th
Principle Task Force) Reducing UUA Board Size (Representation
and Restructuring Task Force)
DPA Actions
Represents 19 districts Challenged the status quo
Co-employment of staff by districts and UUA
Value of global ends for districts separate and distinct from UUA
Equity of district funding from UUA
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UUA Governance Org Chart
Southeast District (SED) Profile
NC, SC, VA except DC Metro, GA except ATL Metro, eastern TN plus 1 congregation each in Nashville and Memphis
10,628 + and growing members 63 affiliated congregations 9 emerging congregations
Context of SED Actions
Trust in UUA Board and staff Trust in DE and district staff Deep dives in board retreats to confirm
values and vision Understanding the sense of urgency
Can’t continue to move at the “speed of church”
Context of SED Actions
Critical mass of board members with governance experience Understand governance as enabler of vision and
strategic goals (Global Ends) Familiar with service level agreements to manage
relationships between disparate groups Acknowledgement of a cumbersome, flawed
organizational system that inhibited growth and agility
Desire to be bold, challenge conventional wisdom, model a new way
SED Board Actions
Trained on governance modes in 2008 Governance as Leadership; Chait, Ryan, Taylor Understanding fiduciary and strategic roles but
focusing on generative thinking Transitioned to policy governance in 2009-
2010 Recommended changing the name of the
district Apr 2010 Suspended TJD ends in favor of UUA ends
Oct 2010
SED Board Actions
Suspended co-employment Oct 2010 Agreed to work with UUA in linkage with
congregations Oct 2010 Reached out to MS and FL districts to
discuss consolidation Accepted AR Task Force report Aug 2010 Sponsored and supported People of Color
gathering at Penn Center
SED Board Actions
Established Multi-racial, Multi-cultural monitoring process Oct 2010
Committed to honing our cultural competencies
Established covenant between DE, SED Board, UUA Dir. of Congregational Life Feb 2011
Participated in cultural competency training at Feb and April meetings
Southern Region Profile
Comprised of SE, Mid-South, Florida, SW Districts
Southland staff (staff of the 4 districts) has been operating for 2 years in coordinating/sharing delivery of services Southland UU Leadership
Experience (SUULE) delivered region-wide training in 2009 and 2010
First meeting of the 4 district boards was held Dec 3-4, Orlando
Orlando Platform was released Jan 12, 2010
Orlando Platform
Acknowledged that our faith is at a crossroads, not growing, little influence
Acknowledged need to re-affirm Cambridge Platform of 1648 that congregations cooperate with and be accountable to one another
Agreed we need only one policy board, the UUA Board of Trustees
Orlando Platform
Agreed we must move from co-employment of district staff to UUA employment
Agreed to work together as district boards going forward in defining district roles
Agreed to strengthen clusters Acknowledged that Elders could be called on to
be witnesses to the faith, augment shared ministry with district and UUA staff, hold congregations accountable to our covenantal polity
What We Don’t Need
19 districts and 160+ passionate UUs focused on fiduciary roles
19 approaches to global ends and strategy UUA Board should have singular responsibility
for governance and strategy Resources diverted away from services and
extension of UUism Duplicate costs of governance Diversion of excessive volunteers to governance
What We Do Need
Middle judicatory at something less than 19 to right-size resources
Passionate laity focused on shared ministries as staff multiplier
Reclaiming the notion of preaching and teaching elders from the Cambridge Platform
Encouragement and modeling to isolated congregations that our historical covenant calls each congregation to be accountable to other congregations
Next Steps
Energize clusters Celebrate and encourage intentional multi-
racial, multi-cultural congregations Celebrate and incent growing congregations Determine role of district boards without
governance Smaller board focused on fiduciary role and
geographic tactical objectives
Next Steps
Recognize elders Assess Council of Elders concept Consider if and how council might perform
linkage work for the UUA Board Examine by-laws
Regional Staffing
The staff of the 4 Southern Region districts are combining into one regional staff by July 2012 to:
Implement a regional growth vision Maximize staff resources Encourage collaboration Bring more skills to each respective district
Will announce a plan for input by Fall 2011
Closing Words
Take courage, friends.
The way is often hard,
the path is never clear,
and the stakes are very high.
Take courage, for deep down there is another truth:
You are not alone.Wayne B. Arnason
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