MidAmerica:Regionalization 2.0

Nancy Combs-Morgan, Ian Evison, Nancy Heege, Phil Lund,

Lisa Presley, Dori Thexton –Your Regional Staff

MidAmerica Regionalization 2.0

Powerpoint created by Lisa Presley and adapted for presentation at the Districts’ Annual Assemblies, April, 2011

Move toward Regionalization

Two types of regionalization under way: UUA and Governance

oAs UUA moves into Policy Governance…oDistrict Boards looking at how changes at

national level impact the district level

Regional Staff looking atoHow we provide support to congregationsoCross border resource sharing

Both processes happening organically

District Board Conversations

Recent, new collaboration by District Boards of Central Midwest, Heartland & Prairie Star Districts

District Presidents of Central Midwest, Heartland & Prairie Star Districts attending each others’ Annual Conferences this year.

Board members’ joint conference calls

District Board Conversations

Whether to accept the UUA’s Ends rather than have their own

How to account for differences in districts’ assets and liabilities

Whether to end co-employment of District Staff

Whether to change district governance structures

District Board Conversations

District Boards are open to your questions and comments on this topic.

At the same time

The District Staff of Central Midwest, Heartland, and Prairie Star Districts have been collaborating on service delivery, offering regional programs such as Midwest Leadership School, Youth Leadership School, and our frequent webinars.[now archived collectively at www.midwestuuleadership.org ]

Most recently

The regional District Staff have developed a staffing proposal with a new team approach to serve our congregations better. Comments and suggestions are welcome as we begin to create these new systems.

Emerging Approach

MidAmerica staff are changing how we work together

Invite your input: contact us!Work transforms as we learn

new and better waysWheatley: strive for “less

arduous and more delightful”Acknowledge change, gain, loss

Who we are

Six District Staff members, working together across three districts: Nancy Combs-Morgan, Ian Evison, Nancy Heege, Phil Lund, Lisa Presley, and Dori Thexton

Values underlying our proposal

Future Focused To be the church of the 21st Century

Flexible and adaptable Modeling for service and support

Team-based In our work and our approach A strong team working with strong

teams in congregations

What We Foresee

Staff with core competencies plus! Individual specializations Generative focus: next best thing

Multiple points of entry When you know us or if you don’t Assessment and referral system

Social Justice is part of what we do Inclusion writ large Antiracism, anti-oppression,

multicultural

How We’ll Serve

Unified, sustainable, excellent administrative structure

Central and unified electronic presence All resources with easy access As present virtually as we are

physicallyOpen and supportive of the form

of governance shaped by our Boards

How We’ll Serve

When transition happens We each will be able to assist you as

generalists, and in our core competencies

When you need to go deeper, we may refer you to one of our colleagues

We will build on existing relationships, but not be restricted by them

Increasing online resources and archived webinars

First StepA change in our support for youth

and young adult programming in region Continue to focus on supporting these

ministries in our congregations Multigenerational faith communities,

including vibrant youth and young adult involvement

Nancy Combs-Morgan hired to be Coordinator of Emerging YaYA Ministries for MidAmerica Region, starting Sept 1st

What’s Next

Move to having all co-employed District Staff serve the MidAmerica region over the next 12 – 18 months

Move to unified administrative structure in next 18-24 months

Will grab “low hanging fruit” as we recognize it

What’s Next

Boards will continue conversations on governance

District Staff will support Boards’ decisions about governance

Excited about road ahead, and willing to adapt what’s necessary

A time of change and opportunity!

MidAmerica:Growing

RegionalizationNancy Combs-Morgan, Ian Evison, Nancy Heege, Phil

Lund, Lisa Presley, Dori Thexton