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