Thanks so much to those who were able to be with us for Rev. Sarah Millspaugh’s workshop and service last weekend. Facilitated by our UU Association’s Pacific Northwest Region staff, Rev. Sarah Gibb Millspaugh, we took a deep dive into this unique form of ministry. And more.
The takeaways were many, none more important than the three priorities chosen at the Sunday afternoon session:
- Restoring trust between minister and congregation;
- Expanding QUUF’s presence in the community, and;
- Integrating QUUF’s mission-vision into every part of your ministry.
Keep in mind this is not a “workshop wonder” thing, where ministers and lay leaders get charged up, but sooner or later get drawn back into the inertia of how things have been done. My read is your staff and leadership are ready to lean into a more focused (and up-to-date) way of “doing congregations” – one that, despite some friction, will serve you well. And those who will soon be taking our places.
For my part, these three “anchors” compliment those from my 2026 Interim Letter of Agreement:
- Explore heritage (history);
- Apply mission;
- Redefine leadership;
- Connect outside;
- Anticipate a new ministry.
If this sounds a little heady at points, you’re right. Lots of moving parts, lots of changes, big and small. To be honest, we will not get everything done. And we sure won’t get everything right. Nothing we do will be “perfect”.
So here’s the working version of how to keep things simple (if not always easy):
● Let’s create and maintain a trusting relationship as we navigate yet another, different, short-term ministry. Let’s practice kindness in an unkind world;
● Let’s be a stronger, clearer presence for changing lives, and partnering with this fragile planet we call home. Let’s not make everything about our comfort zones;
● Let’s ask ourselves at every junction: Are our decisions true to the stated values from our mission-vision, and are we disciplined enough to follow through when the turbulence begins? Let’s be open, increasingly comfortable with our discomfort.
What an exciting, exacting time to be part of your congregation. The growing pains are real, but that’s just what they are: Growing pains.
The excellent, skilled Wordsmithing Team that finalized the new Vision and Mission Statements so successfully could be utilized again: to update our Covenant, which feels ambiguous and somewhat redundant to the Vision and Mission Statements and is often confused with them.