compiled by Margie Manning, Florida District President and Communications Task Force member
What will delegates to the District Annual Assemblies be asked to vote on in April?
Delegates will be asked to give full authority to District boards to complete all of the legal and other tasks necessary to dissolve the District or merge the District into a Unitarian Universalist Association-related entity, on such terms as the District Board of Directors and our UUA may agree.
Is dissolving the Districts a new idea?
The Orlando Platform, developed by the four District boards and representatives of our UUA in December 2010, called on us to identify changes in our governance, in order to best support congregations and grow our faith. Since then, each District board reduced its own size; ended co-employment of the Field Staff, who are now employed by our UUA; put aside its own ends or goals, in favor of UUA ends; and piloted a new way of sharing financial resources, the GIFT program.
The four District boards met again at The Mountain in North Carolina in September 2013, and at that meeting determined there was no need for District governance going forward; instead, lay leaders could best serve the faith by working as Elders, providing hands-on services to congregations and supporting Clusters.
In the intervening months, a Covenant of Understanding has been developed to deal with legal, governance, staffing, financial and stewardship issues for the Southern Region.
What does the Covenant of Understanding say?
Here are some of the highlights:
Governance responsibility for the Southern Region will be handled by our UUA Board of Trustees and General Assembly.
Our UUA Board of Trustees will take responsibility for linkage with the congregations of The Southern Region.
All regional field staff will continue to be employed by our UUA and the regional administrative staff will become employees of our UUA.
All assets (savings and investments) currently owned by the Districts will be transferred to our UUA and held in restricted funds for the purpose of funding Southern Region programs and initiatives. The Southern Region Field staff will actively support and promote GIFT and our UUA commits to the responsibility of collecting congregational dues through GIFT or similar single ask stewardship models.
Our UUA affirms its intention to maintain the Southern Region’s current staffing levels and robust programming.
An Interim Southern Region Fiduciary Oversight Committee will work with our UUA staff for two years after the Districts disincorporate to provide oversight in finance and staffing levels.
The UUA Director of Congregational Life will create an advisory council of 7-8 regional leaders for the purpose of giving input about Southern Region program priorities and goal setting.
What will disincorporation of Districts mean for congregations?
Congregations will continue to get direct services from Southern Region Congregational Life field staff. Congregations have a designated Primary Contact on the staff; in addition, each staff member has expertise that can be shared throughout the region.
Staff will focus on development of geographic and affinity Clusters, or groups of Unitarian Universalists working together in a deep, mutually covenantal relationship that gives individuals and congregations an opportunity to practice our shared faith. A recent article on the Communications Task Force blog describes the Clusters model.
Our UUA Board will take responsibility for linkage with Southern Region congregations.
What is “linkage” and can you give me examples of how it might work in regard to our UUA Board and my congregation?
Linkage is direct communication between the governing board and those to whom it is responsible (member congregations). The UUA Board recently conducted a linkage exercise, in which 100 congregational leaders nationwide were surveyed in detail about how we gather and govern. In addition to personal phone calls between board members and designated representatives, the board also conducted an online survey on the same topic, open to all individual congregation members. Information collected in the interviews and surveys is being reviewed by the board as it considers potential changes in General Assembly.
What will disincorporation of Districts mean for those individuals seeking leadership roles outside their own congregations?
The Region’s lay leaders can practice shared ministry through a model of elder leadership. An elder is a wise leader of any age – including youth and young adults – who serve their congregations and the faith based on their deep personal commitment to Unitarian Universalism, Elderhood provides greater opportunities for members to deepen their understanding of covenant and faith, and to enter into shared ministry.
Elders can do a variety of tasks, depending on their own skills, their availability and demand. Possible actions include mentoring other leaders, developing and facilitating training sessions, or community organizing.
Click here for more information about Elders.
How are Elders in our tradition going to be different than elders in the Presbyterian tradition where they serve on the Session/board of the congregation? How are they chosen by the congregation? And since this similarity exists--what are your responses to a criticism I have heard regarding our presbyterianizing our polity?
Elders in the UUA Southern Region will not govern as board members do. Elders will minister to the faith, and can serve at a congregational, cluster, regional or even national level. A Council of Elders, working in shared ministry with Congregational Life Staff, will help congregations recognize and celebrate elders, and identify opportunities for service.
If there’s no District governance and no voting at District annual assemblies, how can my congregation’s voice be heard in the democratic process?
Since the UUA ends developed by our UUA Board of Trustees are the goals we have agreed to support, congregations are encouraged to select, educate and fund delegate attendance at General Assembly. UUA administration and staff will work with the Board to explore making remote participation in General Assembly available to all legal delegates from Congregations. Our UUA board also is expected to propose bylaw amendments to allow Southern Region congregations to bring resolutions to General Assembly that do not rely on district governance bodies.
Will there be opportunities for congregations and their members to get together in person in lieu of District annual meetings?
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In addition to Cluster events – which can include worship, education and justice opportunities - there are traditional regional gatherings such as SWUUSI [Southwest UU Summer Institute, a weeklong multi-generational camp experience], and leadership opportunities such as Dwight Brown Leadership Experience and Southern UU Leadership Experience. Each District has scheduled Presidents’ Convocations for summer 2015, allowing congregational presidents to gather and learn together. Regional staff will plan thematic gatherings as well, such as the multi-track experiences that were held in 2014.
How will we be sure that when my congregation pays its 7% for GIFT, it will get services from the Congregational Life Staff and/or the UUA as needed?
The UUA intends to use the Southern Region’s 2013-14 actual income amount (approximately $1.2 million) as the baseline for determining its Congregational Life Southern Region program budget. This amount represents about 27.5% of the total dues collected from Southern Region congregations in fiscal year 2013-14. For the near future, the UUA intends to devote approximately 27.5% of the Southern Region’s GIFT contributions to the Congregational Life Southern Region program budget.
Are there Southern Region staff members who are going to lose their jobs and/or pay and benefits as a result of this shift?
The Covenant says that all parties understand that the Regional Lead, Director of Congregational Life and Leadership Council intend to maintain the existing Southern Region staff and staff configuration. Maintaining current staffing levels depends on Southern Region GIFT contributions remaining at current levels and increasing to cover annually-increasing costs, such as health care. Additionally, the Covenant says all parties understand that staffing configurations will need to be creatively altered in the future to support evolving strategic priorities and to take advantage of economies of scale, such as merging administrative functions across regions and UUA departments.
How will I know who is on which of the various councils and groups that are described in the covenant and how can I contact them?
Southern Region field staff will continue to maintain their own database, communication and webpage systems as a means for them to directly contact congregations and individuals within the region and to keep their constituents informed of regional programs and opportunities for service and employment.
