President's Message February 2010

In last month’s article (does anyone really read these?) I referred to the large learning curve I’ve come up against in trying to understand the role of the UUCUV board in comparison to other non profit organizations more particularly, I’m learning how to better utilize the expertise, understandings, and experience Rev. Bruce brings to the table. The board had a retreat Saturday January 9, which helped to address that learning curve.

Rev. Bruce used as the basis of our retreat materials on Governance from the 2009 General Assembly of the UUA. One statement from those materials which really struck home for me was that “governance is not simply a managerial task to be gotten out of the way so that we can get on to the ‘real’ stuff, which is religion.” I have to confess that I have been guilty of that point of view when bemoaning the lack of time at our meetings for board members and Rev. Bruce to engage in conversations of deeper significance (and hence this retreat which was an opportunity for Rev. Bruce to have that time). Rather I, and the board, need
to understand that good governance is in and of itself a spiritual practice, where decisions are made in the context of our understandings of the mission and values of the congregation.

How do we know what those values are? Rev. Bruce led us in an activity to identify values of those of us attending on Saturday. First, we broke into small groups of 2 or 3 and shared stories of a time when we each “experienced the holy, caught a glimpse of the sacred or divine, had a peak experience of transcendence.” Next we made a list of 3-5 values contained in each of our stories. Then we arrived at 3-5 values contained in both stories. The three small groups came together with their lists of values, and the group as a whole created a consensus list of 3-5 values. Our list included:

1) being part of a larger whole
2) gratitude
3) hope
4) humility
5) love

Those present felt that if we were to repeat this activity with the congregation as a whole (wouldn’t that be wonderful!!) our list would most likely mirror the identified values of our congregation. Our responsibility as your board is to constantly strive to steward and to transmit those values on behalf of the congregation.

The most powerful part of the exercise was the sharing of our individual stories, having the opportunity to learn about each other in a more profound context. We are a congregation unified not by a common creed, but by a Mission that is based on our common values, and we connect to these values through our own stories. The more opportunities we make available to share our stories with each other, the more potent and meaningful these underlying values become to connect us and to direct our actions. (Chalice Circles, Women’s and Men’s Groups, Circle Suppers......)

How does this relate to this month’s theme of ‘diversity and love’? I believe that given the chance for each one of us to tell our varied and “diverse” stories, love would prove to be the most vital underlying value that unites and drives us.

Joan Nierenberg, President