On February 12, 2012 we held a Community Forum for two express purposes.  One purpose was to discuss as a community Rev. Jackie Ziegler’s ministry in order that the Board might have input as we approached the vote on whether or not Rev. Ziegler’s contract would be renewed for another year. I hope we communicated the outcome of that vote effectively, but in case we did not – the Board voted unanimously to renew Rev. Jackie’s contract.

The other area of discussion within the Community Forum was an exercise that was designed to stimulate some thought as to what broad visions and purposes for PCUUC might look like.

The attendees of the Community Forum were broken into small groups.  Each group represented the sole founders of a new UU church.  The groups were then asked to discuss and answer the following questions as a group:

• How do you (as church founders) want to feel when you are in the midst of your ideal member?
• What would be the outward manifestation of the faith and beliefs of your ideal members to community at large?  (outside your churches)
• What would be the internal church manifestation of the faith and beliefs of your ideal members?  (Manifestation of faith as members are conducting themselves within the church community)
• How would decisions within your churches be made by your membership and/or your church leadership?

Complete “raw” notes from this exercise can be found by clicking here.

The following are just my interpretations of some of the answers the groups came up with  and undoubtedly you will come to your own conclusions (which I would love to hear…feel free to comment below).

The, what is in my opinion, a great paradox for many UUs and sometimes a source of tension within ourselves as individuals and within our churches is that we want to be both relaxed and inspired/excited. We want to be both challenged and accepted.  We want to connect with kindred spirits and be intrigued and perhaps exposed to new thinking.

Although each member of a UU church has different wants and needs, I think most of us agree that we want a safe place to explore different thoughts and be accepted for who we are as we make our individual journeys…..and of course have some fun along the way.

We know that what might be viewed as contradictions are simply different manifestations of the same energy.

How do we want to “be” within the world-at-large and within our churches?  I was heartened to learn, as I suspected would be the case, that we want to be the same people both within our churches and within the external community.

We are active people who seek to advance various causes and positions.  We are people who strive for integrity and justice – I don’t think this is a big surprise to you.  We do have a desire to be known, which as many of us know evangelism is not an active part of many UU’s faith.  But, we seem to want to share the opportunity of our faith in meaningful, yet not over bearing ways.

Finally, how do we want decisions to be made within our churches?  Well, this is a bit less clear and needs to be an ongoing conversation within PCUUC.  We want both a sense of order, yet we are committed to the democratic process (sometimes a messy process as we know).  One of my conclusions from this discussion is that we want a balance.  It is my guess that the balance will be an ongoing source of discussion, debate and sometimes conflict (I just hope for productive conflict).

We seem to be saying that the Board, Committee heads and other church leaders should handle managerial and administrative issues and large decisions should be made by the entire community.  This distinction seems easy enough, right?  Wrong.  What is a big issue and what is a small issue?  Big and small are certainly relative.  What is a policy and what is a practice/institutional memory?  There just aren’t 100% black and white answers to these questions.

During my term as Board President there have been a couple issues that were in my mind small potatoes and hardly worthy of a larger community discussion.   There has also been an issue or two that were presented to the Board as small insignificant issues, but in my mind were larger decisions that should go before the entire community.

Just goes to show that big/small, policy/routine, significant/minor are matters of perspective.  To effectively navigate occasionally interesting waters we have to be willing to do everything we can to step into other’s shoes.

Sometimes I wish the world was simpler, but it is often just not.  On the other hand, how boring would simple be day after day?  Although sometimes our lives, our faith and our churches get a little complex, one thing I think is clear – we want the freedom to try to figure it out.

Peace and Blessings,

Tonia Becker VerShaw

PCUUC Board President

Prairie Circle Unitarian Universalist Congregation’s members and friends are invited to an informal potluck brunch beginning at 10:00 am on Christmas Day at the home of Marty and Tonia VerShaw, 18008 W. Winnebago Drive in Wildwood. They ask you to bring your favorite morning brunch food. They will have the coffee ready! Bring your holiday memories or thoughts to share with UU friends.

A sign-up sheet with directions to their home will be available during Sunday morning coffee hour in December.  Call Tonia if you have questions at 630-359-7295 or e-mail at tvershaw@gmail.com

To Benefit Global Alliance for Africa’s Therapeutic Arts Program

Saturday, December 10, 2010, 6 -11pm

Home of Cathy & Bruce Moon – 305 Dunbar Road, Mundelein, IL 60060

Phone:  847-566-4732

$15 adults, $10 students, children 12 and under free

Featured Musicians:

Josh Anderson, Chris Belkofer, Dan Niedziejko & Liz Viscious!
Jim Cubit, Scott Helmke, Bruce Moon & Mark Wilson!
Robinlee Garber!
Don Morman Family Band….and more!

Food & Beverages:

Soup for vegetarian and carnivores provided

BYOB and bring side dish or soup to share

East African artwork, jewelry, and other items also for sale!

All proceeds benefit the Therapeutic Arts Program for orphans and children otherwise made vulnerable by the AIDS pandemic in East Africa.  Visit www.GlobalAllianceAfrica.org for more information about Global Alliance for Africa’s work.