omd in the larger movement
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Phil Reed, Rev. Joan van Becelaere , Rev. Susan Ritchie. Omd IN THE LARGER MOVEMENT. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Phil Reed, Rev. Joan van Becelaere, Rev. Susan Ritchie
There are lots of different things happening at the UUA, regional, and district level. There has been lots of discussion, talk about changes and lots of questions. Come to this event to learn what is going on with CERG (Central East Regional Group), the Unitarian Universalist Association and the OMD and how this might affect your congregation. Bring your questions to ask too.
Phil Reed
How were Districts created? Why do we care?
What is CERG? What is going on with the UUA Board? Are they messing with GA? What about district services? How will
this affect my congregation? All I care about is S.I. What about that? What is the Orlando Platform?
Rev. Susan Ritchie
Phil Reed
CERG – Central East Regional Group Districts:
Ohio Meadville (OMD) St. Lawrence (SLD) Joseph Priestley (JPD) Metro New York (MNY)
Geography Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New
Jersey, New York, Ohio (except for Cincinati and the southwest corner), Pennsylvania, northern Virigina, and West Virginia
CERG Consultants Faith Development – Pat Infante Growth Development – Mark Bernstein Leadership Development – Rev. Renee
Ruchotzke Communications & Social Media – Beth
Casebolt
The First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany NY Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Binghamton NY Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Easton, MD Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County,
Media PA The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Monmouth
County, Lincroft, NJ The Central Unitarian Church of Paramus, NJ First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh, PA Unitarian Universalist Church of Silver Spring, MD UU Fellowship of Stony Brook, NY
Staff collaborates on Service Delivery District Executives lead CERG Group Staff
Team CERG Consultants report to District
Executives CERG Group Staff Team regularly reports CERG Group Staff Team advised by the four
District Presidents
Requests for CERG services to District Executive
Districts keep own District Assemblies
District Boards retain own Governance
District Boards and Staff hold joint regional meeting once annually 2011 meeting: May 20-21 in central PA
$$$ Districts each pay into pool for CERG Budget
based on District Membership CERG Consultants co-employed between CERG
and UUA
District and CERG Events and Webinars open to all Congregations in all four Districts
CERG publishes shared calendar
CERG Website for information (http://www.cerguua.org) and Resources
UULTI on the Hill – Kenyon College (Jul 7-10) This is weekend before SI
UULTI by the Lake – Canandaigua NY (Jul 24-27)
UULTI by the Sea – Ocean Grove NJ (Aug 18-21)
Continue relationship with CERG
Hire Social Justice Coordinator
Joint plan with SLD to offer Healthy Congregations Training to Clusters
Responding to changes in broader Association Change Bylaws next year to conform to UUA
Trustee changes
Phil Reed
UUA Board (led by the Moderator) Staff (directed by the President) District Presidents Association (DPA) General Assembly
19 Districts Staff and Boards
5 Regions Staff and Board Representatives
Board creates the ENDs of the Association and is the foremost governance board in the UUA ENDs: The difference the UUA will make in the world
With transition to Policy Governance - recently re-imagined their own work (see UUA Trustee Report) UUA of Congregations – Congregations are very
important Focus on Linkage to Congregations
Linkage is about Vision – it is not talk about Services
Very large Board – 25 members One trustee for each District (19) Three trustees at large other officers including Moderator
Voted to create a plan Goal: shrink the Board to 13 members
At GA: Expect bylaws amendment Would end district election of Trustees
Result for Ohio Meadville No direct election of UUA Trustee
The Staff performs the day-to-day activities in order to make progress towards the goals specified by the ENDs Service Delivery belongs to this group
UUA staff reports to President, Rev. Peter Morales
District staff led by Director of Congregational Life, Rev. Teresa Cooley
Each district has a District Executive (DE) who is co-employed by District and UUA. Many districts also have co-employed Consultants. Report to both the District Boards and Rev. Cooley
UUA: co-employment is problematic and would like alternatives to be considered by the Districts
CERG added Regional Staff to this mix
Reality of co-employment – Both District and UUA are needed to hire. Only one need to fire. Unclear review processes based on different objectives Recent conflict in Pacific Central District (PCD)
General Assembly may change to an every other year event (earliest possible is 2015) Shift focus to delegate work and Plenary
Shorter event Maybe – Full reimbursement for delegates
Options for the off-year include: Social Justice Assembly UU University / Leadership School Workshop GA Regional Assemblies Other
Each District sends highest elected officer as representative OMD, the President of the Board Cost sharing for the expenses
Agreements Equitable Funding (UUA/District Funding)
Task Force Freeze $$$ for 2011/2012 Fiscal year Cooperate with UUA Board Linkage efforts Experiment with new possibilities –
share learnings
Districts: Southwest Conference, Florida, Mid-South,Thomas Jefferson
Created Orlando Platform Acknowledged that our faith is at
crossroads, not growing, little influence Reaffirm Cambridge Platform of 1648
congregations cooperate and are accountable to each other through Covenants
UUA Board is only Policy Board UUA Board sets ENDs which the Districts adopt End co-employment – UUA employs District Staff District Boards are creating new roles – still to be
determined – free sitting leaders up for the new Elders:
called on to be witnesses to the faith augment shared ministry with district and UUA staff hold congregations accountable to our covenants
Phil Reed
Congregations receive Service Delivery Includes – but not limited to
Transitions Leadership Development Lifespan Faith Development Growth Initiatives
Summer Institute and Winter Institute
Purpose of District Board of Trustees May become more Advisory to DE Will continue to be elected and democratic Name may change to reflect new roles
Co-employment where District and UUA both hire, evaluate and pay District Executive At minimum, Districts will remain in advisory role
UUA Board of Trustees election process General Assembly – schedule and purpose
This is not yet decided Districts have a strong voice in the decision
The UUA must have an intermediary group between itself and Congregations Congregations MUST retain a connection to the UUA Congregations MUST have a connection to each other UUA Board is committed to linkage with congregations
Reason Districts will NOT go away Strong resistance – a different compromise will be
necessary Districts may change
Borders Name of the intermediary group May become Cluster, Region focused
Or based on another Affinity: Size, Social Justice, etc.
Investment funds from Ohio Universalist Convention and for congregations in the District Not the Region or the UUA
Need to answer "What will happen to the investments with the other Association changes?" Presidential Task Force which will make
recommendations to Board and 2012 District Assembly will be created ASAP
Talk to Phil Reed if you are interested in Participation
Suggestions: UU World UUA Board Minutes DPA Minutes and Board Observation
adopted UUA Transparency guidelines at last meeting
OMD and CERG websites Periodic District Reports/Blogs/Minutes
District email lists – talk amongst ourselves
Phil Reed, Rev. Joan van Becelaere, Rev. Susan Ritchie
OMD District Website http://www.ohiomeadville.org/index.html
CERG Website http://www.cerguua.org
UUA Board Minutes http://uua.org/aboutus/governance/boardtrustees/minutes/
index.shtml
UUWorld http://uuworld.org/news/topics/denomination.shtml
Orlando Platform http://www.tjdistrict.org/news/
orlandoplatform.html