home | Governance | Board October 11, 2004
Activities. I meet weekly with the office administrator. In this connection I have initiated with her a review of her position description, as requested by the Administration Committee.
I now meet regularly with the DRE on Friday at 12:30.
The moderator and I meet monthly a week prior to each Administration Committee meeting.
Since my last report to the Board (10 Sept.) I have attended First Friday (twice), participated in the morning service on "New Directions in Unitarian Universalism in Detroit" (12 Sept.), met with the Administration Committee, met with the Board, met with the Worship and Ministry Task Force (twice), met (briefly) with the UUCP Board, met with Lay Leader Coordinator Charlotte Allen, met with a newcomer to our congregation over coffee, enjoyed dinner at the home of a church member, preached on "Lift up your hearts" (19 Sept.), enjoyed luncheon with a newcomer, met with the Women's Alliance in Memorial Hall, attended "Welcome WSU!," attended the church service (26 Sept.), met with the Religious Education Committee (including a newly-established Adult Education Committee), attended the MOSES public rally at UDM with Lynda Smith (a total of 8-10 First Church folk were there), enjoyed breakfast with a church member, enjoyed dinner at Cass Cafe with several church members and a friend of the church, attended the world premiere at the DFT of "Home of the Brave," a documentary film on the life and death of former church member Viola Liuzzo, met with the Worship Committee, attended a lay leader gathering, preached on "The Presidential Crisis" (3 Oct.), attended the special congregational meeting to consider a resolution on same-sex marriage, drove to the Grailville Conference Center east of Cincinnati to attend a district ministers' meeting, met with the Task Force steering committee, and met in my office with the lay leader for the 10 Oct. church service.
Comment. Our task forces have been meeting for six weeks. Last month I proposed that we create a "secretariat" to monitor and maximize the effectiveness of the task force process; Colleen, Dan Secrest, and I are functioning as a steering committee in consultation with the three task forces. The short-term goal is to revitalize our programs and procedures, to enlist new persons in the life and work of the church, and to increase membership, attendance, income, and morale. The long-term goal is to prepare a strategic plan to be undertaken next year while the search for a new settled minister goes forward. The discussions in the task force meetings have been concentrated and intense. As a congregation we are holding a mirror up to ourselves to renew our religious community during this transitional year. Every member and friend of the church is invited to participate.
I am pleased that a new Adult Education Committee has spun off from the Religious Education Committee. Its purpose is to assess needs and opportunities in the field of adult education relative to our congregation, WSU, and the larger community, and to develop a UUUniversity program here at First UU. Our tradition of civic leadership in Detroit, the rapid pace of cultural change in the city, the region, the nation, and around the globe, and our outstanding location here in Midtown--all of these factors mandate a program of the highest quality. A new committee has formed for this purpose. You are involved. Watch the newsletter for updates on progress and for course announcements.
Representatives of UU congregations in Rochester and in Birmingham, MI have contacted me in recent weeks. They are eager to explore a cooperative relationship with First UU. One key to effective ministry in the core city is a regional network of cooperating congregations such that no single congregation--read "First UU"--bears the entire burden of leadership and resource development. It is exciting to contemplate a newly-established "urban-suburban connection" in southeastern Michigan.
Respectfully submitted, David.
8 October 20044