Small Congregations Resources
Touchstone newsletter for small congregations
UUA Associated Resources for Small Congregations
Specific Topics written by and for UUs in small congregations
Resources for Small Congregations
Growth
Many Unitarian Universalists want to make sure that the public at large knows who we are and what Unitarian Universalism has to offer, because this is a faith community that so many yearn for and have not yet found.
There are many great resources to help us grow our congregations. The list is [bottom of this section] But before you click, a word about something UUs have learned the hard way.
Too many congregations of all sizes work hard to incorporate the strategies of growth and get very frustrated that the techniques don’t seem to work. What we know is that the strategies can fail if the congregation has not talked and listened to one another about
- what it will mean to incorporate new people,
- how the feeling of the congregation will change
- how to nurture the qualities of your congregation you most care about as the congregation changes, and
- that the ways things are done will need to change as numbers increase.
There may be adaptive changes that we need to grow through before the techniques of growth can really take hold. There are good resources to learn about and prepare for that adaptive change.
Check with your district staff for support. You might also want to try these:
- The book, Leading Change in the Congregation by Gilbert Rendle
- A keynote from UU University by Peter Steinke
- Planning for Growth for small congregations
- Great growth resources in Congregational Handbook and Congregational Services online
Welcoming those who are looking for something like the UU tradition means growth, and welcoming those who are looking for UUism is really the only good reason to grow.
If the primary reason your congregation wants to grow is to be able to pay its bills, or fill the vacant volunteer positions this could be another reason that techniques for growth are not working. It may be time to look again at what your community means to you, what you love about it, and therefore what you can hope to offer your guests.
Ask your district staff to help you through these transitions. Then enjoy the satisfaction of being able to offer what you love genuinely, and be curious about how life changes as new people, new ideas, and new inspiration take root.