Wednesday June 15th the five board members and Holly gathered at my place for a retreat instead of our normal board meeting. We wanted to get to know each other better and have a more spacious time to think about the big picture of UCG. Success on both fronts. Getting to know each other better included a blind folded trust walk with moments of lifting the blindfold and looking at ourselves reflected in a peony, or the river, learning that we are part of the wonder of nature.

We also challenged ourselves to think about diversity more deeply reflecting on research looking at the impact of class and how we could bring more consciousness to our practices as a board and a congregation.

We decided that over the next year it will be important to take several actions:

• Wanda will complete the directory.
• Holly will complete creating our new website and continue reaching out over social media.
• We will offer programming for children and investigate offering OWL.
• With more small group opportunities, we hope to attract and serve new members.
• People with “lived experience” will be invited to help us break through some of our assumptions, so we can more powerfully include them.
• Chaplains will continue to respond to the hunger for powerful ritual (rites of passage) to meet spiritual needs expressed not exclusively around the concept of god.
• Post service discussion moderators will be trained and mandated to help us engage in appreciative inquiry rather than debate.
• The full congregation will be invited to explore the Responsibility Covenant laid out by the CUC.
• UCG will look for community social action we can support, so that we live our principles in a way that is visible to us and the wider community. We want to share the joy and power of being part of the new dawn.

The potluck we shared was abundant and tasty, feeding the body as well as the soul.

Linda

Left to Right: Carey McDonald (Member-at-Large), Helen Prinold (Secretary), Wanda Gordon (Treasurer), Forrest Smith (Vice President), and Linda Reith