Leadership Development

New Program: Transformational Leadership Journey

Have you been curious about different aspects of church service or committee work, but were not ready to make a commitment or weren’t sure about how to get started?  Our new leadership program might be right for you!

The Leadership Development Committee is looking for 10-15 people who would like to explore different areas of church service as part of a new UUCE-based leadership development program, open to all members new and old within our congregation. 
This program is structured to:

  • offer a venue for participants to explore leadership gifts and talents,
  • provide mentorship and group support,
  • gain a deeper understanding of how UUCE works through direct experience, and
  • expand our current leadership to better support our staff and build our future. 

Our program begins on Saturday, October 21 and ends on June 15, 2024, with monthly workshops based on the interests of the group. 

Each participant will have the opportunity to identify two areas of church to explore for 3 months each.  Rev. Jen, Ryan Doppelmayr, members of the LDC and other leaders are available as mentors throughout the program.  

For more information, please contact the Leadership Development Committee: Janell Heidenreich, Barbara Kellogg, Jennifer Tucker, Michele Wyckoff or Vicky Scheuerell at [email protected] 

Leadership Development

Personal Development is…

 

“Leadership is a series of behaviors, rather than a role for heroes.” 

– Margaret Wheatley

We believe that every member of UUCE has something vitally important to offer the congregation.

UU congregations are governed by our members, and we choose our leaders from among our members. The support and training offered on this page aim to help people gain confidence and to feel more comfortable moving into roles that are new to them.

The flow of people through leadership roles keeps the congregation vital. Leadership roles change over time, as do the people who hold them. We encourage you to try something new: to move from a long-held role to a time of rest, or to re-engage in church life after a time of rest.

Elected Leadership

Every year new people are needed to serve in elected positions. We want everyone in our congregation to feel that they could serve in these roles. By providing the resources at the bottom of this page and other trainings, we strive to remove barriers that prevent people from coming forward to serve.

The 5-member Leadership Development Committee (LDC) leads the search for new members for the Board of Trustees and the Leadership Development Committee. It offers trainings to help develop key skills and attributes needed for leadership. LDC members serve two-year terms for a maximum of four years.

Meet your current LDC and learn what they’ve been been doing this year. 

The 7-member Board of Trustees (the Board) creates policies and authorizes programs to meet the congregation’s needs and accomplish its mission. Board members are elected for two-year terms for a maximum of six years. During their terms, some Board members also serve as the congregation’s officers: president, vice-president, secretary or treasurer.

  Meet your current Board and learn what they’ve been doing this year.

Leadership of Program or Affinity Groups

Currently active groups in the congregation were initiated by members who wanted to share a mutual interest or achieve a goal with others in the congregation. Here are two resources for joining with others or turning your ideas into viable programs:

  • The Involvement Guide, is a great way to connect with one of our many existing programs and projects, and to learn how things get done.
    For a copy of your own, send a request to [email protected].  

  • The UUCE Group Charter: Every group that wants to identify itself as a UUCE group with access to church resources is required to complete a charter. These charters are presented to the Board of Trustees for approval. Any questions prior to submission may be directed to the church office. 

Leadership Strategies

Here are some strategies that can help our congregation to stay fresh and vibrant by supporting people who have come forward to serve as leaders and insuring there is a flow of new ideas and energy.

A Sustainable Leadership strategy, or Succession Planning, offers an arc of experienced support and an exit ramp.  Someone taking on a major leadership role passes through three phases: 1) a year to observe the role; 2) a year or more in the role; and 3) a year as a mentor for a successor.

 A current example at UUCE is the Treasurer position on the UUCE Board.

A Shared Leadership or Circle Leadership strategy identifies tasks to be accomplished and divides up and rotates the work among members. Tasks such as setting an agenda, leading a meeting, taking notes, observing process, providing opening and closing words, taking up specific time-limited tasks, and sending out notices and minutes can all be shared.

A current example at UUCE is the Leadership Development Committee.

Resources

Here are links to resources we have found helpful. Please let us know what has been helpful to you by sending a message to [email protected].  

Adult Faith Formation classes– new schedules are created quarterly, beginning roughly in June, September, January and April. Skill-Up classes in using technologies and software commonly used to do the business of church have been offered in the past and can be offered again if you ask for them! 

Investigate learning modules in the Leader Lab on the UUA website about elements of working with groups. Also in the Leader Lab is The Congregational Handbook, a guide to congregational health and vitality. Many of its resources focus on process rather than on a checklist to achieve particular outcomes. While you’re there, many other trainings are available – feel free to browse through the website at uua.org/leaderlab