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