As we pass by the height of summer’s light, the Board is feeling energized and excited to begin our work together. As the first Board Chair who has only experienced Sociocracy as our leadership style at UUFM, I was pleased to see how quickly our new Board took to its principles. Many still feel there is much to learn, but we are already discovering a natural rhythm in our discussions and outlook. 

My hope is for this to be further developed in our Board Retreat next month. This will be a time for the Board to get to know one another better and discover how we will work best for the coming year. The biggest considerations at the time of this update are (1) reviewing our congregational pathway for the upcoming year and (2) how that will inform our care of our budget and building. We share a mighty “thank you” to those who worked on the Income/Discrepancy Task Force in both phases, and for the thorough report and plan they have given us to conclude their work.

This year may be one of uncertain answers, like a winding path through a thick wood. But each time we come back across a problem, idea, or situation it will be from a new perspective. We have learned much this past year about governance and sociocracy, and are still learning more as we try to be more transparent and in community with you, our fellow congregants. Such is the nature of growth! To pull from the wisdom of Hank Green in a recent video essay: “No Effort Is Wasted.” 

And already our effort this month is bearing fruit! A new Safety Team has been called in order to help lift the burden of maintaining and caring for our building from resting solely on Staff’s shoulders, with two Board members ensuring a double–link for thorough communication. This double-link is essential to the sociocratic model of governance between circles, to ensure that the lead “parent” circle is tapped into the work the more specific “child” circle is doing and provide communication and support between them.

The Executive Team, with the consent and grace of the whole Board, has also made small changes to procedure for planning Board meetings in order to better serve our busy, overstimulated lives. With more time to plan the agenda, our Board will have greater capacity to consider our decisions and explorations before the meeting. We hope that this will lead to stronger discussion and deeper consideration in order to embrace this year holistically. 

As always, if there is anything you want clarification on or have concerns about please reach out to a Board member or email me directly at chair@uufm.net. As we find our footing, staring down the year ahead with open hearts and an imagination for possibility, we thank you for your grace in moving with us in patience. We will embrace the coming year together. 

In Community,

Sage Phipps-Hinkle