University United Methodist Church’s policy governance board met March 18, 2018, with the following members in attendance: Pastor Bill Bills, board secretary Debbie Stevenson, board chair Gretchen Couraud, Ellen Alward, Peter Berg, Zach Constan, Susan Holloway, Andy Kilpatrick, Lynn Paine, and Kee Tsai.
At the meeting, we focused on three primary areas:
- Moving forward quickly to complete a full assessment and understanding of the scope of UUMC operations, finances, and properties.
- Reviewing results of the work done by teams on Vital Church Initiative (VCI) prescriptions, identifying work yet to be completed, and prioritizing that work.
- Making plans to transition and build on the work of the Vital Church Initiative (VCI) as we create, in dialogue with the congregation, a strategic plan that aligns decisions and efforts with the vision, mission, and values adopted by UUMC members.
Meeting highlights:
- Following scripture readings, we discussed two different meanings of vision: to see clearly; and to dream and plan for the future.
UUMC’s vision—daring each other to love God and our neighbor—requires all of us to be bold, to risk to take action, and to move forward. As board members, we are working to take a holistic view of the church and its operations and to see clearly so we can envision and plan for a bold future, informed by faith.
- On Sunday, May 6, we will recognize the tremendous work and progress made through VCI and thank those who accomplished it. Please plan to join us as we celebrate the work and all those who made it possible.
We will officially close the VCI process while moving forward informed by it. We will build on VCI efforts already completed and carry over efforts still underway—including the Sunday morning experience, intentional faith development and leadership development, and relational outreach—as part of the church’s strategic plan.
- In the next few months, we are scheduling multiple meetings to focus on strategic planning. We also will continue to reach out to individuals and committees to gain additional insight and to discuss strategic alignment.
- A congregational meeting will be scheduled for early fall to share and discuss planning and decision-making that aligns with UUMC’s vision, mission, and values.
As we move forward, we look forward to hearing from you and talking with you. Your engagement is vital to our church and its future and to our work as we dare each other to love God and our neighbor.