Greetings Members and Friends,
As we enter into the last third of this fiscal year, your Board of Trustees is preparing for a successful new church year which begins June 1 -- just four short months ahead. We are grateful for the service and monetary donations you have given, and are giving, to this congregation. After reflecting on what you have shared with us during our mission and vision process, we know that many of you are grateful for the congregation and the impact we have on our members and the wider community within and beyond the Bryan/College Station area.
If I had to describe our congregation, I would say “small, yet mighty.” We are impacting the lives of those within our congregation and the community. We have accomplished this even with a small membership, a small number of active volunteers, and our limited funding. Imagine what we could do if we had more members, more volunteers, and more money! We will soon start construction on a new church building -- one that will have seating in the sanctuary for 100+ with overflow seating to almost double that. We have plenty of room to grow, since our current average attendance at worship is approximately 30 members and friends.
Congregational growth is not defined just by the number of people attending worship/programs and volunteering in our various ministries. Growth in these areas result in an increase in numbers:
Maturational growth refers to the spiritual maturity of each member. Yes, we each have a spirit, that small still voice that speaks to us about those things we hold dear to our heart; those things that give us joy, and to which we want to devote our energy, attention, and love.
Organic growth is our ability to improve and maintain our health and engage the world. It includes healthy internal organizational structures (policies, processes, practices, programs, etc); and the identification, supporting, and assessment of our programs, volunteers, and paid staff. Another critical component is the creation and utilization of practices to handle conflict openly and honestly.
Incarnational growth is realized by making real the meanings and values of Unitarian Universalism in the world outside our congregation. We accomplish this by living our UU values in every aspect of our daily lives.
As we realize growth in spiritual maturity, in our organizational practices, and in spreading the good news of Unitarian Universalism, we will, no doubt, increase our membership numbers and engagement. In summary, as we build our physical building, let’s continue to build and strengthen our religious community -- a community in which we can deepen our spiritual lives, be challenged to live out our faith, and engage in the larger community to make the world more loving and just. This is the challenge for the Board -- and for all of us. Together, we can become a significant and mighty congregation!
Photo by Bruce Hong on Unsplash