Tucsonitarian September 2016, Page 1

President's Column

by Frank Valdes

How is UUCT like an Indy race car? The answer is the car (UUCT) and the driver (your leaders) would be nothing without the team behind it. That team includes the investors (everyone who pledges) and the pit crew (the staff and volunteers) who keep the car running at peak performance and stand behind the car and driver.

You may wonder why this analogy? Our answer to bringing together the pit crew is the PIT crew. This is the People Involvement Team. It has been a concern of mine and many members who've talked with me that people have been uncertain about how to bring their energy and talents to UUCT. The PIT crew is the means to addressing these concerns.

People Involvement Team (PIT)

The People Involvement Team is charged with identifying the needs and processes for volunteering at UUCT. This includes focusing us on what groups are needed (a topic discussed by the Board of Trustees at their last meeting), how the system needs to work, providing volunteer training resources and support, and generally being the focal point for people-involvement in our church.

The first steps have been taken to form a PIT under the co-chairmanship of courtney boyden and Carolyn Saunders. This brings a look to the future and to the past (Carolyn was active in the PIT concept a few years ago). You can reach the PIT crew at pitcrew@uuctucson.org with your thoughts about committees, groups, and volunteerism.

There are two things I've learned over the years to be quite true about being involved and volunteering. The first is that to really become connected to UUCT is to be involved in at least one, if not more, areas of the church. When I came to UUCT 26 years ago my avenue was through Religious Education (R.E.), where I was a teacher, R.E. committee member, secretary, and chair. I am still involved in R.E. through OWL, but have also volunteered in other areas. The second is that volunteering is a "spiritual practice.” People sometimes ask why they should volunteer because they don’t feel recognized as much as they think they should be. UUCT tries, and will try harder, to provide recognition. But the answer for me is that, even without recognition, I feel spiritual satisfaction and fulfillment in volunteering and making a difference.

As noted earlier, an important step in people-involvement is understanding how the race car is built, how the engine works, and what jobs are needed in the pit and garage. Many members have been concerned about problems at the church and laid the blame on the engine, particularly "Policy Governance" and "Executive Team,” without actually understanding how this engine works. To clear this matter up, we are having a Congregational Forum on Sunday, September 18th after the service.

Congregational Forum September 18

The Congregational Governance Forum is a very important meeting. This meeting is intended to educate us on our current governance structure, dispel the many misconceptions about it, and open a discussion about changes that might be made. Also, we will look at the larger organizational structures of committees and teams that are needed to keep our race car moving forward. Please attend.

In Other News

The Board and other leaders are meeting with our Pacific Western Region Ministerial Transition Team representative, the Rev. Anne Hines, to start the process leading to a new settled minister. This will eventually involve every member of UUCT starting with the interim transition "Meet & Greet” groups. The next "Call to the Congregation" gathering after service with your leaders is September 11th. Come for further updates and discussion. Your Board is also meeting with other Baja 4 Boards in a retreat later this month.

Quote of the Month

Live as if you were to die tomorrow;

learn as if you were to live forever

- Mahatma Gandhi

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