Tom Loughrey UUA Trustee

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:28:00 +0000

Report from your UUA Trustee: Tom Loughrey

The October meeting of the Board in odd numbered years is always our largest and lengthiest meeting in the two year time frame. This is because new trustees from about one-third of the districts come in at that time. New committee assignments, new officers and more. This year it was even more significant because of our new leadership under Rev. Peter Morales as President of the Association. While all of this might well be enough change we made it even more complex by formally adopting our new form of governance called “Policy Governance”, a term coined by John Carver who developed the principles behind it. Because of the large amount of work to be done we started meeting on Tuesday at 8AM and finished after 5 PM on Sunday of our October meeting week. It was a very lengthy agenda and each day went twelve or more hours. It is oddly, tiring and rewarding work.

I am going to use my blog to fill you in on some of the details we covered in working under this new policy governance model. One of the things we are doing as individuals is sharing our individual stories and observations with each other to share with our districts. So, you will hear some from me but you will also hear from some of my colleagues as well.

There was of course the business of the Association. As you might imagine, finances are an important part of our responsibility. The Association has been very conservative in its estimates of future income and expenses and has presented a balanced budget previously to us. As circumstances change the budget is projected and amended as needed to reflect the realities of new events. Fortunately, religious organizations retain a high position in the pecking order of individuals in their giving and so far, we have found this to be true for us as well. We anticipate fair share giving to be on target for projections. The other significant part of our income comes from our endowment fund. It is based on an average of five percent of the fund balance over the previous 13 quarters. This means that when the market goes down we don’t have a huge drop in income but it takes a long time to get back to where you were even when the market turns around. So, we will have to deal with reduced income for several more years.

In other actions the board voted to meet in San Antonio, TX at its January 2010 meeting. We don’t meet outside of Boston very often, other than GA, so this is a big change for us as we try to bring our business to some other parts of the country.

We also requested from the staff a report on where we are currently on the issues of District and National youth leadership along with the administration’s vision for this in the near future and some models of what is being done in other denominations.

Numerous appointments to committees were made and individuals are being notified now about those appointments. That list along with all the minutes of the meeting will be posted in the next several weeks on the UUA website.

Finally, if you are interested I presented a sermon to our congregation in Fullerton, CA at the beginning of October on some reflections on being a Unitarian Universalist. You can listen to a recording at their website.

As always please feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, concerns or suggestions. I also welcome invitations to visit your congregation and speak with you about where we are and where we may be headed.

In faith and trust,

Tom Loughrey

tloughrey@uua.org

(714) 878-2210

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:16:00 +0000

Views from General Assembly 2009

Let me just hit some of the high points of GA for you and let you know where you can get more information and details. Of course by now you probably know that Rev. Peter Morales has been elected president of the UUA. While it seemed to many that this would be a very close election either way, Peter had a very strong win by more than 500 votes out of just over 3,500 cast both on site and by mail. In a very moving ceremony on Sunday evening the service and GA concluded with a traditional "laying on of hands" for the newly installed president by members of his family, the Board of Trustees and gathered clergy on the stage.

Peter joined the Board along with new Board members and the re-elected moderator, Gini Courter and Financial Advisor, Dan Brodie. Joe Gayeski was elected as the new youth observer and Nick Allen, the prior youth observer, was elected to a two year term as the youth trustee at large. Rev. Jeanne Pupke also was elected as a trustee at large.

Several important votes were taken including a vote to change Article II of our bylaws, the Purposes and Principles. On a very narrow counted ballot the proposed ammendments were not accepted and so we continue to have our unchanged Article II.

The Statement of Conscience on "Peacemaking", presented by the Commission on Social Witness also failed to pass and was referred back to CSW for more refinement. Most concerns seemed to revolve around language rejecting any reason for the US to enter into war. A sufficient number felt there might be reasons and so this goes back for another year of study.

All the Actions of Immediate Witness passed. There were nine intrroduced but only six could be approved by the delegates. These included:

“Advocate Pending Legislation Toward Clean, Honest, and Fair Elections in the United States,” which endorsed three election reform bills in Congress: H.R.2894, H.R.1826, and S751-752;
“U.S. Ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty,” which urged the Senate finally to ratify a treaty signed by the United States in 1996;
“In Support of America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act,” S799/H.R.1925, which would protect 9 million acres of Bureau of Land Management land in Utah;
“Support Bolivian UUs Struggling for Justice and Human Rights,” which offered support for Bolivian UU leader Olga Flores Bedregal, who has been calling on her government to provide information about victims of disappearance by the country’s military government, and asked UUs to write to the Bolivian ambassador urging the country to establish a truth commission to investigate human rights violations;
“U.S.-Sponsored Torture: A Call for a Commission of Inquiry,” which endorsed the National Religious Coalition Against Torture’s call for a commission of inquiry; and
“Oppose Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity–Based Violence in Iraq,” which called for UUs to lobby the U.S. government to work with the United Nations to protect sexual minorities in Iraq.

More detailed information is available from UU World at http://www.uuworld.org/ and video of selected events.

On a personal note, I was sad to see Bill Sinkford leaving as president. I have appreciated his leadership, collegiality and his fierce promotion of our faith tot he larger world. Bill has left an indelible mark on our movement and I am very appreciative of everything he has done. It is a very difficult job and he carried it with grace, humility, good humor, bravery and with a vision for a greater and more meaningful Association that can and does make a difference in the world.

On another personal note I am happy to tell you that I will be serving as the Secretary of the UUA replacing Paul Rickter. I look forward to the work.

As always, I welcome your comments,concerns and questions. Please feel free to contact me at tloughrey@uua.org.

In faith and trust,

Tom

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Thu, 14 May 2009 22:57:00 +0000

Endorsement for Rev. Laurel Hallman

After much consideration I have decided to endorse Rev. Laurel Hallman for President of the UUA. This was not an easy decision as we have two very fine and well qualified candidates for this position but in the end I decided that Laurel's message, engagement with the board and experience lead me to support her.

I offer this endorsement to the congregations in the PSWD, not to influence your own informed vote, but rather because I believe you should know where I stand on issues important to our Association. As always I invite your comments and questions.

However this may all turn out I will support whomever is our next president in this work because it is the work that all this is about. Below is my endorsement statement to Laurel's campaign:

Endorsement for Rev. Laurel Hallman

Two plus years ago when I first heard Laurel would be a candidate for UUA President I had to confess the only thing I knew about her was she was a minister of the large church in Dallas. That was it. I decided I needed to find out more and one of the first things I did was read the Berry Street Essay she delivered to her colleagues in 2003. I was moved by what I learned. The deepness of her experience, her intellect, her compassion and her reverence for language and the power of language came through clearly to me. In her essay, Laurel said that her work in preparing a lesson or sermon is “…to speak to the depth of human experience”. This is what I expect our president to be doing. This is not easy to do but I am convinced Laurel is up to the task.

What I have observed in the past year of seeing Laurel at our board meetings is someone who is keenly observant and engaged in the work and who understands the inability we sometimes have when we “live more deeply than we think”. She has challenged us to find ways to articulate that, which is deeper than what we can speak, and she stands prepared to work collaboratively with the board, the staff and most important, our congregations in this struggle.

Challenging times are here with us now and will be for some time to come. When we are most challenged we need the wisdom, insight, experience and passion that Laurel brings from her lengthy and successful ministry. I am pleased to endorse her candidacy for President of the Unitarian Universalist Association.

With deep appreciation for all those who serve others,

In faith and trust,

Tom Loughrey
UUA Trustee from the Pacific Southwest District

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Tue, 12 May 2009 16:34:00 +0000

See You At General Assembly!

As I write this we are just about six weeks out from the start of General Assembly in Salt Lake City. I for one am really looking forward to returning to Utah. We have a very exciting agenda for the meeting including the election of a new president, some at-large trustees and the re-election of our moderator and financial advisor. UU University is going to be part of GA this time instead of a “pre-GA” event. Everyone gets to participate! The PSWD has always been known to send a very strong contingent of congregational representatives to GA. It was a little light last year in Fort Lauderdale but I expect we will once again have a strong showing from this corner of the country.

One item on the agenda that I am looking forward to is the vote on continuing the discussion of Article II of our Bylaws, better known as our Purposes and Principles. They have been under review by the Commission on Appraisal and now we have a chance to say either we want to continue a discussion of them for another year or no, we like them just the way they are so “leave ‘em alone”! Personally, I’m fine with a decision to leave them alone but I want that to be an informed decision if that is the way it goes. The most informed decision will come if we take the time to study this fundamental statement for the next year; so I am recommending a vote to pass the proposed revision for another year of study and discussion. In 2010 in Minneapolis, if we still want to make a change and two-thirds agree, then we will have a well-thought out revision of one of the most important parts of our bylaws.

If you have not made a decision yet as to whether to attend GA let me encourage you to do so. It is educational, inspirational, informational, emotional and renewing. There are great entertainment events going on both at GA and in the community (last GA I saw a wonderful organ recital in the Mormon Tabernacle – fabulous). If you have the time for a pre or post GA tour Utah has some of the most magnificent natural wonders in the country. It is either a fairly easy two day drive (or one hard day’s drive) or there are still good rates on flights from the southwest. So get some friends or family together, share a ride, share a room and have one of the best weeks of the summer in Salt Lake City this June! See you at GA!

Tom Loughrey
UUA Trustee from the PSWD

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:05:00 +0000

Annual Report to the PSWD

This is an advance copy of my report for the Annual meeting on May 2nd.

Annual Report of The UUA Trustee – Tom Loughrey

This will be quite a year for change at the UUA. In June at GA we will elect a new president of the Association. Rev. Bill Sinkford steps down after eight years of service. I know his many friends in the PSWD join me in congratulating him and wishing him well. Bill will be staying in Boston and serve as a senior consulting minister to the UU Urban Ministry. We have two very fine candidates for the position in Rev. Laurel Hallman of Dallas, TX and Rev. Peter Morales of Golden, CO. At this point I am still undecided in whom I will vote for. I have been encouraging congregations to review the candidates’ positions and then exercise their votes. Each congregation has the same number of ballots as they do representatives at GA. Each ballot can be cast by a delegate at GA or can be cast absentee prior to GA.

This is not the only election; we have uncontested elections for moderator with Gini Courter continuing and for the financial advisor with Dan Brody continuing. Both have served us well and faithfully and I have every belief that they will continue to do so.

At GA we will also be considering a change to our Purposes and Principles. Our by-laws require a periodic review and that job fell to the independently elected Commission on Appraisal. This by-law is one that is not subject to amendment at this GA. If we vote for it, then it comes back one year later for a final vote. If it fails then we continue with our existing Purposes and Principles. It is a very affirming process for me. My UU faith is grounded in these and I like the fact that we make it difficult to change something so fundamental; if we do not change them we are positively re-affirming the continued use of these guiding statements.

The UUA Board of Trustees will soon be transitioning its governance model to “Policy Governance”. This form of governance puts the Board in a position of setting broad policies and having staff carry out the policies in its programs. Success is measured against very broad ends statements – things we want to achieve, and the President is responsible to see these ends are met and policies are complied with. I have been supportive of this change because I believe it clarifies an accountability of the staff to a much greater extent than we have had in the past.

Policy Governance, or “PG” for short, has been used in the PSWD for a number of years now. It relies very heavily on our very small staff to take care of a large number of tasks ranging from finance to leadership education to organizing cluster and district wide events. For me, I think this is where PG does not work so well. We used to have a large number of committees, maybe too many, but they provided both a fertile ground for developing new district leaders and for maintaining a large connection between the congregations and the happenings in the district. I think we have lost some of that. My personal feeling is that PG works best with a sufficient staff size, an engaged board and some advisory committees in key areas such as finance and leadership development. I intend in the coming year to encourage our PSWD Board and staff to explore ways in which we can expand how we use PG in this district to both do our jobs better and improve our linkage ( a very PG term!) with the congregations and individual members.

There is a great deal of information available on the UUA Board’s change to Policy Governance and if you want to know more about it there is a much information on the UUA website at http://www.uua.org/aboutus/governance/policy/index.shtml. You can also get more from the UU World at http://www.uuworld.org/news/articles/3641.shtml.

While the elections and the governance change has dominated much of what we do it certainly has not been the only work we are doing. Last year at this time we had a significant change in how the Association provided services to youth. A commitment was made to have a more fully engaged dialogue with youth and that work continues. I expect this year we will have new support structures in place for youth programs and resources. There is much more to read about on this at http://www.uua.org/aboutus/governance/boardtrustees/youthministry/ .

A good deal of time has been spent by the staff, our financial advisor and the Finance Committee to deal with the economic impact of declining market values, unemployment and general financial uncertainty. The budgets have had several revisions and the reality is that we will be facing financial pressures this year and for several years to come. The UUA departments have mandated budget cuts that affect hiring, wages and program activities. Staff participation at GA has been reduced by a third this year and that is likely not to change incoming years. We receive a significant portion of our operating income from investments that have taken a large hit in the last year. Because of the formula used to distribute the funds the hit is not as hard as it might otherwise be but it will last well into the time when the market adjusts and begins to turn around. It is a multi-year problem. I am confident in our financial leadership and I believe we will weather this setback but it will take good management and creative leadership combined with generous individuals and congregations. We all need to work to keep our contributions up to the Annual Program Fund and we can each do something on our own with a contribution to the Friends of the UUA and Friends of the PSWD.

I will shortly complete my first term as your trustee and I have asked you to continue to have me as your trustee for one more term and am pleased that I will be able to do this. Please take a look at my blog for continuing information at http://tomloughreyuuatrustee.blogspot.com/. I look forward to working with and for you in the coming years. As always, I am available to visit your congregation and provide pulpit services at your invitation. Please feel free to write me at tloughrey@uua.org or simply call me at 714 997-1973 with concerns or questions.

In faith and trust,

Tom Loughrey

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 22:25:00 +0000

Where In the UU Blog-o-Sphere?

Everything you could want to know seems to be on someone's blog these days. Chris Walton, editor of the UU World and creator of Philocrites, has provided a very handy listing of UU blogs and categorized them by content. I have found it a very useful way to look at how the work of the UUA board is being perceived, interpreted and conveyed to others. Take a look and see if you find it helpful. It can be found at http://www.philocrites.com/archives/003616.html#diaries.

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:27:00 +0000

Values and Global ENDS for the UUA
DRAFT Statements as of January 2009

During the past two UUA Board meetings trustees have worked to develop draft statements of values and ENDS for the Association – “Association” meaning the entirety of the Board, administration, and the 1000+ congregations that have covenanted to be together to form the Association. Those familiar with Policy Governance will recognize that ENDS is not an acronym, but rather a Carver branded term for the broad vision and strategic directions developed for a non-profit organization. Based on the Open Space sessions at GA2007, the Appreciative Inquiry of GA2008, and conversations with the UU Ministers Association, District Presidents Association and others, the Board has created initial language for the values, vision, and strategic direction of our Association.
Trustees will be meeting with congregation boards and district leadership during the next three months, face-to-face and with webinars online, to gather additional feedback before finalizing the values and ENDS of our Association at the April 2009 UUA Board meeting.
The following are questions that trustees might use when meeting with UU leaders to review the draft ENDS:
• What is your initial reaction to the draft ENDS developed by the UUA Board?
• Does this reflect your dreams for Unitarian Universalism?

o Reflects almost all of what I want the UUA to be
o Reflects most of what I want the UUA to be
o Captures the right ideas but I don’t like the words
o Missed the mark entirely

The following working drafts were adopted at the October 2008 Board meeting:

Values: (Key values that underlay all our work)
Wonder . . . Connections . . . Transformation

Global END Statement:

Grounded in our covenantal tradition, the UUA will inspire people to lead lives of humility and purpose, connection and service, thereby transforming themselves and the world.

The following definition of our Sources of Authority and Accountability (or “owners” in Carver language), was developed by the UUA Board at their January 2009 Board meeting:

Sources of Authority and Accountability (owners):
• Our member congregations
• Current and future generations of Unitarian Universalists
• The heritage, traditions, and ideals of Unitarian Universalism
• The vision of Beloved Community
• The Spirit of life, love, and the holy

The following strategic directions, or high level ENDS were drafted by the UUA Board at their January 2009 meeting, and are the broad directions that the Board gives to the President:

Our ENDS are growing Unitarian Universalist congregations that. . .
Unlock the Power that Transforms Lives
• In our congregations, people deepen their spiritual lives. They:
• Develop a personal spiritual practice
• Participate in meaningful worship
• Learn and practice empowered leadership and generosity.
• Find their ministry in the world
• Our congregations are:
• Vibrant—joyful and excited about their ministries
• Intentionally multi-generational and multi-cultural.
• Networked with each other
• Congregations are:
• Active participants in ministerial preparation and development
• Shared ministries
• Agents of mission and extension

Invite people into congregations that live out covenant through:
• A strong, articulated sense of UU and community identity
• High expectations of their members
• Full participation in Associational life
• An open and inclusive outreach and welcome
• Embracing and struggling with issues of oppression and privilege

Move toward sustainability, wholeness and reconciliation through ministries, partnerships, and alliances.
• Our congregations answer the call to ministry and justice work:
• Grounded in the communities in which they live
• Nationally, internationally
• With interfaith partners and alliances
• The public engages in meaningful dialogue and takes action informed by our prophetic voice and public witness.

These are all at equal priority and are to be achieved within a justifiable cost.

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 03:45:00 +0000

UUA Board Votes at January Meeting

At the recently completed Board meeting the following votes were taken:

Moved to amend the the proposed language from the Commission on Appraisal which would amend Article II (Our Purposes and Principles) of our By-laws. The language amends the last sentence of the section on the sources:
Grateful for the traditions that have strengthened our own, we seek to engage cultural and religious practices in ways that call us into right relationship with all.

This passed and then it was moved to forward the amended language for inclusion on the agenda of the General Assembly. It passed as well. It is important to know that this type of motion cannot be amended by the GA delegates; the only action that can be taken is to pass it by a simple majority to the next year's GA where it must then pass by a 2/3 majority in order to change the by-laws. So, while there will be plenty of opportunity to discuss this it cannot be changed, only voted up or down.

Independent Affiliates: votes were passed to no longer accept applications for Independent Affiliates after June 2009 and to no longer certify existing Independent Affiliates after June of 2010. These votes are "contingent upon the UUA staff creating a strategy to honor and harness the incredible talent, passion and experience present in this large group of dedicated UU volunteers. We encourage these important organizations to partner with the staff to create best practices for engaging with congregations, districts, and staff in carrying out our vision for Unitarian Universalism and the hope we have for healing the world." Trustee Jose Ballester was the sole dissenting vote and asked it be recorded.

I will be reporting further on this development and the rationale for it.

Other actions:

Move: The Board will initiate a relationship with the Boards of each of the UU Theological Schools. Passed

Move: The Board request that UUA President and the Congregations WG facilitate a full Board conversation on highlights from the conference in May and working group discussion on "What is a congregation?" as soon as the Board agenda will reasonably allow. Passed

Move: The Board charge the Ministerial Fellowship Committee to coordinate willing partners in addressing the theological education priority of "Ministerial Culture, UU Growth and Impact of Credentialing" identified at the Excellence in Ministry Summit in December 2008. Passed

Move: The Board have a full discussion in April 2009 to determine the exact changes desired to the election process for President and Moderator, and that the changes be voted on at the April 2009 meeting. Passed

Move: The Board select a subcommittee consisting of a member from each the Association WG, the Finance Committee, Governance WG to explore what the job of Moderator/Chief Governance Officer would look like under Policy Governance and what a reasonable compensation/per diem stipend or honorarium might be, how many days per year would be considered work days, etc. The subcommittee would present its findings and recommendations at the April 2009 Board Meeting. Passed

Policy re timing of Endowment Fund Calculation

For Fiscal Year 2010, the amount made available for expenditure from the Association’s endowment shall be computed over the thirteen calendar quarters ending on December 31, 2008. This policy applies to all UUA endowed funds including unrestricted, restricted and campaign funds. Passed

Moved to reconsider Annual Program Fund Fee

Recognizing that the economic recession being felt across the country affects Unitarian Universalist congregations, the lives of their members, and the Association, the UUA Board of Trustees resolves that:

• together we shall seek creative ways of reducing costs while enhancing environmental sustainability, using technology in new ways, and supporting one another through the challenges sure to be ours over the near future

• the Association shall continue to deliver essential services to member congregations and assist them in addressing fiscal challenges, while examining all expenditures and programs carefully for their centrality to our mission.

• we approach these challenges with the spirit of positive reinvention

• Further, we will hold the Annual Program Fund Fair Share contribution for fiscal year 2009-2010 at the current rate of $56 per member and hold the percent of budget option for large congregations at the 2008-2009 level.

Passed - This reversed a previously announced increase to $58 for the coming year.

Several changes were made to rules for the Ministerial Fellowship Committee dealing with transfers from and Plural standing with other faiths. Thes ewill be posted to the UUA website.

The following committee appointments were made:

Religious Education Credentialing Committee
Rev. Kirk Loadman-Copeland, interim chair (through April meeting)
Tandy Scheffler, LREDA

New England Regional Subcommittee on Candidacy
Rev. Sarah Gibb Millspaugh

Journey Toward Wholeness Transformation Committee
Janice Marie Johnson, co-chair
Vacancy postponed pending discussions with the committee chairs

Fund for UU Social Responsibility
Posting a recent vacancy, appointment will go through Exec Com

ICUU Board
Nominate Rev. Jill McAllister, Vice President (rather than Trustee at Large, approved Oct 08)
Second nomination of Nihal Attanayake, Phillipines, Trustee at Large

Investment Committee
Need for deep and specific expertise. If appropriate candidate(s) is found before the April meeting, appointment will be made by the Executive Committee.

It was a busy meeting. We had the two candidates for UUA President, Rev. Laurel Hallman and Rev Peter Morales, attending which yiou can read about in my previous post.

Budgets

While the UUA finances are in good condition and the audit is clean it is also true that the endowment fund that contributes to the general fund each year is down by about 25%. This will affect the budget for several years to come. Staff positions are now frozen and expenses are being reduced by about 10%. Staff presence at GA this year will be reduced by 30% as a cost savings measure. Volunteer committees will also be asked to share in the burden with reduced expenditures as well. This includes the Board.

As always, please contact me with your questions, concerns and comments.

In faith and trust,

Tom Loughrey

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 02:53:00 +0000

UUA Board Meeting - January 14-18, 2009

It is day two of our five day meeting. What a change from Southern CA! When I left home it was well into the 80's and arriving on a red-eye early Wednesday morning it was about 25 here on Beacon Hill. Welcome to winter!

The agenda and reports for this meeting are online at www.uua.org and so you can check out what we are doing but let me provide a quick summary: Wednesday and Thursday have been primarily for working on ends policies as we transition to policy governance. It is the work that Marge Piercy eloquently described as "common as mud" but work that needs to be done if we are to move ahead with this. Tonight livened up somewhat with a forum for the two candidates for UUA President, Rev. Laurel Hallman and Rev. Peter Morales. The topics related primarily to how the presient relates to and will work with the Board. The forum was recorded and as soon as I have a link to it i will publicize it on the PSWD-L list and the PSWD ADR list as well as here.

I have been asked by some if I am endorsing a candidate and at this time I am not. This decision is primarily one for congregations to make and is one of the few elections that can be done by mail rather than just at GA in June. I encourage congregations to examine both candidtes carefully before they vote or instruct their delegates how to vote. Just Google Laurel Hallman and Peter Morales to get their websites (or just click on their names above) and you can get a good deal of information there. I am happy to give you my impressions of them if you contact me but I can tell you now that both are fine people and both are qualified for the position. They have differences of course and, as has every president, they will each make a unique contribution on the Association if elected.

Tomorrow I am meeting with Rev John Hickey, who is the executive director of the UU Urban Ministry. They are an Independent Affiliate of the UUA and are a nearly two hundred year old benevolent society that helps the neediest here in the Boston area. I convene the Living Our Faith Working Group and we periodically meet with representatives of IAs who are working on social justice issues. I am looking forward to our dialogue and will tell you more about it after our meeting tomorrow.

Do feel free to leave comments or write me at tloughrey@uua.org with any questions or concerns. If you need to get hold of me while I am here in Boston just email or call me at 714 878-2210.

In faith and trust,

Tom

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 23:33:00 +0000

Here is a new posting from UU World Editor, Chris Walton as Philocrates. Interesting take by an evangelical pastor on Unitarian Universalism and evangelicals.

Megachurch pastor: UUs just don't do transformation.

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 04:52:00 +0000

Report from Your UUA Trustee (from the Fall 2008 NetwUUrk)

The October UUA Board meeting is the busiest meeting we have each year. It is the first time we get together since GA and often have new people joining us. This year was no exception. It was jammed packed from Wednesday through Sunday. The highlight of this meeting for me was meeting with the New England Regional Group meeting in Worcester, MA. This gathering included four districts in New England. Over three hundred attendees. The UUA Board went in mass and used the opportunity to explore in small groups our newly developed mission and goals which we are working on in preparation for a transition to Policy Governance and developing our “Ends” statements.

The Ends statements answer the question “what difference do we want to make, to whom and at what cost?” We are still in the process of doing this but it was very helpful to bounce this off the people from many congregations and get some real feedback. It was well worth our trip.

At about the same time as the meetings in Boston were occurring the market was going through some of its most extreme moves. A 900 point gain one day followed by an 800 plus drop the next. The UUA Investment Fund has been structured to be balanced enough so that when some segments drop and others rise they tend to set each other off. In times like these though nothing is balanced and the fund has taken some significant losses. This will ultimately affect the UUA budget as a set percentage is transferred from the fund to our general fund each year. To prevent wild swings in income the amount transferred is based on average balances over 13 quarters. In the short term it will have little effect on the operating budget but it will have an effect for a number of years even when the markets recover. Of course time will tell and the finance committee, our financial advisor, Dan Brodie, and our treasurer, Tim Brennan are paying very close attention. The Board voted to approve a revised and lowered budget for the coming year to reflect these realities.

One highlight of the meeting was the presence through most of the meeting of the two candidates for president of the UUA, Reverend Laurel Hallman of Dallas and Rev. Peter Morales of Golden, CO. They had an opportunity to present a forum at the NERG meeting. To this point I have not endorsed a candidate. I encourage each of our congregations to look at the websites for each candidate and learn more about both of them. They are both fine people with somewhat different views of how they see the future of our Association. We will be voting at GA and I understand both candidates will have some time to be with us in the PSWD. Stay tuned.

The minutes for the Board meeting will be published shortly and be available online at http://UUA.org

On a personal note, I have been asked to be the Board liaison to the Committee on Socially Responsible Investing. A great group of people who bring an interesting mix of investment expertise and social justice work together. In very practical ways they are working to help us make sure our investments are in sync with our values.

Some of you who have seen me recently know that I have been limping to the point of using a cane. It is degenerative joint disease in my left knee due to arthritis. This Friday, November 7th, I will have a total left knee replacement. I am looking forward to having full use of my knee and am encouraged by the success so many others have had with this procedure. I will let you know how it goes.

Finally, after much thought I have realized that I am very deeply involved in many aspects of my work on the UUA Board and feel that I need to continue my work on the committees, task forces and working groups I serve. I have been privileged to be put into some leadership positions and look forward to continuing this work. To that end I am pleased to announce that it would be my privilege to continue to serve you as the Trustee to the UUA Board from the PSWD. Nomination forms are out now to congregation presidents and I will be nominated by my own congregation for another term. Nancy Edmundson from Santa Barbara has agreed to be my campaign chairperson and I welcome her support and encouragement.

My offer to speak at your congregation continues to be open and I look forward to hearing from you about any questions concerning the UUA,

In faith and trust,

Tom Loughrey

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 18:29:00 +0000

Our Purposes and Principles: A Time for Some Changes?

Article II of the Bylaws of our Association is more commonly known to us as our Purposes and Principles. They come to us from the time of merger in 1961 and have had some changes over the years. Last year the UUA Board asked the Commission on Appraisal to review them on our behalf. Not only did they review them, they have revised them and posted the revision for the review of all of us. You can read the current P&P at http://www.uua.org/aboutus/bylaws/articleii/index.shtml and you can see the proposed changes at http://uuworld.org/news/articles/119311.shtml.

To make these somewhat easier to view I am including them at the end of this article.

These have not just been tinkered with, they have really been amended significantly. There is hardly any statement we make, as a non-creedal religious body than our Purposes and Principles. They draw many of us to our commitment and for many form the covenant of faith we have with each other. They are not to be taken lightly, which is why I ask you to take a good look at the current and the proposed by-law change. You can then go to http://www25.uua.org/coa/ and leave your comments to the COA .

I am still in the process of studying these myself but I will leave my comments by the October 16 deadline and I will post them here.

You can also look at http://uuworld.org/news/articles/119308.shtml for additional information and links.

The bloggers are also into this and you can see the critical, the humorous and the mundane at
http://philocrites.com for Monday, September 15th.

Here is the timeline for the whole process:

October 16, 2008 Deadline for congregational and other responses
October 23-26, 2008 COA meets to consider responses
December 15, 2008 Final draft of our proposal sent to UUA Board
June 24-28, 2009 General Assembly. At GA the CoA will hold a hearing, provide a written and verbal report, and host a Mini-assembly. Delegates will vote on preliminary approval (simple majority required).
June 23-27, 2010 General Assembly. 2/3 majority vote required for adoption.

As you can see the UUA Board will be asked to review the final draft at its January meeting. I would like to hear your comments on this. You can either leave them here or contact me at tloughrey@uua.org.

Tom

ARTICLE II: Covenant

Section C-2.1 Purposes.

As a voluntary association of free yet interdependent congregations, the Unitarian Universalist Association will support the health and growth of existing congregations and the formation of new congregations. The Association will devote its resources to and exercise its corporate powers for religious, educational, and humanitarian purposes. It will empower the creation of just and diverse congregations that enact Unitarian Universalist Principles in the world.

Section C-2.2 Identity.

The Unitarian Universalist Association is composed of congregations rooted in the heritage of two religious faiths: the Unitarian heritage ever questioning and ever seeking the unity in all things, and the Universalist heritage ever affirming the power of hope and God’s infinite love. Both traditions have been shaped by heretics, choice-makers who in every age have summoned individuals and communities to maintain their beliefs in spite of persecution and to struggle for religious freedom.

Section C-2.3 Sources.

The living tradition we share draws from many sources.

Unitarianism and Universalism are grounded on more than two thousand years of Jewish and Christian teachings, traditions, and experiences. Unitarian Universalism is not contained in any single book or creed. It draws from the teachings of the Abrahamic religions, Earth-centered spirituality, and other world religious traditions. It engages perspectives from humanism, mysticism, theism, skepticism, naturalism, and feminist and liberation theologies. It is informed by the arts and the sciences. It trusts the value of direct experiences of mystery and wonder, and it recognizes the sacred may be found within the ordinary.

Wisdom and beauty may be expressed in many forms: in poetry and prose, in story and song, in metaphor and myth, in drama and dance, in fabric and painting, in scripture and music, in drawing and sculpture, in public ritual and solitary practice, in prophetic speech and courageous deed.

Grateful for the traditions that have strengthened our own, we strive to avoid misappropriation of cultural and religious practices and to seek ways of appreciation that are respectful and welcomed.

Section C-2.4 Principles.

In order that we might work together in harmony to make our communities and our world more likely to protect and nurture all that is positive and hopeful; and in order that members of our congregations might find spiritual challenge to become their best selves as they worship and work together to create the Beloved Community, we, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to honor and uphold:

The inherent worth and dignity of every person

At the core of Unitarian Universalism is recognition of the sanctity of every human being across the lifespan. We are relational creatures, capable of both good and evil. We have experienced enough brokenness, including in ourselves, to seek the power of forgiveness and reconciliation. We are called to make choices that help to heal and transform ourselves and the world, and to move toward solidarity with all beings.

Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations

Grateful for the gift of life and mindful of our own mortality, we seek to respond with generosity and loving action. We are called to live in right relationship with others.

Acceptance of one another and encouragement of spiritual growth

We seek to enter dialogue with one another in mutual love and respect, honoring our varied backgrounds and paths. We are called to stretch and deepen our faith through religious education, creative engagement, and spiritual practice in our congregations and in our lives.

A free and responsible search for truth and meaning

Unitarian Universalism is an evolutionary religion that encourages and supports lifelong spiritual exploration. Unitarian Universalist religious authority lies in the individual, nurtured and tested in congregation and wider community. In a spirit of humility and openness, we are called to seek truth and meaning, wherever found, through experience, reason, intuition, and emotion.

The right of conscience and the use of democratic processes

We seek to ensure that all voices are heard, especially those often left out on the margins. We are called to promote fairness, accountability, honesty, and transparency.

The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all

We seek to create, sustain, and celebrate multigenerational and multicultural communities where oppression cannot thrive and where hope and peace flourish. We are called to counter legacies of injustice and to foster reconciliation.

Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part

Inspired by the beauty and holiness of the Earth, we become more willing to relinquish material desires. We recognize the need for sacrifice as we build a world that is both just and sustainable. We are called to be good stewards, restoring the Earth and protecting all beings.

As free yet interdependent congregations, we enter into this covenant, promising to one another our mutual trust, kindness, and support. Should we break this covenant, we will seek to repair the relationship and recommit to the promises we have made.

Section C-2.5 Inclusion.

We strive to be an association of congregations that welcome persons of every identity while calling them to act in right relationship. We encourage the fullest participation allowed by law, with no person excluded solely on the basis of age or identity.

Structures of power have traditionally created barriers for persons and groups with certain identities, abilities, and histories. Dissatisfied with mere non-discrimination, we commit to structuring congregational and associational life in ways that empower and enhance the efforts and experiences of every participant.

Section C-2.6 Freedom of Belief.

Freedom of belief is central to the Unitarian Universalist heritage. Nothing in these bylaws shall be deemed to infringe upon individual freedom of belief. Although no statement of belief can be required as a creedal test for individual membership in a congregation or congregational affiliation with the Association, congregations are free to establish their own statements of purpose, covenants, and bonds of union.

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:40:00 +0000

UUA Trustee Report for the fall PSWD NetwUUrk

It seems as though General Assembly was just a few weeks ago but the summer has come and all but gone as I write this. Just two weeks ago your PSWD Board of Trustees met for a weekend retreat with our Executive staff. It was very productive. One of the things I was surprised to find out about from other UUA trustees is that many of them do not meet at all with their district board. It had not occurred to me that would be the case. I value the time with the Board, the time with our dedicated staff and the work that is done on behalf of congregations in the Pacific Southwest. It really does make a difference, and making a difference is a question I have been increasingly thinking about in my work as your trustee. “How do we make a difference? “

It’s a great question to ask on almost every issue, large or small, which comes before us. If we cannot see that it makes any difference the challenge becomes one to either re-define the work, the process, the thinking, the implications or maybe even open up the thinking to new possibilities. Sometimes a light comes on and there is an “ah-ha” moment. But sometimes not; sometimes we (I mean me) spend way too much time even when we know we are not going to make a difference. Rarely though are things black and white. We usually do our work and make our decisions without all the information we would like or all the time we would want to think about and discuss even important issues. That’s just how it is though. The trick is to decide when it is either time to make a decision and move on to the next item or decide to invest more time. More often than not we depend on dividing the work up among us so we spend time in small groups that can focus on just a few issues. We end up making our decisions based on the trust we have in our fellow trustees and the information we get from staff. There is a lot trust that has to be given and that’s where things like retreats come into play. Getting to know the people we work with so that we can bring ourselves to trust the judgment of each other is key.

This is why I need to be an active participant with our District Board and the UUA Board. A retreat is precious time that ends up giving each of us the level of confidence and trust we need to get all the work done to make a difference in our District and Association.

We have several major issues in front of us right now at the UUA. In October we will start to do the “Ends” work of Policy Governance. It asks the question: what ends do we want to achieve for the congregations we serve? In some sense this is the same question as “what difference do we want to make”? I don’t expect we will finish that work in October but we will certainly make significant progress and commitment to them.

The next major issue is the change in leadership coming at GA in Salt Lake City next June we will elect a new president of the UUA. There are two candidates for this position, The Rev. Laurel Hallman, minister of the congregation in Dallas, TX and Rev. Peter Morales, minister of the congregation in Golden, CO. They met together at GA in a candidates forum which is online at http://www.uua.org/events/generalassembly/2008/112314.shtml
Laurel and peter have respective websites at http://www.hallmanforuuapresident.com/ and http://www.moralesforuuapresident.org/

For the time being, I am not endorsing either candidate. There is still more I want to know about each of them and how they think they will make a difference. I encourage you to look at the candidates, look at their websites, see who is endorsing them and talk to those people about why they are endorsing their candidate. That’s what I plan on doing. Fortunately, the UUA Board decided to invite both candidates to the Board meetings up to the next GA. One of them will be our new President and it seems like a good idea that they come in with some personal knowledge of the work the Board is doing right now particularly in the area of governance. I look forward to getting to know them both better.

Gini Courter our Moderator, and Dan Brodie, our Financial Advisor are running unopposed right now for their positions. It will be my pleasure to continue to work with them.

The last thing I want to leave you with is something that for me personally makes a huge difference in how I live my life: our purposes and principles. Our by-laws require that we periodically review them and it is that time. The Commission on Appraisal is doing this work now and will be reporting back to GA. Every person and every congregation is invited to participate in this process. An online survey has been set up at
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=gfHQF27tzFiiJiB8eFj7Eg_3d_3d

You can go to this site and let the CoA know what you think. I encourage you to do so. It is at the heart of what we are about and comes as close to a creed as a creedless church can come.

As always, I invite your comments on what we are doing, or not doing. Please feel free to contact me at tloughrey@uua.org or call me at 714 997-1973. I am open to invitations to visit your congregation.

In faith and trust that we are making a positive difference,

Tom Loughrey
UUA Trustee

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 02:25:00 +0000

It's opening day at GA! Today is the first day without rain since we got here. We need some of it back home.

The day has culminated with a performance at the Opening Ceremony of Sources by Jason Shelton and Kendyl Gibbons. This cantata draws on the six sources and was a mixture of musical styles a s rich as our sources. What a close! It is available online at http//:uua.org so check it out.

This afternoon we had the in-gathering of our own Pacific Southwest District. There are about 140 of us from the PSWD. Our new president elect, Michael Sallwasser from Long Beach, received the gavel from retiring president, Tom Stapelford. District field staff, Ken Brown and Tera Little led us in song and celebration to get us off to a good start. Representatives from various congregations shared some success stories of notable events going on in our congregations. Of special note is the fact that Pacific Unitarian Church is being honored at GA as one of only four congregations in the country to be listed as "break-through" congregations in the UUA this year. They are honored for their remarkable growth, commitment to service and strengthening Unitarian Universalism. Congratulations to all the members of PUC who helped make this happen.

We had a visit from Reverend Lindsay Ramsden, Executive Director of the UU Legislative Ministry in California. She reported on the remarkable success we have had in getting the laws on marriage equality to become real but she also talked about the proposition to remove this precious right in November. They have formed a PAC to raise funds to fight the good fight and get over 46,000 volunteers to help in the upcoming campaign. Those opposed to marriage equality will be well organized and funded and we need to now stand shoulder to shoulder to defend this new-won right. I am making a contribution to the PAC. You can too at: http://www.uulmca.org/main.html.

More from GA in Ft Lauderdale tomorrow!

Tom

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:45:00 +0000

Greetings from Ft Lauderdale and the 2008 General Assembly!

Things get going officially on Wednesday with the Opening Ceremony at 5 PM Pacific time. It will be streamed online at http://uua.org. If you look at it I would love to get some feedback on how it works for you.

Today was the UUA Board meeting which meets today and then next Monday following GA. Today we dealt with some reports from various committees about happenings of GA. We did do some business work though including appointing several people to committees. First and foremost I am happy to let you know that Michael Sallwasser has been appointed as co-chair of The Journey Toward Wholeness Committee replacing our own Reverend Monica Cummings. Reverend Greg Stewart, minister in San Francisco and formerly Minister of Religious Education at Neighborhood Church in Pasadena has been appointed as a member of the Ministerial Fellowshiping Committee. There are other appointments and they will be reported in the minutes for the meeting shortly.

We found out some good news and bad news about the UUA finances; first, the bad news: the attendance at this GA is significantly lower than projected with about 3,200 being registered. This is about one-half, or less, than Portland last year. The result is that it is expected to lose over $200,000. The god news is that the UUA as a whole is in the black this year, despite the projected losses of GA, by about $300,000 plus.

Do follow along with what is going on at GA both online and from my blog and let me know if there is anything you would specially like to hear about. I will be talking to you again soon!

In faith and trust,

Tom

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Mon, 05 May 2008 03:21:00 +0000

Here is my report to the 2008 PSWD District Assembly in Del Mar last week:

UUA Trustee Report to the Pacific Southwest District Assembly

I am amazed that it has been two years since I first had the privilege to serve as your trustee to the UUA Board. Time does go quickly. Let me bring you up to date on some of the major issues I think we are dealing with on the UUA Board and some of my impressions about that work. If you really enjoy details you can go to the UUA website and read the agendas and minutes for recent meetings at: http://uua.org/aboutus/governance/boardtrustees/index.shtml

A major transition is occurring right now with the Board and its governance. We are moving to policy governance as developed and interpreted by John Carver. It is a model in use now by our District Board. The Board started their work on this new way of conducting our business before I came on the Board. At virtually every meeting we have had sessions to learn new aspects of policy governance and in the last year we have been making decisions about how this will all work with our by-laws, roles of elected leaders, congregational polity and traditions. It is sometimes tedious, controversial, logical, exciting and even occasionally emotional work. We will soon start the “ends” policies, to which I have been looking forward. This is where we begin to define how we want the work of the Board, the staff and the leadership to be making a difference in how we function. It is very intentional and will be critical to a process in which we have an enormous investment of Board time and resources. I will be updating you regularly on our progress but I hope if we are succeeding it will be readily apparent to you.

At the April Board meeting which is yet to take place as I write this, we will be discussing the future of the continental organization of YRUU. A recommendation was presented by the Youth Steering Committee recommending the dissolution of YRUU and that it be replaced by some other entity serving youth. This evolved from a Consultation To and With Youth conducted last summer in which 60 recommendations were made to the Board. This was later boiled down to 11 priorities. There is a very good article on this at the UU World website:
http://www.uuworld.org/news/articles/100284.shtml and I would encourage those of you with a more detailed interest to take a look. From my perspective it is important to note that the Board has taken no action to dissolve YRUU nor have we approved a budget with no funding for YRUU next year. These things may happen but it will only be after a very thorough discussion. I very much would like to hear your thoughts and concerns after you have taken the time to inform yourself of the facts surrounding the issues. Please let me know what you think.

There are other issues we are dealing with; two years ago the Board approved a new approval process for Independent Affiliates. It has had the effect of dramatically reducing the number of Independent Affiliates. The idea is that we are an Association of Congregations and as such should be devoting our energy and resources to the support of congregations. Part of the approval process is to demonstrate the value of the IA to congregations. What it has not done is restricted any organization's right to continuing doing its work. It has reduced the ability to automatically have workshops at GA. Now former IAs have to compete for a GA slot as every other group does – on the merits of the workshop. The problem for me in this is that I think we may not be considering a new reality in what makes up a “congregation”. Of course, we have a definition of a congregation but it may be based on a model that does not really take in the way we congregate anymore. When I heard there is a UU congregation in Second Life I realized that the Internet, email and the interfaces to electronic communication have blurred the definition sufficiently that we may need to expand how we think about where devoted UUs find their “congregation”.

There are other issues, including our ongoing relationship with UU schools of theology and their support through the Panel on Theological Education; the upcoming election of a new president of our Association; the location of General Assembly in Ft. Lauderdale and the special requirements for entry to the convention center at this site; becoming a truly anti-rascist, anti-oppression and multicultural organization; developing excellence in ministry; maintaining relationships with the ministers, religious educators, musicians, administrators, district presidents, international congregations; filling important committee positions with qualified and capable volunteers; fund raising and budgeting and a hundred other no less important issues and tasks.

So what am I concerned about in the year to come and beyond? I remain a skeptic to be convinced that a governance based on a board that only develops policy and monitors staff compliance toward meeting defined ends is an improvement that will make a difference in our Association's work toward congregational success, social justice, institutional witness and bringing our saving message to a broader community. I am concerned that we have yet to find a right relationship with persons and groups that are committed to UU purposes and principles outside of traditional congregations. I am concerned we have failed somewhere in serving our youth and young adults in a way that honors them and their promise of new vitality. I am concerned about the demands on our resources and our inability to fully fund them. I am concerned about the influence that money and our fund raising efforts have on leadership, staff, programs and relationships.

And why am I encouraged that we can deal with all these issues? We are blessed with creative, intelligent, compassionate and very hard working Board members, volunteers, staff and leadership who are dedicated to addressing these issues head on and bringing to bear all their best efforts. It gives me hope that we can rise to each occasion, ask for help when we need it, get help when we ask, be forgiven when we fail and have to try again and most of all be focused on how our decisions will effect the people who ask us to serve and respond as faithful servants of Unitarian Universalism.

To that end I remain dedicated, I ask your assistance, your inquiry, your good wishes and your blessings for our collective work.

Please feel free to contact me at tloughrey@uua.org or just call me at 714 997-1973. I am available to meet with you and always appreciate invitations to congregations to celebrate, deliberate or just congregate.

In faith and trust,

Tom Loughrey
PSWD UUA Trustee

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Mon, 05 May 2008 03:19:00 +0000

Here is my article for the May edition of the PSWD NetwUUrk:

UUA Trustee Report

What a busy and exciting two week period!First the UUA Board meeting in Boston followed by the PSW District Assembly in Del mar last weekend. It is always wonderful to be around so many devoted UUs.

This was the last UUA Board meeting before GA in Ft. Lauderdale and a good deal of time was spent on Friday going over preparations for workshops sponsored by the Board at GA. It appears the registrations for this year are falling short of where they were at this same point last year before GA. Nonetheless, it looks like we can still expect to see a gathering of more than 4,000 UUs at Ft. Lauderdale. GA will kick off with a pre-opening gathering of Districts. This will be an opportunity for us to get together with others from the PSWD to see who is there, meet some of the District leadership and hear from some of the UUA leadership. I hope you will make it a priority to be there then and I look forward to seeing as many PSWD folk that can be there.

The UUA Board is going through a process now that is nearing completion on changing our governance process to a form known as Policy Governance. This type of governance focuses on specific ends for the Association and defines some roles of the staff and the Board in that process. Have approached this work critically and have had to be convinced it is an appropriate way for a religious organization that has always depended on volunteers to conduct its work. As we approach developing these ends I remain critical but also supportive. We are taking our time, adapting the process as we need for a religious body such as ours and being guided by other UUs who have done this work before. We use this type of governance on our own district board and have been working with it effectively.

A major item for the Board at this meeting has been working with youth. Perhaps you have heard that YRUU Steering Committee has disbanded. You can see a letter on this at

http://uua.org/aboutus/governance/boardtrustees/letters/96668.shtml.

The Steering Committee has inactivated itself and the Board has decided to work with youth to develop a successor organization that would develop a new youth organization that comes out of the work of the Consultation To and With Youth Ministry. The Board has not removed YRUU as a sponsored organization and it has given the successor organizing committee the same funding as was provided last year. The Board unanimously voted to place a motion before the GA on the empowerment of Youth and Young Adults. In passing this the following text was included with the recording of the vote:

“VOTED: The administration shall make the transition in youth ministry an institutional priority now. This process must be transparent and those responsible for implementation must be in authentic relationship with the youth community and its elected leadership. During this transition, the administration must provide monthly progress reports to the Board. The administration shall ensure that UUA support for youth ministry programming is maintained throughout the transitional period.”

The Budget for 2009 was approved and calls for a very modest increase in spending of about .4%. The 2010 budget was accepted and calls for a $2 increase per member in support of the Association from each congregation. This will make a total contribution of $58 per member by 2010.

I did vote for the budget this year (last year I did not) even though I have some reservations about the $2 increase. For every year for over twenty years the level of support has been increased by $2 each year. Obviously the $2 increase in recent years has much less purchasing power than the same $2 did nearly twenty years ago. Increases in the congregational support of the UUA have trailed increases in congregational budgets virtually every year. This means the UUA must find alternative ways to fund programs that are much less stable than congregational funding from the Annual program Fund (APF). I believe in paying our bills and being good stewards of programs we want. I think we can do a better job of funding these than we are doing now with less dependence on our endowed funds and fund raising appeals such as Friends of the UUA. I must note I have the same concern for our district and how we fund its work.

One of the most exciting events of the Board meeting came during the report of Beacon Press. First, we were thrilled to hear that Beacon Press is continuing to operate profitably. The only subsidy to the Press is for space at the UUA offices in Boston. But the best news came on several announcements: Mary Oliver's poetry continues to be very popular and a very good seller and should continue to do so. Second, the Press will be publishing the Graphic novel version of Howard Zinn's “Peoples History of the United States”. It is anticipated to do well. Finally, and most notably. Beacon Press is the only publishing company currently in negotiation with the family of Martin Luther King, Jr to publish all his writings, letters and sermons. This is not a done deal but we are the only ones they are talking to right now. This would be momentous on the order of the Beacon Press Publication of The Pentagon Papers. We shall see where it goes but we hope for the best.

The full agenda for the past meeting including all reports is on line at uua.org. I encourage you to take a look. If you have any questions about any of he work we are doing (or not doing) please let me know. I would enjoy talking to you about it. You can also see my blog at tomloughreyuuatrustee.blogspot.com.

Tom Loughrey
714 997-1973
tloughrey@uua.org

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 17:01:00 +0000

Visiting with family this Thanksgiving and writing from Carbondale, Illinois. A great day with our kids and two grandsons!

I have added a few new links to this site you may find useful. UUpdates has a compendium listing of UU websites and blogs that they follow on a regular basis. It is very helpful in locating many different sites, views and perspectives. I have also put in Philocrites which is done by Chris Walton, editor of UUWorld. It is very well done, as you expect from a professional editor and one I refer to frequently.

I have also included a link to my colleague, Linda Laskowski, Trustee from the Pacific Central District. Linda and I are both on the Living Our Faith Working Group. I enjoy reading her comments and perspective and thought you might also.

Finally, the latest PSWD newsletter, The NetwUUrk is out and you can take a look at my comments as well as news from around the District.

My best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving!

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 01:15:00 +0000

First let me start with some brief comments about the fires. As I came home from Boston last week I could see fires burning on both sides of the plane as we came into LAX. Many of us on the plane had not heard about the winds and fires before leaving Boston and during that seven hour span the flames really picked up. As I drove home I could see the Santiago fire burning in the hills to the east of our house about eight miles away. It was going to be an ominous night.

The next day at work we started dealing with employees who were evacuated or too bothered with smoke to be able to work. Since our job is the management of medical practices including five urgent care centers we began to get inundated with patients coming in with breathing problems and more. So to say this was an uncommon week is an understatement. I know it has been far worse for others particularly those in San Diego and the mountain communities to our east. I hope you will consider a donation to the fire relief efforts being put together on the PSWD website: http://pswduua.org

And now, more about what was happening at the UUA Board meeting last Saturday and Sunday:

A good part of the Saturday meeting is taken up with reports from the various committees and working groups along with reports from key staff as well as the financial advisor. Many of these reports are online at http://uua.org.

My own working group (Faith In Action) dealt with some of the issues involving our work on Katrina relief efforts along the Gulf Coast and lessons learned (which may become a GA workshop), a report on a program targeting successful ministries for ministers of color emerging from seminary training in the next few years and finally a brief discussion issues related to accessibility and the move of the inaccessibility's work to the Journey Toward Wholeness Transformation Committee (JTWTC). We will be inviting leadership of this committee to meet with us later next year to discuss specifically how the committee is handling issues of accessibility as part of its new charge. I introduced a motion to the working group to consider meeting outside of Boston occasionally and as a result we sent a motion to the whole Board to meet from time to time in a place other than Boston and to do so no later than January 2009. The motion was generally received favorably but members wanted to know at what increased cost so it was tabled until our next meeting for staff to develop some costs of meeting elsewhere. Specifically, we were thinking of New Orleans but that will be up the Coordinating Council to determine. We think we need to be more visible and present with our congregations outside of Boston (not that we have done much with the ones near Boston). Additionally, we will be looking at recommendations that come from the Consultation on Youth ministry late next year. This will give some opportunity to implement some of the recommendations made by the group

The Governance working group spent two hours with each committee looking at policies that we may adopt in the future under policy governance. It was productive work but it shows how much more education we need on how we and the Association will benefit from this style of governance. It will probably be know earlier than June 2009 before we adopt this change if even then.

The Finance Committee reported the UUA audit resulted in a "clean" report by the auditors meaning no material deficiencies or problems. The Association is in sound financial condition. Several recommendations include: raising the GA fee by $5.00; change the budget cycle so that the administration presents its first pass to the board on July 1st defining new initiatives. At the April meeting the administration will present its proposed operating and capital budget; approval of the Beacon Press budget (operating in the black by about $200K); approved additional organizations that may participate in the health plan; also approved for the Board to consider a request to increase the guarantee time period for Canejo Valley UU from 9 years tot he life of the loan. This wa later approved by the Board.

The Committee on Committees approved a new Task Force called the Fifth Principle task force whose job is to look at GA and consider all aspects of it and to later report to the Boad and the Association on any recommendations. This will be a five person task force appointed by the Board. this will be finalized at the January meeting.

Rev. John Morehouse of PUC was approved as a member of the Annual Program fund.

Rev. Cynthia Kane was approved for membership on the Ministerial Fellowship Committee. Phyllis Daniel currently is the interim chair and will be succeeded by Rev Wayne Arnason.

Rev Sam Trumbore of Altamont, NY will join with Carol Agate on the Open UUA Implementation Committee with Chair Evelyn Spurgin.

The Accessibility Coommittee has been sunseted and their work moved to JTWTC, chaired by Rev Monica Cummings and Carolyn Cartland. Michael Sallwasser of Long Beach also serves this committee. Two new persons were added including Arthur Tackman of Honolulu and CJ McGregor of Fitchburg, MA.

The complete list of all committees will be published on the UUA website soon along with the minutes.

Reports from Bill Sinkford, Kay Montgomery and Gini Courter will also be online soon as well.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions and also feel free to leave comments for all of us to look at. I do not moderate the comments so please remember to honor each other electronically no less than you would if you were talking directly to others.

The January meeting will be the 16-18th. As items of interest come up I will be in touch.

In service and in trust,

Tom

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 01:29:00 +0000

Today was our first meeting of the Living Our Faith Working Group of which I am the convener. I have to admit I was somewhat apprehensive about leading this group. Only one member had been a part of this group in the past. What this gave us though was the freedom to reinvent ourselves and our mission. We did not have much time though as the bulk of our time was spent doing the first Board review of prosective policies under policy governance. We were charged with reviewing and revising the policy on the treatment of people. Each of the groups did this with different policies and we then met in the afternoon to review them as a whole Board. By Sunday we will have a chance to do a straw vote on them. It was an interesting process that I think will help me with our own governance on the District Board.

At dinner we met with the Council of UU Camps and Conferences or CU2 C2. de Benneville Board member Clarice Turney from Riverside and LA was there representing the camp. I am sorry I missed Janet James who was here earlier this week. It was a nice get together.

This evening was quite powerful as we spent over two hours working on Antiracism antiopression and multicultural work. We saw a very powerful documentary on issues of race and then had an opportunity to discuss them in small groups. It was a real learning moment for me. Ask me and I will tell you more about it.

As you might see from the pictures fall is definitely here but I understand it is a little late and the peak is not expected for several weeks. These two pictures are from the Boston public gardens. This is a short walk down Beacon Street going toward Arlington Street Church. It was as beautiful as it looks.

More tomorrow when the actual Board meeting starts.

Tom

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 01:47:00 +0000

What a long day! We started at 8 am and finished at 9pm. Mostly it was the retreat today. It was a very good session and I got a lot of very good ideas for working with other boards that I think will be helpful. It certainly will be helpful to our own work on the Board.

This evcenings session was time spent working with a consultant on policy governance. The Board is well on its way to adopting this model and has begun working on it it in earnest. We sahll see how it works with an organizartion in which the CEO is elected and accountable to the member congregations. I shall keep you informed.

More tomorow.

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 01:24:00 +0000

Today starts the first of five days of the October 2007 UUA Board meetings. It was quite a trip to get here today. A canceled flight and getting here slightly later than planned to start. Not much to report yet. I met with the Committee on Committees where our work is to act as nominators for committee positions. Since it involves people and decisions about them the work is confidential so not much to say about it.

Tonight we opened with a short worship service that opened with a sharing from our moderator, Gini Courter, that Natalie Gulbrandsen had passed away this week. Natalie was a former moderator. I did not know her well but I always enjoyed her leadership at GA. Here is a link about her passing:

www.uua.org/news/newssubmissions/49375.shtml

Of course in the past few weeks we have lost several people in the PSWD who will be sorely missed; Len McConkie from Ventura and Abe Ohanian from Throop who for me was the face of the UUSC for so many years in this district.

Abe's obituary:

www.legacy.com/LATimes/Obituaries.asp?Page=Notice&PersonID=96306983

Len's obituary:

http://www.legacy.com/VenturaCountyStar/Obituaries.asp?Page=SEARCHRESULTS

You will have to do a search on McConkie

Tomorrow we start the Board retreat. A full day of taking the time to really meet and get to know the board we will be working with for the next two years. Working groups on Friday and the Board meeting starts on Friday night and goes through Sunday. More tomorrow!

Tom

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 23:30:00 +0000

I just got back from deBenneville Pines where my congregation, Orange Coast, had a great weekend with the members from Conejo Valley. There were about 80 of us there. Great weather, great food, good canoeing on Jenks Lake and new friendships. Hard to beat! It was also good to see our District President, Tom Stapleford there as well.

When I got home my copy of the UUA Board Agenda for the October meeting was waiting in the mail. The October meeting is normally busy but with all the new Board mmebers it is a particularly busy agenda. You can see the agenda for yourself at:

http://www.uua.org/aboutus/governance/boardtrustees/agendasreports/45679.shtml

I have a few weeks to go over everything and get prepared. If you see something on the agenda you would like more information about, just let me know at tloughrey@uua.org.

Tom

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 05:21:00 +0000

You can read a copy of my most recent NetwUUrk article at the following site:

http://www.pswduua.org/media/NetwUUrk/Fall07NetwUUrk3.pdf

It is the complete NetwUUrk if you have not already read it. I am interested in your thoughts and comments particularly before the next UUA Board meeting in mid-October.

In trust and faith,

Tom

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Loughrey) — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 01:45:00 +0000

CoC Meeting 9/12-14

I will be leaving on Tuesday, September 11th for a meeting of the Committee on Committees, or CoC for short. The purpose of this committee is to make recommendations to the UUA Board on persons to take positions for UUA Board appointed committees and slots for UUA Board appointments toother committees and organizations. Since this work involves evaluating individuals and the best fit between individual volunteers and various committee asignments the work is done confidentially so as to preserve individual privacy and keep an appropriate boundary between the interests of good selections and open and transparent governance.

There are about 28 slots to make recommendations for and earlier this summer people interested in various positions were encouraged to file written applications. I am looking forward to this new assignment and I am looking forward to reviewing the qualifications of many very fine people in our Association.