UUFSD is important in member’s lives, has been a source of strength and support

More than 85% consider UUFSD important in their lives, a clear sign of how vital UUFSD is among its members.

The most important UU Principles

All of the 7 UU Principles are either somewhat or very important to nearly every UUFSD member. The differences in preferences are slight. Two-thirds of all members rated all of the principles as “Very important to me”, giving it a 5 on a 1 to 5 scale. The inherent worth and dignity of every person and justice, equity, and compassion in human relations received the broadest acclaim, with 80% of the fellowship giving these their highest rating.

Important Ministerial functions

This Fellowship is clear that it wants a minister who will preach, while at the same time acknowledging that ministers fulfill many functions. Although preaching has a clear majority, most members also  say three other functions are important: building community within the congregation, personal interaction, and promoting UU principles.

This Fellowship wants a minister who can help us get along with each other. This clear message was shouted out by 97% saying that building community within the congregation would be a very important or somewhat important function of the minister.

Several other functions are also important to many members. These include personal counseling, social justice leadership, community outreach, and religious exploration (RE) for adults as well as children.

The function ranked as least important for the minister: committee work/participation. It’s not that members don’t want the minister involved in day to day affairs. They do, although more as an inspiration, guiding light, and team builder, than as an administrator or commitee member.

Survey question: How unimportant or important are the following ministerial functions?

The crucial skills and enthusiasms we want in a minister

Members have voiced a clear message about what they want in a new minister.

We want a minister who will draw together and build the UUFSD community, a minister who will guide and enhance its leadership, and offer uplifting worship.

There’s a saying that if you give someone a fish, they will eat for a day. If you teach them to fish, they will be empowered to eat for the rest of their life. 97% of members said that “building community within the congregation” is a somewhat or very important skill in a minister.  They want someone who will help us see our own talents and strengths, to rally us to effective action, all in a framework of mutual support and trust.

Spiritual leadership was ranked at the top of the list of priorities by 89% of the fellowship, while Administration, Interfaith activities, and Denominational activies were ranked last.

This fellowship wants an articulate, strong preacher with leadership skills, as acclaimed by more than three-fourths of the fellowship. At 84% of the fellowship, they strongly favor a minister with a personality that is ”authentic, genuine, ethical, candid”, in stark contrast to the 18% who prefer “energetic, driving” or 4% preferring “confident, poised.” It’s not about action and energy and motion, it’s about sincerity.

What were the major reasons you first attended UUFSD?

When asked what brought them to UUFSD, two reasons stood out for over half the fellowship: UU beliefs and sense of community. The members of this fellowship believe in the UU principles, and want to share their exploration and expression of those beliefs with others who have that in common. They may or may not agree on other matters: belief systems, politics, child-rearing, foreign policy, global warming, or who makes the best fish taco in San Diego. But, they’re eager to discuss these and other matters with others who have like-minds as to mutual respect and other principles, and at the same time celebrate and honor unique minds with independent perspectives.

Wanting to make a difference in the world is a core interest, from Social Justice activities to seeing that the next generation has a solid foundation.

Although the UUFSD site with its outdoor amptheater is unique, it’s not mentioned as the first draw for members.

Fellowship life right now – what’s unimportant and important?

What important to most of the fellowship is having a strong sense of community, thoughfully centered around UU values and Sunday Services.

Reaching out through social justice activities or community outreach is strong, although not as strong.

Projects like building homes in Mexico have been well supported, in that they combine Social Justice, community building, outreach, living UU principles, and are fun!

Meditation and prayer are of importance to only a few.

What skills and enthusiasms we want in a minister

There’s a part of the congregational record where we’re asked to summarize the skills and enthusiasms we want in a minister.

 

The Fellowship wants to be drawn out and drawn together, to be inspired to be vibrant, active, and to reach beyond their shorter-term views towards a longer-term, more far-reaching vision.

 

The Congregational Record, submitted to the UUA Transitions department, required us to look across all of the survey and focus group questions to prioritize what we need in a minister. Our instructions were very strict, to only list 4 items as crucial, 4 as significant, 4 as modest, and the rest as other.

 

Here are the results:

• Crucial

  • Community building

  • Leadership development

  • Preaching

  • Worship

These crucial items reflect that, above all, this Fellowship desires a minister that has the skills and interest to pull us together and inspire us.

• Significant

  • Children’s Religious Education (RE)

  • Facilitation

  • Spiritual guidance

  • Stewardship

These four items express what two-thirds or more of the Fellowship identified as important or critical: hope for the future and support in getting there.

• Modest (not the top 8 items, but still rated strongly by more than half of the Fellowship)

  • Home visitation

  • Hospital calling

  • Personal counseling

  • Youth work

These issues reflect the hope that the minister will attend to the personal needs of the Fellowship.

• Other

  • Administration

  • Scholarship

These rankings are primarily based on responses to the congregational survey. Additional consideration was given to those issues stated as most imporant in the focus groups. It was difficult to rank only four items as Crucial and four items as Significant, as many of the listed skills and enthusiasms are considered somewhat important or very important.

What kind of leadership skills do we want in a new minister?

In the focus groups, members offered numerous dimensions of leadership they want in a new minister. 

Leadership

A leader inspires, engages in dynamic dialogue with the congregation, helps us progress along our spiritual paths. Leadership spawns leaders, encouraging and training lay leaders and other volunteers. He or she will draw us together, help us become what we can, and encourage us to act thoughtfully.

Our members asked for a minister who :

• ministers to everyone so we are not separated into groups
• reaches all, from Christians to atheists
• can expound upon our sources, speak to each of the UU living traditions
• is a unifying force among diversity in thought
• good with different factions
• has a vision of where we need to be
• with vision and with the ability to articulate that vision
• channels our energy in some direction
• brings us together
• has a strong voice
• engages congregation in a two-way dialogue
• provides leadership and direction to the Board
• provides structure and change to the Fellowship
• excites people
• energizes us
• inspires us
• encourages us to be thoughtful and act thoughtfully
• is sensitive to all our needs and firm in guiding our growth
• has an opinion

• builds something new without throwing out our favorite traditions