Priorities – where the minister should be spending time

Just as the Fellowship wants a minister who inspires, they understand this takes time in preparation. Most of the members consider spiritual leadership to encompass the minister’s time.

They also expect a minister to be spending some time in social justice activities, pastoral functions, and some facilitation of the UUFSD community and its committees and programs.

At the other end of the scale, members do not expect ministers to be spending much time in the details of running the fellowship, with other congregations and faiths through interfaith activies, nor with UUA affairs in denominational activities.

Should UUFSD grow in numbers, and if so, why?

Most of the fellowship support growth in numbers, either as a way to welcome more UUs, or to have a bigger local impact.

There were a wide variety of other ideas mentioned about reasons for growth in numbers:

• To attract more like-minded people
  • “To provide a spiritual home for people who didn’t realize they are UUs “
• Diversity
  • “Right now it is very upper middle class white”
• Financial
  • “To become more financially stable”

UUFSD is in a growing district

According to the national FACT survey conducted by the UUA, UUFSD is in a growing district, the Pacific Southwest District (PSWD). Of the Fellowships surveyed in that district, Fellowships increased by 660 members between 2000 and 2005. Growth  varied among Fellowhips; 918 joined Fellowships growing by 10% or more, there was an increase of 25 members in Fellowships with more modest growth of less than 10%, and 368 left Fellowships declining 10% or more. 

How large should UUFSD grow in numbers?

Growth is an ongoing of topic for discussion at UUFSD, as at many other UU Fellowships.

We asked Fellowship members to tell us the optimal size of the Fellowship. There are approximately 230 members, half of whom attend on any given Sunday.

Half of the Fellowship said 350 members would be optimal, a 53% growth above today’s level. The most ambitious 25% of the members said 400 or more, and the least growth-oriented 25% of the members said 300 would be optimal.