We might have a mission by Dec 8. That's up to you, dear member, and your fellow members. If it happens, here's how. We've gone through many of steps already, including a number of meetings and congregation exercises last year. The steps remaining:

Step 1. Finish the House Meetings

We've had 13 House Meetings and there are only two remaining. If you haven't been to one, please do plan to attend one of these last two. Simply alert the host that you're coming.

Saturday Nov 2, 5:00p
Host: Diana Echevarria & Tom Ryan
[email protected]
[email protected]
235-1651

Sunday Nov 3, 4:00p
Host: Becky Kurth & Randy Marshall
[email protected]
[email protected]
633-3115

Step 2. The Mission Team Goes to Work

During the Nov 4-10 week, after the last House Meeting, the C.U.C. Mission Team (Mary Cavallero, Joe Majsak, and Randy Marshall) will meet. One of these three was present at almost all of the House Meetings. We'll review notes of what people said, and I'll leave them to create a draft mission -- or maybe a couple draft mission candidates -- with three criteria:

1. Brief and memorable. Preferably, the mission is expressible in a 3-word phrase that serves as a mnemonic for a longer -- but not too much longer -- mission statement.

2. Directive. The mission gives direction to both (a) the members, as to what sort of spiritual work CUC is all about, and (b) the Board and Program Council, as to what sort of programs to begin developing -- and what sort to stop.

3. Representative. The mission represents as many as possible of the hopes and yearnings expressed at the House Meetings and throughout the year-long process of CUC's mission inquiry.

Step 3. Publishing the Mission Candidate(s)

By about Nov 9 or 10, look to your inboxes. The Mission Team's proposals will be emailed out to the congregation.

Step 4. First Congregational Meeting on Mission: Sun Nov 24

During the last part of the service we'll break into small groups to discuss the draft(s) presented by the Mission Team. Following the small-group break-out discussion, suggestions for changes may be proposed from the floor. Any suggestion that gets seconded will go on a list of proposed amendments. We will need to vote on a procedural matter: what shall be the minimum percentage of the vote in favor of a new mission required for the congregation to adopt it? I recommend that we set the bar at 80%.

Step 5: Second Congregational Meeting on Mission: Sun Dec 8

At this second congregational meeting, each of the proposed amendments will be voted in or out. We'll arrive at a final version of a mission -- and vote to accept it or not.

If a mission statement is approved by the margin decided at the first meeting, then, by the end of the day on Sun Dec 8, CUC will have its new mission!
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Rev. Meredith Garmon
"What Were They Thinking?"

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It's a blessing you were born, it matters what you do, your experience of the divine is true, and you don't have to go it alone. That's how we roll, on the Unitarian Universalist way!

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