2008 Eastern Carolina Cluster Meeting
Hosted by UCONCI
Saturday, April 5th, 2008

9:00 - 9:30              Registration/Check-in
9:30 - 10:00            Welcome, Orientation, and Opening Worship

10:00 - 11:30            Session 1 (Workshop descriptions follow the schedule.)
                                     How to Grow Small Congregations
                                     Saving Jesus
                                     UUSC Hurricane Relief by Cluster Congregations

11:30 - 1:00                Lunch provided onsite

1:00 - 2:30                Session 2
                                    Appreciative Inquiry
                                    Stewardship with a Positive Approach
2:30 - 4:00                Session 3
                                    Breaking through Growth Barriers for mid-sized congregations
                                    Uniting UUs
 
After the meeting, those who wish may get together for dinner at 6:00 at Holland's Holly Shelter Cafe on Hwy 53.
 
How to Grow Small Congregations
Are small congregations really that different than other size churches when it comes to growth?  Have you gone to growth workshops only to come out feeling like we can never do all that; that won't work for us.  Let's join in a dialogue about the characteristics of small congregations and how those characteristics impact growth.  Share what steps you have taken to grow, if not in number, than in spirit, mission, and organization.  Small can be strong and healthy.  Provide feedback to the District on what kind of help you need.  Workshop will be led by current District Growth and Development Chair, Nancy Proctor.  Nancy is currently on the Board of UU of the Outer Banks and Long Range Planning Committee.  She will share what she has humbly learned about and how she has adapted to the differences between  metropolitan, large congregations, and rural, small congregations. We can celebrate both!  Nancy was Board President of UU Annapolis when it became a breakthrough congregation, lauded at the 2006 General Assembly. During her tenure the congregation received a LREDA grant, a Chalice-Lighter grant for innovative church growth, and the District Picket Award.
 
Saving Jesus
The Jesus Seminar, Bishop Shelby Spong, Matthew Fox's Creation Spirituality – there are several movements afoot to reclaim a sane, compassionate, liberal  Jesus from fundamentalist distortions. Red Hill Universalist Church has been presenting a program about just such a Jesus. Hear highlights, engage the topic and learn about this program. Presented by Rev. Brian Clougherty, president of the Universalist Convention of North Carolina.
 
UUSC Hurricane Relief by Cluster Congregations
Hear how you and/or your congregation can help with Hurricane Katrina relief work. Area UU's went to the Gulf Coast last August-September to help the UUSC (Unitarian Universalist Service Committee) effort to rebuild churches and communities. Workshop led by Fred Anderson (TJD Board member) and Rev. Sally White (minister of Unitarian Coastal Fellowship, Morehead City). Would the Cluster like to organize a trip?
 
Appreciative Inquiry - Hands-On
In this experiential workshop we will conduct a brief inquiry exercise with all workshop participants, and then proceed to process the responses together: write up the responses, sort them, group them and report back to the group itself. While the concept of Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is intriguing, it can be intimidating to use it within the congregation, if one has never done it before. This workshop will offer participants the opportunity to gain some experience with the full process of AI, while having the opportunity to ask questions and brainstorm potential specific challenges along the way. Uta Mattox President of the Fayetteville Fellowship will lead this workshop.
 
Stewardship with a Positive Approach
Too often, congregational leaders focus on what the congregation needs to receive and plan their pledge drives accordingly. Rev. Ann Marie Alderman, minister with Greenville, NC UU's, will help us understand why we should begin with what folks "need" to give!
 
Breaking through Growth Barriers for mid-sized congregations
Have your membership numbers plateaued.  Do you feel like you have a revolving door – 20 people join and 20 people drop out.  What can you do break through that growth barrier.   This workshop is similar to one given at 2005 GA and will be led by current District Growth and Development Chair, Nancy Proctor.  Nancy is currently on the Board of UU of the Outer Banks and Long Range Planning Committee.   Nancy was Board President of UU Annapolis when it became a breakthrough congregation, lauded at the 2006 General Assembly. During her tenure the congregation received a LREDA grant, a Chalice-Lighter grant for innovative church growth, and the District Picket Award
 
Uniting UUs
Too often Unitarian Universalists feel isolated, like islands in society.  How can we find ways to do more things together, either between nearby congregations or as a cluster?  Group discussion workshop. Feryl Masters from the Fayetteville Fellowship will lead this workshop.



For further information contact Brian at asstdre@c3huu.org, (919) 818-4284 or Feryl at oferyl@gmail.com.

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