It is my practice, in any congregation I’m serving, to share the mission of that community whenever I welcome people into the sanctuary. Often when I begin, people are surprised to hear the words – once a member said, “Wait – THAT’s our mission? I thought it was [another set of phrases]” I bet you just laughed – so did I, it IS funny. But it’s also the very reason I have this practice.
I was reminded of that “Why” behind this thing I’ve been doing for over a decade the other day when I read a recent entry in my friend the Rev. Kimberley Debus’ new column Hold My Chalice [link https://holdmychalice.substack.com/p/more-more-more] over on substack. It’s called, “More, More, More,” and it’s pretty compelling.
There are two reasons that I always share the mission statement when I am formally welcoming people into the congregation:
- It tells newcomers who we are right up front. It’s a snapshot of our values and where we are choosing to put our energy and resources.
- It reminds us who we are and why we are here. It’s a snapshot that the community worked hard to create together for the express purpose of sharing our values and where we are choosing to put our energy and resources.
Why are we here at the Unitarian Universalist Community of Charlotte?
To be CHALLENGED. To DISCOVER. To CULTIVATE. To PARTNER.
Those are active verbs. We are here to do something together.
How do I know that those verbs are what UUCC is here to do? Because our mission is:
Challenged by our liberating faith, we discover deeper spiritual meaning, nurture loving community, cultivate courageous connections, and partner in the work of justice.
That’s compelling. And you, here at UUCC, have also created a comprehensive vision and ends statements that give you more information about how you will work together to live that mission. We’ll talk more about those another day.
Your mission is one of the clearest and most actionable mission statements I’ve seen.
A clear and actionable Mission gets people curious to learn more about who you are – because it makes them think of who they could be if they were part of the community. And once they’re in, it makes a huge difference to whether they stay. So it’s important that you know what your mission is so that you can truly engage and live into it.
Which brings me to Rev. Debus’s column. She asks the question,
“Why do you think people in 2023 are coming to your congregation? What do you think they are seeking?”
Take a moment now to think about that – answer the question in your head. I’d love to hear what you come up with.
My answer? The best growth strategy is to Do Good Ministry. We think of growth as an essential goal in congregational life. We want to get more people in the door and sign the book because we need more people, we need more resources. But growth isn’t a goal. It’s an outcome. Congregations grow because they are doing something compelling, because people need what they have to offer.
According to Rev. Debus,
No one comes to your congregation to take on committee work or head the never-really-got-started campus ministry or restart the faith development program. No one (well, except for one couple I knew in the mid-2000s) comes through your doors and declares not only that they’re moving to your town but that they have been in leadership in the congregation they’re leaving and are ready to take on these roles.
Why do you think people in 2023 are coming to your congregation? What do you think they’re seeking?
Heck, why did you come to your congregation? What were you seeking?
…People do not come to your congregation because they want to do things.
People do not come to your congregation because they want to take over.
And people DEFINITELY DO NOT COME TO GIVE YOU MONEY…
…People come to your congregation because they are hurting, or in crisis, or because they are seeking connection to their own spirits, or to other people.
Here’s a really cool thing about your clear and compelling mission statement: People who come here hear it and they know that they can expect to…
… discover deeper spiritual meaning.
… be courageously connected.
… be nurtured in community.
… partner in the work of Justice.
… be challenged by a liberal faith.
Our mission drives everything we do. It’s a collaboratively created and clear statement of our values and how we hope to engage with one another and the world around us. Not for nothing, this is one of the best mission statements I’ve seen. So let’s focus on Doing Good Ministry. Together.
Stay tuned to this spot for more conversation about how our vision and ends factor in to the whole process of Being the UU Community of Charlotte. And I highly recommend reading the entirety of the “More, More, More” column I quoted. It’s good stuff.