Summary of Cottage Parties

Renewing Our Calling: Summary of Cottage Parties

To discuss the results of cottage parties and Renewing Our Calling, please attend our town-hall-style meeting in the chapel Sunday May 15, 2005, from noon till 1pm.

Approximately 150 of us attended 16 cottage parties from March 15 to March 28. We discussed what we yearn for in Worship, Congregational Diversity & Growth, Religious Education & Spiritual Development, and Community Presence, as well as other topics such as communications. We also could not resist some visioning that included suggestions about how to satisfy those yearnings. Described below are selected yearnings and suggestions – some themes are repeated by several members, others perhaps the voice of a single person.

• For detailed notes from each party click here.
• To review the congregational survey report click here.

Worship generated a great deal of discussion. One major Sunday worship topic was the balance of intellectual vs. emotional/spiritual content. Another major topic was diversity. At more than one party the participants proposed we tap the surrounding community and celebrate our own diversity more actively – and that through this we could increase variety in worship, create an enthusiastic culture of spiritual pluralism, and become more effective in addressing issues about congregational diversity.

I. Worship

• Many yearn for more emotional connection and emphasis during Sunday services. Desires include less heady sermons, more rousing music, more chanting, and more quiet time. Others thrive on what they perceive as a well blended intellectual/spiritual service and sermon design.
• Another big theme was yearning for more variety during Sunday services. Specific suggestions included more guest musicians, less organ, more lay-led services (including sermons, readings, chalice lightings), and more inspiration from outside the Judeo/Christian realm. Let’s celebrate with a broader spirit of pluralism.
• Let’s make worship more accessible to young people, while not conflicting with RE.
• Many complained loudly about community concerns feeling it is too long and breaks the spiritual mood that has developed by the end of service. The Easter Bunny was a lightning rod of criticism.
• Let’s do more to minister to each other. Prayer support, office hours for ministers, and training for caring council people are ideas cited. Let’s also share joys and concerns out loud in service.

II. Congregational Diversity & Growth

• Let’s explore and celebrate the diversity we already have! Let’s encourage a fearless attitude of pluralism instead of saying, “we are diverse” and other PC platitudes.
• Let’s address our lack of racial diversity in a meaningful way and without an uppity attitude of “helping the disadvantaged.”
• Diversity need not be only represented or pursued by congregational membership and friends. Let’s collaborate with other organizations/faith-based groups that are diverse in ways we are not.
• Most feel we are already economically diverse but educationally quite narrow and less accessible; less educated people feel less welcome.
• Many are concerned that 20’s and 30’s are growing faster than older groups, leaving mid-lifers and elders a little behind in the congregation.
• It’s up to us to notice not just when newcomers arrive but also when regulars stop coming. Let’s reach out to people who leave and find out why.
• Continued GBLT welcoming.
• Bring back the diversity flag.

III. Religious Educational/Spiritual Development

• Let’s improve awareness, among our congregation and the surrounding community, about what's happening at First Parish. Suggestions about how to achieve this include better use of literature, the website, the pews, our prominent location, and other forms of publicity.
• Let’s discuss more and better clarify the Minister of Religious Education role, hear more about what children learn in RE, get more consistency in teaching, and gain stronger commitment from families for RE attendance.
• Make Sunday worship and RE work together instead of being mutually exclusive.
• We can do a lot more with Sunday afternoons. Free parking until 1pm severely restricts our ability to schedule afternoon classes and events.

IV. Community Presence and Social Justice/Action

• We did a great job serving Harvard Square after 9-11 with open doors. Let’s be like that all the time; less of a closed fortress.
• What is our message to the world? We need to speak up, not give up high ground to the conservative right … and fight back until Rush Limbaugh feels the heat and is attacking UU’s.
• Let’s affiliate more with other local liberal faith based groups. Participation in Cambridge Ministers Group and interfaith visitors’ exchange are examples.
• Let’s give voice to conservative view points, explore these views, and be more assertively welcoming to more conservative members and visitors
• Let’s have Social Justice Sundays for adults, not just youth, and make our community work more visible within and outside the congregation.

V. OTHER

• Let’s talk more candidly about our financial challenges. This is a major issue that is not getting enough attention. We have been lulled into complacency by our endowment.
• Let’s improve our communications within and beyond the congregation.

- posted by Bruce Hoppe @ 10:24 PM