How Churches Grow and Change (and how ours will…) January 8, 2007 Rev. Dr. Matt Tittle Bay Area UU Church Houston, TX

 Looking at your entire experience at BAUUC, remember a time when you felt most alive, most fulfilled, or most excited about your involvement in the church…  What made it exciting?  Who else was involved?  Describe how you felt about it?  Looking at your entire experience at BAUUC, remember a time when you felt most alive, most fulfilled, or most excited about your involvement in the church…  What made it exciting?  Who else was involved?  Describe how you felt about it? Visioning the future… Source: Campbell, Congregations as Learning Communities, Alban, 2000

 Without being humble, what do you value most about yourself as a person and as a member of BAUUC?  What do you value most about BAUUC?  What is the most important thing this church has contributed to your life?  Without being humble, what do you value most about yourself as a person and as a member of BAUUC?  What do you value most about BAUUC?  What is the most important thing this church has contributed to your life? Visioning the future… Source: Campbell, Congregations as Learning Communities, Alban, 2000

 What is the core ingredient in BAUUC’s make up, without which it just wouldn’t be BAUUC?  Make three wishes for the future of BAUUC…  What is the core ingredient in BAUUC’s make up, without which it just wouldn’t be BAUUC?  Make three wishes for the future of BAUUC… Visioning the future… Source: Campbell, Congregations as Learning Communities, Alban, 2000

BAUUC Vision  The vision of the Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church (BAUUC) is to be a vibrant liberal religious home respecting all people and advocating our principles in the community and the world. Adopted by the congregation in 2005

BAUUC Mission  Our mission is to improve our community and our world by:  encouraging spiritual growth in a diverse congregation which respects the free and responsible expression of ideas;  covenanting compassionate fellowship;  providing a joyful environment that nurtures creativity;  collaborating with others to promote our values;  providing a vibrant life span program;  and promoting environmentally sustainable practices.  Our mission is to improve our community and our world by:  encouraging spiritual growth in a diverse congregation which respects the free and responsible expression of ideas;  covenanting compassionate fellowship;  providing a joyful environment that nurtures creativity;  collaborating with others to promote our values;  providing a vibrant life span program;  and promoting environmentally sustainable practices. Adopted by the congregation in 2005

Why grow and change?  Remember, growth is multifaceted:  Quantitative, qualitative, spiritual, psychological, relational, etc.  Because we are under-serving our community.  Because someone in our local area will benefit from being here.  Because our mission and vision call for us to serve.  Because many people come looking for something that is currently missing in their lives (members and visitors).  Because it is what human beings do…  Because our theology/values require it.  Because it would be selfish not to.  Remember, growth is multifaceted:  Quantitative, qualitative, spiritual, psychological, relational, etc.  Because we are under-serving our community.  Because someone in our local area will benefit from being here.  Because our mission and vision call for us to serve.  Because many people come looking for something that is currently missing in their lives (members and visitors).  Because it is what human beings do…  Because our theology/values require it.  Because it would be selfish not to.

Research shows…  Congregations fall into distinctive size categories, and congregations of different sizes organize in different ways. Each has its own recognizable way of “being church.” Source: Mann, Raising the Roof, Alban, 2001

Research shows…  Average sabbath attendance--all ages all worship services combined, over the whole year--is the best single indicator of size.  BAUUC average attendance is  Average sabbath attendance--all ages all worship services combined, over the whole year--is the best single indicator of size.  BAUUC average attendance is Source: Mann, Raising the Roof, Alban, 2001

Research shows…  Congregations do not grow or decline smoothly, but tend to “plateau” at certain predictable levels of attendance. Source: Mann, Raising the Roof, Alban, 2001

Research shows…  In order to break through an attendance plateau, a congregation must deliberately relinquish familiar patterns of behavior and begin to act as larger congregations act. Source: Mann, Raising the Roof, Alban, 2001

Church Types Family (0-50)  Extended family(s)  Everybody knows everybody  Organized around 1-2 individuals or a family (primary leaders)  Part-time clergy in chaplain role (secondary leader) Family (0-50)  Extended family(s)  Everybody knows everybody  Organized around 1-2 individuals or a family (primary leaders)  Part-time clergy in chaplain role (secondary leader) Pastoral (51-150)  2-3 networks of families/ friends unified around pastor  Clergy in direct relationship with each member  Clergy does everything  Board operates like a committee concerned with daily ops  Members recognize faces, new and old, and know most people Source: Mann, Raising the Roof, Alban, 2001

Church Types Program ( )  Known for quality and variety of programs  Separate programming for different ages and interest groups  Pastor recruits, equips, and inspires a small group of leaders (paid and volunteer)  Decision making is distributed in wider circle (50ish)  Pastoral care is shared Program ( )  Known for quality and variety of programs  Separate programming for different ages and interest groups  Pastor recruits, equips, and inspires a small group of leaders (paid and volunteer)  Decision making is distributed in wider circle (50ish)  Pastoral care is shared Corporate (401+)  Known for excellence in worship, music, and for range of programs  Specialized ministries for narrowly defined groups (known outside of cong.)  Subcongregations form around various worship services  Senior pastor concentrates on worship and staff leadership (sometimes a CEO)  Decision making is multi-layered structure of Board, staff, councils, and committees  Pastor provides crisis ministry. Other pastoral care done in small groups or lay pastoral care teams. Source: Mann, Raising the Roof, Alban, 2001

BAUUC is…  A program size church with,  A pastoral personality and expectations,  A corporate governance structure, and  A strong family heritage!  A program size church with,  A pastoral personality and expectations,  A corporate governance structure, and  A strong family heritage!

Perceived (and real) barriers to growth  Being unclear about having a vocation to make room for more of our neighbors in order to serve a growing community.  Being unclear about size plateau concepts or realities.  When space is effectively “filled up.”  Being unclear about having a vocation to make room for more of our neighbors in order to serve a growing community.  Being unclear about size plateau concepts or realities.  When space is effectively “filled up.” Source: Mann, Raising the Roof, Alban, 2001

Perceived (and real) barriers to growth  Not being staffed for growth.  When the perceived “adequate” budget does not permit growth.  When ministry infrastructure is inadequate for movement to the next size.  Not being staffed for growth.  When the perceived “adequate” budget does not permit growth.  When ministry infrastructure is inadequate for movement to the next size. Source: Mann, Raising the Roof, Alban, 2001

Necessary Infrastructure  New member incorporation  Member ministry development  Lifespan faith formation  Pastoral care  Small-group ministries  Board and staff development  New member incorporation  Member ministry development  Lifespan faith formation  Pastoral care  Small-group ministries  Board and staff development Source: Mann, Raising the Roof, Alban, 2001

& Growth Areas  Ministry(s) Prophetic, membership, social justice, music, small-group, pastoral care, health  Worship  Governance  Lifespan Religious Education  Stewardship  Fellowship  Physical plant  Daily operations  Ministry(s) Prophetic, membership, social justice, music, small-group, pastoral care, health  Worship  Governance  Lifespan Religious Education  Stewardship  Fellowship  Physical plant  Daily operations “An unexamined faith is not worth having” - Rev. James Luther Adams Strengths

Imagine…  3 Sunday worship services  1-2 other vespers/worship services each week  Weekly dinner for 100+  Monthly coffeehouses, speakers, etc.  24+ covenant groups  3 Sunday worship services  1-2 other vespers/worship services each week  Weekly dinner for 100+  Monthly coffeehouses, speakers, etc.  24+ covenant groups

Keep imagining…  Multiple support groups (grief, mental health, life transitions, etc.)  Continuous new member and adult faith development classes  Leadership training  Lay pastoral care teams  Multiple support groups (grief, mental health, life transitions, etc.)  Continuous new member and adult faith development classes  Leadership training  Lay pastoral care teams

Keep imagining…  More (maybe double) staff in admin, custodial, support, RE, music…  worship attendance every week  $500,000 operating budget  350+ voting members  More (maybe double) staff in admin, custodial, support, RE, music…  worship attendance every week  $500,000 operating budget  350+ voting members

Stop imagining…  Everything in these “imaginary” slides is either already, will be, or needs to be happening within two years, with…  1 minister (and maybe a student)  1 building sized for about 300 members  1 sanctuary sized for seating 150  1 UU congregation serving a community of 500,000 people…  Now, imagine 5 or 10 years out…..  Everything in these “imaginary” slides is either already, will be, or needs to be happening within two years, with…  1 minister (and maybe a student)  1 building sized for about 300 members  1 sanctuary sized for seating 150  1 UU congregation serving a community of 500,000 people…  Now, imagine 5 or 10 years out…..

Pastoral (51-150)Corporate (401-1k) Family (0-50)Program ( ) Pastor- Centered Group- Centered OrganismOrganization Size Transition “N-Curve” Source: Mann, Raising the Roof, Alban, 2001

BAUUC Member Growth

BAUUC Budget Growth

Member & Budget Growth

Tangibles  Before the building opens:  Settled DRE and Youth Director hired  Long-range planning process  Volunteer recruitment  Lay pastoral care training  More publicity  When the building opens:  Double sexton staff  New worship service structure  Vespers service  More robust fellowship and RE  Before the building opens:  Settled DRE and Youth Director hired  Long-range planning process  Volunteer recruitment  Lay pastoral care training  More publicity  When the building opens:  Double sexton staff  New worship service structure  Vespers service  More robust fellowship and RE

Tangibles  Soon after the building opens:  Three Sunday services  Robust programming, membership integration, and fellowship activities  Near Future (2-3 years):  Ministerial interns  Additional staff  Collaboration and growth of UUism throughout Houston  Soon after the building opens:  Three Sunday services  Robust programming, membership integration, and fellowship activities  Near Future (2-3 years):  Ministerial interns  Additional staff  Collaboration and growth of UUism throughout Houston

Strategic Planning  Comprehensive five and ten year plans (including membership, staff, budget, building, programming, etc.)  Staff and volunteer division of labor  Re-evaluate governance structure  New missioning/visioning/purposing process  Simultaneously strengthen small group and large group ministries  Looking forward to Phase II of building project (new sanctuary)  Comprehensive five and ten year plans (including membership, staff, budget, building, programming, etc.)  Staff and volunteer division of labor  Re-evaluate governance structure  New missioning/visioning/purposing process  Simultaneously strengthen small group and large group ministries  Looking forward to Phase II of building project (new sanctuary)

Questions?