Key Stages:

• Planting the Seeds (October 2023) – Setting the groundwork for engagement.
• Outreach (February & March 2024) – Reaching diverse congregant communities.
• Synthesis (March & April 2024) – Combining insights and perspectives.
• Draft Statements (April & May 2024) – Creating draft versions for exploration.
• Try Them On (Summer 2024) – Testing and evaluating proposed statements.
• Feedback (September 2024) – Listening and refining based on congregant input.
• Final Draft & Vote (October 2024) – Presenting the final statements for approval.

Exploring the Renewal Process:

To better understand the journey that led to this historic moment, let’s delve into the process undertaken by the Mission and Vision Renewal Team. Through thoughtful steps, the team engaged with the congregation to ensure that the updated mission and vision truly reflected the community’s values and aspirations.

Exploring Renewal – The Mission and Vision:

The Renewal Team utilized the “3 Big Questions” and cottage meeting format to foster meaningful dialogue and engagement within the newly defined communities of communities. The team encouraged participants to share their thoughts, dreams, and concerns for the church’s future by posing these open-ended questions. With its intimate setting, the cottage meeting format facilitated honest conversations, allowing diverse perspectives to emerge. This approach ensured that the renewal process was inclusive, participatory, and reflective of the collective aspirations of the congregation.

“3 Big Questions” Homework

Participants were encouraged to consider these questions before attending a cottage meeting:

• Who and what is First Universalist called to be in this place and in this time?
• If you could wave a magic wand, and First Universalist would be exactly what you’re longing for, what words – or imagery, or song, or movement – would describe that church?
• Move around our building. What does each space mean to the activities individuals do each week as it relates to their own “vow to the universe”? What do you think each activity looks like? Sounds like? How might that evolve as our cities, population, and congregation evolve?

Community of Communities:

Community of Communities refers to the idea that a larger community, like a church, comprises smaller, interconnected communities. These smaller communities might be based on shared interests, demographics, or life stages. By recognizing and valuing these smaller communities within the larger one, a congregation can foster a more inclusive and vibrant environment. This approach acknowledges that individuals have diverse needs and experiences, and it seeks to create spaces where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued. The team’s community of communities was focused on ages and life stages.

Pathfinding and Trial Statements:

The Pathfinding phase was crucial in the Mission and Vision Renewal process. It involved gathering insights as they were revealed from diverse voices within the congregation through various methods, such as surveys, conversations, and emails, in response to a set of trial statements. This phase was essential as it allowed the team to understand the community’s reactions to the team’s first drafts. By listening to these voices, the team was able to shape the final mission and vision statements that resonated with the congregation’s identity and purpose.

The Outcome:

The congregation unanimously approved the updated mission and vision statements in October 2024.

Moving Forward:

With the unanimous approval of the updated mission and vision statements, the First Universalist Church of Denver is now poised to embark on the next phase of its journey: strategic planning. This process will allow us to translate our shared vision into actionable steps and develop a roadmap for the future. By aligning our efforts with our core values and aspirations, we will continue to build a vibrant, inclusive, and spiritually fulfilling community.