April 5, 2009

At this service, congregants were asked to make an offering of their vision of UUP in five years, along with what they would do to make their vision at reality. Below are the verbatim results of that offering.

# Animals should be included in Service. Animals are equal to people and are a part of our everyday lives! My pet (I don’t like to use the word “pet”) completes me. Makes me healthy. Also we need more “Music” singing, dancing, all that! Celebrate life, it’s too quiet in this church although sometimes quiet is good, too much is not good. Hugs we need more hugs “every service” and humor is healthy.

# More intercultural experiences to celebrate the many cultures around the world. perhaps sponsoring an intercultural exchange program to help youth have a more global perspective. I could contribute my speaking on the value of living in a family in another country as I did this in Nepal.

# Enjoy the drum circles. A shared experience like that definitely brings people together. Time and Talent auction also showcases our gifts given by the Creator.
In five years would hope to be a larger, stronger group that is known for community service. Community garden for the hungry? I could help to organize it.

# I feel that I wish I could contribute more than I feel that I’m capable of right now. But, for what it’s worth here are some things that occurred to me:
- I feel a desire here at UUP to pursue truth
- I feel truth has no specific perspective, but varying ones. This is one thing that drew me here because UUP does it so well.
- A suggestions: perhaps delving a bit more than we have into Asian religions such as Shinto, Buddhism, Taoism, etc. We have looked into some of these but I know little about them compared to Western religions.

# Vision for UUP’s Future:
* A church building — a beautiful building that we build or convert, that is green and fits in with Petaluma
* A minister-led congregation with a prophetic voice and a vision of justice and love and intellect
* Big RE program!
* Great music! Huge choir! Organ!

# UUP has purchased land — a rolling hillside in Petaluma. The congregation has built a simple church and office for the minister. There is a playground next to the church, so the children can play before and after the service and their education classes. The church yard has oak trees and wild flowers and it is quiet and serene.
The minister works closely and well with the Worship Committee, several members of whom are studying to become ministers. The congregation has grown to 150 families — and into one large, loving community.

# I would like UUP to have a “full-time” minister who leads/gives a sermon half time and plays a lead role in the community. Other members would lead services half the time.

# Vision for UUP’s future:
Our part-time minister is fully a part of our thriving congregation. The minister assist lay leaders in providing several ongoing adult RE classes, and new members are being well-integrated into the congregation and its many activities. The congregation has just voted to call the minister full-time! My contribution: a second term on the Board leading us to get a minister

# Suggestion: Have a “Good Humor Sunday” Read several — true — personal stories that are happy or humorous.

# Suggestion: Have an “upper room” discussion period upstairs

# “The religion that ends with the individual — ends.”
Five years from now UUP has:
- Its own full-time minister
- Its own church building
- An active Social Responsibility Committee
- A supportive Caring Committee
My contribution is to help create now the church I want to see then, by giving my time, energy and as much $ as I can to make that happen. “Create the world you want to see.”

# My favorites times — well. I have enjoyed expressing my knowledge (or sharing rather) of the cultural aspects of my ancestors. The worship committee has been more than open to my ideas even beyond the cultural. I would like to continue that. It helps me greatly spiritually. I love the kids and the intergenerational services. Also my favorite combining ritual and spiritual and mushing up together different religious traditions in one.

# What I like at UUP:
New friends with loving and welcoming hearts. Shared experiences of a variety of beliefs and religions — all accepted equally.
What I would like to see:
An expanding group — worshipping in its own building, still a welcoming and loving community.

# I would like to see a warm gathering of so many UU’s in our area that we don’t need to turn on the heat! UU’s of all shapes, sizes, and colors, all ages…. I would like our Worship Committee to have with them a part-time minister to help us grow spiritually. I would like the teens to feel comfortable doing a regular part of the main service.
I will try to bring more friends to UUP service and we will contribute more financially and with our time and working hands.

# We are excited about having a part-time minister. A pastoral presence that supports and nurtures our work. They also challenge us to new vistas and work.
(5 years later)
* Some one in our community as the resources to begin an endowment fund. We are about to move to our own building.
* Our membership is over 100.
* We love being together.

# I can think of 3 near-term ideas. They are smaller-scale than a grand vision, but here goes:
1) A monthly (or periodic) letter writing group intended to encourage members to express opinions on social and political matters. Basically, a group that meets for coffee and spends some time on, say, letters to the editor of local or national papers.
2) An annual adult-ed session on some of the founding writings and principles of modern UU. Emerson’s essays would be the place to start.
3) A periodic after-service hike to a local nature spot would be good as well.

# HOME SWEET HOME
[drawings of UUP tepee, and geodesic dome, and traditional, steepled church building surrounded by people of many ages and types]

# Community and children are most important to me in the UU.
I would love to see physical support for one another outside the UUP.
Members at soccer games, plays, events. Showing up at hospital rooms and at birthday parties.
I want my children to grow and support the other children here and vice versa and not only once a week, but in all aspects of their lives.
I want the children to know the strong bond of community and non-blood family, in and outside of UUP.
I would love to hear a child preach or simply stand in front to speak about that week’s UUP topic. I would love for that to be a regular thing!

# I would like to help the children and moms in safety houses. Help them be clothed and fed in a safe environment until they can return to the community.

# I would like to be [of] service to others. I would like to work as a volunteer.
I see the Unitarian church 5 years from now as I do now with some different people doing different activities.
My spiritual path will grow and bring me to new realizations and peaceful mind and heart.

# My hope is that this community of Unitarian Universalists will: Continue to be spiritually tolerant, socially and environmentally active. There is a good model in place; all it needs is to be nurtured.

# Vision for UUP:
Personal
I love R.E. and wish to be part of growing our children. That’s where I think my talents really lie. And music.
Congregation
An active vibrant R.E. program — lots of religious values and bringing them to the wider community.
Also a yurt church!

# In a yurt on a beautiful piece of land
Men’s Retreat with AmerIndian peyote ceremony.

# A working community
of seekers, strivers
sharing leadership
fearlessly
exploring spiritual
living together.

# Congregational vision
- Growing ever widening gathering of joyous members
- A place, physical center of our own — safe to be
- Co-layman counselors/advisor available when individuals need to talk and have support
- More ethnic diversity