Foremost in
our planning for next year and the full time ministry we are beginning
together in Jackson must be a vision and a mission statement. Without a
plan, we will wander aimlessly without hope of achieving any
congregational visions or goals in this coming year.
As once
suggested, the Israelites may have been condemned to wandering in the
wilderness for 40 years because it took them that long to develop a new
identity/vision of living in freedom. When UUCJ was founded, its mission
was shaped around the crucial civil rights issues in Jackson and the
U.S. What a vital and noble beginning it had, but it has been 50 years
since then, years of not being able to sustain any growth. Now is the
time to rethink the vision and mission of this church in Jackson. What
vision and mission is vital to its members now? Where is the promised
land of this congregation? How will we know when we get there?
These vision
and mission statements are also important in the free church because
there is no historical creed around which the congregation gathers.
There are the Principles and Purposes, which change in format and
context periodically, that hold the Association of Congregations
together, but each vital Unitarian and Universalist congregation needs
to craft its own unique statements:
- vision
statement - the
dream of what the church wants to be in the future
- mission
statement - who we are
and why we exist
- values/covenant
- what we hold dear,
what we expect and what is expected, how we will be in community
- shared
ministry goals - together
in ministry we will . . . .
- mission
objectives - specific
measurable strategies
Each one of
these statements grows out of the other and is lived out within the
congregation and within the community by the congregation.
First
there must be a vision statement.
I don't know of one that has been framed by UUCJ; certainly there is not
a recent one. Some research might be in order to find this
congregation’s original vision statement.
UUCJ
will also need a mission statement, usually less than 50 words, a
concise statement of what the congregation wants to be known for within
the wider world and what the congregation wants to mean to the
community.
UU Jackson's
current mission statement is:
Our
mission is to provide an accepting congregation, supportive of
individuals in all their diversity, in their spiritual growth. We
commit to being sensitive and responsive to the needs of our larger
community.
I think this
congregation has a stronger identity within the Jackson community than
is represented in the present statement. Visioning can be exciting and
creative as we collectively envision what it is you want to support in
your religious community and what you want it to be.
Here are
ideas sent to me thus far that could be launching points for vision and
mission statements for the church. Please
reply with others.
- To
be an example for our larger Jackson community of commitment to
justice and equality
- To
model a loving community for our families and for the larger
community
- To
develop our own loving bonds by working together on visible tasks
and spiritual understanding
- To
nurture the spiritual and physical growth of this congregation
- To
lead in demonstrating ways to care for our earth home
- Affirm
our interdependence, and create a thoughtful and harmonious voice
for progressive religion
- To
be a compassionate religious community grounded in love and respect
in Jackson
- We
commit ourselves to serving the human community
- To
embody the good news of progressive religion
- To
be a progressive religious voice and presence in Jackson
Let's be
priming the pump to get ideas flowing within the congregation as we
increase our efforts with this ministry in Jackson. Soon it will be
necessary to put pencil to paper, and we want to have begun the
preparation so the process will flow more easily.
Expectantly and hopefully I await your ideas.
Jacqueline
