AT UUCUC, OUR MISSION IS SIMPLE

Build community. Seek inspiration. Promote justice. Find peace.

It is a reflection of who we are. The following words are not an official part of our mission, but help to explain the above eight words which were approved on December 4, 2005:

Build Community: We come together to provide a caring community, to encourage and to support one another in our religious, spiritual and personal development — and to promote a more just and peaceful world.

Seek Inspiration: We are moved by acts of kindness and love; we are awed by the beauty and wonder of the natural world; we are lifted up by the power of reason. Join us to find your inspiration.

Promote Justice: We value deeds over creeds — it’s our actions that define us. Whether you’re passionate about LGBTQIA issues, addressing immigration justice, or promoting sustainability, this community provides opportunities for better understanding … and collective action.

Find Peace: We each have different concepts of what peace means to us, but without peace within ourselves, within our families and our congregation we will have difficulty bringing peace to our community and larger world.

Congregational Visions

Vision statements approved by congregational vote on June 14, 2020.

Culture
Our members joyfully include, respect, and appreciate everyone who comes through our doors, embracing their racial, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic, and neuro-diversities. We are fully inclusive of a range of religious and theological understandings both within our congregation and as we reach out to other religious communities in CU. By our actions, we foster a sense of belonging, celebration, and joy to a community that cares and supports each of us. We extend that inclusion and welcome to the wider community and the world. We understand that we are all engaged in shared ministry together. We express our gratitude freely and give generously both within and beyond our UUCUC community.

Church Home
Our church home is easily accessible to all people. It is physically and aesthetically designed to be comfortable, beautiful, and welcoming to all who enter. Our “green” physical facilities provide right-sized, flexible, multi-use spaces for our programs and for community use, as our congregation grows and changes.

Children and Youth
Our children and youth are fully integrated into church life and contribute to services, music, classroom activities, play, and social action efforts. Children learn what it is to be a UU from many opportunities for interactions with adults. There is a wide understanding by adults of all ages that supporting and being in relationship with children and youth is central to our faith and congregation. Many volunteer to support the spiritual development and education of children and youth both within and beyond the classroom walls.

Growth
Our congregation embraces growth in membership and programs as a consequence of the appeal of our message and actions as we continue to maintain and foster community. Our members and leaders welcome the challenges of adjusting to changing church size. We learn about the dynamics of growth on staffing, governance, ministry, worship, and other aspects of our congregational life. We develop new ways to achieve our mission and serve through shared leadership, shared ministry, and pastoral care by both staff and members. We discover new ways to maintain and foster community.

Leadership
We have an institutional culture of fostering leadership. As spiritual leaders, our ministerial team and religious professionals provide direction and along with the staff, support for congregational growth. Programs to develop leadership skills empower interested church members to lead within our congregation and beyond. We provide ongoing learning opportunities for leaders internally and through attending UUA Leadership School and other training. Youth, young adults, those who have LGBTQ+ identities, and people of color are well represented in our leadership. We provide opportunities for the Minister(s) and staff to grow their skills, work toward our common goals, and learn what works best. The Minister, staff and members and friends of UUCUC work seamlessly to bring our vision to life.

Social Justice/Action
Our members join others to fight for justice, equity and compassion for all. We understand that working for racial justice to undo white supremacy culture, within and outside the congregation, is central to us as Unitarian Universalists. Our voices are recognized in the CU community for education, action, and collaboration to achieve justice and equity in racial, immigrant, economic, legal, gender, sexual orientation, and environmental issues. We are steadfast and generous partners with community groups.

Service to Others
We show up and care for each other in life’s joyful times and times of difficulty. Among our members, we respond quickly through Care Core requests and pastoral care to support others in need. Beyond our walls, we join in numerous community service projects. We show up with our hands, our hearts, and our resources for our neighbors in need.

Spirituality
This congregation inspires us in many ways to actively search for, be guided by, and move towards what gives purpose to our lives. Our spirituality and inner exploration create a path to our ‘why’, our reason for being, a way to find peace, and hope for a better world. Our shared ministry together is creative, integrated, intellectually challenging, and spiritually renewing. There are alternative forms of worship and spiritual practices to meet our diverse needs. Spiritual education for our children and youth is fully supported by the congregation. Our music program offers many ways for members to connect with music, and a broad range of musical styles.

Learning
Worship services, meditation, chalice circles, book and film discussions, classes, workshops, retreats, talks by invited speakers, and individual studies lead to deeper understanding of ourselves and our diverse world. Learning for all ages is valued, as is spiritual, ethical, and moral education for our children, and our youth program is fully supported by the congregation. Many members contribute to learning opportunities within the congregation and for the wider community.

Background to Mission/Visions Creation

Mission. (adopted on December 4, 2005) Mission was reaffirmed at 2019 Dream Buffets and the November 2nd, 2019 “Shape Our Future” Mission/Vision workshop with Lisa Presley, UUA Midwest Regional consultant. Possible modifications to Mission wording will be considered as continuing work in the Five Year Strategic Plan to be created and voted on in November, 2020.

Visions. These Nine Visions are the most common themes reflected in the four data sources reviewed: 1) “My dream for the congregation is…” cards collected at Installation and Jan 2018 service; 2) Sept 2019 Dream Buffet notes; 3) Aug-Sept 2019 ENews surveys; and 4) Jan 12, 2020 Sunday service on our Mission. These future visions reflect the best of what the congregation would like UUCUC to become in the next five years. Created by the Dream Team planning task force with Committee input, February 2020 and slightly revised with congregational input from two informational meetings held March 8th and March 29th, 2020.