Town Hall Meeting

Good day, dear SepulvedaUU members, friends and leaders!

I am considering our next Town Hall and some of what I’d love to see happen. Some of what I’d love to see us achieve. Some of what I would like to hear from you.

We, as you well know are at a critical moment in our congregational life.

• A reflection point.
• A visioning point.
• A moment to dream big and discern later the exact ways to make it happen!

What is our congregation’s vision? What is the future for SepulvedaUU? What do we promise / covenant with each other? What is the legacy you’d like to leave for future generations? How do we make an impact or difference in the SF Valley / Los Angeles? How do we serve each other and build the best SepulvedaUU we can be?

Let me ask each of you to join us this coming Saturday.

Town Hall 2
Saturday – March 23, 2024
10:00 -12:00 pm PT
Via Zoom: (Zoom Room 1)

The vision is where you are heading: “we will be / see..” Vision is future-oriented and focuses on where we are going. A congregational vision is an idealistic dream, so it inspires and speaks to the heart. A vision is ‘seen’ with eyes of faith and is ‘felt’, bringing shape to tomorrow. The vision reveals the destination, to be steered and moved towards. The vision for SepulvedaUU will require mind, body, and spirit, so to speak.

The mind: All of the wisdom, and all of the knowing about congregational life and UU faith need to be considered. Ultimately, how does a congregation feed and serve me and others?

The body: Yes, our individual bodies and how we feel when engaged in the congregation’s life, work, and deeds. But more importantly, how does the body / life of the congregation act in the life of me, others members, the community? What are we doing?

Spirit / Soul: For some of you, this may seem irrelevant? But for many of us, our spiritual being, our internal voice, soul, if you will, this should be fed. Should be growing. Should be important to your life within the spiritual realm or religious life of a congregant. So how has or how will SepulvedaUU feed you?

I’m looking forward to being with you Saturday. This meeting and our congregational meeting will tell us a lot about what is important. What you are willing to do to achieve it? What do you ultimately want this congregation to be?

• Question to spur the vision: The DREAM…
• Don’t get stuck in the details or small stuff now.
• How many members do you think we need to have to be a viable congregation?
• How do we interact with the larger community? What are the ways?
• How many staff might you imagine?
• Do you want a music music director? Do you want a choir?
• What should we do about children? How about a Religious Education program K-12?
• Young adult ministry?
• Men’s group?
• Women’s group?
• What kinds of Programs might you dream of?
• Death Cafe, Book groups, writing workshops, arts, pottery, theater, and drama offered?
• What do you want to do for fun? What is fun within a SepulvedaUU context?
• Social Justice, what does that look like for you by us? By this congregation doings?
• How do we attract people from all age groups?
• What about a campus ministry?
• What about our space that we rent? Do we need another place? What about the time of day?
• What about partnering with other UU congregations or other faith communities to get things done in the Valley? What does the dream look like?

So, dear ones, I’ve suggested a few thoughts here. How about you come to the session on Saturday with your thoughts. Your visions. Your dreams. We need you now, maybe more than ever! No debates here! Just your brilliant ideas even if you don’t think they are brilliant! We need you to survive!

In deep and abiding faith,

Rev Gordon Clay Bailey