Hello from the southern-most part of the Midwest

It’s warm here! I’m in Dallas, Texas, where the temperature was forty degrees warmer when I arrived than it was in Minneapolis when I left. There is grass that is green instead of brown. The sun is strong and warms the skin. And it’s okay to have exposed skin! No wind chill!!

I’ve been in Dallas for a few days, meeting with people from around the country. All of us serve on a UUA Moderator’s task force called Congregations Come First. It’s an awesome experience to be with these people. We represent several partner groups — two district presidents, three members of the UUA’s Board of Trustees, a parish minister, the chair of the Annual Program Fund committee, the Moderator, two district staff members, and some people from the national staff. Each has years of involvement at the local and district levels, as well as the national level. All are highly committed to the possibilities that our UU faith offers to the world. All are insightful thinkers and great team members. It’s a privilege to serve with this group.

The work we’ve done in the last couple of years has been important, I think. We’ve asked some provocative questions, and we floated a concept that many people didn’t like. The response has not always been kind. But our work has stimulated some new thinking and some new experimentation. Things are moving, and we’re having an impact. It’s always scary to be involved in change. It takes courage to be a change agent. But what a privilege it is to have the opportunity to serve our faith in this way!