2. MidAmerica Regionalization 2.0
Powerpoint created by Lisa Presley and
adapted for presentation at the Districts’
Annual Assemblies, April, 2011
3. Move toward Regionalization
Two types of regionalization under way:
UUA and Governance
o As UUA moves into Policy Governance…
o District Boards looking at how changes at
national level impact the district level
Regional Staff looking at
o How we provide support to congregations
o Cross border resource sharing
Both processes happening organically
4. District Board Conversations
Recent, new collaboration by District
Boards of Central Midwest, Heartland
& Prairie Star Districts
District Presidents of Central
Midwest, Heartland & Prairie Star
Districts attending each others’
Annual Conferences this year.
Board members’ joint conference calls
5. District Board Conversations
Whether to accept the UUA’s Ends
rather than have their own
How to account for differences in
districts’ assets and liabilities
Whether to end co-employment of
District Staff
Whether to change district
governance structures
7. At the same time
The District Staff of Central
Midwest, Heartland, and Prairie Star
Districts have been collaborating on
service delivery, offering regional
programs such as Midwest Leadership
School, Youth Leadership School, and
our frequent webinars.
[now archived collectively at
www.midwestuuleadership.org ]
8. Most recently
The regional District Staff have
developed a staffing proposal with a
new team approach to serve our
congregations better. Comments and
suggestions are welcome as we begin
to create these new systems.
9. Emerging Approach
MidAmerica staff are changing how
we work together
Invite your input: contact us!
Work transforms as we learn new and
better ways
Wheatley: strive for “less arduous
and more delightful”
Acknowledge change, gain, loss
10. Who we are
Six District Staff members, working
together across three districts:
Nancy Combs-Morgan, Ian Evison,
Nancy Heege, Phil Lund, Lisa Presley,
and Dori Thexton
11. Values underlying our proposal
Future Focused
To be the church of the 21st Century
Flexible and adaptable
Modeling for service and support
Team-based
In our work and our approach
A strong team working with strong teams
in congregations
12. What We Foresee
Staff with core competencies plus!
Individual specializations
Generative focus: next best thing
Multiple points of entry
When you know us or if you don’t
Assessment and referral system
Social Justice is part of what we do
Inclusion writ large
Antiracism, anti-oppression, multicultural
13. How We’ll Serve
Unified, sustainable, excellent
administrative structure
Central and unified electronic
presence
All resources with easy access
As present virtually as we are physically
Open and supportive of the form of
governance shaped by our Boards
14. How We’ll Serve
When transition happens
We each will be able to assist you as
generalists, and in our core competencies
When you need to go deeper, we may
refer you to one of our colleagues
We will build on existing relationships,
but not be restricted by them
Increasing online resources and archived
webinars
15. First Step
A change in our support for youth and
young adult programming in region
Continue to focus on supporting these
ministries in our congregations
Multigenerational faith communities,
including vibrant youth and young adult
involvement
Nancy Combs-Morgan hired to be
Coordinator of Emerging YaYA Ministries
for MidAmerica Region, starting Sept 1st
16. What’s Next
Move to having all co-employed
District Staff serve the MidAmerica
region over the next 12 – 18 months
Move to unified administrative
structure in next 18-24 months
Will grab “low hanging fruit” as we
recognize it
17. What’s Next
Boards will continue conversations on
governance
District Staff will support Boards’
decisions about governance
Excited about road ahead, and willing
to adapt what’s necessary
A time of change and opportunity!