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The Strategic Planning Committee was established as a committee of the congregation in December of 2004 to investigate the current status of the programs and facilities of the church, to explore the potential of various options as we move toward the future, and to generate a five-year plan for achieving our goals. In all of our work, our central principle is that the mission of the church and its programmatic activities should guide our future planning efforts. WHAT NEXT?Working Groups for the next steps in the process will include
UUCE VOTES TO LOOK FOR A NEW CHURCH HOMEOn Sunday, May 20th, following one last heartfelt discussion of the pros and cons of expanding on our present site or looking elsewhere to accommodate our growth, an overwhelming majority of UUCE members present voted to accept the Strategic Planning Committee's recommendation to search and plan for a new church site and building. The final tally: 131 Yes and 17 No.Clearly, this decision was not made quickly or lightly, for we all love our lofty, welcoming sanctuary among the trees. And we all owe tremendous thanks to the Strategic Planning Committee, which has, literally, spent hundreds of hours over the past two years to research, discuss, analyze and publicize the results of the findings that led them to Sunday's recommendation and brought us to this point of decision-making. Thanks also are owed to the many others who carefully studied their reports, and provided ideas and feedback to aid them in their efforts along the way. BOARD OF TRUSTEES ENDORSES THE STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION - Congregational Vote set for May 20, 2007
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| PROXY OR ABSENTIA VOTING In response to several recent inquiries, we thought it important to remind the Congregation why it is we don't have proxy or absentia voting. ~ Proxy voting would be permissible only if it were in our By-Laws, and it isn't. ~ It might discourage people from attending the Congregational mtgs. The voting members are the "caretakers" of the Church, so we need and want our voting members to be present and to participate in the discussion and the voting. ~ The opportunity for full Congregational discourse might be diminished with fewer attendees. ~ It might jeopardize our having quorum for a vote which as a reminder, is twenty percent of our voting membership. Without a quorum a vote can not be taken which undermines our Congregational polity at the very least, and more importantly, prevents our voting on, and moving forward with significant Church matters. ~ It would be an administrative challenge at the very least. For instance, what would the rules be for the "proxy" and how many "proxies" could any one "proxy" have? Furthermore, there would be challenges in checking the "proxies" against the voting membership roles against the in-person votes. ~ A bylaws task force had a long discussion about voting by proxy, voting in advance, in absentia. etc. a few years ago. They consulted other UU churches and considered all the pros and cons. The conclusion was that the cons outweighed the pros. So, we look forward to seeing you all at the Congregational Meeting on Sunday May 20th after the second service. Your Board of Trustees |
http://www.uueugene.org/SPC/Recommend.pdf (PDF). The SPC grounds its recommendation in the desires and dreams of the members of this congregation, both for what they each want from this church for themselves and for the role of this church in the larger community and world. xxx If you are eligible to vote and haven’t been able to attend the five town hall meetings in which the SPC presented information as it was gathered, please read the five interim reports below.
xxx The most recent draft of our Five-Year Plan also provides important background for this vote, and is also linked from that webpage. Or you may pick up any of these documents in the pamphlet rack in the foyer at church.
xxxNo more congregational presentations are scheduled prior to the vote, but several small group gatherings will be offered in April for anyone needing more information or opportunity for discussion. For dates and to sign up, please contact Linda Anson at 343-6303 or LDA@efn.org .
Town Hall DISCUSSION - February 25, 2007
*Draft* Five-Year Plan
Draft Five-Year Plan Narrative (PDF)
Draft Five Year Plan Chart (Excel)
Use your Back button to return from either of these pages.
Town Hall DISCUSSION - Sunday, January 21, 2007
Property Variables
Site diagrams and photos (pdf)
Hypothetical drawings (pdf)
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Pros and Cons Chart w/ Narrative (pdf)Pros and Cons in rtf
Budget comparisons (pdf)Town Hall Discussion - Sunday December 10, 2006
Feasibility Report/Site Evaluation
Robert Brendle of William Wilson Architects, helped us to evaluate and compare the feasibility of several options. Questions included: Is present site adaptable to expansion necessary for our growing space needs? Cost estimates and options were part of the presentation. November (page 11) newsletter article about presenterStrategic Planning Committee Report
November 2006
As we prepare to welcome another group of new members into our community on Nov. 19, it seems a good time to look back on the origins and some of the past work of the Strategic Planning Committee (SPC). In an effort to inform newcomers and remind longer-term members of how the SPC has arrived at our current activities, we offer this briefsummary and update; for more detailed information please see any of the three SPC reports available on the pamphlet rack in the church foyer, or speak to an SPC member (listed below).
Background
The Strategic Planning Committee was established as a committee of the congregation in December 2004 to investigate the current status of the programs and facilities of the church, to explore the potential of various options as we move toward the future, and to generate a five-year plan for achieving our goals.
Our first task was to gather congregational input as to the desires and dreams of our church. To this end we held a series of “Dream Catcher” gatherings in Spring 2005, in which more than a hundred people participated. The Dream Catcher meetings let us know what our membership values about the church and what directions we should take in the future. They also gave us a solid basis for beginning the planning process.
We learned that the congregation wishes to have more, not fewer programs, especially in the areas of adult religious education and social concerns; that we value our Sunday services and the music; that we want to be a presence in the larger community and continue to be a welcoming congregation; we value our planet and “green” approach to living; we value a vital children’s religious education and intergenerational activities. And much more! Always, we on the SPC remind ourselves, our vision, as expressed in our Mission statement, drives our program needs, which in turn drives our personnel and facilities needs.
The Strategic Planning Committee has taken steps to make the shift from dreaming to reality. Much of our activities to date have necessarily involved examining options to solve our space issues – from creating a second church to building a new church on our current site or even purchasing land and building elsewhere. Some options are not viable and have been eliminated.
This year we have restructured our approach to give equal weight to program planning on the one hand, and facilities planning on the other. Members of the SPC have split into two sub-committees to handle these tasks, and come together as a committee of the whole twice a month. The program subcommittee of SPC is looking carefully at the organization and structure of our programs. It will study existing and emerging activities within the church and meet with church committees and affinity groups. The information gathered will help the subcommittee update the current Five Year Plan by plotting actions, desired outcomes, infrastructure and financial projections (capital and operating) necessary to support church program growth and development over a five year period.
The results of the Dream Catcher survey and our space needs assessment are driving the direction of the facilities subcommittee. Already it is clear that, as we have continued to grow, we need to at least double the capacity of our present very overcrowded facilities, and include substantial additional parking.
To that end, upon recommendation of the SPC, the Board has hired William Wilson Architects of Portland to conduct a feasibility study so that we can make an informed decision about what is possible, either at our present location, or at some alternate site. The feasibility study is well underway, and the results will be reported to the congregation at the December 10 town meeting. This study will give us information on the benefits and challenges of a number of possibilities, such as expanding our existing building, replacing our current facility with a larger one on the same location, or relocating to a larger parcel somewhere else in the area.
This feasibility study can tell the congregation what choices we have in deciding a direction to take. A feasibility study answers the question of what is possible. This study does not include a master building plan or models – that would answer a question of intent, which we as a congregation must determine by a future vote based on the information we glean from the feasibility study and our needs analysis. Specifics for a new facility will need to be developed after we decide which alternative suits our needs best.
We anticipate additional presentations in the spring of 2007, with plenty of opportunities for feedback from the congregation before bringing this to a vote by the end of next spring. We welcome our newest members of the congregation and invite you to ask questions – you are part of our future now! We on the SPC are grateful for the high quality input we have received from congregation members and have faith that, together, we will make a decision that will keep our church vital for many, many years.
Members of the SPC: Linda Anson, Pat Christgau, Larry Cummings, Betty Hosokawa, Elliot McIntire, Gretchen Miller, Diane Wooldridge, and ex officio: Bonnie Phipps and Patrick Phillips.
September 2006
SPC Continues to Explore Space Needs Options
At the Strategic Planning Committee’s recommendation, the Board has signed a contract with William Wilson Architects to do a feasibility study of the twofold expansion potential of our current property: to expand our current building or to build new on our current site. We hope to have data to share with the congregation by December.
Current members of the Strategic Planning Committee are Linda Anson, Pat Christgau, Betty Hosokawa, Gretchen Miller, Patrick Phillips, and Bonnie Phipps. New nominees for the committee are Larry Cummings, Elliot McIntire, and Diane Wooldridge. Their election will be held between services at a Congregational Meeting on October 15.
So we do not slow down the congregation’s decision-making process regarding our critical space needs, we also are exploring all possible land purchase options as we become aware of them. And, because we know that good programming is the reason we have space needs, we will be redoing our five-year plan this year so that it accurately reflects the wishes and goals of this congregation.
Recently we became aware of a very useful book written by a UU and designed to help UU congregations, like us, make a successful transition to becoming a program-based church (as opposed to a small-sized church that expects the minister to do everything). You will hear us using the following terms descriptive of a thriving program-sized church, as we interact with each of you this year. These program-church characteristics are here compared with the pastoral-focused smaller church for several crucial elements:
| Element | Program Based (our size) |
Pastoral Focus (smaller) |
| Authorities | Multiple | Minister |
| Organization |
Complex |
Simple |
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Desire |
Growth |
Comfort |
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Orientation |
Challenging programs | Relationships discouraging differences |
| Small Groups | Many |
Few |
| Decisions | Broadened base | Narrowed |
| Worship |
Challenging |
Focus on commonalities |
| Minister/s | Mentor | Caretaker |
| Minister Skills | Motivational, inspiring, training, crafting | Relational, embracing, comforting, supporting |
| Change | Opportunity | Threat |
You have probably noticed that, in many ways, we are already functioning as an effective program-based church. In the Dream Catcher meetings held over a year ago, the congregation expressed a strong desire for more, not fewer, program activities. That list helps us on the SPC stay focused on our goals to serve and achieve this congregational vision. If you are interested in reading more, the book is titled: Moving on From Church Folly Lane, the Pastoral to Program Shift, by the Rev. Robert T. Latham.
July 2006 SPC Activities
The Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) is very busy this summer, meeting every two weeks and continuing to study the feasibility of staying on site, while simultaneously exploring opportunities to expand elsewhere. We are taking this two-pronged approach to gather relevant information and cost comparisons for the congregation to make the best decision for its future. Recent activities include:xxxx• Preparation and mailing of an RFP (Request for Proposal) to approximately 30 architects/planners with emphasis on, but not limited to, "green building experience." The RFP is for a study of the feasibility of our current site to meet our space needs.
xxxx • Development of a system of fair evaluation of RFP respondents, and preparation for interviewing the top three candidates.
xxxx • Exploration of site availabilities, including contact with 4J School District, who currently has no available properties appropriate to our needs.
xxxx • Completion of a Needs Assessment Summary based on input from congregational leadership, committees, staff, DreamCatcher meetings, and SPC visits to other churches. Initially this will be used in the study of current site feasibility. It will have application to any new site exploration as well.
xxxx• Recommendation to the Board that Linda Anson be approved to fill the second year of the two-year SPC position vacated by Vern Cedarlund, who is moving with his family to Poland. We are grateful for Vern's service and send him best wishes on this new adventure. The Board approved Linda's appointment at its July Board Meeting. Linda has been an invaluable resource to the committee and we are pleased to have her back as an official member. (While the Congregation elects SPC members for their regular terms, the Board appoints members to unexpired vacant positions.)
xxxx • Organization of a Fall Congregational Meeting to elect new members to the SPC to fill positions expiring at that time.
xxxx • Preparation for a quarterly town meeting and progress report.
If you have questions or comments please talk to any of the SPC members or send us email at SPC@lists.uueugene.org. Current members are: Linda Anson, Pat Christgau, Betty Hosokawa, Gretchen Miller, Patrick Phillips, and Bonnie Phipps.
June 2006 Strategic Planning Committee UpDate
The Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) continues to work on your behalf. We are evaluating the feasibility of staying on site and simultaneously exploring opportunities to expand elsewhere. We are taking this two-pronged approach to gather relevant data and cost comparisons in order that the congregation can make the best decision for its future. Recent activities include:xxxx • Preparation of an RFP (request for proposal) for a feasibility study on whether our current site can meet our space needs and on the costs involved.
xxxx • Exploration of other site availabilities, including the possibility of teaming with a developer on potential sites as they become available in south Eugene, Glenwood, and north Eugene.
xxxx • Meetings with realtors and a land-use professional to determine the valuation of our current property, its probable uses from a real estate perspective, and how those uses might affect the selling price.
xxxx • The SPC has continued to gather information from church leaders about their space needs. This needs assessment task is proceeding on schedule and the results will be compiled in early July in preparation for the Feasibility Study.
If you have questions or comments please talk to any of the SPC members or send us email at SPC@lists.uueugene.org.
May 7, 2006 Congregational Meeting Calls for Vote to Finance Expansion Planning
A congregational meeting was called for Sunday, May 7 at 12:30 pm following the second service of worship. The purpose: To vote on a resolution to allow the Board to authorize payment of fees from the Future Expansion Fund.for further investigation of building growth options. The motion passed.
General Background. The relevant elements of the church bylaws are as follows:
Bylaw 090.5 The Capital Fund is made up of gifts, pledges, and other moneys set aside to acquire or construct buildings or for major building repairs not covered by the General Fund. Liquidation of capital funds or other property requires an arrangement that keeps good faith with the groups whose designated gifts the property represents.
Although there was some confusion about the use of this fund a few years ago, the Board decided that the “Capital Fund” referred to in the bylaws and the “Future Expansion Fund” that currently exists are the same entity. Further, although the bylaw does not require a congregational vote on the disposition of the moneys in this fund, the spirit of church polity and the recollection of several church members of the history of this provision suggests that the congregation do so.
Be it resolved that:
The UUCE Congregation authorizes its Board of Trustees, upon consideration of recommendations from the Strategic Planning Committee, to use the Future Expansion Fund to investigate options for church expansion to meet our growth needs.
Specific Context. After a year and a half of solid work, the Strategic Planning Committee is approaching the limits of what it can accomplish solely through its volunteer efforts. In order to proceed with its exploration of growth options on behalf of the congregation, the SPC requires information and assessment available from paid professionals. Upcoming expenditures might include, but are not limited to, professional architectural, real estate and appraisal services to produce: 1) a needs assessment (after we have done as much of it as we can ourselves); 2) a feasibility study regarding building on the present property; 3) a thorough search for a new property; and 4) an appraisal of the value of our present property.
You may direct any questions or comments to Patrick Phillips, board liaison to the Strategic Planning Committee (pphil@uoregon.edu; 685-1437) or to the SPC as a whole at spc@lists.uueugene.org.
Frequently Asked Questions1. What is the SPC? |
February 2006 - Interim Report III
The Strategic Planning Committee was established as a committee of the congregation in December of 2004 to investigate the current status of the programs and facilities of the church, to explore the potential of various options as we move toward the future, and to generate a five-year plan for achieving our goals. In all of our work, our central principal is that the mission of the church and its programmatic activities should guide our future planning efforts. Here we provide an update on information gathered since our Interim Report of May 2005 and our Information Update of October 2006 (thus the Interim Report III title of this report).
Previous Conclusions:
1. We have a vibrant church whose members greatly value community and who desire even more programmatic activities.
2. Growth is inevitable and attempting to stay the same size is not a realistic (or desirable) option. Not attending to growth will eventually lead to decay.
3. Splitting off a new church at our current size is not a viable option and is not recommended by the UUA.
4. Land within the Eugene/Springfield area is very valuable and rapidly becoming more so. Large tracks of land within the city center are very rare and of substantial commercial interest. Cost of obtaining a parcel of land that would exceed the usefulness of our current property is likely to be in excess of $2 million.
Executive Summary
1. Member locations: The majority of our members live near the church, although many families live further away, perhaps because of housing costs in South Eugene.
2. Property title: We own our land free and clear.
3. Church size: The SPC now feels that it is appropriate to plan for a sanctuary that can accommodate 350 people. This facilitates building “green”, is large without becoming cavernous and losing a sense of intimacy, and can accommodate our projected growth through the use of two services.
4. Current property building options: Parking is the only major impediment to building on the current site. However, we need to engage the services of professional architects to fully evaluate our next step. This will require using funds from the Future Expansion Fund, which will take a congregational vote.
5. Other UU Churches: Our sister churches in Salem and Corvallis have each have twice as much square footage as we do with equivalent or smaller sized congregations. Each have successfully conducted large scale capital campaigns. There do not appear to be any obstacles for us to be equally successful.
6. Five year plan: We have come very far as a church over the last five years. Finalizing planning for the next five years will require decisions on our growth options and greater attention to specific program areas.
Details of our research so far is available here in this downloadable PDF document
October 2005 Report to Congregation
The Strategic Planning Committee was established as a committee of the congregation in December of 2004 to investigate the current status of the programs and facilities of the church, to explore the potential of various options as we move toward the future, and to generate a five-year plan for achieving our goals. In all of our work, our central principal is that the mission of the church and its programmatic activities should guide our future planning efforts. Here we provide an update on information gathered since our Interim Report of May 2005, as promised.
Previous Conclusions:
1. We have a vibrant church whose members greatly value community and who desire even more programmatic activities.
2. Growth is inevitable and attempting to stay the same size is not a realistic (or desirable) option. Not attending to growth will eventually lead to decay.
3. Splitting off a new church at our current size is not a viable option and is not recommended by the UUA.
Executive Summary
1. Staffing: Our previous report highlighted the fact that we are currently understaffed. We have developed a provisional five year plan for adding additional staff, primarily in areas that will provide programmatic support, as appropriate for the needs of our growing congregation and in keeping with the stated desires of the congregation.
2. Land: Land within the Eugene/Springfield area is very valuable and rapidly becoming more so. In Eugene, there are very few large parcels of commercial land available, and we would be in competition with commercial interest for those that are. Churches are allowed to be built on property zoned industrial or residential with a Conditional Use Permit. Large parcels zoned residential are typically as expensive or more than commercially zoned; the church may find itself competitive, however, on industrially zoned properties.Cost of obtaining a parcel of land that would exceed the usefulness of our current property is likely to be in excess of $2 million. Investigating availability of land for longer-term growth or another church is advisable.
3. Other churches: Although it is ideal to have a lot of available property, most existing churches in Eugene of comparable size to our target projections have land holdings comparable to our current site. Our RE program far exceeds most other churches, however. Flexibility of space is key.
4. Current facilities: Our current church facility is structurally sound. Expansion of the existing facility or other building on site is possible, but requires further architectural investigation.
See significant details in the Update Report (PDF format) at October 2005 Update Report
August 2005 UpDate
The Strategic Planning Committee has continued its work over the summer. Recall that we ended the last church year with an interim report on future planning and growth. (Copies are available in the church hallway.) This summer, we have been investigating local property issues and the facilities and staffing of other local churches.
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Look for another congregtational town meeting in October, (probably October 16, 2005, when the SPC will provide a further update on our information gathering and present a schedule or moving forward on decision making as a congregation over the coming year. Patrick Phillips 685-1437 and pphil@uoregon.edu
May 2005 Interim Report
May 2005 Interim Report (pdf) presented at a Congregational Town Meeting.
February 2005 Dream Catching Phase of Strategic Planning Committee's Work
Gathering together in small groups, members and friends will be clarifying their dreams for the future program life of our UU Church community. These one-time, 2-hour gatherings are scheduled for various times between February 26th and March 3rd with child care provided at some sessions, and will be facilitated by members of the Strategic Planning Committee. Our visions from these gatherings will be added to findings from previous forums, and organized into several possible futures for our community. Next, personnel needs, budgets and facility options will be woven in to these visions, and offered back to the congregation for consideration in the coming months.
Those signed up will receive a phone call this week letting them know where their dream catcher gathering will take place. If you would like to participate but haven't yet signed up, please email the Strategic Planning Committee at spc@lists.uueugene.org.
January 2005 - UUCE’s Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) Gets Started
UUCE’s new Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) met for the first time on December 7th. The mission of the committee is to draft a five-year strategic plan for the future of the UU Church in Eugene.
In formulating the plan, the committee will review suggestions and survey data collected over the last eight years, with particular emphasis on the results of the 2003 Visioning Workshop and the recent visits from our UUA consultants. The final plan will include recommendations on future programs and possible changes in our facilities to accommodate current demands and expected growth. The Strategic Planning Committee will meet twice monthly beginning in January and will report directly to the UUCE Congregation. They will also meet with church members individually, and in groups, to gather additional information about our hopes and desires for UUCE. See box above to review previous work regarding growth planning.
At the first meeting, committee members elected George Carroll to be committee facilitator. As facilitator, he will develop the committee’s agendas and oversee committee meetings. If you have a suggestion or question, please email the whole Strategic Planning Committee at spc@lists.uueugene.org.