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Larry Wheeler
UUA Financial Consultant
December 15-17, 2004

In attendance:  Carolyn Colbert, Minister and Board members:  Anita Cowling, Michael Mattick, Marta Powers, Ken Ross, Judy Sawyer, Olga Turner

Others:  Linda Anson, Lorna Baldwin, Barb Berry, George Carroll,Kay Crider, Sally Diehm, Kathy Dillon, Barbara Greenley, Martin Lewis, d maria, Robbie McCosh, Marilyn M., Gil Osgood, Bonnie Phipps, Sylvia Shaw, Anne Taylor

Larry began by emphasizing that the first, second and third priorities are our Annual Stewardship Drive!

Larry had us look at Gift Tables comparing the annual giving patterns of 8 other UU congregations across the United States with our own, as well as a Fair Shares Table, showing three levels of giving based on contributors' income. These seemed very reasonable.

There was a lot of discussion about canvassing.  Larry pointed out that we don't need to circulate a new budget.  It's sufficient to circulate the current budget and then indicate the budget we feel we need, based on three high priorities, indicating why these are high priorities and stressing what difference they'll make to us as a community and beyond into the larger community.  It needs to be stressed that this effort is "about community, not about raising money."

Larry emphasized that we need an ongoing annual canvass committee. It needs to have what Larry called a Chair and a Co-Chair who is more a Chair-Elect--the person who will be the next Chair.  Larry evidently likes the language Campaign Cabinet.  I (Ken Ross) don't.  It's mysterious new terminology that will need explaining.  I think the terminology Annual Stewardship Drive (ASD) is very good and well understood already. [Added:  Carolyn, Olga, and Judy had proposed calling it a Campaign instead of a drive.] I propose that we call the committee the Annual Stewardship Drive Committee (ASDC).  This makes it crystal clear what the group is about.  And the word "Committee" also suggests that this will be a standing committee, which is certainly the intent.

The culture change necessary to make us more comfortable discussing money was discussed at length.  It's important to start getting people to talk about money to the extent that they are comfortable.  It is desirable to match canvassers to canvassees (similar ages, similar level of pledges, etc).  He stated that canvassers would give canvassees their pledge cards, and that they must get the filled out pledge cards back in person (if not at the first meeting, then to keep the pledge card until they can again meet together).  The canvassers would also have access to their previous pledges, in case the canvassees needed to be reminded of them.  This new openness about pledges had wide support in the group, but some people also had deep reservations about the process.  In connection with these concerns, Larry brought our attention to the all-capitalized fourth bullet on the second page of the document, "What Makes Congregations Successful with their Annual Stewardship efforts."  Here's the quote:

It needs to be understood that individual pledge information and the details of a pledge visit are something that are not talked about except as it relates to the execution of the stewardship effort and in providing pastoral care for the members of the congregation's community - all of this is shared basically on a need-to-know basis.  You cannot necessarily draw conclusions about a person based on their pledge level - you do not know all that is going on in their lives.

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The following were among important techniques that Larry mentioned.  When canvassers receive a pledge card, they say "thank you" without looking at the card.  In fact, when they first discuss money, they say "thank you" for what the canvassee has given in previous years.  If someone indicates that their situation has deteriorated so that they can give very little, if anything, the canvasser makes it clear that this is okay, and then focuses on making sure that the canvassee's problems are addressed.

Larry was asked why canvassers have to have pledge figures.  He gave four reasons, but the main one was that our goal to get money should not be such a big issue, i.e., a culture shift.  Other reasons were:  (shouldn't be) a secret; canvasser can catch errors (like pledging $2000 per month when the intent was $2000 per year), and with this information the canvasser knows better how to approach the canvassee.

Larry listed several people (about 8, I think) who would have access to all the pledge figures.  He noted that more poeple have access to these figures now than we realize (I'd guess about 5).  He claims several people need to know these figures so that canvasses can be well planned.  Larry mentioned more than once that, once we've made these cultural changes, the concerns about money and confidentiality won't be as big a problem as many of us imagine.

d maria indicated that she believes that confidentiality rules have been put in place in the Board Policies or bylaws.  I, Ken Ross, recall the specific rules that d maria referred to, but I think they were the rules adopted for a particular canvass.  No bylaw mentions confidentiality.  Here's the Board Policy that gives our policy:  CONF.3 The church shall keep on file only personal information specifically provided by members and friends such as directory and pledge information. Records of pledges and other donations will be shared only on a "need to know" basis unless specific permission is given by the donor.

Olga stated that we will really need to educate the congregation about this confidentiality shift, since it has generated so much discussion at this meeting.

Martin Lewis gave a strong statement in favor of more openness about money, not only in the church environment but in cities, counties and the legislature in Oregon.  Because of issues with money, mistakes keep being made.  Others, including Kathy Dillon, made similar supportive statements.

Carolyn stated her optimism about money issues in the church because of the increased generosity this fall - positive responses to fundraisers, etc.

There was a discussion regarding how to recruit people to chair and serve on the Campaign Cabinet = Annual Stewardship Drive Committee.  This led to a discussion of the importance for the  Board and others to have and sustain enthusiasm.  Indeed, Larry noted that the last four letters in ENTHUSIASM can be read as: IASM = I am sold myself!

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Ken Ross, Board Secretary
Unitarian Universalist Church in Eugene
ruthken@pacinfo.com
home phone:  686-1549
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