With the holiday season quickly approaching and knowing that most of you will be busy celebrating and preparing (as will we!), we didn’t want to wait to update you on some exciting and important things that are happening at your spiritual community.
It’s been anything but a lazy summer at Unity on the Bay. In June, we shared the news that Unity on the Bay contracted a consultant to work on the development of a new strategic plan. Over the past few months, she has started the planning process conducting one-on-ones and focus groups with our community as well as reviewing previous work, research and surveys.
Last month, the Building Our Future Care & Communication Subcommittee hosted another Connection Session. This time the topic of conversation was “Church Without Walls.” Thank you to everyone who attended.
We are also excited to report that we have contracted with a professional strategic planning consultant to help us expedite the creation of a plan that will help move us toward our future home. We are also creating a new Building Our Future Committee, which will convene for the first time this summer and will work closely with the board and our consultant to develop our strategic plan and implement it.
At Unity on the Bay, we care about what YOU have to say about our future. The Board of Trustees and Building Our Future Committee would like to invite you to participate in our second installment of conversations entitled, “The Connection Sessions.” This time the theme is “Your Oasis at Home and in Nature”.
In October, the “Building Our Future Care & Communication Subcommittee” hosted the first Connection Session. We were so thankful for the generosity and love shared by the participants through their personal stories and perspectives. We learned a lot about our community through small group conversations about physical and virtual connections. Today, we would like to share with all of you several of the key takeaways.
On October 17th, the Building Our Future Care & Communication Subcommittee (C&C) completed its first quarterly Connection Session. This event was a special opportunity to engage the UOTB community in a conversation about physical vs. virtual connections. It was well received and a great success. Those that participated were able to share their experiences developing connections both online and when they first attended in person. From the bookstore to classes and concerts to Sacred Service, every participant shared their story about how they first made a connection at UOTB. If you would like to share your story, send an email to info@unityonthebay.org.
At Unity on the Bay, we care about what you have to say about our future. The Board of Trustees and Building Our Future Committee would like to invite you to participate in a new series of conversations we are calling the “The Connection Sessions.”
Every week the Building Affirmation is shared during our Sunday Celebration services. The Building Our Future Care and Communication Subcommittee wants you to have it at your fingertips so you can affirm it every day. We have created a graphic for you to download and save on your device of choice.
On June 24, over 50 UOTB participants gathered on Zoom to partake in “An Afternoon of Empathy & Connection.” This workshop was facilitated by Ezequiel Williams of Contexto. Its purpose was to gather members of our community to get to know each other better and have an improved understanding of our spiritual lives. Participants engaged with each other in pairs, in small groups, and as a whole. This served as a playful and meaningful opportunity to socially connect as a community during this time of physical distancing due to Covid-19.
Back in early March, the Building Our Future Care & Communication Subcommittee presented a list of frequently asked questions during Sunday services. Soon after social distancing began, services were transferred temporarily online. We want you to know that through this change we still are praying our Building Our Future affirmation and are available to you if you have any questions.
Given all the changes that have taken place at Unity on the Bay to maintain services and classes online during this time of social distancing, the same is true for the Building Our Future committee and subcommittees. Rest assured, these teams are still working and meeting regularly to brainstorm new ways to progress toward our goals and provide the care and communication you need. Zoom meetings are the norm right now and allow us to continue to connect.
On March 14, before the decision to move all Unity activities online, several members of the Building Our Future Committee and the Board of Trustees participated in a workshop at the Unity Staff Office. It was led by innovation strategist Ezequiel Williams of Contexto. This workshop launched the discovery stage of design thinking research process. Participants were separated into groups to complete exercises to better understand the multiple stakeholders and various trends impacting the Unity on the Bay community. This was the first of several workshops to come.
Earlier this month on March 1, a total of 20 individuals representing the Building Our Future Committee and Subcommittees were introduced at all three Sunday services. This included the five individuals on the Building Our Future Committee that represent the community’s voice in realizing its right and perfect identity and home. The Building Our Future Committee is led by Board President Eddie Dominguez and also includes Senior Minister Chris Jackson, Amy Baez, Jody Johnson, and Keith Webster.
The Building Our Future Care & Communication Subcommittee interacts directly with the community to serve as a channel of communication and spiritual support regarding the progress and development of the Building Our Future Committee.
The Building Our Future Committee started off the year with their monthly meeting at our staff offices on January 9th. The meeting included a recap of the past few months and future plans from our subcommittee leaders. We look forward to sharing news with you regularly, introducing all the members of our subcommittees, and presenting new ways we will enhance communication with our community. Look out for more details next month!
On Saturday, December 7th, innovation strategist Ezequiel Williams of Contexto volunteered to lead a group through a Design Thinking 101 workshop at Unity on the Bay offices. The team was made up of UOTB Board Members, Executive Staff, and Building Our Future Committee Members. The purpose of this workshop was to introduce the group to some of the fundamentals of the design thinking process as a first step in understanding the needs and desires of our community using techniques and tools common to top innovative brands and companies. Using the playful and quick-paced approach of design thinking helps our team learn how to get to know friends of Unity on the Bay better so that we can design and create experiences, spaces, and opportunities that will delight our community now and into the future.
We are grateful to our community for confirming that Unity on the Bay is more than the building we occupy. Unquestionably, you have brought the spirit of our community through this time of transition. Currently, our Sunday Celebration, Family Ministry, Wednesday evening OM Hour, and Sunday and Wednesday classes and workshops are all housed at Temple Israel. We are deeply grateful for the deepening friendship and cooperation expressed by Temple Israel.
Last summer we informed you that we expected to close on the sale of our current property in late 2018 or early 2019. Time passes quickly and we are happy to tell you that we continue to anticipate a closing within the next several weeks.
Since then we have been working to move the sale to successful conclusion, a process that has taken far longer than originally anticipated. Based on conversations with the buyer, we anticipate a closing late this year or early next and now are able to turn to the search for a future site.
It’s been awhile since we updated you on the status of our property sale. You may know that the membership of our spiritual community recently approved a slightly reduced sale price. This was the result of a survey that revealed the property was a bit smaller than what was in the public record, reducing the number of units that can be built on the property. The membership approved the adjustment with the vast majority voting to support the offer during the membership meeting. We remain deeply grateful for yet another confirmation of the mutual love, trust and respect that our community stands for.
On Saturday January 30th, the Building Our Future Care & Communication Subcommittee hosted another Connection Session. This time the topic of conversation was “Your Oasis at Home & in Nature.” We learned a lot about our community though small group conversations learning about how spirituality shows up for us both indoors and outdoors. Today, we would like to share with all of you several of the key takeaways.