Searching for the Future (SFTF) is a weekend program of small group workshops designed to help a congregation clarify its vision and mission, and develop an initial set of goals and priorities that can jump-start a strategic plan. The process is tailored to the specific needs and starting point of each congregation, and often focuses on the physical and financial resources needed to support their mission and vision. It is especially helpful for framing requirements for major facility improvements or program expansion, initiatives typically supported by special or capital campaigns.
The magic of the process is that it takes place in one intensive weekend, in which as many congregants as possible participate in workshops facilitated by trained congregants. The workshops are lively, making the process of clarifying vision and mission not only painless, but actually fun. The energy and enthusiasm create a palpable “buzz” and build momentum for future steps.
The process includes a “train the trainer” component in which the consultant facilitates a session on Friday evening for congregants who then facilitate sessions on Saturday. This provides diverse benefits such as leadership development, congregation ownership of the process and results, leveraging of consultant resources, and enabling large numbers of congregants to participate in small groups all in one weekend.
Benefits:
- Develops a common vision of the future to serve as a focal point for strategic, financial, and building plans
- Creates momentum through the intensive weekend process
- Engages large numbers of congregants, promoting buy-in for major projects to follow
- Provides opportunities to identify and inspire emerging leaders
What We Offer:
Our consultants work with congregation leaders in advance to customize the process to ensure it reflects work that has already been done and desired outcomes. For example, if your congregation has recently developed an inspiring and effective mission statement, the SFTF process would be tailored to build on it rather than seeking to create a new one. And if a building program is a key desired outcome, the discussion of goals and priorities would focus on physical plant needs, while still ensuring a comprehensive look at how best to support mission and vision. Other preparatory work is helping recruit congregation members who will serve as facilitators.
During the weekend, the consultant facilitates the Friday evening session for the volunteer facilitators. This session has two purposes: it allows the facilitators to be participants and contribute their input; and it trains them to be facilitators for the rest of the congregation. Facilitators need not be congregation leaders, thus affording an opportunity to recruit newer members and develop new leaders. The consultant kicks off the Saturday program and then monitors the small groups to ensure they stay on schedule and on task. The consultant then convenes a final wrap-up session either Saturday evening or Sunday to consolidate and synthesize the results of the all of the small groups and create a consensus package for presentation to the congregation.
Your Stewardship For Us Team consultant is available to help recruit, convene, and orient a planning task force to take materials from this weekend and rapidly produce a clear and actionable set of goals, benchmarks, and quantifiable outcomes to serve as the basis for a strategic plan.
Searching for the Future Support
Empowered and Equipped to Meet the Challenge!
Impactful Guidance
Rachel Maxwell served as our fundraising consultant during a critical time for our
church. She motivated our volunteers with an array of proven training tools and
strategies, making everyone feel both empowered and equipped to take on the
challenge. Deeply knowledgeable about capital campaigns for churches of all sizes,
denominations, and histories, Rachel brought a wealth of experience that proved
invaluable in tailoring the campaign to the unique needs of our congregation.
Tailored Approach
A specialist in all facets of fundraising, what also sets Rachel apart is her refusal to use
a cookie-cutter approach. She invested time and effort to understand our steadily
growing congregation and the urgent needs of our aging facility. This personal
approach, combined with her comprehensive understanding of major fundraising for
faith-based organizations, meant every recommendation and strategy was relevant and
effective for us.
Enduring Results
We highly recommend Rachel to any church seeking a knowledgeable and genuinely
committed fundraising consultant with a track record of success. Not only did we reach
the capital campaign goal that emerged from her research and analysis, we are still
getting a steady stream of new pledges. Rachel’s expertise in guiding our campaign
was put to use almost immediately, but it is of enduring value.
— Ellen Mathia, Co-President, Board of Trustees, All Souls Church of Indianapolis
Capital Campaign Strengthened Our Community
Capital Campaigns can be times of high stress in a congregation. As a BIPOC minister, this time held extra worries for me. Rachel’s understanding of Unitarian Universalism and commitment to anti-racism and anti-oppression work helped us grow stronger from this campaign. It was a joyful, community-building experience that strengthened our shared ministry!
– Rev. Katie Romano Griffin, Senior Minister, All Souls, Indianapolis
We learned so much from Kay & Sara
“Our visiting steward program has been going great! Lots of positive response. We are all enjoying getting to know others at a deeper level. We learned so much from you that has helped us be successful this year and will continue to help us in the future.”
—Pam Kisor, President, UU Community of the Mountains
Great workshop
Thanks again for a great workshop. Our team certainly left energized and imagining new possibilities for stewardship at First Church Boston.
Lisa Garcia-Sampson, Intern Minister
We are FIZZING with inspiration
I LOVED this workshop!! We who attended are FIZZING with inspiration and ideas. Mark’ facilitation was a revelation!!
Robin Lovrien, President of UU Church of Ellsworth, ME
It was an invaluable experience
…some of your insights have shifted the way we are seeing things here and talking about our future. I feel like it was an invaluable experience.
Rev. Laura Smidzik, Michael Servetus Unitarian Society
Our biggest financial problem solved
Part of Rachel’s success was definitely due to her personality and a trustworthiness and knowledge that came through in her interactions with congregants. Even though we didn’t go into a Capital Campaign as we were anticipating, our biggest financial problem ended up being solved.
Rev. Chris Hockman, UU Church of Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi TX
Clarity and direction to move forward
Rachel’s investigative work, presence and presentation have provided us with the clarity and direction to move forward in fulfilling our dream of radical welcome.
Patty Daus, Chair Building Task Force, UUCC, Columbia, MO
It’s really worth the money
Understandable, visual, powerful presentation
Rachel did a great job of distilling a lot of information into understandable, visual, powerful presentation.
Rev. Dr. Nori Rost, All Souls UU, Colorado Springs CO
Rachel’s work as been invaluable
Your work and presence and experience have been absolutely invaluable. You are worth ten times what we are paying you.
Rev. Elizabeth Stevens, UU Church of the Palouse, Moscow ID
Expertise immeasurably helpful
“As a minister, engaging in my first building project/capital campaign, I found the expertise of our consultant immeasurably helpful. She provided what we needed, when we needed it, while empowering us to stretch our leadership. We could not have done it without her, yet we feel we did it ourselves. The sign of great consultancy!”
Rev. Lydia Ferrante-Roseberry, Boulder Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Knowledgeable, inspiring, down to earth
“Kay Crider was a terrific resource. Knowledgeable, inspiring and very down-to-earth. She helped us at each step, and was a calming influence when the anxiety started to rise! She helped us bring in both the annual pledge drive and the capital campaign drive, both exceeding our goals!”
Rev. Ruth Rinehart, Boulder Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Great information and great coach
“We could not have done this campaign without Kay’s help. And at difficult times she offered great information and was a great coach to us.”
Larry Sherwood, Co-Chair of Combined Annual & Capital Campaign, Boulder Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Smartest decision our board could have made
“Kay has been an amazing resource and having engaged her was one of the smartest decisions our board could have made.”
Jason Hall, Co-Chair of Capital Campaign, Conejo Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Home visits well received
“Kay gave us good advice … about the state of our financial picture and guidance about how best to proceed. We planned a clear campaign and made home visits which were well received. The service was a very good value for the cost and helped us a great deal.”
President, Bozeman Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Guidance about how best to proceed
“The service was a very good value for the cost and helped us a great deal. Kay provided direct advice about the state of our financial picture and guidance about how best to proceed.”
Amanda Cater, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Bozeman
Looking forward to financial feasibility study
“Kay was excellent and provided a great deal of information. We’re looking forward to the next phase … ”
Steve Clem, Cascade Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Expert advice, training, report
“Expert advice and deep experience of advisor. Training of stewards. Final report. Really the question might be “What wasn’t helpful?” Because EVERYTHING was helpful!”
– Stewardship Chair, Edmonds Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Increased our confidence
Liz Bredeson[/caption]
After several successive campaigns that struggled to recruit volunteers, generate excitement and increase pledges; we were in need of an injection of enthusiasm. Mark increased our confidence in our ability to run a cottage-meeting pledge drive. I appreciated Mark’s approach in making sure the team understand not only what to do, but why we should follow the steps he advised.
Liz Bredeson, Stewardship Lead Volunteer, First Unitarian Church of Des Moines, IA
Very easy to work with
Overall, Mark is the best consultant with whom I have worked with in our congregation over the years. He is very insightful, direct and helpful. It is very easy to work with Mark and he is very efficient with his time. And, he interfaces well with congregational members and friends.
Creighton Cray, Stewardship Leader, Community UU Church of White Plains, NY
Enthusiastic thanks
Let me add my enthusiastic thanks for your very wise assistance to us. You helped us sort through some ideas and get the big picture, as well as getting some thorny details figured out. You also confirmed our basic approach to stewardship that increases our confidence and, indeed, energy going into the next campaign. We contrasted our meeting last night with the meeting two years ago and celebrated our progress.
Sue Wilson, Past President Universalist Church of West Hartford
Webinar… hanging on every word
Thank you so much. We had five members of the Board of Trustees from NWUUC – Atlanta, present in my living room for your webinar. We were hanging on every word, and we’ll be discussing your thoughts in greater detail at our upcoming board meeting, and going forward.
David Zenner, Board member, Northwest Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Sandy Springs, GA
Webinar very helpful
I found the webinar very helpful and informative. The sound quality was excellent and the slides/graphics were a real enhancement and easy to read. I would like to thank your moderator, Mark Ewert, for an excellent job.
Frank Holstein, Board member, Unitarian Universalist Church at Washington Crossing, NJ
Capital campaign much more successful
Our capital campaign was much richer and more successful from having your guidance.
Jamie Sharp, Capital Campaign volunteer UU Society of Iowa City, IA
Amazing knowledge base
As Mark promised, the visioning weekend sessions were full, busy and very energizing. We have received great feedback from those who participated and several newer community members and folks who had been involved in other efforts, emerged as true leaders and are enthusiastic about taking the results of the visioning weekend to the next step. We appreciate Mark’s amazing knowledge base and his humorous and effective leadership style!
John Lyons, President, First Religious Society in Carlisle, MA
Best training… delighted
Barb Robinson[/caption]
I have heard so many people say that your training was the best they’ve ever had. Others who were nervous were delighted with the opportunity to go make visits.
Barb Robinson, UU Congregation of the Quad Cities
One word… Outstanding
I would sum up the weekend with one word … outstanding! Thanks to you and the UUA for making such an excellent resource available to us here in Stow.
Roy Miller, Stewardship Chair, First Parish Church of Stow and Acton
Insights are right on
The overwhelming response has been positive to not only your small group and one-on-one meetings, but various members of the congregation have given unsolicited responses in praise of your presentation following Sunday’s service – that you are knowledgeable – and “expert”, that you come across as warm, caring and empathetic, and that your insights are/were valuable or “right on.”
Administrator, UU Church of Asheville
Stewardship culture already shifting
Rev Tim Temerson[/caption]
Thanks so much for your good words and for your very good work with our congregation. I feel your visit was an enormous blessing and that no matter what the final totals of the budget drive may be, the stewardship culture of this congregation is already shifting. And we owe you an enormous of debt of gratitude for that!
Rev. Tim Temerson, UU Church of Akron, OH