In many ways, the journey to my ministerial call began with administrative and governance systems. As the congregational administrator for a UU congregation I have extensive experience with all areas of administration and I am deeply passionate about the ways that administration and governance reflect our values of justice as Unitarian Universalists.
My experience includes communication, volunteer recruitment, leadership development, membership engagement, board support, knowledge of bylaws, finances (budgeting, stewardship/pledging, capital campaign), staff supervision, office support, and buildings and grounds.
During my internship, I specifically worked towards forming a ministerial perspective of administration. The ministerial transition I experienced during this time, combined with a congregation working with UUA staff to improve their governance structure, has provided me with a unique opportunity to observe and form a ministerial perspective of organizational systems, administration, and governance.
Helping congregations reach their potential as communities that embody and promote justice in their organizational structure is one of my passions. Embracing change and adapting with creativity and imagination to the challenges of congregational life helps all of us, personally and collectively, evolve into beings and institutions that embrace possibility and strive to be our best.
Primary to my understanding of this vital component of congregational life is my Daoist theological perspective of change. As communities that are always evolving, congregational systems should have built within them a process of review and adaptation. With regular check-ins, our systems evolve as needed to address the changes of congregational life, thus maintaining a balance that adapts rather than responds to crisis from lack of maintenance. As we adapt and embrace change we become more able to address the pressing issues of justice and community.
mandi huizenga 