Once again the Southland Unitarian Universalist Experience (SUULE) offers a chance for turbocharged training for leaders – lay and clergy alike. SUULE offers intensive and diverse lectures, exercises, case studies, theological dialogue, and skill building from organizational skills to worship arts, from UU history to contemporary trends, from lifespan faith development to mission and vision, from small group ministry to stewardship. The SUULE experience is an investment in the health and vitality of your congregation and to Unitarian Universalism.
From our goal to translate the SUULE experience into tangible congregational health and vitality, we are preparing for the 2010 SUULE somewhat differently than in years past. Factors that appear to make a difference in how SUULE effects congregational health include participants who serve significant leadership roles in their congregation, participants who come in teams of two to four from a congregation, congregations who send teams of leaders to SUULE for several years in a row, and congregations that have an intentional process for selecting their SUULE registrants and integrating the newfound knowledge and skills in the life of the congregation. This letter is the call for you to nominate your congregation’s participants for the 2010 SUULE scheduled for August 8-13 at The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center on Little Scaly Mountain near Highlands, NC. We ask that you carefully consider the leaders you would like to participate in SUULE and to submit their nomination by May 1. We plan to announce the 2010 class before May 15th. The earlier registration process will allow us to better prepare participants for the experience. Preference will be given to leaders who will be serving in board, staff (particularly ministers and DREs) or major committee/ministry leadership roles, as well as to congregations sending teams of participants. I want to encourage you to include your best youth leader(s) as part of your team. Youth leadership presence and participation is important both in our congregations today and for the future of our faith. We are asking congregational presidents, or their designees, to please complete the SUULE Nomination form to nominate participants from your congregation. What you can expect from our 2010 SUULE: For the second year, we, Reverend Susan M. Smith, District Executive of the Southwestern Conference and Connie Goodbread, UUA Credentialed Religious Educator and Program Consultant for Mid-South, Northeast and Florida Districts, to join in teaching our values-based, theologically grounded approach to congregational leadership. Our august teachers have taught together for several years and are devoted to rising up lay elders of our faith who understand leadership as covenantal religious vocation. Connie is also a student of Peter Steinke’s and has been authorized by him to adapt his Healthy Congregations work for Unitarian Universalists. We plan to continue a program begun at last year’s SUULE to help congregations and participants align congregational leadership needs with individual leadership strengths and goals. The program will be led by SUULE Dean Peter Kandis. Prior to SUULE, Peter will survey participants’ leadership experiences and attributes and their current or expected leadership roles. During SUULE he will create personal leadership development and action plans. After SUULE periodic teleconferences for peer and coaching support of participant leadership plans will be held. 2009 SUULE graduates have found this follow-up support quite valuable in addressing immediate leadership challenges and further cultivating helpful connections with leaders in other congregations. In deference to these difficult economic times and to encourage greater participation, we have discounted the tuition $55 from last year. This year’s tuition is $695. We urge you to consider now which leaders would help your congregation benefit most from this experience and nominate them. If you have not attended SUULE, join us for a stimulating and challenging continuing education event. This program qualifies for continuing education grants offered by the Rev. Michelle Bentley of the UUA. We look forward to seeing you and yours there this summer. Sincerely,