Leadership Development

First Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashville (FUUN), is organized on congregational polity, which means the highest power is the congregation. the congregation has the right and responsibility to choose and ordain our own clergy, elect our own officers, direct them in the course of their duties, and replace them when necessary. Therefore, ours is a shared leadership of volunteer leaders, called ministers and hired staff.

Our website is the best guide to information you will need. On it, you will find information about our campus, Board of Directors, staff, councils and committees. In addition, we offer the following:

Leadership Development Team

The Leadership Development Team provides a wide variety of learning opportunities in the area of leadership development for FUUN including:

• leadership orientation classes specially designed for those new to leadership roles in the church.

• leadership consultations designed to address specific needs of committees, task forces, etc. to function successfully and operate more efficiently;

• working with the Nominating Team to identify and promote leaders.

• informing the congregation of leadership tools and opportunities available locally and from the UUA and Southern Region

We publish announcements in FUUN communications to the membership so look for information there. [newsletter, weekly email, FUUN blog]

Sign up to be on our email list to receive notifications of leadership opportunities.  Information on that coming shortly.

Our Leadership Development Team Covenant

As members of the FUUN Leadership Development Team, we covenant together to:

  • Focus our work to support the Mission of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashville, Tennessee:
  • We gather to create community, nurture spiritual growth, and act on our values. Together, guided by reason and inspired by love, we celebrate diversity, confront oppression, and promote environmental and social justice.
  • Value and support each other’s gift of time and honor the time we spend together
  • Acknowledge each other as individuals and for the contributions each one makes
  • Remember and hold space for all not present in meeting
  • Recognize and respect individual boundaries
  • Give all members the opportunity to have a voice
  • Speak up so our voice is heard
  • Seek to expand the circumference of our Team while remaining true to the Mission
  • Lean into the discomfort of change and new learning
  • Listen without prejudice
  • Actively seek out new learning to benefit the group
  • Follow through on commitments
  • Recognize that life happens
  • Ask for help when needed
  • “Remember we are surrounded by loving and forgiving people”

Ways we need you on the LDT

“Do you like to do research on the web? We need someone who will look for training provided by other UU congregations or the UUA.”

“Do you like to talk one-on-one with people? We need someone who can talk to committee chairs about their successes and struggles so we can help develop training for them.”

“Do you like to write? We need someone who can let the congregation know what new and different things we’re planning.”

“Are you experienced in adult learning methods? We need someone who can help us design the most effective training sessions.”

“Do you enjoy making presentations in front of a group? We need someone who will teach new concepts to our teams.”

“Do you enjoy facilitating conversations? We need someone who can stimulate discussion on a variety of topics.”

“Do you enjoy creating graphics to get across ideas? We need someone who can illustrate the points being made in training sessions.”

“Do you enjoy being part of a group of creative people building strong teams to help FUUN serve its mission? We need you to be a part of the Leadership Development team!”

“Do you love Unitarian Universalism? Do you want to ensure that love continues to thrive?”

“If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions talk to a member of our team or email

Contact us if you’re interested!

Leadership Development Team Mission and Charge

As a member of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashville (FUUN), you are encouraged to participate in the shared ministry that is part of our tradition.

That means that participation in the work of the church is an important way of supporting the principles and purposes of Unitarian Universalism.

The Leadership Development Team has been established to educate and support those who have chosen to, or would like to, serve by taking on leadership roles in the church.
There is much to learn about church leadership, and it is our responsibility to provide the information needed to facilitate your participation. The scope of this is defined in the Board of Directors’ charge to this committee.

Leadership Development Team:

Purpose: The Leadership Development Team’s purpose is to support, train, and guide members to participate in leadership in the church to the mutual benefit of the individual and the congregation.

Charge: The Leadership Development Team is charged to support the creation of a culture of leadership development at FUUN.

The Leadership Development Team is responsible for:

• Advocating when needed for organizations, budgetary, and cultural changes that improve our leadership structure. • Consulting with committees, work groups, and elected bodies within the church to identify potential areas for improvement of functioning.

• Coordinating with Beloved Community to promote an inclusive leadership culture throughout FUUN and to foster leader responsiveness to multicultural issues and differences.

• Teaching specific skill sets needed within our leadership. • Integrating leadership development efforts with FUUN’s mission, vision, and strategic plan.

• Encouraging participation in leadership by the broadest segment of our congregation.

• Working with the Nominating Committee, the Committee for the Larger Faith, and other FUUN staff and volunteers involved in developing or communicating leadership opportunities to share and coordinate our goals and activities.

Committee Members

The committee meets on the second Friday of each month at 1:30 p.m. via Zoom.  We welcome visitors.  If you are interested in attending as a visitor, please contact our team chair, Gail Sphar.

Members of the Leadership Development Team are experienced church leaders both at FUUN and in the wider UU community. We are enthusiastic in our goal of developing leaders both new and experienced to succeed in the roles they choose to fill as their contribution to the success of our congregation.

Members of the Leadership Development Team are:

Gail Sphar, Co-Chair

Scott Weaver, Co-Chair

Jodi McDaniel

Terry O’Neill

Tina Dunn Benitez

Ann Morse- member representing the Nominating Team

Leadership Resources

The UUA offers an extensive library of leadership videos,  online classes, and resources.

Leadership Orientation

The following presentation is from the July 2022 Leadership Orientation session.

Leadership Skills Video

Interested in sharpening your skills as a leader? Check out “Leadership Skills for Shared Ministry.” This 25-minute presentation created by the Leadership Development team presents tips for volunteer recruitment, meeting management and other helpful information.

Leadership Skills for Shared Ministry (Narrated PowerPoint) or video above.

DISC

Leadership Retreats