On This Page

• ​Leader Links
• Book Recommendations from Chalice Leaders
• Rev. Sharon's Favorite Video About Church Leadership

Leader Links

• UUA LeaderLab -- Leadership Development Learning Center: Tips, Tools, and Trainings for Leaders
• UUA Worship Web (chalice lightings, readings, etc.)
• Carey Nieuwhof blog (not UU, but a leading Christian thinker about how church is changing and needs to change)
• Congregational Consulting Group blog (not explicitly UU, but this group works with many UU congregations)

Book Recommendations from Chalice Leaders

From Alec Bergamini, Chalice President 2019-2020​

• The Chalice Policy Book
  All Members should be encouraged to become familiar with our bylaws and policies. Especially leaders.
• Proposed Governance Structure Presentation to the Congregation, March 13th, 2011 
  Because historical context is important.
• Dan Hotchkiss, Governance and Ministry: Rethinking Board Leadership
  This book has been used for corollary material to fill in gaps when the policy book is lacking.
• Rendle, Gilbert. Leading Change in The Congregation: Spiritual and Organizational Tools for Leaders
  This book provides useful perspective and advice for congregational leaders. Probably most useful for board members and other core church groups like CT, Good Relations, Stewardship, …
• Lammert, Sarah (Editor). Upcycle Your Congregation: Creative Ideas For Transforming Faith Communities
  Set of essays was published by the UUA. More inspirational than instructional, at least some of the essays would be a good read for any Chalice team leader.

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From Nancy Bowen, Chalice President 2017-2018

• ​When Better Isn’t Enough: Evaluation Tools for the 21st - Century Church by Jill Hudson
  It addresses the point in rapidly changing times doing the same old things harder or better don’t necessarily make a difference.

From Marshall Fogel, Chalice President 2018-2019

• ​A Failure of Nerve- Leadership in the Age of The Quick Fix by Edwin Friedman
  Avoiding organizational anxiety.
• Turning Point: Essays on a New Unitarian Universalism edited by Fredric Muir
  A 2016 book that almost feels quaint, talking about the Emersonian ideal of individualism.

​From Susan Spoto, Chalice President 2015-2016

• Governance and Ministry: Rethinking Board Leadership by Dan Hotchkiss 
  Here are two quotes from Hotchkiss’ Chapter 5, that really spoke to me as a leader:
  “Congregations do some of their best work when, instead of giving people what they want, they teach them to want something new.”
  “What would you have done if someone warned you how belonging to this congregation would transform your life?”
• The Chalice Policy Book and Governance Structure (available on the Chalice wiki)
• Robert’s Rules, which has been called the UU bible by some
  Robert’s Rules has an online site: reference only
  For the Annual Meeting, this Robert’s Rules-based cheat sheet would come in handy

Rev. Sharon's Favorite Video About Church Leadership: