[youtube]https://youtu.be/drF6_0oRexA[/youtube]
On Sunday, October 4, 2015, David Morgen, congregational president, shared with the congregation that a real estate developer had provided Northwest a proposal to purchase the church’s property. David strongly emphasized that the offer was “only an offer” and no decision has been made on the course of action to be taken.
The offer is for a little more than two million dollars. David added, “It’s an offer that is big enough that it’s credible and now we have to decide how we would evaluate this offer.” David went to say, “Does it help us to achieve our strategic goals to accept an offer or not?” He then asked, “What are our strategic goals?”
David offered that Northwest has a solid mission statement that states what we do now.
We seek to create loving community, inspire joy and spiritual growth, and support courageous action.
David asked, however, “Where are we going?” What is our vision for the future?
More conversations are required to evaluate this offer. David noted that given the high-end growth in our neighborhood, other offers are likely to follow in the future.
To help frame the conversation, David referenced four questions posed by the Unitarian Universalist Association when engaging in a visioning exercise.
- Who are we?
- What do we do?
- Why does it matter?
- What would happen if we weren’t here?
These conversations will likely become fraught at times because they bring with them the prospect of change. Remembering our Covenant of Right Relations and allowing that document to guide us will help us to engage in healthy, intimate discussion.
David emphasized that this is not a crisis! He went on to add that we can use this “offer as an opportunity to kick off a process whereby we dream big and think about where we want to be.”
Watch the short video above to see excerpts from David’s address to the congregation.