Horizon Convention Center, Muncie IN

April 12-13, 2013

"Claiming the Future in Two Parts"

This year’s District Assembly will have two main components: conversations and decisions on the future of Heartland District, and conversations and reflection on the changing world of religion.

Over the past two years, your Heartland Board and Staff have been looking at the best ways to be organized to work toward the changing world. The decision has been made that the staff will be (and currently are) working in a regional model, sharing staff and services with Central Midwest and Prairie Star Districts to create the MidAmerica region.

Delegates to Heartland’s District Assembly are being asked to decide the future governance that will move us into a vision of a new era in Unitarian Universalism in MidAmerica. The three Boards are sharing much information to help you know about this (see the Heartland website, and also sign up for our HeartLine newsletter to learn more). Come prepared to help shape our response to the changing future.

Second, we will be joined by staff from the UUA’s Growth Strategies Office as they present our keynote address:

Claiming the Future: How Unitarian Universalism Can Thrive in a Changing World

Unitarian Universalism has grown incrementally over the past three decades, while mainline churches have struggled with numerical decline and aging membership. Current trends suggest that the coming decades will be challenging ones for religious communities and that most traditions will suffer steep declines, while a handful will actually prosper. How can Unitarian Universalists outperform the curve in the years ahead? What characteristics of our faith point toward a robust future? What things might we need to leave behind? What bedrock values can we never surrender?

Stefan Jonasson has been Director of Growth Strategies for the Unitarian Universalist Association since 2011. During his 22-year career at the UUA, he has also served as District Executive for Western Canada and the Director for Large Congregations.

Tandi Rogers has been the Growth Specialist for the Unitarian Universalist Association since 2011. Prior to this, Tandi was the long-tenured Programs Specialist for the Pacific Northwest District of the UUA.

Make your plans to join us in Muncie in April!

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