he most recent issue of Interconnections (March, 2005) arrived in my mailbox yesterday. If you don’t yet know about it, Interconnections is a newsletter published by the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) for lay leaders of Unitarian Universalist congregations (it’s also published online — just click the link above). And long-time journalist Don Skinner, the person who reports and writes all the stories in it, deserves a fan club.

Why? I think Interconnections is the single best resource the UUA offers congregations. The current issue alone has a number of excellent articles. One example: the article on membership titled “Church Exit Interviews Measure Programs, Appeals.” Somehow, Don Skinner found out about Linda Laskowski, chair of the Membership Committee at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley. Linda has been doing top-notch work at understanding why people stay in her church, and why people drift away — I was fortunate enough to work with her last year when I was at the Berkeley church.

Or this article: “Orientation a Vital Part of Church Board Experience.” Here in Geneva, it seems to me the Board does a pretty good job of orienting new members, but this article offers still more ways to orient Board members so they can start being productive immediately. Beyond the major articles, Don Skinner scatters lots of little short tidbits of news and information which by themselves make Interconnections worth reading. For example, in the “Questions and Answers” section of the current issue, there’s a quick update on the Green Sanctuary program, and a suggestion or resources to reactivate Social Justice Committees — both topics of immediate interest here in Geneva.

So I’m starting the Don Skinner fan club. He deserves a fan club. He does almost the whole newsletter himself. His writing is clear and straightforward. Anyone who cares about Unitarian Universalist congregations will find his newsletter a goldmine of helpful information (I know I’ve learned more tips about making congregations function well from his reporting than from any other source).

Who else wants to be a charter member of the Don Skinner Fan Club?