What I like at the UUA

After writing a cranky-snarky post about the survey just put forth by the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Board, I got to thinking about all the good, talented, effective UUA staffers I have seen at work, and whom I admire and respect. In spite of organizational problems, what we might call systemic issues, there are so many people who do so much good work at the UUA that it’s past time I listed some of them.

So here goes, in no particular order:

— Rose Hanig, manager of the UUA Bookstore, knows the book trade, and knows what books Unitarian Universalists are likely to be interested in. And I have found her staff, some of whom have been at the Bookstore for years, to be courteous, intelligent book-lovers, and calm under stress.

— Don Skinner, the editor of the Interconnections newsletter for congregational leaders, is a smart, savvy reporter who covers his beat looking for news that his readers don’t yet know they need to read. He’s a good writer, too — clear, concise, upbeat.

— Speaking of writers, Chris Walton and the writers and editors at UU World magazine (and Web site) do wonders with diminishing resources. Chris makes an effort to find a variety of writers throughout the denomination (he even makes room for far-from-the-UU-mainstream writers like me upon occasion). And managing editor Kenneth Sutton is not only the kind of editor that can make almost anything sound good, he’s also a good information hunter-gatherer. I don’t have space to mention all the UU World writers, but suffice it to say: they know how to write.

— Keith Kron, Director of Transitions, has continued the process begun by John Weston of bringing the ministerial search process into the twenty-first century. With his staff of one (the capable Margaret Montore), Keith has refined the search process, and streamlined the Web site — this on top of dealing with the regular stresses of a difficult job.

— While the UUA Board as a whole may have its systemic issues, individual board members I have known have been wise, funny people striving to do their best for Unitarian Universalism. I’ll give just one example: Linda Laskowski, the current Board member from Pacific Central District knows non-profits, knows how to build consensus, and knows how to listen.

— You’ve probably never encountered them, but the IT department at the UUA is another department that does wonders with diminishing resources. And the fact that you’ve never encountered them is a mark of their success: things work the way they’re supposed to, which means you don’t notice it.

— If you ever get a phone call from John Hurley, the UUA’s Director of Communications, it may well be because he’s been contacted by local news media about a story that’s going to break around your congregation — like the time he called me to tell me the local newspaper was going to do a story on the registered sex offender who was turned away by the church I was then serving. He coached me in how to deal with possibly antagonistic reporters, and thanks to him our church wound up getting positive publicity out of what could have been a public relations nightmare.

(By the way, if you’re looking for a reason for your congregation to pay its full share of UUA dues, you need look no further than John Hurley — you may never need his media coaching, but if you ever do need him you’re going to be very glad he’s available. Take it from one who has been there — and get your congregation to pay its full fair share to the UUA.)

Those are just some of the talented, hard-working people I have encountered at the UUA. Now it’s your turn to give kudos to the people of the UUA — although if you post a comment, I’m going to ask you to abide by my mother’s rule: If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all (in other words, no negativity, no damning by faint praise, no back-handed compliments).

So: Which staffers and volunteers at the UUA have particularly impressed you?