Summary of Listening Circle Feedback

Dear FUUSNites,

Thank you to all who participated in our listening circles in person or online. The feedback you provided will inform our budget priorities for the upcoming year, and is being incorporated into our strategic planning for the future. We’ve summarized the comments we received below, but rest assured that every single comment was read and considered by all of us on the Board of Trustees.

1. What do you love most about FUUSN and why is it so important to you?

Summary: Community is the most frequently cited item. A shared spiritual community and people with shared values are also important. Services/sermons by Erin, spiritual nourishment, Social Justice and Music are next. RE and Youth support, and the diversity of activities available are also important. People like a place that the whole family can engage with.

2. What do you long for/wish for at FUUSN that does not currently exist and why is it important to you?

Summary: There were a broad and diverse set of desires in this set of answers. The largest group of answers related to finding ways to increase the ways that we connect, and making it easier to connect more deeply. The second most often mentioned ideas related to increasing the spiritual aspects of services and activities. Accessing all that FUUSN has to offer, including contact information for other members is not as easy as folks would like. Folks would like us to have more space for differences of opinion without judgement. A common purpose or mission is mentioned here and below in #4. Financial stability, better acoustics or hearing help in the sanctuary also came up multiple times.

3. Looking forward, what do you envision will be the greatest challenges for you personally and how might the FUUSN community support you to successfully meet those challenges?

Summary: Aging is by far the most frequent concern listed, and all its attendant implications. Having sufficient care crew, and ability to support aging in place, being able to attend services and activities, being able to hear the services are all desired. The other frequently mentioned challenge is balancing volunteer commitments, and concerns that the volunteer pool is not deep enough.

4. What challenges do you see FUUSN as a community facing and how might we overcome them together?

Summary: Financial sustainability was the top response, including questions about the sustainability of our building, parking, ability to raise sufficient funds with volunteers. Volunteer burnout was also a top response, with request for more paid staff to reduce volunteer needs. Tension between focus on social action and spiritual/ethical development is mentioned. Being able to welcome people of differing political beliefs, and bridging differences in general. Many answers reflect anxiety in the congregation about the challenges facing us.

5. How can we make FUUSN stronger so we can accomplish everything we all hope for?

Summary: More communication and transparency between leaders and congregation. Integrate new members, encourage younger members with children. Prioritize staff in budgets

6. Is there anything else you would like to tell us?

Summary: Thank you for asking. We’re glad the information is being collected. Some concrete offers of help were also made.