I hope you experienced a joyful holiday season and are ready for a new year. In December I wrote about Congregation-Based Community Organizing (CBCO) and committed to continuing with information about this valuable organization in January. CBCO has the capacity to change UUism by deepening congregational involvement in social justice in a way that enables us to really understand and work for social change in community with others. Also CBCO has the unique ability to increase congregations become multicultural and racially diverse, and can develop and train leaders whose skills can enrich congregational life.

Although CBCO historically has been predominantly Christian it can be more effective in claiming moral authority if it represents a broad, diverse base of religious groups. CBCO knows and operates on the basis that there is power in numbers and UU membership signals to other non-Christian congregations that they are welcome and encouraged to become CBCO members.

The process of joining includes an initial exploration of CBCO with meetings between the minister and key leaders and a CBCO organizer. A core group of 5 to 20 members is formed and they continue with research and educating the congregation. The core group is trained to lead an initiative. The core group is trained to conduct one-to-one meetings, house meetings, and to chair committee meetings. While these activities are taking place there continues to be support-building for CBCO within the congregation. It is also essential to have clergy support for this work. If the congregation decides to join there is continued process of relationship building within the congregation. Issues to address are identified, researched, and solutions developed by holding seminars with experts, meetings with public/private officials, and talking with people who are knowledgeable about the issue. Once the issue is resolved, the CBCO group moves on to a different issue. Through all the steps the core group and clergy take leadership roles by speaking at, organizing, running, and hosting large and small meetings and attend training on several levels to develop their leadership skills.

Benefits from participation are numerous: more and deeper relationships among congregants and with members of other faith traditions, increased lay leader involvement in congregational work and public action, more effective social justice work, building interfaith and interracial relationships, and bringing new people in new ways. Congregations will reap the rewards of participation despite the work involved, and realize the benefits of participation far outweigh the costs.

I could write much more but space prohibits, so suggest you contact Fred Seidl, UU Organizer and CBCO Consultant ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or Susan Leslie, Director of the UUA Office for Congregational Advocacy and Witness ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ). They would be glad to hear from you…as would I, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Happy New Year one and all!