New MDD Council members approved by Board
Sun, 02 May 2004

The MDD Board recently approved three new Service Area co-leaders, and accepted the resignation of one of the original leaders, bringing the Council up to 8 members. There are still several vacancies in the planned staffing of two leaders for each service area.

Rev. Nancy Anderson of Las Cruces, New Mexico, resigned as leader of the Growth and Outreach Service Area. She will be replaced by Rev. Matthew C. Johnson-Doyle, High Plains Church, Unitarian Universalist, Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Also approved were the co-leaders of the Lifespan Faith Development Service Area: Rev. Todd Strickland, Jefferson Unitarian Church, Golden, CO; and Ms Beverly Weinberg, The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Lafayette, CO.

The three join five leaders who have been working on developing their Service Areas since the reorganization of the District became effective in January. Together, the Service Area leaders form the District Council, responsible for the delivery of most district services to congregations and clusters or congregations.

The current membership of the Council is:

  • Bob Blauvelt (1st Unitarian Denver) - Communication for Community Building
  • Becky Vanderslice (Jefferson Unitarian - Golden CO) - Justice Ministries
  • Deb Holder (Santa Fe and Iliff Seminary) - Justice Ministries
  • Alison Day (Namaqua Unitarian Universalist in Loveland, CO) - Leadership Development
  • Stephen Boelter (Uncompahgre UU Society in Grand Junction, CO) - Professional Resources
  • Rev Matthew C. Johnson-Doyle, High Plains Church, Unitarian Universalist, Colorado Springs, CO
  • Rev. Todd Strickland, Jefferson Unitarian Church, Golden, CO
  • Ms Beverly Weinberg, The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Lafayette, CO
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MDD District Restructuring
October 2003

These pages are an explanation, as of this time in our history, of how the MDD Board of Trustees envisions the new MDD District Structure. Included are:
  • The MDD President's Report, May, 2003, discussing reasons for the new structure
  • The Structuring update, May 2003, describing the new structure
  • Descriptions of each MDD Service Area developed by small groups around the district.
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    MDD President's Report
    May 7, 2003

    The situation is normal. The situation is not normal.

    It is normal that our District Executive, Ellen Germann-Melosh, is traveling all over the district as ministers new to MDD are searched for, candidated, and installed. It is normal that she spends many days and weekend doing the work of the District and its member congregations.

    It is normal that our DE is doing a great job wherever she goes. Even though she sets her own schedule, it is normal that those of us on the Board worry about her health and well being as she does more than most are asked, or should be asked, to do.

    It is normal that the Board will be facing budget-making where there are too few dollars and too many needs. But it is really a matter of priorities which are set by the congregations and their needs.

    It is not normal that the Board is in the process of reorganizing the way the District does business. This fall the Delegates and all congregations will have the chance to ask about and help shape the future of service delivery in the Mountain Desert District. Instead of 20 or more committees assigned to different tasks there will be six broad Service Areas, and within each Service Area the tasks formerly assigned to the many committees will be consolidated and coordinated within a program council system.

    It is not normal that the Leadership Succession Committee is looking for people from all parts of the district who are interested in working on each of the new Service Areas. It is not normal that those who volunteer will be the ones to shape the services being provided. The Board will provide some general guidelines and turn it over to the leadership in each area to deliver the best possible services with our collective resources.

    It is not normal, at least within MDD, for the Board of Trustees to back off from day to day operations and turn them over to the staff and volunteers who know best how to deliver services to the congregations. But this Board is determined to work at policy development, fiduciary responsibility, vision and goal setting, building relationships with those served and those serving, and the structural development of the District.

    It will become normal for the Board to be a true Board of Trustees, and for the MDD staff and Program Service Area leaders to bear the responsibility for determining just what is needed by the congregations and doing their best to deliver it.

    So the changed and changing situation will become normal over the next couple of years as the reorganization plan is realized with your help.

    Dave Leonard, May 7, 2003.
    President: Mountain Desert District, UUA
    president@mdduua.org