This Peter Bowden with July UU Growth Lab updates and our latest replay!
If you missed Tuesday's UU Growth Lab live session on "Growing a Relational Volunteer Culture" the replay is now available. Full session details follow the UU Growth Lab updates below.
Thanks to all who participated in the live session and shared examples of volunteer challenges in advance.
Watch the replay and access Google Doc notes:
- Long term member replay
Members, you have access to all monthly live session replays and monthly training content from January 2025 through the present. - Limited-time guest replay thru Sunday 7/19.
Need guest access? Get instant access to our guest area here.
ā¤ļø Thank you, members! Our UU Growth Lab monthly training and strategy conversation series is made possible by our members. Together, we're accelerating our learning, adapting our ministry strategy, and strengthening our congregations. With technology speeding up the rate of change, this isn't easy. I'm grateful for our growing UU Growth Lab learning community!
UU GROWTH LAB UPDATES
SAVE THE DATE: AUGUST 11, 2026
Our August live session will be held on Tuesday, August 11 at 1:00PM Eastern. Full details and Zoom registration will be posted shortly.
SCHEDULE AND CONTENT FEEDBACK
In August I'll be sharing a schedule survey and requesting feedback on content topics and formats you are finding most helpful. We may shift our live session schedule in the Fall.
I've received requests for:
ā¢ Live sessions at times that don't conflict with busy staff Tuesdays.
ā¢ Hold more live sessions on topics we've already covered.
ā¢ Create shortform content to share with leaders.
On my mind is how to balance member content with public content, such as YouTube. It has been suggested that if we share more public content related to UU Growth Lab insights we'll identify more people who have challenges and insights to share. That will accelerate our collective learning. Like a fly wheel.
Some great ideas! I'll be polling you for you thoughts in August. Consider what would be most valuable for you and your congregation.
POPULAR TRAININGS
Our May and June trainings were very popular! Both related to strengthening the online visitor experience with associated impacts on visitors to your congregation (live visits) and membership development.
June 2026 Member Training Turn Your Congregation's YouTube Channel into a Visitor Center
- Watch the on-demand training with Peter (60 minutes)
- Listen to the audio podcast episode of this training
- Long-term member replay of corresponding live Zoom session
May 2026 - Visitor-Centered UU Websites Design
Member-only UU Growth Lab Audio Podcast
Access all monthly member trainings via audio podcast after one-time setup process.
Listen while you drive, do the dishes, fold laundry, enjoy the outdoors, weed the garden, plan and strategize in a cafe. Wherever and whenever you're ready to think about growing your congregation, all of our trainings are waiting for you via audio podcast!
ABOUT THE REPLAY
Growing a Relational Volunteer Culture
Tuesday, July 14, 2026 live session replay
Most UU congregations are struggling to find volunteers. The usual response is more announcements, more direct asks, and calls for help.
In this session, our goal is to help you grow a more relationally oriented volunteer culture. I believe we need to build (and rebuild) a volunteer culture that starts with community. No relationship? No volunteers.
Some leaders have told me they don't want to "invest" in community-building events and other social activities because they need to preserve their existing limited volunteer capacity.
This is the start of a conversation that we'll be weaving into our strategy and implementation discussions moving forward.
Have questions about the UU Growth Lab or how to work with me directly? You may contact me here.
Please note that I will be off email while at a family reunion July 18-22. As soon as I'm back, I'm full on preparing for the Fall!
Planning Zoom strategy sessions for leadership teams, private trainings, remotely recording meet the minister and other online visitor experience related video content, advising on program design, and launching a new live AI Community Conversations series.
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