Part of our June 2 Annual Meeting of the Membership was dedicated to providing the latest information about the conversations First Universalist and Shir Tikvah are currently engaged in regarding potential co-location (campus sharing). Leadership shared information, answered questions, gathered feedback, facilitated small group conversations about our racial justice mission and potential impact of colocation in response to concerns voiced by People of Color/Indigenous congregants, and conducted a straw poll of those members in attendance.

The results of the straw poll are as follows: 46% are supportive of or enthusiastic about co-location, 21% are undecided, 15% lean toward remaining on our own, and 18% are not in favor of co-location. A link to a summary of the verbal feedback from the discussion groups can be found here.

The combined results of the straw polls conducted at the information and listening sessions that occurred this spring are as follows: 55% supportive or enthusiastic, 27% undecided, 14% leaning toward remaining on our own, and 4% not in favor of co-location. A link to the summary of the feedback themes gathered at these sessions and a detailed report of specific congregant feedback is provided here.

We’re also collecting feedback from the congregation on an ongoing basis: share your feedback here.

Since the Annual Meeting, leadership has been working to review and evaluate all of the feedback gathered from the congregation, discuss issues that have been raised, and determine what needs to be researched further and shared in more concrete detail. Critical work is happening this summer on several fronts:

• Our architecture firm is working with a joint First Universalist and Shir Tikvah Building Committee as they develop specific building plans and more specific cost estimates for our potential shared campus. This work will allow us to provide you with a much clearer understanding of the costs of the renovation and a much clearer picture of what the building would look like if we decide to co-locate. The architects fees for this work are being divided equally between First Universalist and Shir Tikvah.
• The Legal and Financial Foundations Committee is working on a memorandum of understanding which outlines all of the potential agreements around governance and operating principles. The document will outline a process to come to closure on issues that are not yet decided. This document should provide additional clarity around some of the questions around governance.
• Others with operations expertise are looking more carefully at potential annual operating costs of a shared campus. Included are staffing models and costs of shared staff in a co-located building. This group is also looking at space requirements of both congregations in more detail, building on the analysis already accomplished.
• A Parking Committee was formed and will launch at the end of July. This Committee will build on the work of a Parking Committee that provided considerable research and some good suggestions in 2016. Parking is frequently mentioned as a challenge; this is important work for us whether or not we decide to move to a shared campus.

At the Annual Meeting, we communicated our commitment to continue deep discernment about the implications for co-location and our racial justice work and visionary goals. As a result of the congregation’s feedback, questions and requests, we also see a need to provide more education and understanding of Jewish racial identity and the relationship of white supremacy to anti-Semitism, anti-Blackness, and Islamophobia. Also requested are more opportunities to learn about and engage with the Shir Tikvah congregation. Much of this work will occur in the coming church year; the next opportunity to engage with Shir Tikvah will be at our August 18 Lake Harriet service and picnic.

We will communicate a comprehensive communication plan early in the new church year. There will be a great deal of additional information to communicate and digest, and the work related to our visionary goals, needed education, and learning more about each other will extend over the church year. As a result, our discernment will continue over the 2019-20 church year with the final vote occurring at our Annual Meeting in 2020.