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1. Governance of UU Women’s Groups

Circle Group with Programs Arranged by a Steering Committee
Minnesota Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Bloomington, Minnesota

Fellowship membership: 120

Type of women’s group: The women’s group at Minnesota Valley (MV) has thirty members and meets monthly, on Saturday mornings. Attendance at meetings varies between twenty and thirty. While each meeting has a program or a focus, the group’s strength is its sense of community. Many of the members have been friends for more than two decades. In addition to once sponsoring Rise Up and Call Her Name, programs have included gardening, a garden party (involved dressing up in hats and white gloves) hosting author Faith Sullivan, a field trip to an art museum, a slide show by the Minnesota Historical Society, Tupperware and Pampered Chef parties, panels on women in business and in the military (see Wild Ideas page), a hobo party (another chance to dress up and be silly), retreats every ten years (used Cakes for the Queen of Heaven at one retreat), a speaker on ostrich farming, and a yearly project to assist the nearby battered women’s shelter. The group originally started as a bag lunch group but has evolved to include a business meeting at 11:00 a.m., a luncheon at noon catered by three members, and a program at 1:00 p.m. In addition to the main women’s group, there are subgroups that begin and dissolve as needed and have included a sewing group, a book group, and a writing group.

UU Women’s Federation affiliated? Yes, but these dues are optional for members of the women’s group.

Dues? $5 plus $15 if the member chooses to join the UUWF.

Food? Yes, a catered luncheon.

Highs? The members are deeply connected and meeting times and attendance are predictable.

Lows? The group has been trying, with limited success, to attract younger, not-yet-retired women. Saturday is a difficult time for women with children to attend meetings.

A board of the organization meets once in summer and includes a president, vice-president, treasurer, secretary, and a program chair. The president runs the business meetings of the group.