When we speak of growth in small UU churches, we usually think of growing our numbers: whether more attendees, new members, or kids in RE.  There are many other ways to grow institutionally, maturationally, incarnationally.  The saying is true, “if you build it, they’ll come.”  We need to grow ourselves and our congregations before we attract new members.  What is the glowing coal at the heart of our congregation, of our Unitarian Universalist movement?  How do we build the Beloved Community?  Come hear some thoughts on all these ideas.  Just what does “incarnationally” mean, anyway?!

Rev Karen J. McFarland was an attendee and then became a member of KUUF in 1990, years before she thought of becoming a UU minister.  She served churches in Utah, Michigan, and Illinois before retiring in 2012.  Karen was a professional violist and violinist, performer, and teacher before becoming a UU minister.  Her husband is Terry Sharik and they have twin sons who set many track records at Houghton High in the 80s.