Skip to main content

Full Annual Timeline

Wellspring Annual Timeline

This is the month-by-month operational timeline for running UU Wellspring at Foothills. Links throughout point to supplemental documents with full content for templates, role descriptions, resources, and forms.

January

WSLT Self-Assessment and Reorganization

  1. WSLT reflects on its own makeup and discerns whether to invite new members or rotate off.
  2. WSLT reorganizes and/or invites new members.
    • Ask staff to add new members as Wellspring PCO Group Type Managers in PCO Groups
    • Ensure new members are editors in PCO, have access to PCO Forms, and can send emails
    • Add new WSLT members to Shared Drive

Website Review

  1. WSLT reviews Foothills Wellspring website and conveys any updates to staff (send to Communications Manager).

Facilitator Support

  1. WSLT hosts check-in with current Sources/LATC facilitators to offer support and begin discerning which participants might serve as facilitators.
    • Goal: Identify potential facilitators; apprentices practice facilitation in their own groups.

Curriculum Review

  1. WSLT reviews UU Wellspring website and updates Foothills' facilitator resources: Quick-Start Guide, Spiritual Directors List, and book list.

Second-Year Discernment

  1. With input from current Sources facilitators and past participants, WSLT discerns whether there is interest in a second-year offering and which curriculum might be offered.

Short-Term Groups

  1. Short-term groups (Sacred Earth, Wellspring Reads, etc.) begin meeting.

February

Facilitator Identification

  1. With input from current Sources facilitators, WSLT identifies candidates for Sources facilitators for the following year.

Facilitator Outreach

  1. Email is sent over the name of the ministerial staff lead to current and past WS Sources participants inviting them to consider Sources facilitation.

  2. WSLT and/or current Sources facilitators extend personal invitations to likely facilitator candidates.

    • During a WS Sources session, invite participants to write down 1-2 names of people from their group who they think might be a good facilitator.

Serve Form

  1. Facilitation volunteers are asked to fill out the Serve Form. Wellspring facilitators are listed under "Adult Spiritual Deepening."

March

Admin Updates

  1. WSLT asks Admin Staff to update PCO People Wellspring Completion Dates in Profiles.

Facilitator Finalization

  1. Beginning of March: Sources facilitators for the next year are finalized.

  2. Facilitators are asked to identify their preferred time slots (day of week, meeting time, meeting format) and starting date (retreat date).

    • If more than one Sources group is forming, all facilitators need to commit to the same retreat date.
    • Submit Event Reservation and Promotion Form for Wellspring groups (1 form, include all details for each group).

Application Update

  1. Sources application is updated to reflect times facilitators agree to meet as well as the retreat date.

Second-Year Interest Survey

  1. Once facilitators are finalized, WSLT surveys WS grads and current Sources participants to measure interest in second-year offerings and creates or updates second-year enrollment form.

Promotion

  1. WSLT drafts newsletter article promoting WS Sources enrollment.

  2. WSLT orders participant reflection journals from UU Wellspring website for new facilitators as a welcome gift.

  3. WSLT submits Event Reservation and Promotion Form at least 2 weeks in advance for: Wellspring Annual Gathering, WS Sources enrollment promotion, and "Ask Me About Wellspring" coffee hour conversation.

Wellspring Annual Gathering

  1. WSLT hosts Wellspring Annual Gathering to bring past participants and current Sources participants together.

Purpose: Recruit facilitators, encourage participant recruitment, gauge interest in second-year program, address "What's Next" (So What After Wellspring?).

Sample Agenda (from 2024 Info Session, 9:30-10:30):

  • Welcome
  • Overview of Wellspring, emphasizing new Love at the Center curriculum
  • Impact of Wellspring: 2 testimonials
  • Wellspring / Sacred Arts / Journey overview
  • "We Need You!" recruit for facilitators and leadership team
  • Survey of interests for next year (written, distributed at sign-in)
  • Name tags indicating past/present/future participant status
  • Brunch finger food, coffee, tea

April

Mentor Assignment

  1. WSLT identifies mentors for new facilitators.

  2. WSLT mentor(s) reach out to new Sources facilitators to welcome them, establish the mentoring relationship, share the Quick-Start Guide, and present participant reflection journals.

Participant Recruitment Begins

  1. Sources participant recruitment begins:
    • Newsletter article promoting WS Sources enrollment is published.
    • WSLT encourages current year's facilitators to speak with their groups about sharing the WS experience and considering second-year offerings.
    • Email is sent to all Wellspring grads asking whom they would nominate as Sources participants for the next year (using Wellspring Nomination Form and Interested In Wellspring Group).
    • WS Sources testimonial chalice lighting is offered by a current participant or facilitator.
    • WSLT and/or next year's facilitators host "Ask Me About Wellspring" information session at coffee hour in mid-to-late April.

Second-Year Communication

  1. If a second-year offering is planned, WSLT emails WS Sources grads what curriculum will be offered and provides second-year enrollment link.

Shared Ministry Covenant

  1. WSLT begins work on the Shared Ministry Covenant for the annual review process.

May

Feedback

  1. WSLT sends All Wellspring Groups Feedback Form.

Roster Finalization

  1. WSLT reviews Sources applications and the Sources participant roster is finalized.

Financial Support

  1. WSLT sends ministerial lead a list of people requesting financial support. Ministerial lead will assess funds and send out information to them about that process.

Enrollment Notification

  1. WSLT notifies Sources participants by email of their enrollment.

Second-Year Finalization

  1. If a second-year curriculum is offered, WSLT finalizes participant roster and notifies participants.

Shared Ministry Covenant

  1. WSLT submits Shared Ministry Covenant documentation for annual review.

June

Enrollment Notification

  1. WSLT notifies Sources participants of their enrollment.
    • Remove anyone who joins a group from the Interested Group in PCO.

Second-Year Group Assignment

  1. If a second-year curriculum is offered, WSLT notifies participants of their group assignment if necessary.

PCO Group Setup

  1. Church staff builds PCO groups for Sources and for any self-facilitating second-year offering.
    • Include adding events to event calendars.

Curriculum Access

  1. Ministerial staff handles UU Wellspring billing to obtain curriculum passwords for upcoming year and communicates to WSLT.

Book Discounts

  1. WSLT contacts local bookstores for possible group discounts on required readings.

June/July

Archive and Transition

  1. Archive old Wellspring Groups in PCO Groups.

New Facilitator Orientation

  1. WSLT designees/mentors meet with new Sources facilitators to orient them to resources on UU Wellspring website and use of PCO if needed.

  2. Sources facilitators register on the UU Wellspring website and plan to attend UUWellspring facilitator training.

Welcome Emails

  1. Sources facilitators send welcome email to their groups providing instructions on books to obtain, guidance on lining up a spiritual director/companion/friend, and a reminder of the retreat date.

Second-Year Groups

  1. If a second-year offering is planned, WSLT emails self-facilitating groups with their curriculum-specific password and encouragement to begin their work of forming.

August

Sources Retreat

  1. Sources retreat is held.

    • If only one Sources group is forming: That group's facilitators conduct the retreat with the WSLT available to assist if needed.
    • If more than one Sources group is forming: The WSLT will be more involved to open and close the retreat, supplementing the facilitators' work with their own groups while creating a shared experience across the groups. Ministerial staff lead may meet briefly with retreat attendees to encourage/inspire.

Second-Year Encouragement

  1. If a second-year offering is planned, WSLT offers encouragement as needed for self-facilitating groups to schedule their first session.

September

Groups Begin

  1. Year-long groups begin meeting.

Short-Term Planning

  1. WSLT confirms facilitators are in place for any short-term WS groups to be offered in January (e.g. Sacred Earth).

October

Note: The 11-session "Love at the Center" curriculum affects programming in this month. Check UU Wellspring for current release status.

Facilitator Check-In

  1. WSLT designees/mentors host check-in meeting for Sources facilitators to share experiences, offer support, and problem-solve if needed.
    • Facilitators share feedback with mentor from Group Health Check.
    • WSLT consults with ministerial staff lead if additional guidance is needed.

Second-Year Support

  1. WSLT offers support/encouragement to second-year group(s) if needed.

Short-Term Group Promotion

  1. WSLT works with staff to publicize any short-term offering to begin in January (e.g. Sacred Earth).

Curriculum Access for Short-Term

  1. Ministerial staff handles UU Wellspring billing to obtain curriculum password for any short-term offering.

November/December

Short-Term Group Setup

  1. Staff builds PCO group for short-term offering.

Facilitator Support

  1. WSLT designee/mentor supports short-term offering facilitators in accessing UU Wellspring curriculum and PCO as needed to communicate with their group(s).

See Also

No comments to display

Back to top