Peter Bowden - UU Growth Lab

UU Clergy, Staff and Volunteer Leader. You're invited to our Tuesday, April 14, 2026 UU Growth Lab live session!
https://www.peterbowden.live/newsletters/the-uu-growth-lab-newsletter/posts/fast-tracking-ai-community-conversations

Topic: Fast Tracking AI Community Conversations
Trainer & Host: Peter Bowden
Date: Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Time: 1:00PM Eastern
Duration: 90 Minutes with possible overtime
No Cost: Sponsored by the UU Growth Lab membership program
Registration: See attached page

Fast Tracking AI Community Conversations Live session! The UU Growth Lab is working on a model for hosting Community Conversations including a ready to use template for Fast Tracking AI Community Conversations.

“I am THANKFUL for…” activity sheet for Thanksgiving

This open-ended activity page allows people of all ages and abilities to write words, draw pictures or both.

This page can be a fun way for families, religious education classes or small groups to reflect on gratitude or to use as a springboard for sharing. Perfect for Thanksgiving gatherings! FREE to download in color or black and white.

Download Activity Sheets:

“I Am Thankful For” Worksheet – Color (PDF)
“I Am Thankful For” Worksheet – Black and White (PDF)
“I Am Thankful For” Worksheet – No Chalices Version (PDF)

https:/ /alicethechalice.org/2014/11/17/i-am-thankful-for-coloring-sheet/

“I Am Thankful For” Activity Sheet “I am THANKFUL for…” This open-ended activity page allows people of all ages and abilities to write words, draw pictures or both. This page can be a fun way for families, religio…

Last call to join Tuesday's live online live session (Zoom) on paid advertising and marketing strategy for UU Congregations. Check your email or visit the following for details:
https://www.peterbowden.live/newsletters/the-uu-growth-lab-newsletter/posts/rsvp-for-november-4-live-session

If you didn't receive your invitation, please make sure you are on my email list for UU leaders.

Did you change email addresses? Use the link below to resubscribe.

I send all live Zoom invitations via email. This includes our monthly UU Growth Lab sessions.

Get updates:
https://www.peterbowden.live/uuleaders-subscribe

RSVP for November 4 UU Growth Lab Live Register for our UU Growth Lab live session on paid advertising and marketing strategy for UU Congregations

Unitarian Universalist leaders: Tuesday, Sept 9, 2025 I’m leading a Small Group Ministry training online with a focus on designing programs for health, growth and impact.

Want to join us as my guest?

Full details
https://www.peterbowden.live/newsletters/the-uu-growth-lab-newsletter/posts/rsvp-sept-9-2025-uu-growth-lab-live

Live replays and the on-demand trainings I share monthly are available to UU Growth Lab members.

I hold open live sessions on training topics before I record new on-demand trainings. Gathering UU clergy, staff and volunteer leaders live helps me identify questions, additional challenges to explore, and sparks new insights. I then use these to inform the on-demand training I record the following week.

RSVP Sept 9 Small Group Ministry Training Join us for a live UU Growth Lab small group ministry training on Sept 9, 2025. Each month we offer a live session with UU clergy, staff and volunteer leaders to learn together. Peter Bowden then shares a corresponding on-demand training for lab members.

Friends, our next UU Growth Lab Live online session is July 15, 2025 and is dedicated to getting you ready to film key video content to support your Fall membership development efforts.

Full details for this no-cost July 15 UU Growth Lab Live Session
https://www.peterbowden.live/newsletters/the-uu-growth-lab-newsletter/posts/uu-growth-lab-july-15-live-video-workshop

I'll use the questions, content feedback, and other insights from this session to make an updated on-demand training for members of the UU Growth Lab for release later in the month. Learn more about joining the UU Growth Lab member program and get access to our growing training library at https://www.peterbowden.live/uugrowthlab

More about this session
Specifically, we'll work on video outlines and scripts for:

1. Welcome Video for First Time Visitor Pages
This is a video of a member of your welcome team or a staff member talking to a newcomer directly on camera which you'll embed on your website's first time visitor page. Potential visitors benefit from your leaders meeting them where they are (online) and welcoming them, affirming them, and orienting them to the process you recommend they use to get connect and get involved.

2. Meet the Minister Videos
If you have a minister, people want to know who they are and what they are like before they visit. Not after -- before!!! People are less likely to visit unitl they connect personally with with the minister. That's why so many people visit after weddings and funerals. They have a "Oh, I can do this if so and so is the minister..." moment. You need to give every person researching your congregation that moment on-demand with video. I'll share what I'd include.

This session is brought to you by our UU Growth Lab member program. During this session, I'll work with those ready and eager to take action on video content to support online visitors and Fall membership develop!

July 15 UU Growth Lab Video Workshop In this session we'll work on video content to support your Fall outreach and membership development, specifically meet the minister and first time visitor page videos.

Unitarian Universalist friends and colleagues -- last call to RSVP for Tuesday's live UU Growth Lab session on "Practical AI for Congregations"
https://www.peterbowden.live/newsletters/the-uu-growth-lab-newsletter/posts/april2025-practical-ai-for-congregations

Not only can AI support your work and ministry in practical ways, understanding AI is what I'd call a new prerequisite for leading in today's world. It is as big as the internet, social media, smartphones, and the invention of the printing press rolled into one. Whether you like it or not, it is a core dimension of the context within which you are leading.

Interested in workshops for clergy chapter groups, seminary classes, or other groups? Contact me to explore the possibilities. https://www.peterbowden.live/contact

4/29 Practical AI for Congregations Join us for a live UU Growth Lab session (Zoom) on ways congregations can use AI to save time, enhance communications, and amplify their impact! No AI experience required.

UU Clergy, Staff & Volunteer Leaders:
Last call to join our 3/25 UU Growth Lab live session "Deepening Newcomer Engagement and Membership" via ZOOM on Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at 1:00 PM EDT.

Full details via the online UU Growth Lab Newsletter. If you haven't subscribed, enter your email to get instant access.

The UU Growth Lab Newsletter News, resources, and member updates from the UU Growth Lab, Peter Bowden's center for Unitarian Universalist growth, outreach, and ministry innovation!

Friends, seats are now open for our 3/25 UU Growth Lab live session on Deepening Newcomer Engagement and Membership
https://www.peterbowden.live/newsletters/the-uu-growth-lab-newsletter/posts/march-25-nbsp-live-session-registration

Trainer/Facilitator: Peter Bowden
Date: Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Time: 1:00 PM Eastern
Duration: 120 minutes • You may attend full or half session

In this session we'll explore strategies for helping newcomers move out of the “visitor zone” and into deeper participation and membership. We’ll also discuss promoting stewardship through community building, meaningful conversation, and collaboration.

There is no cost for UU clergy, staff, or volunteer leaders to participate in this live session.

My follow-up training, related resources & handouts, and live session replays are available to members of the UU Growth Lab.
Save time, energy, and fast track your learning!

Details at https://www.uugrowthlab.com

UU Leaders, Sunday 2/23 at 2pm EASTERN I'm hosting a hot topic session on AI. This is for you if you are a Unitarian Universalist and care about our shared future, especially what AI is doing to it! Hope you can join us. See link for full details and registration.

Feb 23: AI and Unitarian Universalism Hot Topic Session
A UU Growth Lab Event

Date: Sunday, February 23, 2025
Time: 2:00 PM Eastern
Location: Online / Zoom Meeting
Host: Peter Bowden
Duration: 90 minutes

Details and RSVP:
https://www.peterbowden.live/newsletters/the-uu-growth-lab-newsletter/posts/feb23-ai-summit-and-briefing

Tuesday is our January UU Growth Lab live online (Zoom) innovation session on "Building a Digital Path to Membership."

Full details in this issue of the new UU Growth Lab newsletter.
https://www.peterbowden.live/newsletters/the-uu-growth-lab-newsletter/posts/join-the-uu-growth-lab-live-on-jan-28-2025

These days, most newcomers research online before getting involved making this self-guided online experience the equivalent of their first visit. This new normal -- researching online -- necessitates we adjust how and where we share information newcomers need. We can't wait for them to get involved anymore to educate them, they need the information online upfront in advance.

Here's the plan in brief:

Part 1. Presentation and Q&A
- Welcome & Introductions
- Presentation on Building a Path to Membership
- Q&A.

Part 2. Group Process
- Break out group discussion focused on crowdsourcing insights, challenges, successes, and questions.

Part 3. Full Group Synthesis
- Report Back
- Discussion

Part 4. Emergent Topics
A primary goal of these sessions is identifying what else we need to attend to in order to learn, grow, and thrive as congregations. We'll use the last part of our session to explore what has emerged.

Comment with any have questions. This session is made possible by our new UU Growth Lab member program. See newsletter for details.

Join Our January Innovation Session - The UU Growth Lab Join us for our UU Growth Lab January Innovation Session on Building a Digital Path to Membership!