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Lakehead Unitarian Fellowship fonds Subseries English
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Personnel

Textual documents dealing with the people involved with LUF and one digital video of the ordination of Julie Stoneberg in 2005. Information on employees, volunteers, and membership. The services were mostly run by lay chaplains, though they also welcomed visiting and consulting ministers. Information dealing with the interim ministry program, hiring processes and employment contracts, membership lists, and board membership lists are found here.

History Project

In order to move forward as a congregation, the LUF believed they had to understand their past. A prominent member of the fellowship took on the role of the historian and archivist and organized much of the historical material into alphabetical archives for the purposes of creating a comprehensive overview of the LUF history. These are the materials that were found with the formal "LUF History 1958 - 2015" report, as well as older newspaper clippings and photographs. The findings from the history project can be found on the LUF website.

Board Minutes

Earlier minutes are transcribed accounts of the board meetings, while later minutes are formal agendas with an outline of the board’s discussion and their concerns of that week. UU recommends the board organize their records by year which is what the LUF did, using binders to sort time periods. The original arrangement was not disturbed; the binders were replaced with folders. Length of board minutes vary.

General Growth Approaches

The LUF programs and workshops were meant to strengthen the congregation, to make sure they did not get 'stuck in the past' and to appeal to younger generations. They worked together to be an open and welcoming space for all people, and sought advice from other congregations on how to be welcoming and how to recruit members. In order to grow, they would need funding, which they sought through campaigns and events such as service auctions. They worked to keep their building updated and tried to renovate it when possible, and when opportunities to move arose they normally discussed it. Materials here demonstrate how the LUF sought to be welcoming and accessible for all people, and they supported their growth projects while still serving the community.

Sunday Services

Order of service materials. Textual documents and art. The LUF was only able to meet on a regular and consistent basis after they got their own building, before then then they met usually only once a month at various locations that were often announced a few weeks before the date of service. Order of service booklets vary.

LUF within the Unitarian Universalist Community

Textual documents, pamphlets and brochures, and 2 digital videos received from the CUC, one being labeled “UUA 2010 Breakthrough Congregation” and the other “Fusion;” both are promotional videos for the Unitarian Universalist denomination.

The Canadian Unitarian Council was a national group formed within the continental Unitarian Universalist Association in 1961. They were interconnected corporations until 2002 when they split into independent organizations. The LUF hosted the CUC Annual General Meeting in 1986, 1997, and 2009. The CUC/UUA head office and other organizations within the UU society provided direction and guidance to the LUF when they were establishing themselves and when they became an incorporated fellowship. Mostly materials viewed and used by the board members and committee chairs. Majority of materials pertain to the AGMs and other conferences; not LUF specific.

Newsletters

File arrangement reflects original order: as part of the history project, the past Newsletters were ordered chronologically and ordered into binders. They include information typical of any newsletter: the month ahead, notes from the president, and general updates. The original arrangement was not disturbed while the binders were replaced with folders. It appears the newsletters were sent out electronically after 2012.

Property

The LUF held their first several meetings in the homes of the Board members. As they grew and became a larger community, they started meeting at local centers and renting out halls. Finally, in 1984 they moved to their own building on Algoma St. The building was adequate, but was not the ideal location since it had poor accessibility and required constant upkeep. From the 1990s up until the late 2010s the LUF regularly discussed the prospect of a new building and sought new ways to better the Algoma building.

Reports and Board Material

Textual documents and 3 CD-Rs with pictures and videos from events and moments. While the administrative assistants over the years did an admirable job updating binders with related material, there was substantial material that was not filed with the Board minutes and seemingly was gathered from the administrators desk when they moved out of their building on Algoma street. This included board minutes, reports, and correspondence that directly related to the way that LUF governed their institution. This subseries reflects the way the alphabetical arrangement had limitations: there was material that did not neatly fall into the categories they chose. Files relating to organization and function that did not fit into other series are stored here, such as “fellowship life.” Includes also bylaw and policy information, financial statements and reports, and board members’ correspondence.

Special Services and Programs

Textual documents pertaining to programs and services and 1 audio tape from the Ken Morrison lectures.

In addition to Sunday Programs like religious education, the LUF operated programs that provided opportunities for people to learn and grow as individuals and as a collective. These programs were normally educational and included workshops, and promoted community involvement, such as workshops where they visited other religious denominations, and volunteered as a collective at Shelter House. They also provided services typical of religious denominations such as weddings and celebrations of life. They took part in local Thunder Bay programs such as “adopt a highway” and “bicycle for humanity.” Materials here reflect the originally received file arrangement.

Internal Planning

The LUF mission statement is "Together in liberal religious community, we grow in spirit, nurture inclusive relationships, and act for a just and sustainable world." The board's main attention has been on how to grow as a fellowship and how to best serve members of the community. They have always met regularly to discuss their position and role in the community and how to contribute to the growth of Thunder Bay. They work to bring people together to provide services and create opportunities. This subseries includes material that reveal their commitment to the strengthening of their congregation and how they actively worked to bring people together. Includes LUF specific AGM reports and congregational evaluations, and Sunday Service committee planning.