LINK TANK

What is LinkTank?

Our name reflects our broad mission: linking you, UUCC’s current and future volunteers, with roles, resources, ideas, information, support, and more. Our name is a play on the phrase “Think Tank”, because we spend a lot of time thinking about innovative ways to accomplish this mission. But the word “Link” also signifies that we do much more than think about it – we’re committed to putting those ideas in action to help UUCC and its many volunteers to thrive.

Current Services

MAC Directory– This annually updated publication profiles all of UUCC’s Ministries, Activity Groups, and Committees (MACs), including providing contact info and ideas on how to contribute and/or get involved.

MAC of the Month– In this ongoing program, a different MAC is highlighted each month as a way to celebrate and learn more about the important work they’re doing. The MAC of the Month is honored during the Sunday Service on the first Sunday of each month, but you can also expect to hear from them throughout the month via Order of Service inserts, a MAC of the Month bulletin board, etc.

Help Wanted Page– Each month, we compile a list of new and ongoing opportunities to share your time and talents to make a difference at UUCC and in our community. This listing is published in UUCC’s monthly newsletter, UUCC Beginnings.

“Who Are UU?” Class– we collaborate with Adult Faith Development to offer this class to help you articulate your own “personal ministry,” as well as exploring your various spiritual needs within the landscape of your current life. A strong emphasis will be placed on helping you identify ways to connect more deeply at UUCC, both in expressing your personal ministry and in meeting your other needs. “Who Are UU?” will be offered as an ongoing class, as a follow-up to the “New to UUCC” class (but will be open to the entire UUCC community).

Interest & Skills Inventory – We’ve developed a questionnaire (based on a prominent career theory and on our own research into the types of volunteer roles at UUCC) to help you clarify your talents and how they match up with opportunities available at UUCC. Beginning in May 2008, you can complete this assessment and receive a report of your results, indicating your interest “type” and the MACs and volunteer roles that might be a good match for you. Contact us if you would like to take this web-based assessment; we will send you an email with a personalized link to the inventory.

Interest & Skills Database – When UUCC members and friends complete the above Interest & Skills Inventory, their expressed preferences will be recorded in a secure database. UUCC MAC Chairs who are seeking to fill volunteer roles may request from LinkTank the names of individuals who would be likely to enjoy and excel in the role, thus making the volunteer recruitment process easier on both our MACs and on our potential volunteers.

Leadership Retreat – Last Fall we offered the first of what we hope will be an annual series of retreats for UUCC lay leaders. The goal is to provide an opportunity to share ideas and information, plan for the coming year, and to engage in ritual, reflection, and conversation that help strengthen both our sense of community and the link between leadership and spirituality at UUCC. 

Handbooks for MAC Chairs & Board– We compile and keep up-to-date handbooks for UUCC’s lay leaders, to ensure they have access to the necessary information and resources to do their jobs. You can also access some of these resources online; see the tables of contents for the UUCC MAC Chair Handbook.

Consulting & Coaching– When a MAC encounters challenges or key turning points in its work, LinkTank can connect the MAC Chair with support. We maintain a list of coaches within UUCC who have expressed a willingness to work on a short-term basis with individual MAC Chairs, and we can sometimes connect lay leaders with other resources as appropriate (e.g., facilitation, consultation, mentoring). Contact us to request support.

Web-Based Resources – We have also compiled a collection of web-based resources related to leadership and volunteerism in UU congregations and nonprofit organizations. We hope you’ll find them helpful!