DEFINITION:

A Pulpit Editorial is a two-minute personal statement by a member of our congregation on an issue of passionate concern. –

TWO-MINUTE:

This is the maximum time limit. Please practice and time your Pulpit Editorial before the service. To take longer than two minutes risks irritating rather than informing the congregation. To go beyond the limit risks abolishing Pulpit Editorials altogether. The two-minute form encourages us to be concise and to the point. If you were about to miss your train, what would you REALLY need for us to know? –

PERSONAL STATEMENT BY A MEMBER OF OUR CONGREGATION:

Please don’t make this a news spot in the middle of our Sunday service (though you may certainly supply additional material for us to pick up after the service). Rather, we would like to hear from YOU, a member of our local UU community, whom we know and respect. –

ON AN ISSUE OF PASSIONATE CONCERN:

We want to know how and why this issue affects you so deeply, and what particular background, experiences & expertise you bring to the issue. You put a personal face on an issue we may not have given a second thought to before. You may make us see it entirely differently than we had before.

PROCEDURE for scheduling your next (first?) Pulpit Editorial:

* Check with the adminstrator to find out the next available open Sunday.

* Also find out from the administrator who is leading that service: the minister or one of our lay leaders.

* Ask the service leader whether your Pulpit Editorial can appropriately be part of that Sunday service. Each service has its own theme, integrity, and mood. Most times, your editorial can be included, but on some occasions the service leader may decide that the topic of the editorial would not be appropriate at that service and will ask you to choose another date. Also, if the service will already possibly be running a bit long because of an additional element (our October Service of Remembrance for example), or if other elements of the service have already been cut (Music for the Morning, etc.) to allow an outside speaker more time, it would not be appropriate to add a Pulpit Editorial on that Sunday.

* If the service leader okays the editorial, please let the administrator know so it can be included in the Order of Service. Otherwise, go back to the administrator for the next available open Sunday… Because we are indeed all part of an interdependent web, the inclusion of your Pulpit Editorial is somewhat complicated. We hope that having the procedures in writing will prevent confusion, disappointment, and hurt feelings. We do want to hear from you. We also want to show consideration and respect for everyone else already involved in that Sunday service. Your understanding and cooperation are much appreciated!