Dear Friends:

Please join us for a virtual celebration in honor of Joe Sullivan, who is retiring after 10+ years of faithful service to the UUA. 

We are delighted to celebrate all the ways Joe shared his gifts with us and the wider UU movement. Please plan to join us in wishing him well for what’s next in his “rewirement”!

Thursday, October 12

4:00-5:00 (ish) pm Eastern

Joe's Retirement Celebration Registration Form

Please wear red or dark blue if you are able! Go Cubs!

We look forward to celebrating Joe with you!

-Your New England Region team

My Dear White UUs…



I ran into a church member I had not seen in a while at a Black Lives Matter protest in my town. R.K. is African American; we were two of only a handful of people of color in an otherwise white congregation. I told her I missed seeing her on Sundays. She told me, “I’m not going back, it was too much. Everybody was trying too hard.” R.K. explained that she loved the church and the soul-stirring Sunday services, but the behavior of some congregants made her feel like she did not belong.

Coffee Hour was the hardest; she felt that all eyes were on her when we congregated in the vestry. People descended on her, making small talk, one after another. “Don’t get me wrong, they were all very nice, but it felt awkward and uncomfortable.” What was most disconcerting, she said, was that this is not how white congregants were treated. R.K. just wanted to be a regular congregant, going to church for spiritual fulfillment, and not made to feel like a novelty.

Before this chance meeting, my sweet church launched an initiative to closely read and candidly discuss the book, White Fragility. I was elated for the opportunity for us to collectively embark on dismantling white supremacy. One joyful Sunday morning I ran into the very able person who was leading the initiative. I shared my excitement to join the group, only to be told brusquely that I could not be a part of it. The only word that managed to escape my mouth, now agape, was “why?” I was told it was a reading group for whites only. To say I was taken aback is an understatement. Believe me when I say that it takes a lot to silence me, yet on this day I was successfully muzzled. What I experienced was segregation in my very woke church. Apparently, my beloved church was too fragile to discuss White Fragility with Brown me.

I shared R.K.’s comments with a white church friend. When I described her experience of being treated differently than other members, she said, with a twinge of unmistakable sarcasm, “I guess we can never win.”

My Dear Justice-Loving, Diversity-Seeking, Kind-Hearted, White Unitarian Universalists, let us dwell on that last statement: “I guess we can never win.” Friends, in congregational community, winning is not the goal. Getting it right is, but getting there takes time, patience, humility, and vulnerability. White bodies are forging new relationships with Black and Brown bodies - it will take time, and mistakes are bound to happen. We have to learn from them. Years of discomfort, alienation and subjugation cannot be repaired with one cup of coffee in an hour of camaraderie. . . .

Board/Leadership Retreats… Together!

(in-person and online)

Congregational Leaders: Do you find yourself asking any of these questions?

• Our congregation’s membership is aging. How do we get younger people to join the congregation? 

• All our kids seem to have disappeared during Covid. How do we get them back? 

• We don’t have enough volunteers! How can we get younger people to volunteer?

• Our financial future is feeling shaky. How can we ensure a sustainable future? 

If so, you are not alone! We are hearing these same questions everywhere we go. As the new congregational year begins, we invite you to gather the leaders of your congregation with the leaders of your neighboring congregations. Instead of retreating separately, let’s retreat together. 

New England Region staff will lead participating leadership teams in common discussions of our common challenges, and you will also have time specifically with the leaders in your congregation for team-building. 

All participating teams will also be invited to join an online learning community to extend the conversation with regional staff and with each other through the whole congregational year. 

We've added a new online date! The online gathering will include a conversation of common challenges and you will get the team work activity to complete on your own time.

Dates/Locations/Registration:

Thursday, October 12, 6:00-8:00pm ET - online! - register here**

**Registration deadline is Sunday, October 9, 2023.

Saturday, October 14, 10:00am-3:00pm ET - UU Community Church in Augusta, ME - register here***

***Register your leadership today! Registration deadline is Sunday October 8, or when maximum capacity is reached.

Registration is required and is on a sliding scale: $50 / $40 / $30 per person. Please note, registration includes lunch. If this fee represents a hardship, please email newengland@uua.org and we’ll see what we can do.

Liberating Governance:

Experimenting and Adapting

(online)

We will gather to look at the practice of experimenting, learning, and adapting as we move toward more liberatory governance models. We will use the example of the UU Society of Amherst, MA and their experiments with the tools of Sociocracy.

We will convene on Tuesday October 10, 7:00-8:30pm ET. Registration is free and required. The registration deadline is Monday October 09.

To receive the registration link and future invitations to our gatherings, and to help us know what you particularly need, please sign up for our email list "Liberating Governance for Our Times". Please note, individual registration for each gathering is required.

New Small Group Ministry Offering from the NER Team! (online, self-paced)

Meeting the Rest of Ourselves

The New England Region team is delighted to share our new seven-part series on the practices of Spiritual Leadership. Consider offering the series this church year if you are planning or organizing Small Group Ministry in your congregation. For a closer look at what's included check out the Facilitator Guide and Participant Handbook.

Contexts Learning Community (online)

We are convening a special Contexts Learning Community for congregations seeking to more fully understand the realities of life for Millennials and Gen Z. You will hear directly from parents, educators, and other young(ish) people about their lived experiences. What to plan for:

• (4) 90-minute Zoom gatherings over the church year
• (4) “At Home” meetings with your team in your congregation
• Pre-work resources to watch, read, or listen to in advance
• Data and stories that are more complete than the same old stereotypes we’re used to hearing!

Please assemble a team from your congregation and sign up to participate today.

NER Congregational Administrators Quarterly Gathering (online)

Our congregational administrators quarterly gatherings will reconvene on Wednesday October 11, 12:00-1:00pm ET. Join with your peers from around the region to share ideas, questions, concerns and support.

Registration is free and required. The registration deadline is Tuesday October 10.

Please Update Your Congregational Information on my.uua.org!

The new church year is upon us and we want to stay in touch! We will be reaching out directly to congregations, staff, and Board members via email with new events and opportunities as well as other important announcements regularly.

Please ensure the information on my.uua.org is current and correct. We thank you in advance for keeping all names, roles, and emails up-to-date. Please note, emailed updates risk being reverted if my.uua.org is not updated. We appreciate your understanding and assistance, and look forward to being in touch this year!

The Disaster Relief Fund Needs Your Help

This calendar year has been an eventful year for disaster impacting our UU congregations. The Disaster Relief Fund is in place to help channel donations from individuals and congregations to our UU congregations to help them in the wake of disasters, and for them to also be able to support their local community’s recovery, particularly those most affected and unable to access other funding sources.

Often our grants are the first to roll into the congregation and allows them immediate resources to protect their people and their buildings. We have had a couple of congregations return the funds, when they discovered that their insurance or other sources paid for their needs, and they have been pleased to be able to support the fund in that way.

But we need your help—the Fund is at its lowest level since the beginning—we have under $50,000 on hand, and that can be distributed with just one more request. Can you share some of your funds with congregations that will be impacted because of natural disasters, many of which are worsening because of climate change? If your congregation does “share the plate” Sundays, can your congregation be part of the group that lives out our interconnectedness by sharing the collection with the Disaster Relief Fund? Please consider joining us in this way to live out our covenant with each other!

Information on the Disaster Relief Fund, including how to donate, and how to file a claim, are on the UUA website.

UPLIFT Trans/Nonbinary+ Monthly Gathering (online)

Trans, nonbinary, and other not-entirely-or-at-all-cis UUs are invited to join UPLIFT'S monthly gathering, which they hope will feel like a cozy cup of something soothing (in virtual meeting form!). This intentionally multi-generational gathering is open to and welcoming of trans/nonbinary elders as well as children, youth, and young adults. Registration is free and required.

This gathering is intended to foster connection between trans/nonbinary+ UUs (and non-UUs who are ok with being in a UU-grounded space) to co-create support and community.

This is a closed event specifically for trans/nonbinary+ people. Anyone who is trans, nonbinary, metagender, multigender, genderfluid, agender, demigender, genderqueer, questioning, and otherwise not wholly or entirely cis is welcome to attend.

NOTE: There may be cisgender people present as parents supporting their 13-and-younger-child's presence in the space, as tech support, or as captioners. 

If you are completely cisgender and not trans/nonbinary, please join other spaces supporting trans/nonbinary+ people that are open to all. Find more information on Side With Love's monthly gatherings.

Covenant Calls Us In: The Why of Covenant (online, self-paced)

When you’re a member of a vibrant congregation, you hope for a deep and radical welcome there. You want to be able to bring your whole self, and feel called to be your best self, accountable to the vision of beloved community the community shares. In these congregations, when actions, words, or behavior arise that are destructive to the community's well-being, Covenant can help call us all in.

A new course posted on UU Institute, Covenant Calls Us In: The Why of Behavioral Covenant (109), is the first part of a two-part on-demand series that helps congregations understand and move more deeply into covenant. This first course helps us learn the history of covenant and why we would bother with behavioral covenants. It is available now, on demand. It sets the stage for dealing with destructive behavior. A second course, Part 2, Covenant Calls Us In: Living Into Behavioral Covenant (209), will cover how to create policies and procedures, and how to engage the congregation in adopting a behavioral covenant. The second part is scheduled to be released in Winter 2024.

Learn more about this classes, how to register and more at the UUA LeaderLab.

Apply for All-Levels Training of Trainers for OWL (in-person)

Applications are now being accepted for an All-Levels Training of Trainers for Our Whole Lives Sexuality Education and its Sexuality and Our Faith companion program. The deadline for applications is Tuesday October 10 at 5:00pm ET.

Facilitator trainings contribute to the safe, successful, and meaning-making experience of comprehensive sexuality education. Trainers help prepare facilitators develop the comfort, knowledge, and facilitation skills necessary to implement Our Whole Lives programs.

Download the application instruction letter (PDF).

Fall GIRE Professional Interim Training Series - Part Two (online)

The Guild of Interim Religious Educators (GIRE) is offering its acclaimed Transitional Religious Leadership Class. Part 2 (prerequisite: completion of Part 1) is on Thursdays November 2, 9, 16, December 7, and 14 12:00-2:00pm.

If you have been thinking you need transitional leadership skills to navigate the choppy waters of leadership in your congregation – this is for you. If you are serving a congregation where a change in leadership is occurring – this is for you. If you want more skills in your ‘toolkit’ to help you be a stronger, more inspired leader during changing times – this is for you! Open to all religious professionals, lay and ordained. Welcome all – to the world where our religious leaders have the skills to not only survive – but thrive!

Registration is required for a fee. The registration deadline for Part 2 is October 22.

Upcoming Trainings and Gatherings for Congregational Justice Leaders (online)

This can be a bittersweet time of year for so many, but we are taking joy in what UUA President Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt reminds us is the time when we “come back to each other in our congregations and communities.”

Whether you are coming back to your community after a long time away or whether you have been there all summer, we are grateful for your shared ministry toward collective liberation and beloved community. 

This summer, Side With Love program and field staff created a wealth of events, resources, and opportunities to balance the need to rest and play with the necessity of honing our skills and staying informed and prepared to respond to the ongoing attacks on communities and people beloved of us.

Whether you need a space to grieve and pray, the opportunity to gather with others doing the work, or dedicated time to learn, we have something that will serve you. Find more information and specific programming here.

Caring for Trans Families (parts 2 and 3 - online)

Mondays October 23 / November 20 6:00-8:00pm ET

This is a national 3-part series that will empower congregational leaders to faithfully support our transgender/non-binary community members. In this series, we will examine what multi-faceted support looks like including pastoral and structural support. It will include resources to help congregations work toward radical inclusivity and advocacy in the public sphere.

For more information and to participate, please contact the Southern Region at sr@uua.org.

Congregational Therapy: Acting as a Pastor and Thinking Like a Therapist (online)

October 18 & 19, 25 & 26; November 1 & 2 1:00-2:00pm ET

Join facilitator Rev. Kenneth Reeves and The Center for Career Development and Ministry. Ministry is more stressful than ever. We can all benefit from tools and techniques to help us manage the difficult leadership tasks of handling conflict, fielding complaints, and bringing change.

Find out more. Registration is free and required. To register contact Erin Henke at admin@ccdmin.org.

Large Congregation Staff Conference 2023 (online)

Collective Creativity for the Next Unitarian Universalist Chapter: Wednesday November 1 and Thursday November 2, 2023 / 90-minute segments

11:30am - 6:00pm ET

Is your large congregation’s staff planning to attend this year’s Large Congregation Staff Conference? Encourage them to join these national conversations with other large church staff to envision the next chapter of Unitarian Universalism together.

Registration is required for a fee per team. The registration deadline is Thursday November 2.

Need Worship Resources for your Smaller Congregation? Check Out These Fall Offerings! (online)

Putting on weekly worship can be onerous for smaller congregations, especially those with part time or no professional minister. Right size your worship calendar by engaging with these trainings and offerings. 

New! Sermon of the Month Series Subscription Service, Offered by Your UUA Congregational Life Field Staff: Monthly sermons (and suggested hymns and readings) from a variety of speakers created monthly for your use. $350 for 12 sermons, $50 discount for Honor Annual Program Fund (APF) contributors. 

New! Spiritual Deepening Through Worship and Small Groups, from the Center for Congregational Spirituality and the MidAmerica Region. Develop a liturgical year for your congregation, plan worship services centered on spiritual practices, and go deeper with small group spiritual companioning. $350 for teams of four, $300 for three, $225 for two, and $125 for individual registrations. 

Tried and True! Meaningful Worship for Small Congregations video with Rev. Sarah Schurr. Center your worship planning with this review of some basics. Free, 16 mins. 

New Resources for Worship Associates! (online)

As described in the recent UUWorld Article Liturgy of the People, co-creating worship along with the minister can be a transformative experience for worship associates. The UU Institute just published a new training, Worship for Transformation, designed for worship arts teams to take together. WorshipWeb‘s Erika Hewitt interviewed accomplished UU worship teams and individuals from around the UUA and beyond and curated those conversations into a robust training. It’s like attending a national conference for only $30 per person! 

Erika Hewitt is also the author of The Shared Pulpit: A Sermon Seminar for Lay People, a complete workshop to help lay people gain experience writing and preaching a full-length sermon for their congregation. 

For those ready to expand their preaching skills, Stephen M. Shick’s Speaking By Heart: The Spiritual Practice of Unscripted Public Speaking, is now available from the InSpirit bookstore! In the spirit of adrienne maree brown's principle of Emergent Strategy "less prep, more presence," the author guides the reader into an embodied practice of preaching with presence and connection with the congregation.

Letting Go of our Beloved Buildings (online)

Wednesday, October 25 1:30–3:00pm ET

Our buildings connect us to our history and are special and unique spaces that provide a home for our communities. But with these blessings come the challenges of maintaining older buildings and adapting them for today's needs. This is especially a challenge for congregations who are now smaller than when their buildings were built. What if the space we need to live our mission no longer matches the building we own? Could our building find a new calling?

Find out more information. Registration is free and required. The registration deadline is Tuesday October 24.

Threats from Without, Care from Within (online)

Saturday, October 21 12:00-6:00pm ET

In 2023, an increasing number of our congregations have been targeted and threatened by extremist groups who do not like the way our congregations act for justice and equity. Though most threats do not lead to violence, these times call us to be prepared. This daylong online conference will begin with worship and inspiration, followed by workshops and panel discussions. We encourage teams from congregations to sign up and to participate in the conference on different screens to be able to attend different workshops.

Registration is required and available on a sliding scale. The registration deadline is Friday, October 20.

Jubilee Three Anti-Racism Training (hybrid)

Friday October 20, 6:00–9:00pm / Saturday October 21, 9:00am–8:00pm / Sunday October 22, 12:00–6:30pm

Do you wish to deepen your understanding of how race and ethnicity play out in our institutions and our daily lives? This 2-½ day workshop is open to everyone – of any faith or none – who wants to journey toward making a stand against racism and nurturing a multicultural future. 

The workshop includes presentations, discussions, videos, exercises, and small group work. Offered remotely by program developer Paula Cole Jones with the support of two experienced trainers, the program can be taken at home via Zoom, or in the company of others on Saturday and Sunday in UU sanctuary locations TBD (greater Boston area). There are multiple breaks each day, including a 2-hour lunch break on Saturday, allowing time to gather, make connections, and break bread together. Registration is required for a fee. More information available (PDF).

Fall Right Relationship Team Training (online)

The fall Right Relationship Team Training is open for registration!

Creating beloved community requires intention and practice. Our covenants articulate our intention, but how do we live into the practice? Right Relations Teams (RRT) are lay leaders entrusted to help the congregation practice faithful communication and creative conflict based on values of mutuality and consent.  

This training is for congregational teams who will be helping their congregations live into their covenants.

In this facilitated version, you will learn with other congregations during the 6 live practice sessions. The cost of $400/team covers the facilitators and includes a code to access to training materials. Sessions are every other Thursday, October 5 through December 14 7:30-9:30pm ET.

Note: The training can also be taken on your own ($30/person). There are instructions for you to facilitate your own practice sessions with your team.

Coming in October – UUA Legacy Giving Webinar (online)

Saturday, October 14 1:00pm-3:00pm ET

The UUA’s Legacy Gifts Office offers a number of services, including an online workshop to assist congregations and other UU organizations in creating legacy giving programs. The webinar on Saturday, October 14, 2023 covers the basics of legacy giving and aims to equip legacy giving committees with the knowledge they need to start or refresh their program. To register for the webinar or to reach out with a question about legacy giving, email us at legacy@uua.org or call (617) 948-6509.

Next UUA Board Open House (online)

Tuesday, October 10 7:00pm ET

One way the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Board of Trustees serves the more than 148,000 members and over 1,000 member congregations of the UUA is through open communication and transparency in its own work.

To further encourage this open dialogue, the Board hosts monthly Open Houses. All are invited to attend and participate. Bring your comments, questions, and suggestions, and chat about the Board’s work and the Unitarian Universalist (UU) issues that matter most to you.

Registration is free and required.