Get Rooted, Get Ready!

Spring for Change: a Season of Sacred Activism — from March 20 (Spring Equinox) through May 22nd (International Day for Biodiversity) — is an invitation to the Unitarian Universalist faith community to embody the transformational, regenerative power of Spring through sacred activism for Earth and all our relations.

The 2022 Spring for Change theme is Get Rooted, Get Ready!
Together, we will Get Rooted in our faith communities, our spiritual practices, and our relationships to the ecosystems we are home to. We will Get Ready by facing the facts and forecasts of our climate and ecological crises with courage, moral clarity, and a commitment to act for justice.

For more opportunities to engage in this season of sacred activism click here:


Get Rooted, Get Ready! March 20 – May 23, 2022 Spring for Change: a Season of Sacred Activism — from March 20 (Spring Equinox) through May 22nd (International Day for Biodiversity) — is an invitation to the Unitarian Universalist faith community to embody the transformational, regenerative pow...

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This week's Braver Wiser message comes from Christine Slocum.
"I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t fail first.We can avoid failure or try and roll with whatever the consequences are, trusting we're worthy all the same. "

Read it in full:https://bit.ly/3IAXQjJ


A combination of strategies can offer layers of precaution that increase safety and inclusion for all members of a community.

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The UUA supports congregations that continue to suspend in-person gatherings, as well as those that are combining in-person and online engagement to offer a multiplatform experience. We believe this is an important way for us to continue live out our UU values of radical inclusion.

Learn about our seven strategies for gathering and how your congregation can sustain and grow its vital ministry in these turbulent times in our resource pages online: https://bit.ly/36i953B.



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Programming for the 2022 Intergenerational Seminar will be offered fully online, April 22 – May 1, 2022. Addressing the theme “Displacement and Human Rights: All In for Climate Justice.” It’s hosted by the UUA Office at the United Nations (UU@UN) in partnership with UU Ministry for Earth, UU Service Committee (UUSC), and Side With Love. Congregations are invited to host local gatherings to allow Seminar attendees to connect with others who live nearby.

Registration for the Seminar is open through April 3, 2022. Check out the tentative schedule for additional details about what to expect!

https://bit.ly/3wwkrM0



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The Article II Study Commission needs your input on key themes related to its revision work. After you have participated in reflection with your local community or attended an online discussion, please share your feedback with us through a brief survey.

https://bit.ly/3HZeIBf



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Thanks to grassroots organizing, we knew President Biden’s SCOTUS nominee would be the first Black woman so honored, but that doesn't minimize the staggering importance of breaking through 230+ years of excluding Black women from the Supreme Court.

Jackson brings impeccable credentials that inspired the UUA to formally join in supporting her nomination. Among her decades of achievements, Jackson will break another pivotal barrier by becoming the first public defender ever to serve on the Supreme Court and the first criminal defense attorney since Thurgood Marshall retired in 1991.

As we celebrate this historic moment, we are in solidarity with all whose hard work and activism has brought us here, and we wait to exhale collectively when Judge Jackson is rightfully confirmed as our next Supreme Court justice.

https://bit.ly/3Iylxcp


As we confront the urgent threats to peace, voting rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and more, let’s appreciate and celebrate the landmark nomination of Judge Ktanji Jackson, which grassroots activists helped create, and draw needed inspiration for essential struggles to come.

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Doug Sherman reminds us how we must welcome and find room for refugees. “Every person deserves dignity, every person has inherent worth. We are in an era of a mass migration of people fleeing war, terrorism, drug lords, authoritarianism, starvation, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes: These are the teeth of the shark .No one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark.”

Read more from member of the UU Church of Buffalo, Doug Sherman:
https://bit.ly/3It6uk4


Every person deserves dignity, every person has inherent worth.

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We are excited to share a new UU youth ministry podcast with you! JUUst Breathe Live is a podcast hosted by religious educators Eric Bliss and Shannon Harper. In each episode, they interview special guests on topics that are central to youth ministry such as climate justice, spiritual direction, and life after bridging/circling.

https://bit.ly/3udGhBf


And now for something completely different! Eric Bliss Yms and I are trying a new tactic for bringing UU youth and emerging adult ministry to the people. JUU...

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Despite the Texas Supreme Court's ruling ending legal challenges against their inhumane anti-abortion law, Unitarian Universalists in Texas remain committed to helping women who want abortions find the health care they need. “I’m organizing chaplains to assist patients to be with [the women seeking abortions], to give them spiritual care, to accompany them in their journeys to these clinics,” said Rev. Daniel Kanter of First Unitarian Church of Dallas. https://bit.ly/36tSbhS
Texas clergy part of lawsuit struck down in latest blow to abortion law challenge
(RNS) — The Rev. Daniel Kanter, a plaintiff in the lawsuit, said they will continue helping pregnant people get safe and legal abortions in other states.


(RNS) — The Rev. Daniel Kanter, a plaintiff in the lawsuit, said they will continue helping pregnant people get safe and legal abortions in other states.

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If you identify as cisgender, consider taking our Spokesperson Training to learn how to speak in support of trans/genderqueer/non-binary people, whether at legislative hearings, community meetings, in media interviews, or other venues. We encourage you to share this with religious professionals and congregational leaders beyond UUism. We need Progressive congregational and community leaders to speak up against hateful anti-trans legislation around the country.

Register at https://bit.ly/TransLivesSpokespersonTraining.


Progressive congregational and community leaders are needed to speak up against hateful anti-trans legislation around the country. If you identify as cisgender, consider taking our Spokesperson Training to learn how to speak in support of trans/genderqueer/non-binary people, whether at legislative hearings, community meetings, in media interviews, or other venues. Register at https://bit.ly/TransLivesSpokespersonTraining.

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This week's Braver Wiser message comes from David Kohlmeier.

You and everyone else on the planet are worthy by nature: you didn’t earn your worth, and you can’t lose it. Because you exist. Period.

Read it in full:https://bit.ly/3MUwyZ7


You didn’t earn your worth, and you can’t lose it. Because you exist. Period.

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The UUA's Holdeen India program works in many ways to support women's empowerment in India. Here's a recent dispatch sharing how one Holdeen program partner is supporting women farmers in the western state of Gujarat.

https://bit.ly/34QnEdU


How grassroots partners of the UU Holden India Program celebrated International Women's Day

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UU congregations from across the nation will come together in late April to discuss climate justice and human rights. This will be a great opportunity to network and discern ways to address climate change!

Visit https://bit.ly/3MUlJ9e to learn more.


Youth and adults from all over North America gather annually for our three day seminar to dig deeply into issues with global impact.

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This time two years ago, our lives changed forever when the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. Vaccinations and therapeutic strategies have allowed some Americans to move on with their lives.

But we cannot forget that the pandemic permanently altered many lives, particularly among Black and brown families, individuals, and communities. Recent analyses of federal, state, and local data show that people of color experienced a disproportionate burden of cases and deaths. As is almost always true, this crisis has made pre-existing racial inequities much worse.

As a society, we need to reflect on how to close these gaps. As a faith tradition, Unitarian Universalists are committed to justice, equality, and inclusion. When it comes to COVID-19, that means respecting and protecting the BIPOC communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, promoting the right to health care, and creating better access to it.

As we pick up the pieces of this pandemic and rebuild, may we hold the pain of so many lives lost and so much injustice together as communities of love and justice. And may the experience of shared heartbreak move us to be bolder as we take action where we live to transform this society into one that is rooted in justice and equality for all.

For a deeper understanding of the state of the current crisis, please visit the following link:https://bit.ly/3i6DTGF


This is an updated analysis of COVID-19 cases and deaths by race/ethnicity that incorporates more recent data amid the surge associated with the Omicron variant.

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These activists are each making unique and powerful contributions to our world and they are lifting up other women, too. How are you celebrating Women's History Month?

https://bit.ly/3hCT7mq


We reach out to five activists to learn how they're celebrating Women's History Month and share their advice on how to celebrate women every day.

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As people of faith who believe in every person's right to live freely and fully in the wholeness of their own beloved identity, we denounce the harassment of families in Texas by their state's government. Gender affirming medical care is a human right and all trans people deserve to be loved, uplifted, and celebrated for who they are. #ShameOnTexas

https://bit.ly/3vPose9


Amber Briggle had hoped inviting Paxton to dinner might soften his views about transgender children. Now, the family is under investigation after he issued an opinion equating gender-affirming medical care with child abuse.

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Bruce Knotts

The Unitarian Universalist Association joins more than 450 other organizations in petitioning governments in boycotting Russian gas and oil in addition to committing to phasing out fossil fuel use. Read the letter and see all the signers at https://bit.ly/3tJvuhN.


Organizations around the world demand that governments put forward plans to bring emissions and fossil fuel production down to Real Zero.

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Please save the date and join The U.S. HIV & AIDS Faith Coalition on a HIV & Faith conversation on Women, Girls and HIV. This Wednesday, March 9th 2022 at 2 pm EST. The HIV & AIDS Faith Coalition is proud to partner with the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference.



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We are so grateful for all the women leaders—especially the BIPOC women, trans women, women with disabilities and poor women—who have been leading change throughout history and today. And we remain ever grateful for the leadership of our President, Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray.

#InternationalWomensDay



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In response to the outpouring of concern, we're sharing the most up to date information we have on how UUs in the United States and around the world are responding to the humanitarian crisis in #Ukraine and to amplify the ways that we can all help.


We continue to hold in our hearts the people of Ukraine and all of those around the world who are suffering because of war and injustice.

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March is Women’s History Month, a time to reflect on the incredible and often overlooked contributions women have made throughout history. Many Unitarian, Universalist, and Unitarian Universalist (UU) women have not only shaped and led the UU faith, but they’ve also left an undeniable impact on history in general. Learn about these ten influential women who changed the world for the better. Don’t see your favorite UU woman in history? Comment below their name below.

https://bit.ly/3hMkcDO


March is Women’s History Month, a time to reflect on the incredible and often overlooked contributions women have made throughout history. Many...

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Yesterday a Kentucky jury cleared a former police officer of charges that he endangered neighbors when he fired shots into an apartment during the 2020 drug raid that ended with Breonna Taylor’s death.

This news is both heartbreaking and heartbreakingly unsurprising. The UUA affirms our solidarity with all of our Black siblings and kin, with communities across the globe who are rising up. As Unitarian Universalists, we must commit yet again to acting alongside all who are working to bring about a world in which Black lives, bodies, and communities are treated with reverence and respect.

#BlackLivesMatter #SayHerName

https://bit.ly/3KzyZOP


LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A former Kentucky police officer was found not guilty Thursday on charges he endangered neighbors the night he fired into Breonna Taylor's apartment during a botched drug raid that resulted in Taylor's death.

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These activists are each making unique and powerful contributions to our world and they are lifting up other women, too. How are you celebrating Women's History Month?

https://bit.ly/3hCT7mq


We reach out to five activists to learn how they're celebrating Women's History Month and share their advice on how to celebrate women every day.

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For those looking for ways to support folks impacted by the war in #Ukraine, we share this blog post from the @UUAInternationalOffice, which includes links to support the Hungarian Unitarian Church as well as the @UnitarianUniversalistServiceCommittee. You'll also find more information on Russia's actions in the UN Security Council in a UU World from the director of our UU United Nations office, Bruce Knotts.

https://bit.ly/3HHPZAq


As the situation in the Ukraine unfolds, we in the International Office echo the messages shared by UUSC’s president the Rev. Mary Katherine Morn and by...

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This week, we were reminded once again that the damage that climate change will bring will devastate neighborhoods and disrupt lives around the world, especially BIPOC communities and developing nations. According to a New York Times summary of the latest International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, extreme weather events killed 15 times as many people in highly vulnerable countries, including those in Africa and Asia, than in wealthier nations. .

Unitarian Universalism's 7th Principle calls us to acknowledge and protect the interdependent web of existence of which we are all a part. As people of faith, we accept our responsibility to act on our commitment to environmental justice.

Review the latest IPCC report here:
https://bit.ly/35AHDgy


Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Working Group II contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report

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Many people who complain about “voter fraud” clearly want to ensure the tiny number of cases continue, lest they lose their excuse for continuing voter suppression and election sabotage.

Here's the evidence! https://bit.ly/3v0b1r6

https://bit.ly/3IF79A7


Voter registration rolls in America are often out-of-date and complicated to maintain because millions of Americans move, die, or change their names each yea...

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Lifting up and echoing this message of love from the Rev. Erin Walter and the Texas Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry:

To trans UUs and parents, caregivers, and families of trans kids: You are deeply loved. [Attorney General] Paxton and [Governor] Abbott do NOT speak for your communities of faith. Your clergy are NOT required to report gender-affirming care, nor would we. We pray you are tending to your needs and doing what gives you joy right now. Please reach out to your local clergy or church care teams for support, or contact TXUUJM@gmail.com and let us know how your state justice ministry can support you. We pledge to do everything we can.

TrustTexasFamilies #TransPeopleAreDivine


Updates from the Texas UU Justice Ministry, in Support of Trans Texans and Their Families


Dear Texas UUs and justice seeking friends,


Trans people embody the inherent worth and dignity that is a pillar of our Unitarian Universalist faith. At the Texas Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry, our hearts are with trans kids, their families and caregivers, and all trans and nonbinary people. We love you fiercely, and will forever fight for your rights and honor the beautiful ways you are you.


As has been reported, Attorney General Ken Paxton and Governor Greg Abbott are threatening to remove trans-children from their homes if parents seek gender-affirming care, prosecute their parents for child abuse, and prosecute mandatory reporters — including clergy — for failing to report this “child abuse.”

These threats are abhorrent, unconscionable, and immoral, and Paxton and Abbott's fear-mongering poses real danger to the health and safety of trans Texans. However, we also want to send legal and spiritual reassurance from TXUUJM partners, ministers, and friends (below).

To trans UUs and parents, caregivers, and families of trans kids: You are deeply loved. Paxton and Abbott do NOT speak for your communities of faith. Your clergy are NOT required to report gender-affirming care, nor would we. We pray you are tending to your needs and doing what gives you joy right now. Please reach out to your local clergy or church care teams for support, or contact TXUUJM@gmail.com and let us know how your state justice ministry can support you. We pledge to do everything we can.

In faith,

– Rev. Erin Walter, Minister & Executive Director, Texas UU Justice Ministry

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Are you participating in Lent this year? In this Braver Wiser message, Author Nathan Ryan shares an experience he has had with Lent. “I’m prone to think of my Lenten practice as a failure: I didn’t pick something rigorous enough to help me grapple with the realities of my own mortality and the temporary nature of all of existence. Then again, maybe transformation shouldn't be measured in forty-day increments.”

For those who practice, we hope this season of Lent is a meaningful one for you - with or without transformation.

Learn more about Nathan Ryan’s experience here:
https://bit.ly/36WXd70


Last year for Lent, I decided to say yes to any request. I made it all the way to Easter without having to honor my decision.

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Adriel Wilson

Jeff Milchen

There is pain and outrage in our hearts because Texas Governor Greg Abbott has escalated the attacks on transgender people living in his state, especially trans youth, by equating medical care with child abuse. Governor Abbott is weaponizing this basic right of care for trans youth and their families.

As Unitarian Universalists, let us come together in solidarity at this critical moment in unequivocal support for trans children. We will continue to work unceasingly to create inclusive religious communities and for LGBTQIA+ justice and equity as a fundamental part of our faith tradition.

To our trans family: we uplift and support all the trans and non-binary people in our lives, our congregations, and communities. You are not alone. We hold trans children and their families—in Texas and in the world—in deep care.

For more resources, please visit Resources for Transgender Youth in Texas.

https://bit.ly/35iSkEX


There is pain and outrage in our hearts because Texas Governor Greg Abbott has escalated the attacks on transgender people living in his state.

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Today we grieve for disabled people who have been murdered by the same people who should have loved and supported them: their family members. Author Jessi Sadaka, reminds us "Disabled people shouldn't need luck to survive ableism. Let us build a future where honoring the Disability Day of Mourning means acknowledging historical loss rather than ongoing trauma. To get there, may we transform how we treat the living, while we mourn our beloved dead. To my fellow disabled people, always remember: The things we are capable of doing are worthy. And the value in each of us is inherent, sacred, and forever. Amen."

https://bit.ly/342KePU


Today we grieve for disabled people who have been murdered by the same people who should have loved and supported them: their family members.

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We are in strong solidarity with our partners at the international human rights organization, The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, in condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Our belief as UUs in the inherent worth and dignity of all people and our commitment to building a world community of peace, liberty and justice for all, calls us to uplift the ways that this violence only worsens the global refugee crisis and undermines the human rights of the Ukrainian people. We echo the Service Committee when they affirm,

"As human rights advocates based in the United States condemning this latest escalation of the conflict, we hope this moment might also serve as an opportunity for all of us and our leaders to reflect on our own history of similar acts of aggression and militarism... All-powerful states must be held accountable to the principles of human rights."

Read their full statement and find links to take further action at https://bit.ly/3M8XQKN.


Putin's aggression will certainly lead to human rights violations.

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Our hearts are heavy on this 10th anniversary of Trayvon Martin’s death. The killing of baby-faced Trayvon, an unarmed youth at the hands of a stranger, still reverberates 10 years later -- in protest, in racial reckoning, and in social justice.

10 years ago today, George Zimmerman fatally shot Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old African-American high schooler in Sanford, Florida. Trayvon was walking home in a gated community from a store after purchasing an Arizona Ice Tea and Skittles candy.

The moment of Trayvon Martin’s death opened the eyes of many. And although the aftermath of his death profoundly impacted the country, it only preceded more unjust killings of Black people, in the familiar march of American history. This tragedy would also come to inspire the creation of the Black Lives Matter movement.

In this week alone, we commemorate Trayvon Martin, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd—and we also remember and hold close their families, who will grieve their loss for the rest of their lives.

These men were killed in a society that criminalizes Black skin. We are still living in a country with a legacy of slavery that does not fully recognize the humanity of Black people. Our Unitarian Universalist faith demands that we continue to address systemic racism. We lift up and honor the beautiful humanity of Trayvon Martin and the dignity of his life.

#RestInPowerTrayvonMartin



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President Joe Biden has selected Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be the first Black woman to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court. In doing so, he has set in motion a historic confirmation process for the highest court in the nation.

Ketanji Brown Jackson is a Harvard Law School graduate and her labor-friendly rulings as a judge have drawn wide praise. President Biden was impressed by her expertise and life story, including her rise from federal public defender to federal appellate judge and her upbringing as the daughter of two public school administrators. Her mother was a public school principal and her father became a public school attorney.

President Biden sought a candidate with exceptional credentials, unimpeachable character, and unwavering dedication to the rule of law. As UUs, we are so proud and joyful about this historic nomination. We celebrate the choice President Biden has made.

https://cnn.it/3Kcd5Rx


President Joe Biden nominated Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court on Friday, setting in motion a historic confirmation process for the first Black woman to sit on the highest court in the nation.

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Two important cases were decided this week that achieved some small degree of accountability for the unjust, outrageous murders of two Black men. Three men who were earlier convicted of killing Ahmaud Arbery in state court were found guilty of federal hate crimes. Additionally, three former Minneapolis police officers involved in the murder of George Floyd were convicted in federal court of depriving him of his civil rights.

We are now in a time of national reckoning. This is some measure of accountability but not true justice. True justice would be for Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd to be alive today. We hold their memory and their families in deep care. Our Unitarian Universalist faith compels us to speak the names of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery in remembrance of their lives and recognize every Black person who has been harassed, assaulted, or murdered by police.

We must continue to work in solidarity with the Black leaders and organizers who have long been fighting for justice. #justiceforgeorgefloyd #blacklivesmatter

https://cnn.it/35vBHWg


Former Minneapolis police officers Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane were found guilty of violating George Floyd's civil rights by a federal jury in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Thursday.

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As the coronavirus moves from a furious boil to a gentle simmer, many immunocompromised people (like everyone else) hope to slowly expand their life again but that depends on the accommodations society is willing to make.

So while most people will never be as vulnerable as some people, respecting the needs of immunocompromised people isn’t about disproportionately accommodating some tiny minority; it’s really about empathizing with your future self. “Illness happens to everyone eventually. Don’t you want a better world for yourself when that time comes?

https://bit.ly/3C5bXfH


What does society owe immunocompromised people?

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There is pain and outrage in our hearts because of Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s offensive equating of the medical care of trans youth with child abuse. He has directed state agencies to conduct investigations into gender-affirming care for transgender children. Gov. Abbott is weaponizing the basic right of medical care for trans youth and their families. He is seeking to criminalize the healthcare support they may receive from their community and allies. And he is part of setting a dangerous precedent for other states to target trans children and their caregivers.

Gov. Abbot’s direction will only spread fear and misinformation. A parent or guardian who is taking their child to a health care provider to offer gender-affirming care is providing love and support.

Gender-affirming care recognizes that every life is sacred and supports the well-being of trans youth. Implementing unsafe standards in communities is harmful to trans and non-binary youth and encourages prejudice and violence. Now is the time to express our solidarity with those experiencing the cruel impacts of the irresponsible action of Gov. Abbott. Trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming children in Texas and beyond deserve better.

As Unitarian Universalists, let us come together in solidarity at this critical moment in unequivocal support for trans children. To our trans family: we uplift and support all the trans and non-binary people in our lives, our congregations, and communities. You are not alone. We hold trans children and their families--in Texas and in the world--in deep care.

https://nbcnews.to/3vk3SCe


Gov. Greg Abbott said those who fail to report instances of minors receiving gender-affirming medical care could face “criminal penalties.”

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We join in solidarity with so many around the world and pray for the people of Ukraine. Our hearts go out to those who are enduring devastating loss of life, violence, instability, and upheaval due to Russia’s invasion by land, air, and sea.

Our UU faith calls us to remain deeply committed to justice and we believe we have a moral responsibility to support the creation of peace and the equal rights of all people. Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is a stark reminder that human rights are fundamentally linked to our interdependence.

A recent UU World blog post by Bruce Knotts, director of the Unitarian Universalist Office at the United Nations, expresses how UUs have long been at the center of this struggle on the global stage and were an integral part of the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. The essential message of the Declaration recognizes the closely held UU value of the inherent worth and dignity of all people.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/3t8ztUD



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In order to prepare for a new and different way of doing the business of GA this year, the Board will lead several different webinars. Each one will be 75 minutes in length, and a recording of each will be posted on this page at a later date. Pre-registration is required for all.

At this year’s multiplatform General Assembly (GA), we will explore the power, possibility, purpose, struggle, and joy of meeting the moment as Unitarian Universalists. Whether you're a first-time delegate or a long-time attendee, we invite you to join us to learn more about what will happen at GA this year.

Find a date that works best for your schedule. https://bit.ly/3s7Zkgb


Register to join one or more of the upcoming GA 2022 prep webinars let by members of the UUA Board.

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Respecting the interdependent web of our existence on earth is a principle we must strive to fulfill as conscious human beings. Transportation generates 29 percent of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, meaning any serious work to mitigate harm from global warming requires changing how we move people and goods.

Our individual choices as consumers matter. But only through our actions as citizens can we drive change on the scale our climate crisis demands. Learn more about UUA climate justice work and resources. Jeff welcomes your criticism, questions, and commentary. Tweet @JMilchen.

https://bit.ly/3h91w0G



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We need YOU and YOUR leadership!

Do you want to help make real and concrete changes to our Unitarian Universalist Association? The UUA Nominating Committee is seeking nominations for our denominational committees elected by the General Assembly. We need you to join this work!

We are seeking nominations for all of our elected committees: Board of Trustees, Board of Review, Nominating Committee, General Assembly Planning Committee, Commission on Appraisal, Commission on Social Witness, and Financial Advisor.

To learn more and to apply, head over to https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/volunteer.

We are asking applications to be in by February 27th.
Have any questions about serving? Reach out to the nominating committee at nominating@uua.org


Volunteer for a UUA committee, commission, or board and help us carry out the mission of the Association.

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Not too long ago, in 2014, our General Assembly theme was “Love Reaches Out.” Workshops included visionary topics such as “Deepening Online Engagement,” “Updating Your Web Presence,” and “Making and Sharing Videos.” But old, comfortable ways of doing church are hard to change…until you have to change.

One of the silver linings in the dark cloud of the pandemic is that love has been reaching out, in ways we couldn’t have imagined back in 2014—or even 2019.

Since 2020 there have been so many moments of radical inclusion, connection, and creativity, we offer you litany for all these moments these past two years.

Read more at:https://www.uua.org/leaderlab/online-litany


Online moments of radical inclusion, connection, and creativity shared as a litany.

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Today would have been Toni Morrison's 91st birthday.

Morrison wrote for all Black audiences and touched the whole world at the same time. She was an embodiment of Black excellence. Because of this, we can love her and her genius as stewards with integrity. She, like so many Black women, gave so much to this world. Toni Morrison put Black life into prose that will endure.

Happy Birthday Toni Morrison.

https://bit.ly/3sUk76p


Author and activist Charlene Carruthers pens a eulogy for one of the greatest minds of our generation.

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The stories of black history hold a powerful truth. These stories are alive and playing out today. Seeing the connections between the past and the present gives us the context that enriches our history. In the spirit of celebrating Black history, we’re offering the following list of recommended reading that offers diverse voices and perspectives on a range of topics.









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People of all ages, and many beliefs, are longing for ways of understanding that can provide them support in these stormy times. The uniqueness of Unitarian Universalism’s non-creedal tradition creates a force more powerful than one person or one belief system. Our joint journey together honors everywhere we’ve been before and our diverse and inclusive beliefs.

Rev. Zenshin Florence Caplow isn’t half Buddhist and half Unitarian Universalist — she’s completely both. Learn how Rev. Caplow explains the uniqueness of her transrelgious identity.

https://bit.ly/3oZLCtV


Rev. Zenshin Florence Caplow isn't half Buddhist and half Unitarian Universalist — she's completely both.

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From Side with Love – “Our Constitution guarantees the right to freedom of speech and assembly, and criminalizing protest is a threat to democracy.”

https://bit.ly/354KSwH


On September 14, we hosted “From #NoDAPL to #StopLine3: Water Protectors, Movement Building and Solidarity,” featuring a conversation with Michael “Rattler” Markus and the Rev. Karen Van Fossan.

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Stories touch hearts, open minds, and transform our understanding of the “other”—as well as our comprehension of own roles and responsibilities. A Land With a People is a book of stories, photographs and poetry which elevates rarely heard Palestinian and Jewish voices and visions. It brings us the narratives of secular, Muslim, Christian, and queer Palestinians who endure the particular brand of settler colonialism known as Zionism.

https://bit.ly/3gTcWpc



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An important part of being in a community of faith is taking seriously our need make space in our daily lives to care for others and to be cared for ourselves. Here's your reminder to prioritize compassion and self-care as we all process the many layers of stress and trauma we've been experiencing in these last two years of this pandemic. We can all do something to connect in care with those around us. What will you do?



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This week's Braver Wiser message comes from JeKaren Olaoya.

"It is so easy to throw up a shield of protection in the form of doubt, but that doesn’t lead to growth or connection. Help us to realize that being vulnerable is a gift. We don’t have to doubt the worth of others nor ourselves when we are reflected out in the world."

Read it in full and subscribe to Braver/Wiser:https://bit.ly/3oMqck3


I affirm that I am worthy of being good enough to touch hearts and souls, and connect others to Spirit.

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Happy Valentine's Day! This Valentine's Day (and every day), be the love you wish to see in the world. Let's celebrate the love of self, love of others, and love of all that is.



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As local infection rates trend downward, and people start including the word “endemic” in conversations, the yearning to get “back to normal” becomes stronger.

Many of our people hope to be back in the sanctuary with live music, the blending of voices during the hymns, and our friends surrounding us. This hope reminds us that in person worship is vital and life-giving. However, this is a time to stay centered in the values of inclusion, consent, going slow and being flexible.

It’s important to remember how online ministry has been a blessing for many in our faith communities. Just as in-person worship is vital and life-giving for some, for others online and multi-platform worship provide a lifeline.

The UUA remains committed to supporting congregational practices that are as inclusive as possible and we remain committed to supporting online and multi-platform strategies to achieve this goal.

https://bit.ly/3szUmrH


As religious leaders, part of our work is to help our communities hold the tensions between different needs in the congregation, especially around worship.

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Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth and Side with Love are excited to co-sponsor a winter concert fundraiser for Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth! Emma's Revolution is a dynamic band described by the New York Times as "fervent and heartfelt." Join us to pause for excellent music, a conversation about music for justice during this moment, and to be galvanized for the work ahead! Registration required.

https://bit.ly/3uK4BMU


Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth and Side with Love are excited to co-sponsor a winter concert fundraiser to sustain the justice ministries of Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth! Emma's Revolution music is praised by the New York Times as "fervent and heartfelt" - we're excited to sh...

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We know that corporate wealth and influence corrupts our democracy. We're really appreciating the way UU World columnist Jeff Milchen calls out corruption at the heart of today's most pressing issues, like in this column on the filibuster.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3JgZnMy.







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Today we are resharing this important article which includes an interview with BLUU Exec Director Lena K Gardner. She discusses the historic and ongoing erasure of Black Women's work and their complex identities in movement spaces.

https://strib.mn/3JlIu3w


Throughout the history of the movement for equality, Black women have been denied the recognition they've deserved.

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