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Today, Muslims worldwide, including Muslim Unitarian Universalists, celebrate Mawlid Al Nabi, the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. We wish you a very happy and blessed Mawlid Al Nabi.



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For if not us, who? If not now, when? This is the work we are called to do. Let's continue to commit to recognizing, reflecting, and doing the work to break barriers and build bridges.

We share with you Be A King photo as a reminder that we can do the work anywhere.



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On this #ThoughtfulThursday we are holding the millions of people affected by Hurricane Ian in love and light during their recovery time. We send our prayers.

Hurricane Ian made landfall over southwest Florida for only a few hours, but the recovery will take months or longer for some. Congregations affected by Hurricane Ian experienced a substantial loss of income and property. Our people will need support for housing, clothing, and basic needs as well as money for repairs. With your donation, we are able to aid congregations, their members, and their communities. Please donate today. https://bit.ly/33A6U5O



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UPLIFT Action Launch Party!

Join Side with Love for the launch of our latest organizing campaign, UPLIFT Action! They will be honoring the sacred importance of bodily autonomy with several of our partners and Unitarian Universalists from around the country who are faithfully organizing for LGBTQIA+, Gender, and Reproductive Justice.

Come be a part of this special event where we proclaim, "Every Body is Sacred!" and celebrate the inherent worth and dignity of every person and launch ourselves into action. Register now to join live or get the recording.
https://bit.ly/3SIlQaw



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Will you pledge to vote for the climate? - UU the Vote

Will you take the Climate Justice Voter pledge? Join UU the Vote as they’ve partnered with Environmental Voter Project to activate non-voting environmentalists. Take the pledge to get one million voters for the climate out to the polls this year!

https://bit.ly/3EdNUya


Climate change is a complex problem. The ways we address it are varied and have different impacts, but all are crucial in addressing climate change. Voting on climate is a critical approach.

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How We Die

5 October 2022 at 06:52
A close-up of a hand holding the hand of a patient lying in a hospital bed.

Meg Barnhouse

Dying is scary, but we are brave, and we can talk about it together.

Continue reading "How We Die"

How We Die

5 October 2022 at 06:52
A close-up of a hand holding the hand of a patient lying in a hospital bed.

Meg Barnhouse

Dying is scary, but we are brave, and we can talk about it together.

Continue reading "How We Die"

Surviving a Plague, Again! - National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day #NGMHAAD

30 September 2022 at 15:32
Two adult men, walking hand in hand looking smiling and happy; with the words "September 27 National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day Let's Stop HIV Together."
In 2008 the National Association of People with AIDS launched this observance day to recognize the disproportionate impact of the epidemic on gay men. National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day reminds us that the first for LGBTQ health equity is not over. #NGMHAAD

Continue reading "Surviving a Plague, Again! - National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day #NGMHAAD"

From Individualism to Empathy β€” Side With Love

It's disappointing that U.S. President Biden feels the pandemic is over - many in Unitarian Universalist communities are being impacted by the virus and many are still choosing to wear masks. We remain dedicated to supporting people's efforts to keep themselves and their families safe and healthy.

We also remain dedicated to demanding more compassionate, inclusive policies that protect the worth and dignity of everyone in communities across the United States.

Earlier this spring, Side with Love shared a post that reminded us of the importance of rejecting a narrow view of personal responsibility and choosing actions that support our entire community instead. Its message is still much-needed today.

https://bit.ly/3M9JDh1


As we reach the millionth U.S.COVID death, how can we prevent such overwhelming numbers from demoralizing us and instead reach people in ways that inspire work to build the more equitable and compassionate system?

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The Shabbat Shuva, known as the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, is a time for self-reflection and asking for forgiveness.

As we prepare for the start of Yom Kippur tomorrow, here is a piece of Jewish wisdom from this period. Shabbat Shalom!

PC: World Jewish Congress



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Disaster Relief Fund and Resources

We echo Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray message. Consider donating your congregation's Sunday collection to the UUA's Disaster Relief Fund to help us respond.

https://bit.ly/33A6U5O


Assist UUA congregations, their members, and communities experiencing destruction from natural and human caused disasters.

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Unitarian Universalist Association

The UUA is proud national partner of Day Without Us. Join us for this free event - register now. Learn how you can plug into the fight from wherever you are: https://bit.ly/3TL4ScA



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Surviving a Plague, Again! - National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day #NGMHAAD

30 September 2022 at 15:32
Two adult men, walking hand in hand looking smiling and happy; with the words "September 27 National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day Let's Stop HIV Together."
In 2008 the National Association of People with AIDS launched this observance day to recognize the disproportionate impact of the epidemic on gay men. National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day reminds us that the first for LGBTQ health equity is not over. #NGMHAAD

Continue reading "Surviving a Plague, Again! - National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day #NGMHAAD"

Help Create Summer Institute 2023

Central East Region Summer Institute Logo

Central East Region Summer Institute

Summer Institute is looking for workshop proposals and artwork designs.

Continue reading "Help Create Summer Institute 2023"

We Are Called to Help Those Affected by Hurricane Ian

30 September 2022 at 12:30
A couple survey hurricane damage

Staff Writer

Donate to the UUA's Disaster Relief Fund today to aid affected congregations.

Atlanta Congregation Holds Grand Opening for New Campus

30 September 2022 at 10:10
A congregation in worship

Staff Writer

After years without a building, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta has held the grand opening of its new campus.

Be-coming Out

28 September 2022 at 10:59
A vibrant colourful sunset or sunrise sky over limestone pavement landscape and a wind-bent English Hawthorn tree at Twisleton Scar, in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, UK

Heather McDuffee

I wasn’t really β€œborn this way.” I grew this way.

Continue reading "Be-coming Out"

Opportunities for Connection ~ October 2022

28 September 2022 at 14:00
Young Unitarian Universalist Project YUUP a fledgling network for UU youth & bridgers to forge connections and support each other

Central East Region of the UUA

Find out what's happening in the Central East Region! This month - YUUP, GA 2023, Pittsburgh Cluster Gathering, Lay-Led Congregations Program, Right Relationship Team Training, Neurodiversity Program, Climate Justice webinars and more!

Continue reading "Opportunities for Connection ~ October 2022"

Be-coming Out

28 September 2022 at 10:59
A vibrant colourful sunset or sunrise sky over limestone pavement landscape and a wind-bent English Hawthorn tree at Twisleton Scar, in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, UK

Heather McDuffee

I wasn’t really β€œborn this way.” I grew this way.

Continue reading "Be-coming Out"

Updating our Unitarian and Universalist History Poster

100 Unitarian & Universalists, Foundation, Faith, Future poster. Do you have htis outdated poster hanging in your church? Now is the time to update and celebrate the diveristy of our faith! 40% increase in representation of marginalized groups. Paving the way for Growth and Change. Journeying toward Beloved Community. A project of the 8th principle transformation committee of teh Unitarian Universalist Church of Akron.

UU Church of Akron, Fairlawn, OH

Do you have a poster hanging in your congregation titled 100 Unitarian and Universalists who Made a Difference? Have you every really taken a good look at it?

Continue reading "Updating our Unitarian and Universalist History Poster"

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Today, Jews worldwide, including Jewish Unitarian Universalists, celebrate Rosh Hashanah. As we gather for these celebrations, we wish you a time filled with meaningful moments, love, and care for one another.



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Last summer, East Shore UU Church in Kirtland, Ohio like many other congregations had just been through a very difficult year. Along with the continued challenges of the pandemic, they had to say goodbye to their developmental minister. The search for a new minister ended in disappointment, with no viable candidates available. Ministers in the greater Clevland area offered to help. Through patience and perseverance, these ministers came through for the East Shore UU Church in Kirtland. During their time they compiled a project post-mortem.

Learn how these ministers relied on staff and leaders to support one another during a time of shortage. Read the full story:https://bit.ly/3Rc4LUG



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#BisexualityDay seeks to accelerate the acceptance of the Bi community and overcome the erasure of bisexual individuals worldwide. UUs welcome and celebrate you and members of the bisexual community. Your identity is valid.🀍



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This #ThoughtfulThursday we are introducing a new series featuring our President Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray called #SFGLeads.

We share this message of hope during another time of uncertainty. Faithful action is what this moment asks of us. We remain grateful for the leadership of UUA President Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray.



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E, Rest In Power

Two years later, we still mourn the loss of the amazing Unitarian Universalist leader Elandria Williams. It brings us some comfort to know that E’s memory and legacy lives on through all of the lives E touched.”

https://bit.ly/3EKGVdY


Elandria Williams was a dear friend and incomparable leader of our faith.

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Little churches still matter, says Martha's Vineyard pastor of church that took in migrants

Houses of worship on Martha's Vineyard have long worked together to meet the needs of their neighbors. Faith leaders were ready to spring into action when refugees arrived unexpectedly after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis pulled an inhumane and cruel political stunt.

The Rev. Janet Newton, a minister at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Martha’s Vineyard, said, "The vineyard is often seen as a playground for the rich and powerful, and that shapes how outsiders see the Vineyard."

During the off-season in the vineyard, people struggle. In the geographically isolated community, year-round residents have learned to care for each other through community and hospitality.

Kudos to all of the community leaders - on Martha’s Vineyard who welcomed these strangers with love, care, and dignity.

https://bit.ly/3DDzyGV


(RNS) β€” Houses of worship on Martha's Vineyard have long worked together to meet the needs of their neighbors. So they were ready to spring into action when refugees arrived unexpectedly.

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Faith Groups Decry Biden's Plans to Expand Title 42, Call for Humane and Welcoming Asylum System - Interfaith Immigration Coalit...

We urge the Biden Administration to honor its commitment to end Title 42. We must build a just and humane immigration system in this country that honors the inherent worth and dignity of every person.

https://bit.ly/3fblavz


It was reported that the Biden administration has proposed to expand asylum-blocking Title 42 expulsions to Venezuelans, Cubans, and Nicaraguans.

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Some Kinds of Help

21 September 2022 at 06:03
On a rocky outcrop in what appears to be inclement weather, one person strenuously pulls another person uphill.

Shaya French

We don’t need to understand why someone sets a boundary to respect it.

Continue reading "Some Kinds of Help"

Some Kinds of Help

21 September 2022 at 06:03
On a rocky outcrop in what appears to be inclement weather, one person strenuously pulls another person uphill.

Shaya French

We don’t need to understand why someone sets a boundary to respect it.

Continue reading "Some Kinds of Help"

Faith On Fire For Democracy

In honor of National Voter Registration Day, we share with you this message from GA 2022. JaZahn Hicks, Campaign Manager at UU the Vote, reminding us why we need to be organized and engaged to participate in the critical elections happening across our country.

For more than 150 years, Unitarians and Universalists have been involved in the struggle to deliver the right to vote to more Americans. We all have a role to play in building a truly just, multi-racial democracy.

https://bit.ly/3eSikv1


This is "Faith On Fire For Democracy" by Unitarian Universalist Assoc. on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

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Come be in community on September 30th, and join the urgent call to build and exercise our collective power during a #DayWithoutUs national teach-in.

A day of disruption, learning, activation, and community building. The current conditions of the US require that we all exercise our power in both new and familiar ways. On Friday, September 30th, #DayWithoutUs is encouraging everyone to remove themselves from their daily routines and join a mass teach-in to understand how the fight for reproductive justice is a fight for all of our freedoms.

The UUA is proud national partner of Day Without Us. Join us for this free event - register now. Learn how you can plug into the fight from wherever you are: https://bit.ly/3TL4ScA



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Tonight at 6:30pm ET, join #UUTheVote and New Georgia Project for a virtual and in-person voter education and mobilization event. Come help us call voters in Georgia!

Sign up at: https://bit.ly/3Sh3e0I



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The Dory Fish and Stressful Times

19 September 2022 at 11:55
Blue Tang Fish, a blue fish with dark blue and yellow markings in front of coral in an aquarioum

Sunshine Jeremiah Wolfe

Have you noticed that you forget things more now than you remember doing before? Or perhaps you have communicated events and decisions in your congregations or communities and folks insist they have never heard it before? I am sure you can think of other examples in your life, family, or the...

Continue reading "The Dory Fish and Stressful Times"

Defund Fear by Zach Norris

One of the most powerful lies of white supremacy, capitalism, and colonialism is the notion that repressive and racist policing systems make us safer. In "Defund Fear: Safety Without Policing, Prisons, and Punishment," Zach Norris shifts the conversation about public safety away from fear and punishment toward support systems for our families and communities.

Our UU theology calls us to work for the liberation of all people - none of us are truly free until we are all free. We encourage you to read and reflect on "Defund Fear."

https://bit.ly/3xvgqXX


Defund Fear by Zach Norris

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On this Thursday, we offer you a message from Worship Web by Glen Thomas Rideout. "We show our children now the truths of yeste...

On this Thursday, we offer you a message from Worship Web by Glen Thomas Rideout.

"We show our children now the truths of yesterday and the possibility of tomorrow. It's this deeper connection with the greater living story that brings a chance of wellness and repair for all life."

https://bit.ly/3dswOkS



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The Congregational Life Leadership Team met to strategize on the Regional Staff's work to fulfill the UUA’s mission of supportin...

The Congregational Life Leadership Team met to strategize on the Regional Staff's work to fulfill the UUA’s mission of supporting congregations. This team quickly realized that there are two major challenges facing Unitarian Universalist congregations as we enter a new year - and you can read more about those challenges in the link below.

The good news for congregations is that you are not alone. Your Regional Staff and sibling congregations across the UUA are ready to get to work. There isn’t anything we can’t do when we do it together.

Get more support for your congregation at: https://bit.ly/3qr9gjn



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This week starts National Hispanic Heritage Month. This year's theme is "Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation." September 1...

This week starts National Hispanic Heritage Month. This year's theme is "Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation." September 15th through October 15th is a time to celebrate history, culture, traditions, and achievements while remaining committed to protecting and promoting the rights of people from Spanish-speaking and/or Latin American cultures.

As we celebrate the Hispanic and Latino/Latina/Latinx community, Unitarian Universalists lift up their hope and power, and we carry the light of their inspiration forward.

PC:nationalcouncilhepm



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Careers & Jobs

We have a number of new job openings here at the UUA, including:
Congregational Life Field Staff
Congregation Life Event Coordinator
LGBTQ Ministries and Clara Barton Gender Justice Fellow
Children and Families Faith Development Specialist
Reproductive Justice Organizing Intern

Learn more about these exciting opportunities and join us in this transformational work.
https://bit.ly/2rLDAqh


The UUA is a great place to workβ€”where your job is in alignment with your values. We are an historic, inclusive, and progressive religious denomination.

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After Big Win in Kansas, Can Pro-Choice Advocates Prevail in Kentucky?

As Kansas activists celebrate their hard-earned victory, their counterparts in Kentucky are just ramping up for a nearly identical showdown in November 2022.

β€œWe need the right conversations and deeper conversations with more personal connections,” said UU activist Ashanti (Ash) Spears. At the same time, Rus Funk, Justice Center Coordinator for the Kentucky Unitarian Universalist Justice Action Network, says there is "a real hunger for faith-based voices in support of reproductive rights."

While the strategies of Kansas and Kentucky organizers vary, their success is equally dependent on the same core elements: the hard work and support of millions of people who hold no formal power.

Read the full story on the prevail in Kentucky in UU World: https://bit.ly/3BjmBPV


Kansas organizers succeed through inclusive leadership and seeking dialogue with potential opponents.

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UU the Vote Homecoming Week! - UU the Vote

Show your UU the Vote Spirit at the Week of Action Homecoming-themed Rally! Join
UU the Vote and Michigan UU Social Justice for a virtual rally to celebrate the progress they have made and to prepare for the hard work still to come.

Join all week to put your values to the front and reach voters in Michigan through phone, text, and trend banking! Learn how you can participate in this nonpartisan civic engagement initiative: https://bit.ly/3U37WAV


Primary election season is just about over. This has been an unprecedented election season, with wins and losses that have been, oftentimes, difficult to sum up. From New York to Kansas to Alaska…

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Retracing My Steps

14 September 2022 at 08:36
Seen from the chest up, a side view of three generations: a Black son, father, and grandfather standing side by side.

Glen Thomas Rideout

I rise on the shoulders of ancestors whose names I can not know.

Continue reading "Retracing My Steps"

Retracing My Steps

14 September 2022 at 08:36
Seen from the chest up, a side view of three generations: a Black son, father, and grandfather standing side by side.

Glen Thomas Rideout

I rise on the shoulders of ancestors whose names I can not know.

Continue reading "Retracing My Steps"

How Abbott Elementary abolishes the police

Last fall, in addition to navigating the general crisis-laden state of the world, ABC premiered Quinta Brunson's television show Abbott Elementary. The show is set in Philadelphia, offering a window into the low-resourced school settings Black children often find themselves in.

Schools in the greater Philadelphia area are among the most segregated in the country, and they are also heavily policed. Instead of giving cops a role in the show's storyline, Brunson includes abolitionist-aligned themes, like offering care, grace, and protection to the most marginalized members of a community; relying on the community to improve and increase the school’s material resources; and keeping school resource officers and cops out of the narrative entirely.

Abbott Elementary invites us into a world that's possibility-laden and imaginative. The show asks you: What does it actually feel like to be a Black student? What should it feel like? One of the many central challenges of abolitionist organizing is simultaneously grappling with how to move through an anti-Black world designed to oppress Black peoples globally while imagining, organizing, and building a new world that ushers in Black liberation.

Patience, grace, humanity, and care are shown throughout Abbott Elementary– a model of deep understanding from which we can all learn. As Unitarian Universalists, we are committed to the Principles that move us to work together to transform racist structures and uproot policing systems.

https://bit.ly/3QH1TPm


Without cops or school resource officers roaming the hallway, Abbott Elementary invites us into a world that’s possibility-laden, imaginative, and abolitionist.

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An Oklahoma teacher gave her students access to banned books. Now she's under scrutiny

Banning books in the classroom is the start of the erasure of history and stops the progress that allows our children the opportunity to learn in accepting and nurturing classrooms.

The banning of books removes the possibility of conversation. Banning titles and aggressively policing books for inappropriate content can limit students’ exposure to great literature – and prevents students from learning both about injustice and oppression and the ways we can overcome them.

As Unitarian Universalists, we support the freedom to read, we champion free expression, and we believe in intellectual freedom. Celebrate free speech by exercising your constitutional right to read.

https://n.pr/3qoFRXf


Summer Boismier resigned from Norman High School after a student's parent complained. Now, Oklahoma's secretary of education wants to revoke her teaching certificate.

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There are a wide variety of offerings to help congregations welcome in-person visitors and share the life-saving message of Unitarian Universalism online. The inSpirit UU Book and Gift Shop is an essential resource at the beginning of the church year and beyond. Browse their colorful, relatable, and informative line of products specifically for congregations and get your members off to a great start in their search for truth and meaning.

https://bit.ly/3d1If36



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The Only Constant is Change

12 September 2022 at 12:13
Cristina Sanchis

Central East Region of the UUA

Over the last month or so, readers of this blog have seen a post by Amy Kent about her promotion to Congregational Life as Executive Administrator and her transition out of the region October 1. Then you heard from Patricia Infante about her plans to retire the end of this year. We have one more...

Continue reading "The Only Constant is Change"

After Big Win in Kansas, Can Pro-Choice Advocates Prevail in Kentucky?

9 September 2022 at 08:00
Β© 2022 Dave Kaup/AFP via Getty Images

Jeff Milchen

Kansas organizers succeed through inclusive leadership and seeking dialogue with potential opponents.

Continue reading "After Big Win in Kansas, Can Pro-Choice Advocates Prevail in Kentucky?"

Anniversary of September 11th

11 September 2022 at 11:00
Statue of Liberty

Staff Writer

Our hearts are still heavy on the anniversary of September 11, 2001.

After Big Win in Kansas, Can Pro-Choice Advocates Prevail in Kentucky?

9 September 2022 at 12:00
Woman in Kansas after abortion vote win

Jeff Milchen

Kansas organizers succeed through inclusive leadership and seeking dialogue with potential opponents.

Home

Today marks World Suicide Prevention Day. We honor those continuing their journey to support their own mental health and we remember those we have lost.

If you or anyone you know needs help, please use, or share the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline specific resources: https://bit.ly/3ce6lXh


We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.

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New Year, New Challenges

2 September 2022 at 15:30
In front of a church altar, about a dozen school backpacks are stacked up.

Natalie Briscoe

Your regional staff is very aware of the challenges you face in this upcoming year, and we are working together to provide resources as well as online spaces to gather, learn from one another, and get through this year with gusto.

Continue reading "New Year, New Challenges"

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Get your copy of the first publication from Black Lives of UU!

Forged at the intersection of faith and justice, "BLUU Notes: An Anthology of Love, Justice" edited by Takiyah Nur Amin and Mykal Slack is now available at http://bit.ly/3ol29sE



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New Year, New Challenges

2 September 2022 at 15:30
In front of a church altar, about a dozen school backpacks are stacked up.

Natalie Briscoe

Your regional staff is very aware of the challenges you face in this upcoming year, and we are working together to provide resources as well as online spaces to gather, learn from one another, and get through this year with gusto.

Continue reading "New Year, New Challenges"

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School closures and disruptions caused by the pandemic have driven learning losses and drop-outs, especially in vulnerable populations.

Through the celebration of International Literacy Day, we all have an opportunity to re-think the role of literacy. This day sheds light on eradicating poverty and attaining gender equality. It reminds us of the joys of reading and is the perfect excuse to unplug and get lost in a good book.

Looking for a good read to enjoy this #LiteracyDay? Pick up book from our inSpirit UU Book & Gift Shop: https://bit.ly/3ME46t1



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UU the Vote Announces 12 States Focus for 2022 Elections

We're excited to announce that #UUtheVote will focus on 12 states for the 2022 election cycle: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, New Hampshire, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

UU the Vote campaign manager, JaZahn Hicks explains, β€œWe selected these 12 states because we know that UU congregations and individuals can make a tremendous difference in democratic engagement in these states this year.”

Get details about what’s at stake in some of these states in our news release:
https://bit.ly/3TPPknN

And stay with us on socials to track new stories and developments in the lead-up to #ElectionDay.


Across the country, a number of ballot initiatives will have long-term implications for reproductive justice, voting rights, direct democracy, and more.

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Tragedy calls and challenges us as people of faith. How can we make our children feel safe when we ourselves are deeply shaken? We simply do the best we can. We take small steps.

Get more support for multigenerational conversations in difficult times at https://bit.ly/3KTJYUs.



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Choosing to Connect

7 September 2022 at 08:00
Cropped shot of a group of businesspeople standing together and holding hands in a modern office

Priscilla Shumway

It's my actions and choices that determine my connection to others.

Continue reading "Choosing to Connect"

Choosing to Connect

7 September 2022 at 08:00
Cropped shot of a group of businesspeople standing together and holding hands in a modern office

Priscilla Shumway

It's my actions and choices that determine my connection to others.

Continue reading "Choosing to Connect"

Meditation on Hope and Love in a Time of Struggle

Our hearts break open further with the news of yet more senseless violence in #Saskatchewan over the weekend. We hold the Indigenous communities and the families and loved ones of all those impacted in love and light, and in our prayers.

We share this excerpt from "Meditation on Hope and Love in a Time of Struggle," by Alice Anacheka-Nasemann as a small source of comfort for us all:

"...[T]his morning, let us simply breathe together as we hold our hearts open.
Breathing in as our hearts fill with compassion
Breathing out as we pray for healing in our world & in our lives.
Breathing in, opening ourselves to the transforming power of love
Breathing out as we pray for peace in our world & in our lives.
Breathing in as we hold hope in our hearts
Breathing out as we pray for justice in our world & in our lives.
May we know our strength
May we be filled with courage
May our love flow from us into this world."

Read the full meditation on #WorshipWeb: https://bit.ly/3BfeWDm


In a world so filled with brokenness and sorrow It would be easy to lose ourselves in never ending grief, To be choked by our outrage To be paralyzed by...

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Deepening Diversity in Worship

Inside a church, Black people stand as if listening to a preacher or choir.

JeKaren Olaoya

,

Erika A. Hewitt

If you’re trying to build a worship service that's anti-racist and decenters whiteness, you start in one spot.

Continue reading "Deepening Diversity in Worship"

Deepening Diversity in Worship

Inside a church, Black people stand as if listening to a preacher or choir.

JeKaren Olaoya

,

Erika A. Hewitt

If you’re trying to build a worship service that's anti-racist and decenters whiteness, you start in one spot.

Continue reading "Deepening Diversity in Worship"

Networking Sessions Return for 2022-23

5 September 2022 at 10:54
2022-23 CER Networking Sessions. Meet with other congregational leaders, share challenges and successes and ask questions of peers and CER Staff. 4 dates, 2 time options each date. 12:30-2 pm ET and 6-7:30 pm ET on Sept 15, Nov 10, Jan19, Apr 20. Details at the CER website.

Central East Region of the UUA

Join us for our quarterly networking session. CER staff will be on each call to answer questions, but our main focus will be what you can learn from and share with each other.

Continue reading "Networking Sessions Return for 2022-23"

Day Without Us: National Teach In – Just another WordPress site

The UUA is proud to be a national partner in Day Without Us, an inclusive event developed by Black women-led reproductive justice organizers who understand we need to abandon borders, boundaries, and binaries to build solidarity across the country.

The #DayWithoutUs National Teach-in is a day of disruption, learning, activation, and community building. The current conditions of the US require that we all exercise our power in both new and familiar ways. Our bodies fuel and drive these systems that keep this country running. On Friday, September 30th, #DayWithoutUs is encouraging everyone to remove themselves from their daily routines and join a mass teach-in to understand how the fight for reproductive justice is a fight for all of our freedoms.

Learn how you can plug into the fight from where you are: https://daywithoutus.com/


LeslieLeslie Mac is a Brooklyn-born & raised Organizer, seasoned Digital Strategist & Communications expert. Via…Read More

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UUs Honor Workers’ Dignity and Support the Labor Movement

Labor Day gives us another opportunity as a faith community to unequivocally side with the inspiring labor resurgence happening in workplaces across the country. As Unitarian Universalists, we have long believed that challenging inequity locally and globally for workers is a moral imperative.

This Labor Day, join in solidarity with people fighting for living wages, healthcare, and a more fair economy. Learn about the injustices that impact BIPOC individuals, low wage workers across sectors, and across gender and sexual orientations and encourage conversation around practical solutions.

And to all who believe in justice and democracy in our government, our communities and in our workplaces, we join you in solidarity.

https://bit.ly/3BgEr7e


As people of faith and conscience we rejoice in recent historic wins for workers.

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Timeline photos

We echo Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray's message: Covenants are life-affirming and life-saving, because the truth is, we need each other.



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This Sacred Hour

2 September 2022 at 09:00
White woman with glasses and short dark hair smiling.

Staff Writer

An Ingathering greeting from UUA President Susan Frederick-Gray.

A memoir reveals the holiness of bisexuality

We're proud to share this review of "Swinging on the Garden Gate" by Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew, published by our publisher Skinner House.

Bri Rooke writes in U.S. Catholic magazine about her experience in reading the book: "But mostly I wanted to cry because this book soothed something inside of me. It felt holyβ€”as though the author had held out a piece of her heart and said, 'Here, this is for you.'"

Read more and get your copy today. https://bit.ly/3wNnPkI


Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew's 'Swinging on the Garden Gate' bridges a literary gap.

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Worship Themes, Holy Days, and Holidays

The new 2022-2023 worship calendar has become available! With monthly worship themes used in four popular theme-based ministry programs, the calendar helps congregations create multigenerational connections as people of all ages explore common themes and extend faith development beyond Sunday morning.

https://bit.ly/3CPK8u1


Faith-based and secular holidays that UU congregations often celebrate, including monthly worship themes.

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Photos from Unitarian Universalist Association's post

The pandemic changed many facets of congregational life, including attendance. In the past two and half years, congregations have learned new dance steps to accommodate COVID-19. This fall will your congregation be ready to welcome visitors and former members?

Reverend Ken Sloane reminds us of the importance of connection. Any time someone enters online or in-person congregational space, there are several opportunities for multiple connection points from which a long-term relationship can continue and grow. Here are some examples:

Learn more here:https://bit.ly/3D21aW7









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An Ingathering message from Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray

UUA President Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray reminds us "We are living in what I have come to call a liminal time – a time in between. The pandemic has upended so much. After two years of virtual and hybrid gatherings, the ways in which people connect to religious community have broadened and new patterns are developing. On so many levels, what comes next is still being imagined.

As we come together for Ingathering this year, may we each remember the hundreds of thousands of UUs gathered all across our Association celebrating and calling themselves back into the power and possibility of our faithful communities. For we are not alone – and we make each other strong."

Please watch and share this video message
https://bit.ly/3wvipuJ


UUA President Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray offers a new message of hope, healing and welcome for Ingathering in the 2022 congregational year. Please download an...

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Your Life Could Depend on It

31 August 2022 at 05:26
A candid black-and-white shot at night, looking through window of nearby pizza parlour. Two workers are seen from behind as they prepare food.

Sarah Skochko

There is no such thing as unskilled labor.

Continue reading "Your Life Could Depend on It"

Your Life Could Depend on It

31 August 2022 at 05:26
A candid black-and-white shot at night, looking through window of nearby pizza parlour. Two workers are seen from behind as they prepare food.

Sarah Skochko

There is no such thing as unskilled labor.

Continue reading "Your Life Could Depend on It"

101 Year Old Betty Reid Soskin on Civil Rights - Hour Detroit Magazine

Betty Reid Soskin, a Unitarian Universalist, community activist and the oldest park ranger, has retired β€” but at 101, she’s keeping the conversation going virtually.

Betty Reid Soskin shares her civil rights work with Hour Detroit Magazine. We’re grateful for UU women like Betty! We are thankful for all people who have had an undeniable impact on our history and who change our world for the better.

https://bit.ly/3R3YNWS


Betty Reid Soskin, the oldest park ranger, has retired at 101 years old, but she’s keeping the conversation going virtually.

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The UUA is proud to be a national partner in #DayWithoutUs, a national day of action led by Black women and an invitation for all of us to abandon borders, boundaries, and binaries to build solidarity across the country.

Join tonight at 7:00 pm ET/4:00 pm PT for a special information session about the upcoming #DayWithoutUs National Teach-In on September 30th. Learn more about and how you can answer the urgent call to build and exercise our collective power.

@Day Without Us
https://bit.ly/3TujMDA



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Rethinking UUA Salary Recommendations: Improving Practicality, Advancing Equity, Leading with Integrity

UUA Salary Recommendations - Rethinking for Practicality, Equity, and Integrity

Jan Gartner

,

Sean Griffin

We're undertaking the first significant revisiting of the methodology behind our Salary Recommendations since the UUA Compensation Program was introduced in 1995.

Continue reading "Rethinking UUA Salary Recommendations: Improving Practicality, Advancing Equity, Leading with Integrity"

Rethinking UUA Salary Recommendations: Improving Practicality, Advancing Equity, Leading with Integrity

UUA Salary Recommendations - Rethinking for Practicality, Equity, and Integrity

Jan Gartner

,

Sean Griffin

We're undertaking the first significant revisiting of the methodology behind our Salary Recommendations since the UUA Compensation Program was introduced in 1995.

Continue reading "Rethinking UUA Salary Recommendations: Improving Practicality, Advancing Equity, Leading with Integrity"

Opportunities for Connection ~ September 2022

Faithify Crowdfunding for UU projects. Congregations, organizations, and people living Unitarian Universalist values in the world. Explore open campaigns or start your own at www.faithify.org

Central East Region of the UUA

Find out what's happening in the Central East Region! This month - Faithify, Ingathering Video, Networking Calls, BIPOC Gatherings, Staff Changes and more!

Continue reading "Opportunities for Connection ~ September 2022"

β€œTo Everything there is a season…”

29 August 2022 at 11:50
Patricia Hall Infante

Patricia Infante

As the seasons of the year move inexorably to the next, so it is for me as I prepare to move into the season of retirement later this year or early in 2023. My transition is a happy one – part of a life plan that includes more time for beloved family, days spent camping and visiting

Continue reading "β€œTo Everything there is a season…”"

β€˜A flame was lit in our hearts’ β€” How Ukrainians are building online networks for resistance and mutual aid

As Ukraine marked the 31st anniversary of their independence earlier this week, we continue to hold the people and families struggling to survive in this besieged country in our hearts and our prayers.

Read about Ukrainian resilience and creativity in resisting Russia’s invasion in this hopeful story by Waging Nonviolence: https://bit.ly/3AokXMs


With little more than the drive to help and an internet connection, some Ukrainians are finding creative ways to resist Russia’s invasion and fight for their future.

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Today is a time to reflect on Women’s Equality Day commemorating the 19th amendment granting women the right to vote. A day to h...

Today is a time to reflect on Women’s Equality Day commemorating the 19th amendment granting women the right to vote. A day to honor and celebrate the cultural and political accomplishments of women. It marks a moment for the beginning of gender equality.

The UUA is proud of our Unitarian Universalist legacy of fighting for democracy and voting rights.



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An Ingathering message from Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray

In her #Ingathering video message for the 2022 Unitarian Universalist congregational new year, UUA Pres Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray offers us much love and deep care.

She reminds us that our world needs our message of love and justice.

Please share this video in your congregational or community multi-platform worship and other gatherings this fall.

https://bit.ly/3wvipuJ


UUA President Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray offers a new message of hope, healing and welcome for Ingathering in the 2022 congregational year. Please download an...

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Timeline photos

"Kindness isn’t always easy. But kindness matters." On this #ThoughtfulThursday we offer you this UU World article by Kimberley Debus, "Kindness over niceness".

https://bit.ly/3dYcWpF



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We are holding Randal Worcester and his family in our hearts. Policing in this country remains deeply broken. We need a different system of public safetyβ€”one that recognizes the humanity of all people at its foundation. Unitarian Universalist’s Principles move us to work together to build the anti-oppressive world we imagine where everyone can be safe and everyone can thrive.

#BlackLivesMatter



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Weekly Witness Ep:225 β€œHow Can Life Thrive?” Reproductive Health and Gender Issues

President Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray was interviewed for the Weekly Witness Podcast earlier last week. Tune in as she discusses the focus of the UUA’s work protecting trans youth and reproductive justice. Enjoy some of her inspiring pastoral and prophetic words.

https://bit.ly/3CtUGio


This week we begin our series on the Texas Impact Legislative priorities in earnest. For the remainder of this series, we plan to welcome a faith leader to h...

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We echo President Susan Frederick-Gray's message. "In times of change, loss and uncertainty, there is a risk that fear will domi...

We echo President Susan Frederick-Gray's message. "In times of change, loss and uncertainty, there is a risk that fear will dominate. But let us remember: We are a religious people – a people of hope and imagination! "


We are in the churn of change. Systems and practices we’ve relied on are breaking down and shifting, while what is needed is being imagined but not yet here.

In times of change, loss and uncertainty, there is a risk that fear will dominate. But let us remember: We are a religious people – a people of hope and imagination!

There is some powerful magic in our tradition – rooted in love, committed to prophetic ministry, and which welcomes the future, not with fear, but as the breaking of a new day.

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How Do We Bring Folks Back?

22 August 2022 at 12:24
Stylized graphic of a welcoming person in front of an open door with a UU Chalice on it
We're now into our third year with COVID and while somethings are getting back to "normal" many other things are not. Services are being offered in person, but attendance is down. Hybrid offerings are still happening but we're still not seeing people show up. Why is this? And what can we do?

Continue reading "How Do We Bring Folks Back?"

Photos from Unitarian Universalist Association's post

As some of us prepare to go back to school or prepare for our children to head back to school we offer some tips to help you through the new school year.

How do you support your children or students in your life as they make this annual shift?







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UUA Board Calls for Volunteers for Bylaws Renewal Team

19 August 2022 at 11:15
The UUA Board of Trustees will soon be appointing members to a five to seven person Bylaws Renewal Team. This team will lead the work in reimagining and rewriting the UUA Bylaws.

Continue reading "UUA Board Calls for Volunteers for Bylaws Renewal Team"

Careers & Jobs

We have a number of new job openings here at the UUA, including:

Children and Families Faith Development Specialist
Events and Communications Coordinator
LGBTQ and Gender Justice Programs Coordinator
Reproductive Justice Organizing Intern

Learn more about these exciting opportunities and join us in this transformational work.
https://bit.ly/2rLDAqh


The UUA is a great place to workβ€”where your job is in alignment with your values. We are an historic, inclusive, and progressive religious denomination.

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UUA Board Calls for Volunteers for Bylaws Renewal Team

19 August 2022 at 11:15
The UUA Board of Trustees will soon be appointing members to a five to seven person Bylaws Renewal Team. This team will lead the work in reimagining and rewriting the UUA Bylaws.

Continue reading "UUA Board Calls for Volunteers for Bylaws Renewal Team"

Timeline photos

On this #ThoughtfulThursday, we offer you a message from Worship Web by Heather Rion Starr.

"help restore us β€”
our connections to one another;
our sense of hope, beauty, and fun in this world;
our deep knowing that we have to take care of ourselves and each other
with love and joy if we are to soulfully survive the world's mayhem."

https://bit.ly/3wd4TMf

photocredit: @zeaink



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Join Side with Love tonight, August 17 at 8ET /5PT / 6MT / 7CT / for their monthly Green Sanctuary Team Meeting: Healthy Plate, Healthy Planet, led by Karen Palmer from the UU Society of Oneonta!

Sign up: https://bit.ly/3dzJ5Ur



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So You Want To Be An Ally To The Disability Community - Imani Barbarin

Equal rights advocacy does not always have to be on a grand scale. As Unitarian Universalists, we are committed to welcoming, embracing, integrating, and supporting people with disabilities and their families in our communities. How can you be sure to show up to be a better ally to the disabled community?

We share this message from Crutches and Spice by Imani Barbarin as we all consider ways to be better allies to people living with disabilities in our communities.

https://bit.ly/3K8G7mc



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Make β€œA Warm Welcome” Part of your β€œNew Normal”

17 August 2022 at 15:24
Stylized graphic of a welcoming person in front of an open door with a UU Chalice on it

Sharon Dittmar

Any time someone enters online or in-person congregational space, there are several opportunities for multiple connection points from which a long-term relationship can continue and grow.

Continue reading "Make β€œA Warm Welcome” Part of your β€œNew Normal”"

Make β€œA Warm Welcome” Part of your β€œNew Normal”

17 August 2022 at 15:24
Stylized graphic of a welcoming person in front of an open door with a UU Chalice on it

Sharon Dittmar

Any time someone enters online or in-person congregational space, there are several opportunities for multiple connection points from which a long-term relationship can continue and grow.

Continue reading "Make β€œA Warm Welcome” Part of your β€œNew Normal”"

Nafis Sadik, a champion of women's health and rights around the world, dies at 92

β€œReproductive rights involve more than the right to reproduce." -Nafis Sadik

Nafis Sadik, was a doctor who championed women’s health and rights. She was most known for spearheading the groundbreaking UN program in 1994 that first recognized women's rights to control their reproductive sexual health and the choice to become pregnant.

Her bold vision and leadership set a path for the rest of the world to follow. As Unitarian Universalists, we honor those who came before and carry the light of their inspiration forward as we continue the work they began. May Nafis Sadik’s legacy live on forever.

https://n.pr/3prD3rA


Sadik became the architect of groundbreaking U.N. action that recognized for the first time that women have the right to control their reproductive and sexual health.

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