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Today β€” 28 March 2024UUA

UU the Vote 2024 is Underway: The UUA's nonpartisan civic engagement initiative begins organizing effort for 2024

28 March 2024 at 09:00
UU the Vote
UU the Vote, the UUA's nonpartisan civic engagement initiative focused on strengthening democracy and organizing for justice and accountability, launched its 2024 organizing initiative in March.

UU the Vote 2024 is Underway: The UUA's nonpartisan civic engagement initiative begins organizing effort for 2024

28 March 2024 at 09:00
UU the Vote
UU the Vote, the UUA's nonpartisan civic engagement initiative focused on strengthening democracy and organizing for justice and accountability, launched its 2024 organizing initiative in March.
Yesterday β€” 27 March 2024UUA

Empowered Women Empower Women Through History: A Reading List

From our friends at Beacon Press: a reading list for #WomensHistoryMonth that focuses on empowerment, because empowered women empower women through history and today.


By Christian Coleman | Sometimes it happens by trailblazing a path in a testosterone-choked arena. Sometimes it happens through organizing to demand the end of bias and discrimination from our lives and institutions. Sometimes it happens in the quiet of her personal life. And, of course, it happens....

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Before yesterdayUUA

How to Help Unhoused Families at the UUA Emergency Overnight Shelter

Sending our appreciation out to the five Unitarian Universalist churches in Massachusetts that are serving as drop-off sites for donations of clothing and equipment for unhoused families, including migrant families, and pregnant people staying in temporary emergency shelters, including the one in our headquarters building in Boston.

Learn more from #UUWorld about how you can support these families in need in the region. https://bit.ly/3TT5Wfp


The temporary space, which opened in early March, is expected to accommodate eighty people nightly when at full capacity.

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From UUA President, the Rev. SofΓ­a Betancourt, PhD: As Holy Week in Western Christianity begins, many of us as Unitarian Univers...

From UUA President, the Rev. SofΓ­a Betancourt, PhD: As Holy Week in Western Christianity begins, many of us as Unitarian Universalists are eagerly awaiting the Easter holiday, with its celebrations of life, spring, flowers, and possibility. It can be appealing to move past the fears and challenges that shape so much of our daily living and focus on comforting seasonal rituals.

Ethicist Dr. Miguel de la Torre urges us to resist moving quickly from Good Friday to Easter Sunday without spending any time on the important day in between, when Jesus has died in the Easter story, and the community is sitting with its grief and loss. No matter what beliefs, struggles, comfort, joy, or teachings we associate with Jesus – can we imagine what it would be like to have a primary source of hope, faith, and community strength in our lives stripped away?

Dr. de la Torre says that this hopelessness, this facing honestly into the injustices of the world, is like sitting in the dust of the road on Holy Saturday, not knowing that Easter is coming. And that staying in that grimy place, with all who feel despair in their living, is what true solidarity looks like in today’s world.

Changing our culture to one of sharing and solidarity is work that remains greater than any one religious tradition. In this Holy Week, may we seek moments of love and justice without demanding a comforting container to hold our attention. May we grow in our willingness to answer the call to join those who have long done the work of justice in the lonely dust of the road.

#UU #Easter #HolyWeek #Holidays


As Holy Week in Western Christianity begins, many of us as Unitarian Universalists are eagerly awaiting the Easter holiday, with its celebrations of life, spring, flowers, and possibility. It can be appealing to move past the fears and challenges that shape so much of our daily living and focus on comforting seasonal rituals.

Ethicist Dr. Miguel de la Torre urges us to resist moving quickly from Good Friday to Easter Sunday without spending any time on the important day in between, when Jesus has died in the Easter story, and the community is sitting with its grief and loss. No matter what beliefs, struggles, comfort, joy, or teachings we associate with Jesus – can we imagine what it would be like to have a primary source of hope, faith, and community strength in our lives stripped away?

Dr. de la Torre says that this hopelessness, this facing honestly into the injustices of the world, is like sitting in the dust of the road on Holy Saturday, not knowing that Easter is coming. And that staying in that grimy place, with all who feel despair in their living, is what true solidarity looks like in today’s world.

Changing our culture to one of sharing and solidarity is work that remains greater than any one religious tradition. In this Holy Week, may we seek moments of love and justice without demanding a comforting container to hold our attention. May we grow in our willingness to answer the call to join those who have long done the work of justice in the lonely dust of the road.

#UU #Easter #HolyWeek #Holidays

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Growing Membership? How?

Community Garden with Black man teaching a group of black, brown and white children

Central East Region of the UUA

:
Need resources and ideas for growing your membership? This new training can help!Tending Congregational Life: Guiding the Membership Journey is our first post-lockdown β€œgrowth and vitality” resource, in collaboration with the UU Association of Membership Professionals (UUAMP). Instead of...

Pandemic/fear and hope

This afternoon, we offer a moment of reflection from the #UUWorld archives, where an accidental photo, nearly deleted from a person's phone, conveys a much-needed message from the Earth. Enjoy. https://bit.ly/3TxgSie

#UU #Photography #SpringEquinox #EarthDay


This quite perfect accidental photo.

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On #WorldWaterDay, we are invited to pause in our busy lives and acknowledge the reality that a resource many of us take for gra...

On #WorldWaterDay, we are invited to pause in our busy lives and acknowledge the reality that a resource many of us take for granted -- access to clean drinking water -- is not available to millions of people in the United States, Canada, and across the globe.

The People's Water Board Coalition was formed in 2009 in response to a crisis of water access and affordability in the #Detroit area. The group continues to grow in its mission to advocate for the human rights to water and sanitation and equitable access and affordability for impacted communities. Check out their #WaterWednesday podcast and find ways your congregation or community can get involved: https://bit.ly/43Bl4m0.



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Unitarian Universalists' Boston headquarters hosts temporary overflow shelter

Sharing this new story about our temporary overnight shelter with appreciation for the timely and accurate coverage from RNS Religion News Service. As our Executive Vice President Carey McDonald shares in the story, "...the journey to opening the shelter was 'very countercultural to the norms of commercial real estate,' and had everything to do with the UUA’s values."


(RNS) β€” Amid an urgent need to shelter Massachusetts' growing migrant population, the UUA opened a vacant floor of its South Boston headquarters.

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How to Help Unhoused Families at the UUA Emergency Overnight Shelter

21 March 2024 at 13:46
Rows of green cots in an open office space with white walls and gray carpet. The cots have bundles on them.

Elaine McArdle

:

The temporary space, which opened in early March, is expected to accommodate eighty people nightly when at full capacity.

March is #WomensHistoryMonth, a time to reflect on the incredible and sometimes overlooked contributions women have made through...

March is #WomensHistoryMonth, a time to reflect on the incredible and sometimes overlooked contributions women have made throughout history. Many Unitarian, Universalist, and Unitarian Universalist women have not only shaped and led the UU faith, but they’ve also left an undeniable impact on history in general.

Learn more about this amazing women in our story collection online: https://bit.ly/4ajB8L9

PC: UUA



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Intricate Beauty: Part 2 of 2

20 March 2024 at 04:35
A person with white skin holds, in their upturned palms, a strand of help. Beneath their hands we see the person's feet standing on sand.

Quinn Gormley

:
This is my favorite thing about seaweed: it feels so much like my neurodiverse brain.

Intricate Beauty: Part 2 of 2

20 March 2024 at 04:35
A person with white skin holds, in their upturned palms, a strand of help. Beneath their hands we see the person's feet standing on sand.

Quinn Gormley

:
This is my favorite thing about seaweed: it feels so much like my neurodiverse brain.

Photos from Unitarian Universalist Association's post

In her visits with congregations, UUA President the Rev. SofΓ­a Betancourt, PhD has come across some wonderful learning tools for exploring revisions to Article II developed by religious educators, like this board created by Lauren Daniell at Horizon Unitarian Universalist Church in TX and Sara Phinney Kelley's adorable Joseph L. Jet Pig from the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Susquehanna Valley in PA.

How is your congregation engaging with the Article II revisions? Are there concepts, tools, or gatherings you've found helpful? We'd love to know about them - feel free to drop them in our comments below.

#A2TheConversation #UU #PrinciplesAndPurposes





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Why Attend General Assembly?

18 March 2024 at 09:43
Red letters G and A, with silhouette shapes of people in front

Beth Casebolt

:
I attended my first General Assembly in 1998. I had only been a member of my congregation for 2 years, and had just completed my first year as the Director of Religious Education (DRE).

Moment of Reflection: The Flaw

On this Sunday afternoon, we offer you a reflection by Molly Peacock entitled, β€œThe Flaw” from the Spring 2022 issue of UU World. It includes:

β€œ...The flaw we live by, the wrong color floss,

now wreathes among the uniform strands

and, because it does not match,

makes a red bird fly,

turning blue field into sky.

It is almost, after long silence, a word

spoken aloud, a hand saying through the flaw,

I’m alive, discovered by your eye.”

Read the full reflection online at:


The best thing about a hand-made pattern is the flaw.

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Tending Congregational Life: Guiding the Membership Journey (Training)

Community Garden with Black man teaching a group of black, brown and white children

Congregational Life

,

Unitarian Universalist Association of Membership Professionals

:
Learn to work together to reinforce life-affirming and creative frameworks and use practical tools for welcoming and inclusion, connection and belonging, all as foundational to a membership journey in your congregation grounded in mutuality and consent.

World Water Day on March 21 celebrates water and raises awareness that 2.2 billion people worldwide live without access to safe ...

World Water Day on March 21 celebrates water and raises awareness that 2.2 billion people worldwide live without access to safe drinking water. The Revs. Dr. Clyde Grubbs and Karen Van Fossan will host an online conversation about this important and sacred day on behalf of Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth. They are defenders and protectors of water; two spiritual leaders in our UU movement who will help build a heart-centered approach to a right relationship with Mother Earth and her waters.

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

Register to attend: https://bit.ly/3x4ttBW

#WorldWaterDay #UU #UUMFE #ClimateJustice #WaterProtectors

PC: UU Ministry for Earth



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Lynching marker honors 6 victims who were killed in Sarasota-Manatee County by mobs

Uplifting this powerful story of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota, FL’s partnership with their community to erect a memorial plaque recognizing the Black lives lost from lynching in that state.

Caryl Sheffield, chair of the historical marker dedication committee, said that while the unveiling of the marker may seem like a solemn occasion, it was a celebration that honored the six men and countless others who were unjustly killed.

β€œGiven the climate of assault on the lives, culture and history of African-Americans in the state of Florida, this is a momentous occasion, a serious yet joyous and uplifting occasion, an opportunity for all of us to show that we care about the lives of African Americans,” Sheffield said. β€œThis is not a funeral. It is not a memorial service. It is a celebration of survival.”

Read more from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune:


Almost six years in the making, the community remembrance marker sits just off Fruitville Road behind the Universalist Unitarian Church of Sarasota.

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Intricate Beauty: Part 1 of 2

13 March 2024 at 05:28
A painting of a person's head, in profile. Their brain and the background are both awash in swirls of color, galaxy-like sparks and stars, and cosmic texture.

Quinn Gormley

:
People who aren't neurodiverse tend to frame neurodiversity as symptoms of inconvenience to people around them. For me, my ADHD means beauty.

Intricate Beauty: Part 1 of 2

13 March 2024 at 05:28
A painting of a person's head, in profile. Their brain and the background are both awash in swirls of color, galaxy-like sparks and stars, and cosmic texture.

Quinn Gormley

:
People who aren't neurodiverse tend to frame neurodiversity as symptoms of inconvenience to people around them. For me, my ADHD means beauty.

Taylor Hoffman is UUA Director of Human Resources

12 March 2024 at 10:42
Taylor Hoffman sits on a stool, with legs crossed and smiling. She wears black pants and jacket and a white shirt.
The UUA is pleased to introduce Taylor Hoffman as Director of Human Resources. In this role, Taylor oversees the Human Resources office, staff, policies, benefits and resources, and helps lead the UUA’s commitment to being a workplace where people of all backgrounds and identities can thrive.

Rev. Darrick Jackson Appointed UUA Ministerial Credentialing Director

12 March 2024 at 09:38
Darrick Jackson is smiling, wearing a red shirt and glasses
The UUA is pleased to announce the appointment of the Rev. Darrick Jackson (he/him) as the Ministerial Credentialing Director within the UUA’s Ministries and Faith Development staff group.

Taylor Hoffman is UUA Director of Human Resources

12 March 2024 at 10:42
Taylor Hoffman sits on a stool, with legs crossed and smiling. She wears black pants and jacket and a white shirt.
The UUA is pleased to introduce Taylor Hoffman as Director of Human Resources. In this role, Taylor oversees the Human Resources office, staff, policies, benefits and resources, and helps lead the UUA’s commitment to being a workplace where people of all backgrounds and identities can thrive.

On March 1, we announced our coordinated effort to provide temporary emergency housing and support to approximately 25 families ...

On March 1, we announced our coordinated effort to provide temporary emergency housing and support to approximately 25 families with children who have an immediate need for shelter in Boston. We are grateful for the opportunity to live our values through sharing space in our headquarters building.

If you would like to donate, we are in immediate need of the following items:

Diapers (disposable, multiple sizes)
Baby wipes
Baby bottles (new)
Baby gear (gently used is ok, sizes 0-3):
Clothing, including warm clothing
High chairs

Find more information online on dropping off donations and other ways you can get involved. https://bit.ly/48KVJqE

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist #SeaportBoston



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Rev. Darrick Jackson Appointed UUA Ministerial Credentialing Director

12 March 2024 at 09:38
Darrick Jackson is smiling, wearing a red shirt and glasses
The UUA is pleased to announce the appointment of the Rev. Darrick Jackson (he/him) as the Ministerial Credentialing Director within the UUA’s Ministries and Faith Development staff group.

Sending love and blessings to all who are observing the holy month of #Ramadan. We remain in a terrifying time for our fragile w...

Sending love and blessings to all who are observing the holy month of #Ramadan. We remain in a terrifying time for our fragile world. May we continue to hold in love and care all those who are in harm’s way, as well as their families and loved ones.

We offer an excerpt of a Ramadan poem by Summer Albayati from the UUA’s Worship Web collection of resources.

https://bit.ly/3IRPlDD



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Meet Rev. Alia Shinbrough

11 March 2024 at 09:06
headshot of Rev. Alia Shinbrough wearing a very multicolor shirt

Alia Shinbrough

:
This week we wanted to give everyone a chance to "meet" Rev. Alia Shinbrough, the newest member of our CER Team.

The UU Addictions Ministry is seeking proposals to create a worship service template and a small group ministry curriculum focus...

The UU Addictions Ministry is seeking proposals to create a worship service template and a small group ministry curriculum focused on addiction and recovery.

Proposals must be inclusive of all definitions and paths of recovery and encompass recovery from substance and behavioral addictions and their family effects.

Everyone is invited to submit a proposal for one or both.

Interested applicants should contact the UU Addictions and Recovery Ministry team at uuaamt@gmail.com by March 15th with a proposal and resumΓ©. Priority will be given to those with lived experience of addiction.

#Recovery #UUA #Addiction



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In honor of International Women's Day, we hold every body in liberating love and celebrate the diversity that makes up our human...

In honor of International Women's Day, we hold every body in liberating love and celebrate the diversity that makes up our humanity. As UUs, we affirm the inherent worth and dignity of each person as we fight for gender justice and collective liberation.

Today and every day we celebrate our whole human family. There are many ways you can connect with this work as well. https://bit.ly/3T2lLPU

PC: @β€Œsideoflove

#LGBTQ #GenderJustice #InternationalWomensDay



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β€˜Act of Faithful Witness’: Why the UUA Offered to Temporarily Host Migrant Families at its South Boston Headquarters

UU World takes a deeper dive into the reasons why the UUA made space available in its #SeaportBoston headquarters building for families arriving in Massachusetts with nowhere to live. Get the full story at https://bit.ly/43a2alH

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist #UUWorld


Amid a shortage of available shelters across Massachusetts, the sixth floor of the UUA's building at 24 Farnsworth Street could serve as a short-term, overnight haven for newcomers in need of aid.

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Are you looking for more impactful ways to articulate our UU values and unequivocally affirm that trans and nonbinary people are...

Are you looking for more impactful ways to articulate our UU values and unequivocally affirm that trans and nonbinary people are beautiful, sacred, and loved?

Check out Side with Love's recordings and resources from Speak Up for Trans Lives: Spokesperson Training to learn how to support trans, gender-queer, and nonbinary people and leverage your voice for justice. The language we use shapes the reality we live in.

Learn More: https://bit.ly/3P01bit

#UUValues

PC: Side with Love



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North Carolina UUs Celebrate Successful Push for Life-Saving Medicaid Expansion

7 March 2024 at 10:06
A group of people holding protest signs in favor of expanding Medicaid in North Carolina.

Jeff Milchen

:

To help sway lawmakers, the Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry of North Carolina leaned into its partnerships, developing a blueprint others can follow.

β€˜Act of Faithful Witness’: Why the UUA Offered Temporary Shelter to Migrant Families at its South Boston Headquarters

7 March 2024 at 09:37
24 Farnsworth Street in Boston is the site of the headquarters of the Unitarian Universalist Association.

Elaine McArdle

:

Amid a shortage of available shelters across Massachusetts, the sixth floor of the UUA's building at 24 Farnsworth Street in the Seaport District is serving as a short-term, overnight haven for newcomers in need of aid.

In a world filled with division and challenges, the theme for this year's General Assembly is a powerful reminder of the core pr...

In a world filled with division and challenges, the theme for this year's General Assembly is a powerful reminder of the core principles that unite us as Unitarian Universalists.

"Love Unites, Stories Ignite" celebrates the profound impact of love as a binding force that transcends boundaries and fosters connections within our faith community and beyond. Our faith has always been rooted in the power of storytelling, and this year we'll explore how our stories can ignite change, inspire compassion, and help us build a more just and equitable world.

The 63rd General Assembly will take place virtually Thursday, June 20 through Sunday, June 23, 2024.

Registration for GA is already open. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3wI2fRF.

#UUAGA #UnitarianUniversalist



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Assurances & Affirmations

6 March 2024 at 05:47
Four people with their backs to the camera stand shoulder-to-shoulder, their arms around each other, as they look into a beautiful sunny vista.

Jami Yandle

:
Appreciation and deep witness are beautiful gateways for returning to our most authentic selves.

Assurances & Affirmations

6 March 2024 at 05:47
Four people with their backs to the camera stand shoulder-to-shoulder, their arms around each other, as they look into a beautiful sunny vista.

Jami Yandle

:
Appreciation and deep witness are beautiful gateways for returning to our most authentic selves.

There is so much to fight for in 2024. The work before us requires our compassion, consistency, and commitment. Democracy calls ...

There is so much to fight for in 2024. The work before us requires our compassion, consistency, and commitment. Democracy calls on us all to mobilize towards our collective thriving. This year, we will mobilize our friends, our neighbors, our fellow UUs to generate a groundswell of democratic action and leadership towards a thriving future beyond Nov 5 – because we the people are the democracy.

Join UU the Vote on Thursday, March 14 at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT, to ground, connect, and get ready!

It's time to #UUtheVote.

https://bit.ly/48Iq3Cn



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Opportunities for Connection - March 2024

28 February 2024 at 10:00
A small, lit candle is cradled in a hand-carved, wooden chalice. The chalice rests on a golden embroidered cloth. This image is on a black background where the words, "Amplifying the Charge," are printed in white sans-serif letters.

Central East Region of the UUA

:
Find out what's happening in the Central East Region! This month - Amplifying the Charge, CER Leadership Skill Ups, Faithify Pause, Path to Membership Training and more!!

UUA Offers Space in Headquarters for Temporary Emergency Housing

We are honored to support the families and community in #Boston and the surrounding area. We hope other local organizations with empty building space will consider whether their space can be used in this way as well.


"As a religious community headquartered in Boston, we consider it an act of faithful witness to use our facilities to support families in need."

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The UU Addictions Ministry is seeking proposals to create a worship service template and a small group ministry curriculum focus...

The UU Addictions Ministry is seeking proposals to create a worship service template and a small group ministry curriculum focused on addiction and recovery.

Proposals must be inclusive of all definitions and paths of recovery and encompass recovery from substance and behavioral addictions and their family effects.

Everyone is invited to submit a proposal for one or both.

Interested applicants should contact the UU Addictions and Recovery Ministry team at uuaamt@gmail.com by March 15th with a proposal and resumΓ©. Priority will be given to those with lived experience of addiction.

#Recovery #UUA #Addiction



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UUA Offers Space in Headquarters Building for Temporary Emergency Housing

4 March 2024 at 13:56
Outside of 24 Farnsworth building.
The UUA joins with the United Way of Massachusetts and other community-based organizations to provide temporary emergency housing and support to local families in need. Space in the UUA headquarters building will serve as a temporary, overnight emergency shelter location as part of this arrangement.

UUA Offers Space in Headquarters Building for Temporary Emergency Housing

4 March 2024 at 13:56
Outside of 24 Farnsworth building.
The UUA joins with the United Way of Massachusetts and other community-based organizations to provide temporary emergency housing and support to local families in need. Space in the UUA headquarters building will serve as a temporary, overnight emergency shelter location as part of this arrangement.

Join Our Community This Summer!

CERSI and UUMAC logos together

Central East Region Summer Institute

:
Have you thought about attending CERSI (Central East Region Summer Institute)? Registration is open!

This Sunday, we offer a story of hope and inspiration from UUs in North Carolina and their state action network, the Unitarian U...

This Sunday, we offer a story of hope and inspiration from UUs in North Carolina and their state action network, the Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry of North Carolina. Through partnership and organizing from a place of care for the health of all people, UUs helped expand Medicaid access in a state not known for its support of such programs.

Get the full story from UU World: https://bit.ly/4cbKCtV



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White History

In a message from Braver/Wiser, the Rev. Bev Spears reflects on her childhood experience of learning history through a lens of white supremacy and asks, β€œWhat happens to Black and Indigenous people when the message we’ve received for hundreds of years is: The only worth you have is the worth we afford you; the only dignity you have is the dignity we allow you?”

For Rev. Spears, one answer is, β€œWe spend our lives reclaiming our inherent worth and dignity until a very different history emerges, and a new story unfolds.”

Read Rev. Spear’s post in full here:


From the beginning, the story of Black people in America has been told through the lens of white supremacy.

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Opportunities for Connection - March 2024

28 February 2024 at 10:00
A small, lit candle is cradled in a hand-carved, wooden chalice. The chalice rests on a golden embroidered cloth. This image is on a black background where the words, "Amplifying the Charge," are printed in white sans-serif letters.

Central East Region of the UUA

:
Find out what's happening in the Central East Region! This month - Amplifying the Charge, CER Leadership Skill Ups, Faithify Pause, Path to Membership Training and more!!

We Were Always Here

28 February 2024 at 04:50
Black and white photo of only the arms of dark-skinned people, raised as if praying in a church pew

Connie Simon

:
When someone lists Unitarians or Universalists, they usually name white men. Never anyone Black like me.

We Were Always Here

28 February 2024 at 04:50
Black and white photo of only the arms of dark-skinned people, raised as if praying in a church pew

Connie Simon

:
When someone lists Unitarians or Universalists, they usually name white men. Never anyone Black like me.

Sharing the information below for any transgender and nonbinary people, friends, family, or allies in need of support and care. ...

Sharing the information below for any transgender and nonbinary people, friends, family, or allies in need of support and care.

Unitarian Universalism values diversity of sexuality and gender and understands this diversity is a spiritual gift. We create inclusive religious communities and work for LGBTQ justice and equity as a core part of who we are. You are not alone. 🀍

Find helpful guidance and resources at: https://bit.ly/3ST8SrJ



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Sacred Black "Text"

Dr. Takiyah Nur Amin examines sacred Black "text" in UU tradition, by examining the way our Black ancestors lived.

β€œYou have to seek out the Black folks who were in Unitarian and Universalist or UU congregations, and the work that they were doing in communityβ€”whether it was suffrage, or trying to educate Black children, or their working towards social action or civil access. Our 'text' is embodied in the lives of people like Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, Joseph Jordan, David Eaton, and countless others.”

Read the full reflection: https://bit.ly/3T0VYbo

PC: Igor Alecsander


If you’re seeking sacred Black β€œtext” in our tradition, you have to examine the way our Black ancestors lived.

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If we ran every meeting as if a toddler would be present…

26 February 2024 at 10:00
set of colorful wooden blocks on a wooden floor with a set of toddler feet beside them.

Lenore Bajare-Dukes

:
It got me thinking. What if we just went intoΒ allΒ meetings assuming a toddler would be present?

Black History Month Reflection: The Change by Mathew P. Taylor

On this Sunday afternoon, we offer you this Black History Month reflection: β€œThe Change by Mathew P. Taylor,” from the Spring 2022 issue of UU World.

It includes:

β€œI can feel the change coming
Like growing pains
I feel the change in my bones
Pulling me
Stretching me
Forming me
Into the true I am
Can you feel it?”

Read the full reflection online at: https://www.uuworld.org/articles/poem-change.


Guided by faith that this too will pass / We can survive this because our ancestors survived

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We are excited to announce that Rev. Molly Housh Gordon, of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbia, Missouri (UUCC), will...

We are excited to announce that Rev. Molly Housh Gordon, of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbia, Missouri (UUCC), will lead the Sunday Service at General Assembly 2024.

A lifelong Unitarian Universalist from Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Rev. Molly Housh Gordon is the minister of the UU Church of Columbia, Missouri, where she is currently suing the state of Missouri for their unconstitutional abortion ban alongside 13 other multi-faith clergy co-plaintiffs. Molly is passionate about red-state UU ministry, community organizing, and mutual aid.

Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to share in worship together virtually and connect with your fellow Unitarian Universalists - register for #UUAGA today! https://bit.ly/3SY7p3A.



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Content Warning: Reference to the death of Nex, a nonbinary child in Oklahoma. Sharing President Rev. SofΓ­a Betancourt, PhD's p...

Content Warning: Reference to the death of Nex, a nonbinary child in Oklahoma.

Sharing President Rev. SofΓ­a Betancourt, PhD's post offering a pastoral time for all ages tomorrow, Friday, February 23, at 8pm ET/5pm PT to support those impacted by the profoundly tragic death of Nex Benedict, a nonbinary child in Oklahoma.

Details are available at: https://sidewithlove.org/ourstories/2024/2/22/sacredlives


Content Warning: Reference to the death of Nex, a nonbinary child in Oklahoma.

Beloveds, these days are filled with so much pain and grief. We have received yet more tragic news, this time of the death of Nex Benedict, a non-binary child in Oklahoma, after a violent attack by fellow students at their school. While the details are still emerging, one thing is clear, the ongoing dehumanization of trans and non-binary people by elected officials and hate groups fuels inhumane actions.

Join UPLIFT Ministries tomorrow, Friday, February 23, at 8 ET / 7 CT / 6 MT / 5 PT to be in community and as we hold ourselves and each other in the feelings and needs we’re experiencing right now. All are welcome.

Find a link to register and resources for support in the comments below.

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Understanding Article II: A theological analysis for Unitarian Universalists

7 February 2024 at 07:24
Dinah Pham on Unsplash

Staff Writer

:
Rev. Dr. Sheri Prud’homme has provided a theological analysis of the proposed revision to Article II. Here are nine quotes from her essay to get the conversation started.

Side with Love 30 Days of Love: Unitarian Universalists empower democracy and promote electoral justice with UU the Vote

5 February 2024 at 05:12
Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash

Staff Writer

:
For the fourth and final week of the Side With Love campaign, the theme is Resilience, and the focus is on Democracy and Electoral Justice.

Understanding Article II: A theological analysis for Unitarian Universalists

7 February 2024 at 07:24
Dinah Pham on Unsplash

Staff Writer

:
Rev. Dr. Sheri Prud’homme has provided a theological analysis of the proposed revision to Article II. Here are nine quotes from her essay to get the conversation started.

Side with Love 30 Days of Love: Unitarian Universalists empower democracy and promote electoral justice with UU the Vote

5 February 2024 at 05:12
Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash

Staff Writer

:
For the fourth and final week of the Side With Love campaign, the theme is Resilience, and the focus is on Democracy and Electoral Justice.

In this time of deep discussion and discernment in our Unitarian Universalist community, we offer some words of wisdom from staf...

In this time of deep discussion and discernment in our Unitarian Universalist community, we offer some words of wisdom from staff in the UUA's New England Region:

"It is the responsibility of religious community to help us remember we belong to one another as equals β€” all somebodies with gifts and purpose β€” and to help us remember that we are connected to the web of Life and Love that came before us and will remain after us."

Read the full post in their Spiritual Leadership collection of online resources at: https://bit.ly/48qkfx9

#InnerWork #UUA #UUism



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Resources for Congregational Leaders and Staff

29 January 2024 at 10:00
Staff of the Central East Region
As UUA Staff, it's not uncommon for us to be contacted and asked for a something, just anything, on a topic. In these cases the leader in question has no idea where to look.

White History

21 February 2024 at 06:24
A Black child around 8 years old stares down at a desk covered in books, with a dismayed or tired look on their face.

Bev Spears

:
From the beginning, the story of Black people in America has been told through the lens of white supremacy.

White History

21 February 2024 at 06:24
A Black child around 8 years old stares down at a desk covered in books, with a dismayed or tired look on their face.

Bev Spears

:
From the beginning, the story of Black people in America has been told through the lens of white supremacy.

Time for All Ages: "Re-Imagining to Action" by JeKaren Olaoya

How can UU's continue reimagining a more just and sustainable future for all?

JeKaren Olaoya narrates this Time for All Ages story of youth in North Carolina who are given hope as they reimagine our world as more peaceful and sustainable for all.

Take a moment today and nourish your spirit with a #30DaysOfLove story of climate justice: https://bit.ly/3wgiC7F


A Time for All Ages, "Re-Imagining to Action," by JeKaren Olaoya, for Week Two of 30 Days of Love 2024. Learn more and find other offerings at https://sidewithlove.org/30-days-of-love-2024. This…

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β€˜The World is a Better Place When Trans Lives are Uplifted’

In this week’s Sunday read: With the feeling of love in the air, we revisit the powerful essay by Angelle Eve Castro, β€œThe World is a Better Place When Trans Lives are Uplifted" from the Fall/Winter 2023 issue of UU World.

Angelle’s story, along with reflections by her brothers Sammy Castro-McCauley and Isa Castro-McCauley and her mother AngΓ©lica Canlas Castro focused on their love and support for their trans sister and daughter, are all featured in the book β€œAuthentic Selves: Celebrating Trans and Nonbinary People and Their Families.”

Read the full reflection: https://bit.ly/3SL29QJ

#UUWorld #UnitarianUniversalists #LGBTQIA #TransLivesMatter


Every day I wake up, and I’m more myself than ever before.

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UUA President, the Rev. Dr. SofΓ­a Betancourt has joined religious leaders from a diverse array of faith traditions to urge Presi...

UUA President, the Rev. Dr. SofΓ­a Betancourt has joined religious leaders from a diverse array of faith traditions to urge President Biden to immediately call for a comprehensive permanent ceasefire, an end to the occupation, and lasting peace in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.

Rev. Dr. SofΓ­a Betancourt has said, β€œThe devastating violence has brought pain and grief to so many. We hold all who are in harm’s way, as well as their families and loved ones, in love and care. And as Unitarian Universalists navigate this painful time together as a community, may we hold one another in care and solidarity for the values we share and for our commitment to how we are called to bear witness in the world.”

Read the full letter from @Churches for Middle East Peace: https://bit.ly/48kRS3t



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What should be clear to all of us is that the Israeli government’s forced displacement, punishment, and intentional inflicting o...

What should be clear to all of us is that the Israeli government’s forced displacement, punishment, and intentional inflicting of suffering and death upon children and civilians in Gaza is a moral catastrophe that our faith demands we condemn and resist.

#CeasefireNOW

*Edited to include a link to our full statement, "UUA Condemns Violence Against Gaza, Urges Immediate and Total Ceasefire":
https://bit.ly/48hHc5p



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UUA Condemns Violence Against Gaza, Urges Immediate and Total Ceasefire

We first joined the call for a ceasefire in Palestine and Israel back in October, rooted in our historic positions as an organization. Nearly four months later, the situation could not be more urgent. We share a new statement today to reiterate our condemnation of the Israeli military’s ongoing violence against Gaza as well as the U.S. government’s unabated complicity in the crisis in Gaza.

Grounded in our shared Unitarian Universalist belief that every human life is sacred, we join the growing chorus of voices across the globe calling for an immediate ceasefire, and we urge UUs to take action in solidarity with liberatory pro-democratic movements of all kinds that are working toward a future of true and enduring peace.

Read our full statement online: https://bit.ly/48hHc5p


We call upon all Unitarian Universalists to open our hearts and be present to the depths of human suffering in this moment.

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Understanding Article II: A theological analysis for Unitarian Universalists

7 February 2024 at 07:24
Dinah Pham on Unsplash

Staff Writer

:
Rev. Dr. Sheri Prud’homme has provided a theological analysis of the proposed revision to Article II. Here are nine quotes from her essay to get the conversation started.

Understanding Article II: A theological analysis for Unitarian Universalists

7 February 2024 at 07:24
Dinah Pham on Unsplash

Staff Writer

:
Rev. Dr. Sheri Prud’homme has provided a theological analysis of the proposed revision to Article II. Here are nine quotes from her essay to get the conversation started.

UUA Condemns Violence Against Gaza: Read the Statement

14 February 2024 at 13:35
lit chalice

Staff Writer

:

A new statement from the Unitarian Universalist Association condemns the Israeli military’s ongoing violence against Gaza and the U.S. government’s complicity in the crisis in Gaza.

UUA Condemns Violence Against Gaza, Urges Immediate and Total Ceasefire

14 February 2024 at 11:52
Person wearing a black mask over nose and mouth and a gray winter hat stands with other people outdoors and holds a sign saying, "Permanent Ceasefire is Long Overdue!"

UUA Administration

:
The UUA reiterates its condemnation of the Israeli military’s ongoing violence against Gaza and joins with voices across the globe urging and immediate and total ceasefire, the provision of humanitarian aid, and the safe return of all hostages and prisoners.

UUA Condemns Violence Against Gaza, Urges Immediate and Total Ceasefire

14 February 2024 at 11:52
Person wearing a black mask over nose and mouth and a gray winter hat stands with other people outdoors and holds a sign saying, "Permanent Ceasefire is Long Overdue!"

UUA Administration

:
The UUA reiterates its condemnation of the Israeli military’s ongoing violence against Gaza and joins with voices across the globe urging and immediate and total ceasefire, the provision of humanitarian aid, and the safe return of all hostages and prisoners.

On this #ValentinesDay we share UUA President Rev. SofΓ­a Betancourt, PhD's message with you.

On this #ValentinesDay we share UUA President Rev. SofΓ­a Betancourt, PhD's message with you.


On this #ValentinesDay, with its many practices and expressions of love, I encourage all Unitarian Universalists to explore what it means for love to live at the center of our faith tradition. This is a love that surpasses the confines of simple definitions; a love that will live into its own fullness long after we are gone β€” a love that sets us free.

When I talk about a love that frees, or love as part of our theology, I mean that choosing to live one’s life guided by what love asks of us cannot help but drive us to work together in community until everyone is free.

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30 Days of Love 2024 β€” Side With Love

In this last week of the Side with Love's 30 Days of Love celebration, we invite you to explore all of Side with Love’s 30 Days of Love resources.

Take the time to nourish your spirit with the 30 Days of Love Bonus Days Reflection on Interdependence from UUA Vice President for Programs & Ministry, the Rev. Ashley Horan.

Explore this week’s bonus resources and all of the content from the past 30 Days at: https://bit.ly/47Vq7yU

#SidewithLove #30DaysOfLove


Side With Love is thrilled to announce 30 Days of Love 2024! Our annual month of spiritual nourishment, political grounding, and shared practices of faith and justice, 30 Days of Love will go from Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 15) through Valentine’s Day (February 14). Each week’s resourc...

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The Work of Love

14 February 2024 at 00:09
A cropped photo of a person with a wrist tattoo with upturned hands lightly holding the hands of another person, sitting knee-to-knee with them.

Anne Griffiths

:
Scorekeeping is about who hurts whom more. In the long-term, no one wins.

The Work of Love

14 February 2024 at 00:09
A cropped photo of a person with a wrist tattoo with upturned hands lightly holding the hands of another person, sitting knee-to-knee with them.

Anne Griffiths

:
Scorekeeping is about who hurts whom more. In the long-term, no one wins.

Since 2016, EqUUal Access has sponsored an annual contest for sermons related to disability, named after Carolyn Cartland, an ea...

Since 2016, EqUUal Access has sponsored an annual contest for sermons related to disability, named after Carolyn Cartland, an early president of EqUUal Access. All lay and religious professional Unitarian Universalists are invited to submit a sermon and if selected, you could win a cash prize.

Learn more about eligibility and how to enter: https://bit.ly/3ZEYzKd

#DisabilityAwareness #UUA #EqUUalAccess #UnitarianUniversalists

PC: EqUUal Access



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Leaning into Being Resilient and Emergent in Times of Unexpected Growth

12 February 2024 at 10:25
Against a blue sky, people on a roller coaster are harnessed in and beginning to descend a steep slope

Sana Saeed

:
Unitarian Universalism is often referred to as a living faith. For me that means that Unitarian Universalism is in constant motion and changes through the times we live in.

Black History Month Reflection: When We Come by Sonia Sanchez

In this week’s Sunday read from UU World, we revisit a reflection for Black History Month, β€œWhen We Come,” by Sonia Sanchez.

It includes, in part:

β€œβ€¦when we come, tall as waves,
holden our black/brown/
high yellow/tomorrows,
then you will hear young hooves
thunderen in space
and we will rise with
rainbows from the sea
to silence
our yesterday blues…”

Read the full reflection: https://bit.ly/42xP9lE

#UUA #BlackHistoryMonth #UUWorld #UnitarianUniversalists


"and we will rise with /rainbows from the sea"

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As we continue to reflect on and discuss the proposed revision of Article II of UUA Bylaws across our faith community, we are gr...

As we continue to reflect on and discuss the proposed revision of Article II of UUA Bylaws across our faith community, we are grateful to share another new resource created by the Rev. Dr. Sheri Prud'homme, assistant professor of religion and education at Starr King School for the Ministry in Oakland, California.

Our friends at UU World put together a summary and shareable graphics for Rev. Prud'homme’s "Theological Reflection on the Proposed Revision to Article II" to help you explore and share this material within your congregation or community.

Check it out today: https://bit.ly/3SxLGiC



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Week four of Side with Love's #30DaysOfLove campaign is underway! Read a reflection from Side with Love’s new Democracy Strateg...

Week four of Side with Love's #30DaysOfLove campaign is underway!

Read a reflection from Side with Love’s new Democracy Strategist, Nora Rasman, where she highlights how β€œorganizing is where we draw hope and build long term power”and explore all of Side with Love’s 30 Days of Love resources online at:https://bit.ly/3STqCEM

#SidewithLove #30DaysOfLove



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On National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day #NBHAAD, we are reminded that HIV/AIDS is still with us and disproportionately impacts ...

On National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day #NBHAAD, we are reminded that HIV/AIDS is still with us and disproportionately impacts the Black community.

We are reminded that HIV/AIDS is still with us and disproportionately impacts the Black community. Today, we honor the millions of lives lost to HIV and AIDS alongside all of those who continue living with the virus. To #StopHIVTogether, we must address HIV stigma and barriers.

Get resources for engaging your community at:https://bit.ly/3OwB3eE

PC:CDC



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Side with Love 30 Days of Love: Unitarian Universalists empower democracy and promote electoral justice with UU the Vote

5 February 2024 at 05:12
Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash

Staff Writer

:
For the fourth and final week of the Side With Love campaign, the theme is Resilience, and the focus is on Democracy and Electoral Justice.

Side with Love 30 Days of Love: Unitarian Universalists empower democracy and promote electoral justice with UU the Vote

5 February 2024 at 05:12
Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash

Staff Writer

:
For the fourth and final week of the Side With Love campaign, the theme is Resilience, and the focus is on Democracy and Electoral Justice.

Sacred Black "Text"

7 February 2024 at 04:17
Outdoors on a lawn, a group of Black friends are seated as if at a picnic. They're smiling and laughing with abundant joy.

Takiyah Nur Amin

:
If you’re seeking sacred Black β€œtext” in our tradition, you have to examine the way our Black ancestors lived.

30 Days of Love: Empower Democracy and Promote Electoral Justice with UU the Vote

7 February 2024 at 09:50
A hand places a paper ballot into a voting box.

Staff Writer

:

For the fourth and final full week of the Side With Love campaign, the theme is Resilience, and the focus is on Democracy and Electoral Justice.

Sacred Black "Text"

7 February 2024 at 04:17
Outdoors on a lawn, a group of Black friends are seated as if at a picnic. They're smiling and laughing with abundant joy.

Takiyah Nur Amin

:
If you’re seeking sacred Black β€œtext” in our tradition, you have to examine the way our Black ancestors lived.

UUA regional staff offer guidance and support to congregations in many ways. We share this reflection from the New England Regio...

UUA regional staff offer guidance and support to congregations in many ways. We share this reflection from the New England Region’s blog on spiritual leadership:

As the current generation of Unitarian Universalists, we have inherited our faith from those who came before, and we will hand it on to those who come after. Yet this inheritance is not static. We do not pass it on unchanged. Rather, it is like a garden. As a living tradition, it changes over time while also keeping a connection to its earlier self.

Read the full post online at: https://bit.ly/42urQt0



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We are excited to offer a new resource for UU congregations and communities to engage with the most recent revision of Article I...

We are excited to offer a new resource for UU congregations and communities to engage with the most recent revision of Article II this spring. Created by QuianaDenae Perkins, Learning Resident in the UUA Mid-America Region, and a third-year seminarian at Starr King School for the Ministry, Amplifying the Charge supports small groups in examining questions like, β€œWho Am I?” and β€œHow Did We Get Here?” in anticipation of a vote on Article II at General Assembly this June.

Learn more:https://bit.ly/3um5Qnw



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Black History Month: A time to unlearn

As we move into #BlackHistoryMonth, we share a reflection that still feels so relevant for our Sunday read in UU World. Author Kenny Wiley wrote in 2016: "Black History Month can be a recitation of forgettable facts, or it can be the beginningβ€”or continuationβ€”of a period of unlearning and reclaiming."

https://bit.ly/3ugd6kZ


As a child I learned that we had, mostly, overcome. Clues to a deeper truth hid in plain sight.

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30 Days of Love: Inspiring UUs in the Fight for Bodily Autonomy

#30DaysOfLove continues into February, and this week's spiritual theme is possibility, with resources focused on the social justice priority of bodily autonomy, including LGBTQIA+, reproductive, gender, and disability justice.

UU World offers a summary and highlights some of the many excellent resources available this week, including a Time for All Ages story on possibility by the Rev. Hannah Villnave.

https://bit.ly/3w0bf4n


In the third week of Side With Love’s campaign, we contemplate our individual rights and our responsibilities toward others.

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Senate Dems’ 5 recs to ease suffering in Gaza

We join with 80 other organizations in urging President Biden to prioritize diplomacy and de-escalation - including securing a permanent ceasefire in Gaza - in response to the recent tragic escalation of violence in the Middle East.

Read more in the post below from UUA President Rev. SofΓ­a Betancourt, PhD.


The lawmakers devised five recommendations over weeks of private talks, urging the U.S. β€œto work with Israeli officials to take the following urgent steps.”

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There are so many reasons why certifying your congregation’s information with the UUA every year is essential to the smooth func...

There are so many reasons why certifying your congregation’s information with the UUA every year is essential to the smooth functioning of our whole faith community – from capturing membership data, furthering financial support, enabling GA voting, and staying in the loop on news from the UUA.

Annual certification is currently underway, so make sure your congregation or community doesn’t miss out!

Learn more: https://bit.ly/3u7l7Zx



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How UUs and Interfaith Partners Helped Secure Reproductive Rights in Ohio

9 January 2024 at 05:37
Photo by Reed Naliboff on Unsplash.

Jeff Milchen

:
To overrule anti-abortion legislatures and courts, reproductive rights advocates are turning to citizen-led ballot measures in states where that power exists.

30 Days of Love: Inspiring UUs in the Fight for Bodily Autonomy

1 February 2024 at 12:16
The words "You are beautiful" in the center of a rainbow heart with the lovely colors of the Transgender Pride Flag wrapping it all together.

Staff Writer

:

In the third week of Side With Love’s campaign, we contemplate our individual rights and our responsibilities toward others.

TOMORROW, February 1 at 11:59pm ET is the deadline to submit proposed Article II amendments with the support of 15 certified mem...

TOMORROW, February 1 at 11:59pm ET is the deadline to submit proposed Article II amendments with the support of 15 certified member congregations, to the UUA Board of Trustees.

We are deeply grateful to the Article II Study Commission and the Board for their commitment to our faith in this ongoing work. More information is available online at: https://bit.ly/3GwuF2S

#unitarianuniversalists #UU #A2TheConversation



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Willing to Fail

31 January 2024 at 01:57
With a blurred gym in the background, a white person with short hair holds a handweight out from her body, so that it's the center of the picture's focus.

Amanda Poppei

:
Remind me that success is not the only measure of a life.

Willing to Fail

31 January 2024 at 01:57
With a blurred gym in the background, a white person with short hair holds a handweight out from her body, so that it's the center of the picture's focus.

Amanda Poppei

:
Remind me that success is not the only measure of a life.
❌