Beloveds, we offer the following message of spiritual sustenance to our faith community in a painful moment. As Unitarian Universalists, we are called to care for one another. Returning to a new congregational year, we are reminded that we are always in the process of reconstituting beloved community. When political violence becomes tragically normalized, those who work for justice must contend with very real and escalating risks. Each of us has a role to play in protecting our democracy—in our congregations, in our neighborhoods, and in our shared movements for justice.

We navigate this time together recognizing that we are truly bound together in a web of mutuality. Our individual actions, those made in love and those made in fear, anger, or despair, have consequences for us all. This is a time for loving and rigorous discipline in our words and actions; a time for strategic courage, and courageous strategy. We must work in deep partnership, choose how we spend our energy with attention and intention, and stay unwaveringly focused on our long-term goals for liberation.

Let us commit to building conditions where love, safety, and justice can flourish. Let us hold one another accountable with compassion and recommit to all that our values call us to be: steadfast in love, courageous in care, and unwavering in the work of justice.

UUA Executive Officers
Rev. Dr. Sofia Betancourt, President
Carey McDonald, Executive Vice President
Rev. Ashley Horan, Vice President for Programs
Dave Valentine, Vice President for Finance and Investments



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Kimberly Quinn Johnson 

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Bill Young

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Together with people of faith across the country, we are lifting up the dangerous potential of a proposed change to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

This change would allow politically appointed officials within the Department of Education to impose penalties on certain organizations without going through the established legal system.

The proposal could be used to target organizations engaged in immigration advocacy, gender and health rights, racial and social justice, and civil disobedience.

What may look like a narrow technical change to student loan forgiveness is, in fact, a troubling attack on nonprofit independence.

The UUA will be submitting our own comments soon. The public comment period closes next Wednesday, September 17. We strongly urge you to submit a comment opposing this harmful rule. Guidance from the nationwide Council of Nonprofits is linked below:


The Department of Education proposed a new rule on August 18 to unlawfully limit which charitable nonprofits qualify as eligible employers under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF).

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Our faithful commitment to collective liberation calls us to bold, transformative climate actions. 🌱 [seedling]

UUA President Sofía’s UU Climate Justice Working Group is working to identify where our faith calls us to lead, beyond narrow goals to achieve "net zero" and toward the transformation we need for equitable decarbonization, community resilience, and a just transition from fossil fuels to a clean energy future.

We hope you'll join UUA Senior Investment Officer Mathew Jensen and UUA Climate Justice Strategist Rachel Myslivy next Wednesday, September 17 at 7pm ET for a conversation about UUA Strategies to Advance Climate Justice.

Together we'll learn about the UU Climate Justice Working Group's Draft Commitments for Culture and Resources. All are welcome!

Register here: https://bit.ly/461rkoq

Image description: A light blue ombre watercolor background with blue and black text and green and blue branches in the bottom corners. In the center is a whale with an earth and greenery on its back. The earth is holding houses, trees, wind turbines, and butterflies flying around tiny clusters of text with the chemical formulas for oxygen, O2, and water, H2O. UUA Strategies to Advance Climate Justice. Wednesday, September 17, 1pm HT, 3pm AKT, 4pm PT, 5pm MT, 6pm CT, 7pm ET.
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#CreateClimateJustice #GreenSanctuary #ClimateAction #UU #LoveAtTheCenter

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As the weight of violence presses more heavily on our world, many of us are carrying grief, outrage, and weariness. In times like this, it helps to remember these words from our Side with Love Organizing Strategy Team:

🌅 Our faith does not retreat. It rises. 🌅

Unitarian Universalism is a living tradition shaped by generations of prophets and activists—rooted in covenant, grounded in love, and committed to giving life the shape of justice.

Affirming the worth and dignity of every person is more than a slogan—it is a mandate we live every day. In the face of suffering and oppression, our faith responds with courage and compassion.

We move forward together, guided by fierce love and unwavering hope.

Find strength, resources, and faithful ways to respond through Side With Love’s Action Center: https://sidewithlove.org/actioncenter

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist #FaithInAction #Justice #LoveAtTheCenter



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In a new UU World article, Cathy Seggel reminds us that Unitarian Universalist religious education is a lifelong practice—not just for children, but for all of us. 🌟 It shapes our values, nurtures community, and strengthens us to live with love and justice in challenging times. ✨💛

🔥💡 As we reflect on the power of learning across a lifetime, we invite you to consider: How has being part of UU learning across the years given you strength or hope?

Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Read the article here: https://www.uuworld.org/articles/religious-education-faith-engagement-unitarian-universalism

#UnitarianUniversalist #FaithFormation #RE #UU #LifelongLearning







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After a weekend of powerful resistance to authoritarianism in both Chicago and Washington DC, I find power in the truth that faithful dissent is a core component of our theological inheritance.

Our faith today arises from a proud lineage of dissenting churches that is hundreds of years old, a tradition of faithful people who grounded their religious living in the question of how best to be of service to one another, committed to holding our values collectively in community.

In these times, when resistance takes many forms, the ways in which we live our values in the public square ensure that the dissenting church lives on.

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Samara Powers

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William Ellery Channing

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Cathy Seggel

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In Chicago this past weekend, Unitarian Universalists joined thousands of people who showed up in the streets to protest ICE expansion and the planned deployment of National Guard troops.

The words of Kiakiali Bordner remind us that disruption itself can be holy. Resistance, too, is an act of faith—bringing our whole selves, refusing harmful cultures, seeking wholeness and justice. This is sacred work.

Read the full poem, “Holy Discomfort and Holy Disruption”: https://www.uua.org/worship/words/poetry/holy-discomfort-and-holy-disruption

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist #FaithInAction #Justice #Chicago



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📣 In times when democracy feels fragile, Unitarian Universalists are called to be grounded, resilient, and responsible.

Side With Love has created a living Democracy Toolkit—a ready-to-use resource with checklists on spiritual care, safety, partnerships, and more. It’s designed to help UUs stay effective, faithful, and safe in the work of justice.

📰 Read more about the purpose and grounding of this work in UU World: https://www.uuworld.org/articles/side-with-love-democracy-toolkit-resources-unitarian-universalists

📂 Explore the full toolkit and action updates here: https://sidewithlove.org/actioncenter

Together, we can meet the challenges of our time with courage, clarity, and love. 💛

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist #Democracy #SideWithLove


The online kit, designed for ready reference, has checklists on key topics, including spiritual care, security, forming partnerships, and social media.

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Elaine McArdle

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Elaine McArdle

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Aisha K. Staggers

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We are living through a period of rapidly escalating criminalization and repression. 🚨 [police car light]

As people of faith committed to equity, dignity, and the common good, we refuse to remain silent. Read our latest decriminalization update for helpful analysis, resources, and ways that you can take action with your communities.

Together, we can resist repression and nurture a democracy rooted in justice and love. 🦋 [butterfly]

Read the full update here: https://bit.ly/4p7tc7R

Image description: A black background with the Side With Love logo and yellow and red text. As people of faith committed to equity, dignity, & the common good, we refuse to remain silent. We will continue to resist state overreach and organize for justice. Together, we can resist repression and nurture a democracy rooted in justice & love.
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#Decriminalization #ImmigrantJustice #CommunityOrganizing #ProgressiveFaith

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On September 6, UUs in DC took action for freedom, democracy, and safety that comes from community, not occupation. This is faith in action—living our values by showing up for justice and care.

#FreeDC #UU #Faith #justice





















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There are days when sorrow is the only language we have. It rises up, unrelenting, refusing to let us numb ourselves to the grief of this world. It cries out from within: we are made for so much better than this.

In “a prayer for the days there is only sadness,” m jade kaiser names what it feels like to live with that ache—for loved ones, for strangers, for all caught in impossible circumstances. This prayer doesn’t solve the sorrow. It honors it as truth.

Read the full prayer on enfleshed at the link in our bio.

#uu #unitarianuniversalist #faith #sorrow #hope
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.

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On Monday, September 8, Side With Love is offering The Gathering—our monthly event to strengthen your spirit, make sense of the threats to democracy, and take meaningful action alongside others. 🌊 [wave]

Join us as we kick off the church year with a conversation about Solidarity with Side With Love’s Nicole Pressley and Deepa Iyer, author of this year’s UUA Common Read, Social Change Now: A Guide for Reflection and Connection. 🌱 [seedling]

Every Gathering starts and ends with powerful spiritual practice. This month we're looking forward to live music from Parker Woodland! Parker Woodland is an energetic indie rock trio led by justice activist, Director of the Texas Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry, and singer/bassist Rev. Erin Walter, with Andrew Solin (Nogood Boyo, Belcurve) and Keri Cinquina (Meg Hentges, Butch County). Parker Woodland’s music asks one question: What if you lived your life like you truly mean it? 🎤🔥 [microphone and fire]

Join us live or watch the recording later! Register now: https://bit.ly/3HpXq5j

Image description: A black background with white and yellow handwritten and typed text above cropped photos of Parker Woodland and Deepa Iyer, who is standing with Nicole Pressley, in circle frames. The Gathering. Music: Parker Woodland. Speaker: Deepa Iyer. Monday, Sept. 8 at 8 ET, 7 CT, 6 MT, 5 PT, 4 AKT, 2 HT on Zoom. “Gathering” is underlined in yellow, with yellow hand-drawn rays above it.
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#SideWithLove #FaithInAction #TheGathering #Solidarity #UU

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Heading back to school this fall doesn’t just mean new classes. For many young people, it also means returning to campuses where justice, democracy, and identity are being tested.

The UUA’s inSpirit Bookstore has gathered books that address these challenges—resources for courage, creativity, and collective action. They’re reminders that learning and activism belong together.

Find the full list on the In Good Faith blog: https://www.uua.org/pressroom/ingoodfaith/back-school-bookstore

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist #BackToSchool #Justice


College-aged and high school students who are returning to school over the next few weeks are coming back to campuses that have been radically altered b...

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🌱 If you could plant one seed in our UU faith for the next generation, what would it be?

A seed could be a value, a practice, a story, or something entirely new. What would you want to grow and flourish for those who come after us?

💬 Share your answer in the comments below—we’d love to know what you’d plant!

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist #Reflection #Faith



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Elaine McArdle

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Rev. Egbert Ethelred Brown, who founded the Harlem Unitarian Church in 1920, chose the Unitarian tradition because “no other church grants its minister the freedom to be absolutely loyal to Truth but the Unitarian Church.” For him, ministry meant honesty and freedom to share new insights as they came.

As we mark 200 years since the founding of the American Unitarian Association, Brown’s words still remind us that a free pulpit in a free church is a legacy worth protecting.

Read more: https://www.uuworld.org/articles/egbert-ethelred-brown-why-unitarian-minister-aua-200-anniversary

**Edited to add: We want to thank faithful UU's and colleagues who lifted up that this quote elides the fact that Rev. Egbert Ethelred Brown's ministry is not just a source of inspiration for our theology, but a sharply drawn example of supremacy systems at work in our faith tradition. If Rev. Brown was faithful to Unitarianism, Unitarianism was certainly not always faithful to him. We want to invite everyone to read not only the quote, but the underlying text, which is a much longer excerpt of Rev. Brown's writing, paired with a contextual introduction from Rev. Dr. Mark Morrison-Reed. It is linked in the original post. We will provide an extended quote from that introduction below, but the fullest expression of this challenging story and institutional failure can be found in Rev. Dr. Morrison-Reed's essential book, "Black Pioneers in a White Denomination," currently in it's third edition with Skinner House books: https://uuabookstore.org/products/black-pioneers-in-a-white-denomination

Here is an excerpt from Rev. Dr. Morrison-Reed's introduction and contextualization: "In 1912, after two years of preparation at Meadville Theological School [Rev. Brown] returned to Jamaica, but when the American Unitarian Association withdrew support for the mission he began anew in New York during the Harlem Renaissance... In Harlem he served as chair of the Jamaican Benevolent Association, president of the Jamaican Progressive League and vice president of the Federation of Jamaican Organizations. Notwithstanding, his relationship to the AUA was contentious from the beginning. AUA officials discouraged him from attending Meadville, then in 1929 withdrew his fellowship, refusing to reinstate it in 1931 when petitioned by a group, only to reverse course in 1935 under threat of a lawsuit."

#AUA200 #UU #UnitarianUniversalist



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Audrey McCann

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“Gone but not forgotten are the Good Samaritans who found us sitting on the curbs and cared for our overwhelmed souls.”
— New Orleans native Fatima Shaik on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

On the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, we remember the lives lost and the communities forever changed.

Even in the midst of devastation, acts of compassion and solidarity shone through—neighbors, volunteers, and strangers offering care when it was needed most. May this anniversary remind us of the urgent work of creating communities where such care is never absent.

#Katrina20 #UU #UnitarianUniversalist



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Central East Region of the UUA

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The UUA has joined an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold Colorado’s ban on the harmful and discredited practice of conversion therapy for minors. Conversion therapy is abuse—not care.

Our faith compels us to affirm the worth and dignity of all people. We want LGBTQ+ youth to know: you are whole, and you are loved—just as you are.

Read more: https://www.uuworld.org/articles/colorado-ban-conversion-therapy-supreme-court-unitarian-universalism

#LGBTQIA+ #UnitarianUniversalist #UU #EndConversionTherapy



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Elaine McArdle

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Elaine McArdle

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The UUA joins in grief and solidarity with Annunciation Catholic Church and the entire Minneapolis community after today’s horrific school shooting.

As the Rev. Jen Crow of First Universalist Church of Minneapolis reminds us: “Our job right now is to make our Sunday prayers real. To show up for our community and ourselves and each other, showing through our actions that you are not alone, we are holding it together.”

We mourn the lives lost and hold the injured and grieving in our hearts. Read Rev. Crow’s full message here: http://bit.ly/3HSmYYS

#GunViolenceMustEnd #UU #Minneapolis



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The UUA has joined Churches for Middle East Peace and other faith partners in calling for Israel to halt its planned military offensive in Gaza City. With famine already declared, any further assault will deepen unimaginable suffering and death. We urge all governments to press for an immediate ceasefire and full humanitarian access.

Read the joint statement here: https://cmep.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Joint-Statement_-The-Latest-Planned-Israeli-Military-Offensive-in-Gaza-City-Must-Be-Halted.pdf

#CeasefireNow #Gaza #HumanRights #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #peace



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🌟 “Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.” – Bryan Stevenson

We all carry mistakes, but none of them erase our worth. Every person holds the possibility of change, healing, and love. The work of our faith is to remember this truth, again and again—extending it to ourselves when we falter, and to one another when the world is harsh.

May we live this truth together, creating a world grounded in compassion and justice. 💛

#UnitarianUniversalist #UU #Faith #Compassion #LoveAtTheCenter



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Today is Women’s Equality Day, marking the anniversary of the 19th Amendment and the struggle for women’s right to vote.

We celebrate this milestone while remembering that the fight for gender equity continues—for all women and gender-expansive people.

#WomensEqualityDay #UnitarianUniversalist #UU







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Jeff Milchen

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Jasmine Vaughn-Hall

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🌲✨ The UUA is excited to launch The Woodlands—a new all-ages virtual pastoral care program for trans people and their families, beginning this fall.

This pilot program offers monthly online gatherings for grounding, community, and care. Breakout rooms will create space for trans children and youth, trans adults, and parents/caregivers of trans people—each co-facilitated by chaplains. Together, we’ll hold space for grief, joy, and the fullness of our lives.

📅 Our first gathering: Sunday, September 7, 2025
🕓 4 PM ET | 3 PM CT | 2 PM MT | 1 PM PT

Sessions continue the first Sunday of every month through May 2026. We hope The Woodlands will be a place of grace, growth, and meaningful connection.

👉 Register here: https://uua.wufoo.com/forms/qg4n6y51ssh46e/

#TransCommunity #UU #CommunityCare #UnitarianUniversalist #WeBelong #TransJoyIsSacred



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Sex education in the United States has long been caught in cycles of cultural amnesia—where lessons learned are forgotten, only to be fought for again.

In this two-part Q&A from Beacon Press, historian and advocate Margaret Grace Myers explores how the struggle for comprehensive, evidence-based sex ed is bound up with questions of morality, gender equality, and reproductive justice.

📖 Read part 2 below, and don’t miss part 1 here: https://www.beaconbroadside.com/broadside/2025/08/cultural-amnesia-sex-ed-history-1.html

For UU resources on comprehensive, values-based sex education, see Our Whole Lives (OWL): https://www.uua.org/lifespan/re/owl

OWL carries forward this long fight for inclusive, fact-based sex ed grounded in respect, responsibility, and justice.


A Q&A with Margaret Grace Myers | Sex ed, from the very beginning, has always had to push back against this idea that it was teaching “just the facts.” This was one of the things that early critics, along with contemporary critics, were extremely concerned about—that students were being taught...

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As a new congregational year begins, we gather in challenging times—yet our faith calls us back, again and again, to love.

In this Ingathering message, UUA President Rev. Sofía Betancourt, PhD and Unitarian Universalist leaders share reflections on how we can center love, build authentic community, and live into our shared values together.

💛 Watch the video and join us in asking: What is love calling us to do in this moment?



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This year marks 200 years since the founding of the American Unitarian Association, one of the UUA’s historic predecessors. Across two centuries, Unitarians and Universalists have helped shape the worlds of faith, justice, literature, science, and beyond.

So we’re curious:

*If you could invite one historical UU (or UU-adjacent) to dinner, who’s at your table?*

#AUA200 #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #QuestionOfTheDay #Reflection



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Voices of freedom ringing out from All Souls Unitarian Church: #FreeDC!

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What makes a congregation thrive—no matter its size?

Natalie Briscoe, Southern Region Lead for the UUA, reminds us that growth begins with joy, connection, and being the Beloved Community we long to see in the world.

✨ “Whatever you are, be a good one. Growth follows the good.”

Read the full story on UU World: https://www.uuworld.org/articles/congregation-success-advice-natalie-briscoe-unitarian-universalism

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist #Church #Faith #Community


People want to go where they can leave the world behind and make a better one, says Natalie Briscoe, lead for the Southern Region of the UUA.

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Please read this urgent message from UUA President, the Rev. Sofía Betancourt, PhD, and take action today.

#UnitarianUniversalist #UU #ClimateAction #ClimageChange #ClimateJustice


Beloveds,

I am so proud of our comprehensive work on climate justice as a faith. Through the teachings of the UU Climate Justice Revival, the commitments of Green Sanctuary 2030, and the theological inheritance we hold dear, we are reminded to act with courage in the face of threats to our collective future. Together, we are called to congregational transformation, community resilience, justice, and mitigation of environmental harms. We are reminded that we are not only part of the interdependent web of all existence, but accountable to it. Through that accountability, we must once again bear witness to our deepest values in the public square.

Today, I urge all who care about our planet and its people to weigh in against the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rule to rescind its own foundational 2009 Endangerment finding. This proposal would dismantle the very legal framework that allows the EPA to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and respond meaningfully to the climate crisis.

Communities who are the least responsible for climate disruption are hurt first and worst by climate change. We know that repealing greenhouse gas emission standards will increase the danger to these and all of our communities. At a time when the world urgently needs bold action, abandoning government responsibility to protect the American people from these harms is a moral failing that would lock us into years of inaction and put all of our communities at greater risk of devastating weather events and climate-forced displacement.

Alongside our Side With Love Organizing Strategy Team, I call on all people of faith and conscience to register your opposition to rescinding the foundation for federal climate action. The public comment process is open now and the need is both immediate and urgent. Together, we can halt this destructive rule before it takes effect. The stakes could not be higher: the lives of our neighbors, the health of our planet, and the possibility of a livable future all depend on our collective action today.

Follow this link to find out more details about how to participate right now in this vital work:
https://sidewithlove.org/endangerment-finding

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🍂 Back-to-school season can bring jitters for kids and parents alike. Author Laura Alary remembers the day her son’s carefully built leaf pile blew away—and how his cry, "Wind, stop blowing!" became the seed for a story about facing change with courage.

On the UUA’s “In Good Faith” blog, she reflects on anxiety, resilience, and how play helps us meet what we can’t control.

Read the reflection: https://www.uua.org/pressroom/ingoodfaith/wind-stop-blowing
Get the book from inSpirit, the UU Book and Gift Shop: https://uuabookstore.org/products/wind-stop-blowing

#BackToSchool #InGoodFaith #UU #UnitarianUniversalist


As kids head back to school, In Good Faith talks with author Laura Alary about how her book Wind, Stop Blowing! helps children manage change.

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The UUA is grateful to announce the appointment of Dana Fisher Ashrawi as our representative on the Board of Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP). In this role, Dana will serve as a liaison between the Association and CMEP’s public witness work for peace and justice.

As a founding member of CMEP, the UUA works alongside this vital multi-faith organization to support congregations in learning, action and deepened engagement. Dana continues to serve as President of Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East (UUJME), supporting their ongoing mission “to educate and mobilize individuals, congregations, and denominational leaders to recognize and counter inequality and injustice in Palestine-Israel and to support our allies in the global justice and anti-oppression movements.”



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Beth O’Connell 

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The world can feel harsh and unrelenting—anger, fear, and distrust press in from every side. It’s easy to shrink, to close off, to brace for the worst.

In her Braver/Wiser reflection "Inhabiting the World," Michelle L. Mills reminds us that even in hard times, we have a choice: to pause, to breathe, and to notice the small, ordinary moments of kindness and connection that make another way possible.

🌍 Read the full reflection: https://www.uua.org/braverwiser/inhabiting-world

#BraverWiser #UnitarianUniversalist #UU #Faith #Community #JustBreathe #SpiritualPractice



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Central East Region Summer Institute

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Right now, it’s hard not to feel the pull to shrink back—when fear is loud and uncertainty weighs heavy. It can feel safer to stay quiet, to stay apart, to hold back from the risks that solidarity asks of us. But as Rev. Joseph Santos-Lyons reminds us, that path erodes the connections and courage we most need. He writes:

"Unitarian Universalism teaches that revelation is not sealed. We are not finished. We are always becoming. Our faith is not a fortress—it’s a practice. It demands that we name the water we swim in, even when it is bitter, and be braver than our reflexes, more committed than our fear. Solidarity is a discipline—kept alive only when we keep showing up with humility, presence, and the willingness to be changed."

May we choose courage over comfort, presence over retreat, and solidarity over silence.

#UnitarianUniversalism #FaithInAction #Solidarity #UU #Community #Courage



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In Unitarian Universalism we center love in our covenantal relationships, where we are called to be accountable to the collective and decisions are made with care for the common good

We know that democracy is made real through this practice. Every time we work together for the common good, we build new relationships with trust, empathy, and humility. We create an environment where democracy can thrive.

We the people are the democracy, it lives in our commitments to one another, and we make this powerful idea real when we live our values and take action together in community

As authoritarianism makes itself known in the streets of our cities and the landscape of our hearts, may we rely on our longstanding practices and commitments even as we innovate new forms of courageous resistance.

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🚨 The UUA condemns the deployment of National Guard troops in Washington, DC — another alarming escalation of federal force against civilians, following last month’s actions in Los Angeles. These moves target communities already made vulnerable by systemic oppression, eroding trust and weakening democracy.

As people of faith committed to equity, dignity, and the common good, we will continue to resist state overreach and organize for justice.

Read our full statement: https://www.uua.org/pressroom/press-releases/national-guard-dc







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Elaine McArdle

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Thirteen years ago, union organizer Rachel Bennett Steury went to a UU Labor Day service expecting little.

Instead, she heard a sermon on the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire that honored the workers’ lives and connected their fight for justice to struggles today.

It was the first time she saw faith and labor justice come together—and it began her Unitarian Universalist journey.

📖 Read her story in UU World: https://www.uuworld.org/articles/faith-journey-unitarian-universalism-rachel-bennett-steury

#UUWorld #FaithJourney #LaborJustice #UnitarianUniversalism #UU #Organize


Author Rachel Bennett Steury says she first heard of the faith when a Teamster invited her to a Labor Day service.

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In times when the world feels heavy with grief, conflict, and uncertainty, it can be easy to forget the resources we already carry within us. 🌎💛

From the book "Reaching for the Sun" by Angela Herrera, this poem invites us to remember that peace can take root in our own hearts—then move through our lives, and into the world, touching all beings.

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist #Faith #Peace


All That You Need Lies Within You

Consider this an invitation
to you.
Yes—you
with all your happiness
and your burdens,
your hopes and regrets.
An invitation if you feel good today,
and an invitation if you do not,
if you are aching—
and there are so many ways to ache. . . .

Maybe your heart is heavy
or hardened.
Maybe it’s troubled
and peace can take up residence
only in a small corner,
only on the edge,
with all that is going on in the world,
and in your life.
Ni modo. It doesn’t matter.

All that you need
for a deep and comforting peace to grow
lies within you.
Once it is in your heart
let it spread into your life,
let it pour from your life into the world—
and once it is in the world,
let it shine upon all beings.

—Angela Herrera
Reaching for the Sun

Available at inSpirit: The UU Book and Gift Shop.

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Cassandra Montenegro

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Rachel Bennett Steury

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🌍 Immigrant rights are disability rights.

Professor and disability advocate Joe Stramondo reminds us that our movements grow stronger when we recognize how deeply connected our struggles are. Many immigrants are disabled—and both communities face systems shaped by racism, ableism, and classism.

When we embrace intersectionality, we move closer to a world where everyone’s dignity, agency, and humanity are honored.

📖 Read “Immigrant Rights Are Disability Rights” via the Disability Visibility Project:
🔗 https://disabilityvisibilityproject.com/2025/07/13/immigrant-rights-are-disability-rights/

#DisabilityJustice #ImmigrantJustice #Intersectionality #DisabilityVisibility #UU #UnitarianUniversalist



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Sam Teitel

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There is no justification for the starvation of children. Love is not silent in the face of genocide. There is no absolution for governmental or institutional complacency. We must take moral action to feed Gaza and stop the destruction of land, the poisoning of the soil, and the decimation of systems of care that support life in the region. Joining with religious voices across the globe, Unitarian Universalists again call for "the liberation of Palestine and an end to the apartheid... [We] call for an immediate permanent ceasefire, [delivery of] massive humanitarian aid, the release of all captives, and an end to genocide around the world.” (June 22, 2024 Action of Immediate Witness, “Solidarity with Palestinians”)



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Natalie Briscoe

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Staff Writer

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💔 As we begin this week, may we remember: to be human is to hurt, to feel anger, to grieve—and to love anyway.

In her powerful Braver/Wiser reflection, “Us, Human, Here,” UU Rev. Dr. Laura Solomon reminds us that we don’t need to have answers to care for one another. That our tenderness and our fury, our questions and our hope, can exist together. That even when everything feels overwhelming, we are still made for love.

✨ Let this week be one where we rise with compassion, name the hard truths, and hold fast to one another with fierce, unwavering care.

Read the full reflection: https://www.uua.org/braverwiser/us-human-here

#BraverWiser #UnitarianUniversalist #UU #MondayMeditation #LoveAtTheCenter



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Central East Region of the UUA

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The Genderfuul retreat is an affirming retreat where trans, non-binary and agender UUs can build community with each other. From nature walks to spiritual discussions and crafts, we hope that each person is able to relax and connect with the sacredness of being genderful. Our chaplain will foster an...

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A space for UU Young Adults worldwide. No matter where you are in your journey.
Join us: https://discord.gg/fY9jCNn 💗

#unitarian #universalist #unitarianuniversalist

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🎶 Subscriptions to Sing Out Love, the UUA's new virtual hymnal, will open soon! We know that people want to preview Sing Out Love before committing to a subscription.

Join Rev. Erika Hewitt & Camille Hatton for a fun 45-minute guided tour in August! DATES & TIMES are listed at the top of this registration form (and in the comments):

https://uua.wufoo.com/forms/qvw53890r1qzjb/

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👏 Larry Ladd has dedicated his life to Unitarian Universalism through decades of faithful service—locally and nationally. At General Assembly 2025, he received the President’s Award for Volunteer Service from UUA President Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt, honoring his extraordinary leadership and unwavering commitment to our faith.

A third-generation UU, Larry’s deep devotion to service reflects his belief that “service is how I live my religious convictions. I don’t know any other way to be.”

📖 Read the full interview with Larry on the "In Good Faith" blog:
https://www.uua.org/pressroom/ingoodfaith/larry-ladd-volunteer-service-award

#UU #Volunteer #UnitarianUniversalist #Faith



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✨ Growth isn’t a solo act. In her Braver/Wiser reflection "Learning in Community," Dr. Takiyah Nur Amin reminds us that transformation happens in relationship—with people who challenge us, support us, and journey with us.

It’s not always easy. Being accountable to one another can feel frustrating or uncomfortable. But when we stay in community, when we stay in covenant, we create space to become our best and most compassionate selves.

Read the full reflection here: https://www.uua.org/braverwiser/learning-community

#BraverWiser #UU #UnitarianUniversalism #SpiritualGrowth #Learning #Faith



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Alia Shinbrough

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Natalie Briscoe

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📣 The July issue of UPLIFT Access is here! 💚

UPLIFT Access is the UUA’s newsletter on disability and accessibility in and beyond Unitarian Universalism. In this issue, Gretchen Maune (she/they), the UUA’s Accessibility Resources Coordinator, reflects on Disability Pride Month, the power of community, and the ongoing work of building inclusive, accessible spaces.

📰 Read it here: http://bit.ly/46YTmmE

🌈 Featuring disability culture celebrations, a tribute to Patty Berne, and a call to practice radical welcome all year long.

📬 Sign up to receive future issues: https://mailchi.mp/uua/sign-up-for-uplift-access-info


Image Description: UPLIFT Access logo with a green border that includes the disability pride flag colors of red, yellow, white, blue, and green that overlay a black background on the left. The right side has a black UUA chalice logo next to the words UPLIFT Access, Uplifting Accessibility in and bey...

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We’re thrilled to announce our newest title, a new edition of The Unitarian Universalist Pocket Guide, edited by Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt. It’s available to pre-order wherever books are sold and from inSpirit: The UU Book and Gift Shop.

Unitarian Universalists are people of all ages, of many backgrounds, and of many beliefs. They are brave, curious, and compassionate thinkers and doers that create spirituality and community beyond boundaries, working for more justice and more love in a hurting world.

The Unitarian Universalist Pocket Guide is the most complete introduction to Unitarian Universalism available, covering ministry, worship, religious education, social justice, community, and history. Edited by Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt, this seventh edition prepares readers with resources and information for this crucial moment in Unitarian Universalism.

Contributors include Rev. Cheryl M. Walker, Rev. Ashley Horan, Rev. Dr. Sheri Prud’homme, Rev. Nancy McDonald Ladd, Rev. Katie Romano Griffin, Dr. Dan McKanan, and Rev. Victoria Safford, among others.

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More than 100 humanitarian and human rights organizations have issued a joint statement sounding the alarm on mass starvation in Gaza and calling for urgent action.

The Unitarian Universalist Association is longtime committed member of Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), one of the signatories.

📄 Read the full statement: https://cmep.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/As-Mass-Starvation-Spreads-Across-Gaza-Our-Colleagues-and-Those-We-Serve-Are-Wasting-Away.pdf

#Gaza #HumanRights #UU #UnitarianUniversalist

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Ashley Horan

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💛 “But what’s the appropriate amount of time for the crime of trying to survive?”

Zeb Green asks this urgent question in their Braver/Wiser reflection, “Resistance through Assistance.”

“I can’t think of any action heinous enough to justify the terrors this country exacts on undocumented people,” he writes.

Between 2018 and 2023, Zeb crossed into Mexico to assist people deported from the U.S.—offering food, rides, and connection in the face of fear and abandonment. They remind us that even when we feel underqualified, we can still show up with compassion and courage.

This reflection calls us to consider what resistance looks like in our own lives—and how simple acts of care can challenge injustice.

📖 Read the full reflection:
https://www.uua.org/braverwiser/resistance-through-assistance

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist #UUSharedValues #MutualAid #NoHumanBeingIsIllegal #community #faith



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Halfway through the month and we’ve talked about disability pride and disability rage.
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Now let’s talk disabled joy.
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Though it might be hard to find any joy right now, it is important to try.
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Disabled joy is an act of resistance.
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Tell us in the comments what has brought you joy lately. No matter how big or small.
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[Image description: The Disability Pride flag on the left and on the right, a Black femme presenting wheelchair user smiling.
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The text on the left reads: DISABLED
JOY IS AN ACT OF RESISTANCE
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The NAMED Advocates logo in white is in the bottom left.]
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#DisabledJoy #JoyIsAnActOfResistance #DisabilityPride #NAMEDAdvocates #DisabilityJustice #DisabilityRights #BIPOC #BlackThoughtLeaders #Accessibility #Advocate #DisabilityAdvocate #DisabilityAwareness #DisabledAndProud

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Congregational Life

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📚 As we continue to honor the 200th anniversary of the American Unitarian Association, we lift up the legacy of Frances Ellen Watkins Harper—abolitionist, author, and prophetic voice for liberation.

A Black Unitarian and AME member, Harper challenged the religious status quo and called people of faith to embrace a liberatory Christianity rooted in justice, hope, and collective freedom.

“We are all bound up together in one great bundle of humanity,” she declared in 1866—and her words still call to us today.

Read more about Harper’s life, vision, and impact in UU history at UU World: https://www.uuworld.org/articles/frances-ellen-watkins-harper-unitarian-universalism-history-aua-200-anniversary

#History #AUA200 #UU #UnitarianUniversalism #Liberation #UUWorld



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Central East Region of the UUA

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Staff Writer

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📖 “Nobody leaves home by choice.” That’s what Alix Dick wants readers to understand in "The Cost of Being Undocumented," her new book coauthored with Antero Garcia.

Part memoir, part research, the book shares Alix’s lived experience as an undocumented immigrant in the U.S.—the trauma, isolation, stolen wages, and systemic barriers she’s faced—and the “inhumane math” that defines so many undocumented lives.

In a recent interview with UU World, Dick and Garcia reflect on the power of storytelling, the cost of survival, and their hope that this book will inspire readers to take action for immigration justice.

🌐 Read the interview: https://www.uuworld.org/articles/cost-being-undocumented-interview-immigration-beacon-press

#ImmigrationJustice #BeaconPress #UndocumentedVoices #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #UUWorld


In this interview, Alix Dick and Antero Garcia, cowriters of The Cost of Being Undocumented, discuss the human and financial price many immigrants pay for life in the United States.

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Members of the Disability Justice Network of Ontario’s Youth Action Council discuss the present and future of the disability justice movement.

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🌍✨ “Blue Boat Home” has long been a beloved hymn among UUs—now it’s also a children’s book.

In a new “In Good Faith” blog post, songwriter Peter Mayer reflects on the spiritual and emotional journey behind transforming his song into a picture book, published by Skinner House Books and beautifully illustrated by Sue Todd.

Mayer shares his hopes for how the book might evoke wonder, joy, and a sense of interdependence—reminding us all that we are part of one human family, sailing together on this blue boat we call Earth. 💙⛵

Read the interview: https://www.uua.org/pressroom/ingoodfaith/peter-mayer-blue-boat-home
Available now from inSpirit: UU Book and Gift Shop: https://uuabookstore.org/products/blue-boat-home

#UUSharedValues #BlueBoatHome #UUBooks #InGoodFaith #UU #UnitarianUniversalist


In Good Faith chats with songwriter and author Peter Mayer about his song "Blue Boat Home" and the new children’s book of the same name he authored,...

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“There is a Love holding us. There is a Love holding all we love. There is a Love holding all. We rest in this Love.” — Rev. Rebecca Ann Parker

Rev. Rebecca Ann Parker composed this breath prayer during a difficult period in her life—a practice that helped stabilize her anguished spirit and guide her toward greater wholeness. In her powerful reflection “Love Is a Circle in Time,” she invites us to remember the deep foundation of our faith: not perfection, not purity—but love.

Fierce love. Accountable love. Everlasting love.

Love that holds us through conflict and healing, through joy and grief, through past, present, and future.

May this prayer remind us of what sustains us, and what we’re building together.

You can read her full reflection in the book “Love at the Center: Unitarian Universalist Theologies,” available at https://uuabookstore.org/products/love-at-the-center.

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist #Faith #Theology #Love



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Ethan Loewi

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Ethan Loewi

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Now available - our Action Center Weekly Update! 🌱 [seedling]

This week, find analysis of critical issues in this moment, political education, resources, and immediate actions you can take related to democracy, LGBTQ+ and gender justice, decriminalization and immigrant justice, and climate justice.

Read the full update: https://bit.ly/3TGixTv

Image description: Yellow graphic with "Side With Love Action Center" on scraps of paper. In the background is a faded crowded of people rallying outside in a street. Weekly Update, July 1, 2025. This past week has laid bare the urgency of our collective action to defend democracy, dignity, and the rights of all people.
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#SideWithLove #UnitarianUniversalists #CommunityOrganizing #SocialJustice #GenderJustice #Democracy #ClimateJustice #Decriminalization #ImmigrantJustice

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Queer Youth of Faith Day is celebrated on June 30th. According to Beloved Arise , "1 in 5 LGBTQ youth say their faith is important to them." As a religious denomination committed to LGBTQIA+ liberation, Side With Love is pleased to share this blessing for queer youth of faith, penned by S

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🎉 Congratulations to Rev. Molly Housh Gordon of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbia, MO, recipient of the 2024 Skinner Sermon Award! 🎉

Her sermon, “How to Have an Enemy,” was recognized for its powerful clarity, deep power analysis, and unwavering solidarity with vulnerable communities. The award committee praised her bold affirmation that on the path away from empire and toward liberation, naming our enemies can be not only necessary—but empowering.

📖🎥 Read or watch the full sermon: https://www.uua.org/justice-programs/awards/skinner

The Skinner Sermon Award honors sermons that boldly express Unitarian Universalist social principles. Since 1959, it has uplifted prophetic voices that speak truth with courage and care.

💡 Heard a sermon that moved you? Nominations for the 2025 award are open through April 2026: https://www.uua.org/justice-programs/awards/skinner





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56 years ago, the Stonewall Riots sparked a movement that changed the course of history for LGBTQIA+ rights. What began as a stand against injustice has grown into a global push for dignity, visibility, and equality 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

We honor the legacy of Stonewall by continuing to fight for the health, safety, and freedom of LGBTQIA+ people through inclusive, affirming sex education. Because everyone deserves to see themselves reflected, respected, and protected in the classroom.

Are you a parent, advocate, or policymaker? Find out how you can support inclusive sex education with our If/Then Series: LGBTQIA+ Rights.
https://siecus.org/resource/if-then-series-lgbtqia-rights/

#SexEd #SexEducation #Stonewall #PrideMonth

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Unitarian Universalist theology is varied and complex, with deep roots as well as reimaginings rooted very much in our current context. Our UU seminarians and emerging religious professionals continue to mold and shape our UU theology in new ways and it brings me profound hope for our faith and our shared future on this planet.

In her reflection for Braver/Wiser, Karishma Gottfried, a UU leader and seminarian at Union Theological Seminary, considers how queerness and UU theology are inextricably linked, reminding us yet again that revelation is not sealed and our future leaders hold much promise for the deepening of our theology and our connections to one another as a faith community:

“Unitarian Universalism ‘queers’ the idea of theology itself, not requiring the theos (God) to do the logos (talk). Our ‘God-talk’ includes the atheists, agnostics, polytheists, and all those who endeavor to engage in the search for truth and meaning.

My queerness and my Unitarian Universalism are inextricably linked, informing each other at every bend in the road. I wouldn’t be who I am without either of them.”

Read the full reflection here: https://bit.ly/3TgmJZS

#UnitarianUniversalism #PrideMonth #LGBTQIA

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🎉 Congratulations to Rev. Kimberly Quinn Johnson and Bill Young, newly elected Co-Moderators of the Unitarian Universalist Association! 🎉
https://www.uua.org/pressroom/press-releases/2025generalassembly

Elected at General Assembly 2025, they bring a clear and courageous vision: to lead with integrity, sustain institutional health, and advance the work of dismantling oppression across our faith.

We are grateful for their leadership—and for the faithful service of outgoing Co-Moderators Rev. Meg Riley and Charles Du Mond.

#UUAGA #UULeadership #UnitarianUniversalist #MeetTheMoment #UU



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Elaine McArdle

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📣 GA 2025 brought UUs together in powerful ways. Here’s the recap, thanks to UU World: https://www.uuworld.org/articles/uua-ga-2025-recap-vote-results-statements-actions-unitarian-universalism

More than 3,279 Unitarian Universalists from 592 congregations in 48 states and 4 countries gathered for 5 powerful days of worship, witness, learning, decision-making, and moments of joy and deep community.

From the Ware Lecture by journalist and trans rights activist Imara Jones, to workshops on resisting authoritarianism and building trans justice, to a joyful sing-along celebrating the launch of our new virtual hymnal, GA was filled with both courageous action and meaningful connection.

Delegates voted to approve a Congregational Study/Action Issue—“Abolition is Faith Formation”—and affirmed three Actions of Immediate Witness (AIW) on global LGBTQ+ solidarity, faithful defiance of authoritarianism, and the inherent worth of all people.

We elected new UUA co-moderators Rev. Kimberly Quinn Johnson and Bill Young, honored leaders like Paula Cole Jones and Rev. Dr. Natalie Fenimore, and got a preview of new formats for GA 2026 and 2027.

💛 As UUA President Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt said: “It will take all of us, in community, to respond to these times.”

#UUAGA #MeetTheMoment #UnitarianUniversalist #UUWorld #FaithInAction #Community #UU


More than 3,279 Unitarian Universalists from 592 congregations in forty-eight states and four countries participated in General Assembly this year, according to the UUA.

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Earlier this month, the UUA was one of roughly 200 organizations to receive a letter from the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security, questioning the use of federal funds by NGOs aiding immigrants.

Let’s be clear:
As a matter of faith and conscience, Unitarian Universalists reject any violations of immigrants’ human rights and dignity—regardless of citizenship status.

In a strong response, UUA General Counsel Adrienne K. Walker affirmed:

“We reject any violations… including denial of due process or civil rights protections, the increased risks of human trafficking and exploitation, and violent and capricious immigration law enforcement actions.”

At GA 2025, 99% of delegates supported an Action of Immediate Witness affirming the inherent worth and rights of immigrants.

We will not be intimidated. Our values call us to justice, compassion, and faithful resistance.

🔗 Read the full UUA statement and response: https://www.uua.org/pressroom/press-releases/house-committee-letter-response
#FaithInAction #ImmigrantJustice #UnitarianUniversalist #UU











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Norman Allen

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