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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📣 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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🧡 “Religious educators remain dedicated to truth telling and justice making.” —Rev. Dr. Natalie Fenimore

At GA 2025, Rev. Dr. Natalie Maxwell Fenimore received the Angus H. MacLean Award for Excellence in Religious Education. A leader, mentor, and visionary, she uplifted the strength, legacy, and calling of UU religious educators everywhere.

From the classroom to the pulpit, in times of fear and change, religious educators continue shaping our faith with courage and care. In her words: “We can be a people who make a way out of no way.”

Join us in celebrating Rev. Dr. Fenimore and the life-changing work of all UU religious educators.

📖 Read more: https://www.uuworld.org/articles/fenimore-award-religious-education-2025
#UUAGA #ReligiousEducation #UU #FaithFormation #MeetTheMoment #UnitarianUniversalist



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✨ What moves mountains?

Not algorithms. Not email lists. Not flawless strategy.

💛 Trust. Care. Presence.

In the GA 2025 Fahs Lecture, Rev. Sean Neil-Barron, Minister at Foothills Unitarian Church, reminded us that true power comes not from follower counts—but from the people who will pick up when you call at 10 p.m.

“That trusted currency is earned by showing up, through care that isn’t performance, through being present when it doesn’t benefit you.

That’s what moves mountains.”
—Rev. Sean Neil-Barron

Showing up with no agenda but care—building trust that grows over time—that’s not just strategy. That’s faith in practice. That’s how we build the kind of collective power that can shape a different world.

📸 Swipe for more from this powerful lecture on “A Theology of Community Organizing.”

#UUAGA #FahsLecture #FaithInAction #CommunityOrganizing #UnitarianUniversalist #UUJustice











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As GA 2025 comes to a close, one truth echoes louder than ever: we cannot face this world alone.

Throughout the week, we were reminded that community is not optional—it is essential. In every gathering, every story, every act of collective reflection and courage, we saw the power of what we can do together.

We are shaped in relationship. We are transformed through connection. And in a world of violence, fear, and fragmentation, choosing to build community is itself a revolutionary act.

Sunday’s closing worship offered words to carry forward, through the song “I Choose Love” by Mark Miller, sung by the GA Choir, Carl Kennedy, and soloist Allison Charette:

“In the midst of pain, I choose love….In the midst of war, hate, and anger keeping score, I will seek the good once more, I choose peace.”

This is our charge. To choose love. To choose peace.
To keep building the kind of communities that sustain us and transform the world—together.

Thank you to everyone who attended—online or in person—and to all who helped make this year’s General Assembly possible. You are what makes this community real.

#UUAGA #ChooseLove #UnitarianUniversalist #MeetTheMoment #FaithInAction #UU



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✨ Last night, Imara Jones delivered a Ware Lecture that will echo in our hearts for a long time to come.

With brilliance and unwavering truth, she laid bare how anti-trans politics have become tools of authoritarianism—and called us to live our values with courage and consistency.

From the pews to the public square, justice isn’t a concept we admire—it’s a verb we must practice.

💛 Thank you, Imara, for your prophetic clarity, your deep care, and your fierce invitation into faithful action.

As UUA President Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt said at the close:
“Let this be the lecture that changes us.”

#UUAGA #MeetTheMoment #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #Democracy #Justice







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⏰ A reminder that you don’t need to be registered for GA to join us online for the GA Sunday Morning Worship Service!

This vibrant, communal service is open to everyone virtually.

🕚 Today at 11 a.m. ET
🎤 Led by Rev. Dr. Nicole C. Kirk
📺 Watch live at youtube.com/@theUUA

Don’t miss this moment of shared UU worship from wherever you are!

#UUAGA #MeetTheMoment #Worship #SundayService #UnitarianUniversalist #UU

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The UUA condemns U.S. military involvement in the expanding conflict between Israel and Iran. This action by the U.S. government represents a moral failure and Unitarian Universalists are compelled through our religious beliefs to speak out against it. We will continue to oppose attacks on Iran and we will continue our work building a world where the inherent dignity and worthiness of all people are recognized.

Read our full statement online:


The Unitarian Universalist Association condemns U.S. military involvement in the expanding conflict between Israel and Iran.

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Earlier this week at GA, members of The Guardians of Baltimore took the InSpirit Learning Stage to share about their work and community leadership.

The Guardians is a photo documentary and storytelling project that uplifts the often-overlooked work of African American women leaders in Baltimore. Through interviews and large-scale portraits, the project honors their leadership and shows how art and activism can spark lasting change.

More than an exhibit, The Guardians is a movement—shifting narratives, building connection, and helping communities thrive.

In this short video, they share what they love about Baltimore—its neighborhoods, culture, young people, and community pride.

👉 Learn more at: https://www.theguardiansofbaltimore.com/
#UUAGA #MeetTheMoment #UnitarianUniversalist #UU



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Tonight we celebrate one of the most important traditions in Unitarian Universalism as we honor and recognize our young people in their transition from youth to young adulthood. Synergy is such an inspiring multigenerational worship experience, and an opportunity to celebrate our youth and honor their dreams and their commitments to helping to build a world where all may thrive.

Please join me in sending blessings to all of the youth who are bridging this year.

#UUAGA #UUYouth

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🌳 “All of us need all of us to make it.” 🌳

This was the refrain woven throughout last night’s GA Service of the Living Tradition—a reminder, a call, a truth spoken again and again as we honored the people who shape our living faith.

The service was a powerful celebration of shared ministry, led for the first time by a non-ordained religious educator—Katharine Childs, current president of Liberal Religious Educators Association. Katharine’s leadership reminded us that ministry belongs to all who serve this faith with courage, creativity, and love.

We grieve those beloved religious professionals who have died in the past year. Their lives and ministries—full of wisdom, compassion, and presence—continue to shape and inspire us. May their memory be a blessing, and may those who mourn be held in care and community.

We also lift up deep gratitude and joyful congratulations to all who were recognized for achieving preliminary and full fellowship, for completing religious education credentialing, and for entering retirement. Your milestones are part of our collective story—a story of transformation, resilience, and bold love.

From every golden leaf to every new branch, this living tradition grows because of your commitment. Thank you.

#UUAGA #MeetTheMoment #LivingTradition #UnitarianUniversalist #SharedMinistry #Gratitude



















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☀️ Summer Solstice Blessings ☀️

On this longest day, we pause with the sun at its height—aware of both the abundance of light and its inevitable turning.

As in Tess Taylor’s poem Solstice, there’s no need for grand rituals. The sacred is here: in swims and stillness, in blossoms falling, in frog song and firelight. “Light builds a monument to its passing,” she writes—and so do we, when we gather, linger, notice, and begin again.

The solstice invites us to savor what is ripening. To feel the fullness of this moment—not in grasping, but in gratitude. To let the sweetness of summer feed our spirits for whatever comes next.

How will you honor the turning of the sun today?

#SummerSolstice #UnitarianUniversalist #UU



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At General Assembly, UUs responded swiftly and faithfully to the Supreme Court’s harmful Skrmetti ruling, which upholds state bans on gender-affirming care for youth.

A special session—“Skrmetti Case: Information, Misinformation, and Implications”—was added to the GA schedule, led by civil rights lawyer Sam Ames and UUA General Counsel Adrienne Walker. Together, they unpacked the legal implications, debunked common myths, and offered paths forward for advocacy and solidarity.

🗣 “We cannot cede the ground of faith, religion,” Ames said. “We cannot cede the ground of the sacred.”

While this ruling is devastating, it does not prevent states from protecting gender-affirming care—or stop future legal challenges on other grounds.

Unitarian Universalists are committed to solidarity with trans youth and fighting for dignity, safety, and access to care—grounded in faith, powered by love.

📰 Read more in UU World:
https://www.uuworld.org/articles/supreme-court-skrmetti-youth-transgender-uua-unitarian-universalism

#UUAGA #MeetTheMoment #TransJustice #ProtectTransYouth #GenderAffirmingCare #FaithInAction #UnitarianUniversalist #SkrmettiDecision



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🫶 From the Virtual Banner Parade to moving worship, joyful reunions, and sparks of connection, the 2025 UUA General Assembly started with high energy and spirit yesterday.

📸 We’re sharing a few favorite photos from Day 1—and we’d love to see yours, whether you’re attending in person or online! Post your pics using #UUAGA and #MeetTheMoment, and don’t forget to tag us so we can share the joy. #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #Baltimore





















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🖤 This morning at General Assembly, we were called into memory, truth, and liberation by Rev. E.N. Hill, who preached a powerful Juneteenth sermon honoring the unfinished work of freedom.

As Rev. Hill reminded us:
"Freedom is not just the absence of chains. It is the presence of dignity—the ability to move through the world without needing to justify your existence, to love without punishment, to be seen, respected, protected."

Juneteenth is not just history—it is present-tense urgency. The struggle for freedom continues wherever dignity is denied, wherever people are denied the right to express themselves, and wherever oppression is disguised as policy.

Let this day be a call to live our values out loud—to imagine boldly, act collectively, and practice a freedom that is nourished in community and protected in love. The work is unfinished. Let us meet the moment.

#Juneteenth #UUAGA #MeetTheMoment #UnitarianUniversalist #Liberation #Freedom



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❤️🖤💚 On this Juneteenth, we honor the memory and resilience of Black people who endured the violence of slavery—and we celebrate the joy, brilliance, and power of Black communities today.

Juneteenth marks the delayed liberation of enslaved people in Galveston, Texas in 1865, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. It is a reminder that freedom has always been delayed for too many—and that the systems built on slavery’s foundations still shape our world.

As Unitarian Universalists, our faith calls us to more than remembrance. It calls us to action.

We recommit to dismantling white supremacy, disrupting systemic injustice, and ensuring that freedom is not symbolic but lived every day, by all.

#Juneteenth #FaithInAction #BlackLiberation #UnitarianUniversalist #UU #AbolishWhiteSupremacy



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General Assembly 2025 opened with powerful words from UUA President Rev. Dr. Sofia Betancourt, who reminded us that Unitarian Universalists have always drawn on our core values to respond to the needs of the moment.

As we navigate rising authoritarianism, climate crisis, and major shifts in religious life, she called us to reflect together:

🔍 What would it take for Unitarian Universalism to meet this moment—not just as individuals or congregations, but as a faith community in deep alignment?
🙏 How can our worship, education, governance, and care practices evolve to sustain courage and build solidarity?
🌱 What becomes possible when we move together?

We invite you to be part of this conversation. Share your reflections in the comments—or bring these questions back to your congregation.

#UUAGA #MeetTheMoment #UnitarianUniversalist #UU



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🎉 GA 2025 is officially underway! 🎉

GA opened this afternoon with the Virtual Banner Parade—a joyful celebration of the spirit and diversity of our Unitarian Universalist congregations across the country.

This year, General Assembly is a multi-platform experience, and with that comes a fresh take on a cherished tradition. The Banner Parade has become the "Congregational Recognition and Banner Parade," creating new ways to lift up our communities both online and in person.

Watch the video below to witness the beauty, creativity, and heart our congregations bring to GA. 💛

#UUAGA #MeetTheMoment #UnitarianUniversalist #UU #celebrate



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We share this post along with this message from UUA President Rev. Sofía Betancourt, PhD:

"Beloveds, as Sam Ames shares in the post below, there is going to be a lot of catastrophizing today. We lost U.S. v. Skrmetti, one of the biggest transgender civil rights cases of our time, and there’s no getting around it.

When push comes to shove, I too will pick the losers every time. We live past hope. We fight because we love each other too much to listen to reason. And we’re still here — not because we won, but because we’re part of what it means to be human.

We don’t follow hope. Hope follows us."
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⚖️ Today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision in United States v. Skrmetti allows states to ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth—a ruling that threatens lives and causes real, lasting harm.

Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association, responded with these words:

💬 “As a part of our faith tradition, Unitarian Universalists embrace transgender, nonbinary, intersex, and gender diverse people. This is a central expression of our faith… We send our love and care to all the trans youth and their families who are directly affected by this ruling. We will keep fighting for you.”

Last year at General Assembly, Unitarian Universalists overwhelmingly passed a resolution naming that affirmation and protection of trans, nonbinary, intersex, and gender diverse people are fundamental religious commitments. That resolution now guides the UUA’s ongoing work for justice.

This moment calls for moral clarity. Denying healthcare is a violation of basic rights and human dignity. Trans youth deserve care, safety, and support—without exception.

📣 Read the full UUA statement: https://www.uua.org/pressroom/press-releases/uua-reaction-skrmetti-case

#TransJustice #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #ProtectTransYouth #FaithInAction #MeetTheMoment





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📚 Social Change Now is the 2025–2026 UU Common Read! 📚

We’re excited to announce that "Social Change Now: A Guide for Reflection and Connection" by Deepa Iyer is this year’s UU Common Read.

This powerful and practical book invites us to reflect deeply, connect more fully, and act more effectively in the work of justice. It meets us where we are—whether you’re just getting started or feeling weary from long struggles—and helps us find our role in the larger ecosystem of change.

This is more than a book—it’s a guide for living out our UU values with clarity, compassion, and purpose.

✨ Attending GA? Don’t miss Deepa Iyer speaking live on Thursday, June 19 at 4:30 p.m. ET!

📖 Learn more and access discussion guides here: https://UUA.org/CommonRead

#SocialJustice #CommonRead #UnitarianUniversalist #UUAGA #MeetTheMoment #UU



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We are just days away from the 2025 UUA General Assembly in Baltimore and online — and the Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF) is energized to be part of this historic moment!

Our proposed Congregational Study Action Issue (CSAI), “Abolition, Transformation, and Faith Formation,” is on the ballot for GA. If selected, this powerful initiative will guide three years of shared study, reflection, and action across Unitarian Universalist communities on abolition as a spiritual, theological, and justice-centered calling. Read the updated description here: https://clfuu.org/abolition

Here’s how you can support:

Help spread the word. Talk to your UU friends and congregations about the CSAI, especially GA delegates. Ask them to review the materials on our webpage devoted to the Abolition, Transformation and Faith Formation CSAI: https://clfuu.org/abolition

Vote at General Assembly General Session II 1-4pm on Thursday June 19. If you’re attending GA as a delegate, your vote can help bring this vital study to life.

If you have any questions, you can find CLF at UUA General Assembly: we will be at booth #203 (with our partner The Community Church of New York Unitarian Universalist).

We’re proud of this faithful and liberatory work—and we’re grateful to be doing it with you.

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What is the GA EduCenter? 📚✨

If you're registered for GA, you can start watching dozens of pre-recorded workshops ✨right now✨ in the GA EduCenter. Just open the Whova GA App and head to the EduCenter section. Sessions cover a wide range of topics and include chat and Q&A features so you can engage even after the video ends.

Some EduCenter programs will also be offered as live webinars—or even in both formats! To find those, just search “Live Webinars” in the Agenda section of the app.

Whether you’re diving into a single session or exploring them all, the EduCenter gives you the flexibility to learn on your schedule and get the most out of GA.

More at https://www.uua.org/ga

#UUAGA #MeetTheMoment #UU #UnitarianUniversalist


General Assembly is the Unitarian Universalist Association’s annual meeting, drawing thousands of Unitarian Universalists from around the world.

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✨ “Being a UU can fill your being with awe and wonder and inspiration to save this world and save yourself.” — Rev. Cheryl M. Walker

What happens when Unitarian Universalists gather to ask:
🔎 What do we really believe?
🕸️ What holds us together?
🌍 And how can our faith meet this moment?

At the first-ever Spark Theological Convocation, UUs dug into bold questions, shared deep truths, and imagined what comes next for our living tradition.

📖 Read more about what emerged—in hearts, in community, and in spirit—at the link in the first comment.

#UnitarianUniversalist #UUTheology #UU #FaithInAction #UUSharedValues #TheologyMatters



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🎶✨ GA Icebreaker Time! ✨🎶

We’re getting in the spirit for #UUAGA25 with some fun social media icebreakers, and we want to hear from YOU!

Today’s question: What songs are on your General Assembly Playlist? 🎧💛

Are you blasting empowering anthems? Meditative chants? Show tunes? Does jazz keep you centered? Drop your faves in the comments or post with the hashtag #UUAGA25 so we can build the ultimate GA vibe together!

Let’s hear what’s moving your spirit and setting the tone for GA! 🎶🔥

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Uplifting this statement from our longtime partners, Churches for Middle East Peace, condemning Israel's recent attacks on Iran and calling for de-escalation of aggression in the region.


CMEP condemns in the strongest possible terms Israel’s recent attacks on Iran, including reported strikes near nuclear facilities and within civilian areas. These reckless and unlawful actions risk the lives of hundreds of millions of people across the Middle East and escalate the threat of a catastrophic regional war. We also call on Iran to cease its counterattacks against Israel. Military solutions are not the answer and will only cause more death, destruction, and harm. Such escalations not only cause civilian deaths but further destabilize the entire peace and security of the region.

Full release here: https://cmep.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Press-Release-6-13-25-Iran.pdf

#PressRelease #Iran #Israel

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🌊 Dive into Meet the Moment at GA

At GA 2025, Meet the Moment—a UU-wide framework for faithful reflection and action—comes to life through ten interactive “Wave Cohorts.” Each one explores a key area of UU life like worship, youth leadership, queer belonging, and more.

Participants will engage big questions, hear real insights, and connect in small group conversations. Sessions are available both in person and online, so everyone can join in.

Whether you’re attending GA or following along from home, this is your chance to explore what’s emerging in our faith.

🌐 Learn more at the link in the first comment.

–––
💬 What do YOU think is emerging in our faith—and how will you engage?
–––

#MeetTheMoment #UUAGA #UnitarianUniversalist #UU



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🌈✨ Ready to renew your welcome? ✨🌈

Many UU congregations became Welcoming Congregations years ago—but haven’t revisited that work in a while. The Five Practices of Welcome Renewal is a chance to reconnect, recommit, and grow.

💛 Deepen your welcome
🤝 Strengthen your community
🌟 Live your values with love

You can find resources to get started at the link in the first comment.

#LGBTQ #WelcomingCongregation #UPLIFT #UnitarianUniversalist #UU



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💜 New from JUUst Breathe 💜

JUUst Breathe is a podcast for UU religious educators, youth, emerging adults, and anyone curious about Unitarian Universalism. In this season finale, guests Avery Miller Fabregas and UUA President Rev. Sofía Betancourt, PhD explore what it means to center love in our communities.

Listen to the full episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1949451/episodes/17249858-love-at-the-center

The transcript of the brief audio clip shared in this post is in the first comment.

#JUUstBreathe #UnitarianUniversalist #UUSharedValues #LoveAtTheCenter #FaithInAction



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Today we remember the 49 lives taken at Pulse nightclub on June 12, 2016.

A space of joy and sanctuary for the LGBTQ+ and Latinx communities became a site of unimaginable loss. We hold their names, their memories, and their light in our hearts.

May we honor them with action—by building a world rooted in justice, safety, and love for all.

🕯️ We remember:

Stanley Almodóvar III
Amanda Alvear
Oscar A. Aracena-Montero
Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala
Alejandro Barrios Martinez
Martin Benitez Torres
Antonio D. Brown
Darryl R. Burt II
Angel L. Candelario-Padro
Juan Chevez-Martinez
Luis D. Conde
Cory J. Connell
Tevin E. Crosby
Franky J. Dejesus Velazquez
Deonka D. Drayton
Simon A. Carrillo Fernandez
Leroy Valentin Fernandez
Mercedez Marisol Flores
Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz
Juan R. Guerrero
Paul T. Henry
Frank Hernandez
Miguel A. Honorato
Javier Jorge-Reyes
Jason B. Josaphat
Eddie J. Justice
Anthony L. Laureano Disla
Christopher A. Leinonen
Brenda Lee Marquez McCool
Jean C. Mendez Perez
Akyra Monet Murray
Kimberly Morris
Jean C. Nives Rodriguez
Luis O. Ocasio-Capo
Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez
Eric I. Ortiz-Rivera
Joel Rayon Paniagua
Enrique L. Rios Jr.
Jean C. Rodriguez
Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado
Christopher J. Sanfeliz
Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan
Edward Sotomayor Jr.
Shane E. Tomlinson
Martin B. Torres
Jonathan A. Camuy Vega
Juan P. Rivera Velazquez
Luis S. Vielma
Jerald A. Wright

We speak their names. We carry their memory forward.

#PulseRemembrance #SayTheirNames #UnitarianUniversalist #UU



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🔍✨What Does It Mean to Meet the Moment?

This year’s General Assembly theme is “Meet the Moment”—and it’s more than a slogan. It’s a framework helping UUs respond to today’s complex world with clarity, courage, and care.

It starts with three core questions:
🌀 What’s happening right now?
⚡ What needs our attention?
❤️ How do our values call us to respond?

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In your life and community, what moment is calling you to show up? Share in the comments!
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🎥 Watch the video and learn more at the link in the first comment.

#MeetTheMoment #UUAGA #UnitarianUniversalist



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In our latest Action Center Weekly Update, we write to you in a week of grief, outrage, and moral clarity.

In Los Angeles and Minneapolis, our neighbors are rising up as ICE raids tear families apart and target immigrant communities with cruelty and impunity. A new travel ban has gone into effect, once again targeting Muslims and immigrants from Black and Brown nations under the guise of national security. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court continues to tilt the scales of justice—expanding privileges for the powerful while narrowing the reach of vital civil protections.

At the same time, bold efforts are emerging to challenge U.S. complicity in global violence. The Block the Bombs Act was introduced by Representatives Delia Ramirez, Sara Jacobs, Pramila Jayapal, and Mark Pocan, alongside 18 other members of Congress. The bill seeks to prohibit the transfer of specific U.S. weapons to Israel that have been used in operations resulting in civilian harm—an effort grounded in both international law and our shared moral responsibility.

This special edition of the Action Center is here to help equip you, provoke reflection, and inspire faithful action in the face of escalating injustice, systemic cruelty, and sustained assaults on human dignity. The road ahead may be challenging—but we won’t face it alone. We will move forward together, guided by fierce love and unwavering hope.

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

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, June 10, 2025. Our theology insists that love must be embodied in systems, structures, and policies that protect and uplift. In the face of suffering and oppression, our faith responds with courage, not retreat.
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#SideWithLove #UnitarianUniversalists #CommunityOrganizing #SocialJustice #GenderJustice #Democracy #ClimateJustice #Decriminalization #ImmigrantJustice #BlockTheBombs

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As a UU minister and as your President, I take the work of holding the heart of our faith, and the love that lives at its center, very seriously. In this time time when every day sees the disruption of structures we have long relied on as a nation and the intentional dehumanization of beloved members of our communities; I find myself holding fast to what I think of as the long haul promises of our theological inheritance, things like sanctuary, justice, reason, community, worthiness, and love.

I keep saying that we are a sanctuary people, and I make that claim based on decades of prophetic ministry from our congregations across the nation. I make that claim based on generations of dissent, and prioritizing our values and use of reason over the idea that a government should dictate the moral standards of religious communities.

We Unitarian Universalists are the modern expression of the dissenting church and between us, we hold our multigenerational commitment to our living tradition. Let us continue to fulfill the promise of our living tradition, together.

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This Monday, June 9 at 5pm PT / 8pm ET, we're offering The Gathering, our monthly virtual event to renew our spirits, make sense of the challenges we face, and take collective action. 🌈 [rainbow]

At our June meeting, we'll enjoy music from UU trans/non-binary musician, writer, and activist Shana Aisenberg and hear from Side With Love Organizing Strategy Director Nicole Pressley about how we build power through campaigns. Our special guest Rev. Kentina Washington-Leapheart from our partners at SACReD - Spiritual Alliance of Communities for Reproductive Dignity will speak about the landscape of reproductive justice and how folks on the ground are making pathways for bodily autonomy to flourish despite the obstacles.

Join us to root ourselves in love and rise together for justice! Register: https://bit.ly/4mtsfpl

Image description: A black background with white and yellow handwritten and typed text. At the bottom is a head-and-shoulders photo of Shana Aisenberg and the SACReD logo. The Gathering. Music: Shana Aisenberg. Speaker: SACReD. Monday, June 98 ET, 7 CT, 6 MT, 5 PT on Zoom. “Gathering” is underlined in yellow, with yellow hand-drawn rays above it.
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#TheGathering #FaithInAction #SideWithLove #UnitarianUniversalists #ProgressiveFaith #CommunityOrganizing #ReproductiveJustice #PrideMonth2025

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💜 June is Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month 💜

Even as memories fade, connection and love endure. In her powerful reflection for the UUA “In Good Faith” blog, Rev. Dr. Jade Angelica shares stories of dance, music, creativity, and care—reminding us that people with Alzheimer’s are still deeply present and worthy of love and respect.

🕯 Read the full blog post: https://www.uua.org/pressroom/ingoodfaith/jade-angelica-perspective

#AlzheimersAwareness #DisabilityJustice #InGoodFaith #UU #UnitarianUniversalist


As part of Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, Rev. Dr. Jade Angelica - author of “Where Two Worlds Touch: The Spirit and Science of Alzheimer's...

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🎉 Happy 75th Anniversary to the Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA)! 🎉

For 75 years, LREDA has empowered Unitarian Universalist religious educators through professional development, faith formation resources, and a strong, supportive community. With a deep commitment to shared ministry and the work of dismantling oppression, LREDA continues to nurture spiritual growth and collective liberation.

If you’re at GA, don’t miss the chance to celebrate with them! Stop by their booth onsite or visit virtually through the Whova app. 🙌

#FaithDevelopment #BelovedCommunity #UU #UUAGA #ReligiousEducation



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✨💬 Two sentences. One big question: What is Unitarian Universalism 💬✨

If you’re a UU, you’ve probably been asked to explain our faith—and chances are, it wasn’t easy. No single belief. No simple label. Just a deep commitment to shared values, many paths, and a love that calls us into community and justice.

It’s a big question—and one worth answering.

So here’s the challenge:
💬 Can you describe Unitarian Universalism in just two sentences?
👇 Share your best answer in the comments!



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Join the denominational effort to craft statements on our commitment to justice, equity and compassion

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"Why Are UU Congregations Struggling While Christian Nationalism Rises?" (And what do we do?)
A LETTER FROM TXUUJM CONGREGATIONAL JUSTICE ORGANIZER MICHELLE VENEGAS-MATULA

READ HERE: https://prod.cdn.everyaction.com/emails/van/TSM/TSMUU/1/107048/TdF3iuqWoAy8Q763PApaS0DC4cOejUMKZUqc2KrSFxL_archive

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🏳️‍🌈 Happy Pride Month! 🏳️‍🌈
We know that LGBTQIA+ people are powerful and cherished in Unitarian Universalism and beyond. LGBTQIA+ people make UU community sacred, beautiful, and whole.

This month—and every month—we celebrate LGBTQIA+ brilliance, we honor the truth and beauty of the diversity of gender and sexuality, and we recommit to working for a world where all people are safe, free, and respected.

#PrideMonth #Pride #equality #LoveIsLove #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #BelovedCommunity



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📍More than 200 years ago, the Rev. William Ellery Channing stood in a Baltimore pulpit and redefined religion—with bold ideas about reason, human dignity, and faith. His 1819 “Baltimore Sermon” became a foundation of Unitarian Universalism.

Today, we’re still building on that legacy. As UUs gather in Baltimore for General Assembly this June, both in-person and online, we return not just to a city—but to a turning point. Channing’s call to clarity and courage still speaks, especially as we continue to name our values and act on them.

🕯️ Read the full story about Channing’s radical sermon and its impact on today’s UU identity at the link in the first comment.



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Justice isn’t only won in courtrooms or marches. Sometimes, it’s found in small, steady acts of care.

Zeb Green reminds us that resistance can mean offering food, shelter, and safety in the face of fear and cruelty. Putting love at the center IS a form of defiance.

📖 Read the full reflection and prayer at the link in the first comment.

#ImmigrantJustice #FaithInAction #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #BelovedCommunity #MutualAid





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Mezzo soprano Amanda M Thomas sings Precious Lord, Take My Hand, written by the Reverend Thomas A. Dorsey.

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Another UU congregation is going solar! 🌞

The Unitarian Church of Evanston has just completed a major step toward zero emissions with the installation of rooftop solar panels. Their journey—years in the making—is a powerful example of living our values and caring for the Earth.

Read how they made it happen in the full article at the link in the first comment. ⚡🌱

#UnitarianUniversalist #ClimateJustice #SolarPower #UU #Evanston



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Your Board did not receive any proposed amendments to the Rules of Procedure, Bylaws Technical Revisions and Clean-Up, and the Business Resolution. For the first time in a long time, there will be no mini-assemblies this year.

We look forward to seeing you at GA 2025 to discuss and vote on these important business items!

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🎓 Across the country, Unitarian Universalist congregations are celebrating youth who are bridging—marking the transition from youth to young adulthood, typically around ages 17 to 19, with love, reflection, and community blessings.

In UU communities, bridging honors this significant life passage and affirms that our young people remain a vital part of our faith, wherever their journeys take them.

We congratulate all those who are bridging this season, at Main Line Unitarian Church and everywhere. Your reflections on belonging, identity, and spiritual growth remind us of the lifelong impact of a caring, open-hearted community. 💛🌟


Crossing the Bridge to Adulthood: Congratulations to Liam and Mico! ✨

On Sunday, we celebrated our bridging seniors as they transition from youth to young adulthood in our MLUC community. Both shared powerful reflections that touched our hearts.

Liam movingly recalled a childhood memory at MLUC playing on the tire swing with classmates, sharing how that feeling of joy and belonging became his definition of what church should be. Despite seeing negative depictions of religion in the media, Liam's connection with our community helped him remember that "religion is that joyful feeling. It's that belonging."

Mico spoke about his journey exploring spirituality, sharing how the Coming of Age program helped him realize he could "have personal spiritual beliefs, even if they don't connect or conform to a traditional religious institution." He thanked MLUC for creating "an open-minded community where that sort of spiritual exploration is possible."

We're proud of these remarkable young people and look forward to watching their continued journey.

#UUBridging #MLUC #UnitarianUniversalist #FaithJourney

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This year marks the 25th anniversary of Our Whole Lives, the comprehensive, lifespan sexuality education program developed by the United Church of Christ

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As Unitarian Universalists, we affirm the sacred worth of every person and the right to make decisions about our own bodies.

With reproductive rights shifting across the country—some expanding, many under threat—it’s vital to have trustworthy, values-based tools for learning and action.

The Unitarian Universalist Women's Federation has updated their Reproductive Justice Toolkit to reflect this evolving landscape. It includes:
🧭 Current information
🛠 Practical tools
✨ Stories that remind us where hope lives

This toolkit is one way we can ground our advocacy in faith, meet the moment with clarity, and keep showing up for reproductive freedom.

Find the toolkit at the link in the first comment.

#ReproductiveJustice #UnitarianUniversalist #FaithInAction #UU



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Today, we celebrate 200 years of the American Unitarian Association at a time when Unitarian Universalism is badly needed in our nation and in the world. We should be proud of the accomplishments and impact of liberal thought and the theology that grows from that thought. Yet too there is trouble born of comfort in thinking that we know best when it comes to restoring justice and building a world and an Earth community that allows all to fully thrive.

So how do we proceed as authoritarianism is on the rise both domestically and around the world? We must remember that we are a sanctuary people—not only in collaborating around the work of justice, but also in providing nourishment and shelter for our own spirits so that we do not give up in the face of all that is.

Happy anniversary, beloveds. May this milestone year be one that galvanizes us in all the ways we are called to live into this moment and organize around our shared values in community.

#UnitarianUniversalism #AUA200 #UUHistory #Unitarianism

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🎵 “Diamond” is more than a song—it’s a reminder of the strength that forms under pressure.

First shared in the 2021 GA Sunday worship by First Universalist Church of Minneapolis, its message still shines: even in hard times, something strong and beautiful can emerge.

That’s the spirit of General Assembly—a place where we gather in all our weariness and resilience, reconnect with our values, and move forward together, shaped by all we’ve lived through.

🎧 Take a moment to listen: https://youtu.be/9V2OysStTLA?si=9eabCUfw419tsjl0

More info about GA at https://www.uua.org/ga.

#UUAGA #UnitarianUniversalist #UUCommunity


This rendition of the song "Diamond" was featured in the Unitarian Universalist Association's General Assembly 2021 Sunday worship led by First Universalist ...

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🌎 ”The wide universe is the ocean I travel, And the earth is my blue boat home…”

If you’ve ever sung “Blue Boat Home,” you’ve felt the beauty and wonder at the heart of our Unitarian Universalist faith.

We’re thrilled to share this new profile of Peter Mayer—the UU singer-songwriter who wrote this beloved hymn—who has spent 30 years crafting music filled with meaning, joy, and spiritual depth:
https://religionnews.com/2025/05/21/folk-singer-peter-mayer-finds-meaning-everywhere-on-earths-blue-boat-home/

Skinner House also recently turned the song into a beautifully illustrated children’s book:
https://uuabookstore.org/products/blue-boat-home

Mayer reminds us that even in a complicated world, we can still find wonder—and sing our way home to it.

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist #PeterMayer #hymn #music


RACINE, Wis. (RNS) — For 30 years, Peter Mayer has made a living singing songs about the spiritual meaning of life — and the foibles of humanity.

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We’re celebrating the amazing youth of UUCA—and UU teens everywhere—who are sharing their credo statements this season.

In Unitarian Universalism, a credo is a personal belief statement written during the Coming of Age process, a year-long period of learning and exploration. It reflects each youth’s own search for truth, meaning, and values.

To all youth sharing their credos: we honor your curiosity, your thoughtful questioning, and your willingness to examine what you believe and why. Your words inspire and remind us that our living tradition is always growing—through you.

#UnitarianUniversalist #UU #ComingOfAge #Credo #faith #church #SpiritualJourney





















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In accordance with the UUA Bylaws and Rules, Section 4.14, we've posted the final agenda today, May, 19, 2025. You are strongly encouraged to review the contents of the final agenda in preparation for GA 2025. Proposed amendments to regular business items will be due by no later than 11pm ET on Monday, May 26th, via the Delegate Platform.

https://tinyurl.com/GA2025-Final-Business-Agenda

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🌸 We’re celebrating Black UU Women Religious Professionals! 🌸

Join us on May 22nd at 8pm ET / 5pm PT for our second annual “Give Her Flowers” gathering—an evening of music, readings, and joy to uplift and honor the Black women in our UU communities.

Want to celebrate someone? 💐 Fill out our form to send digital flowers to a Black UU woman you admire! Submissions will be shared on UUWF social media throughout May and sent directly to recipients.

✨ Open to all Black UU faith professionals. Allies are welcome to send flowers too!

🔗 Register & submit flowers: www.uuwf.org/events

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✨ Make memories. Meet new people. Ground yourself in the spirit of Baltimore. ✨

Are you arriving early for GA? Let June 18 be more than just a travel day!

From harbor cruises to civil rights tours, these pre-GA experiences offer meaningful ways to explore Baltimore alongside fellow UUs: https://www.uua.org/ga/travel/gacation

🎥 Hear from Local Area Coordinator Valerie Hsu about what makes this vibrant city so special: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b234qSeNUoo

(Video preview description: Valerie Hsu sits among colorful round pillows facing the camera. She has long, dark hair pulled back, wears tortoiseshell-framed glasses and a blue floral sweater. Below the image in a gray box is dark gray text that reads "YOUTUBE.COM." Below this in larger black text is the title of the video: "Explore Baltimore during the 2025 Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly."


Valerie Hsu (she/her) is a General Assembly Local Area Coordinator for the 65th annual UUA General Assembly, which takes place from June 18-22 in Baltimore, ...

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In a post on the UUA’s new "In Good Faith" blog, Rev. Nancy McDonald Ladd reflects on the powerful witness of Mohsen Mahdawi—an immigrant and activist for Palestinian justice.

Detained by ICE for his peaceful advocacy, Mohsen held fast to his values. Even behind bars, he found strength in his faith. Upon release, he invited the crowd to sing "Spirit of Life"—a beloved Unitarian Universalist hymn.

This is the power of our tradition.

As Rev. Ladd writes, “Our faith matters. Coalitional organizing matters. Unitarian Universalism matters.”

Mohsen’s story calls us to live our values—to act with courage, build community, and remember that progressive religion is not only real—it is needed.

Read the full post in "In Good Faith" at the link in the first comment.

#UnitarianUniversalist #FaithinAction #SpiritOfLife #UU #ImmigrantJustice #InGoodFaith



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“Marginalized communities are doing the heavy lifting—again.”

Michelle Venegas-Matula writes with urgency and heart about what’s happening in Texas—and why it matters far beyond. Trans and immigrant communities are showing up with courage in the face of relentless attacks. But they shouldn’t have to do it alone.

Allies are needed now—not just in spirit, but in action. As Michelle writes, “When allies show up—we shift the power in the room.”

Whether you’re making calls, offering support, or simply being present—now is the time. In this moment, staying on the sidelines only strengthens the harm.

“Even if you can’t do everything, you can do something. What will you do?”

🔗 Read more in the first comment.

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist #CollectiveLiberation #TransRights #ImmigrantJustice



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About 25 pastors, rabbis and leaders of faith-based organizations stood arm-in-arm in front of the same gate where where Newark's mayor was arrested Friday

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🕯 “Blanket Fort Prayer” by Helen “HP” Rivers is a love letter to community—the kind that welcomes us with our messy emotions, our complicated questions, our laughter, our rage, and our sparkle.

It reminds us that sacred space isn’t always polished or perfect. Sometimes it’s a blanket fort built from banned books and shared heartbreak, held together by trust and imagination.

In this faith, we show up for each other—not despite the mess, but in the midst of it.

✨ “We need not face this moment alone.” ✨

Read the full poem at the link in the first comment.

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist #BelovedCommunity #faith #church





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🔗 Register here: https://finj.info/Newark

🚨 TONIGHT: National Faith Leader Call to Support Newark 🚨

On Friday, faith and community leaders in New Jersey bore witness to violence at the hands of ICE at Delaney Hall. Immigrants are being disappeared behind closed doors of an illegal facility. Our elected officials were assaulted. Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested.

What does ICE do when no one is looking?
We must respond.

🕗 Join us TONIGHT, May 11, from 8–9 PM ET for a national call to hear firsthand what happened and prepare for Monday’s moral action in Newark.

✊🏾 Faith calls us to act. Let’s show up in courage and clarity.

🔗 Register here: https://finj.info/Newark

#FaithInAction #Newark #ImmigrantRights #DelaneyHall #MoralWitness

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💐 Mother’s Day can stir many emotions—gratitude, grief, longing, love, complexity.

We turn to Lindasusan Ulrich’s “For All the Mothers” to honor the fullness of this day. It’s a blessing for everyone who mothers, everyone who has been mothered, and everyone for whom this day is tender.

However this day meets you, may you know:
You are held. You are beloved.

Read Ulrich’s blessing at the link in the first comment.

#MothersDay #UU #UnitarianUniversalist



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🌱 At the heart of our Unitarian Universalist faith is a call to show up where justice is needed most—with bold love, determined action, and steadfast solidarity. 🌱

At GA 2025, we’re putting that call into action with a Day of Service in South Baltimore, partnering with South Baltimore Community Land Trust—a grassroots organization fighting environmental racism and creating affordable housing.

🗓 Friday, June 20 | 2:30–7:00PM | Curtis Bay Park
🛠 Projects for all ages and abilities: trash pickup, painting, fencing, donation sorting, and more
🕊 SBCLT is also this year’s Sunday shared plate recipient!

Registration details coming soon - More info at the link in the first comment.

This is our chance to embody our UU values—interdependence, equity, justice, and love—in partnership with those leading the way.

#UUAGA #UU #EnvironmentalJustice #Baltimore





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Research shows that grief is one of the most ubiquitous climate emotions. Our society tends to suppress grief and its expressions. But properly honoring and integrating grief helps us connect with others, with the earth as a whole, and to more fully experience a healthy range of emotions, including....

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📖 What’s a book that helped shape your Unitarian Universalist faith—or the way you understand the world?

Maybe it challenged you.
Maybe it comforted you.
Maybe it lit a spark that’s still burning.

Whatever it was, we’d love to know.

📚 Share the title in the comments—and feel free to tell us why it matters to you.

#UnitarianUniversalist #UU #BookShelf #faith



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🎉 Happy 25th to Our Whole Lives (OWL)!

Since 1999, this groundbreaking sex ed program—created by the UUA and the United Church of Christ—has offered life-changing, inclusive sexuality education—rooted in values like self-worth, responsibility, and justice.

As access to comprehensive sex ed declines across the U.S., OWL continues to provide accurate, age-appropriate information about bodies, relationships, identity, and health—supporting learning, self-understanding, and healthy relationships at every stage of life. 💜💛🧡

Here’s to 25 years of delivering honest and affirming sexuality education that is deeply respectful of every life journey!

Learn more about OWL’s legacy and future: https://www.uuworld.org/articles/owl-turns-25-sex-education-gender-relationships-health-unitarian-universalism

#OWL25 #OurWholeLives #SexEdForAll #ComprehensiveSexEd #UU #UCC #SexEdIsSacred



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What if we imagined from love instead of fear?

In her book “Pleasure Activism,” Adrienne Maree Brown reminds us that how we perceive our bodies—and each other’s—is shaped by deeply rooted, fearful ideas about difference.

But we can choose another way.

As Unitarian Universalists, we believe in liberation, in the sacred worth of every body, and in the transformative power of imagination. Reclaiming what’s possible is not just creative—it’s spiritual. It’s justice work.

We can begin today by asking:
What stories have we been taught about bodies, and what are we ready to unlearn together?

#EveryBodyIsSacred #LoveNotFear #UU #Decolonize



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🎁 GA is coming up this June!

If you’ve attended General Assembly in the past, you know it often leaves you with something lasting—a new connection, a burst of clarity, a moment of joy or challenge that stays with you.

As we count down to GA 2025, we’re asking:
If GA gave you a gift, what was it?

🌀 Share in the comments and help us celebrate the spirit of GA!

#UUAGA #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #Spirituality #faith #Baltimore



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This is a question for you! As we try to better understand the needs and demands of our community. Feel free to share in the comments, or at yarn@uusf.org. Thank you!

#unitarian #universalist #unitarianuniversalist

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Today is International Workers’ Day—a time to honor the labor that sustains our lives and to confront the injustice of a political and economic system that fails the very people who make our economy possible.

Unitarian Universalism affirms the deep dignity of all who labor and calls us to resist systems that treat workers as disposable. Future generations will be indelibly shaped by how we show up in this moment.

💥 Make time today to consider all those whose labor makes your daily life possible. How can we practice real solidarity with the workers in our lives, not just gratitude?

#MayDay #InternationalWorkersDay #UU #WorkersRights #UnitarianUniversalist





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We celebrate the release of Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi from federal custody. He was arrested by ICE on April 14 while attending a naturalization interview. Outside the courthouse today, he told supporters:

“I want to thank my people in Vermont. I’ve always learned that home is where you feel safe and loved — and those who surround you there are my people, and you are my people. In Vermont, we have the people and the representatives — Democrats and Republicans, spiritual people and intellectual people — all come together to say, ‘The people united will never be defeated.’”

Mohsen’s release is a testament to the power of community — the people who showed up, spoke out, and refused to be silent. But the fight is far from over.

As one supporter noted, this wave of detentions echoes the fear-driven politics of the Red Scare and McCarthyism — chapters of U.S. history we must not repeat. We must keep showing up for one another and resisting systems that criminalize immigration and dissent.

🎥 Watch the video of Mohsen’s release:
https://www.wlwt.com/article/mohsen-mahdawi-palestinian-student-released-vermont/64634377

#FreeMohsen #Solidarity #ThePeopleUnited


Mahdawi was arrested by ICE agents on April 14 while attending a naturalization interview

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We believe in a world where everyone is free and thriving. Where democracy is realized. Where bodies, our identities, and our Earth are honored and sacred. Where love is not just a feeling—but a force for liberation. At Side With Love, we act on that belief every single day. As we mark the first

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NEW FORUM ALERT!

The UUA Election Campaign Practices Committee (ECPC) will sponsor a Moderator Candidates Forum on Sunday, May 18, 2025 at 7:00pm ET / 6:00pm CT / 5:00pm MT / 4:00pm PT, featuring Natasha Walker, individual candidate for Moderator, and Rev. Kimberly Quinn Johnson and Bill Young, Moderator candidate team.

This forum will take place on Zoom and members of the ECPC will moderate. Attendees are strongly encouraged to submit questions for the candidates in advance of the forum by emailing elections@uua.org.

Registration is required. Register now: https://uua.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_dKqt7HQQSLWcEfXxvhGqzQ

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🎶 We’re curious... If beloved community had a soundtrack, what’s one song that belongs on it?

Is it something that lifts your spirit?
A protest anthem?
A quiet song that says “you’re not alone”?

Drop your track in the comments—title, artist, or even a lyric that captures the feeling.

#BelovedCommunity #UU #faith #UnitarianUniversalist #Playlist



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Saying nothing is not acceptable.

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What would it take to make a global living wage a reality?

This article explores that question—and names the Unitarian Universalist Association as a voice for economic justice rooted in our values.

📖 Read more: https://www.meer.com/en/91494-the-global-case-for-a-living-wage

#UUSharedValues #LivingWage #EconomicJustice #FaithinAction #UU #unitarianuniversalist


Justifications and a proposed framework for global implementation

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🕊️ Earlier today, the world said goodbye to Pope Francis.

While our theologies differ, we honor his legacy of compassion and the call to uphold human dignity. His words remind us:

“There can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and respect for the views of others.”

May we carry that vision forward—in our communities, our faith, and our work for peace.

#PopeFrancis #FreedomOfReligion #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #VoiceForPeace #FaithInAction



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🖤 Join us at General Assembly for a Juneteenth worship experience grounded in truth, love, and liberation.

“Meet the Moment: Freedom’s Unfinished Work” invites us to reflect on Juneteenth—not just as history, but as a call to action. Led by Rev. E.N. Hill, this service will uplift story, song, and spirit as we explore what it means to meet this moment with moral courage and deep care.

Whether you're onsite in Baltimore or joining through the GA app, come be part of this collective moment of remembrance and recommitment.

📅 Thursday, June 19 at 9 a.m. ET
🔗 Register for GA at uua.org/ga

#UUAGA #Juneteenth #MeetTheMoment #UU #CollectiveLiberation #UnitarianUniversalist #Baltimore



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🗳️ Why should more UUs run for office?

Because democracy needs our voices—and our values.

In this UU World column, Jeff Milchen interviews Unitarian Universalists who took the leap into local races. Their stories reveal what’s at stake when elections go uncontested—and what becomes possible when we show up.

📖 Read the full column: https://bit.ly/3YMwp1b

#UUtheVote #FaithInAction #RunForOffice #UnitarianUniversalist #UU #Democracy #UUWorld



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We are in solidarity with the Vermont community as they find ways to support Mohsen Mahdawi, who is the latest university student to be imprisoned as a result of his activism in opposition to the war in Gaza. These acts of intimidation and attempts to criminalize peaceful demonstrations and free speech undermine the very foundation of our democracy. We echo the calls to release all student activists.

This story from Vermont Public offers a glimpse into the reality of Mahdawi's life and connections to his community in Vermont, including his relationship with the First Universalist Society of Hartland, VT. We hold Mahdawi all the imprisoned students in our hearts and prayers and we remain committed to living out our religious values of pluralism, justice, and equity.

https://bit.ly/4lIzERd


Mahdawi’s friends in the Upper Valley say he’s an extrovert who connected with people at Dirt Cowboy Cafe in Hanover and Dan & Whit’s in Norwich, at bonfires at his cabin, at seders and church services, and on hikes.

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Sharing this message from UUA President the Rev. Sofía Betancourt, PhD on news of the death of Pope Francis, leader of the Roman Catholic Church since 2013. We hold all of those who are mourning this passing with love and care in this sorrowful time.

#PopeFrancis


Unitarian Universalists join millions of people worldwide in mourning the death of Pope Francis. A transformative leader, the first Pope from Latin America, and the first Pope from Argentina, his moral clarity and justice-centered ministry, including his work elevating climate justice and highlighting the dignity and humanity of migrant families, were significant to all people of good will.

As importantly, he will be remembered for his gracious humility and his willingness to demonstrate his own frailties to a world that is often uncharitable to those made vulnerable. I pray today for and with the millions of Catholics and others who will miss him and the model of servant leadership he embodied.

#UnitarianUniversalism #PopeFrancis

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Happy Easter🌸🌿🐇

This Easter Sunday, we share a prayer by Wayne B. Arnason—an invitation to notice the quiet miracles of spring: the spirit of life moving through every bloom, every bud, every unfolding possibility: https://www.uua.org/worship/words/meditation/5648.shtml

May this season bring renewal, presence, and gentle awakening.

#Easter #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #Spring #Renewal #Spirituality #Prayer #Hope #Faith



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🚪✨ What if every doorway holds a new world?

Rev. Molly Housh Gordon reminds us that the most ordinary thresholds—our front steps, a sanctuary door, the entrance to a hospital room or first date—can lead us into extraordinary, unexpected change.

We may not notice when we begin to cross. The magic often reveals itself slowly. But transformation is always in motion.

As Unitarian Universalists, we are called to live with intention through life’s many thresholds. To honor each crossing with curiosity and courage. To remember that change, even when painful or unseen, is sacred.

🌟What door have you recently stepped through?

📖 Read the full reflection in UU World: https://www.uuworld.org/articles/beyond-every-door-reflection-molly-housh-gordon-unitarian-universalism

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist #SpiritualReflection #MollyHoushGordon #Thresholds #Transformation #BittersweetTruth #SacredOrdinary #FaithInAction



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📣 GA 2025 Speaker Spotlight: Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis

What does it mean to build communities where everyone’s needs come first?

At GA 2025, Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis—co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival and director of the Kairos Center—will offer a powerful session on the movement to end poverty. Through stories from grassroots leaders and a theology of justice, she’ll help us imagine what collective liberation looks like—and how we can organize our congregations and communities around that vision.

Don’t miss this opportunity to reflect, reconnect, and reimagine what faithful justice work looks like in community.

🎟️ Join us at GA! Register at uua.org/GA.

#UUAGA2025 #BelovedCommunity #SocialJustice #FaithInAction #EndPoverty #Solidarity #PoorPeoplesCampaign #UnitarianUniversalist #UU



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☀️ Living UU Values: UU Berks Goes Solar ⚡

The First Unitarian Universalist Church of Berks County in Reading, PA was recently featured in the news for putting their values into action through clean energy! With 40 solar panels now powering 100% of their electricity, they’re cutting 14 tons of carbon emissions and saving $5,500 a year.

Next steps include battery storage and a transition to electric heat pumps—further reducing their environmental impact. 💚🌍

This is Unitarian Universalism in action—building a livable future for all.

📸 More on their story: https://tinyurl.com/bdm63wu5
📖 Full press release: https://tinyurl.com/57nvkh72

🌎 Has your congregation taken steps toward sustainability? Share your story in the comments—we’d love to hear how you’re living your values!

#FaithInAction #SolarPower #CleanEnergy #ClimateJustice #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #ReadingPA #GoSolar #community #faith #church





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🌱 Transform your community with five spiritual practices.

UU Rev. Shige Sakurai offers a powerful model for sustainable change—rooted in elemental wisdom and shared action.

Let these practices guide your justice work with intention and care:
✨ Discern
🌊 Dream
🔥 Craft
🌿 Deepen
🌬️Refresh

➡️ Swipe through the images to explore each practice.
📖 Read more at UU World: https://bit.ly/3Yuq8XQ

#Community #SpiritualPractice #Justice #FaithInAction #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #UUSharedValues













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“Community care isn’t charity. It’s sacred design.” - Nat M. Esparza , Southern Regional Administrator for the UUA

In their recent speech and blog post, “Beyond Trans Visibility: Imagining Blueprints for Inclusive, Liberatory Community” Nat M. Esparza invites us into the sacred work of building communities where trans and disabled people are imagined in from the start—not as an afterthought, but as beloved co-creators.

Nat offers a vision of care as spiritual practice—structured, shared, and rooted in trust. A reminder that belonging shouldn’t have to be earned.

Take in these words with curiosity, compassion, and a willingness to be changed. Ask yourself, how might we practice care that begins before anyone has to ask? Share in the comments.

📎 Read the full bog: https://www.uua.org/southern/blog/tdov-beyond-visibility

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist #CommunityCare #DisabilityJustice #LiberatoryDesign #TransLiberation #BelovedCommunity



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The UUA Election Campaign Practices Committee (ECPC) will sponsor a Moderator Candidates Forum on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at 7:00pm ET / 6:00pm CT / 5:00pm MT / 4:00pm PT, featuring Natasha Walker, individual candidate for Moderator, and Rev. Kimberly Quinn Johnson and Bill Young, Moderator candidate team.

This forum will take place on Zoom and members of the ECPC will moderate. Attendees are encouraged to submit questions for the candidates in advance of the forum by emailing elections@uua.org.

Registration is required. Register now: https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/elections/april-22-2025-moderator-candidates-forum

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As Passover begins, we honor the sacred traditions, stories, and resilience of Jewish communities within Unitarian Universalism and beyond. This holy season invites reflection on the journey from oppression to liberation—and reminds us that the work of freedom is ongoing.

Wishing all who celebrate a meaningful Passover.

#Passover #ChagPesachSameach #CommunityCare #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #liberation



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📣 Big news! Imara Jones has been announced as the 2025 Ware Lecturer at General Assembly!

An Emmy & Peabody award-winning journalist and powerful voice for trans rights, Imara will deliver this year’s keynote address at GA—June 18–22 in Baltimore & online.

As the founder of TransLash Media, Imara uses journalism and storytelling to challenge injustice and shift culture. Her work spans platforms and speaks boldly to the intersections of race, gender, and power.

Join us for this unforgettable moment of inspiration and truth. The Ware Lecture is Saturday, June 21 at 7 p.m.—open to all who register.

📖 Read more: https://www.uuworld.org/articles/2025-ware-lecturer-imara-jones

🎟️ Register for GA: uua.org/ga

#UUAGA2025 #WareLecture #ImaraJones #UU #TransRights #FaithInAction #BelovedCommunity #UnitarianUniversalist



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Sometimes joy feels hard to reach. The world is heavy. Community is complicated. And still—there are moments of laughter, welcome, and belonging that remind us what’s possible.

That kind of joy—the deep 💫, connective 🤝, spirit-shifting ✨ kind—isn’t extra. It’s what helps us stay human. It’s what helps us stay together.

The ↣ Community Building Map to Deeper Joy↢ is a UUA resource grounded in this truth: joy isn’t frivolous—it’s foundational. And we can practice our way toward more of it, together.

You don’t need to be an expert. Just a little willingness to show up and try.

Start the journey here:
🗺️ https://www.uua.org/lifespan/curricula/deeper-joy

#UU #UnitarianUniversalism #Joy #faith #community



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📣 The Unitarian Universalist Association has issued a powerful response to the recent presidential proclamation attacking trans and nonbinary youth and their families. Let us be clear: Trans people are sacred. Trans youth deserve safety, love, and affirmation—not stigma, criminalization, or hate.

This moment demands more than outrage. It calls us to deepen our solidarity, to protect one another, and to proclaim what we know in our bones: If you are trans, you were not made wrong. You were made sacred.

💬 Read the full statement: https://www.uua.org/pressroom/press-releases/fierce-unshakable-love

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist #Transrights #belovedcommunity #solidarity #faith #UUSharedValues



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📣 Congregational leaders: We need your voice!

The UUA Commission on Appraisal is gathering input for its 2025 report on the deep and rapid changes facing Unitarian Universalist communities—from shifting demographics to post-Covid realities.

Help shape this vital conversation by completing our survey. Your insights will guide reflections on how we adapt, stay relevant, and thrive in today’s evolving religious landscape.

🔗 https://bit.ly/UUA-Survey
📬 Questions? Reach us at coa@uua.org.

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist



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✨ Meet us at General Assembly 2025—June 18–22 in Baltimore & online—for five powerful days of community, worship, and movement-building!

We’re excited to welcome Deepa Iyer—strategist, author, and host of the “Solidarity Is This” podcast—as a featured speaker. Deepa brings wisdom and insight on building sustainable, justice-centered movements rooted in solidarity.

General Assembly is where Unitarian Universalists gather to learn, connect, and shape the future of our faith. Come be renewed. Come build community.

🎟️ Register now: uua.org/GA

#GA2025 #DeepaIyer #BelovedCommunity #FaithInAction #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #Baltimore #faith #family #friends #church #spirituality



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The continued cruel attacks from the federal government on diversity, equity, and inclusion policies are grounded in a kind of fear and xenophobia that can sadly be traced throughout this country’s history. Recent threats to Section 504 legal protections will have devastating impacts on our children in schools and on the disability community. Cuts to Medicaid would endanger access to critical life-saving healthcare services for millions, including disabled people. This bold targeting of the most vulnerable is not new for this administration, and it is no less repugnant.

When those most impacted are attacked by leaders who hold disproportionate power, the harm is most profound for those of us, and our Beloveds, who hold multiple targeted identities. The threats to health and safety are real and it will take all of us, acting as a community in care and support of each other, to oppose these actions. And we must oppose them. Our deeply held religious values – of Justice, Equity, and Interdependence and centered around a powerful ethic of Love – call us to resist.

And as we organize our resistance, let us find ways to connect with and support one another in our local communities using the growing network of mutual aid groups found across this country. Learn more here: https://www.mutualaidhub.org/.

I am holding you all in my heart and in my prayers as I journey alongside you in these dangerous and exhausting times. I especially want our Beloveds living with disabilities to know that you are respected, valued, and worthy. May our prayers reach one another with tenderness and reverence as we find solace in each other’s care and take shifts in this long-haul work of building beloved community.

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✊ UUs showed up nationwide Saturday for the “Hands Off” day of action—joining 1,400+ protests across all 50 states to push back against attacks by the current administration on democracy, bodily autonomy, LGBTQIA+ rights, education, and more.

From Georgia to California, we showed what it means to live our values. In this clip from the Macon, GA, rally, UU minister and UUA Disability Justice Associate, the Rev. Amanda Schuber calls us to stay engaged and care for our communities.

🎥 Watch Amanda’s message: https://bit.ly/4cpqHrF

📸 Swipe the images for other UU voices who took action.

#HandsOff #UUtheVote #FaithInAction #CommunityCare #ProtectOurRights #UU #unitarianuniversalist #SocialJustice #Democracy #faith





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🕊️ Pause. Breathe. Ground yourself. 🕊️

Wherever you are—buoyed by joy, worn down by grief, or somewhere in between—take a moment today to let your spirit settle. Let this be a time to reconnect with what sustains you.

Read "Prayer for Resilience" by Rev. Douglas Taylor, a powerful reminder that even in brokenness, we can find strength. That healing comes—like soft rain. That we rise, again and again.

Take time to say the prayer slowly. Let it meet you where you are.

Read the full prayer at: https://www.uua.org/worship/words/prayer/prayer-resilience

#Resilience #Worship #SpiritualPractice #TakeAMoment #UnitarianUniversalist #UU #Faith #family #friends #community #breathe



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🌟 “After that, instead of saying, ‘I go to a UU church,’ I started saying, ‘I am a Unitarian Universalist.’” 🌟

For Paula Gribble, a child’s honest question—“What do we believe?”—sparked a journey that led to something deeper than belonging: a true sense of faith.

Years later, standing on stage at her first General Assembly, surrounded by thousands of UUs singing together, Paula felt it in her bones: this is my faith.

GeneralAssembly isn’t just an event. It’s a moment to feel the fullness of Unitarian Universalism come alive. A chance to connect, sing, learn, and deepen your own journey.

🌀 Come experience it for yourself.
🗓️ Register now for GA 2025: https://www.uua.org/ga.

Find info about GA here on FB: UUA General Assembly & Conference Services

📖 Read more about Paula’s faith journey in UU World: https://bit.ly/3E4Z7TR

#IAmAUU #FaithJourney #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #GA2025 #Baltimore #faith #family #friends #church



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In solidarity with The Unitarians in the United Kingdom, we uplift this message from the UUA's Global Connections office:

"Our British Unitarian colleagues have passed an emergency motion to express their solidarity with Westminster Quaker Meeting and Quakers in Britain following police arrests during a peaceful meeting last week in London... The UUA Global Connections Office affirms the demand for religious liberty and the sanctity of houses of worship."

As UUs join over 100 members of the interfaith community in Washington DC tonight for a Sensitive Locations, Sacred Spaces prayer vigil ahead of the hearing for the historic lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, we echo this commitment to religious liberty. The sanctity of sacred spaces is critical to our ability to carry out our faith's mandate to welcome and serve all.

Read the statement from the UK Unitarians at https://bit.ly/4iQRDmz.



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In “Year of the Tiger: An Activist’s Life,” Alice Wong exposes the deep harm caused by ableism and capitalism—especially the belief that a person’s worthiness depends on their productivity.

Unitarian Universalist shared values—Equity, Interdependence, and Transformation—call us to reject this toxic lie. Our worth is not measured in hours worked or income earned. We are more than our productivity. We are whole, significant, and worthy just as we are.

✨ How making space for a new way of being, where everyone matters, no exceptions? How can each of us resist the lie that worthiness must be earned--and how can we take concrete actions to make space for a new way of being, where everyone matters, no exceptions?

#DisabilityJustice #DisabilityRights #AccessIsLove #EndAbleism #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #faith #church #family #values



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Our everyday lives are not separate from politics; they are the foundation upon which future freedoms and rights are built. As Timothy Snyder writes, “The minor choices we make are themselves a kind of vote, making it more or less likely that free and fair elections will be held in the future.” 🗳️

The way we spend our time, the causes we support, even the conversations we have—they all shape what’s possible in the days ahead.

✨ What does it mean to live each day in a way that supports the future of democracy? 🕊️

Read more: https://www.uua.org/worship/words/quote/life-political.

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist #Democracy #Vote #faith #community





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🕯️ Sensitive Locations, Sacred Spaces Prayer Vigil 🕯️

As Unitarian Universalists, we uphold the shared values of Interdependence, Equity, and Justice. On the eve of a the hearing for a historic legal challenge to the rollback of protections for immigrant communities, we gather with interfaith partners to hold sacred space for prayer, solidarity, and collective resolve.

Join us tomorrow, in person or in solidarity, for this vigil to affirm the sanctity of sensitive locations—places where all people should feel safe from enforcement and be free to live with dignity.

📅 Thursday, April 3
🕡 6:30pm
📍 National City Christian Church, Washington, DC
🔗 RSVP: https://bit.ly/DC-Vigil

#SacredSpaces #FaithInAction #UUSharedValues #ImmigrantRights #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #BelovedCommunity



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The 7.7.-magnitude quake shook a swath of Southeast Asia. In Bangkok, dozens were missing after a skyscraper that was under construction collapsed, killing at least three people.

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💖#TransJoyIsSacred 💖

To celebrate trans people is not just to witness your existence, but to commit to your liberation. Trans Day of Visibility is about more than being acknowledged—it’s about being cherished, protected, and free.

We close today’s series with this powerful message from UU Rev. Phoenix Bell-Shelton Biggs:

"To affirm trans lives is to affirm the fundamental truth that all people deserve to live fully, freely, and without fear. It means being against oppression in all its forms—against the policing of bodies, the denial of healthcare, and the erasure of trans voices. It means celebrating trans joy, trans beauty, trans leadership, and trans love."

Let us be unwavering in our affirmation. Let us celebrate trans lives not just today, but every day.

#TransJoyIsSacred #TDOV #TransDayOfVisibility #TransLiberation #UUSharedValues #TransLove #ProtectTransLives #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #faith #family #friends #community





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🌈 Trans Joy is a Blessing 🌈

Trans joy is not a luxury. It is a birthright. And in a world that too often tries to dim that light, joy becomes a holy act of defiance and truth.

We continue our celebration of Transgender Day of Visibility by sharing these powerful words from Jes Martinez-Hunt, Conflict Engagement Coach with Hope for Us:

"Each holy moment of trans joy is a sacred spark of freedom that ignites when we live fully and unapologetically as ourselves. Through our laughter, community, creativity, and that quiet certainty of self-love, our joy is a burst of light. Trans joy breaks open the world’s too narrow stories and offers something greater: a blessing, a radiant reminder that the fullness of who we are is our gift to the world."

Trans joy is a gift. A spark. A blessing. And we are all better for it.

#TDOV #TransDayOfVisibility #UUSharedValues #TransIsBeautiful #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #Faith #Community #Family #friends





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🌟 Today is Transgender Day of Visibility 🌟

Today, we honor and celebrate trans people—your lives, your power, your wisdom, and your joy.

Trans people are not just surviving in a world that too often tries to erase or harm—trans people are creating beauty, building community, telling truths, shaping faith, and living with courage.

Trans joy is sacred.

It’s not a distraction from the struggle—it IS part of the resistance.

As UU Rev. Juniper Meadows reminds us:

"In a desperate time when anxieties are spiking and fear looms large, trans people finding the everyday, common joy of life is an act of real and righteous resistance. While too often misunderstood, we must understand that our presence in this world is a gift of permission to all we encounter to follow their hearts, to live their dreams, and to never settle for shame. May this be true for all who are blessed to know you, and may it serve as a seal of Love on your heart. You matter. Your joy matters. Trans joy is sacred."

Today and every day, may trans people be celebrated not only for your resilience, but for your brilliance, creativity, laughter, love, and leadership.

💖 #TransJoyIsSacred #TransDayOfVisibility #TDOV #UUSharedValues #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #faith #community





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🕯️ Sensitive Locations, Sacred Spaces Prayer Vigil 🕯️

As Unitarian Universalists, we uphold the shared values of Interdependence, Equity, and Justice. On the eve of a the hearing for a historic legal challenge to the rollback of protections for immigrant communities, we gather with interfaith partners to hold sacred space for prayer, solidarity, and collective resolve.

Join us next week, in person or in solidarity, for this vigil to affirm the sanctity of sensitive locations—places where all people should feel safe from enforcement and be free to live with dignity.

📅 Thursday, April 3
🕡 6:30pm
📍 National City Christian Church, Washington, DC
🔗 RSVP: https://bit.ly/DC-Vigil

#SacredSpaces #FaithInAction #UUSharedValues #ImmigrantRights #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #BelovedCommunity



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🧵 “In community, we piece together a faith that seeks to make sense of the world and empowers us to create change.”

What does it look like to build a faith that honors many beliefs, life experiences, and ways of making meaning?

In UU World, these four Unitarian Universalists share what shapes and sustains their spiritual journeys:

🌿 Janice Marie Johnson reflects on her Caribbean heritage, where questioning was encouraged and music became a path to justice.
🧘 James Ishmael Ford finds connection in silence—where life’s rhythms reveal themselves and healing begins.
🕉️ Abhi Janamanchi offers a UU-Hindu perspective grounded in interdependence, compassion, and daily acts of liberation.
💖 Amanda Poppei reminds us that spiritual insight can come from the most unexpected places—romance novels, fairy tales, even the Care Bears.

All of our stories are threads in the layered fabric of our faith. Together, they reflect a Unitarian Universalism that is curious, expansive, and deeply human.

📖 Read more from Janice, James, Abhi, and Amanda at https://www.uuworld.org/articles/layered-faith.

#UnitarianUniversalist #UU #FaithInCommunity #UUVoices #LivingTradition #UUSharedValues #faith #family #friends #belovedcommunity



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We are grateful to all the Unitarian Universalists and our UUA President, the Rev. Sofía Betancourt, PhD, for their faithful witness in Washington D.C. today. The group joined with other national faith leaders to call on Congress to courageously fulfill its duty as a check and balance and advance the common good. In these chaotic and heartbreaking times, it is good to be with people of moral courage and conviction, taking action rooted in our shared UU values.





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🎶 “I never expected a church to be a major part of my life. Unitarian Universalism, however, is so much more than a church to me.” —David Kaye

David’s journey to Unitarian Universalism began with a bass guitar and a Motown groove—but it became a path to belonging, love, and living authentically.

In a community where music, identity, and spirit all have a place, David discovered not just a church, but a faith that welcomed all of him.

💛 David shares his faith journey here: https://www.uuworld.org/articles/faith-journey-david-kaye-bass-guitar-identity-unitarian-universalism

📧 What’s your UU faith journey? Share with us in comments or send your story to world@uua.org!

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist #FaithJourney #UUStories #LiveYourTruth #Belonging #loveatthecenter #UUSharedValues #faith #family #friends #spirituality



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In a world where headlines can dim our spirits and fear can fray the edges of our communities, UU Rev. Sean Parker Dennison reminds us that hope isn't a solo endeavor—it lives in our relationships. It’s in the kindness of a neighbor, the generosity of a friend, the shared song in our sanctuaries.

Hopelessness can isolate us. It tells us we’re powerless or alone. But when we choose to stay connected—to show up, to reach out, to trust—we resist that lie. We remember that love is stronger than fear, and that we rise, again and again, not alone, but together.

✨ How are you tending the connections that give you hope? ✨

Read Rev. Dennison’s full reflection: https://www.uua.org/braverwiser/keeping-our-connections-strong

#UnitarianUniversalist #UUSharedValues #RiseUp #LoveResists #MutualCare #UU #Faith #family #friends #church #community



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📢 ICE Detains Longtime Community Leader—We Must Speak Out! 🚨

Yesterday, ICE agents laughed as they detained Jeanette Vizguerra—a mother, grandmother, and tireless advocate for immigrant rights—outside her job, without warning, without due process, without even a valid deportation order. A beloved leader in Colorado’s immigrant justice movement, Jeanette has fought for so many. Now, we must fight for her.

And Foothills Unitarian Acting Senior Minister the Rev. Sean Neil-Barron reminds us, this is also about more than Jeanette. This is a pattern—activists, green card holders, and asylum seekers are being targeted, detained, and deported under an administration that wields immigration enforcement as a weapon of fear.

Unitarian Universalists are in solidarity with all who seek sanctuary. Our faith compels us to love boldly. Our values demand that we take risks. Our democracy demands our action.

Foothills Unitarian has shared more details about Jeanette’s detention and the broader pattern of political targeting. Read their full post here: 🔗 dispatches.foothillsuu.org/2025/03/ice-detains-longtime-community-leader-we-must-speak-out/

#Immigration #immigrantrights #HumanRights #SanctuaryForAll #democracy #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #community



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🚨Learn how to secure rapid response grants for your congregation! 🚨

When urgent needs arise, quick-turnaround grants can make all the difference. Join us Friday, March 21, at 4pm ET for a practical webinar designed to help faith leaders, program staff, and grant writers

✅ Find and apply for fast-turnaround grants
✅ Write compelling proposals under pressure
✅ Maximize impact for your community

📅 Friday, March 21 | ⏰ 1pm PT / 2pm MT / 3pm CT / 4pm ET
📍 Registration required—Sign up today!

📹 Can’t make it live? No worries! Registrants will receive a recording within 48 hours.

🔗Register at https://bit.ly/41zpskL



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In a land where nothing green had grown for as long as anyone could remember, one child found a single seed. It wasn’t much. It might not grow. But… maybe it might.

They dug a hole, carried water, sheltered it from the scorching sun and howling winds. Against all odds, it sprouted. It stretched roots deep into the earth. It bore fruit. It called the rain. And over time, a single act of care brought a river back to life.

“Maybe You Might” by Imogen Foxell, with llustrations by Anna Cunha, is a beautifully crafted book about persistence, care, and the power of small actions to change the world.

📺 Watch a read-aloud: bit.ly/42012Ch
📖 Get the book: bit.ly/41WVHvz

What’s the one seed of change you’re nurturing today? 🌿

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist #Storytime #readaloud #UUSharedValues #Family #friends #Socialjustice #reading #picturebook


They said I couldn't change the world; it wasn't worth the fight. But in my head, a small voice said...maybe you might. A young girl makes a choice to plan...

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🕊️ What’s a piece of wisdom from Unitarian Universalism that has shaped your life?

Maybe it was a reading that spoke to your soul, a lesson from a beloved minister, or a moment in community that changed your perspective.

Unitarian Universalism calls us to seek truth, live with compassion, and work for justice. What words from our faith have stayed with you and shaped your path? Share in the comments! ⬇️

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist #wisdom #faith #church #UUSharedvalues



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Too often, our world is built to suit only some bodies and minds in mind. Author and Disability Activist Rebekah Taussig challenges us to shift our focus—not to "fix" people with disabilities, but to reshape our communities so that everyone belongs. Disability justice calls us to recognize that access isn’t just about ramps and captions; it’s about reimagining the world so that no one is treated as an afterthought.

**How can we create spaces where everyone is fully included?**

Read the full quote here: https://www.uua.org/worship/words/quote/fit-more-people.

#DisabilityJustice #AccessForAll #InclusionMatters #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #UUSharedValues #Community #Faith #Church



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Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East released a statement today calling on Unitarian Universalists to take action regarding the unjust detention of Mahmoud Kahlil by ICE. The detention of Khalil, a Palestinian student activist, is an attack on free speech and human rights.

Read the statement and take action now to demand Khalil’s release: https://bit.ly/uujme-free-mk

#FreeMahmoud #UUJME #UU #humanrights #unitarianuniversalist #justice



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In this time when so many children, families, and communities are under attack from our country’s federal government, I am proud of the courageous position we are taking as Unitarian Universalists to oppose these cruel acts and continue to support our communities regardless of immigration status or any other identity they may hold. I echo the words of our Executive Vice President, Carey McDonald, who was recently quoted in a news story from Reuters assessing the impacts of the recent deportation campaign:

"Our congregations have made it clear that they are committed to protecting their members, neighbours and loved ones who have been made vulnerable, and will defend our right to live out our religious values in the world."

Know that all your leaders at the UUA are holding you all in deep care and love in these times. We make this journey together and find support in one another as we continue to courageously live out our values daily and model a different way. Find a link to the full story in the comments below.

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**Remembering James Reeb: 60 Years Later

On this day in 1965, The Reverend James Reeb—a Unitarian Universalist minister, pastor, and civil rights activist—was killed in Selma, Alabama, while supporting the fight for justice. Two days after Bloody Sunday, he joined hundreds of clergy answering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s call to bear witness. After participating in a second, symbolic march to the Edmund Pettus Bridge, Reeb and two other UU ministers were brutally attacked outside a whites-only restaurant. He died from his injuries two days later.

Dr. King eulogized him, saying, “He dared to live his faith; he placed himself alongside the disinherited.” His death was not just the result of a brutal attack, but of a system built on racism, silence, and indifference. His legacy calls us to courage over caution, to work unrelentingly for dignity and justice.

As we mark the 60th anniversary of his murder, we also hold in our hearts Jimmie Lee Jackson and Viola Liuzzo, who were also killed in Alabama during the civil rights movement.

UU World is revisiting his story in recognition of this anniversary. Read more: https://www.uuworld.org/articles/memoir-kings-eulogy-james-reeb.

May we honor their lives, not just in memory, but also through action.

#JamesReeb #Selma #CivilRights #UU #RacialJustice #UnitarianUniversalist #MLK #SocialJustice #SocialAction #BelovedCommunity #Faith #UUSharedValues #Church



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Dear Beloved DRUUMM Community,

It is with deep reverence and gratitude that we share the passing of one of our esteemed elders, Dr. Norma Poinsett (September 2, 1927 – January 26, 2025). A stalwart in our faith and an anchor in our collective journey toward racial justice, Norma was a foundational presence in the early days of DRUUMM, bringing with her decades of experience from the Black Empowerment movement of the 1960s and her dedicated service on the UUA Board of Trustees. She remained a beacon of integrity, faithfulness, and accountability throughout her life.

For over half a century, Dr. Poinsett worked tirelessly within Unitarian Universalism, ensuring that our movement reckoned with its history and lived up to its promise of equity and justice. She was one of the original members of the Black Concerns Working Group, later leading the Jubilee Working Group, where she helped shape the racial justice curriculum that is still influential today. Her contributions to our faith are deeply embedded in our denominational history, from her tenure on the UUA Commission on Appraisal to her authorship of critical studies on UU history and race.

A longtime member of First Unitarian Church of Chicago, she and her husband, the late Alex Poinsett—an acclaimed photographer and journalist—shared a life of activism and service. Together, they instilled a deep sense of justice in their family and our wider UU community.

Norma was a fierce truth-teller and a pastoral presence, opening hearts and minds with her wisdom and compassion. Those of us who had the honor of learning from her know that she never wavered in holding our faith accountable. Even in the aftermath of the Black Empowerment Controversy, when many Black UUs left the denomination, Norma stayed, working tirelessly to create change from within.

Our elders are beloved in DRUUMM, and their legacy is our inheritance. We invite you to explore Dr. Poinsett’s papers, now housed in the Sankofa Special Collection in Chicago, curated by her longtime friend Rev. Dr. Michelle Bentley. These archives document her lifelong commitment to racial justice, Unitarian Universalism, and the struggle for Black dignity within our faith.

A service in celebration of her life will be held on April 5 in Chicago. We encourage those who can attend to do so, and for all of us to hold her family and loved ones in prayer.

Dr. Norma Poinsett’s presence was a blessing. May we honor her memory by continuing the work she so faithfully carried forward.

In love and remembrance,

Rev. Joseph Santos-Lyons
Community Minister

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Rituals ground us, guide us, and help us create meaning together. From lighting the chalice to water communion, Unitarian Universalists have traditions that connect us across time and place. But our living tradition also invites us to imagine new ways of gathering, grieving, celebrating, and renewing our spirits.

If you could create a new UU ritual, what would it be? A ritual of collective care? A ceremony for releasing grief? A covenant renewal gathering?

Share your ideas in the comments—we’d love to hear what rituals our faith might need next. 💬✨

#UnitarianUniversalism #UUCommunity #SacredMoments #Ritual #UU #family #friends #faith



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Taking action for justice requires courage, wisdom, and deep spiritual grounding. How do we discern when and how to act? How do we prepare ourselves for risk while staying connected to our values and our communities?

Rev. Elizabeth Nguyen’s revised resource offers essential questions and spiritual practices to help us engage in meaningful, accountable, and strategic action.

💡 Explore these reflections, tools, and guidance for preparing yourself and your community: https://www.uua.org/safe/community-resilience

#Justice #CollectiveLiberation #SpiritualGrounding #SocialJustice #Activism #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #Faith #family #friends #church #community



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In accordance with UUA Bylaws and Rules, Section 4.11, the tentative business agenda was posted today, February 28th, 2025.

https://tinyurl.com/ga2025tentativeagenda

We encourage you to take a moment to review it. The final agenda will be posted by no later than May 19, 2025.

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Hope is not passive. It is not waiting for the wind to change or the tides to shift in our favor. As Rev. Dr. Oscar Sinclair reflects, hope is an anchor—not just to steady us, but to help us move forward when progress feels impossible.

In a time of deep uncertainty, when the weight of the world is heavy, we may not always sense the momentum we long for. But we are not alone in the work. Together, we cast our anchors beyond the horizon and persist, one deliberate effort at a time, toward a future we can’t yet fully understand but refuse to stop believing in.

Read the full reflection here: https://www.uua.org/braverwiser/anchored-hope.



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Read our weekly update from the Side With Love Action Center! ⚡️ [lightning bolt]

This week find movement context, political education, and actions related to LGBTQ and gender justice, decriminalization and immigration, and climate justice. Read our update here: https://bit.ly/4immnLv

Nothing is inevitable. All justice movements are powered by ordinary people who come together to defeat oppression and build a loving world. ✊ [raised fist]

[Image description: Yellow graphic with "Side With Love Action Center" on scraps of paper and "Weekly Update, March 4, 2025" in white text at the top. Text below reads, "As the world feels increasingly more like one we can’t live within, reimagining a world where all communities thrive is an act of joyful resistance." In the background is a faded crowded of people rallying outside in a street.]

#SideWithLove #UnitarianUniversalists #CommunityOrganizing #Activism #SocialJustice #ClimateJustice #ImmigrantJustice #Decriminalization #TransRights #TransLiberation

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As UUs, we are called to meet this moment of rising authoritarianism, deep injustice, and collective resistance with courage, a willingness to ask hard questions, and the resolve to act.

In her latest blog post, Ann Wiesner of the Unitarian Universalist Women's Federation invites us to "Get Ready"—not just to resist, but to connect 🌍, reimagine 💡, and take action 🚀. To ask ourselves:

➡️ How do we hold both our anger and our commitment to liberation?
➡️ What does accountability look like without losing our own humanity?
➡️ What must we disrupt, and what must we build?

These questions challenge us to think beyond what we know—to prepare not just for resistance, but for transformation.

💬 How are you “getting ready?” Share in the comments 📝.

📖 Read the full UUWF blog post here: uuwf.org/getting-ready

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist #UUWF #CollectiveLiberation #SocialJustice #Resist #Faith #Community #Church









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As Ramadan begins, Summer Albayati’s reflection, “Return and Remember,” offers insight into this sacred month as a time of deep spiritual renewal. She speaks of Ramadan as an invitation—an opportunity for Muslims to seek refuge in prayer, fasting, and study, much like the Prophet Muhammad’s retreat to the Cave of Hira.

For thirty days, Muslims across the world shift from the ordinary to embrace the holy, turning inward to strengthen their faith and answer the call of the divine. Albayati reminds us that this month is not just about abstaining from food but about nourishing the soul, finding healing, and experiencing transformation.

May this Ramadan be a time of blessing, renewal, and peace for all who observe. Ramadan Mubarak.

Read Albayati’s full reflection at https://www.uua.org/braverwiser/return-and-remember.

#Ramadan #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #Blessing #Renewal #Healing #Tranformation #Family #Friends #Community



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🎶 Musical friends, gather 'round to celebrate: our UUA virtual hymnal has a name... and our submissions are now open!

Sing Out Love is an online hymnal that will be filled with the music that YOU send us (along with familiar classics). Our Song Selection Team eagerly awaits your submissions... please visit our page to learn all about the submission guidelines and how to send in your songs.

alt text: A person with dark skin strums an acoustic guitar that's resting on their knee. Another person in the background appears to be mid-clapping. There's a small, red UUA chalice in the corner and the words SING OUT LOVE and our webpage: UUA.org/virtual-hymnal

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The chaos of the world can feel overwhelming, but that doesn’t mean we are powerless. Every act of care, every commitment to justice, makes a difference. ✨💙

In Denver, one Unitarian Universalist congregation saw a growing crisis—people living in their cars with nowhere safe to park—and took action. The First Universalist Church of Denver partnered with the Colorado Safe Parking Initiative to offer a safe, legal, and supportive place for people experiencing homelessness. Their work didn’t just provide parking spaces—it built community, restored dignity, and helped people move toward stability.

Their story is a powerful reminder that we can all be part of the solution. 🌍🙌

Read more about their efforts in UU World: https://www.uuworld.org/articles/denver-safe-parking-program-affordable-housing-ministry-unitarian-universalism.

#community #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #housing #volunteer #faith #UUSharedValues #family #friends #church



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💜 Equity: A UU Shared Value 💜

With equity, we come full circle. From our Universalist roots declaring that every soul is held in love to our ongoing commitment to justice, Unitarian Universalism calls us to build communities where all can flourish with dignity, love, and compassion.

As Rev. Dr. Sheri Prud’homme writes, our faith mandates us to dismantle systems of harm and create spaces where no one is excluded. Equity is more than an ideal—it is the practice of using our time, wisdom, and resources to ensure true belonging for all.

How are you working to make equity real in your life and community?

Read more from Rev. Dr. Prud’homme on Equity and UU Shared Values: https://bit.ly/uu-equity

#UUSharedValues #equity #UnitarianUniversalism #UU #Faith #Family #Friends #Church #Community #Justice #Inclusion



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Entering this week of possibility and challenge, we invite you to listen to "Shelter Me" by Lea Morris. Its simple refrain—"Sweet Spirit of Light and Love, Spread your wings and shelter me"—reminds us of the love that holds us steady through every storm. These words encourage us both to receive love openly and extend it generously, nurturing kindness and hope within our community. As we navigate the days ahead, may love shelter and guide us, inspiring our actions and strengthening our bonds. Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IXx_7JXuXc



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🔄 Transformation: A UU Shared Value 🔄

We adapt to a changing world. Unitarian Universalism affirms that revelation is not sealed—our faith evolves as we discover new truths and perspectives. As Rev. Dr. Sheri Prud’homme writes, transformation is at the heart of our tradition, shaping how we grow spiritually and ethically throughout our lives.

Our communities are places of deep listening, learning, and change. We are invited to reflect, respond, and continually reshape our understanding of the sacred and our role in the world. This openness calls us to embrace complexity, hold paradox, and act with courage.

How has transformation shaped your spiritual journey?

Read more from Rev. Dr. Prud’homme on Transformation and UU Shared Values: https://bit.ly/uu-transformation

#UUSharedValues #Transformation #UnitarianUniversalism #SpiritualGrowth #LifelongLearning #UU #Faith #Family #Friends #Church #Community



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🌱 Tiny Forests, Big Possibilities 🌱

In the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss, small but mighty Miyawaki Forests are making a difference. These dense, fast-growing urban forests help restore ecosystems, cool cities, and bring communities together.

Thanks to the efforts of Bio4Climate, co-led by Unitarian Universalist Beck Mordini, these forests are now taking root in the Northeast, offering a powerful, community-led solution to environmental challenges. As Mordini puts it, “Humans can be a positive part of the web of life—we don’t have to choose to be destructive.”

📖 Read more about how these forests are transforming urban spaces: tinyurl.com/tiny-forest.

#ClimateSolutions #MiyawakiForests #UrbanGreening #Biodiversity #ClimateJustice #Rewilding #UUValues #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #ClimateRevival #community #faith #church



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🔥"democracy, today we will love you alive
make you ours, make you thrive." – Lucas Hergert🔥

Today, our democracy may feel fragile—unraveling, under threat, slipping away. While we know that democracy can die, we must hold fast to the truth that it can also be loved alive.

Democracy is not something we inherit; it’s something we build. It thrives when we refuse to stay silent—when we raise our voices, organize our communities, and vote as if the future depends on it. Because it does.

Now is the time to act with courage, to protect what is sacred, and to ensure our democracy not only survives but flourishes.

💬 How will you help love democracy alive today? Tell us in the comments.

📖 Read the full benediction: uua.org/worship/words/benediction/democracys-benediction

#UUSharedValues #Democracy #Justice #LoveDemandsAction #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #Faith #Community #democracy #Community



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📢 Join Us for an Important Conversation on Defending Sanctuary

The UUA has joined a multifaith coalition to challenge the federal administration’s rollback of the sensitive locations policy—a move that threatens religious freedom and the sanctity of our sacred spaces.

To learn more about our legal strategy and partners, join us online for “Defending Faithful Sanctuary and Hospitality” on Friday, February 21 at 2pm ET / 1pm CT / 11am PT. This event will include a Q&A session on how congregations can respond to immigration enforcement.

🔗 Register now: https://bit.ly/3X26NNa.

Join us as we uphold our faith’s call to be a sanctuary for all who face oppression.

#SideWithLove #FaithfulSanctuary #ReligiousFreedom #UUSharedValues #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #Faith #Family #friends #community #immigration



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In times of crisis, it is often grassroots networks—not governments or large institutions—that step in to provide care, solidarity, and real solutions. This piece from our partners at the UUSC: Unitarian Universalist Service Committee highlights how local activists, volunteers, and mutual aid groups are building resilient communities across borders. Their work reminds us that global solidarity is not just about charity—it’s about relationships, shared struggles, and the radical power of community care. Read more:

https://www.uusc.org/beyond-borders-community-care-as-the-deepest-act-of-global-solidarity/



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❤️ Love is the power that holds us together and calls us to live our values with care and accountability. As Rev. Dr. Sheri Prud’homme writes, love has been central to Unitarian Universalism for centuries—rooted in the Universalist belief that no one is ever beyond love’s embrace.

Our tradition has evolved, deepening our understanding of love beyond theological boundaries. We affirm love’s power to heal, to connect, and to guide us toward justice. In a world of division and struggle, choosing love is a radical act of faith.

✨ Where is love calling you to grow beyond comfort, to challenge injustice, or to repair what has been broken? ✨

Read more from Rev. Dr. Prud’homme on Love and UU Shared Values: https://www.uua.org/beliefs/shared-values/theological-reflection/love

#UUSharedValues #Love #UnitarianUniversalism #SideWithLove #RevolutionaryLove #FierceLove #BelovedCommunity #Justice #Faith #Family #Friends #Church



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With humanitarian aid under attack and global crises escalating, UUSC: Unitarian Universalist Service Committee and Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East (UUJME) are calling UU's to take action. Injustice anywhere affects people everywhere—our fight for human dignity is bound together across borders.

UUSC has launched “Together, We Rise,” a rapid-response network to defend civil liberties and human rights worldwide. Meanwhile, UUJME is mobilizing against the U.S. aid blockade that threatens the survival of Palestinian refugees.

Read more about these efforts and find resources at: https://www.uua.org/global/uu-orgs-support-global-human-rights

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist #DignityforAll #UUSharedValues #HumanRights #Justice #ActForChange #USAID #Community #BeyondBorders



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The work of climate justice calls us into deep connection— with each other, with the earth, with the generations to come. This song, 🌍🎶”We Part of It”🎶🌍, commissioned for the UU Climate Justice Revival and performed by Lea Morris and Adam Podd, lifts up that truth with power and beauty.

💚 Here as one voice we choose survival... now is our moment for revival. 💚

May this music be a call to action and a reminder that we are part of something larger—a sacred circle of life, love, and responsibility. Watch, share, and let it move you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UicUUR3O0yo.

#ClimateJustice #ReimagineTogether #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #SacredCircle #BelovedCommunity #Faith #Family #Friends #Church #uusharedvalues


We’re releasing the commissioned song for the UU Climate Justice Revival on September 28-29, 2024. Much appreciation to writers and performers Lea Morris and...

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The Trump administration's recent rollback of the sensitive locations policy allows ICE to conduct enforcement actions in places previously deemed off-limits, such as schools, hospitals, and places of worship. This federal overreach violates the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, threatening our ability to live our faith and keep our sacred spaces safe. As UUA Executive Vice President Carey McDonald emphasized, Unitarian Universalists are called to fight for justice and liberation, and our sacred spaces must remain sanctuaries for those facing oppression.

We will not be silent.

#SideWithLove #SacredSanctuary #UUsharedvalues #FaithInAction #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #ReligiousFreedom #SanctuaryForAll #HumanRights #SocialJustice #ImmigrantRights





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What would it feel like to move through the world without hesitation? To exist in our bodies—without shame, without constraint—free to take up space as we are?

In her book “Sitting Pretty,” Rebekah Taussig challenges us to imagine a world that doesn’t force us into sameness—a world that sees those on the margins and says, **You have what we need. How can we remove barriers so you can fully be here?**

Accessibility isn’t just about compliance. It’s about liberation—reshaping our communities so that belonging isn’t an afterthought, but a guiding principle.

UU’s are called to this work. Explore resources from EqUUal Access and learn how we can create a more accessible world: uua.org/accessibility.

Read the full excerpt from “Sitting Pretty” at https://www.uua.org/worship/words/reading/wild-emancipation-all-us

#UU #UnitarianUniversalist #RebekahTaussig #AccessibilityForAll #UUSharedValues #LoveAtTheCenter #Community #Faith #Family #Friends #Church



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It's Sex Ed Week of Action! 📢 Quality, inclusive sex ed changes lives and strengthens communities. This year marks the **25th anniversary** of **Our Whole Lives (OWL)**—the comprehensive, values-based sexuality education program offered by Unitarian Universalists. If you haven’t explored it yet, now’s the time!

Learn more at https://www.uua.org/re/owl.

##SexEdIsSacred #HealthEquity #OurWholeLives #UU #unitarianuniversalist #community#faith #family #sexeducation #welcoming


📢 Day 1 of the #2025WeekofAction is here!
Today we’re focusing on Advocating for Equity: How Sex Ed Affects Health Outcomes. 🌟

📊 When we prioritize health equity in sex education, we create healthier, more informed communities. Let’s explore the “if/then” scenarios: If we invest in quality sex ed, then we can reduce health disparities.

💡 Join the conversation and share your thoughts: https://siecus.info/SEWOAWebinarRegistration

#HealthEquity #SexEdForSocialChange

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The UUA is proud to join a multifaith coalition and the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection (ICAP) in opposition to the rescission of ICE’s sensitive locations policy, which is a direct violation of the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. This decision directly interferes with our ability to fulfill our religious mandate and serve all of our congregants equally and with the dignity they deserve. We don’t make this decision lightly, but this extreme action from the federal government challenges a foundation of our faith and threatens to shatter our consecrated spaces. Our faith compels us to take action and protect our places of worship.

Read more about the lawsuit and other plaintiffs joining us in this action:

https://www.uuworld.org/articles/immigration-lawsuit-unitarian-universalist-association



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As harmful policies continue to roll out, Unitarian Universalists are called to protect our communities and stand show up for justice. But when risks are real, how can congregations decide which actions and partnerships align with both their values and their capacity?

Side with Love offers a Risk Discernment Toolkit to help congregations navigate these choices together. Originally created in 2023, it includes:

🔹 A train-the-trainer webinar recording
🔹 A slide deck
🔹 A facilitator guide with two 90-minute conversation plans

Now is the time for thoughtful, collective decision-making. Find the resources here: ⬇️

https://bit.ly/risk-discernment



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📢 "The president thinks he has a lot of power. He does not have the power to determine your gender. He does not have the power to define your identity." – Rev. Julie Conrady, Unitarian Universalist minister, speaking at a protest outside the Alabama Statehouse (read about it here: https://bit.ly/4gxG7L4 )

In Alabama and across the country, people are gathering to oppose policies that seek to restrict rights and redefine personal freedoms. From efforts to limit LGBTQ+ protections to broader government overreach, these actions impact real lives. As Rev. Conrady reminded the crowd, no leader has the authority to dictate who we are.

Our identities are not up for debate, and neither are our rights.

#DefendDemocracy #LGBTIA+ #transrights #community #humanrights #UU #UnitarianUniversalism #socialjustice #belovedcommunity #faith #family #friends #protest



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In her book “Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants,” Robin Wall Kimmerer shares a powerful lesson from the natural world: survival depends on reciprocity.

Scientists found that when algae and fungi were given everything they needed, they lived separate lives. But when resources were scarce, they turned toward each other, forming the lichen partnerships that allow them to thrive in the harshest conditions.

So say the lichens—when the world is harsh, we survive through interconnection. When systems fail, when the path ahead feels uncertain, it is our commitment to each other that carries us forward. Mutual aid, shared struggle, and collective care are not just moral ideals; they are survival strategies, woven into the fabric of life itself.

Where do you see reciprocity at work in your own life? In your congregation and community? How can we, like the lichens, turn toward one another in times of need? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Read the full excerpt here: https://www.uua.org/worship/words/reading/surviving-through-reciprocity

#UU #mutualaid #UnitarianUniversalism #community #faith #church #resilience #UUSharedValues #family #friends





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In accordance with Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Bylaws, Section 9.6(a) Nomination by Petition, any individual seeking nomination for the office of Moderator or President of the UUA must submit a petition to the Secretary of the Association by February 1 of the election year.

As of the deadline, no petitions for the office of Moderator have been received. Therefore, the candidates for the office of UUA Moderator remain:

- Rev. Kimberly Quinn Johnson and Bill Young (as a candidate team)
- Natasha Walker (as a single candidate)

Your UUA Board of Trustees is invigorated by this election and deeply appreciates the engagement and dedication of our Unitarian Universalist community. Together, we will continue to care for one another and strengthen the future of the Association.

We thank you for your commitment to this important process.

Please follow the link below for the official announcement on UUA.org

https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/board/announcements/uua-moderator-election-update

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📚 Black History Month Reads 📚

As Unitarian Universalists, we are called to confront injustice, uplift Black voices, and engage in lifelong learning—not just during Black History Month, but always. One way to honor this commitment is by seeking out stories and perspectives that challenge and inspire us.

To support this work, InSpirit: The UUA Bookstore and Gift Shop has curated a selection of books that honor and celebrate people, moments, and movements in Black history. From Imani Perry’s exploration of Blackness and blues to George M. Johnson’s celebration of Queer figures in the Harlem Renaissance, these selections tell important truths, highlight radical and remarkable voices, and point to the crucial work that remains.

📖 See the full list here: https://bit.ly/3PZl49r

#BlackHistoryMonth #ReadBlackHistory #UUSharedValues #SocialJustice #BelovedCommunity #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #Faith





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📢 Federal workers are being forced to bear the burden of political decisions beyond their control. Many are facing uncertainty, financial hardship, and stress as they struggle to provide for their families while continuing to serve the public.

The Unitarian Universalist Association joins in solidarity with federal workers and their families during this difficult time. Your dedication keeps our communities running, and you deserve stability, respect, and fair treatment. We call on leaders to prioritize the well-being of workers and their families.

If you are impacted, you are not alone. We see you. We support you. 💛

#Solidarity #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #Community #Justice #UUSharedValues #Faith #Family #Friends



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Mní Wičóni. Water is life.  This sacred truth, which echoed around the world as the Standing Rock Sioux Nation led the movement to resist the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline across the Missouri River, reveres the interdependence that defines all of our existence. In both the orig

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🏳️‍⚧️💙 What does it mean to be truly seen? 💙🏳️‍⚧️

Last week, Side with Love shared the children’s book “Calvin” as part of 30 Days of Love.

In “Calvin,” a beautifully told story by J.R. Ford and Vanessa Ford and illustrated by Kayla Herren, a young transgender boy steps into the fullness of who he is, supported by the love of family, friends, and community. He has always known himself, but sharing that truth brings both uncertainty and possibility.

💛✨This book reminds us of the power of affirmation and belonging, and as UU’s, it’s crucial that we ask ourselves: How often do we create spaces where someone can share who they are and be met with warmth, trust, and joy? Where the "what-ifs" of fear melt away in the presence of love? 💛✨

Watch Calvin come into his own in this read-aloud:
https://youtu.be/1Xq_995qFUw?si=S9iwLFJ454HpkeRp

#TransJoy #BelovedCommunity #BeingSeen #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #UUSharedValues #LoveAtTheCenter #Faith #Family #Friends #Church #GenderAffirming


Happy Pride! Today's Story DetailsTitle: CalvinAuthor: J.R. Ford Vanessa FordIllustrator: Kayla HerrenPlease support the author and illustrator and purchase ...

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Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” -Audre Lorde

✨ New Blog Alert! ✨

Self-care isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a feminist practice. 💜🌿 Our latest blog explores Feminist Self-Care Praxis and why caring for ourselves is a radical act of resistance.

Read now: uuwf.org/blog-2/

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🌿✨ Imbolc Blessing to All Who Celebrate ✨🌿

As the light begins to grow and the earth stirs with new life, we honor the turning of the seasons and the promise of renewal. May this time of hope and inspiration brighten your days.

#Imbolc #UnitarianUniversalism #SeasonOfLight #UU #Faith #Family #Friends #Blessing



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Trans people are divine. This profound truth, first gifted with the world by J. Mase III and Lady Dane Figueroa Edidi in their Black Trans Prayer Book , is not just a statement but a powerful declaration of sacredness and resilience. It reminds us that trans and nonbinary existence is ancient,

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Natalie Briscoe, Lead for the UUA Southern Region, offers a thoughtful reflection on connecting with the "still small voice" within each of us. She reminds us that this voice guides us toward love, justice, and interdependence. Yet, accessing it requires practice, intentionality, and community.

In Unitarian Universalism, this voice is central to aligning ourselves with values like equity, generosity, and pluralism. Natalie underscores that our congregations serve as spaces where we can cultivate this connection, aligning our inner truths with collective action to create Beloved Community.

Read Natalie’s full reflection in the January 2025 Southern Region newsletter: https://bit.ly/4hsadQM .

🎵 Reflect on this theme through the hymn "Voice Still and Small," as performed Brian Kenny, Alena Hemingway, and Mike Menefee: https://bit.ly/40wwA0S .

#UUSharedValues #BelovedCommunity #Faith #UU #UnitarianUniversalism #Reflection #Mindfulness #Church #Family #friends #hymns #music



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In the spirit of courage and compassion, we lift up Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde for her powerful witness to justice and love, expressed through her Episcopal tradition. Her unwavering advocacy for immigrants, LGBTQ+ individuals, and marginalized communities resonates deeply with Unitarian Universalist shared values of equity, pluralism, and transformation.

In a time when harmful policies and actions threaten the dignity and rights of so many, Bishop Budde reminds us that faith calls us to mercy. As Unitarian Universalists, mercy calls us to action—to amplify voices of the oppressed and to act in solidarity for a more just and loving world.

Hear her powerful message here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwwaEuDeqM8.

#UUSharedValues #ImmigrantJustice #FaithInAction #LoveAtTheCenter #UU #UnitarianUniversalist


Explore Washington National Cathedral: https://cathedral.org/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wncathedral/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WNCathedralT...

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🌟 Justice: A Reflection on Our Shared Values 🌟

Rev. Dr. Sheri Prud’homme reminds us that Unitarian Universalism calls us to dismantle systems of oppression and build communities where all can thrive. Our theological heritage teaches that salvation lies not in escaping a vengeful God, but in co-creating a world rooted in love, justice, and flourishing.

From abolition to today’s movements for equity, our tradition has sought to uphold these values. Yet, as Rev. Dr. Prud’homme reflects, our history also holds lessons in humility—times when we failed to live up to these ideals or stood complicit in harm.

Today, we honor this legacy by working toward just, compassionate communities. The journey is ongoing, but together, we strive to embody the shared value of Justice.

🔗 How do you engage with the call to dismantle oppression in your daily life? Share in the comments.

Read Rev. Dr. Prud’homme's full theological reflection on Justice at https://bit.ly/4h6RV7Z.

#UnitarianUniversalism #Justice #SharedValues #BelovedCommunity #SheriPrudhomme #faith #faithinaction



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We join the National Congress of American Indians in celebrating the news of Leonard Peltier’s clemency after nearly fifty years of unjust imprisonment. This historic moment reflects the power of grassroots advocacy and collective action. As Unitarian Universalists, we are committed to partnering with Indigenous communities and supporting movements that center dignity, equity, and justice for BIPOC individuals. Together, we continue the work to build a more just and compassionate world.


After nearly fifty years of unjust imprisonment, Leonard Peltier has been granted clemency. This moment marks a historic victory for Indian Country and all who have come together in solidarity for justice. It is a testament to the power of grassroots advocacy, collective action, and unwavering resilience. Read NCAI's full statement on this monumental step towards justice below.

🔗 https://www.ncai.org/news/leonard-peltier-is-going-home-a-step-toward-healing-and-justice

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We share this message from UUA President Rev. Sofía Betancourt, PhD.


Beloveds, in these fearful and difficult days I send my love and solidarity – to each of you and to your families, communities, and organizing networks. As the executive orders rolled out of the office of the US President on Monday, we witnessed the attempted unravelling of decades of work for a more fair and free nation.

As Unitarian Universalists, we are personally, theologically, and covanentally bound together by the expansive Love that has always been the animating center of our faith. Far more powerful than any faction, leader, nation, or creed, it is this fierce Love that compels our deepest loyalty and our most courageous action.

I join you in meeting the days and years to come with faith and renewed purpose. Please find a link in the comments below to a pastoral message from me that includes ways to take faithful action in support of our ourselves, our congregations, and our communities.

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🌟 Discover the 2024/2025 UU Common Read: “Authentic Selves”🌟

📖 “Authentic Selves: Celebrating Trans and Nonbinary People and Their Families” invites us to honor and uplift the lives of trans and nonbinary people through the transformative power of storytelling.

🎥 In this video, Sara Lewis, a religious educator and parent of a trans child, shares why Authentic Selves is such a vital resource:
“This is how faith formation happens. Not through statistics or facts, but through stories and relationships that bring us into greater love, greater justice, and greater authenticity.” Watch it here: https://youtu.be/feuB3ID9reY?feature=shared.

✨ Whether you're exploring it in a congregation or on your own, this Common Read is an invitation to grow, to listen, and to celebrate the authenticity and resilience of trans and nonbinary people and their families.

👉 Learn more about the Common Read and get your copy here: https://www.uua.org/lifespan/curricula/read

#UUCommonRead #AuthenticSelves #TransRights #FaithFormation #UU #UnitarianUniversalism #SharedValues #BelovedCommunity #Faith


The 2024-2025 UU Common Read is "Authentic Selves: Celebrating Trans and Nonbinary People and Their Families". Join us to read and discuss this beautiful and...

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Week One of 30 Days of Love invites us to dream and act around the theme "We Are Home," inspired by immigrant-led coalitions fighting for justice and humanity.

”As the governing and power structures of our world rely more and more on domination, exploitation, and disposability to consolidate power, we must hold onto and grow ours." – Nicole Pressley, UUA Organizing and Strategy Director.

Together, we are the antidote to fear.

Explore resources, reflect, and take action with Side With Love: https://sidewithlove.org/ourstories/2025/1/21/week-one-of-30-days-of-love-we-are-home

#30DaysOfLove #WeAreHome #UU #UnitarianUniversalism #BelovedCommunity #faith #faithinaction #SharedValues


In January 2021, immigrant communities, organizers, and their allies met the change in the US Presidential Administration with determination and courage, focused on ending the cruel, xenophobic policies from the Trump administration. Envisioning a pathway toward healing, over 20 immigrant-led co

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🚨 Final Call: Help the Pink Haven Coalition Today! 🚨

The Faithify fundraiser for the Pink Haven Coalition closes on January 24th, but there’s still time to make a difference!

Our trans, Two-Spirit, and gender-expansive (2STGE+) kin are in crisis, and the time to act is now.

Founded and led by 2STGE+ organizers, the Pink Haven Coalition has built an international mutual-aid network that provides life-saving aid to those living under hostile governments in the U.S.

💡 How you can help:

Donate now: faithify.org/campaign/402/pink-haven-coalition

Share this campaign with your networks to expand its reach.

Every contribution matters. Your support ensures Pink Haven can continue meeting this unprecedented crisis with fierce love, compassion, and action.

#TransRights #PinkHaven #Faithify #UU #UnitarianUniversalists #SharedValues #LoveInAction



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Rev. Julián Jamaica Soto’s “The Butterfly Effect” reminds us that even the smallest actions ripple outward, shaping the world in ways we may never fully comprehend. This truth resonates deeply on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a time to reflect on Dr. King's enduring legacy and the individuals who have propelled movements for #justice, #equality, and #love. 🦋❤️🌍

Dr. King dreamed boldly, organizing change that seemed insurmountable, yet his faith in collective action and moral truth created a powerful wave of transformation. 🗣️📢 Let us scream the truth, amplifying the call for justice, until every stone and leaf bears witness to the dream of a world where dignity and freedom flourish for all. 🗣️📢

💡 How will you honor Dr. King’s dream today? What small action can you take to create ripples of justice and love? 💡

Read Rev. Soto's full poem at: https://www.uuworld.org/articles/poem-the-butterfly-effect-rev-juli%C3%A1n-jamaica-soto-unitarian-universalism

#MLK #UU #UnitarianUniversalism #UnitarianUniversalists #LoveAtTheCenter #SharedValues #friends #family #church #faith #BelovedCommunity #Poetry



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🌟 Join Us for ‘For Such a Time As This': A Prophetic Response to America’s Defining Moment 🌟

On January 20, as we honor the life and prophetic vision of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we gather at a pivotal moment in our nation’s history. In partnership with the United Church of Christ and a coalition of faith communities, the UUA invites you to be part of a transformative Interfaith Service and Moral Mass Meeting, where voices unite for justice, equality, and collective action.

While UUA President Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt originally planned to participate, she will no longer be joining due to illness in her household. While the situation is not serious, Dr. Betancourt has made the decision to prioritize communal wellness and cancel her appearance. She encourages everyone to join this important gathering, whether in person or online, to honor Dr. King’s legacy and continue the shared work of justice and collective action.

📍 When & Where
🗓️ January 20, 2025
⏰ 6 p.m. CT / 7 p.m. ET
🏛️ Healing Cathedral Christian Church, Memphis, TN
🎥 Livestream available

Together, let us rise to the call of justice and carry forward Dr. King’s powerful legacy.

👉 Register now to join in person or online: https://bit.ly/4ag6S52

#MLK #FaithInAction #JusticeForAll #UUValues #InterfaithSolidarity #BelovedCommunity #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #SocialJustice



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Jo VonRue's "Prayer for Moving Forward" speaks directly to the heart of Unitarian Universalist values—resilience, hope, and the relentless pursuit of justice. It acknowledges the weariness many of us feel in the face of systems that devalue human lives while simultaneously calling us to draw strength from the collective action of our communities and the deep well of courage within ourselves.

This prayer reminds us that even when the path feels muddy and rough, the burning coal of hope within us sustains us. It urges us to hold fast to the vision of equity and peace, to join our neighbors in solidarity and shared purpose, and to trust in the power of our shared humanity to bring about change.

How can we inspire and support one another to keep moving forward toward justice? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Read the full prayer on WorshipWeb: https://www.uua.org/worship/words/prayer/prayer-moving-forward

#UU #UnitarianUniversalism #UnitarianUniversalists #LoveAtTheCenter #SharedValues #friends #family #church #faith #welcome Courage #Resilience #Reflection



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✳️ Navigating Social Change Without Burning Out ✳️

In a world of ongoing crises—global conflicts, political upheavals, and threats to equity—it’s natural to feel overwhelmed. How can we stay engaged without losing ourselves in the process? Activist and author Deepa Iyer offers a thoughtful framework to help you align with your values, embrace your unique role in social change, and build meaningful connections to sustain both your efforts and well-being.

💡 Swipe through the images for actionable tips inspired by her work!

Read Iyer’s article in UU World to learn more about finding balance and purpose: https://bit.ly/UUWorldTips

For a deeper dive, explore her book, “Social Change Now: A Guide for Reflection and Connection”: https://bit.ly/SocialChangeNowBook

#SocialChange #CommunityCare #BurnoutPrevention #DeepaIyer #UU #UnitarianUniversalism #UnitarianUniversalists #LoveAtTheCenter #SharedValues #Resilience #SocialJustice #SocialAction #FaithInAction #organize









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🌟 Generosity: A UU Shared Value 🌟

This week, as we reflect on Generosity—one of our UU Shared Values—we honor the life and legacy of Jimmy Carter, a powerful example of giving with gratitude and hope.

From his work with Habitat for Humanity to his global efforts for peace and justice, President Carter embodied generosity in action, showing how transformative giving can be.

In her reflection on generosity, UU Rev. Dr. Sheri Prud’homme reminds us that generosity is rooted in seeing the world as sacred and interconnected. As Unitarian Universalists, we are called to carry this value forward, practicing generosity in all its forms—financial, personal, and communal—to nurture hope and compassion in our communities.

How does generosity show up in your life? 💛

Read Rev. Prud’homme’s full theological reflection at https://bit.ly/42wBain.

#JimmyCarter #Generosity #UU #UnitarianUniversalism #SharedValues #LoveAtTheCenter #Justice #Hope





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We share this message from UUA President Rev. Sofía Betancourt, PhD.


The fires rage once again in California, coming so close in the aftermath of North Carolina’s rising water. We are surrounded by evidence of how precarious our tilting planet and precious lives are in the age of climate catastrophe. We hold all those impacted in our hearts today even as we process personal and collective tragedies that are not brought about by forces of nature, but by forces of coercion and human failure.

We know that the impact of this fire on all in the Los Angeles region will be tremendous. We also understand that already vulnerable populations often have fewer resources to draw on and therefore will need greater assistance in response.

This afternoon, we know that many Unitarian Universalists have been evacuated from the greater Los Angeles area. Still others have lost their homes entirely. As of this writing, our congregational spaces in the LA area remain largely undamaged, though access to them is increasingly difficult with many power lines and trees blocking roadways. We are aware that other faith communities have already lost their buildings to the fire. We offer our condolences to and prayers for them.

As I have had too many occasions to say in the last year, we are a sanctuary people. Unitarian Universalists are literally taking one another in, offering support to those in their surrounding communities, and creating pockets of relative safety amid so many challenges. Let us continue that work in many ways, now and in the days and months to come.

Today we are once again mobilizing our UUA Disaster Relief Fund to provide grant relief to impacted communities. Thanks to overwhelming recent generosity from individuals and congregations, grant funds are available. The need, however, is great and growing. If you have not yet made a gift to the Disaster Relief Fund, please consider lifting up your Sunday offering or making a personal gift now. We need one another, now more than ever.

Donations can be directed to the UUA Disaster Relief Fund at this link: https://www.uua.org/giving/disaster-relief

Resources for congregational special collections may be found here: https://www.uua.org/giving/areas-support/funds/disaster-response/disaster-relief-fund-collections

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🌈 We’re thrilled to share “Living for Change as a Queer Military Chaplain with a Queer Faith” by UU Chaplain Capt. Sarah Caine, published in ‘Modern Military Magazine.’ Sarah reflects on their journey as a UU Army chaplain, navigating authenticity, love, and liberation in a system steeped in tradition. 🌈

Sarah explores what it means to queer faith, challenge the status quo, and hold space for those often left out of traditional narratives. Their story invites us to imagine a world where liberation and love guide every step of our shared journey.

📖 Read the full article at https://modernmilitarypublications.publi.dev/faith-issue/queer-military-chaplain-sarah-caine.

#UU #UnitarianUniversalism #UnitarianUniversalists #LoveAtTheCenter #SharedValues #friends #family #church #faith #welcome #Courage #Resilience #faithinaction



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🌟 Today is Epiphany 🌟

Today, many observe Epiphany—a time to reflect on moments of revelation and illumination. For some, it marks the end of the Christmas season; for others, it’s a reminder to seek truth, clarity, and connection in the year ahead.

This year, Epiphany arrives amidst heavy hearts, as we grieve the tragic attack in New Orleans on January 1st that claimed the lives of 15 people and injured 30 others along Bourbon Street. A city known for its vibrant spirit and celebration of life is now mourning profound loss.

For Unitarian Universalists, Epiphany can inspire us to shine a light on injustice, to hold space for grief, and to recommit to building safer, more loving communities. With Mardi Gras approaching—a time when New Orleans typically comes alive with joy and celebration—we are reminded of the strength and resilience of this community and others like it.

May this Epiphany call us to action:
✨ To honor those we’ve lost with acts of justice and compassion.
✨ To seek clarity and courage as we confront violence and injustice.
✨ To celebrate resilience and work for a future where all can live and thrive.

How will you honor this day of light and insight in the face of the world’s challenges?

#Epiphany #UnitarianUniversalist #NewOrleans #Justice #Healing #SharedValues #UU #UnitarianUniversalism #LoveAtTheCenter #SharedValues #friends #family #church #faith #welcome #BelovedCommunity



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📅 On January 20, 2025, UUA President Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt joins interfaith leaders, including those from the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival and the United Church of Christ, for "Justice Rising: A Moral Call to Action in America’s Defining Moment."

✨ This day marks both the national Inauguration Day and the commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s enduring legacy. 🕊️ Inspired by Dr. King’s prophetic vision, we are grateful that Unitarian Universalism will be represented in this event uniting leaders, advocates, and all committed to justice, equity, and love. Together, faith leaders will respond to regressive forces with hope, moral courage, and an unyielding commitment to a more just world.

🔗 More information, including the livestream link, is available at: https://bit.ly/3ZKwnqw

#JusticeRising #FaithInAction #MLKLegacy #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #Interfaith #SocialJustice #PropheticVoices #BelovedCommunity



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🌟 Happy New Year, 2025! 🌟

Let’s start the year by inspiring ourselves and others. Reflect on your values and dreams with this challenge:

🎉 Create a six-word story about your aspirations for 2025. 🎉 Here’s an example: "Kindness grows; justice blooms for all."

Share yours and spark inspiration! ✨ Cheers to hope and community! ✨

#NewYear2025 #UU #SharedValues #Faith #Justice #UnitarianUniversalist #UnitarianUniversalism #Goals



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🏆 UU World Staff's Favorite Stories of 2024

As 2024 comes to a close, the UU World team reflects on their most memorable and meaningful stories of the year. Here are some of their top highlights:

🌱 “Tiny Forests Sow Possibility and Cultivate Resilient Communities”
Managing Editor Sonja L. Cohen shares her experience exploring the Miyawaki Forest movement, complete with fresh air, sunshine, and a fascinating look at restoring ecosystems. Read at: https://bit.ly/49JPQfz

💖 “After Her Viral GA Moment, Rev. JeKaren Olaoya Has More to Say About Love”
Senior Editor Elaine McArdle reflects on Rev. Olaoya’s powerful declaration of love at GA 2024 and what it means for our faith and community. Read at: https://bit.ly/3DrDXi8

🏳️‍⚧️ “Pink Haven Coalition Helps Transgender People Relocate and Access Gender-Affirming Care”
Executive Editor Kristen Cox Roby highlights the lifesaving work of the Pink Haven Coalition, a vital network providing support to trans individuals. Read at: https://bit.ly/3DqjlqB

🎲 “Game Changer: UU Elizabeth Hargrave is Reimagining How We Play”
Advertising Assistant Josh Degregorio celebrates the creativity and values UU game designer Elizabeth Hargrave brings to the world of board games. Read at: https://bit.ly/4iIYJtR

✨ What was your favorite UU World story of 2024? Let us know in the comments!

#UUWorld #UU #UnitarianUniversalism #UnitarianUniversalists #LoveAtTheCenter #SharedValues #friends #family #church #faith #welcome



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Wishing a joyful and meaningful Kwanzaa to all who celebrate! May this time bring connection, reflection, and celebration of community, culture, and tradition. Happy Kwanzaa!

#Celebrate #Community #Connection #Kwanzaa #UU



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Happy Hanukkah! ✨🕎

Hanukkah reminds us that even in the darkest times, small acts of faith and persistence can ignite a lasting flame. 🕯️💙 We honor the resilience and courage of those who kept the flame alive against all odds, a reminder of the power of hope and unity.

May the sacred light of this season inspire love, renewal, and a brighter future for you and your loved ones.

Chag Sameach to all who celebrate! 🎉🌟

#HappyHanukkah #FestivalOfLights #ChagSameach #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #Faith #Family #Friends #Pluralism



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🎄 Merry Christmas! 🎄

Did you know that the Christmas tree tradition in America has Unitarian roots tied to the fight for justice and freedom?

In 1832, the Rev. Charles Follen—a Unitarian minister, abolitionist, and advocate for liberty—introduced one of the first decorated Christmas trees in New England. Inspired by his German heritage and a desire to create joy for his young son, Follen adorned the tree with candles, gilded ornaments, and treats. This magical display left guests in awe and became one of the earliest documented Christmas trees in the United States.

But Follen’s legacy extends beyond festive traditions. A passionate abolitionist, he risked his career speaking out against slavery and designed his Lexington congregation's octagonal church to symbolize equality—where no one stood above another.

This season, as many of us gather around twinkling trees, let’s remember the light Follen brought into the world—not just through his Christmas tree, but through his commitment to freedom and justice.

✨ Wishing you a holiday filled with joy, reflection, and the enduring spirit of community. ✨

Read more about Rev. Charles Follen in UU World here: http://bit.ly/follen-tree.

#MerryChristmas #UnitarianUniversalist #AbolitionistHistory #CharlesFollen #ChristmasTraditions #UUHistory





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As we enter into the fourth and final week of Advent, we turn to 🕯️hope — a hope grounded not in naïve optimism but in the resilient practice of liberation.

Dayna Edwards’ prayer, “Our Lifelong Work of Liberation,” reminds us that hope is a call to action, connecting us to generations of freedom fighters who envisioned a more equitable world. Their hope was revolutionary, sustaining them through struggle and transformation.

Even now, in times of division and injustice, hope calls us to build communities rooted in care and liberation. 💕 By carrying hope forward with courage and resolve, we honor the legacy of those who came before us and move closer to the vision of a more loving world. 🌍

✨Where do you see hope at work in the world around you? ✨

Read the full prayer here: https://www.uua.org/worship/words/prayer/our-lifelong-work-liberation.



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As we mark the Winter Solstice, Stephanie Noble’s poem, "In Celebration of the Winter Solstice," invites us to embrace the gifts of darkness. It reminds us that darkness is not to be feared but celebrated—a source of mystery, renewal, and promise. In the quiet of these longest nights, we find rest, reflection, and the fertile ground where the seeds of our inner light take root.

Let us honor this time of stillness and renewal, allowing the darkness to hold us as we prepare for the return of the light.

Read the full poem here: uua.org/worship/words/reading/celebration-winter-solstice.

May this Solstice bring you peace and joy in the richness of the present moment. 🌙✨

#WinterSolstice #EmbraceTheDarkness #SolsticeReflection
#UUSharedValues #SacredSeasons #WinterMagic #Rest #Renewal
#CelebratingSolstice #UnitarianUniversalist #UU



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“I seem to be witnessing it everywhere these days – UUs rising to meet the moment…We are learning to live with the daily risk of just being who we are... It is not easy, but it is the wellspring of honesty and courage that will feed our ministry in the years ahead.” - UUA Executive Vice President Carey McDonald.

As Unitarian Universalists succeed in advancing our values in these challenging times, our UUA Executive Vice President Carey McDonald shares some reflections on the threads of hope and care that run through safety considerations:

“While there is tremendous opportunity for UU’s to meet the needs of this moment, the truth is that risks and costs of our ministry are likely to be concentrated in our most impacted communities. As our exposure grows, we must not only be ready to protect those who are most likely to be targeted, and the fear is real. We need to prepare our institutions as a whole, institutions increasingly led by those of us who are BIPOC, trans and queer, or disabled, so that we can continue to be safe havens.”

🌟✺What are some ways your UU congregation or community is creating stronger, safer foundations for community care? What supports would help you lean in more deeply to these practices?✺🌟

#CommunityCare #UU #HopeAndResilience #FaithInAction #SharedValues #UnitarianUniversalism #UnitarianUniversalist #Friends #Family #Church







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"We celebrate that we are all sacred beings, diverse in culture, experience, and theology." - Rev. Dr. Sheri Prud’homme

Pluralism is the recognition and celebration of diversity in beliefs, cultures, and experiences, affirming that no single perspective holds all the truth.

In her theological reflection on UU Shared Values, Rev. Dr. Sheri Prud’homme writes that Unitarian Universalism embraces pluralism by affirming that there are many paths to the sacred. We hold fast to the idea that no single religion holds all the truth—not even our own.

Through free, open, and respectful dialogue, we honor the diversity of beliefs and experiences that shape our communities. This ongoing exchange allows our theological perspectives to evolve and grow, deepening our understanding and connection to one another.

How do you create space for dialogue and learning across differences in your life?

Read more from Rev. Dr. Prud’homme about Pluralism and its place in our shared values: https://www.uua.org/beliefs/shared-values/theological-reflection

#UU #Pluralism #UnitarianUniversalism #Diversity #SharedValues #LoveAtTheCenter #Faith #Church



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As we move through the third week of Advent we invite you to reflect on joy—a joy that sustains us even in the hardest, darkest places. As Unitarian Universalists, we understand joy as a vital force that keeps us grounded in our values while giving us the strength to continue the work of compassion and justice. As founder and CEO of International Justice Mission Gary Haugen says, “Joy is the oxygen for doing the work of justice.”

Kate Bowler’s words from her Everything Happens podcast episode with Haugen offer a powerful reminder of this truth:

“Sometimes it can feel like you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. You might wake up tired and go to bed tired. You feel as though you can't possibly fix every problem that comes your way because it's simply too much. We all need the reminder that joy is the way forward—that there's still room for laughter, beauty, and joy even in the hardest, darkest places. It is the only way to continue to do this hard, important work.

So, what is the moment when you feel the most levity? When it feels like you're taking a big, deep breath of fresh air? When joy comes naturally? Double down on that. Get in the snuggle zone with your kid. Pet your dog or your cat, if they're into that sort of thing. Take a long walk or a long bubble bath. Watch that hilarious show on Netflix everyone is talking about.

Yes, compassion is the job, but joy is the oxygen."

✨What moments bring you joy? How do you double down on those moments in your own life? Share your reflections in the comments below and join us in embracing joy as we move through this sacred season.✨

#Advent #UU #UnitarianUniversalism #UnitarianUniversalist #Joy #SharedValues #Faith #Hope #Justice #church #family #friends #holiday





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On December 9th, Nikki Giovanni, one of the most celebrated poets of our time, passed away. A revolutionary voice in the Black Arts Movement and a champion of social justice, Giovanni used her words to challenge oppression, celebrate love, and reflect on the human condition.

In her poem “Allowables,” she confronts how fear can drive us to harm, even when no real threat exists. It’s a powerful call to pause, question our instincts, and resist letting fear control our actions.

As we honor Nikki Giovanni’s life and legacy, may her words inspire us to confront how fear shapes our lives and consider the choices we make in its grip.

ALLOWABLES
By Nikki Giovanni

I killed a spider
Not a murderous brown recluse
Nor even a black widow
And if the truth were told this
Was only a small
Sort of papery spider
Who should have run
When I picked up the book
But she didn’t
And she scared me
And I smashed her

I don’t think
I’m allowed

To kill something

Because I am

Frightened.



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