Rachel Walden writes the UUA newsletter and supports UUA Communications as senior manager for digital & marketing strategy. When she’s not brainstorming content with her colleagues, you’ll likely find her outside. Below is a reprint of the March 2024 newsletter.
| There is so much going on these days within and beyond Unitarian Universalism. As staff at the UUA, we are also caregivers, family members, friends, religious leaders, and community members, and we continue to seek moments of joy and balance as we hold all that is with us. At the end of February, UUA staff gathered in person for a few days in our Boston, MA headquarters building for reconnection, inspiration, and recommitment for the work ahead. UUA President the Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt recently shared a photo from our time together on her Facebook page – a moment where many of us moved in close, took a deep breath, and pulled off our masks to smile for the camera. As a digital-first organization since the beginning of the pandemic, we are not often in shared space together and it was good to be in community. We hope you are finding care, support, and sustenance in your Unitarian Universalist community as well. As UUA Vice President for Programs and Ministry the Rev. Ashley Horan has shared, “[W]e know there is daunting work ahead of us in 2024. Never has it been clearer how deeply interconnected all our issues are, or how very high the stakes are for all of our communities.” This email offers timely updates and resources to support your congregation or community as we move together into the days and weeks to come. With you on the journey, Rachel |
| UUA Newsletter March 2024 |
| In this musical blessing, the Rev. Erin Walter, Parker Woodland, and other Texas Unitarian Universalists offer inspiration for us all. This video is part of Side With Love’s 30 Days of Love 2024 collection of resources. Watch the Video The UUA recently had an opportunity to put our physical assets to use in service to our UU values and support families in the greater Boston area. In collaboration with the United Way of Massachusetts, the Black Refugee & Immigrant Community Coalition, and the Greater Boston YMCA, we are providing space in our headquarters building in support of approximately 25 unhoused families in urgent need of shelter. Learn more about this collaboration in our statement online. The UUA Offers Shelter at HQ We know that living into the promise of a multi-racial democracy means that we must work together to build political power. The UU the Vote 2024 campaign will continue to support and collaborate with local organizing groups leading some of the biggest fights, as we mobilize our communities to grow a powerful pro-democracy majority. Join us at our online launch event on March 14 to get to know these partners and learn how they will shape the work ahead. Join UU the Vote In the first new resource focused on congregational growth and vitality since the pandemic, the UU Institute is offering a “Guiding the Membership Journey” training, available online on March 15. Developed in collaboration with the UU Association of Membership Professionals, this training is designed for application across ministry teams to provide a welcoming and inclusive experience for everyone who comes through a congregation’s doors Guiding the Membership Journey Green Sanctuary 2030 community meetings are opportunities for shared learning and mutual support as we move together toward congregational transformation through climate justice. Meetings are held online monthly and the next meeting, on March 20, will focus on ways to integrate justice into climate work with a presentation from UUs in a predominantly white, rural community in Oregon. Join Green Sanctuary 2030 In February, the UUA released its second statement condemning the violence against Gaza and calling for an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian aid, and the release of hostages. Included with our statement are links to a recorded webinar resource and links to similar statements from partner organizations including the UU Service Committee, the UU Ministers Association, and UUs for Justice in the Middle East. We offer these materials to support faithful discussion. Ceasefire Statement and Resources Unitarian Universalists will come together for an historic vote on Article II of UUA Bylaws at General Assembly this June. There are new resources available to help individuals, small groups, and congregations engage in shared learning and reflection on the proposed revised language for Article II. We encourage everyone to take part in this historic opportunity to have a say in what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist. Article II Resources from the Field At General Assembly this year, we will gather virtually for worship, learning, and reflection under the theme, “Love Unites, Stories Ignite.” We will also conduct the business of the Association – including the review of amendments to the proposed revision of Article II of UUA Bylaws and a vote on whether to adopt the new language. Join us from Thursday, June 20 through Sunday, June 23 to be part of this historic time in Unitarian Universalism. Join Us at General Assembly |