Something For the Moment 

• Deadline Approaching: Time is slipping away to add your voice to the Administrative Learning Needs Assessment, a partnership between the UUMA and the MLTS LIGHT program. You can offer your feedback here. Deadline is March 12th.

• Resources for a Time of Transition: As we approach spring many folks will be navigating transitions.  We hope some of these UUMA webinars will be helpful: Planning an Ordination, How to Read Our Contract, Ending Well.

• Collegial Conversation: Building Good Relationships Between Parish and Community Ministers. A panel of colleagues in the parish and community will offer their reflections on building good relationships with one another when they are called/affiliated/connected with the same congregation. Click here to register: Wednesday, April 24, 2024, 7-8:30pm ET/ 6-7:30pm CT/5-6:30pm MT/ 4-5:30 PT/ 1-2:30pm HT

Something for the Journey
Rev. Carol Thomas Cissel on behalf of the UUMA Board of Trustees 

The UUMA Board recently met in Sacramento, California. Our time together was both meaningful and productive. We worshiped, shared meals, and had a tiny bit of time to socialize. Taken as a whole, it was a very fruitful 2.5 days

Primarily, we looked at the work of this association and the things we need to do to ensure it continues to function as well as possible. To that end, your Board took action in several areas:

1. After an excellent presentation by the UUMA Executive Team, the Board unanimously agreed to change the executive team’s structure from a trio to a duo. Rev. Darrick Jackson’s resignation created an opportunity to reassess and restructure the executive team and staff that reports to them.  What was a 3-person Executive Team (Melissa, Darrick, and Janette) has become a 2-person team (Melissa and Janette). You can find the revised job descriptions for the new duo in the Job Description tab here.
   
   Additionally, what was a group of skilled P/T staff and administrators  —  will shift into 2 full-time manager positions and 2 full-time administrative positions. Implementing these changes is underway, see below for information and a job posting. The new formation will offer excellent support to UUMA programming and is designed to use our resources most effectively.

2. The UUMA Board approved our 2024-2025 (FY25) budget and a very modest adjustment to our dues scale which will only affect approximately 2% of our members. We did this about a month earlier to ensure the new staffing arrangements could be fully funded. The final budget and supporting dues structure will be presented to the membership along with my annual report in May.

Lastly, we discussed the pros and cons of this year’s 100% virtual Annual Meeting and Ministry Days. Plans are underway to make our time together in “Cyberspace and on Zoom” welcoming and informative. Stay tuned for more about both of these June 2024 gatherings! 

In Faith & Fellowship,
Rev. CTC (aka Carol)

Something Extra

• Staffing Update: Though there is no denying there are losses in reducing our Executive Team from three to two people, we do feel proud of the way we are constantly assessing how we can most faithfully and effectively use our resources to advance our mission.  We believe that the move to make our Lifelong Learning Manager position wholly focused on the learning portfolio (rather than dividing time between the learning portfolio and the Executive function) will enable us to not only fulfill, but expand our commitment to providing high quality resources, programs and other learning opportunities to our members.  We are also looking forward to the ways in which having two full time administrators (rather than a mix of full and part time) will help us improve our collaboration and communications while also reducing our overall staffing costs.

• Job Posting: Are you passionate about learning and supporting the growth of your colleagues? Do you know someone who might thrive on the UUMA Staff team?  The UUMA is looking for a Lifelong Learning Manager. This position reimagines how we support our programs! Click here and select the “Job Opportunities” tab to learn more.  Please help spread the word!

• Did you miss the Benefits Tuneup Month? With February in our rear-view mirror some congregations may think they missed their chance to review benefits.  But it is never too late to ensure your organization is on the path to health.  Leaders, show your staff the love by completing our Benefits Tune-up Workbook. At this link, you will also find the new 2-page Tip Sheet for congregational staff!

Something for Formation

From the UUMA Executive Team:  We are pleased to announce some changes are coming to the Ministerial Formation Network. Through the continued support of our funding partners and the creative restructuring of our staff team, we are excited to announce that the position of Ministerial Formation Manager will become permanent. Read below to learn how the position is expanding to support more folks in formation. We are grateful to the Rev. Michelle Favreault who will be continuing this important work! 

From Michelle:  As clergy folk, we know that formation can be a lifelong spiritual practice. Within our community of colleagues, I’m excited to bridge the transition from candidate to fellowshipped status. Starting after the April 2024 MFC meeting, when the UUMA is notified that a person has entered preliminary fellowship, we will invite those colleagues into a conversation to reflect on their experience in the MFN and help create connections to the UUMA for those who will be entering into ordination, new vocations, settlements and the initial phases of the MFC renewal processes. Please reach out to me if you have questions, ideas, or want to explore ways to support our colleagues in formation.