Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association (UUMA)

August 21, 2026

Something for the Moment

Join the New UUMA Program Tech Team!: We’re launching a reimagined team to provide hospitality and tech support for UUMA programs. Team members receive an annual honorarium and free registration for programs they support. Interested? Fill out this form or reach out to Program Administrator, Hannah Franco-Isaacs with questions.

Fall Lifelong Learning Offerings: We are happy to announce that the fall sections of Fundraising for Ministers and Sacred Reckonings are open for registration. We heard from many of you that Summer wasn’t the right time for these classes so we hope to have robust registration for the fall sections. Stay tuned for dates for our fall section of Healthy Boundaries 101 and for other offerings coming soon! Click the links below to register:

Reflective Pastoral Supervision Info Session: Have you heard of Reflective Pastoral Supervision? This form of professional accompaniment is a space to explore the experiences, relationships, questions, and challenges of ministry in ways that deepen self-awareness, strengthen professional practice, and help integrate the experiences and challenges that shape your ministry. Our colleagues at LeaderWise are hosting an informational session on September 17 at 2pm eastern/1pm central/12pm mountain/11am pacific. Register here to learn more.

Something for the Journey

Meet Your FY27 UUMA Board of Trustees

As we begin FY27, we do so with gratitude for those who have served the UUMA and joy for the work ahead. This Board enters a significant season for the Association: welcoming and onboarding a new Executive Leadership Team while continuing to advance our strategic priorities and advocate for our members including in the hold process and review team.

The Board is the elected representative leadership of the UUMA. Its work includes setting and monitoring our strategic direction, stewardship of the Association’s resources, developing and reviewing policy, and—importantly—remaining in relationship with members. Our Board Policies call the Board to be regularly in conversation with members across ministry settings and stages, reminding us that governance is relational. Those conversations matter: feedback at a Dialogue Session, for example, directly shaped the bylaw proposal brought to the 2026 Annual Meeting.

To support that connection, we have scheduled Dialogue Sessions throughout the year as opportunities to listen, share what the Board is considering, and hear what is emerging for our members. We have intentionally made varying times and days in an effort to be more inclusive to the needs of our members. Click on the date below to add the Dialogue Sessions to your calendar.

Dates:

We look forward to conversations about stewardship, advocacy, Widening the Circle, collegiality and accountability, and the continued work of our strategic priorities—because we need one another.

Your FY27 Board

Robin Tanner, President — continues leading the Board as it advances its strategic work in partnership with the Executive Leadership Team, bringing a vision grounded in advocacy, accountability, sustainable ministry, and the relationships that connect us to one another.
Duncan Teague, Vice President — continues serving as counsel to the President and as the Board’s Personnel Officer, while bringing his leadership and perspective wherever it is needed across the Board’s work.
Chris Rothbauer, Secretary — continues helping the Board maintain a clear record of its decisions and supporting transparency and accountability.
Eric Cherry, Treasurer — joins the Board at an important moment for stewardship and long-term financial planning.
David Messner, Trustee for Ethics and Collegiality — continues supporting the Board’s work around collegial relationships, ethics, and accountability.
Sarah Lenzi, Trustee for Governance — joins the Board after co-chairing the search for our new Co-Executive Director and will help tend policy, monitoring, and governance.
Brian Ferguson, Trustee for Widening the Circle — joins the Board and chairs the Widening the Circle Committee, helping keep diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, anti-racism, and anti-oppression at the center of the Board’s work.

FY27 Board Members: Robin Tanner, Duncan Teague, Sarah Lenzi, Barb Greve, Chris Rothbauer, Eric Cherry, Brian Ferguson, Janette Lallier

Executive Team

The Board is joined in its work by our Co-Executives, Janette Lallier (Operations & Finance) and Barb Greve (Ministries & Programs), who serve as ex-officio members of the Board. Janette also serves as Board Clerk, supporting the Board’s records and governance processes. Together, the Executive Team partners with the Board in turning its strategic direction into the programs, ministries, and operations of the Association.

Membership Reminders

Thank you to everyone who has renewed their membership and to our life members for their many years of service! If you are trying to renew and you updated your salary and housing after invoices were generated on June 29 our renewal team will need to update your invoice manually. Please reach out to support@uuma.org if you need any help with your invoice or other renewal issues.

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Something for Formation

Supporting Formation: Tis the Season!

If you’re interested in:

Mentoring aspirants and candidates in 1:1 sessions or small groups and/or
If you’re through (at least!) one renewal and want to give back to colleagues because you had great discernment support…and/or
If you know a lot has changed since you went through the process of getting to fellowship but still think of 1-5 and parish internship requirements before your MFC visit in the pre-2020 days?

Here’s how to get started!

Mentoring and Coaching For All Live Webinar: September 8 @ 3-4pm ET/ 2-3pm CT/ 1-2pm MT/ 12-1pm PT
On-demand Training: Our multi-session UUMA mentor training is available online and an important resource for folks new to supporting aspirants, candidates and folks newly in Preliminary Fellowship = Check it out!

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Something Extra

UU Service Committee Hiring for New President and Lead Executive Officer: Following the announcement that Rev. Mary Katherine Morn is planning to retire, the UUSC is hiring for a New President and Lead Executive Officer. For more information about the position and to apply, or nominate a colleague who you think would be a good fit, click here.

Certificate in Nonprofit Management for Religious Professionals and Faith-Based Leaders: Strengthen your leadership and expand your impact through this certificate program at Meadville Lombard, a dynamic learning experience designed to build practical skills in organizational leadership, finance, administration, and sustainable ministry. Learn more about the facilitator, program, course offerings, schedule, and registration here.

Rituals of Resistance: A Training on Faithful Witness from Delaney Hall: Join some of the UU leaders who have been leading the faithful resistance at the Newark detention camp, Delaney Hall. Take home concrete tools and rituals for your community developed and used by Charlene Walker, Executive Director of Faith in New Jersey, Rev. Dr. Robin Tanner, minister at Beacon in Summit NJ and Rev. Anya Sammler-Michael, minister at UU Congregation at Montclair. Register here: Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 8pm ET/7pm CT/6pm MT/5pm PT

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Upcoming Events

You can view our calendar events here. Please make sure you are logged into uuma.org to see our full calendar as some events are available for members only.