Enduring Ministries

I’m grateful and excited to let you know that we are continuing to make meaningful changes to improve the quality and consistency of our ministry of Good Offices. We have about a dozen colleagues who have been selected to be part of our new Good Offices Contract/Call Negotiation Team. You can read more about the purpose of the team and the team members here. This team will begin training later this month focused on developing skills, knowledge and capacity to assist colleagues who may need support negotiating contracts/ministerial agreements at the beginning of new ministries and when ending ministries in negotiated resignation. We are using an apprenticeship model as part of training, which means that the people on the team who have been helping to develop this specialty over the last few years will help train the newer members of the team. If you or a colleague you know finds yourself approaching a negotiated resignation, you or your chapter Good Offices person can reach out to me and I will gladly connect you with a member of our Good Offices Contract/Call Negotiation Team. Our Good Offices Contract/Call Negotiation Team members will provide specialized support for negotiated endings that are just, equitable and faithful as possible.

Just as a reminder, this new Good Offices team is our second specialty team. The first one we developed is our Good Offices Right Relationship Team. The members of our Good Offices Right Relationship Team have been studying and reflecting on questions of accountability, repair and restoration. They are available to help when the covenant between colleagues has been broken. Part of what we have been learning is that one size does not fit all. Each situation requires careful consideration and thoughtful discernment. And even then, the heart of the matter is in the actual practice of working toward restoration. Some of the members of the team and I recently had a conversation with two of our colleagues who come from indigenous communities that are restorative in culture and orientation – Rev. Clyde Grubbs and Rev. Ren Rohe McFadyen. We recorded the conversation with the intent of sharing it with all of you so that you might also be part of the conversation about what it means to be moving the UUMA in the direction of restorative practices. The video is just under an hour long and you can access the recording here. We are developing a discussion guide and have suggested the possibility of a chapter based collegial conversation to all of the UUMA Chapter Leaders. Or perhaps you are part of another small collegial group that might agree to watch this video and then have a conversation together. Let me know if you would like a copy of the discussion guide. We will also post it alongside the video as soon as it is finalized. 

Good Offices is one of the enduring ministries of the UUMA. This ministry for ministers is always available to you thanks to the generosity of colleagues who say yes to a term or more. Please don’t hesitate to reach out, even with very small concerns. As we say in Good Offices, it is always best to call early. It is never a bother. Good Offices is here to support you. And if you are ever unsure how to connect with a Good Offices person or which Good Offices person or team might be best suited to support your needs, you are always welcome to reach out directly to me or to any member of the Good Offices Coordinating Team. We will be glad to help you get connected. 

Multigenerational Conversations: Our Grief and Losses

Ministers in diverse roles respond to grief all the time: professional and personal losses, losses associated with change and aging and so many other losses including social, cultural, political and global losses like those wrought by climate change.  When we are offering our ministries, we often set aside our own grief about losses that we are experiencing personally or professionally to be there for others. Co-sponsored by the UUMA and UURMaPA (the UU Retired Ministers and Partners Association), this multigenerational Zoom gathering of UU ministers will be about us, about our losses and what we grieve. 

During this gathering, we will break into small group conversations about the grief we experience within the social locations of our ministries right now, across our diverse generations, whether in formation, active or retired.  Small group breakouts will be set in advance so that we can endeavor to make each small group truly multigenerational.  The groups will be lightly facilitated and will include an opportunity to consider a few words about your small group sharing that you might share back with the larger group at the end of our time.  Through connecting meaningfully and deeply with one another across our generations of ministry, we hope to strengthen our collegial community. Click the date below to register and receive the Zoom link to participate. 

• Tuesday, March 7, 2023 from  4-5:30pm ET, 3-4:30pm CT, 2-3:30pm MT, and 1-2:30 PT

Opportunities to Connect

• Monday, February 13 at 3-4:30pm ET/2-3:30pm CT/1-2:30pm MT/12-1:30pm PT
• Tuesday, February 28 at 1-2:30 pm ET/ 12-1:30 pm CT/ 11-12:30 pm MT/ 10-11:30 am PT

• Friday, February 17 at 4-5pm ET/3-4pm CT/2-3pm MT/1-2pm PT

• Tuesday, February 21, 2023 4-5pm ET/3-4pm CT/2-3pm MT/1-2pm PT

• Wednesday, February 22 3-4:30pm ET/2-3:30pm CT/1-2:30pm MT/12-1:30pm PT
• Saturday, February 25 4-5:30pm ET/3-4:30pm CT/2-3:30pm MT/1-2:30pm PT