Something For the Moment 

• Calling for Nominations: Are you called to Lead, Grow with, and Serve your colleagues.  By saying yes to continental leadership you contribute to our evolving collective wisdom and help our association become all that we long to be, together.  If you know that you were called to the ministry for just such a time as this, the Nominating Committee wants to hear from you. Commitment like yours will help all of us to be the leaders our movement, and our world, need right now. Please take three minutes to listen to this message and read more about opportunities in UUMA Leadership.

• Zoom Renewals: Did you know the UUMA has upgraded to Zoom One!  If you currently have your Zoom account through the UUMA we hope you have been enjoying your new Zoom One account – which went live in December.  Zoom One accounts are only available to organizations purchasing more than 10 licenses and carry with them many advanced features not available for individual purchase. By joining your colleagues and renewing through the UUMA, not only do you enjoy the many expanded features but you also provide support to your professional organization. Keep an eye on your email for information about renewal or click here to renew today. We are excited to be able to offer a Zoom Lunch and Learn session on February 16, 2:2:30pm ET/ 1-1:30pm CT/ 12-12:30pm MT/ 11-11:30am PT/ 10-10:30am HT to introduce you to the fabulous Zoom One features.  The UUMA Staff is loving Zoom One – we know you will too!! 

• Collegial Conversation: The Ministry of Spiritual Direction: Wednesday, January 17, 2024, 1-2pm ET/ 12-1pm CT/11am-12pm MT/ 10-11am PT/ 8-9am HT  Rev. Tandi Rogers sees Spiritual Direction as a tool to cultivate spiritual maturity, spiritual imagination and spiritual courage in individuals, communities and organizations. Tandi will lead this conversation to explore how Spiritual Direction can amplify your ministry.

Something for the Journey

Janette Lallier, UUMA Director of Operations

One of the values the UUMA holds at the core of our planning is that of radical hospitality. The more we live into this value, the more we learn and the more we grow. This last year, the Executive Team has been reflecting on how we can increase participation in our events by more fully inviting the membership into the process. We have learned that when folks feel invested in an event, they not only enjoy themselves more, their enthusiasm becomes contagious.  Event volunteers and temporary staff have always played a key role in the success of UUMA programming. As we plan for this year we hope to expand opportunities for you, our talented and dedicated members, to be involved! 

In addition to hospitality, one of the key aspects of the UUMA’s mission is collegiality. While we will be following the lead of the UUA’s General Assembly and holding our 2024 Ministry Days programming virtually, we recognize that virtual programming is enhanced when members have opportunities to gather in small groups. To that, end we are prepared, as our capacity allows, to support small group gatherings. Because we want to honor the virtual nature of this year’s Ministry Days, we will call any small groups who gather to share Ministry Days programming “Watch Parties.” 

A Watch Party can be a gathering of 5 to 50 people. To be an official UUMA Watch Party, it must have three main items: be hosted in an accessible space, have a Hospitality Facilitator, and an AV Facilitator (for groups smaller than 10 the AV and Hospitality person can be the same). Facilitators will receive an honorarium and be coached by continental staff. If you would like to learn more or are prepared to host a party, please consider attending an information session on Wednesday, January 31, 2024 @ 3-4pm ET/ 2-3pm CT/ 1-2pm MT/ 12-1pm PT.  Click here to register and receive email reminders. 

If hosting a party might be more than you have the capacity to do right now, I invite you to start thinking about how you might contribute to our values of hospitality and collegiality this coming June. Share your thoughts with me at any time, or watch this space to learn more.  In the meantime, please mark your calendars for the 2024 Virtual Ministry Days June 17-19. To give us a little more time to organize in support of the Watch Parties, we will be postponing opening registration till April 1, 2024.

Something Extra

• Save the Date for Ministry Days, On the Future of Ministry, June 17-19, 2024: We are planning a more spacious program to minimize our time on Zoom. The Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis, Senior Minister at Middle Collegiate Church, will lead our opening worship. For our main program, there will be two opportunities for small group exploration on topics related to the future of ministry. Leaders of our Milestones Worship and Celebration of Ministry will be finalized soon, and we will also hear from our 25/50 year members and our Berry Street Essayist is The Rev. Kim Crawford Harvie.

• Peacebuilding amid Polarization: A Leader’s Toolkit for Constructive Engagement on the Israeli–Palestinian Crisis: Our UUA International Office alerted us to this upcoming educational offering and we are grateful to help ensure you know about it too.  Drawing on the expertise of leading scholar-practitioners of religion, peacebuilding, and conflict transformation, this five-part series runs from February 1 through February 29 offering practical, conceptual, and theological tools to help community builders, educators, religious leaders, and peace activists navigate the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and its global impact. Each session offers participant engagement through practical capacity-building exercises. 
   
• The UUA Office of Church Staff Finance 2024 Retirement Planning Seminar: Applications have now been posted: Click here to apply
   
• Update from the UU Organizations Retirement Plan: We are partnering with the UUA to amplify this important reminder regarding the Employer Participation Agreement, employee/minister eligibility, and ensuring that our congregations are in compliance for the benefit of all eligible staff.