January 8, 2026

Something from Side With Love

A Message from your Search Team Co-Chairs

Search Committee Co-Chairs: Rev. Carol Thomas Cissel and Rev. Sarah Lenzi

Colleagues, the support we receive from our Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association (UUMA) significantly contributes to the sustainability of our ministries. The UUMA helps us connect, highlights our transformative work, and creates structures of care, accountability, and justice, allowing us to lead with head and heart.

We are currently seeking the next Director of Ministries and Programs for the UUMA. This role requires an enthusiastic, creative individual committed to our collective liberation. This person should be adept at teamwork and able to see the big picture while also attending to important details. The position offers the standard benefits of an ordained ministerial role, along with the ability to work remotely and has minimal weekend work.

This leadership role within the UUMA serves as a community ministry position, offering the opportunity to collaborate with exceptional colleagues as you engage in the vital work of supporting and shaping Unitarian Universalist ministry for the future.

We encourage you to consider applying for this role or recommending individuals who might thrive in it. For more information about the position and application instructions, please  click here. NOTE: The application deadline has been extended to midnight EST on January 14, 2026.

As we begin 2026, we have once again witnessed violence in our streets and around the world. It is clear that we will continue to face challenges as we strive for justice and liberation. As leaders in our shared liberal faith, our values and vision are needed now more than ever, in every aspect of our lives. Whether we serve as community ministers, chaplains, parish ministers, or in other roles, our essential work for collective liberation must be sustainable, as we are committed to this journey together for the long haul.
 

With gratitude for all you do

Click above to view a message from Carol and Sarah

Something For the Moment

Times with Kai Cheng Thom: Registered for the Institute? Join Institute Keynote Speaker, Kai Cheng Thom for a pre-Instititute conversation with others who are attending the Institute. These conversations are included in your registration but require separete registration to get the Zoom information. You can join us on Tuesday, January 13 at 3:30 ET/2:30 CT/1:30 MT/12:30 PT and/or Tuesday, January 20 @ 2:30 ET/1:30 CT/12:30 MT/11:30am PT.

MFN Formation Conversation: Internships and Ministry in the Parish: Join Jules Taylor and a panel of guests for conversation about when and how to plan for a parish based internship. We’ll explore the learning serving agreement, assembly of an internship committee and resources for the journey. This program will be especially helpful to Aspirants who are considering vocations  in congregational life and UUMA members who want to be better grounded in current trends and realities for this formative part of our learning ministry. We plan to make a recording of this event available to folks who register.

Share Ideas and News with Chapter Members: Our UUMA Member Center allows members of each chapter to email one another through their chapter page(s). We have been informed the UUA has discontinued all list servs. If you are a leader of an active UUA list serv please watch for an email from Denise Cawley about moving forward. If you were using one, a better way to communicate with people in your area would be using our UUMA Member Center:
Steps to Communicate with Your Chapter

• Log into Member Center
• Select “groups”
• Pick the chapter you belong to that you want to communicate with those members.
• Select “Send Broadcast Message” on the left
• A screen will come up to message all the members of that chapter. Be sure to include your own email address in your message if you want people to be able to reach you as it sends from our server, not your email address. 

Something for Learning and Justice

On Monday, January 12 in the afternoon/evening, our colleagues at Side with Love offer a monthly virtual Gathering to provide: 

• Spiritual Grounding – Strengthen your heart and spirit for the work ahead. 
• Political Analysis – Understand the threats to democracy and justice.
• Collective Action – Organize with others to block anti-democratic forces and build a just and loving world

Register for The Gathering here.

Congregational staff and board members are also encouraged to attend Now What: The Gathering for Congregational Leaders on January 14.