Dear Friend, 

"Art may imitate life but life imitates TV."

That’s a line from a song by Ani DiFranco I first heard in my twenties. Her words spoke to me then and they are even more relevant now. Real life now imitates not only TV but Instagram and Facebook, filtered through the distorted prism of social media. Some parts of our politics get reduced to the level of a reality TV offering in which participants squabble, scheme and preen for exposure and ratings.

Religious community can be a good antidote to all that. Congregations tend to move at a slower pace and are oriented to the deeper matters in life. Instead of chasing "likes" and "follows" online, we come together to develop spiritual maturity, bear witness to the beauty and sorrow in the world and enjoy one another. We sit with the realities of the world as it is. We co-imagine the world as it could be, and we attempt to co-create it.

This month, as we enter the holiday season and the long March to Election Day 2024, I am grateful to be part of this faith. Thank you for being part of this dear, sustaining and counter-cultural tradition. Your presence and your support are a gift.

Recent links from the UUA

• 2024 General Assembly Schedule Now Available (November 10)
• From the UPLIFT Blog: MO Trans Rally - A Disabled Activist's Experience (October 31)
• UUA Statement on the Humanitarian Catastrophe in Gaza and Israel (October 17)
• Autumn 2023 Issue of UU World Examines How Unitarian Universalists Experience – and Live – Their Faith (October 16)

Braver/Wiser: Proof of Attention

In recognition of Veterans Day on November 11, here's a recent Braver/Wiser piece from the Rev. Seanan R. Holland, UU and retired Navy chaplain. 

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” — attributed to the Buddha

Aviation, like many professions, has its own particular and sometimes peculiar concepts and jargon. I spent almost twenty years flying helicopters in the Marine Corps. That meant nearly twenty years worth of picking up FOD.

FOD is garbage that can hurt you. The acronym means Foreign Object Damage, which implies an event. But the acronym gets used to name the stuff that could cause damage: a screw, nut, bolt, rivet, stone, chip of glass…almost anything.

When this stuff is on the airfield, it can get kicked up by jet wash, prop wash, or rotor wash and become an injurious missile: in the words of Hamlet, “the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.” It can damage people, airplanes, and airplanes flying with people. FOD is bad.

So we did what humans frequently do: we created a ritual. By the time I joined the military, the ritual was policy, so I didn’t think of it as a ritual. I felt it as a requirement.

Transgender Day of Remembrance

Save the date for the afternoon of Monday, November 20, when the UUA will be holding a Transgender Day of Remembrance Service at 4 pm Eastern, 1 pm Pacific. In the wake of harmful legislation across the country bringing harm to many trans people and their families, join us as we reflect on the many trans lives taken from us in 2023. Register here to attend. 

Monthly Gathering Spaces for Trans and Nonbinary UUs

Seeking community? UPLIFT hosts regular space for trans and nonbinary UUs, including pastoral space for those 18+ on the second Friday of the month at 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT and an all ages monthly gathering on the fourth Tuesday of the month, also at 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT. 

UPLIFT Collective Shares Videos about UUism

The UPLIFT Collective is a group of UUs preaching Queer and Trans Liberation. Are you on Instagram, Facebook, or most especially, TikTok? Need a quick video to brighten your day? Check out these and others posting under #upliftcollective: the Rev. Ali K. C. Bell (@1poeticphoenix), on the left, and the Rev. Joanna Fontaine Crawford (@revjo.uu), on the right. (No TikTok account needed!)

Mosaic Portal Has Launched on UUA.org

The UUA is delighted to announce the launch of the Mosaic, an online hub of connection, resources, and support for Unitarian Universalists dismantling racism and oppression.

Through resources, programs, training, groups, and gatherings, the Mosaic fosters belonging and liberation in Unitarian Universalist congregations and communities. Our work for collective liberation can be as colorful, multi-faceted, and diverse as the tiles of a mosaic.

Dr. Janice Marie Johnson, Co-Director of Ministries and Faith Development, explains, "The Mosaic Hub will provide both space and opportunity for Unitarian Universalists of all races to grapple with, grow into, and collaborate in addressing white supremacy head on. This is no ordinary thing! We are building on bold imagining started a dozen years ago. Some of you are familiar with the Mosaic Makers: Leading Vital Multicultural Congregations conferences that took place over the past 12 years on the national, regional, district, and cluster levels." Keep reading here, and sign up for the Mosaic newsletter here.

Let us participate with faith, tenacity, and joy in working for our collective liberation. Let us act as beautiful, multi-faceted, and diverse as the tiles of a mosaic—our mosaic. — Dr. Janice Marie Johnson

Know Anyone Who Might Like The Young UU Project?

Have you heard of YUUP yet? The Young UU Project began in 2020 as a way for young UUs to keep in touch with each other and their faith during the pandemic, and is held by Lifespan Faith Engagement. The purpose of YUUP is to be a national community care network and multi-directional communication channel that centers BIPOC, trans/non-binary and neuro-divergent youth and offers a transition zone for young people moving into emerging adulthood.

Adult readers, we need your help connecting youth to this community. Visit UUA.org/YUUP to connect. There you can also print flyers to hang at your congregation. 

YARN is Here for Young Adult UUs

The Young Adult Revival Network (YARN) is the global Unitarian Universalist young adult community and champions of UU young adult ministry.

Run out of the First UU Society in San Francisco with funding from donations, gifts, merchandise sales, and the UU Funding Program, YARN is, in their own words, "the one stop shop, the central hub, the town square, the place for all things Unitarian Universalist young adult ministry. We are here to help young adults connect into community, create the ministries of their dreams, and grow the future leaders of our faith community."

Thanks for Supporting the UUA Disaster Relief Fund

We're happy to share this message of thanks from a recent recipient of a UUA Disaster Relief Fund grant:

"With such a small congregation and a budget to match, this amount of money would have really impacted our ability to continue our programming and services uninterrupted. Thank you, again, for your support and kindness."

Remember, Side with Love collaborated with Congregational Life staff to create the Toolbox for Climate Disaster Preparedness for UUs, a way for you and your congregation to assess climate impacts and mobilize for action. There are a number of worksheets for your use, as well as recorded webinars. 

Upcoming Events

UUA Board of Trustees Upcoming Dates

Meeting: Monday, November 13 | 7 pm ET / 4 pm PT
Open House: Tuesday, November 14 | 7 pm ET / 4 pm PT

We invite you to join the Board as it meets to discuss and make decisions about all facets of Unitarian Universalism. Please consult the board packet of the meeting (when it's available) for more information. Register to attend here. 

The Board of Trustees also hosts monthly Open Houses. All are invited to attend and participate. Bring your comments, questions, and suggestions, and chat about the Board’s work and the Unitarian Universalist (UU) issues that matter most to you. Register for November 14 here.

Please save the dates for the December meeting and Open House, Monday and Tuesday, December 11 and 12.

Earth-Aware Worship: Green Sanctuary 2030 Community Meeting

Wednesday, November 15 | 7 pm - 8 pm ET / 4 pm - 5 pm PT

How do we honor Earth not just on Earth Day? How do we build worship services that are inclusive of not just humans, but the more-than-human world, too? Rev. Kelly Dignan from UU Ministry for Earth will offer resources and lead us to share ideas with each other! Come together for shared learning and mutual support with other UUs working on congregational transformation through climate justice on the third Wednesday of the month, hosted by Rachel Myslivy. Each meeting includes a short presentation on a climate justice topic, followed by open discussion on pressing needs. Register here. 

Looking for basic info about the Green Sanctuary 2030 program? Attend one of the monthly orientations. The next one is Wednesday, December 6 at 7 pm ET / 4 pm PT. 

Side with Love November Skill Up: Faith Out Loud

Sunday, November 19 | 4 pm - 5:30 pm ET / 1 pm - 2:30 pm PT; optional Q& A from 5:30 pm - 6 pm ET / 2:30 pm - 3 pm PT

UUA President Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt invites us to remember “what symbols, messages, principles, or experiences are most central to [our] deep understanding of Unitarian Universalism.” During this skill up, we will take time to discuss and practice articulating our theologies of justice-making with faith-centric language that can be used in outreach, public statements, petitions, letters, and more.

Our Skill Ups are a monthly training series to help build organizing capacity across our congregations and communities. We are grounded in our UU calling to be lifelong learners and organizing traditions' call to share what we know for our movements to grow. Agenda includes embodied grounding and interactive training, followed by an optional Q&A Conversation from 5:30-6 ET. Register here to attend. 

UPLIFT Trans and Non-Binary Drop-in Monthly Gathering

Tuesday, November 28 | 8 pm - 9:30 pm ET / 5 pm - 6:30 pm PT

Join the UPLIFT monthly gatherings for trans, nonbinary, and other not-entirely-or-at-all-cis UUs and friends of UUism. Join us to connect with other trans/nonbinary+ UUs and co-create support and community across our faith. All you need to bring is yourself (and other trans/nonbinary friends, if you’d like)! Non-UUs are welcome if they are OK with being in a UU-focused community that won't proselytize. If you are interested in this space, and you aren’t (entirely or at all) cisgender, it’s a space for you. To sign up, please fill out this form.

NOTE: This space is intentionally multi-generational. It is open to and welcoming of trans/nonbinary elders as well as children, youth, and young adults. Standard UUA online safety measures apply to ensure all people under 18 are able to attend. We're glad to have you here! For information on registering someone under 18, please follow instructions on this page. 

Taproot: A National BIPOC Space

Thursday, December 14 | 8 pm - 9:15 pm ET / 5 pm - 6:15 pm PT

The work of spiritual community is complicated in the 21st century. The need for faithful leadership that is grounded and resilient is imperative. This is all the more true for leaders within our communities and congregations who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPoC). All too aware of this need, Congregational Life is excited to explore and co-create a network with congregational leaders that support them in this time in emergent ways through Taproot: A National BIPOC Space. BIPoC Leaders rooted in the Unitarian Universalist congregations are invited to take part in this monthly, virtual gathering on second Thursdays. Fall 2023 dates are October 12, November 9, and December 14. Register here to attend. 

Seasons of Giving is the monthly e-newsletter from the UUA's Stewardship and Development Office. Questions can be directed to Suzanne Murray at development@uua.org or (617) 948-4392.

Check UUA.org and UUWorld.org, as well as UUA regional websites, for the latest updates.