30 Days of Love, Juust Breathe Live, Copyright Primer, Legacy Workshop, and more
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January 2022
Dear Friend,
There have always been UUs who understood that the scope of a faithful life includes both the public and the private spheres. There have always been UUs who have been impacted by public policy and practice at the most intimate, personal level.
I am a Unitarian Universalist because my great-great-grandfather, William Hazel, was a Unitarian.
William Hazel was a Unitarian because he was a fierce advocate for Black civil rights, and he found Unitarians in the fray with him. Unitarians were part of the Underground Railroad that brought members of our family out of the South before the start of the Civil War. Later, they joined forces with Black people to create educational opportunity and self-governance.
In a time of little opportunity for young Black men, the renowned architect Henry Hobson Richardson gave William Hazel a job. Richardson, who had Unitarian ties himself, helped launch Hazel’s career as a stained glass artisan and architect.
William Hazel (photo courtesy of Lauren Smith)
My great-great-grandfather, in turn, helped found the architecture department at Howard University. His daughter and granddaughter became outspoken educators.
These ancestors are with me as I wrestle with how we Unitarian Universalists will navigate our own historic times.
As we enter 2022, we pass over the anniversary of the January 6th insurrection and enter the third year of a devastating pandemic. I am grateful for today's imaginative, loving and challenging leaders.
Thanks to leaders and volunteers at all levels, we will UU the Vote again this year. We will help to reconstitute our faltering democracy. Thanks to the fidelity of UUs in our congregations and beyond, most of our congregations will continue to survive and serve. Many will thrive.
Keep faith, dear Unitarian Universalists. A century from now, someone you will never know may reflect on who you have been in this moment. They may give thanks for your imagination and courage, and for all the ways it has opened their life.
Thanks, as always, for all that you are, give and do.
Rev. Lauren Smith
Director of Stewardship and Development
Recent news from the UUA and President Susan Frederick-Gray
- A New Year's Greeting from Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray (Facebook, December 28)
- "Democracy cannot wait:" Over 120 Unitarian Universalists participate in Poor People's Campaign Moral March (UU World, December 17)
- Susan Frederick-Gray's editorial in the latest UU World issue is online: Our Faith Calls Us to Antiracist Work (UU World, December 1)
JUUst Breathe Live: Two Dates for January
On Sunday, January 9, Rising Appalachia joined Eric Bliss and Shannon Harper for a conversation on music, love, and community. JUUst Breathe Live is a Youtube Livestream for young liberal religious people, created by Eric and Shannon, UUA Congregational Life staff.
The regular monthly episode is scheduled for Sunday, January 23, at 5 pm PT / 8 pm ET. Eric and Shannon will be joined by Noella Prescod and Zoe Johnston to talk about Climate Justice.
Check out the video from January 9 on Youtube or subscribe to JUUst Breathe.
30 Days of Love is January 17 - February 14 This Year
Side With Love invites you to join our annual celebration of love, faith and justice.
In 2022, 30 Days of Love will focus on Side With Love’s four intersectional justice priorities, with opportunities each week for communities and people of all ages to ground, grow, and act together for justice.
Each week, we will share a ‘playlist’ of activities and resources for individuals to interact with, connected with our weekly theme. There will be full playlists for multigenerational families/communities, as well as many activities for general adult audiences, categorized as Read, Watch, Act, Listen, or Worship.
- Week 1: January 17 - 23 – Reproductive, Gender, & LGBTQIA+ Justice
- Week 2: January 24 - 30 – Democracy & Voting Rights
- Week 3: January 31 - February 6 – Decriminalization & Racial Justice
- Week 4: February 7 - 14 – Climate Justice
- Side With Love Sunday: February 14
Check out the Calendar of Events and sign up for updates online.
UU Ministry for Earth Seeks New Board Chairperson
News from UU Ministry for Earth in early January included announcing a search for a new Board Chairperson (PDF). Interim Co-Chairs Betsy Tomic and Dr. Susanna Wu-Pong Calver will serve through June 2022, with the new Chairperson beginning their role in July 2022.
Immediate past chair Rev. Cindy Davidson describes the opportunity as follows:
Now is an opportune time for a dynamic new Board Chair to lead UUMFE to the next level! Someone who can catalyze and navigate this period of growth, revisioning and internal transition. A good overview of the responsibilities and the leadership qualities we hope to attract can be found in our position description.
Are you a viable candidate? Intrigued, curious, need more information, want to chat? Reach out to SearchTeam@uumfe.org.
New Digital Pamphlet Packages from Skinner House Books
Designed for maximum flexibility, these new digital pamphlet packages are powerful resources to help Unitarian Universalist congregations and other Unitarian Universalist communities connect with seekers and potential visitors to their websites, social media, and in other direct communications.
Each digital pamphlet package includes:
- 8 ½ x 11 PDF compatible with screen readers
- Audio file
- A link to a downloadable captioned video
- An embed code for a web page with the full text, audio, and video
- Social media graphics for Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
Two digital pamphlet packages, "We are Unitarian Universalists" and "You Are Not Alone," are now available to order from inSpirit: the UU Book and Gift Shop. Please contact inSpirit at bookstore@uua.org with any questions.
Copyright Primer To Help Determine Streaming Permissions
Created in collaboration with the UUA’s legal counsel and staff from Congregational Life, Faith Development, and WorshipWeb teams, the Copyright Primer for Congregations is designed to make it easier for congregations to 1) determine whether they need permission to use copyrighted material and 2) to obtain that permission when needed.
The new primer includes information about the religious exemption in copyright law and what it does and does not cover, how copyright law applies to the online environment, permissions that some copyright holders have already granted to UU congregations, how to request permissions from the UUA and other publishers when needed, and the answers to many other common questions.
Please send questions and feedback to Mary Benard, Publications Director, at mbenard@uua.org.
Free Online Legacy Giving Workshop on February 5
Our Shared Future: Legacy Giving in UU Congregations will take place on Saturday, February 5 from 1 pm ET – 3:00 pm ET. Join the UUA’s Legacy Gifts team for a free webinar about the basics of legacy giving and best practices for building a healthy legacy giving program in your congregation. This workshop is designed for congregational leaders who want to learn about soliciting, managing, and stewarding legacy gifts to support the future of Unitarian Universalism.
Email legacy@uua.org or call (888) 792-5885 (select option 3) to register or to request more information.
WorshipWeb Releases New Music Guidelines with AUUMM
All Unitarian Universalist congregations and worship leaders are asked to review our new WorshipWeb guidelines, developed in collaboration with the Association for UU Music Ministries (AUUMM).
Throughout the pandemic, many musicians were generous enough to share their work, in video form, with congregations. Music is such an integral and life-giving part of worship that these gifts of music elevated our online worship services. Unfortunately, this generosity has created an expectation—perhaps unconscious—that music comes to us for free. This expectation has had the unjust effect of devaluing the work and skills of many musicians.
Please visit Music for Online Worship on uua.org to review the new guidelines. The page includes numerous links to music intended for online worship as well as links to pay to the artists. In many cases, artists simply request congregations pay what they can via Venmo or PayPal.
Jess Huetteman has a YouTube channel of 61 UU hymns with videos, including "Dona Nobis Pacem" (above). Pay-what-you-can on PayPal here.
Please direct any questions concerning the new guidelines to worship@uua.org.
Register for General Assembly in Portland, OR
General Assembly 2022, scheduled for June 22 - 26, will be a multi-platform event, with registration options for both in-person and online attendance.
In-person registration for GA 2022 in Portland, Oregon, is now open. Registration for Virtual participation will open March 1. Financial support for registration as well as a payment plan are available. This year's theme is Meet the Moment: Reimagining Radical Faith Community.
Upcoming Events
Registration for Intergenerational Spring Seminar Opens January 18
UU@UN Seminar will consist of online sessions throughout April 22 - May 1, 2022
The 2022 Intergenerational Spring Seminar will address the theme "Displacement and Human Rights: All In for Climate Justice." The UU@UN is excited to be partnering with the Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth and UUSC on this event. Learn more about the 2022 seminar, including opportunities for local gatherings in-person. Registration opens January 18.
UUA Board of Trustees Upcoming Meeting and Monthly Open House
January Board Meeting, Friday and Saturday, January 21-22, 2022
Register here for the January meeting. When it is ready, the packet for this month's board meeting can be found here and will include an agenda. The February Board Meeting will be Monday, February 14 at 7 pm ET / 4 pm PT.
February Open House, Tuesday, February 8, 2022 | 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT
One way the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Board of Trustees serves the more than 1,000+ member congregations and 148,000 UUs is through open communication and transparency in its work. To encourage open dialogue, the Board 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 issues that matter most to you. Pre-registration is required.
Monthly Gathering for Trans and Nonbinary UUs of All Ages
Tuesday, January 25, 2022 | 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT
Join the UPLIFT monthly gatherings focused on trans, nonbinary, and other not (completely or at all) cis UUs. 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)! These gatherings focus on getting to know each other and on sharing our collective dreams, ideas, and talents for this space. Expansive definitions of trans, nonbinary, and UU all apply. If you are interested in this space, and you aren’t cisgender, it’s a space for you. Learn more and register here.
Reflect, Rejoice, Renew: Pacific Western Region Regional Assembly 2022
Friday, February 4 through Sunday, February 6, 2022 | San Diego, CA, and Online
Our PWR Regional Assembly is that inspirational, radically inclusive, beyond-the-congregation UU community we’ve missed. Whether onsite at the hotel on the bay in San Diego, or online in the comfort of our own homes, everyone will have opportunities for connection in small groups, inspirational worship, transformative learning, and just plain community fun. Find out more about PWR Assembly and register.
2021-2022 Taproot: National BIPOC Space, Second Thursdays
Spring dates are Feb. 10, Mar. 10, Apr. 14, May 12 | 8-9:15 pm ET / 5-6:15 pm PT
Black, Indigenous and People of Color Leaders rooted in the Unitarian Universalist congregations are invited to take part in this monthly, virtual gathering as we explore the pillars of rest and renewal, analysis building, and leadership development in creating means by which to ground ourselves in resilient communities of care. This space is explicitly for people identifying as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPoC). Learn more and register here.
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.
